HULL CITY: Gerrard can steady Tigers' defensive ranks, says Adam Pearson
DEADLINE day signing Anthony Gerrard has the "no-nonsense" style to steady Hull City's defensive ranks, according to head of football operations Adam Pearson.
The 24-year-old centre-back completed his season-long loan deal in a dramatic final hour of the transfer window yesterday, with Anthony Gardner farmed out to Crystal Palace until January.
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Hull City's new signing Anthony Gerrard
Gerrard, cousin of England star Steven, becomes Nigel Pearson's sixth summer signing and is expected to go straight into the side to face Cardiff after the two clubs agreed a clause that will also see Seyi Olofinjana feature against the Tigers.
City's late dealings round off a summer of wholesale change at the KC Stadium and Adam Pearson is delighted to have recruited Gerrard's no-nonsense style.
"Anthony wears his heart on his sleeve and defends properly," Pearson told the Mail. "He's a no-risk, down to earth defender.
"He's a traditional English centre-half who will help bring out the best in the likes of Liam Cooper.
"He was a first choice last season with Cardiff but for whatever reason hasn't started the new year in the side. He's an ambitious lad who just wants to play and I'm sure he's just what we need."
Having been reared through Everton's youth academy, Gerrard made his rise into senior football during a four-year stay with Walsall.
A £200,000 move to Cardiff saw him step up to the Championship last summer but this year has seen him fall behind Gabor Gyepes and Mark Hudson in the pecking order at the high-flyers.
Despite featuring in 47 games for the Bluebirds last season, boss Dave Jones was willing to let the defender head to East Yorkshire and will now enjoy a swift reunion at Cardiff next time out.
To pave the way for Gerrard's capture, City loaned Gardner to Crystal Palace until January.
The Tigers had also toyed with allowing Kamil Zayatte to join Leicester but any exit for the Guinea international must now wait until September 8 when the loan market re-opens for Football League clubs.
That, in turn, would pave the way for City to sign Daniel Ayala on loan from Liverpool.
The closure of the window now leaves City having to deal with the £45,000 a week wages of Jimmy Bullard.
Bullard has spent much of Pearson's reign training with the Tigers' youth ranks and, as yet, has not been granted a squad number.
It is understood he will now come into contention but it remains unclear if he will be picked by Pearson given the recent arrival of Robert Koren and John Bostock.
More encouraging news came from Nigel Pearson after he was finally released from hospital yesterday afternoon.
The City boss spent four nights under observation after suffering chest pains on Friday but with all tests returned clear, he has been discharged.
Pearson will spend today and tomorrow resting with his family before returning to work on Friday.
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by Willie, Hull
Thursday, September 02 2010, 10:43AM
“P C Plodd Talk about saddo's, you stay up until 3.00am to post on here,how sad is that. lol”
by PC Plodd, Checking Out the WuMs
Thursday, September 02 2010, 3:07AM
“Dont worry everyone about Gibbo as he is simply a sad cross dressing wierdo who plays with minors in his mams basement hovel. We have been keeping him under survalence for ages and are working with social services and the benefits dept to sort out this pest. The photo of his haircut is very unfair, to the chimp i mean. Poor might. Nobody and i mean nobody is or looks as bad as Gibbo. He really needs pity he does.
Gerry,Hull is his twin alta ego who is just as sad and differs in that he wears his sisters skirts and blouses. A total nobody and such a waste of space. The runt of the family if you may. So leave these pests alone and they will go.
Well, i am a geordie who hates all mackems and found it so great to see fra+zer campbell get injured. You reap what you sow boy. 6 months out ? needs to be 6 years out. The mackems will struggle this season and i am looking forward to 6 nice points from them soon. Report ends.
Goodnight all.”
by John Carmichael, Stanton, SoCal
Thursday, September 02 2010, 1:08AM
“Have to agree with H.D.M. on Bullard, after City's scintillating start to the season they would be crazy to play him! Might as well keep paying him a small fortune every week for doing nowt!”
by Mel U, Southampton
Thursday, September 02 2010, 12:32AM
“For a site with plenty to offer by way of debate, its odd how just two or three wums can change its face.
Sites all suffer the same fate. 606 has more than its fair share of morons who love the idea of fishing to get others to bite.
Others allow posts that are beyond the pale in language (this coming from someone who can swear for England). It just does not make good reading.
I tend to stick to posting on here, why? Well I feel that this site has something that others just seem to lack. We comment on a specific item of news. Not something that is posted by a supporter, but an article that is generated for one reason and that is to sell the news. The topic is directly related to Hull City (on this page) and that is the difference. The wind up merchants come and go. Some long established posters leave (or do they?) but most of the comments are worth the read.
I look to this site to keep me in touch, as well as to voice my thoughts, but more than that, I learn so much from here that I could not anywhere else.
So if the Wums get to you, relax. its all in a days posting.”
by Tejas Maria, Olde El Paso, Tejas
Thursday, September 02 2010, 12:17AM
“Trouble is Farsley Tiger, Gibbo is the funniest thing on here and you are the most boring. Gerry, Hull
wow gobbo has discovered if he changes his "name" we wont figure out it's him, tired of jacking off in your mams basement loser !
Gerrard will be fine, if Zayette is in midfield if not is he an improvement on Gardner will he be able to handle Zayettes mistakes or wass Gardner going about the money ?
Time to bring Halmosi and Bullard into the fold, we're paying them, play them !
UTT”
by sjatiger, hull
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 11:13PM
“Is that the same Gudjonson who sh@t on his good mate Zola and didnt sign for West Ham at the last minute and signed for Spurs instead where he never played hardly??
Or the Gudjonson whe signed for Barcelona knowing he wouldnt get to play much but signed anyway and frittered his career away as a sub??
Just wondering”
by bigfattiger, sheffield
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 11:00PM
“just seen an interview with eidur gudjohnsen on ssnews and i quote "i could have sat on my contract at monaco and spent my time looking at the beautiful boats but thats not what im about"
how refreshing and even if he's getting the same amount of coin (or close) i think its a real credit to him that despite his relatively advancing years, he'll knuckle down for first team football at stoke instead of lapping it up in monte carlo!
and there's no mention of him demanding an extra £30k a week.
is JB my JB point JB that JB obvious?”
by Gerry, Hull
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 9:40PM
“Trouble is Farsley Tiger, Gibbo is the funniest thing on here and you are the most boring.”
by Left Back, Houston, looking for the JB in Richard Noggin
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 9:40PM
“Don't blame Jimmy Bullard for his unwillingness to leave or work with the Tigers on his contract, blame the idiots who signed him. While he's showing the City supporters he doesn't give a darn about the club or folks who pay his wages, others put him in the role of an overpaid underachieving class-clown.
Unfortunately, we're now the laughing stock of the League by having him on the books. Sad.
Hopefully the two weeks will give the team a chance to gel as a group, and get used to each other on the field. Thet'll come around and I think there's enough class on the staff now to keep us in the Championship this year, even win a game away from home.
Happy to eat humble pie at season's end if I'm wrong... Go Tigers!”
by Farsley Tiger, Leeds
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 9:16PM
“Don't really know much about AG so will give him the benefit of the doubt. If he has put on a bit of cake over the summer, he has two weeks before his first game for us to shape up a bit.
On a separate note, comparing us with Stoke just because we were promoted in the same season is pointless. It's like comparing Newcastle and Blackpool for the same reason. Stoke have a very rich owner who is bankrolling them. We don't, and never really have had, that situation at the Tigers.
Finally, just ignore "Gibbo" and he will get bored and go away. He is either a child who will go back to school shortly or is of very limited intelligence and just likes getting a reaction. Ignore him and he will find something else to amuse himself.”