Ferguson Hands in Transfer Request

[philipl]

What the Eck is this about?

McLeish bids for a place in Pseuds Corner with Colemanballs extra (quote appearing on several newswires and no doubt every Scottish Sunday tomorrow morning) :

McLeish said (of the Ferguson bid): "As far as I knew it was finished so I have got to be convinced otherwise.

"I'm not convinced it is dead but I'm not convinced that it is back alive again. I suppose that deadline day will tell everybody the correct answer.

"The club are doing all they can, or they have done all they can. We know we have only got so much of the budget to use after the Boumsong sale and we can't spend more than we took in.

"The chairman, David Murray, has been very fair in saying the money can be spent on players and enhancing the squad.

"The accountants and the financial people at the club would probably like to tuck some away for a rainy day - but we have shown our ambition."

£440,000 offered for the Captain of Scotland is showing ambition?

Tuck some away for a rainy day? It is already raining on the Gers parade.

[waggy]

i have said all along wee bazza will not play for us again,he is weak-he is a charlotone-he is a prick,if hughes thinks we will forgive him he is wrong

[Flopsy]

but surely Hughes is a better judge of the situation than we are - got to back the manager

[broadsword]

I will back the manager. But that doesn't mean I won't condemn the behaviour of our club captain though.

What a sick joke. The man who others turn to for inspiration when the chips are down. The one to take games by the scruff of the neck when the team is playing poorly, to drag the performance level of others up by his own example.

Not only can he not stamp his authority on Premiership games, he is not man enough to see his original move through. If not staying for the length of his contract then at least staying for a reasonable amount of time, allowing for his 6-month holiday, whoops recuperation.

What a pitiful example. What idiot made this guy captain (whoops ...)? Is this the best we could do? Shameful.

Where is the sporting spirit in football? Where are the heroes? The inspirations, those who play for the love of the game, not mammon? As if that spitting prat didn't set a bad enough example, we have over-rated footballers captaining their club and country acting like pussies. What would Dave Mackay make of that? We can't have little boys wearing the arm-band.

Look at athletics, Kelly Holmes suffered loads of injuries, could've quit but she had a big heart and kept going. Not because she thought it would make her rich, but for the love of the sport. For the glory of competing on the greatest stage her sport had to offer.

Our brave captain just wants Esso coins for trophies and a deep-fried curly-wurly for tea. See ya.

[Eddie]

Just a question that I just thought of...who has been our captain while Ferguson has been out? I didn't take notice while watching either of our past games, not really thought about it until now.

[sumps]

Todd was captain today and I think he's been captain since Ferguson has been out.

[Scotty]

I will back the manager. But that doesn't mean I won't condemn the behaviour of our club captain though.

What a sick joke. The man who others turn to for inspiration when the chips are down. The one to take games by the scruff of the neck when the team is playing poorly, to drag the performance level of others up by his own example.

Not only can he not stamp his authority on Premiership games, he is not man enough to see his original move through. If not staying for the length of his contract then at least staying for a reasonable amount of time, allowing for his 6-month holiday, whoops recuperation.

What a pitiful example. What idiot made this guy captain (whoops ...)? Is this the best we could do? Shameful.

Where is the sporting spirit in football? Where are the heroes? The inspirations, those who play for the love of the game, not mammon? As if that spitting prat didn't set a bad enough example, we have over-rated footballers captaining their club and country acting like pussies. What would Dave Mackay make of that? We can't have little boys wearing the arm-band.

Look at athletics, Kelly Holmes suffered loads of injuries, could've quit but she had a big heart and kept going. Not because she thought it would make her rich, but for the love of the sport. For the glory of competing on the greatest stage her sport had to offer.

Our brave captain just wants Esso coins for trophies and a deep-fried curly-wurly for tea. See ya.

Great rant Bryan and I agree wholeheartedly. Yet still people continue to support Ferguson on here. What more does he have to do?

Edited January 30, 2005 by Scotty

[The1mattjansen]

i have said all along wee bazza will not play for us again,he is weak-he is a charlotone-he is a prick,if hughes thinks we will forgive him he is wrong

For Christ sake, football is a very fickle game, how many of our current squad members actually feel anything for the club, or would support us if they were to retire tommorow?

The guy wants to go home....so what, at least he has the ###### to come out and say so, would you all be slagging duffer off if he suddenly told Chelsea that he wanted to come back here?

Get real

[philipl]

A mix of Scottish press this morning.

The Scotsman (Scotland on Sunday) talks of the deepening gloom surrounding Ibrox over the Klos injury and deepening realisation that Ferguson is not going back.

Whilst the Sunday Herald takes part of that marvelously convoluted McLeish quote to suggest Rangers will make a third bid for Ferguson.

On the basis that the Routledge transfer to Spurs might have been revived with Spurs coming in with a £2.2m bid, I suppose anything is possible.

However, even if Rangers follow Spurs reported example and increase a supposedly "final" offer by 50% and so do put something which looks like £6m on the table, Rovers would still negotiate hard.

Williams has used the word "guarranteed". Rangers welched on the transfer terms for Michael Ball by not playing him and their finances are so extremely weak that it would be difficult to convince most people they could honour future payments if they were to endure two more seasons as unsuccessful as the current one is proving.

The issue now is going to be time- there is a Sunday and Monday left and Rovers are chasing Sokota, Carew and Bellamy if the paper reports this morning are correct. Surely John Williams and Hughes will be focussed on negotiating deals they want to do, not wasting their time talking to Viola and Rangers?

So £3.9m hard cash from Ibrox and debt forgiveness or nothing.

[Bobby G]

We are negotiating to sign 3 strikers??

Or they are contingency plans?

[philipl]

Its paper talk!

But I am sure there are contingency negotiations- fortunately. in addition to John Williams, there is Tom Finn who does deals then Mark Hughes stepped in to do the talking as the Rangers efforts petered out and there is always Chairman Robert Coar and the other board members who could be called upon.

But from witnessing our "strike force" on Monday last, I wouldn't be surprised if Rovers aren't talking to every forward from Ewood to Istanbul going the long way round (taking in Lisbon)!

I think it is deeply in the realms of fantasy for Ferguson to leave for Ibrox now.

This seems to be the most comprehensive report from north of the border. It doesn't leave any room for manoeuvre and Williams has stressed how reasonably the Rovers have behaved whilst indicating that Ferguson can be rehabilitated at Ewood.

Edited January 30, 2005 by philipl

[Bobby G]

I expect him to stay also unless something really quick and solid happens.

I think Rangers will get him in the summer though.

If we get Sokota AND Bellamy,my day would be made!

[FourLaneBlue]

I think it is deeply in the realms of fantasy for Ferguson to leave for Ibrox now.

Bit melodramatic that philip and it could still go through if Rangers stump up the cash. They can still get the money if they truly had to, when a club is run by a man worth a few hundred million it is always possible with a bit of restructuring of their finances or even going into a wee bit more debt if they have to. After Ferguson was left out on saturday by Hughes despite being available I won't believe he isn't going until the transfer window passes, especially as Williams himself mentioned that talks were still ongoing.

The comment from Williams about wanting 6million guaranteed is obviously a negotiating positon, he'd like something very close to that but may accept less. If Rovers truly, truly did not want to sell Ferguson whatever they would not have accepted the transfer request or mentioned any possible figures they'd accept.

It's a shame he wants to leave but what can we do? Keep him against his wishes? Will that benefit our club as much as selling him now if an acceptable offer comes in and funding a desperately-needed striker. Ferguson improves our team and midfield but a quality striker would improve it more. Rovers can still end up in a better position if Ferguson goes out and a quality forward is brought in.

philip - Maybe you are right and he won't be leaving but I wouldn't count your chickens just yet. The last day of transfer dealings are sometimes as busy as the rest of the days put together.

[Paul]

For Christ sake, football is a very fickle game, how many of our current squad members actually feel anything for the club, or would support us if they were to retire tommorow?

None.....but that's adifferent topic.

[Paul]

Get a grip eh? I really hope you're English and live in Malta, cause if you are genuinely Maltese, don't you think you should be backing one of your local teams instead of proclaiming yourself as some Blackburn messiah?

Someone needs to say it - there's no doubt philip is English, nor is there any doubt he followed Rovers for many years before moving to Malta and was a board member before he moved.

OK?

[waggy]

For Christ sake, football is a very fickle game, how many of our current squad members actually feel anything for the club, or would support us if they were to retire tommorow?

None.....but that's adifferent topic.

i think paul gallagher might

[AussieinUk]

We are negotiating to sign 3 strikers??

Or they are contingency plans?

BobbyG, you always keep your options open.. and everyone guessing

[Bobby G]

I know.

I was trying to see if we can read something into the idea that we MAY sign 2 players not one in the forward position.

[AussieinUk]

I know.

I was trying to see if we can read something into the idea that we MAY sign 2 players not one in the forward position.

Signing two strikers, has to mean Bothroyd is not part of any long term plans with Sparky.. So what do you do with Jansen, considering his contract is coming up?

mind you I wouldn't mind Bellamy and Tristan... *sigh*

[roversWASmylife]

Would anyone here select Ferguson for the Chelsea game on Wednesday?

Or consider him for the squad on Wednesday?

I'm not entirely sure on him now. He's still a Rovers player and all be it I don't like what he's done in putting his transfer requst in, he's still a Rovers player.

If he plays I wonder what the reaction of the crowd will be like. The obvious thing is to boo, I won't. He's still a Rovers player, if the Rovers fans boo him then he's not going to want to play.

From Hughes's interviews it sounds as if Ferguson still has some of a part to play for the team.

We'll wait and see.

[Eddie]

I would certainly have him in the squad, and depending how he has dealt with all this and is being in training then I might play him. Really I don't think we know enough to be able to judge.

[JAL]

Come on Waggy, these people i.e Barry Ferguson are paid to do a job.... not love the club or the fans. If Ferguson wants to apply for another job then surely we are all strong enough and big enough to support that person in their aim - is that not being totally professional.

If the grass isnt any greener on the other side, like what seems to be developing between Rovers and Rangers then surely we have gained far more respect from the said individual.

Reports suggest that not only can Rangers not match Rovers valuation but they cant match his wages either!

To boo Ferguson because he deemed himself ineligible for work - YES, but not whilst hes doing the job, unless he does the job poorly.

Edited January 30, 2005 by JAL

[thenodrog]

How has he treated the club and the fans? Is he going on strike? Is he feigning injury? Is he making up lies about wanting to move closer to his family when he really wants more money?

The answer to all those questions is no. I just can't comprehend how anyone can say Ferguson is treating the club badly. He's homesick and wants to go back to Glasgow - as does his family.

Homesick my arse! Rover6 you're naivety is staggering! (And that MJ is equally myopic.)

The backsliding Ferguson is playing a full part in a scam to pull OUR necks out! The once proud and mighty Rangers are part and parcel of that.

Give us £6m you scottish gangsters then we can get Bellamy and then the lot of you can ###### right off back up the M6 to your pathetic existence of tenements and sectarianism.

PS..........If you two caught a burgular I suspect you would chuck him the car keys so he could take your car and carry off more of your possessions.

Edited January 30, 2005 by thenodrog

[thenodrog]

I expect him to stay also unless something really quick and solid happens.

I think Rangers will get him in the summer though.

If we get Sokota AND Bellamy,my day would be made!

Mine too! And we could pay for them from the gate receipts of our cup run!

[thenodrog]

For Christ sake, football is a very fickle game, how many of our current squad members actually feel anything for the club, or would support us if they were to retire tommorow?

None.....but that's adifferent topic.

i think paul gallagher might

Then why does he not show it on the pitch waggy? Anonymous and under-performing contributions from Glaswegians are becoming rather too common.