[Archived] Lucas Neill

[juggalo_rover]

Whilst watching the games over here on saturday the hosts were mentioning the aussie players that were involved in games being played. Graeme Arnold (AUS assistant manager) mentioned Lucas Neill - instead of talking about the game though, he went on to say that when Lucas was over here for the recent friendlies that he told him that Newcastle were interested in him for next year. Anyone else heard anything on this??

[pg]

Well, Newcastle have been rumoured to be interested in him for years, so its no surprise that with Souness in charge they will begin once again.

At the beginning of this season, Neil admitted to Robbie Slater on Foxports in Australia that Souness had effectively lost the dressing room. Having witnessed the rise and fall of Souness whilst at Blackburn, I'm not entirely sure that Neil would want to sign up for another ride of that rollercoaster.

[samtheozzy]

Have to agree with you there PG. With Newcastle's dressing room in shambles at the moment, a complete prick as manager, and another as Chairman who the hell would want to go to Newcastle. Neill has seen first-hand how crap a manager Souness is and will hopefully avoid him like Souness avoids diplomacy.

[Blueboy Downunder]

i'll second them sentiments pg.....as well as losing the dressing at ewood i dare say that lucas won't want to be part of a culture such as the one that all newcastle fans witnessed this past saturday. i hope he don't leave us anyway, the best right full back that we have.

[philipl]

If Souness goes in for him, the money will do the talking- wages for Neill, silly money for the Rovers.

If Boumsong = £8m, Lucas = £?m.

I would get a pet hack to start talking big numbers if I were JW/Sparky to get Fat Freddie acclimatised. A straight Neill/Bellamy swap? Why not be cheeky.

He is good but there are better RBs out there.

[Martin95]

I don't think Newcastle will want to swap Bellamy for Lucas Neill.

[Radagast]

They can have him. And we'll even take Steven Carr off their hands in return.

[Martin95]

Steven Carr!!! Are you mad.

[Mattyblue]

A good friend of mine went to watch an Accy Stanley game a couple of months back when he got chatting to Lucas, Stead and Steven Reid (strange, I know!).

Neill was extremely anti-Souness- his training methods, general attitude and the dire quality of his backroom staff, he said that apart from Brad, Amo and Ferguson he couldnt see any of our players EVER playing for him again.

All problems the fans were well aware of, but to hear a player confirm this shows how unstable the club was in the final stages of the Souness era.

[Martin95]

How do you know that Neill is anti-Souness?

[Eddie]

Where are these better right backs? Of his age and that we could afford? Oh and who would come to our club? I can't think of one who meets all of those criteria. He may have some faults, and has for quite a while been playing poorly, but over the last few months his form has picked up and he is the player we once knew, a quality right back.

[Radagast]

Steven Carr!!! Are you mad.

No, I was displaying a little humour. The gist of it is why would Newcastle want Neill when they already have Carr. Then again, we all know Souness ewnjoyed the odd strange move in the transfer market.

[Martin95]

You are actually right there about Souness makeing rubbish transfers like Amoruso. Souness can have him if he wants because he's wants just a team of Rangers players.

[LDRover]

Where are these better right backs? Of his age and that we could afford? Oh and who would come to our club? I can't think of one who meets all of those criteria. He may have some faults, and has for quite a while been playing poorly, but over the last few months his form has picked up and he is the player we once knew, a quality right back.

Mark Delaney.

[Eddie]

Where are these better right backs? Of his age and that we could afford? Oh and who would come to our club? I can't think of one who meets all of those criteria. He may have some faults, and has for quite a while been playing poorly, but over the last few months his form has picked up and he is the player we once knew, a quality right back.

Mark Delaney.

No thanks. We'd never get him anyway. Not without offering a highly inflated price, and I have to say I'd rather have Neill.

[LDRover]

Where are these better right backs? Of his age and that we could afford? Oh and who would come to our club? I can't think of one who meets all of those criteria. He may have some faults, and has for quite a while been playing poorly, but over the last few months his form has picked up and he is the player we once knew, a quality right back.

Mark Delaney.

No thanks. We'd never get him anyway. Not without offering a highly inflated price, and I have to say I'd rather have Neill.

Currently in a contract dispute with Villa and has the almost obligatory Welsh links.

I'd be very surprised if we're not interested.

That said, I would prefer Cafu

[Eddie]

Yes but isn't the dispute because he wants a new long term contract but the club have a year option so are unwilling to give it as they see no point? That doesn't exactly force them to sell.

[LDRover]

Yes but isn't the dispute because he wants a new long term contract but the club have a year option so are unwilling to give it as they see no point? That doesn't exactly force them to sell.

No, but if a player doesn't get what he wants he becomes an unhappy player. Clubs don't keep unhappy players (ie - Barry Ferguson) and the usual outcome is a parting of the ways.

A big difference here is that the time left on his contract is short meaning that he would be relatively cheap.

[tcj_jones]

I know it isn't really very important nowadays but on several occasions players like Thompson and Neill have been referred to as the comical characters of the team and who keep the dressing room lively. Seems a shame to rid the team of the nicer chracters.

Then again, Neill is quite an awful right back.

[Eddie]

I know it isn't really very important nowadays but on several occasions players like Thompson and Neill have been referred to as the comical characters of the team and who keep the dressing room lively. Seems a shame to rid the team of the nicer chracters.

Then again, Neill is quite an awful right back.

God alone knows what you consider a good right back.

LDRover, all they need to do is take the year option, that would mean his contract ends quite far from now and we are back to having to make a high bid. Anyway I'm going to just stop participating in this, Neill is the scapegoat for many, if he is so poor why do we currently have one of the best defences in the league, a defence that he has been everpresent in?

[philipl]

I think Lucas is an excellent player but not the best. If Souey is sniffing, the fee should be a silly one which should allow plenty to get an even better replacement.

[LDRover]

No problem with Lucas, Eddie, I don't think he's a bad player and he's not a great player, just average.

But as a colleague pointed out to me this morning, when England have Danny Mills as 2nd choice at right back it goes to show how few real quality players there are in that position.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'd be completely indifferent if Lucas left for a good amount of coin,no more no less.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Lucas has come to a bit lately but if some sort of swap deal for Bellamy could be engineered I'd go along with letting him go. Hughes' track record on new signings has been good and I'd leave him to bring in a suitable replacement.

[James No. 7]

"I'm really enjoying it and if I got asked to sign another extension I would," said Lucas Neill.

Check the last paragraph of this article.

EDIT: It is hardly big news, but it seems he is not very interested in a Newcastle move if he can stay at Blackburn, which might suggest that Souness is not a very attractive management option.

Edited April 6, 2005 by James No. 7