A couple of past piecesJanuary 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Bradford and QPR Agree Fee for Jamaican Goalkeeper, Donovan Ricketts...Player in Talks with QPR-
UPDATE:
-Bradford Official Site Donovan Ricketts in QPR talks
Bradford City have given permission to QPR to speak with keeper Donovan Ricketts after an undisclosed fee was agreed between the two clubs.
The Championship club made their move after watching the Jamaican international in action at Wrexham on Saturday.
Ricketts is out of contract at the end of the season and is expected in London on Monday afternoon to discuss terms and undergo a medical.
Should the deal go through, they will have a loan keeper in goal against Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night. Ricketts, 30, joined City in 2004 and has made 118 appearances, keeping 32 clean sheets. Bradford [Note: Bradford have already signed a replacement -
Queens Park Rangers Football Club can confirm Bradford City custodian Donovan Ricketts is in West London for talks ahead of a proposed transfer to Loftus Road.
The Jamaican international travelled South today (Monday) after Rangers agreed an undisclosed fee with the League Two outfit for the stoppers' services. He is due to undergo a medical this afternoon. Ricketts, who is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, joined City in 2004 and has made 118 appearances, keeping 32 clean sheet
QPR
[It was reported yesterday that QPR had been watching Ricketts. "..Ricketts, being watched by a scout from QPR, had seen little action before then. ...."] Telegraph Argus
Telegraph and Argus/Simon Parker - Ricketts lines up QPR switch
City stopper Donovan Ricketts was in London this afternoon for talks with QPR.
The Championship club made their move after watching the Jamaican international in action at Wrexham on Saturday.
Ricketts is out of contract at the end of the season and it is thought that City are looking to get him off the wage bill.
Should the deal go through, they will have a loan keeper in goal against Shrewsbury tomorrow night.
Ricketts, 30, joined City in 2004 and has made 118 appearances, keeping 32 clean sheets. Telegraph and Argus
Bradford Official Site Profile of Ricketts
Name: Donovan Ricketts
Nationality: Jamaican
Date of Birth: 07/06/1977
Height: 6' 4" (193cm)
Weight: 14st 7lbs (92.16kg)
Previous Clubs: Bolton
Position: Goalkeeper
The 6'4" Jamaican international goalkeeper joined Bradford City in July 2004.
At present he is the vice captain of the Jamaica national football team. On June 3, 2006 he appeared in goal for Jamaica in the International Friendly against England at Old Trafford. Jamaica went on to lose the game 6-0.
Donovan has not only kept goal for Jamaica at the senior level, but has also done it at various junior levels for his country.
He came through the national ranks under the guidance of goalkeeping coach, Paul Campbell.
Donovan is a World Cup veteran, being named to the Jamaican squad that played in the World Cup finals in France. But, the opportunity never presented itself for him to see any game time....Bradford
Telegraph and Argus = Lifeline for Ricketts
Wednesday 6th February 2008By Simon Parker ยป
Stuart McCall today hinted Donovan Ricketts could still have a future at Valley Parade.
The City keeper plays for Jamaica against Costa Rica tonight - his first game since a move to QPR spectacularly broke down.
Ricketts has found himself sidelined by on-loan teenager Scott Loach, brought in from Watford as his replacement.
The Jamaican could be stuck on the bench for the rest of the season until his contract runs out but McCall has suggested that City fans may not have seen the last of him.
"We haven't closed the door on Donovan," he said. "If it comes to the summer and nothing else has come up then maybe we could come to an agreement.
"We told Donovan before the QPR thing arose that we wouldn't be able to give him the same money he is on. His agent (Phil Graham) believes he can get him to a higher level club, as he did with QPR, and it would be financially better for him.
"The agent is still confident he can do that elsewhere and if that's the case then fair enough. We will see."
Ricketts was refused a work permit to join the Champion-ship club because of the toughened-up criteria.
Rangers' bid - and their appeal - fell down on three counts: Jamaica are outside the top 70 in the FIFA world rankings; the keeper had not played in the last three A' internationals and he was not going to Loftus Road as first choice.
But the Home Office would be more sympathetic with any application by City because it would be a contract extension - as was the case recently with Omar Daley.
McCall has been pleased with the big keeper's response to last week's hammer blow.
"Donovan keeps a lot to himself but he's been good round the dressing room as normal.
"He knows nothing can be done at the moment. Whether it happens in the summer is a possibility after he's played more games with Jamaica but I'm not sure.
"For now, he is coming in and getting on with it and he has got to be ready mentally and physically in case the situation arises.
"Prior to him going to QPR, I'd said to Donovan it was down to him between now and the end of the season to play as well as he can both for us and himself. Then we would see what happens.
"Unfortunately for him the situation has now twisted and we've got somebody else in. But that happens in football."
Ricketts appeared in only one of Jamaica's eight friendlies in 2007 but he intends to use the Costa Rica game as a springboard to pressure Loach for the City starting spot.
Ricketts said: "Obviously I left and vacated my place before coming back and now Scott is the number one. But I'm a fighter and I will fight for it again.
"Bradford has been a very nice place to me and it helps coming back to somewhere you are comfortable."
www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/2020138.lifeline_for_ricketts/