[Archived] Andre Ooijer Signs !

[gazsimm]

To be fair RTM I would agree if he played in a position further up the field. Wingers and Strikers who have injuries sometimes lose that little bit of pace to take them past players, I think Nelsen will come back just fine. He plays in a position where experience and positioning often take precedent over pace, I don't think he will lose that.

As long he doesn't come back as slow as Henchoz

[joey_big_nose]

One thing Ooijer is excellent at is bringing the ball out of defense, he hardly even misplaces a pass and when put under pressure he never loses his cool and looks almost Tugay-esque, you can definately see the quality in Oojers game coming through now. Shame on those people who were slagging him off after his first lot of games.

When Nelsen returns we could have one of the best defensive partnerships in the prem.

Good times ahead.

To be honest once everyone is fit we will have a very good side all over the pitch, plus (in Tugay, Roberts, Zurab, Peter) decent quality on the bench.

                  Nonda    McCarthy

  Pedersen   Savage     Reid        Bentley

     Neill       Nelsen    Ooijer     Emerton

                         Freidal

The left side still looks a little weak I suppose, but that can be addressed in the January window. Damn injuries.

Physio Room has Reid and Roberts not back 'til Febuary.... Physio Room

[West Sussex Rover]

The left side still looks a little weak I suppose, but that can be addressed in the January window. Damn injuries.

Physio Room has Reid and Roberts not back 'til Febuary.... Physio Room

Any idea of how much money he has for January??

Wonder which positions will be his priority in sorting out?

[LeChuck]

Well we got £2.5 million for Kuqi on deadline day, it would be terrible if the board didn't offer at least this amount to Sparky in the January transfer window. I'd be astounded if central midfield wasn't the priority, it was obvious we couldn't go through a season of four competitions with only three recognised central midfielders, one of whom is 36. My guess is that Hughes didn't anticipate two of them being out for long periods before the window came along.

[herbergeehh]

No ###### Sherlock

I have the utmost respect for Sparky, but foreseeing those two injuries might be out of even his reach. To add to our midfield problems, all three are quite likely to earn themselves a suspension or two this season aswell.

[Eddie]

Foreseeing the injuries is part of his job to a certain extent. We took a huge risk and it didn't pay off, unfortunately that is part of the territory of football.

[92er]

Well we got £2.5 million for Kuqi on deadline day, it would be terrible if the board didn't offer at least this amount to Sparky in the January transfer window. I'd be astounded if central midfield wasn't the priority, it was obvious we couldn't go through a season of four competitions with only three recognised central midfielders, one of whom is 36. My guess is that Hughes didn't anticipate two of them being out for long periods before the window came along.

Don't forget that on another posting,it was stated that MH had tried to sign Dunn on the last day of the transfer window-but was turned down by Birmingham.

[LeChuck]

That's only a rumour though, wasn't the fee mentioned £2.5 million? Sparky has shown to be more prudent with cash than to throw that amount at a player who hasn't performed for a long time now due to injuries. If you take away the sentimental part of Dunn returning, he's nothing more than a midfield version of Jeffers.

[USABlue]

Foreseeing the injuries is part of his job to a certain extent. We took a huge risk and it didn't pay off, unfortunately that is part of the territory of football.

Helping keep the club on sound footing financially is also a bigger part of his job. Was what Hughes really wanted available or should he just have splashed the cash so he'd have bodies to throw in and keep the I told you so's quiet. Midfield should have been strengthened but was the quality available for the price we can afford. 18,000K a week through the turnstiles is not going to pay a whole lot of wages.

We'll be alright and that coming from a Rovers pessimist, made so by following Rovers.

[Eddie]

I'm not saying that he didn't bring in anyone through lack of trying, but I am sure that there was someone out there. A good number of decent midfielders moved to and from premiership clubs this year, we could have gone for one of them. This isn't me calling for Hughes out or anything like that or saying that he should have signed someone for the sake of it, but it is his job and he recieves a very good pay in order to do it, I hope that he can find some sort of stop-gap for the next few weeks.

[Tris]

Some of the comments in this thread are ridiculous.

How could Hughes (or anyone) do any more to cover central midfield?? Four specialist players for two places is more than enough - and there are at least three others (Bentley, MGP and Gally) who can fill in if needed - even before raiding the youth.

Predicting injuries is not a job for any manager - if it was every team would have a squad of 60. As it is, our options in every position decrease in quality when the best ones are out - many people are calling The Axe, but he's 4th choice. A club of our size cannot sustain better players than him as emergency replacements.

Just looking at the Chelsea programme from 2 weeks ago - they have a squad of 25. Ours is 31 - even removing the untried youth leaves us with 26 (Kane, Nolan, Treacy, Fiedling and Taylor removed). A similar exercise on Chelsea leaves them with 23 - although I'm sure the geek squad on here will tell me that Ryan Bertrand and Michael Mancienne are the future and we should sign them.

It's been said time and time again by the powers that be .. that these days Rovers will only sign players who could displace current 1st team regulars. At Centre Mid - that means someone on a par with Tugay / Savage / Reid in order to improve on Mokoena.

It just isn't going to happen. So support what we have.

[Perth_Rover]

That's only a rumour though, wasn't the fee mentioned £2.5 million? Sparky has shown to be more prudent with cash than to throw that amount at a player who hasn't performed for a long time now due to injuries. If you take away the sentimental part of Dunn returning, he's nothing more than a midfield version of Jeffers.

Yeah, but he's our jeffers

Doubt we would be back for him in jan, we will more be looking for someone to jump straight into the 1st XI in anything

[philipl]

There is some real tosh being written here.

Rovers did look to strengthen during the summer but not all targets came our way otherwise Gudjonsson would be leading the line.

I suspect Dunn will be at Ewood in January (Brum confirmed w made a formal bid so there is no speculation about it) and that Hughes will be looking for a terrier-like back-up to Savage. He's also clearly signalling his determination to get Warlock from Liverpool as I suspect that avoiding Liverpool beating us to the £10m CL pot will be an academic issue so far as Neill leaving is concerned.

Back to Ooijer- the lad is a class act and is the obvious partner for Nelsen when he returns.

Edited November 9, 2006 by philipl

[AxesFirstTouch]

The question is who is better Ooijer or Nelsen? Ooijer is showing exactly why is he a dutch captain. Andres runs forward are excellent for a CB, It would be very interesting to see him playing in midfield should we have injury crisis in the future.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Don't think questions need to be asked - Oojer is beginning to look class.

My worry is about Nelsen's prolonged absence - will it affect him?

If he comes back the same player - then it will look very promising at CB.

[Presty On Tour]

friedel

emerton ooijer nelsen ??

with a decent left back in the january window and it's all tidy imo!!

[joey_big_nose]

It looks like we could well have Warnock at LB. Not bad, but hardly going to set the world alight.

[broadsword]

It's not vital to have a world-class left back. As long as it's someone solid defensively it doesn't matter too much.

[cravenblue]

talking to a neighbour this morning, whose daughter lives in new zealand. press over there saying admirals injury far worse than rovers letting on, and word is he may not even play again!!! so question would be do we need another centre half in january to partner oojier?

[CAPT KAYOS]

talking to a neighbour this morning, whose daughter lives in new zealand. press over there saying admirals injury far worse than rovers letting on, and word is he may not even play again!!! so question would be do we need another centre half in january to partner oojier?

This is what I was getting to - people on here seem to automatically think he will be coming back.

Seems to be a long time for what would appear to be a relatively minor diagnosis of the injury.

[tchocky]

Fingers crossed he will be back.

Wael Gomaa to sign in jan then if he's Nelsen is not back this season.

[Bobby G]

Would be devastating to lose Nelsen!

[vyeo]

admirals injury far worse than rovers letting on, and word is he may not even play again!!!

do you mean for good or this season?

[cravenblue]

do you mean for good or this season?

it seems that it could be for good

[Exiled_Rover]

talking to a neighbour this morning, whose daughter lives in new zealand. press over there saying admirals injury far worse than rovers letting on, and word is he may not even play again!!! so question would be do we need another centre half in january to partner oojier?

Typical Rovers luck that.