Xherdan Shaqiri continues the Stoke City revolution
Gone are the days of Rory Delap’s long throw-ins, Robert Huth’s physicality and Tony Pulis’ route one soccer at Stoke City. Not that there’s anything wrong with that style of play. The traditional refrain of “a rainy, cold Tuesday night,” no longer applies to the side that has been constructed. […]
Gone are the days of Rory Delap’s long throw-ins, Robert Huth’s physicality and Tony Pulis’ route one soccer at Stoke City. Not that there’s anything wrong with that style of play. The traditional refrain of “a rainy, cold Tuesday night,” no longer applies to the side that has been constructed.
The brand of soccer that fans at the Britannia had grown accustomed to under Pulis has slowly changed in recent years. In his third season as manager, Mark Hughes has reinvented the club’s style. No longer are Stoke recruiting from the lower leagues of English soccer, rather the Potters have gone European in their recruitment of player personnel.
Hughes has recruited talented players with “big” European club experience. Marc Muniesa, Bojan Krkic and Ibrahim Affellay, just three examples of their new recruits, who all played for Barcelona, which has landed Stoke the new nickname ‘Stokelona’.
While all three were astute signings, Stoke’s arrival as a team to be taken seriously was cemented by this week’s club record £12 million ($18.7m) signing of Xherdan Shaqiri.
Enter Shaqiri
Bought by Inter Milan last January for £10.5m ($16.4m), according to Transfermarkt, Shaqiri failed to fit into coach Roberto Mancini’s side after the Italian originally persuaded him to join the Nerazzurri. The Swiss international played 15 times, starting eight and contributing a mere one goal and two assists during his seven months at the San Siro.
Inter finished a disappointing eighth, just missing out on Europa League qualification. With Inter desperately in need of addressing key areas to a poor team, it was Mancini himself that urged the Swiss attacker to seek pastures new.
Enter Stoke City
“It’s no secret that we have been pursuing Xherdan for some time now and we are delighted to have finally secured his signature,” chief executive Tony Scholes said.
“He’s an exciting young player who is really looking forward to playing in the Premier League having played at the very highest level in Germany with Bayern Munich and in Italy with Inter.”
“Xherdan will be a fantastic addition to our squad and adds to the attacking options at the manager’s disposal.”
Capable of playing in central attacking role or as a winger, Shaqiri certainly adds to Hughes’ options. In Sunday’s loss to Liverpool, Hughes played a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Afellay on the left and Jonathan Walters on the right of a attacking trident – along with Charlie Adam – supporting Mame Biram Diouf. Presumably, Shaqiri will slot in for Walters, giving opposition full-backs headaches with the two attackers capable of working down the flanks or cutting inside.
“He’s a dynamic and explosive player who will bring something different to the group and at the age of 23 he still has a great deal of potential,” manager Hughes said.
“In the chats I’ve had with him it’s obvious that he’s excited about playing in the Premier League and showing what he’s capable of.”
While an eighth place finish was disappointing at Inter, a top eight finish would be praised at the Britannia. Hughes has a contract with the Potters until 2019, which gives the Stokelona project a chance to grow under the Welshman’s guidance.
Follow Drew Farmer on Twitter @Calciofarmer. Drew Farmer is a Manchester, England-based journalist/blogger that writes for World Soccer Talk, MLSGB and can be heard on Radio Yorkshire MLS Monday. Drew has also written for Forza Italian Football, Bleacher Report and Soccerly. Originally from southwest Missouri, Drew covers Italy’s Serie A, British football and the USA’s Major League Soccer. Check out his personal blog Soccer Travels.
