[Archived] Nicko's Thread

[nicko]

Sorry for the silence...been watching your Burnley friends against Middlesbrough. There was a fire alert in the stand. No laughing at the back please!

The Bolton story is about a possible takeover. Interesting situation, especially the price of the deal. Seems everybody is looking for more cash.

On the McCarthy front I think it will be worth watching to see if he tries hard or goes in the huff. The manager has had to have words with him about his future and all of the talking he has done. But it's what he does on the pitch that matters.

Manchester City trying to get very busy in the transfer market. There will be a goalkeeper linked and a left back too. And that does not include the left winger - Martin Petrov - and striker - Nery Castillo - that they are currently working on.

Newcastle also closing in on a centre half.

Sadly no Blackburn tales in the People. From me anyway.

[John]

Thanks for the update.

Nicko - out of interest, do you feel deep down that Hughes is frustrated by the transfer window? (i.e. lack of activity in the market for whatever reason).

OK, he is happy with the current squad but it also important for clubs to bring fresh faces in (I appreciate there is still plenty of time for signings to be made). There is also an argument to say that sometimes you have to pay over the odds to get to the next level.

Also, are you aware of any interest from ourselves in Luke Young? £2.5 million seems very good value!

[JAL]

Thanks for the update.

Nicko - out of interest, do you feel deep down that Hughes is frustrated by the transfer window? (i.e. lack of activity in the market for whatever reason).

OK, he is happy with the current squad but it also important for clubs to bring fresh faces in (I appreciate there is still plenty of time for signings to be made).

Also, are you aware of any interest from ourselves in Luke Young? £2.5 million seems very good value!

Luke Young wouldnt be good value if he was available on a free transfer.

[John]

In the past, I never rated Young but having watched a bit more of him, I think he is a decent right back.

[Eddie]

Luke Young wouldnt be good value if he was available on a free transfer.

He's a good defender and is good going forward as well. Decent value at that price, but has the potential to turn out to be very good value for money at that price, but he isn't the right player for us at the moment (maybe if he were younger).

[nicko]

I know the manager is a very ambitious guy. He is not the type to stand still and will be gagging to sign someone who made the same impact as Bellamy did two years ago and McCarthy did last time.

He is nobody's fool and knows the budget he is working to - and where Blackburn Rovers are on the map when it comes to signing players.

As a player he was always at the top clubs and thinks that way, so as a manager he wants progress and steadily every year.

Every manager wants to spend and get better and he will be looking at clubs like Manchester City and West Ham who are tossing about cash and thinking he could do more and bring in better players with their type of funds. I would agree too.

Of course it would be ideal to have the Icelandic money or the Thai cash. But there is every chance it will end in tears at both places

If the money was properly spent by those two then it would make life hard for Rovers next season and put their top-half position in doubt. But as we stand do you fancy either to finish ahead of you? Probably not.

When you want a player or two and are not signing them then it gets to you. But, as he pointed out, the prices are crazy just now.

PS. Having seen Tuncay Sanli today he would have been an asset, but is not an orthodox striker. He has plenty of skill but likes to drift about a bit...and they are signing Young. Over-priced again.

[EwoodGlory]

Newcastle also closing in on a centre half

Any clues on this one Nicko, 99% of my mates are toon fans, most of who slate me for being a rovers fans because im newcastle born and bread.

It's nice to to tell them things about there own team before they know anything

With regards to Rovers, surely we must have some cash to spend somewhere? I've seen the set of accounts from last year and we seem to be alright financially, so the new tv deal must mean we have something.

unless Sparky is saving up for when he finds the right player? Unless the takeover could have something to do with it.

[JAL]

He's a good defender and is good going forward as well. Decent value at that price, but has the potential to turn out to be very good value for money at that price, but he isn't the right player for us at the moment (maybe if he were younger).

Your having a laugh, good luck to Boro, some of you chaps must be getting pretty pretty desperate by now if you start to think Fluke Young is a good player.

[JAL]

One for Nicko,

Can you ask Mr. Hughes if young Andy Taylor is a happy chappy at Rovers this moment in time.

Two for Nicko,

What will be the outcome for Steve Cotterill if he fails to guide our dear neighbours to a play-off position at the very least this season.

[nicko]

Especially for the Newcastle fans out there...or their mates.

I know they are trying to sign a Norwegian international centre half called Brede Hangeland. Big guy, about 6ft4in, and plays for FC Copenhagen in Denmark.

He has been pushed to English clubs before but Big Sam likes him and has started talks to get him. The price is sensible, so it's got a good chance of happening.

Incidentally Joey Barton has broken his foot today and will be out for two months.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[EwoodGlory]

Cheers

Incidentally Joey Barton has broken his foot today and will be out for two months.

what a shame

[yellowsubmarine]

Incidentally Joey Barton has broken his foot today and will be out for two months.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

i feel for the jailbirds.

[Eddie]

Your having a laugh, good luck to Boro, some of you chaps must be getting pretty pretty desperate by now if you start to think Fluke Young is a good player.

We'll see.

[Cocker]

Incidentally Joey Barton has broken his foot today and will be out for two months.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I never like to see any player pick up a bad injury. Newcastle will certainly miss him.

[RevidgeBlue]

According to nicko's story in the Sunday People this morning, there is interest in a takeover at Bolton with a mooted price tag of 44m and they have not spent much money this summer to keep a lid on debts to make them more attractive to potential purchasers.

As nicko said.......sounds familiar.

[philipl]

BFS frustrated by the transfer market. We can be thankful we only need one player and not half a team!

[Fife Rover]

Cheers

what a shame

Shame it wasn't his neck! OOppss, what am I saying? Getting as bad as the man himself.

[Fife Rover]

According to nicko's story in the Sunday People this morning, there is interest in a takeover at Bolton with a mooted price tag of 44m and they have not spent much money this summer to keep a lid on debts to make them more attractive to potential purchasers.

As nicko said.......sounds familiar.

Yes it does and it 's going to get very much more familiar still. Looks like we are heading for a situation whereby EVERY club in the Prem will be owned by some super-rich guy or consortium, and then the finishing positions in the EPL will become virtually fixed every year; dependant solely on order of "richness" instead of open competitive football. Wonderful!

Still it has been like that for the top two in Scotland for yonks, but nobody up here really cares. They have mostly abandoned their local teams or the teams they originally supported to become either Rangers or Celtic fans. NOT wonderful, but it is coming to England any time soon! :ph34r:

I am sorry if it seems I am continually being the profit of doom; but surely if you take the trouble to think about it, you can all see the way the wind is blowing. Is this scenario REALLY what you want? If not, then you need to consider (as I have done) what, if anything, can be done about it. The conclusion I have reached is that the ONLY practical way to stop the rot and restore Football to something we can all accept and support is to STOP paying your hard earned into the game, at least at the top levels, until the penny drops with the Rulers of the game. If ALL football fans could see this and act accordingly by either staying away completely from the game, or better still finding a lower league team to support there would be two beneficial results:

1. The message would get across to the PL level and the big money merchants would slink away taking their money with them.

This would obviously have many knock-on effects for administrators (FIFA, FA, FAPL), clubs, agents, players and fans. All would have to review their thinking and planning for the future. As far as the players are concerned they couldn't ALL go and play for Barca or Milan etc. So there would be a great weeping and knashing of teeth for a time, but eventually reality would set in that Football IS fans, and that's the way it's always been. So they would HAVE to ask themselves the question "how do we re-organise to suit this reality?" Hopefully the answer would be to restore the League set-up to something along it's traditional lines with 4 divisions and promotion and relegation on merit. Restore reasonable wages to players and staff, abolish the use of agents, and set admission prices and match-day accessories to EASILY affordable prices, and Bob's your Uncle! Peace and tranquility restored. Everybody happy except of course the super-rich exploiters who will have gone away to find some other get rich quick scheme.

2. In the interim period whilst all the things descibed in 1. were sinking in and being digested the lower league teams would all benefit from increased support, and we in turn would all benefit from some fresh clean air and re-discover what football is really all about.

End of problems for all. Happiness is restored.

[American]

I suppose you are right tcj. Most recent form:

Roberts scored 5 in 11 starts last season for Rovers (I think 5 in 8 when he came back from injury)

Derbyshire scored 9 in 14 starts for Rovers

Rigters scored 4 in 5 for Holland u-21s in the UEFA Championships

Of course any new striker signing is going to face no competition whatsoever and can expect to keep his place regardless.

Does the hyper-expensive Spurs strike force match that goal scoring record?

So 4 in 5 at a tournament is more indicative than 5 in 61 in 2 seasons?

Roberts had a similar record to Nonda last season (I liked them both, by the way).

As much as I want to like Matty and get super excited, I learned my lesson with Stead - another season like last and I'll start drinking the Kool-Aid.

Now, compare with the Spurs strikeforce (Berbatov and Benni equaling out as the #1 strikers):

Keane: 22 in 44 total last season

Defoe (Mr Unambitious): 18 in 50 (can't easily find sub appearances, but I'm sure a decent number were) Almost one in 2 for his time at Spurs.

Bent: 15 in 37, after being the 3rd leading Premiership scorer the season before

So yes, they do match and beat that. We have better value for the money, but I'd rather have their strikeforce (or even one member of it). Their 4th choice, Defoe, would start over any of our strikers but Benni.

[American]

And Fife, a smartly run club with no money will do better than a stupidly run club with lots. For years in Baseball, the Baltimore Orioles have well outspent the Oakland A's. Yet the A's make the playoffs most years and the Orioles don't have a winning record.

It has already been shown here, and at Charlton under Curbishley, that a smartly run club can do well (or at least survive) without spending big.

[USABlue]

I thought Orioles were cookies, with the white stuff in themiddle.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

City linked with Martin Petrov ? I hope it's true then Pedersen can go and watch him and get some tips about how to play left wing.

[Exiled_Rover]

And Fife, a smartly run club with no money will do better than a stupidly run club with lots. For years in Baseball, the Baltimore Orioles have well outspent the Oakland A's. Yet the A's make the playoffs most years and the Orioles don't have a winning record.

It has already been shown here, and at Charlton under Curbishley, that a smartly run club can do well (or at least survive) without spending big.

Some would argue that if we don't sign a quality forward our strikeforce will be as powderpuff as the A's offence.

[FourLaneBlue]

Very interesting thread. To think we all hated it when a certain Mr Nixon broke the news about Andy Cole scandalously being allowed to go on a free transfer because Souness had completely lost the plot by then.

Any news on the Jeffers situation nicko? Obviously he isn't wanted as he wasn't even taken to Germany. Have Ipswich given up on him due to his demands?

[HairwayToSteven]

Especially for the Newcastle fans out there...or their mates.

I know they are trying to sign a Norwegian international centre half called Brede Hangeland. Big guy, about 6ft4in, and plays for FC Copenhagen in Denmark.

He has been pushed to English clubs before but Big Sam likes him and has started talks to get him. The price is sensible, so it's got a good chance of happening.

Incidentally Joey Barton has broken his foot today and will be out for two months.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Brede P. Hangeland actually broke a toe on my right foot, the big one. The toe is still giving me a hard time. I wish him the same, only joking. He was hugely annoying to play against, seriously impossible to dribble. It'll be interesting to see him play for Newcastle if it happens.