Filed under: Stoke City, Tottenham, Premier League, Football
It seems absurd that signing a player who has totalled transfer fees of nearly £38 million should be viewed as a gamble.That is life for Jonathan Woodgate these days after his miserable run of injury problems at Spurs - but Tony Pulis is adamant that a punt on the defender is one worth taking.
A decade ago Woodgate's reputation was so high that he was being talked about as a future England captain, after emerging as one of the many highly-rated youngsters to roll off Paul Hart's production line at Leeds United.
Mega money moves to Newcastle, Real Madrid and Spurs, amongst others, followed but the nickname 'Sick Note' has been impossible for the defender to escape.
He has only made four Premier League appearances in two seasons and the wicked whispers have been suggesting for years that retirement was on the cards.
But Woodgate has surprisingly completed a move to Stoke on a free transfer, after his exit from Spurs at the end of last season, agreeing a pay-as-you-play deal for 12 months with the promise of a second year if he proves his fitness.
He is not expected to feature too prominently at the Britannia Stadium, with the formidable central defensive partnership of Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth playing such a key role in Stoke's progress over the last two years.
Pulis clearly believes Woodgate can rebuild his career in the Premier League, though, and has probably been given the thumbs up to complete the deal by his old pal Harry Redknapp.
He said: "The lad is a top class player and it's been well documented that he has had his injury troubles, but we believe that if his fitness is managed properly, he will play games for us.
"We know that other Premier League clubs were keen on signing Jonathan, so we are delighted he has chosen us. "It's a chance we are taking, but one we were keen to take because of the stature and quality of the player.
"We've effectively taken him on a pay-as-you-play deal which just shows how desperate the lad is to get his career back on the right track."
Woodgate is a ready-made replacement for Abdoulaye Faye, who departed at the end of last season on a free transfer. Even if he plays 15 games this season, he will view the campaign as a triumph after so many injury setbacks over the years.
Pulis has repaired many reputations at his 'Battersea Dogs Home' in recent times, with Matthew Etherington the best example. Reviving the career of Woodgate would be another feather in his baseball cap.
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