[Archived] Lucas Neill

[tonygreenbank]

Neill has an interview in the Times this morning headed "Why I snubbed Liverpool". He says he has agreed a move to West Ham on £60,000 perweek twice what Liverpool were offering.The fee is £1.5m.

He quotes " It wasnt about money.That didnt come into it.It was about being wanted.West Ham were knocking down the door to get me whereas Liverpool made it a take-it-or-leave it offer and didnt come in for me until 15 days after the window opened" On relegation he said"It`s a calculated gamble.It wont be a glamorous 3 months but once WE secure safety people wont question my motives any more.I believe I will have the last laugh.People will be talking about West Ham in a very different way.....West Ham have a shopping list pf players which almost blew me away. It took me all of 2 minutes to be convinced when Mr Magnusson told me of his plans for the club"

However it does say then that Hughesy will not allow him to go until a replacement is found so maybe Lucas has said too much!

[blue phil]

Good keeper and one of the best that I have seen at ewood since the days of Fred Else BUT in no way was he even fit to be mentioned in direct comparison to Brad Freidal!

Friedal has consistently been one of the top few keepers in (arguably) the best league in Europe for years now . He has also perfomed at his best in a world cup - probably the best keeper on show there ! Comparing Jones to him is a bit like comparing Garner to Shearer .

[Claytons Left Boot]

I was going to post this a few months back but didn't. Roger Jones is actually the kit man at Swindon Town now. (How the mighty have fallen!) When they played at Stanley this season he was in the dug out with manager & coaches etc. My mate, who was a regular at Ewood in those days and now employed at Stanley tried to have a brief word with Sir Roger to get him to do a half time draw, bearing in mind his previous connection with Rovers and this area in general. Jones didn't want to know. Twice, my mate tried to explain that it was something and nothing, but Jones never even looked at him and with his gaze firmly on the pitch held his hand out to usher him away. With quite a few Rovers fans in the crowd it would have been a nice gesture from Jones, who has now gone down in my estimation.

[Fife Rover]

I was going to post this a few months back but didn't. Roger Jones is actually the kit man at Swindon Town now. (How the mighty have fallen!) When they played at Stanley this season he was in the dug out with manager & coaches etc. My mate, who was a regular at Ewood in those days and now employed at Stanley tried to have a brief word with Sir Roger to get him to do a half time draw, bearing in mind his previous connection with Rovers and this area in general. Jones didn't want to know. Twice, my mate tried to explain that it was something and nothing, but Jones never even looked at him and with his gaze firmly on the pitch held his hand out to usher him away. With quite a few Rovers fans in the crowd it would have been a nice gesture from Jones, who has now gone down in my estimation.

I'm now wishing you had stuck with your original intention and not posted. I feel quite deflated and sadenned by that little item of info. Completely spoilt my image of the man. :ph34r:

[Blue blood]

I'm resigned that players will want to leave us for bigger clubs but Neill just wanting to go for cash is very disappointing. He's been a cracking player for us as well as being higly versatile, and a player of his quality will be missed (especially with our injury problems). Bellamy's move was more palitable, as clearly it wasn't all about cash - though i doubt if good money was not available he would not have moved.

Liverpool fans on the radio have been saying he's not good enough which imo is wrong - he's a very good if not top class player. As for us as said it's not a disasterous move - we needed a top class left back before anyway and Emerton on this season's performances can more than cope at right back. However with the small squad that we've got plus Ooijer's and Reid's injury we really are short of options for full backs. Hopefully Hughes will be able to sign at least one in the transfer window.

You wonder had he not been booed whether he would have stayed since i believe that we made him a highly attractive offer. However the club could not really have made any more signs that he was highly valued, so Hughes is blameless on this one. The fact he won't let him go until we sign a replacement also shows that Hughes recognises that the squad is dangerously thin.

Overall other than his bank balance and his agent it's not a great move for lucas and i reckon he'll move on again in the summer after wham are relegated.

[pg]

Bellamy's move was more palitable, as clearly it wasn't all about cash - though i doubt if good money was not available he would not have moved.

Personally, I don't understand this line of thought.

If you leave during the middle of your contract for a big club because you're a glory hunter, that's OK. Move to a 'small' club at the end of your contract and you're just a greedy b***** with no ambition.

Edited January 21, 2007 by pg

[ewoodblue]

Personally, I don't understand this line of thought.

If you leave during the middle of your contract for a big club because you're a glory hunter, that's OK. Move to a 'small' club at the end of your contract and you're just a greedy b***** with no ambition.

According to Sky Sports News, Lucas Neill was mean't to be signing for West Ham , today.

I've not heard anything yet,but according to Mark Hugh's on Match of the Day,we are still interested in signing Warnock from Liverpool.I'm sure all should be resolved and the details revealed soon...

Edited January 21, 2007 by ewoodblue

[RevidgeBlue]

Overall other than his bank balance and his agent it's not a great move for lucas and i reckon he'll move on again in the summer after wham are relegated.

It seems a very risky move, IF the Hammers get relegated and he doesn't fancy slugging it out with the Dingles in the fizzy pop league, then who's going to be in for him in the summer?

Any prospective clubs will have to pay a substantial fee for him and the better clubs don't exactly seem to have been falling over themselves to sign him in this window when he's virtually free!

He'll be very hard pressed to match the 35k p.w. that was supposedly on offer from Liverpool imo.

The one thing that might save him is Wigan who are currently in freefall.

P.S. Has he not actually gone yet? It said he had signed for West Ham in this morning's NOTW.

[stuwilky]

...then who's going to be in for him in the summer?

Any prospective clubs will have to pay a substantial fee for him and the better clubs don't exactly seem to have been falling over themselves to sign him in this window when he's virtually free!

It is alledged that he can walk away as a free agent if they go down Rev.

[Hasta]

In all honesty, I expect West Ham to sign another 3 players at least before the end of Jan and would be extremely suprised if they went down. Would be funny though.

I doubt the millionaire Icelanders (???) have come in with dreams of Premiership and European glory, and then to just rely on Lucas Neill.

Edited January 21, 2007 by Hasta

[RevidgeBlue]

It is alledged that he can walk away as a free agent if they go down Rev.

Crikey Stu.

Heads I win, tails you lose.

Are West \Ham quite THAT desperate?

[stuwilky]

Crikey Stu.

Heads I win, tails you lose.

Are West \Ham quite THAT desperate?

Who knows!

If it is the case it perhaps clarifies why Lucas is giving them a whirl - no lose sitation. If they stay up and he stays for the next Premiership season and they dont fulfil promises of signings etc, he is then into the last year of his contract and may well do what he has done here.

[Exiled_Rover]

Crikey Stu.

Heads I win, tails you lose.

Are West \Ham quite THAT desperate?

Can we just have a minutes silence in respect for Peter Harrison, Lucas' agent. £60k a week and the option to walk away for nothing if Wham get relegated. Bravo sir.

[thenodrog]

Can we just have a minutes silence in respect for Peter Harrison, Lucas' agent. £60k a week and the option to walk away for nothing if Wham get relegated. Bravo sir.

Careful I think he's Todds too.

[stuwilky]

Can we just have a minutes silence in respect for Peter Harrison, Lucas' agent. £60k a week and the option to walk away for nothing if Wham get relegated. Bravo sir.

It is also beneficial to West Ham as well, if they do go down they dont want to be spending next seasons TV income on Lucas Neill.

[USABlue]

I was going to post this a few months back but didn't. Roger Jones is actually the kit man at Swindon Town now. (How the mighty have fallen!) When they played at Stanley this season he was in the dug out with manager & coaches etc. My mate, who was a regular at Ewood in those days and now employed at Stanley tried to have a brief word with Sir Roger to get him to do a half time draw, bearing in mind his previous connection with Rovers and this area in general. Jones didn't want to know. Twice, my mate tried to explain that it was something and nothing, but Jones never even looked at him and with his gaze firmly on the pitch held his hand out to usher him away. With quite a few Rovers fans in the crowd it would have been a nice gesture from Jones, who has now gone down in my estimation.

He won't go down in mine, some people just want their private lives and shy away from the spotlight. I would just respect Rogers wishes and leave it at that. After all the fines performances he put in for us you are prepared to sever the fond memories simply because Mr Jones wanted to be left alone. Bloody hell we are selfish as people sometimes.

[s_simpson_9]

With the injury to Oijer, should we be letting Lucas go?

I see on the transfer topic that Unleaded (bless you Unleaded, your posts during the transfer window are the reason I come to work ) has linked us to Samba from Berlin.

Until such time as Sparkie has a replacement for Oijer and Neill, I wouldn't be letting Lucas (or Todd for that matter) out the door.

[Presty On Tour]

With the injury to Oijer, should we be letting Lucas go?

I see on the transfer topic that Unleaded (bless you Unleaded, your posts during the transfer window are the reason I come to work ) has linked us to Samba from Berlin.

Until such time as Sparkie has a replacement for Oijer and Neill, I wouldn't be letting Lucas (or Todd for that matter) out the door.

hughes has stated that neill will not be leaving until we have signed a replacement.

[thenodrog]

Or at least until West Ham up the offer to us commesurate with the amount they are willing to pay him! I've said before on this thread that we can afford to play hard ball re:Neill.

Somebody suggests that Rovers and Bolton are offering to pay £2m for Distin who is out of contract in the summer and that he wants 45k pw. If that is the case and WHU have offered Neill 60k pw then we are right to value him at £2.5m+.

Up to now Hughes / Williams are playing a blinder.

[rover_groo]

One of my favourites, if not my favourite.

When you are on the topic of past players being booed.

I was disgusted that Alan Shearer was booed by quite a large minority when we defeated Newcastle 5-2 that day and also when Shearer went on to score his 300th and 301st career goals that day. After all he done for us, I was really disappointed by this.

In fairness if it was a small minority that you could barely hear you would get over it, but for it to come from all four sides of the stadium was very, very sad. A true professional who done a hell of a lot for Rovers was a disgrace that day.

[daveoftherovers]

Agree with you on Shearer, Neil is a different Category though, come from NOWHERE, this club has made him the player he is, fine, I can accept he wants CL football = Liverfool, but when he snubs them for West F***ing Ham then he's just a plain old grabber, personally, I hope they go down and I hope Benni & Co. stick a few past them when we play them at our place later this season.

p.s. Well done to Hughes & Williams & Co. on this so far, they've handled this situation v. well...

Bye Bye Lucash.

[Jan]

When you are on the topic of past players being booed.

I was disgusted that Alan Shearer was booed by quite a large minority when we defeated Newcastle 5-2 that day and also when Shearer went on to score his 300th and 301st career goals that day. After all he done for us, I was really disappointed by this.

In fairness if it was a small minority that you could barely hear you would get over it, but for it to come from all four sides of the stadium was very, very sad. A true professional who done a hell of a lot for Rovers was a disgrace that day.

He was booed because of the way he treated Rovers fans after he left. At St James Park, the first game after he left us, we all gave a loud chorus of Shearer, Shearer before the game. He kept his back resolutely to us for the entire time. Contrast that with Henning Berg at Manure, who when we sang his name, came OVER to us and clapped.

The man had no grace or class, therefore deserved what he got. He also got an ovation as he went off after his 300th goal, and, I believe, didn't acknowledge the Rovers fans.

Edited January 22, 2007 by Jan

[ABBEY]

oh my god im in agreement with the she devil.

i feel sick hahahaahaha

[ewoodblue]

Lucash...That name suits him lol.

Good news about Warnock having a medical at Rovers,we need someone , especially now Ooijer is out for rest of season.

I heard Ryan Nelsen and Franny Jeffers played a friendly behind closed doors against Glasgow rangers ,Nelsen played 7o mins, and looked good.It can't be long now before he's raring tto go again.

Hopefully David Dunn should make is comeback appearance soon.,I can't wait to see him again..

Ps..not got a clue how much Liverpool are asking for Warnock,but i'm sure the Lucash money should cover it.

[CircoW]

Lucash...That name suits him lol.

Good news about Warnock having a medical at Rovers,we need someone , especially now Ooijer is out for rest of season.

I heard Ryan Nelsen and Franny Jeffers played a friendly behind closed doors against Glasgow rangers ,Nelsen played 7o mins, and looked good.It can't be long now before he's raring tto go again.

Hopefully David Dunn should make is comeback appearance soon.,I can't wait to see him again..

Ps..not got a clue how much Liverpool are asking for Warnock,but i'm sure the Lucash money should cover it.

The fee for Warnock should be between £1.2 and £1.5m, ewoodblue.