COACH RUMOURED TO HAVE TOLD SIMEON TO MOVE
Monday, 21 June 2010
According to various sources Gills could soon be receiving an offer from Championship Norwich City for top striker and Canadian international, Simeon Jackson (left).
Championship football as opposed to another season in League Two will always appeal to ambitious Simeon and his agent.
In addition Canaries boss Paul Lambert is said to be an admirer and sees Simeon as an ideal addition to his strike force.
Gills will be reluctant to let Simeon leave as his goals last time they were in League Two was the difference between success and failure. However everyone has their price and with Simeon out of contract next summer Paul Scally will have to make the decision.
Just what is Simeon’s valuation?
Goals are the key and Simeon has scored 42 since he first played for the Gills against Cheltenham on 2 February 2008. This probably puts him in the £500,000 bracket and Gills will struggle to refuse any offer that is close. Next summer Simeon could walk away for free.
Last season’s relegation to League Two might well have changed the dynamics of the situation as the events at Shrewsbury Town illustrate.
Terry Dunfield (pictured top right) had become a key player in the Shrewsbury team over the past two seasons but is leaving with a view to moving to a bigger club.
Terry has recently received his first cap with the Canadian National Team in the friendly against Venezuela and played alongside Simeon Jackson.
The Canadian Head Coach, Stephen Hart (bottom right) is rumoured to have told both Terry and Simeon that they should be playing at a higher level.
A telling comment from the new Shrews boss, Graham Turner, "The game is hard enough when players want to play for you, when they don't, get them out as quickly as possible."
Whether Simeon Jackson follows Terry Dunfield’s example and leaves for a “bigger club” like Championship Norwich remains to be seen.
