[Archived] Stop! Sambatime.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

To the optimists who feel that Sparky's judgement is always right, I'd suggest that in the case of another African - Mokoena - Hughes's judgement has sometimes been slightly questionable.

No MH doesn't always get it right - no manager does - even the very best and most successful have had their failures - look at AF at United - at least two bad buys for every good one. The thing with MH is that I can't seriously think of any of his buys that have not contributed. Yes the Axe is playing poorly at the moment - but he was instrumental in helping to keep us up in his first season. I honestly struggle to think of a player that was an out right bad buy by MH - especially considering that his only big purchase was Bellamy.

[spanishblue]

Hopefully he will fit in well, he can't be any worse than the Axe at the moment, can he By the sounds of it he can play in midfield as well as defence. A big welcome to the lad and I hope he does well.

[ihateburnley]

I honestly struggle to think of a player that was an out right bad buy by MH - especially considering that his only big purchase was Bellamy.

Maybe that's why we don't view any of his signings as particularly bad though - because he hasn't really spent substantial fees on anybody. In other words, cheap signings are unlikely to get you a bad reputation because if they come off then you are some kind of transfer genius, but if they don't then you haven't put the club in any kind of financial risk.

I'd say it needs to be another season at least until you can realistically judge Mark Hughes' competency in the transfer market.

Oh and did Mokoena play an instrumental part in 'keeping us up' last season? I remember him coming on as sub in a lot of games to defend a result, playing in front of a defence that didn't really need defending. It's always the case though, there is ALWAYS somebody who will defend ANY Rovers player regardless of how inept they are.

[Radagast]

Just as "big doesn't always mean beautiful" - it's also true that big doesn't always mean good on the football pitch. He's 6ft 5in and built like the brick house, but can he actually play? We won't know that for sure until he steps onto the pitch for Rovers.

To the optimists who feel that Sparky's judgement is always right, I'd suggest that in the case of another African - Mokoena - Hughes's judgement has sometimes been slightly questionable.

I don't want to upset the PC brigade, but I must admit that if Mr Samba wasn't smiling in the picture below, I would have struggled to see him properly in the picture. Maybe it's just my eyesight that's going.... :ph34r:

Ha ha ha, you're such a dick.

Anyway, welcome aboard Samba! Glad to see we're getting at least some re-inforcements in. So, erm, he's definitely a centre back then? This talk of being speedy and able to pass the ball could maybe give us some options at full back as well.

[jim mk2]

I must admit that if Mr Samba wasn't smiling in the picture below, I would have struggled to see him properly in the picture. Maybe it's just my eyesight that's going.... :ph34r:

Good grief.

Why not call him Sambo too ?

[philipl]

Certainly reads like we have picked up a raw promising talent. The comments from Hertha suggest he needs first team settled playing time- just don't know if he's going to get that at Rovers. Is he going to get in ahead of Zura, Henchoz, Todd and the youngsters coming through in his favoured CB role? Is he going to play anywhere as he seems to have done in his Hertha cameo appearances?

Anyway, welcome to Rovers.

The questions about MH's signings draw me to the conclusion that none of them have failed to put in some good performances with the exceptions of Jeffers and Roberts who have been injury-hit and so only looked occasionally promising in their limited bursts on the pitch.

[daveoftherovers]

Phill is entirely correct and I reckon this guy is just the ticket, 6'5" and he can leap like a Salmon apparently, just imagine... Rovers a threat from Corners !!! (I know it's a big reach...)

In Hughes we trust, welcome to Rovers Samba !!!

Good news in the transfer window thus far for me, I know we have a few injuries still & Sav is a big miss, but, we have Nelson, Roberts & Dunny to come back yet.

[herbergeehh]

Just as "big doesn't always mean beautiful" - it's also true that big doesn't always mean good on the football pitch. He's 6ft 5in and built like the brick house, but can he actually play? We won't know that for sure until he steps onto the pitch for Rovers.

To the optimists who feel that Sparky's judgement is always right, I'd suggest that in the case of another African - Mokoena - Hughes's judgement has sometimes been slightly questionable.

I don't want to upset the PC brigade, but I must admit that if Mr Samba wasn't smiling in the picture below, I would have struggled to see him properly in the picture. Maybe it's just my eyesight that's going.... :ph34r:

Do you have your own website, by any chance? You're a match made in heaven for a job working as a propaganda minister for some rightwing organisation.

For 400k (according to the mirror) a 22-year old with great physical attributes and versatility, we haven't got a whole lot to lose.

[Daje]

Maybe that's why we don't view any of his signings as particularly bad though - because he hasn't really spent substantial fees on anybody. In other words, cheap signings are unlikely to get you a bad reputation because if they come off then you are some kind of transfer genius, but if they don't then you haven't put the club in any kind of financial risk.

I'd say it needs to be another season at least until you can realistically judge Mark Hughes' competency in the transfer market.

Oh and did Mokoena play an instrumental part in 'keeping us up' last season? I remember him coming on as sub in a lot of games to defend a result, playing in front of a defence that didn't really need defending. It's always the case though, there is ALWAYS somebody who will defend ANY Rovers player regardless of how inept they are.

As long as the signings take us from relegation fighting to Europe it's fine for me signing only cheap players, so I don't see the problem.

As for Mokoena, I think people mean two seasons ago when he was first brought in, not one season ago, that he played an important part in keeping us up.

[Rovermatt]

Look I don't want anyone to get carried away by this lad (although with his size it would surely be easy for him to do). I have a cunning plan to avoid this, read carefully what I am about to write...

M A R T I N

T A Y L O R

if he's rubbish we could always lend him to local theatre companies to play the giant in jack and the beanstalk, or then again maybe as the beanstalk itself.

...dont mind me...

Listen if he's rubbish, we can always sell him to the mighty Birmingham City FC. Or, failing that, Palace.

I don't want to upset the PC brigade, but I must admit that if Mr Samba wasn't smiling in the picture below, I would have struggled to see him properly in the picture. Maybe it's just my eyesight that's going.... :ph34r:

Unbelievable. That you actually took time to write that sentence says so much about you. Or perhaps you're just on a wind-up.

Anyway, this guy should make us more effective at set pieces. Welcome to Rovers.

[rover6]

Please don't tar Samba with the same brush as Mokoena.

Samba is clearly a up-and-coming player who couldn't displace experienced players at Hertha. Meanwhile, Mokoena was a relatively experienced reserve defender/emergency defensive midfielder at Genk. A world of difference.

[waggy]

lets hope he is half as good as the admiral,and we will have a star,LETS ALL DO THE SAMBA,NA-NA-NA-NA

[broadsword]

Hughes (for the Blues ... in the news!) was quoted on the Beeb as saying something to the effect of:

Big players don't always jump as high as they should be able to*, but Samba certainly reaches his maximum height.

*: Was he thinking of Tiny "Tiny" Taylor?

presumably he doesn't need a passport since he was born in Paris, despite playing for the Congo?

[JamieUK]

For him to be effective at set pieces Pedersen will have to beat the first man. After Bentley's assists from excellent crosses in the last 2 games I think he should be given corner duties.

Welcome to Ewood - hope we get to see him in action tomorrow...

[CAPT KAYOS]

Look I don't want anyone to get carried away by this lad (although with his size it would surely be easy for him to do). I have a cunning plan to avoid this, read carefully what I am about to write...

M A R T I N

T A Y L O R

if he's rubbish we could always lend him to local theatre companies to play the giant in jack and the beanstalk, or then again maybe as the beanstalk itself.

...dont mind me...

Thing is LATD I think you have a very valid point here.

Reading between the lines of the HB fan , he is a defender, so lets not fall into the trap of thinking of him as a midfielder . as the HB fan says he was used as an emergency in various positions and looked from what can only be described as a 'fish out of water' so until given the chance .... lets wait and see.

It looks like it could turn out to be a good recruit ... in defence though with those attributes as described and certainly in central defence.

So welcome to Ewood Chris

So here we go 'Lets all do the Samba, Lets all do the Samba nah nah nah nah...@

lets hope he is half as good as the admiral,and we will have a star,LETS ALL DO THE SAMBA,NA-NA-NA-NA

Waggy you beat me to it - we must think alike

[Radagast]

Please don't tar Samba with the same brush as Mokoena.

No, no, don't you see, they're both black. How could they possibly be more similar?

[broadsword]

tar ... brush ... black ... oh dear.

[krislu]

Hope he turns out good. I can see him being trown in as a striker in the last 5 minutes of a game when we are in the need of a goal...

[Dr Gonzo]

Hope he turns out good. I can see him being trown in as a striker in the last 5 minutes of a game when we are in the need of a goal...

Wouldn'tt hat be great a defender and a Kuqi in one player!

[USABlue]

Good grief.

Why not call him Sambo too ?

JIM!!!!! I am shocked you'd say such a thing . I just hope us fans give him time to find his feet in the prem. They are after all a long long way from his eyes. No, but seriously remember it took a few calamitous games before Ooyah started to adapt surely it will be the same for this fella so let's not nail him to the cross if he has a couple of 'mares

Rovers a threat from Corners !!! (I know it's a big reach...)

Oh come on, I think this transfer window has made you light headed.

[BrianPotter]

Oh come on, I think this transfer window has made you light headed.

It must have, we could have the jolly green giant on stilts in the area and still not score from a corner!

[LeftWinger]

It must have, we could have the jolly green giant on stilts in the area and still not score from a corner!

Yes but judging from the pics Samba looks bigger than the jolly green giant on stilts

[trs]

Think he's the answer to our back four problems?

He IS the back four

[b12_simon]

La la la lalala Samba!

Welcome aboard Chris! Looking forward to seeing you kick lumps out of Ronaldo (amongst many many others)

Simon

[thenodrog]

Would any who seem preoccupied about his size on here care to comment on the fact that our best player by a mile is also the smallest?