[Archived] New Striker For Next Season

[Eddie]

Saha would be a quality signing, but what would worry me is that if Ferguson wants to get rid of him then it can only be because of injury. Saha was in top form for United this season, is a good age and it is unlikely that United bring in two high quality strikers this summer (which is what they would need to do to put Saha out of the picture). He'd need a very good medical.

[tcj_jones]

There is no way in a million, zillion years that we will ever even offer for Saha. One of the leagues best strikers playing for a Manchester United team that could win the trebble.

[philipl]

It is a truism that we don't know what the future will bring but that is particularly so of the transfer market this summer. The new Sky money makes it a whole new ball game. Some random thoughts:

- as a players' manager, Hughes is quite possibly the best we've ever had. Kenny was the better tactician but I don't think anyone has had the same combination of respect and affection that Sparky commands.

- we have a bunch of players who have actually chosen Rovers over other clubs, chosen to follow Sparky or have come to Ewood to get their big chance/opportunity to play regular Premiership football and won't fancy the subs bench unless wages get really silly

- the players seem to like the club and staff with genuine affection

I guess it is far more likely that zero players (the club doesn't want to leave) will leave than two or more are lost in big bids by other clubs. I think the "big 4" clubs are rapidly changing their player spec and relative purchasing power to the point at which they will be as unlikely to buy a player from a non-CL level club as Rovers are to buy a player from the Coca Cola.

I am being thick here but who and when was the last player Rovers bought from the lower leagues who is playing or has played regularly in the first team (Dunn doesn't count for obvious reasons!)?

As for incoming players, I think we can take it for granted we will see a player or two whom none of us know anything about coming from some extremely non-obvious source and that we might well pick up a 22/3 year old who hasn't quite made it in the Big 4. However, I have a big hunch we are going to try to kick on by looking to buy a big name for serious money.

On that basis, a Bellamy or a Saha displaced by the "Big 4" shopping in the galactic players supermarket this summer could well be realistic possibilities.

Remembering that the EPL clubs alone amongst European leagues are seeing a huge surge in buying power this summer, some pretty big continental names could well come within Rovers' range.

[tcj_jones]

Good points made there, but isn't Saha United's first choice striker alongside Rooney?

Excluding the obvious world class players belonging to the top four, or those who aren't a lot better than our current strikers, I can't see the likes of Van Persie, Saha, Smith, Kalou, Kuyt, Bellamy and Crouch being released. Of the lot, I'd say we probably have the greatest chance at resigning Bellamy!

[Ricky]

If we look over seas then I'm sure there will be some bargains to be head. Players moving between prem teams will move at a premium price due to the new sky deal. Im sure we will find better value from overseas.

My choice would be Klose, good player and a great goalscorer. With the new sky money he could just be in our pricerange.

[brfcjon]

If we look over seas then I'm sure there will be some bargains to be head. Players moving between prem teams will move at a premium price due to the new sky deal. Im sure we will find better value from overseas.

My choice would be Klose, good player and a great goalscorer. With the new sky money he could just be in our pricerange.

Klose as in one of the best strikers in the world playing for a team that finish the german season as either winners or runners up. We would have a better chance of getting Saha I think. Klose is top 4 material in any league!

[brfcjon]

If we look over seas then I'm sure there will be some bargains to be head. Players moving between prem teams will move at a premium price due to the new sky deal. Im sure we will find better value from overseas.

My choice would be Klose, good player and a great goalscorer. With the new sky money he could just be in our pricerange.

Klose as in one of the best strikers in the world playing for a team that finish the german season as either winners or runners up. We would have a better chance of getting Saha I think. Klose is top 4 material in any league!

[revolutionrock!]

No chance of getting saha or klose , both wouldnt come to us when they both knwo the can easily move to a bigger club than us.

[benhben]

Surely we should get in there early for Darren Bent, Ashton or Nugent. All at lower or soon to be lower league teams.

[Eddie]

Darren Bent will be too expensive, Ashton as well (not even sure if West Ham will allow him to go) and Nugent is overpriced. I'd love to see us bring in Ashton or Bent but I can't see it happening.

[tcj_jones]

I spoke to my West Ham supporting friend last night and was shocked to hear that it has been suggested that, in the worse case scenario, Ashton might never play football again. I think that is the absolute worst case scenario, but my friend was very worried that he wouldn't return the player he was. He says that it is unlikely that Ashton will even be fit to play by September.

With the new Sky money coming through, Darren Bent could be a realistic signing. I'd say the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle, Spurs and Everton might be in for him though. I think Nugent could be a very good buy as well, and we'd probably face less competition for his signature.

[joey_big_nose]

With the new Sky money coming through, Darren Bent could be a realistic signing. I'd say the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle, Spurs and Everton might be in for him though. I think Nugent could be a very good buy as well, and we'd probably face less competition for his signature.

Charlton tuned down bids of 10m plus in January. Even with the new money the tops we would spend is 6m I would say.

And Hughes will look at his record and think 'I don't need to spend mega money' imo. He will look at players who represent value for money rather than taking big unts on expensive transfers that could work or could not.

By way of example a straw poll of our signings over the last ten ears has shown that cheap ones have actually performed just as well if not better than expensive ones- Grabbi, A Cole v. Bellamy, McCarthy, Tugay.

The risks of big money signings for those outside the top 4 are very high- just look at Angel, Anelka at City, Maccirone, Beattie at Everton, Baros, Owen at Newcastle,

You do get success stories- Martins and Berbatov spring to mind - but you have to be careful. And its not a hard argument to make that while Mccarthy cost a third of what johnson did for Everton he has delivered a similar level of performance.

We have a manager with talent for finding great players cheaply. Why depart from that?

[pick32]

think cisse would be a good signing, if not lita or nugent two verry good young english strikers who we could easily make a profit off in the future.

[Ronin]

We have a manager with talent for finding great players cheaply. Why depart from that?

Agreed, why spend the money if we don't have to.

[Eddie]

Well, we don't know if we have to or not yet. I would say based on Hughes's track record that he realises that strikers need to have some experience and pedigree and he sees it as an area where money should be spent. I'm not talking about breaking the bank, but I think it unlikely that we would bring in a striker for under the 2 million mark. I would expect, or at least hope, that the majority of our transfer fund will be spent on bringing in a striker and the rest will be spent on bringing in good deals in other areas.

[Bobby G]

The way our squad is shaping up, and the money that will be coming in, I wouldnt think we need to sign more than 2-3 players during the summer and I dont see why wouldnt spend a bit more on a striker than we have during the past couple of seasons, if we find the right man.

We would have one of the strongest squads when all the injuries subside.

[Ricky]

We'll probably end up going for Beattie. Nugent will go to Everton in the summer and Beattie will be available for a reasonable price.

Not sure how good he would be for us but definitely a different option up front.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Alot could all depend on whether we get back into Europe as well.

Personally I would rather persevere with Deryshire than risk outlay 5M + on Nugent.

[cn_barlow]

I agree that we should keep derbs rather than get Nugent.

We do need another 15+ goals a season man though, especially if we're in Europe next season.

We're in quite a fortunate position because with half of the midfield coming back from long term injuries, the only position that we really need to strengthen is up front...so we can use the majority of the budget on hopefully bringing in a big name striker!

To be honest im struggling to think of realistic targets though...thank god im not the manager!!

[CAPT KAYOS]

the only position that we really need to strengthen is up front...so we can use the majority of the budget on hopefully bringing in a big name striker!

Right back as well IMO

I do believe Nolan has been sent back from Stockport - County fan here at work reckons he is not good enough even at that level.

[Blueboy Downunder]

we better bloody had stick with matty. this being his first season in the premiership, we have seen that he certainly has the engine to compete at this level, but what he doesn't have is strength so with that in mind i think there won't be too much of a summer holiday for him. he will spend a lot of hisd summer in the gym putting on some muscle!!

[joey_big_nose]

Right back as well IMO

Were actually quite well covered there: Ooijer, Emerton and Reid (who with our amount of options in midfield could slot in).

A dedicated RB who is both solid going forward and defending would be nice but i don't see it being a problem.

What I am impressed by is the fact that if we had our first game of the season and we put out:

-----------Roberts---McCarthy

Pedersen---Reid----Dunn---Bentley

-Warnock---Samba---Nelsen---Ooijer

-----------------Freidel

I would actually be very happy.

And our reserve team would be:

--------------Derbyshire-----??????

----Peter------Savage----Mokoena----Gallagher

----Berner----Zurab------Henchoz----Emerton

-----------------------Brown

And thats all without including Tugay. So i guess you are really only looking at getting in a striker as a neccessity. What a good job Hughes has done in building a squad.

[cn_barlow]

with the squad that Hughes has assembled and key players returning from injury...next season could be THE season that sparky has been building for since his arrival.

We're going to have a real depth to the squad and hopefully can mount a serious challenge for 4th/5th place..

i cant wait!

[FourLaneBlue]

I guess it is far more likely that zero players (the club doesn't want to leave) will leave than two or more are lost in big bids by other clubs. I think the "big 4" clubs are rapidly changing their player spec and relative purchasing power to the point at which they will be as unlikely to buy a player from a non-CL level club as Rovers are to buy a player from the Coca Cola.

I am being thick here but who and when was the last player Rovers bought from the lower leagues who is playing or has played regularly in the first team (Dunn doesn't count for obvious reasons!)?

This is only because Hughes has been buying players from leagues abroad which could be described as being at a similar level to the Championship. The Belgian league and MLS, for example, would be comparable leagues. Which isn't meaning to do a disservice to those leagues but just emphasises how England has by far the strongest second tier in world football. Not to mention third, fourth and fifth tiers. Other nations are far more top-heavy than England and some might argue that we have far too many professional clubs. There isn't another another country on earth that has professional clubs in its fifth division.

Anyway to answer your question...since coming back up in 2001 we have bought the likes of Reid, Neill, Gray, Thompson, Stead, Matteo, Kuqi, Dunn and Jason Brown from lower divisions.

There are bargains to be had from the lower leagues that can do a job in the Premiership. It is easiest to look at the likes of Cahill and Johnson but there are many more.

Too many people get hung up on 'premiership experience' when often all that means is that the players have played in the Premiership before and not exactly set the world alight. Great potential is better than an often mediocre top-flight past surely? I've thought Koumas, at the right club (i.e. not Robbo's WBA) could do a job in the Premiership for some time. There must be plenty of others who, although not Ronaldinho, can do a job higher up if only given the chance.

Also...has anyone on here ever mentioned Billy Sharp before?

[philipl]

I am glad you posted that tcj. West Ham supporters I know hate Zamora and are looking at his current scoring run with relief and disbelief. They point out that his goal against us was Devine.

To stir the pot a bit, Billy Sharp scored again yesterday.

Fair points FLB but Matteo, Dunn and Kuqi both had relatively recent Prem experience when we got them (in fact Matteo hadn't even kicked a ball for Leeds in a lower division when we picked him up) and Jason Brown has yet to displace Big Brad. Matteo was hardly a favourite with the fans, Kuqi and Stead before him did not convince as being Prem quality although they both did a very good job and proved good investments and Dunn would have been sold on Brum's relegation had he not been injured.

The reality is we have to go back four to five seasons since we last picked up Premiership quality in a lower English league.

Cahill and Johnson are class but they are isolated examples (alongside Dean Ashton).