[Archived] Andre Ooijer Signs !

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Very similar to the way Neill left in fact. I wonder if it's revealed that he's going to double his salary that Ooijer will suddenly become a greedy grabbing barsteward not fit to wear the shirt etc etc.

Neill acted professionally, he never gave any false promise of playing for Rovers the season after. He also told the truth which fans did not like. If Ooijer is going back for double his wages then fair play to him as he has done everything professionally.

[thenodrog]

Neill acted professionally, he never gave any false promise of playing for Rovers the season after. He also told the truth which fans did not like. If Ooijer is going back for double his wages then fair play to him as he has done everything professionally.

Correct.

[RevidgeBlue]

Very similar to the way Neill left in fact. I wonder if it's revealed that he's going to double his salary that Ooijer will suddenly become a greedy grabbing barsteward not fit to wear the shirt etc etc.

I'm not an Ooijer fan ability wise but there's no comparison whatsoever between Ooijer and Neill.

Ooijer has never been a regular first team choice for us, but got on with it and didn't complain, is coming to the end of his career, probably didn't have much on the table from us due to his age, and had one last chance to return home.

Neill, due to the lack of competition for his place was always considered a key member of the side, yet snubbed various contract offers. He was even handed the captain's armband by Hughes but chucked that back in everyone's face.

[American]

Enough with the agenda. Lucas was better than Curtis.

HE ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTIONS TO LEAVE AT LEAST 18 MONTHS IN ADVANCE - THERE WAS PLENTY OF CHANCE TO SELL HIM, BUT SPARKY DIDN'T WANT TO!!!

[thenodrog]

Enough with the agenda. Lucas was better than Curtis.

HE ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTIONS TO LEAVE AT LEAST 18 MONTHS IN ADVANCE - THERE WAS PLENTY OF CHANCE TO SELL HIM, BUT SPARKY DIDN'T WANT TO!!!

He'd have stayed too if we had upped his pay to 70k pw. But he wasn't worth it imo. If you had been manager Simon would you have raised his wage to that level Rev and had every other player and their agent queueing up outside your office door? Pay up or shut up being the obvious counter to this situation.

Also people should view the larger picture and think more positive ........ if we had not traded Neill in we would not have got Warnock and he is a better player. I wouldn't swap back thats for sure. Why there is animosity toward Lucas Neill is really baffling and completely illogical.

Edited May 23, 2009 by thenodrog

[Guest Vinjay606]

Also people should view the larger picture and think more positive ........ if we had not traded Neill in we would not have got Warnock and he is a better player. Why there is animosity toward Lucas Neill is really baffling and completely illogical.

Perhaps because he's an arrogant SOB and make remarks belittling this football club? Plus of course turning down Liverpool for West Ham United proving his motivation.

Remember when he scored that last minute winner in one of the UEFA games? He taunted the fans afterwards and some even said they would rather drawn the match than see him score the winner...since it wasn't a particularly important game.

The fans should never have tolerated him being made captain. Shows what a soft touch this clubs supporters can be.

I wasn't upset that he left as I don 't rate him. I even said that the fans shouldn't boo him as no doubt it would inflate his ego and make him think he was worth something.

[thenodrog]

Perhaps because he's an arrogant SOB and make remarks belittling this football club? Plus of course turning down Liverpool for West Ham United proving his motivation.

IF LPOOL HAD MATCHED WHU'S OFFER THEN I'M SURE THAT HE'D HAVE SIGNED. MESSAGE TO LPOOL IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE HEAT STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN! REM VINJAY THAT IT WAS LPOOL WHO WERE TURNING HIS HEAD AGAINST US ALL ALONG. YOUR IRE SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT THEM.

Remember when he scored that last minute winner in one of the UEFA games? He taunted the fans afterwards and some even said they would rather drawn the match than see him score the winner...since it wasn't a particularly important game.

I RARELY CONDEMN RETALIATION. I CAN WELL UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES INVOLVED. HE'D BEEN BOOED ALL THAT NIGHT BY SOME OF THE NEANDERTHALS FROM OUR MIDST.

The fans should never have tolerated him being made captain. Shows what a soft touch this clubs supporters can be. EXPAND UPON THAT PLEASE. A NONSENSICAL BUT TYPICAL COMMENT.

I wasn't upset that he left as I don 't rate him. I even said that the fans shouldn't boo him as no doubt it would inflate his ego and make him think he was worth something.

VINJAY.......... THE MANAGERS OF 3 PREM CLUBS WERE BATTLING FOR HIS SIGNATURE BUT YOU DIDN'T RATE HIM!!!

[dingles staying down 4ever]

The fans should never have tolerated him being made captain. Shows what a soft touch this clubs supporters can be.

Yes....we should have took to the streets, demonstrated, rioted. Fans aren't bothered who is captain so long as whoever is gives 100% on the field. Even though Neill wanted to leave he never gave less than 100%.

It is the manager's deceision who he make captain and Hughes thought that Neill was the man for him. As captain he led the team to a European Finsih and cup semis so why should the fans not tolerate him.

[Amo]

Isn't the captaincy often a token baton used to keep hold of your best players? I don't think it matters that much who wears it. The most influential and vocal players will continue to lead by example whether or not they have a black strap around their arm.

[Guest Vinjay606]

I have no ire against Liverpool since I didn't care about Neill leaving. I just couldn't tolerate his lack of respect.

Nonsensical? That's funny coming from Mr Lancashire Utd.

No I didn't rate him. His distribution skills were pathetic and even reasonable tackling skills led to him breaking people's legs through recklessness.

[thenodrog]

Isn't the captaincy often a token baton used to keep hold of your best players? I don't think it matters that much who wears it. The most influential and vocal players will continue to lead by example whether or not they have a black strap around their arm.

No. A clear headed, strong, leader of men who commands the respect of his teammates is captain material. Best / Gazza / Ronaldo etc etc would never be captain material. Neither in our squad would Tugay RSC or Benny.

[Amo]

No. A clear headed, strong, leader of men who commands the respect of his teammates is captain material. Best / Gazza / Ronaldo etc etc would never be captain material. Neither in our squad would Tugay RSC or Benny.

You're missing the point.

'X' player would still galvanise the troops whether or not he is the "official" captain. I think the captain's armband is a little more superficial than people like to think.

[thenodrog]

You're missing the point.

'X' player would still galvanise the troops whether or not he is the "official" captain. I think the captain's armband is a little more superficial than people like to think.

You might be too topman. If your suggestion was the case then Hughes would surely have given the captains armband to Bentley or similar wouldn't he?

[Hasta]

I have no ire against Liverpool since I didn't care about Neill leaving. I just couldn't tolerate his lack of respect.

A lack of respect? He showed more respect to the club than a lot of players by telling them 18 months in advance of what he wanted to do. He gave Rovers the choice of cashing in or keeping him.

That alone was more respect to the club than the Shearers, Hendrys, Bellamys and Suttons showed.

He reacted to the crowd after they booed him constantly through a game whilst he was still playing for Rovers.

[thenodrog]

A lack of respect? He showed more respect to the club than a lot of players by telling them 18 months in advance of what he wanted to do. He gave Rovers the choice of cashing in or keeping him.

That alone was more respect to the club than the Shearers, Hendrys, Bellamys and Suttons showed.

He reacted to the crowd after they booed him constantly through a game whilst he was still playing for Rovers.

I think trying to talk sense to Vinjay is just a waste of time and effort. And that goes for more than a few with regard to Lucas Neill. The level of animosity is puzzling given

a. the amount of players that leave us every season usually the exact same reason.

and

b. the fact that the most vitriol comes from members who when questioned dont even rate him. Now is that effin weird mentalities or what?

No I didn't rate him. His distribution skills were pathetic and even reasonable tackling skills led to him breaking people's legs through recklessness.

Who'se leg did he break with a reckless tackle?

Edited May 23, 2009 by thenodrog

[LeChuck]

Very similar to the way Neill left in fact. I wonder if it's revealed that he's going to double his salary that Ooijer will suddenly become a greedy grabbing barsteward not fit to wear the shirt etc etc.

At 34 Ooijer isn't worth anything in terms of transfer fees, that wasn't the case at all with Neill, who deliberately let his contract run down so he could cash in on the extra money bosman players usually get. Ooijer is hardly doing it for the money, is he?

I suspect you knew the difference all along though.

Edited May 23, 2009 by LeChuck

[Hasta]

At 34 Ooijer isn't worth anything in terms of transfer fees, that wasn't the case at all with Neill, who deliberately let his contract run down so he could cash in on the extra money bosman players usually get.

In that case why didn't Rovers sell Neill almost 18 months before he left in the January transfer window. He had repeatedly said that he wasn't going to sign a new contract.

Edited May 23, 2009 by Hasta

[T4E]

In that case why didn't Rovers sell Neill almost 18 months before he left in the January transfer window. He had repeatedly said that he wasn't going to sign a new contract.

Because rather than selling him, in response to those comments Sparky decided to make him captain!

Still ###### off about that now.

[Eddie]

He captained us through a relatively successful period, so he obviously did a decent job of it. If he was respected and focused on the job (which he clearly was) then I don't have a problem with the captaincy. We could have sold him to solve the problem, but couldn't find a suitable option and thought he was doing a good job.

Ooijer is a bit different as he didn't decide he was leaving 18 months ago and I really only think he is going as he isn't a regular and is unlikely to ever be one. I also wouldn't be surprised if he would have had to have accepted a pay cut (if we even put in any effort to keep him). It's been clear for several months that he is going, but he never came out publicly and said so, which was the professional thing to do. Neill could have easily done the same, he doesn't need to be as hated as he is, but he didn't handle it in the best possible manner either.

[beerwins]

He wants to spend his final footballing years in his home country and has been lucky enough to secure a years contract at a good club, most rovers fans would be glad to see him gone at his age and replaced with someone younger that includes me.

At rovers he did a professional job to the best of his abilities and i wish him all the best, i dont see what there is to fuss about, thanks andre.

[Tris]

I'm sorry to see Andre Ooijer leave the club. He was almost the perfect signing for us - an experienced full international captain who could play in a number of positions, happy to test himself in the best league in world football. He never let us down, despite that horrible and serious injury early on in his time at Ewood.

When people find fault with a proper player like Ooijer, I sometimes wonder if they are looking for the perfect footballer - a 10 out of 10 in every facet of their play - like something from a computer game. There is no such player - even in the 30 million quid bracket you get defenders full of faults (on and off the pitch) like Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole.

If today hadn't been all about Tugay, I'd have been wearing a Holland shirt rather than a Turkey shirt - it was nice to see a young lad in the lower JW wearing the ooranje.

Good luck wrapping your career up back home Andre, and thanks for living the dream with us for three years

[thenodrog]

Seconded Tris. A true profesionall and captain of Holland to boot. Only our plethora of centre halves forced him to step in for so long out of position at full back. Otherwise he'd have played much more at CH and we'd be rueing his leaving much more too. He wouldn't need to buy a drink in my local thats for sure.

Edited May 25, 2009 by thenodrog

[Majiball]

All the best Andre thanks for the memories and the goal!!!!!!!!

[broadsword]

I liked him, and very sad to see him go.

Good, solid player.

[donis1410]

Good Luck Andre and thanks for your service!!!!