Post by QPR Report on Jun 12, 2009 6:48:24 GMT
Plymouth Herald - June 12, 2009
ARGYLE'S WALTON ATTRACTS INTEREST
PAUL STURROCK has confirmed there has been interest from other clubs in Plymouth Argyle midfielder Simon Walton.
But, for the time being at least, the 21-year-old is committed to fighting for a first-team spot at Home Park.
Walton was signed by Argyle from Queens Park Rangers on a four-year contract on the eve of last season.
They agreed to pay up to £750,000 for the midfielder, depending on the number of appearances he made for the club and other clauses in the deal.
But he struggled to adapt to the demands of Sturrock and, after falling out of favour, ended the season on loan to Championship rivals Blackpool.
Blackpool have since appointed former Argyle manager Ian Holloway as their new boss, after the departure of Tony Parkes.
So there does not seem to be any prospect of Walton making a permanent move to Bloomfield Road.
Walton and his agent held talks with Sturrock when the Pilgrims' chief visited London for a series of meetings last weekend.
And Walton emphasised that he wanted to try to impress Sturrock once pre-season training starts on July 1.
Sturrock said: "We have had one or two clubs interested in Simon, but he and his agent have made it plain that it's inappropriate to them at this minute in time.
"I think a good pre-season is important to him before they make any decisions."
Walton made only 14 appearances for Argyle last season and did not finish on a winning side.
Sturrock continued: "At this juncture, he wants to get a good pre-season into him at Plymouth Argyle. That's what the story is.
"I think he will try to be impressive in the friendlies, and if that doesn't work out then we would have to sit down and have another conversation."
Sturrock held one-on-one meetings with nearly all of his players after the end of last season.
The one exception was Walton because he had been on loan to Blackpool.
That was what led to Sturrock's meeting with the former QPR midfielder at a hotel in London last weekend.
Sturrock said: "He was one I didn't have a conversation with him at the end of last season.
"I wanted to speak to everybody face-to-face, and there was an opportunity to do that with Simon because I was up in London.
"Simon asked if we could meet up there, instead of him coming down to Plymouth."
Walton played all of his first team matches for Argyle in midfield, but before his loan spell with Blackpool he lined-up as a centre-back for the Pilgrims' reserves on a couple of occasions.
It is a position that he has played regularly in the past, and Sturrock has not ruled out using him there in the future.
Sturrock said: "We have had that conversation – midfield or centre-half?
"The debate is open at this minute in time, but I feel he has got a lot to work on as far as being a centre midfield player is concerned.
"People forget he has played at centre-half for most of his career, and he played against us as a centre-half in one game for QPR.
"He has shown a naivety as a centre midfield player, which has cost him his place at times.
"Him and I have got to have another discussion when he comes back for pre-season training to decide whether he will be in midfield or at centre-half.
"It's nice to have the two choices.".....
www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/sport/ARGYLE-S-WALTON-ATTRACTS/article-1070829-detail/article.html
ARGYLE'S WALTON ATTRACTS INTEREST
PAUL STURROCK has confirmed there has been interest from other clubs in Plymouth Argyle midfielder Simon Walton.
But, for the time being at least, the 21-year-old is committed to fighting for a first-team spot at Home Park.
Walton was signed by Argyle from Queens Park Rangers on a four-year contract on the eve of last season.
They agreed to pay up to £750,000 for the midfielder, depending on the number of appearances he made for the club and other clauses in the deal.
But he struggled to adapt to the demands of Sturrock and, after falling out of favour, ended the season on loan to Championship rivals Blackpool.
Blackpool have since appointed former Argyle manager Ian Holloway as their new boss, after the departure of Tony Parkes.
So there does not seem to be any prospect of Walton making a permanent move to Bloomfield Road.
Walton and his agent held talks with Sturrock when the Pilgrims' chief visited London for a series of meetings last weekend.
And Walton emphasised that he wanted to try to impress Sturrock once pre-season training starts on July 1.
Sturrock said: "We have had one or two clubs interested in Simon, but he and his agent have made it plain that it's inappropriate to them at this minute in time.
"I think a good pre-season is important to him before they make any decisions."
Walton made only 14 appearances for Argyle last season and did not finish on a winning side.
Sturrock continued: "At this juncture, he wants to get a good pre-season into him at Plymouth Argyle. That's what the story is.
"I think he will try to be impressive in the friendlies, and if that doesn't work out then we would have to sit down and have another conversation."
Sturrock held one-on-one meetings with nearly all of his players after the end of last season.
The one exception was Walton because he had been on loan to Blackpool.
That was what led to Sturrock's meeting with the former QPR midfielder at a hotel in London last weekend.
Sturrock said: "He was one I didn't have a conversation with him at the end of last season.
"I wanted to speak to everybody face-to-face, and there was an opportunity to do that with Simon because I was up in London.
"Simon asked if we could meet up there, instead of him coming down to Plymouth."
Walton played all of his first team matches for Argyle in midfield, but before his loan spell with Blackpool he lined-up as a centre-back for the Pilgrims' reserves on a couple of occasions.
It is a position that he has played regularly in the past, and Sturrock has not ruled out using him there in the future.
Sturrock said: "We have had that conversation – midfield or centre-half?
"The debate is open at this minute in time, but I feel he has got a lot to work on as far as being a centre midfield player is concerned.
"People forget he has played at centre-half for most of his career, and he played against us as a centre-half in one game for QPR.
"He has shown a naivety as a centre midfield player, which has cost him his place at times.
"Him and I have got to have another discussion when he comes back for pre-season training to decide whether he will be in midfield or at centre-half.
"It's nice to have the two choices.".....
www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/sport/ARGYLE-S-WALTON-ATTRACTS/article-1070829-detail/article.html