[Archived] Should Dunny Have Come Home?

[joey_big_nose]

Dunn played reasonably well today when he came on, not really at his best but won the free kick which produced the winner. What impressed me most was his physicallity, he god stuck in and pressurised the opposition. Hughes has decided to use him in the Savage role, closing down players quickly and forcing errors. Obviously not as good at it as Robbie but could do a makeshift job there.

I would imagine, providing they are both fit, that Dunn and Tugay will be the first choice partnership.

As a side point, on the entertainment stakes the sheer technical ability in the midfield is breathtaking at the moment. Dunn, Tugay, Bentley and Pedersen all have an outstanding level of ball control. Bentley in particular was an absolute pleasure to watch today. Has their ever been as skllful a central combination at Rovers?

[Exiled_Rover]

Nuff said. And you Al!

To think later today we may have three players on the pitch who are actually Rovers fans.

Who's the third? Dunn and Derbs is all I can come up with.

[frosty]

Who's the third? Dunn and Derbs is all I can come up with.

I was thinking the same?

[Ste B]

Who's the third? Dunn and Derbs is all I can come up with.

Paul Gallagher.

[Philly Rover ®]

I would imagine, providing they are both fit, that Dunn and Tugay will be the first choice partnership.

I was thinking this. Obviously I wasn't able to see how well Dunn played today, but it sounds like Mokoena is (quite predictably) out of his depth in central midfield, even against a side like Sheffield United. Hopefully Dunn can stay fit, because it seems Mokoena is certainly not the answer in the center.

I still think it was a big gamble for Sparky not to pick up a central midfielder in the transfer window -- hoping that Tugay and Dunn will remain fit enough to play the majority of games is a huge risk in my opinion.

[roversmum]

I thought Tugay looked very tired today. Hopefully he'll get a couple of days off this week, hard times ahead.

[Jan]

I thought Tugay looked very tired today. Hopefully he'll get a couple of days off this week, hard times ahead.

I agree. Tugay's a bit old for this many games, but with Mokoena being absolute toss he kind of has to play.

I liked Dunny's Radio Rovers interview when he said that Mark Hughes had told him to "go on and get us playing". I also loved the way that he (along with Ryan) was trying to gee up the rest of the lacklustre team (David Bently excluded- he was tremendous)

[dillo_dillo]

If you took "Welcome Home Dunny" banner with the game, Could you show me the photo? Please

[daren]

I liked the commentator on Sky when Dunny came on, "Wow, he really wants to get out there and play, he's desperate to impress"

I was pleased with him, he looked a little rusty but you cannot fault his attitude today. If he keeps that attitude and workrate up, he'll have been a bargain at the price

[92er]

I thought Tugay looked very tired today. Hopefully he'll get a couple of days off this week, hard times ahead.

According to the LT, despite Tugay's retirement from international football 4 years ago, he has been called up to the international squad by the new manager. MH is worried he will suffer from " burn out ".

[LA Rover]

According to the LT, despite Tugay's retirement from international football 4 years ago, he has been called up to the international squad by the new manager. MH is worried he will suffer from " burn out ".

Well maybe he should have bought another midfielder then, eh?

Must say, that's one of the very few things that Sparky has said that has ever annoyed me.

[Jan]

I heard that while at Notlob, Dunny tried every avoiding tactic in the book to avoid signing. He had the pen in hand, and decided he had to go to the loo. Then he had to phone his advisors, basically anything to avoid signing. He was sitting in Notlob training gear when the call came through from Rovers and apparently he sprinted out of there still wearing the kit got into his car and arrived at Rovers in said disarray.

Wonder if he gave them back eventually??

[LeChuck]

If he was really that desperate not to sign for Bolton, he'd have sat out the final six months of his contract at Birmingham then had his pick of clubs in the summer (of which we'd have almost certainly been one).

[Jan]

Guess he was that desperate to move North (and that confident we'd come in). Remember they probably threatened him with taking up the 2 year option so he'd still cost money for any buyer and be stuck in the hell-hole that is Birmingham until he was 29, with the risk that no-one would pay the money.

Edited February 4, 2007 by Jan

[AggyBlue]

I heard that while at Notlob, Dunny tried every avoiding tactic in the book to avoid signing. He had the pen in hand, and decided he had to go to the loo. Then he had to phone his advisors, basically anything to avoid signing. He was sitting in Notlob training gear when the call came through from Rovers and apparently he sprinted out of there still wearing the kit got into his car and arrived at Rovers in said disarray.

That's what I heard too. No wonder big fat sam was annoyed

[Presty On Tour]

I heard that while at Notlob, Dunny tried every avoiding tactic in the book to avoid signing. He had the pen in hand, and decided he had to go to the loo. Then he had to phone his advisors, basically anything to avoid signing. He was sitting in Notlob training gear when the call came through from Rovers and apparently he sprinted out of there still wearing the kit got into his car and arrived at Rovers in said disarray.

Wonder if he gave them back eventually??

quality

[daveoftherovers]

Agree with you Joey, I too was impressed with his physical presence and his speed, he also lifted the crowd and worried the pikeys (And got us the free kick that MGP slapped in (Sweet!)) so I'm made up with him coming back, and yes, Midfield is looking better, next season is already looking promising with Reidy & Savage back. Also our bench looked strong. (Been a while)

Well played Dunny and welcome home.

[broadsword]

Isn't the number 19 shirt the one his hero Gazza wore in 1990?

[Tris]

What the hell happened to the player we sold to Birmingham??

2 months of conditioning under the Hughes regime, and he still looks totally out of place at this level.

Once Savage and Reid are fit again, Dunn won't even make the squad of 16. Who would have ever thought that Mokoena would be missed once Dunn got the chance to step into his shoes?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Good post Tris, early days yet but he looks totally lost at times and a shadow of the player he once was....only time will really tell.

[Fife Rover]

That's what I heard too. No wonder big fat sam was annoyed

Why? Did he not give them their kit back?

[Tris]

£1.5 million for Dunn is without doubt Hughes's worst signing pound for pound. Fat boy would have been free next month - had he really wanted to move to Rovers for football reasons he could have signed a pre-contract in January and got himself into shape to be able to tackle a Hughes pre-season.

As it is he's used the Bolton situation to force Rovers to pay good money for him, signed a contract on his terms, and now he's living where he wants to live, drinking where he wants to drink, and there is no chance he will ever be match fit or match capable at the top level ever again.

I strongly suspect Hughes didn't really want this signing - he doesn't risk money on lazy idiots. It looks like a publicity stunt which has gone badly wrong - today it cost us points as well as money.

[FourLaneBlue]

£1.5 million for Dunn is without doubt Hughes's worst signing pound for pound. Fat boy would have been free next month - had he really wanted to move to Rovers for football reasons he could have signed a pre-contract in January and got himself into shape to be able to tackle a Hughes pre-season.

I don't think players can actually do that unless it is for a foreign team.

As for Dunn...this season is almost a write-off and we just have to hope that, with a full pre-season behind him, he starts to become the player he has been threatening to be for the last five or so years. 2007/2008 is make or break for Dunn.

[Guest shoppybrfc]

Tris what about Roberts? Surely hes a candidate for Hughes worst signing, even Stevie Wonder could see that. At least we know Dunny is a talented footballer and looks like he's improving at times. Although I guess at least we'd find some mug to pay 2 million for Roberts if we hopefully cut our losses in the summer, No team will pay 1.5mill for Dunn.

Edited April 8, 2007 by shoppybrfc

[Fife Rover]

And just to rub it in today: Kuqi scored 2, Jeffers scored 1, Joe Garner scored 1.

Whats the chances of getting that lot back for next week? Answer:about the same chance as we have of beating Chelsea.

SEASON OVER!!!!

Edited April 8, 2007 by Fife Rover