Jean Louis Akpa Apkro

[Sparky]

Nice to see another signing to bolster our attacking options.

Has always impressed me, big and powerful with plenty of pace.

Doesn't have the greatest scoring ratio though (would rather we signed Steven Gillespie who signed for Fleetwood yesterday but they will have offered him much more than we could).

Apkro reminds me a bit of Delroy Facey but him and Burgess, should they get the service, should cause defences problems.

Best we can expect on our resources.

 

[merseyside bossman]

i called this signing about 3 months ago !!!, maybe Ronnie reads this forum

 

[merseyside bossman]

quote :lol::lol::lol::lol:

25-03-12, 08:46 AM
on another point, if Rochdale go down, I reckon there forward Akpa Akrpo (spelling), would be a nice signing


\\/

 

[tea for two]

i hope he does well with ben burgess plenty of options for Ronnie at least he has Adam mcgurk as reserve if these two do not click.

 

[WildRover]

HAppy enough with that signing, a couple of midfielders would be nice

 

[Boz]

Unlike our other two signings, a player whose current club, Rochdale wanted to keep him. Think he could prove a bit of a handful for defenders, but previous form doesn't suggest he'll be prolific.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I always thought Akpro looked useful at Rochdale, and I am pleased with this signing. In terms of playing style he should be a good foil for Burgess, although the goal scoring ratio of both new strikers is a bit of a concern.

 

[drwhoman]

AKPRO

For the money was can offer we have done well to get this guy and Ben Burgess. We need midfielders now. Wallace would be really great but, as other contributors have said, he will go to Preston if it is all about money.

 

[Ian]

Decent signing. Like Sparky says, best we can hope for on our resources. Yep, the goal scoring ratios are a concern, but again, we're never going to sign a 20-goal a season striker. Let's just hope they gel together. Can they be any worse than what we had last season?

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

His name sounds like a product you'd buy at Ikea! A nightmare for commentators, reporters and even fans. But seriously, I see him playing more games than Burgess or Harrison.

As a general point, Ronnie has gone back to the old source of players (Leagues 1 and 2). He's likely to get some reasonable talent, but I'd like to see him spread the net wider like Les did. For example, we got Buchanan and Akins from the SPL and McGurk from non-league. OK, it didn't quite work with Blanchard (France) or Tiryaki (non-league), but you are more likely to get one or two gems if you don't look in the obvious place.

 

[SonkORLY?]

What you are suggesting is that Ronnie signs players that he knows less about. We can't really afford the luxury of gambling in this area imo.

Also think your point is slightly laboured; Philpotts will have known Buchs because he spent the majority of his career at Bury. More obscure players, like the ones you mentioned (Akins, McGurk, Blanchard) will have been a minority that managed to impress on trial. We will have loads of trialists in again this summer and RM will sign any of them if they are good enough. I don't think there has been a change in approach (other than the stated quality over quantity ethos, the full extent of which remains to be revealed).

I always thought Akpro looked useful at Rochdale, and I am pleased with this signing. In terms of playing style he should be a good foil for Burgess, although the goal scoring ratio of both new strikers is a bit of a concern.

Yeah - but an improvement on Tiryaki and Showunmi all the same.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Singing his name is going to be a bit of a nightmare. "There's only one Jean Louis Akpa-Akpro...."

 

[Boz]

Yeah - but an improvement on Tiryaki and Showunmi all the same.

Debatable. Certainly Akpa-Akpro is an improvement on Tiryaki in terms of ability and experience, but I'm not sure Burgess is better than Showumni. Given the suggested quality not quantity approach allegedly in place we can only hope the money has been held back to fund the wages of a quality midfielder & wide-player.

Ronnie does tend to be rather conservative in his player recruitment and I share BBTCs hopes that we look at players across the spectrum. Blanchard was good enough to earn another contract at Plymouth and did fairly well in his year with us, so wouldn't class as a recruitment failure.

 

[amplesou]

Singing his name is going to be a bit of a nightmare. "There's only one Jean Louis Akpa-Akpro...."

We could use is initials=J...L...A...A =jaylaa..a bit scousy i suppose.. but we do have some of those type of fans anyway...so..

 

[SonkORLY?]

We now have 16 players on our books, which reassuringly constitutes a full squad.

 

[bigmart]

We now have 16 players on our books, which reassuringly constitutes a full squad.

Next season clubs can name 7 subs so we are still 2 short.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Uh oh

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

There will be more signings, I'm sure. Ronnie has said he wants wide players. We only have one goalie and one left-back. Worst of all we are very light in midfield where we have replaced Welsh, Wallace, Weir and Labadie with just Harrison.

Still, I'm pleased we have signed three players so early and two of them are in our problem area - up front. I would expect one or two more players to sign next month. They should be of a better standard as I think it is a buyer's market at the moment. I anticipate we will see one or maybe two season-long loans. In spite of what I've said in earlier posts, I don't mind loanees if they add something extra we can't get from contracted players (i.e. a Wallace, Cassidy or Baxter rather than a Brunt).

 

[amplesou]

I know this is completely off topic ,but mods here are not allowing for new updates re news items/ new treads etc! ( maybe there on holiday !)

Danny homes reported news about a move to Celtic etc. !

http://www.tranmere.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=285257

Surely his agent ,who clearly states his case for being a non-gentleman on a regular basis...surely some one needs a word in Danny,s shell like, about the no prisoner approach to the way he wants to make living ( his agent i mean).

Danny does make the odd mistake in matches i witnessed at the end of last season ,for which no one is more upset than Danny himself...but when in the coming season those moments happen i shall (from the borough road) kindly remind him,of who he engages in the future..!

 

[Sparky]

This story came up towards the end of the season and like then, I am still amazed by it, and suspect its Dannys agent playing mind games.

He came in and did very well. Better than I thought he would but are Celtic that short ?

I suppose from Celtics point of view, Holmes would come relatively cheap and is a low risk signing, Plus they have signed players from league 1 in the past, i.e. ex Scunny man Gary Hooper, who have done well (albeit he cost over £2M) - Rovers have taken up the optional year on Dannys contract but how much would we take for him ? A few hundred thousand at the most ?

If we get a half decent fee for him then I would let him go but cant see Celtic being a realistic option (although I was one who always said Jennings would never go to Bayern !)