[Archived] Nicko's Thread

[Eddie]

They're both very talented players who would push our side forward and they offer a type of player that we don't have. Keane is an unrealistic one as he is too important to spurs, but Defoe is almost certainly surplus to requirements now and if we are looking for pacey strikers who have shown that they can score goals at this level he meets every requirement. Would you seriously rather see Beattie in our team rather than Defoe? It's not likely that it is going to happen and there is nothing to say that it is even being looked at, but to just call him a waster that you wouldn't want seems a bit odd.

[G Somerset Rover]

Even though I'm extremely sceptical about Beattie I was watching Premiersip Years yesterday where he went on a run of something like 8 goals in 6 games and all of his goals were put away courtesy of excellent crosses from Saints' widemen. People have mentioned on here and pundits also (namely Andy Gray) that Rovers are very good at getting decent deliveries into the area and I'm guessing this is why Hughes is after Beattie. Note also that Hughes was very reluctant to let Kuqi go (Our old target man) so he probably likes one striker to either start or come on who is very good at getting on the end of long balls and crosses.

I'm with many others on this though-I'm happy for Beattie to be a squad player but if he was our main summer signing then what with the television deal coming into play this season then it will have been a very average summer of dealings. Here's hoping Hughesey has another one or two excellent signings lined up.

[AggyBlue]

if he was our main summer signing then what with the television deal coming into play this season then it will have been a very average summer of dealings. Here's hoping Hughesey has another one or two excellent signings lined up.

The clubs in limbo at the moment, halfway through a take over. I'd be suprised if they could raise 2.5M for Beattie.

There will be no major signings this summer because more than likely the take over will not be completed before the transfer deadline.

[Eddie]

1) If that is the policy then it is very stupid.

2) Based on all of the noises coming from the club and from nicko as well that doesn't appear to be the policy.

[broadsword]

They're both very talented players who would push our side forward and they offer a type of player that we don't have. Keane is an unrealistic one as he is too important to spurs, but Defoe is almost certainly surplus to requirements now and if we are looking for pacey strikers who have shown that they can score goals at this level he meets every requirement. Would you seriously rather see Beattie in our team rather than Defoe? It's not likely that it is going to happen and there is nothing to say that it is even being looked at, but to just call him a waster that you wouldn't want seems a bit odd.

"push out side forward", what does that mean Eddie? Sounds like Tony Blair speak to me.

When did Defoe last have a decent season? How many goals a season does Smith get on average?

Either one of them would be vastly over-priced and not players we should be looking at. We need to get players who provide value for money, and not be taking gambles on players whose reputations are greater than their actual achievements.

Yes, Beattie would be a gamble, but if we can get him firing again, for the money he would cost he'd be a top signing.

Why we're talking about two players we've not even been linked with is beyond me.

[pleasure]

Defoe? Pretty much seems the right man for the job for me.

do you think he'd come up here ?

oh, and as for smith being better than beattie.... i'd back beattie to score more goals, he's a better record.

[Eddie]

"push out side forward", what does that mean Eddie? Sounds like Tony Blair speak to me.

When did Defoe last have a decent season? How many goals a season does Smith get on average?

Either one of them would be vastly over-priced and not players we should be looking at. We need to get players who provide value for money, and not be taking gambles on players whose reputations are greater than their actual achievements.

Yes, Beattie would be a gamble, but if we can get him firing again, for the money he would cost he'd be a top signing.

Why we're talking about two players we've not even been linked with is beyond me.

I don't know if he would come here, but worth a shot.

Defoe's record at Spurs and West Ham is very impressive. 54 goals in 120 games for Spurs, even more impressive when you consider the number of times he will have come on as a sub. He's a proven goalscorer, still very young and I think he'd only get better if he got a regular run in a side. I really had no intention of talking about Defoe, but someone asked if anyone could suggest someone better than Beattie who we might realistically be able to get and I put him forward.

[frosty]

Many strikers would score 20 goals at Rovers, and I'd bet Defoe would too.

[mike at picture]

Many strikers would score 20 goals at Rovers, and I'd bet Defoe would too.

Agreed but we couldn't afford him and he wouldn't come up here anyway.

[Ronin]

Either way, if/when the takeover is approved, I reckon we'll be busy as ever in the January window.

[gazsimm]

Who's WE, don't you mean YOU?

I wouldn't have either of 'em.

so if we agreed a decent fee for Defoe and he wanted to come to us, you would say it was a bad signing would you, don't be daft he would be a great signing for us

[AggyBlue]

so if we agreed a decent fee for Defoe and he wanted to come to us, you would say it was a bad signing would you, don't be daft he would be a great signing for us

No one could say for sure.

We couldn't afford the fee until January and his salary would blow our pay scale out of the window. For the same reasons we couldn't afford Bellamy, we couldn't afford Defoe.

[daren]

A few assumptions there. I'd be wary of Defoe - if he came here he'd expect to be near the top of the pecking order, but I doubt that he would be to start with. He's seemed remarkably happy to mostly be a bench warmer for the last two seasons, but that may or may not mean anything. His wages, and moving from London are the big ones - we could almost definitely offer him more football up here, but what are his wages? And what would he demand (and what would Spurs want for him - they have to recoup some of that Bent transfer)?

It all comes down to whether he wants to play football badly enough or not. Anyway we haven't been linked to him. Lets get Eto'o instead

[herbergeehh]

I would LOVE to see Defoe join, he's got all the ability to become a top top striker in the Premiership.

[nicko]

Some news.

I believe an agent in the Roque Santa Cruz deal was over last week, discussing terms with the club. The Paraguayan is looking for around £50,00-a-week.

That woulkd explain why that one has gone quiet over the past few days and why James Beattie's name returned. Everton are looking for a big fee for Beattie despite the fact he has struggled, so that is the hurdle there.

It's proving hard to find a striker at the right price and who is not on silly money.

[Roar of the Rover]

I would LOVE to see Defoe join, he's got all the ability to become a top top striker in the Premiership.

Agreed

[joey_big_nose]

Some news.

I believe an agent in the Roque Santa Cruz deal was over last week, discussing terms with the club. The Paraguayan is looking for around £50,00-a-week.

That woulkd explain why that one has gone quiet over the past few days and why James Beattie's name returned. Everton are looking for a big fee for Beattie despite the fact he has struggled, so that is the hurdle there.

It's proving hard to find a striker at the right price and who is not on silly money.

I suppose thats not too suprising as he would have been on a very large wage at Bayern. But he still needs an employer so I suppose there is room to negotiate.

I am quite keen on getting him in but in terms of our current wage structure surely we can only really offer c.30k

[youandwhosearmy]

what makes you say that?

[they_think_its_all_rover]

I reckon we'll offer 45k, take it or leave it

[American]

A few assumptions there. I'd be wary of Defoe - if he came here he'd expect to be near the top of the pecking order, but I doubt that he would be to start with. He's seemed remarkably happy to mostly be a bench warmer for the last two seasons, but that may or may not mean anything. His wages, and moving from London are the big ones - we could almost definitely offer him more football up here, but what are his wages? And what would he demand (and what would Spurs want for him - they have to recoup some of that Bent transfer)?

It all comes down to whether he wants to play football badly enough or not. Anyway we haven't been linked to him. Lets get Eto'o instead

You sure are beating a dead horse on this one. I give him more respect for being willing to fight for his spot on a team with big aspirations instead of taking the easy way out and being a starter on a mid-table team...

[mike at picture]

You sure are beating a dead horse on this one. I give him more respect for being willing to fight for his spot on a team with big aspirations instead of taking the easy way out and being a starter on a mid-table team...

Yeah that's right. Spurs are so much better than us aren't they?

[Sandiway Blue]

You sure are beating a dead horse on this one. I give him more respect for being willing to fight for his spot on a team with big aspirations instead of taking the easy way out and being a starter on a mid-table team...

do you seriously think rovers haven`t got `big aspirations`?granted rovers finished mid-table last season but we had an awful first half of the season due to injuries.it was very rare we could play the same 11 players two games on the trot until january,yet we only finished 8 points off the spuds!

i think a lot of rovers fans under-estimate how good a side we are/can be.

[joey_big_nose]

what makes you say that?

I am guessing really but from reports and so on I am assuming that our big players (Nelsen, Freidal, Mccarthy, Pedersen, Bentley, Reid, Savage) are all in the region of 30k. Fair enough we could go out and offer 50k to a top class striker who would walk into the team (eg. Bellamy) but for Cruz who is a bt of a gamble we can't as the other members in the team could quite rightly turn round and demand parity due to similar quality. That would cripple us financially.

[herbergeehh]

So Nicko, have I got this right? Santa Cruz had a representative discussing terms with Rovers? Wouldn't that need a go-ahead from his current employers?

[vintageadidas]

Been watching this thread for a while now and i think it is brilliant. Must say a big thank you to Mr Nixon for supplying us with up to date information.

However, Nicko - have you heard anything about a retail outlet with multi-storey car park being built on the carpark of the Blackburn End should the American Consortium take over the club? That is a rumour i heard in my local over the weekend. I do not believe it myself.

I think we should sign Yabubu myself - young, proven, quick, strong and lets face it Boro should struggle next season.