[Archived] Khizanishvili

[Tim Southampton Rover]

...whilst you still can.

I'm a great fan of Khizanishvili. He slots into the defence and can have a great game despite not playing regularly (unless he's playing as a right back against Petrov haha). The same can be said of him when he captains Georgia. Since signing for us permanently in 2006 he has only appeared 36 times. I'm glad he plays for Blackburn, however putting my love for Blackburn aside for the moment, I feel that he needs to get out whilst he still has the best years ahead of him. Sometimes I come across footballers who I really enjoy watching and just wished they played more football so they can get the headlines and respect they deserve. He seems to be a great professional on and off the pitch and he never let's us down. I know he was linked with a move earlier in the month & I'm surprised more teams, especially newly promoted teams don't go after him. After seeing his name again in the reserves to face Accrington Stanley, I feel that it's time for him to put in a transfer request.

Khiza. Save your career!

[Jackson]

I say keep! A solid all rounder.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Strange post.

[Shabani]

id take 15k a week to watch and have no pressure on me

[mattjansen]

Khiza. Save your career!

Didnt know he had an english agent

[philipl]

Whast an utterly wierd thread. Completely devoid of any logic or common sense.

[American]

Whast an utterly wierd thread. Completely devoid of any logic or common sense.

Upset that someone is breaking in on your turf?

[Hughesy]

True pro - stick with us!

[rover6]

Whast an utterly wierd thread. Completely devoid of any logic or common sense.

Phil, it's called an objective perspective.

I previously criticised Enckelman for wasting his decent talent sitting on our bench picking up a rich pay. And, I agree with Tim - and would perhaps go further - if Zurab has settled for life as a reserve at this stage of his career, it doesn't reflect well on his attitude.

However, it's possible that Zurab thinks that he can still break into the Rovers first team/play a serious number of games this season, so it's not like he's doing an Enckelman and exchanging his career for money.

[beerwins]

Nice to have a pro such as zurab on the bench but in some respects he could do better but im sure as hell not going to climb the rooftops shouting this.

In our squad he is rightfully no 1 backup CD because he is good enough for the prem and as long as he stays happy at our wages on the bench so be it.

Wishing him to move on is insane , i want the best for my club and dont care how many world class subs we have as long as when they come on they want to prove themselves,

I cant help but think that there are plenty of other subs benches you could pick apart before looking at rovers so go start with the top 4 then come back.

[FourLaneBlue]

Khiz is our David May. If ever we win something when he is here I hope he jumps off the bench at the final whistle and runs around celebrating in his pristinely clean kit with the lads on the pitch who actually played.

[colbert]

WTF, he is a great player for us. I kinda think where

You are coming from but he is worth keeping.

[philipl]

Last season, Zura was 5th of 5 CBs, this season 4th of 4 so his prospects of getting first team football have certainly improved.

All PL clubs need at least 4 (I'd argue 5) top quality CBs and they all get paid accordingly. Zura does an excellent job for us and by all accounts has lead the Reserves in exemplary fashion during an extremely successful pre-season.

Rovers will always need a Zura-type of player and I am glad he is with us and hope he stays.

[tcj_jones]

That's not the point though, Philip. He is a great option for us, but his career is only stagnating by playing less than ten games a season and being fourth / fifth choice centre back (even as fourth choice, the number of games he'll play will be extremely limited). That is what the original poster is getting at. He seems a top professional and always gives his all, so it is almost a shame that he stays at the club, whilst not fulfilling his potential.

[Balwer]

The positive thing for Zura this year is that he's 4th by a long way, and potentially one of the top 3 will be at left back in Givet.

Gunning is the next best, and he's a long way off the finished product and apparently going out on loan. There's talk of bringing in this 17 year old Brazilian starlet in but he's even more raw.

Zura should get playing time this year, whether it's enough for him to want to stay is another question.

I love having him here but can see the poster's point, he's too good for the reserves (and too old) but he's not going to dislodge Samba/Nelsen/Givet anytime soon.

[bluebruce]

I'm glad he plays for Blackburn, however putting my love for Blackburn aside for the moment, I feel that he needs to get out whilst he still has the best years ahead of him.

Putting your love for Blackburn aside and replacing it with a more powerful love for our Georgian? Tim, I know what you're saying, but remember your priorities. Zurab is a squad player we NEED to keep. Let's not start a campaign to sell him eh? If he doesn't realise he is too good to sit on our bench, BRILLIANT! Let's not indicate otherwise to him. He still has years in him anyway, might blossom into a regular again at some stage.

The top four all do this- they're insanely greedy with hording EXCELLENT players, much better than Zurab, and it is a big factor in their success! Let's emulate it, to the extent we can.

[tsnuf]

I really like Zurab, and understand the original poster's concerns. I wouldn't begrudge him a move, but I hope he stays long enough to replace Nelsen who is our oldest CB by far, and hasn't been as stellar as he once was..

[LeChuck]

He's definitely one of those rare World Class defenders - as is Zurab

Madness.

[Blue blood]

For Zurab's career I think it best that he moves on. Whenever you see him in the reserves he is head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch. A player of his quality should really be one of three first choice cbs at a club, either in the prem or the defensive foundation of an ambitious championship team. The simple fact is he is far too good to be playing reserve football.

As a rovers fan I want him to stay - as Zurab for a 4th choice cb is excellent quality. I also really appreciate the way he hasn't moaned or fussed about it at all. In the cb position at least, we have strength in depth as good as, if not better than most of our league rivals.

As others have mentioned moving up to 4th choice should see Zurab play a few more games for us. So I doubt given this, and the fact he didn't complain last season when he had (in all liklihood) fewer opportunities that he will be going. Just as well really, as we've other areas we need to spend our resources - both time and money - on, not to mention squad continuity.

[waggy]

zurab is whats wrong with today footballers happy to take his £k and get splinters in his arse,he is far to good to be a squad player and should move to re-start his career

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I guess to sum up what I'm saying is that football in general is the loser when we miss out on good footballers not playing. I'm using Zurab as an example purely because he plays for Blackburn but I feel the same about similar players for other teams.

Every team probably has a player or two who deserves to play more often but doesn't and maybe it's time players need to put their careers first ahead of picking up a nice hefty wage and picking splinters out of their bottoms.

We've seen excellent former Rovers players in the past move on and get stuck in the reserves or not feature at all. Damien Duff and currently David Bentley spring to mind. Not seeing these players play week in week out only suggests one thing to me. Football fans are the ones that miss out.

We've also seen players who have been shut out of the first team move to new clubs and have become a huge success. For Rovers we've recently had Roque Santa Cruz and currently the likes of Chris Samba, Stephen Warnock, Gael Givet etc. If they all stayed in the reserves then we wouldn't have had the opportunity to see them play for us and they wouldn't be idols to many of us...especially kids who look up to footballers for inspiration.

I know a lot of people have commented saying I should be thinking of Blackburn and not care about individual footballers but the reason I got into football was because I loved watching my favourite players. Without them, I wouldn't be a fan of football. If our best players don't play then football in general will suffer.

[S15]

Are we talking about Zurab Khizinishvili? Or have we had Lionel Messi rotting in our reserves?

Eh Tim, do you reckon we stick a statue of Zurab next to Jack?

[thenodrog]

Sod's Law (Def)

If Zurab goes than somebody will step in for Samba at 11.59pm on the 31st of August, Nelsens bum cheek will shear away from his pelvis for good and Givet will either expire from eating a dodgy snail when there is no 'r' in the month or choke on a frog's leg and we will be completely bolloxed. If Zurab stays he will sit on the bench all season and might just get on the pitch with his kids for the end of season lap of honour.

[mellison24]

I'm in that camp where I'd sooner keep Zurab on our bench in the rare cases he will be needed. But with Jacobsen and Givet both able CB back-ups with extra wingers and Emo/Warnock able to play FBs....I wouldn't be upset at his leaving. I would salute him, though it would be unfortunate for him to waste his undoubted talent in the reserves.

He is a model pro and deserves his credit. If he moves on, so be it, but I would prefer him to stay. I have him in the bracket of under-rated. He will no doubt be appearing in some 'obscure players' thread in about 10/20 years time!!

[Mafioso]

Just came home from watching Malta beat Georgia 2 - 0. Two fine goals by unattatched striker Michael Mifsud.

Zurab needed the physios to come on and take a look after a rough challenge early in the game which was actually quite a scare. He continued to play which is a relief considering our current CB situation.

Not the best of games from him, and Michael Mifsud is a very tricky player to man mark, especially for Malta when almost all play is towards him. So Zura needed to withstand 90 min of pressure.

Sorry to say this but Georgia have a rubbish national team, we totally dominated.