Tuesday 16 August 2016

Marc Wilson's signing ups the cover options

It may not be the signing that AFCB fans were expecting but at least AFCB have signed an experienced centre-back. While Marc Wilson has been capped 24 times for the Republic of Ireland it is perhaps the fact that he only made four appearances for Stoke City last season, with a medial ligament injury disrupting his chances of playing more games, that has opened up the door for his move to the Cherries. 

Whether Eddie Howe sees Marc as a replacement for Tommy Elphick that will play about as many games is hard to say at this stage. Marc himself seems just hopeful that he will get a few games and while there is a large bench of seven players, he is likely to be thought of as reserve unless a major injury happens to Simon Francis or Steve Cook you would think. Marc is a good age though at 28 and has been an AFCB player before back in 2007, when he was on loan from Portsmouth. It probably means we will see even more of Roy Keane coming down to see games on the South coast as the Irish contingent builds in AFCB's squad, but it is helpful in a way that Wilson may already feel at home with Arter and O'Kane already at Dean Court.

The move does make it perhaps less likely that we will see Baily Cargill or Corey Jordan have much chance to impress except perhaps in the cup competitions, but AFCB needed some reliable cover at centre-back especially as Francis is only playing his second season there and Aké perhaps would be better served by playing in midfield. Keeping everyone satisfied is going to be difficult and while Shaun MacDonald has moved on, AFCB will surely lose a few more players before the loan window closes.

At least AFCB are hopefully in a better position in terms of numbers than they were last season when they really got caught out.

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