[Archived] Santa Cruz

[Rovermatt]

I'm getting more and more excited by this signing. Everything I've heard from Roque and from Hughes has impressed me. It seems as though Roque actually chose to come here, rather than failing to secure a move elsewhere. I think that he knows what is important for his career - first team football - and I think that he has the sense and intelligence to know that moving to a bigger club might not be to the benefit of his career. From what I can tell, he will offer everything Roberts does and much more. He is young with many years ahead of him and I feel as though he has the quality, but has lost his way at Bayern, where he has been a sub for a long time, and will turn it round at Rovers. He has the technical quality that Roberts lacks and I think he and McCarthy will be great together, I reckon.

The club have done the right thing parading him as they have and getting the media involved. Maybe it's just the hype of a new big name signing that's getting me excited, but I have a hunch that this will be an excellent deal. For the first time ever, I am considering getting a players name on my shirt.

I wouldn't get Santa Cruz's name to be honest. If he has a good season the usual vultures will be circling.

Get someone with longevity. Ryan Nelsen. I'm considering that for my own shirt.

[youandwhosearmy]

If you had of told me 4 seasons ago we would have Benny McCarthy and Roque santa cruz both playing for us, i would have laughed

[Rovermatt]

What's our new letters/numbers going to be like? are they in a different font?

Yes, the whole league has changed the font for both numbers and letters. They're pretty nifty.

[speeeeeeedie]

Or 3.3 m down the pan if he performs like he has done for Bayern. Too early to say either way yet but hopefully Sparky will be able to extract performance levels out of him he hasn't shown before.

There's always one willing to throw in the negatives before the lad's even kicked a ball. Nothing like a good bit of East Lancs optimism is there? Give him a chance.

I'm excited, the lad is a name, he's young, played at a big club for years, if he applies himself he'll score a good few.

[RevidgeBlue]

There's always one willing to throw in the negatives before the lad's even kicked a ball. Nothing like a good bit of East Lancs optimism is there? Give him a chance.

I'm excited, the lad is a name, he's young, played at a big club for years, if he applies himself he'll score a good few.

Not being negative in the slightest - why do overseas contributors always throw that accusation at locals?

I said it's too early to say either way, but just as you can't slate him before he kicks a ball, you can't automatically hail it as a great signing and a bargain to boot either, because the facts are his Bayern record was very poor.

Just because the price seems to be going down a bit from what we first thought it was, doesn't make it any more or less likely he'll be a successful signing. If he doesn't perform it's not a snip whether the price is 3.3m, 3.8m or 4.5m.

That said, if anyone can get anything out of him, Mark Hughes is probably the man as shown by his success with Bellamy McCarthy Kuqi Nonda Derbyshire etc. There's seemingly only ever been Jeffers who hasn't responded to working under Sparky.

[Ronin]

Or 3.3 m down the pan if he performs like he has done for Bayern. Too early to say either way yet but hopefully Sparky will be able to extract performance levels out of him he hasn't shown before.

Tis true, but I'd rather (although of course I hope we didn't) waste 3.3m than say a 6-10m *cough* Grabbi / Davies *cough*

In any case, I'm hoping for good things from Cruz, starting with Huddersfield tonight and PNE on Saturday.

[RevidgeBlue]

Tis true, but I'd rather (although of course I hope we didn't) waste 3.3m than say a 6-10m *cough* Grabbi / Davies *cough*

In any case, I'm hoping for good things from Cruz, starting with Huddersfield tonight and PNE on Saturday.

Don't want to spoil your trip over the Pennines but today's LT has Sparky saying Cruz will miss tonight's game, but should play a part on Saturday.

[JAL]

Extremely excited at the signing of Santa Cruz, do we now have TWO champions league winners in our team who still have plenty in their legs to maintain that standard.

Revidge you need to wake up and smell the coffee, this even though his goalscoring record isnt the greatest, represents a tremendous signing for Rovers it could so easily have been donkey Beattie for similar money now that would have been a backward step.

Now i'm looking or waiting for the icing on the cake in the form of an unknown quality central midfielder to come in who can provide the ammunition to Santa & co. other than just the wide men. Feeling very positive now about this seasons fortunes bring it on.

[RevidgeBlue]

Now i'm looking or waiting for the icing on the cake in the form of an unknown quality central midfielder to come in who can provide the ammunition to Santa & co. other than just the wide men.

Aye, David Dunn.

[krislu]

Aye, David Dunn.

not in a million years. Three words, not good enough.

[JAL]

not in a million years. Three words, not good enough.

Thank you 'krislu' was that a wind up revidge

[LeftWinger]

I really hope Dunny proves a few people wrong this year

[JAL]

I really hope Dunny proves a few people wrong this year

I'd love him to aswell

[USRoverME]

Aye, David Dunn.

Way to continue your theme of non-negativity.....

[Florida Rover]

VIDEO LINK FROM EWOOD

Didn't know if everyone got to see the interview on the telly yesterday so here is the archived version I found.

[JamieUK]

I have a feeling this guy could be our Berbatov Look similar in stature and from what I've read a similar type of player? Granted their goalscoring record is incomparable but I'm very optimistic he'll be a big success...

[Rovermatt]

Santa Cruz is a good player no doubt and I'm thrilled we signed him but there's no way he'll be as good as Berbatov. Even ignoring his excellent scoring record, the Bulgarian is an absolutely fantastic footballer.

[mark]

can anyone remember the last player that rovers paid 3.3million for....

[pick32]

bellamy think it was 3.75million

[Presty On Tour]

can anyone remember the last player that rovers paid 3.3million for....

SHEARER?

[mark]

SHEARER?

Correct, it's a sign!!

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

It will be interesting this season to discover whether Mark Hughes is right about Santa's gifts or whether The Guardian were more accurate in their analysis of him.

Hughes says of Roque: "He's got a great physical presence. He's a big guy and he has great technical ability, a good awareness of the people around him. I think he compliments the strikers that I already have at the club."

The Guardian however, described Santa Cruz in rather less flattering terms. To quote their first paragraph about him in an article in April last season: "Terrible. Rubbish. Disgraceful. Useless. Crap. Ridiculous. Hopeless. Bloody awful. It was, in other words, just another day at the office for Roque Santa Cruz."

The opening paragraph went on to say: "In a few years, when people might still wonder what exactly happened to Germany's biggest club in 2006-07, one can simply point to the fact that the Paraguayan striker - the term is used very loosely here, he's scored zero in 22 this season, and a grand total of 29 in his seven previous seasons in Munich - was actually allowed to start three very important matches in a row."

"Santa Cruz, once a cult hero among fans, has elevated apathy to an art form and taken meekness to new, unprecedented levels. Against Milan and Leverkusen, the 25-year-old's performances were so infuriatingly inept that he was booed off the pitch in the Allianz Arena by the 66,000 crowd."

Will Hughes or Guardian journalist Raphael Honigstein end up with egg on their face after Santa Cruz's performances for Rovers this coming season? Time will tell.

The war ended 62 years ago.

Yep, maybe we need another war to get rid of commie buggers like you....

Only kidding Paul - no need to get your knickers in a twist.

[Tris]

When did we last have a collection like this up front?

Benni M - current full international (South Africa)

Roberts - current full international (Greneda)

Santa Cruz - current full international (Paraguay)

Derbyshire - current U21 international (England)

Rigters - current U21 international (Holland)

We're used to having has beens and might be in the futures, this is a pretty awesome fivesome though.

Looking through the rest of the squad, there is a definite lack of non-internationals - in fact of the 34 players listed in the Vetra match programme, I can't see any player devoid of international recognition at full or U21 level - except for academy graduates - (Treacy, Taylor, Nolan, Kane, Fielding).

That means the other 29 have some international recognition under their belts. Who'd have ever thought it for little Rovers!!?

I haven't checked any of the above - so happy to be corrected!!

[Fife Rover]

When did we last have a collection like this up front?

Benni M - current full international (South Africa)

Roberts - current full international (Greneda)

Santa Cruz - current full international (Paraguay)

Derbyshire - current U21 international (England)

Rigters - current U21 international (Holland)

We're used to having has beens and might be in the futures, this is a pretty awesome fivesome though.

Looking through the rest of the squad, there is a definite lack of non-internationals - in fact of the 34 players listed in the Vetra match programme, I can't see any player devoid of international recognition at full or U21 level - except for academy graduates - (Treacy, Taylor, Nolan, Kane, Fielding).

That means the other 29 have some international recognition under their belts. Who'd have ever thought it for little Rovers!!?

I haven't checked any of the above - so happy to be corrected!!

Add to that list: Gallagher - full international (Scotland)

[Tris]

Add to that list: Gallagher - full international (Scotland)

I was going to - but can't see any "written" evidence he's got any full caps?

Soccerbase certainly has a big fat zero, and can't see anything on the SFA official site - but I don't trust either of them because it's in the back of my mind that he has played at least one senior game.

But - he appears to be so far off being even a choice for the subs bench at Ewood, I just left him out!