This week St Bangkok concentrates on our new signing from the land of the rising sun Tadanari Lee

This time around my Far East slant really is a slant in regards to matter of the Far East. In particular our new young Japanese Star Tadanari Lee, or Chun as he seems to want to be called…..

My thoughts in this regard are who it is at SFC that is making the signing, finding the talent and so on. Some of Nigel’s previous signings have been shall we be fair and say unconvincing. Forte and N’Guessan are two obvious ones that spring to mind, but there are a few others; loans included who raised doubting brows.

However, in the recent two windows, close season and January we seem to have picked up nothing but bloody good buys that include the much maligned (in his previous life) Jos Hooiveld, Danny (assist King) Fox, the ever promising but seemingly never advancing his career Jack Cork, and now of course the far east fizz himself. Apologies if I have missed some there but these are just meant as examples.

Of course on the other side of the coin some may raise me a Steve De Ridder, but I think the more level headed of us may agree that he could be one for the future who is suffering from lack of a run in the team, confidence and all round experience in the English game. I still think he could come good, but may end up surplus to requirements.

So anyway, who is making these signings? There seems to me to be a quite clear upturn in the selection and their successes. If we were even to accept De Ridder as failed that would still be just one of many in the last 8 months or so, not a bad hit rate at all. So do we conclude from this that signing duties have been more or less taken away from Nige?

I personally believe that he must still retain a big say in who is in and who is out, but I do have a feeling that perhaps Les Reed and a team of scouts are more responsible for the identifying of the talent, perhaps then Nige interviews them to see if the will fit on the bus and in with the psyche of the squad/club and if he agrees then off they trot upstairs to see lord high executioner, Nicola Cortese. The buck of course will then stop with him to thrash out the final remuneration package.

In any case, it seems to be working if the emergence of Lee is anything to go buy. OK, it was one game and one goal, but it was the sort of goal we have all seen him score many times on the youtube links posted on the UI forum, so clearly something he can and does do on a regular basis.

With that in mind, plus his clear twisty turny (a true footie mans expression) abilities, not to mention a bit of pace and a clear eye for goal I have a really good feeling about this lad becoming a new fans favourite, one that could put Billy Sharp on the back foot before he has started.

Photo: Action Images

EasternSaint added 09:14 - Feb 21 Think I'm more far east than you:-) But anyway... I sure hope he does keep knocking them in for us, he's a nice kid.
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st_bangkok added 10:22 - Feb 21 Let's compare L&L co-ordinates!! Bangers is far more south than easy, so a real south easterly(ish) sort of slant.
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Olley added 11:29 - Feb 21 I believe true competition [not just many strikers] brings out the best in players, therefore Chun maybe just what we required, 3 viable real strikers along with Ricky & Billy. Therefore even light flashes of finishing, like against Derby, means Billy needs to raise his game & not like Doncaster, which was if fit you will play. On the matter of who picks the players, you are right it has somewhat been hit & miss but I guess when you make so many recruitments in a short space of time, some will flatter to deceive but on the whole I believe some of the signings have been great additions.

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simmo400 added 11:44 - Feb 21 Think sharpe is not fit or hasnt adapted to our football yet. Saturday he was off the boil and I for one was hoping Lee would get on. Hes fast and has a good touch. no one knows what hes capable of yet and therefore maybe our secret weapon. He seems to have an ability to get a shot off very quick and powerful and we have so needed this in attack. Lee has won the fans over already with his 100% commitment. Perhaps if Sharpe had netted against WH when it was harder to miss he would noe be confident in a red n white shirt. Still to early to knock Sharpe but he needs to find his way soon or Lee will partner RL.

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Whatsforpud added 12:54 - Feb 21 Chun or Chung? He seems the high-octane sort of player who would seek to challenge a keeper when trying to dribble the ball out. I though Davis was going to be caught out a couple of times like that in the first half against Derby.
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bstokesaint added 13:06 - Feb 21 I love the fact that the goal meant so much to him. It shows he cares and he'll win fans that way. Everyone wants to see passion and commitment. I'd hate for Tadanari to become a bit of a joke character like Steve de Ridder. Not Steve's fault, but now even struggling to get in the team he probably wants to be taken a bit more seriously. A decent chant should accompany our best players as a show of our appreciation for them.

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