[Archived] Benni Mccarthy - Gone

[Rob of the Rovers]

If Savage was being chased by a top 4 club, he'd be off like a shot, just like the vast majority of our players would...you would have to question their ambition to think anything else!

What is disappointing is that McCarthy is openly touting himself about. However, I still think he will be at Rovers next season. He has done well for us and there is no doubt he is a top class finisher, but Chelsea should be setting their sights higher if they want to get their title back.

[Mozzer]

reid was wanted by man utd last summer, he didnt join, he didnt let it get to his head..

yes maybe everyone has ambitions to play for a top 4 club, but mcarthy has been completely disrespectful about all this, "its not like i owe them my life"..sorry but if he waited an extra year or so we could be breaking into the top 4..

[Boz]

Ok, ok Benni we get the picture, you'd love to be playing for Chelsea with the special one and your mates in the Champions League, or Man U the club you've supported since being a boy.

You've made that abundantly clear in interviews all this week, with you virtually begging them to come and get you.

I too had grand ideas. I was sure when I was 13 and slotted my half time penalties at Ewood that I would eventually be wearing the blue and white, sadly it never happened and I slipped through the net. But life goes on, time catches up with you and we all compromise our ideals.

So Benni, get on with it, we are all delighted that you've had a great season. All the top clubs know they could have any player they desire, so please could we stop with the daily touting of yourself?

[Eddie]

You do realise that this could well be one interview. Newspapers have simply used the same interview, picking different quotes and making the story their own.

[Ronin]

With the rumours of Drogba looking to leave then Chelsea could very well go for McCarthy in that case. But I do wish that players keep their thoughts to themselves sometimes, as the comments they make in the big-club loving media, don't really endear themselves.

But it's the same old same old with the media, they always try to 'help' sell the best players outside of the Top 4 to the Top 4. I'm just glad we have a very competent management team on and off the pitch that can deal with this type of thing in the proper way. Not by blabbing to the media at every occasion!!!!

[Billy Castell]

I think the public manner of these quotes are very unprofessional and show Benni in a bad light. He wants to leave then let him. He isn't man enough to show a bit of loyalty to a contract and actively whore himself to some Billy Big b-llocks club, then he isn't right for an aspiring club like Rovers. Sell him for around £12m+, and if he starts being unprofessional and refusing to play/train if the big move doesn't happen, fine him a weeks wages every week and lob him in the reserves and force him to train with the kids. He's got a few years on his contract, so it wouldn't be like we need to get rid ASAP.

[FourLaneBlue]

Benni is like acting like a tart on a street corner twirling round her handbag and asking any passing BIG cars if they want any business.

Yes we know he'd like to play for a Champions League club but does he have to be so desperate?

[joey_big_nose]

I think the public manner of these quotes are very unprofessional and show Benni in a bad light. He wants to leave then let him. He isn't man enough to show a bit of loyalty to a contract and actively whore himself to some Billy Big b-llocks club, then he isn't right for an aspiring club like Rovers. Sell him for around £12m+, and if he starts being unprofessional and refusing to play/train if the big move doesn't happen, fine him a weeks wages every week and lob him in the reserves and force him to train with the kids. He's got a few years on his contract, so it wouldn't be like we need to get rid ASAP.

Um, lovely idea that but as he is not our slave we can't deny him his wages. He has signed a contract and any fine has to be shown to be a) proportional to the 'crime' not over the maximum term of four (or eight. But i think its four) weeks.

Much as I am peed off about this really he hasn't done that much wrong. He has not said he won't play for us and has merely stated that he would like a move to a CL club. We might be able to fine him a couple of weeks wages but thenall that would do is make him more desirous of a move which in turn reduces our chances of getting a decent fee. If we treat him badly then rather than looking for a CL club he could start considering any transfer (spure, west Ham etc).

Lets be fair here, he has come along and done a good job for us. If he moves on thats fine, all part of a footballers career. Whats a bitch is the way he is broadcasting it. There is no value in the club fighting McCarthy, what we need to do is work with him so we get the best outcome. Him rotting away in the reserves while his value rapidly diminishes does nothing for us whatsoever. We do not have money to burn.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

VERY disappointing......but what the hell did we really expect?

So our best striker and 2nd highest Prem scorer for just 6 million eh?....... these Chelsea lot may rub it in if they do buy McCarthy but please,in the name of god dont let them take the p1ss and laugh in our faces at just 6 million!!!!

Edited May 17, 2007 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Nayef]

Deja vu.

He WILL be gone this summer and probably with one week to go before transfer deadline day. Hughes did manage to replace our star striker once. A second time will be a challenge.

[gumboots]

If it gets to a week before the transfer deadline then I don't think he'd be allowed to go. That's what happened with Lucas Neill last year. we held on till the Jan transfer window just because we had no time to buy a replacement. We have all the more reason to hold on to McCarthy because he's got plenty of time to run on his contract. Mark Hughes was open and honest with Neill about his reasons for not letting him go at that stage and I think he'd be equally so with McCarrthy.

[OJRovers]

VERY disappointing......but what the hell did we really expect?

So our best striker and 2nd highest Prem scorer for just 6 million eh?....... these Chelsea lot may rub it in if they do buy McCarthy but please,in the name of god dont let them take the p1ss and laugh in our faces at just 6 million!!!!

That story is just based on the same quotes from monday/last week. No new news.

I can see what Benni is saying, but as always its hard to take at Rovers because we don't need to sell anyone - unlike some clubs.

[USABlue]

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,1...2130645,00.html

Oh dear oh dear!

[USRoverME]

I'm sorry but I have to laugh at the lot that are on here slagging him off for "going public". It so laughable that you think that every new report is a new interview where he says he wants to leave.

Seriously. He gave one interview and they cherry picked the quotes to run their story. Now every other rag cherry picks the cherry picked quotes to run their story looking for some other over the top way to present it. Thus Benni has to fight off questions like crazy, and other will go to Chelsea (the obvious link) and find someone with the slightest link to the club and get them to say something in order to make a story.

Benni is under contract, and supposedly there is no clause, therefore he's not leaving for 6 million, unless Hughes thinks its good business for the club (which he'd be daft to think, and he's clearly not daft.)

When Benni is still here at the end of next season, and has netted another 20 or so goals, will all you slagging him off for his lack of love for Rovers still be hating him?

Absolutely laughable.

[McClarky]

I don't see why everyone is getting so upset. Like nearly all players he wants to play for a Champions League team and if someone comes in for him he'll be off. I haven't seen him doing any badge kissing or "I've always dreamt of playing for Rovers" stuff so why should we expect anything different. Imagine if he's had a bad season, we would have tried to punt him on to anyone, contract or not, so good luck to him. At least he's being upfront about it.

[Roversider]

I don't see why everyone is getting so upset. Like nearly all players he wants to play for a Champions League team and if someone comes in for him he'll be off. I haven't seen him doing any badge kissing or "I've always dreamt of playing for Rovers" stuff so why should we expect anything different. Imagine if he's had a bad season, we would have tried to punt him on to anyone, contract or not, so good luck to him. At least he's being upfront about it.

Totally agree, I seem to remember that Porto refused him a move for a season as well and he didn't let them down. So we can choose to hold on to him and I would be amazed if he didn't still give a good account of himself. I admire his honesty and so long as he delivers whilst in aRovers shirt I really don't care what is quoted in the papers.

If he did go I'm sure we would pocket a tidy profit and his goals have helped us up the table this season.

More importantly why not trust Mark Hughes? He got Benni and several other cracking players to Ewood and I have absolute faith in him.

Now I'd be much more worried if Sparky was talking about wanting to manage Chelsea ..............

[roverich]

reid was wanted by man utd last summer, he didnt join, he didnt let it get to his head..

Slightly flimsy comparison to make... ManYoo never made a bid, mostly because they want someone a lot better... Owen Hargreaves. They haven't yet bid for McCarthy and in actual fact I don't think they will but if they or another big four does it will be a whole new situation and he probably will leave. But as I say, I don't think he's good enough for Chelsea (given the amount of money they can spend on even bigger names) and I don't think ManYoo will be able to afford him after bringing in Owen Hargreaves, Gareth Bale and possibly Nani.

He has been fantastic all season - for better than Bellamy and in retrospect and selling Bellamy turned into good business but we can't let our new star player leave immediately again because we won't always be able to find a class replacement who is affordable because he is unhappy and in the last year of his contract.

[1864roverite]

In FA Cup final week, with Drogba being unsettled, Chevy chase being told he can leave, massive injury problems for cfc, the goalie hilario being touted as a reserve striker and Juse getting nicked over a missing dog it sounds to me that its comedy week in London !

Benni is touting himself like a Preston prostitute no matter which way you look at it.

For me, Chelsea will be looking at a far better option tha Benni could give, He is probably not on their shopping list.

At Chelsea there is more uncertainty than at good old turd moor, noone knows whats going on.

Benni just might be wearing some egg on is face in the summer.

Anyhow, its holiday season next so stop gettign yourselves worried, its 8 weeks until we really need to start biting fingernails !

[USRoverME]

How is he wearing "egg on his face" if he stays at Rovers. He has sung the club's praises in that interview. If not CL teams bid for him, then he can't move there, and a dream is unfullfilled. How is that an embarrasment to him?

As a follow up... If an investor comes in and makes an offer to buy Rovers and has enough money to fund a run at the big four and another prem title, do you:

a ) sell

b ) say no thanks, Rovers are fine as is, we prefer being a team whose 'upper limit' financially is the UEFA Cup

Edited May 17, 2007 by USRoverME

[stuwilky]

I'm sorry but I have to laugh at the lot that are on here slagging him off for "going public". It so laughable that you think that every new report is a new interview where he says he wants to leave.

Seriously. He gave one interview and they cherry picked the quotes to run their story. Now every other rag cherry picks the cherry picked quotes to run their story looking for some other over the top way to present it. Thus Benni has to fight off questions like crazy, and other will go to Chelsea (the obvious link) and find someone with the slightest link to the club and get them to say something in order to make a story.

Benni is under contract, and supposedly there is no clause, therefore he's not leaving for 6 million, unless Hughes thinks its good business for the club (which he'd be daft to think, and he's clearly not daft.)

When Benni is still here at the end of next season, and has netted another 20 or so goals, will all you slagging him off for his lack of love for Rovers still be hating him?

Absolutely laughable.

He gave two interviews.

[bluebruce]

Um, lovely idea that but as he is not our slave we can't deny him his wages. He has signed a contract and any fine has to be shown to be a) proportional to the 'crime' not over the maximum term of four (or eight. But i think its four) weeks.

Well, surely every time he refuses to play, or refuses to train, he is blatantly not honouring his contract and is eligible for a fine. You don't pay someone for doing nothing. So fine him every time he refuses. But he won't. Someone mentioned how he honoured his contract at Porto. Unfortunately, he also played considerably crapper there that season, scoring only three goals in the league and one in Europe compared with 14 in a similar amount of games the year before. That's what worries me. That and that we just might be mugs enough to sell for way less than he's worth...if he goes for £6 million though I think we should hold a protest.

[bluebruce]

He gave two interviews.

That seems to be the general impression, but I can't find the date of the Nuts awards. Interestingly though they will be broadcast on 23rd May, so maybe we'll all get to see exactly what Benni said.

[FourLaneBlue]

People need to stop blaming The Sun or any paper.

If he didn't say these things they wouldn't be able to cherry-pick anything! These are direct quotes for crying out loud!

Benni is pimping himself and we can't blame a journo for doing their job reporting it.

Edited May 18, 2007 by FourLaneBlue

[modes98]

Benni told your not going anywhere. Play out your contract boy! :ph34r:

I don't hold out much hope for him staying after this weeks events and it's frustrating that we get another world class forward and end up having to dump them after 1 season.

[John]

So far in this close season, I have the same feeling as this time last year. I do not particularly enjoy seeing our (good) players linked with other clubs for whatever reason.

However, as Hughes has pointed out, we had no choice but to let Bellamy go because of his release clause.

The only thing in this episode I would comment on is that Hughes will be annoyed after he made comments dismissing Benni's claims after they originally came out.