Argus: Virgo to return?

[El Presidente]

Could be great news, where MA is intending to play him could be anyone's guess but fingers crossed

Adam Virgo could be heading back to Albion.

The Seagulls are interested in re-signing the defender from Celtic.

They face competition from other clubs but the reappointment of Micky Adams as Albion manager gives them an advantage.
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Virgo regards Adams as his "mentor" and has already linked up with him at three different clubs.

The prospect of returning to his roots to work with Adams for a fourth time will be attractive to the versatile 25-year-old.

Adams gave Virgo his Albion debut seven years ago.

He signed him on loan from Celtic when he was Coventry manager and was assistant manager at Colchester last season when they also borrowed him from the Scottish giants.

Speaking about his switch to Colchester last August, Virgo said: "Micky Adams has been my mentor for a long time and he gave me my professional debut for Brighton.

"Working with him turned out to be an advantage for me at Coventry and I hope it will here."

Virgo played 80 games for Albion after working his way up through the youth team.

He made his biggest impact during the reign of Mark McGhee, scoring a last-gasp equaliser at Withdean to rescue the Seagulls from an aggregate defeat against Swindon in the play-offs in 2004.

They went on to be promoted and the following season Virgo's goals kept Albion in the Championship after he was converted into a centre- forward.

That earned him a surprise £1.5 million move to Celtic in July 2005 but he has struggled north of the border.

A season-long loan stint with Adams' Coventry two years ago was cut short by injury but he established himself in the Colchester side relegated from the Championship last season.

Capturing Virgo, who can play in either full-back position as well as the heart of the defence, would further increase Adams' options at the back following the signing of former Coventry centre-half Colin Hawkins.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Is this just a non-story snaffled from old quotes and based on a thread on NSC yesterday? Pretty shoddy stuff.

 

[JJ McClure]

I'm still not sure why we'd need him. Whingy is a better right back and I'd rather have Lynch and Elphick playing in the middle of the back four.

 

[severnside gull]

Is this just a non-story snaffled from old quotes and based on a thread on NSC yesterday? Pretty shoddy stuff.

precisely

 

[johnny jigsaw]

I'm still not sure why we'd need him. Whingy is a better right back and I'd rather have Lynch and Elphick playing in the middle of the back four.

Agreed. With Hawkins as well at centre back & El-Abd now signed up to cover all the defensive positions, I can't see an obvious place for him, unless Lynch were to move to left back or someone was leaving.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Lynch should not even be in the squad - he isn't anywhere near Virgo's quality.

But this reflex NSC habit of championing the return of old players is a bit puzzling. Move on.

 

[Marshy]

He is only 25 though Hans, and probably a vastly improved player since he left

Bu ti dont think heis required at present unless someone moves on.

 

[scooter1]

Its a non story. If, as has been reported he's had interest from 4 Champoinship clubs then where's he likely to go? We probably can't even afford half his wages.

We're still short of a left back, can we have one of those before we get another central defender please?

 

[supaseagull]

Lynch should not even be in the squad - he isn't anywhere near Virgo's quality.

But this reflex NSC habit of championing the return of old players is a bit puzzling. Move on.

What have you got against Lynch? a couple of weeks ago you slated him...for no reason whatsoever. He, along with Elphick are one the best defenders this club's produced in recent years and whilst everyone is entitled to their opinion, in mine, yours is unsound!

 

[See-Goals]

I think we have a very good chance of resigning Virgo over any 4 championship clubs. He's been up in scotland for the last couple of years, loaned out here and there (inbetween sustaining a serious injury).

He is a Brighton lad, by all accounts on here he's seen often enough back in Brighton. The stadium IS now only 2 years away, his 'mentor' Micky Adams is now back at the club and the club have finally done away with the dead wood and we are slowly but surely assembling a whole new squad.

I reckon all of the above will make coming home an easy choice to Virgo and I will be chuffed to bits if he does. He's Brighton through and through.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Do the Argus pay us some form of commission for these 'exclusives'?

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

What have you got against Lynch? a couple of weeks ago you slated him...for no reason whatsoever. He, along with Elphick are one the best defenders this club's produced in recent years and whilst everyone is entitled to their opinion, in mine, yours is unsound!

I do think Lynch is a poor quality footballer prone to major lapses in concentration who is only barely good enough in the third tier of football. I think it's a fairly widely held view (although I could be wrong). I don't slag the guy off for the fun of it - but when someone suggests that we don't need a player of Virgo's quality because we have Lynch, then I feel the need to chip in.

Elphick is a star - no doubt about it. Lynch is not. Virgo would be an infinitely better alternative (not that it will happen).

Would it be counter productive to start a poll thread about Joel to see what NSC's overall view is?

 

[BensGrandad]

Whingy is a better right back

I would say about the same at defending but Virgo's distribution is far better than Whings, which can only be described as poor.

 

[Mackenzie]

I do think Lynch is a poor quality footballer prone to major lapses in concentration who is only barely good enough in the third tier of football. I think it's a fairly widely held view (although I could be wrong). I don't slag the guy off for the fun of it - but when someone suggests that we don't need a player of Virgo's quality because we have Lynch, then I feel the need to chip in.

Elphick is a star - no doubt about it. Lynch is not. Virgo would be an infinitely better alternative (not that it will happen).

Would it be counter productive to start a poll thread about Joel to see what NSC's overall view is?

Can't agree with that TRHK, Lynch has had some major injuries at key times and is definately someone who needs games to keep match 'savvy'. He is a young centre half who will mature given time. Lynch and Elphick will be huge next season

 

[Gully]

A back four of Whing, Virgo, Elphick and Lynch would certainly fill me with confidence, I doubt if many other teams in our division could boast of having one anywhere near that quality.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

A back four of Whing, Virgo, Elphick and Lynch would certainly fill me with confidence, I doubt if many other teams in our division could boast of having one anywhere near that quality.

Whilst I disagree with TRHK about Lynch's ability at CB, no back four with Lynch at LB could ever be described as 'quality'.

 

[BensGrandad]

A back four of Whing, Virgo, Elphick and Lynch would certainly fill me with confidence, I doubt if many other teams in our division could boast of having one anywhere near that quality.

So why have we signed Hawkins and resigned EL Abd both are not going to be backups I wouldnt think. My guess is that somebody is leaving soon.
I think the back 4 will be, if Virgo signs:

Virgo right back
Hawkins Centre Back
Elphick /Lynch Centre back (1 of those to leave)
Whing/ El Abd left back.

 

[larus]

The stadium IS now only 2 years away, his 'mentor' Micky Adams is now back at the club and the club have finally done away with the dead wood and we are slowly but surely assembling a whole new squad.

I thought that McGhee was more his mentor. Under Steve Coppell he got loaded out (was it Exeter), then McGhee got him back in the squad and used him as a utility player. I don't think he was involved much (if at all) under Adams.

 

[Gully]

So why have we signed Hawkins and resigned EL Abd both are not going to be backups I wouldnt think. My guess is that somebody is leaving soon.
I think the back 4 will be, if Virgo signs:

Virgo right back
Hawkins Centre Back
Elphick /Lynch Centre back (1 of those to leave)
Whing/ El Abd left back.

I haven't a clue why we have signed Hawkins and I, like many, am pretty sure that I have never seen him play so am unable to pass judgement on his ability or how and when he will be used. I was only commenting, as always, on my opinion from the little I have seen of the team play. I do think that we have had a pretty good defence for a few seasons now, my main issue is that the midfield has not always been fit for purpose, get that right and we might be going places.

 

[BensGrandad]

I based my judgement not on having seen Hawkins or knowing anything about him other than the fact that MA made him his first signing and I wouldn't have thought that was to sit on the bench, more as someone to build the 'spine' of the team around.