Zak Whitbread is reported to be in talks with Leicester City.
Video: Leicester City reportedly in talks with former Norwich City defender Zak Whitbread
Monday, July 23, 2012
11:35 AM
Leicester City are reportedly in negotiations with former Norwich City defender Zak Whitbread.
The 28-year-old centre-half is a free agent after leaving Carrow Road at the end of last season.
Whitbread was released along with striker Aaron Wilbraham in June by former Canaries boss Paul Lambert who said at the time: “I’ve got nothing but praise for both of the lads, they’ve been brilliant for the club and it was a difficult decision to make.
“You can’t underestimate that they were a big part of what has happened here and people shouldn’t forget what they’ve done and given for this club.
“But that’s my job as manager of this football club, sometimes these decisions have to be made and I wish them the best of luck for the future.
Whitbread arrived at Carrow Road from Millwall in January 2010, and went on to make 48 appearances during an injury-hit spell, with his one goal coming in the 1-1 draw at Hull in 2010-11.
The defender hit the headlines last month after keeping his driving licence despite clocking up 17 penalty points, pleading that he needed it to get another job in football because of his release by the Canaries.
He admitted two speeding offences and was handed eight more points to the nine already on the licence which took the total to 17 – five more than the number that normally leads to a ban.
But Whitbread, through his solicitor Simon Nicholls, pleaded that he was now unemployed after being released by the club, and would not be able to find another job in football if he did not have a licence.
Mr Nicholls said that if his client had a job he would not have been able to use the special defence and would have had to make alternative travel arrangements, but as he was out of work, he qualified for the “exceptional hardship” defence.
Magistrates accepted the defence, but the chairman of the bench, Amjad Malhis, warned Whitbread that he had come very close to losing his licence and said he would not be able to use the defence in future.
Whitbread was fined £780 plus a £15 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £85 costs.
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4 comments
no puzzle at all. Leicester were the money team last season as it was, they have already been paying SchmeichelNugent etc. money beyond what City players were getting in the top flight. Zak's a good player, but he spends too long injured, things have gone ok for him haven't they? Driving ban? Sure no, carry on driving, all the way to Leicester!
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Tim Powell
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
It is a puzzle. Zak seemed to have largely overcome his injury jinx. Was he not offered an extension, or did he turn one down? I wonder if Leicester can pay him more in the Championship? It`s a pity from his point of view that he`s dropped down a league. Leicester have underperformed in recent seasons - will they really be the vehicle for ZW to get back into the top flight?. I guess there was nothing to stop NCFC re-approaching him after Gorbalschev left? But it would seem they didn`t. At least being "unemployed" got the poverty stricken player off his driving ban. Exceptional hardship, indeed! Best of luck anyway, Zak.
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Mad Brewer
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
We could have given him a years extension, or, even put him out on loan. I don't know why he was shown the door ?
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Dubai Canary
Monday, July 23, 2012
This is the second surprise of the summer where someone I thought was highly ambitious has joined a club who wouldn't have been my first choice. maybe money does matter more than trophies?
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DocOhNo
Monday, July 23, 2012