Time For City to Cut the Wage Bill, Starting with Jamo

David James should be cut off Bristol City’s wage bill as soon as possible.

With the £11.45m losses for the year ending 31^st May 2010 that were reported at the end of November, serious action needs to be taken, starting with reportedly the highest earner at the club, being cast aside. It is time to bring in a ‘keeper that may mean forking out a transfer fee, but more efficiently, on a longer contract, 

who doesn’t demand the weekly fee that the ex-England stopper does.

I understand that he isn’t the only high earner at the club. Nicky Hunt is laughing at what he is earning no doubt, after being signed from Bolton by Steve Coppell back in the summer of 2010 with after reaching the century milestone of appearances for the Trotters, enhanced a reputation of a consistent right back. After his poor performances and drop from the first team I’m sure he enjoys every minute of his drive to and from the training ground in his Bentley with his wage packet tucked away in his back pocket. 

Other pieces of unused deadwood such as Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Lee Johnson are also clogging up a wage bill, which is a problem that needs to be addressed in the summer. Thankfully these two, alike over 50% of the current squad, are out of contract in the summer, a summer where action needs to be taken, sooner rather than later, with cutting Jamo off of the wage bill being a number one priority.

To make myself clear, wanting a James dismissal is nothing to do with his age. I am one of the firmest believers of the cliché; ‘age is only a number.’ His athleticism week in week out justifies this, with recent top performances. The win at St Mary’s and the home triumph over Millwall stand out for me, where vital points in our quest to Championship survival were earned with outstanding reflex saves, not forgetting the two penalty stops at the Madejski against Reading.

When Steve Coppell brought the former Liverpool and Manchester City man into the club back in 2010, Ashton Gate was rejuvenated, firm belief that we’d pulled off a massive coup surrounded the vast majority of the West Country faithful, with national and international media turning up to see the man who had just been England’s number one for the World Cup in South Africa.

Throughout his time at the club, I believe he’s been impressive between the sticks, particularly the way he’s commanded his box and if it wasn’t for our shoddy defensive unit under Keith Millen, more clean sheets would be visible on the 41-year old’s record.  

So who could replace the man who has been increasingly impressive?

Reports of Watford ‘keeper Scott Loach flew around in December, but would he be the right man to take over as our new number one? At 23 years of age and having made 146 appearances for the Hornets, Loach is now experienced enough and costumed to the Championship. Those of you who were with me at Vicarage Road back in November may be thinking “really?” after his ‘Steve Phillips against Wolves/Paul Robinson against Croatia-esque’ miss kick, but every keeper makes a mistake like that. As a bright young keeper, a sizable transfer fee would be demanded by the Hertfordshire outfit, but with the amount of wages demanded not being half of what Jamo is on, surely it would worth a small delve into Steve Lansdown’s pocket?

Current back-up to James, Dean Gerken, hasn’t always impressed me. Uncertainty with knowing when to come out of his area and clear the ball seems an obvious weakness for what is a crucial part of a ‘keeper’s game.

I for one was disappointed when Stephen Henderson was let go to Portsmouth last summer. An impressive shot-stopper and an imposing figure between the sticks, he could have been the answer this summer, fighting for a place with Gerken under Derek McInnes. With Pompey’s current financial crisis; how about a cheeky bid for the Irishman in the summer to bring him back to the Gate?

All being said, after McInnes’ first couple signings it wouldn’t surprise me if the former St Johnstone manager had a Scot in line for Jamo’s eventual departure from the team. Whoever does eventually come in to be our new number one, it is vital that the correct coaching is in store, and with all of Jamo’s experience, it would be massive if perhaps he would stay on as a goalkeeping coach for a few years to come, passing on his 23 years playing experience to the new addition.