[Archived] Savage - The Bad Apple

[Grabbi Graeme]

Robbie's gotten into trouble for driving into training in some 130k supercar. Although it was in club colours, presumably that takes the edge off of it then!

I'd be surprised if Jewel did take the job for the cash, he's well known for his socialist affiliations, perhaps he's a champagne socialist? He's always going on about the potential at Pride Park.

If Derby are going to throw their money at Savage, then it's up to him how he spends it what did they expect him to turn up in, a Nissen Micra?

[Presty On Tour]

doesn't he have a helicopter too or was that bellamy?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Sav will always have my respect and i won't say a bad word about him. He gave his all for the shirt and i wish him all the best.

[tcj_jones]

Once more, it would appar Hughes has made a very important judgement and it appears as though he has ben vindicated by Savage's poor form of late.

I was hugely critical when the club decided to sell Savage while we were so short on midfielders and, especially, because I don't beleive that we have many in teh squad with his determination and tough tackling qualities, but Reid and Dunn have so far (touch wood) proven their fitness and we have managed to get a fair sum of money for an ageing player. This could have proven a costly decision, but Hughes took a risk and it paid off.

I really like Savage, he's been one of my favourite players these last few years, but I guess that now was the right time to move on. I have absolute faith that he will find his level in the Championship next season, although I still think he i capable of playing in the Premiership.

Good luck Robbie, I don't have a bad word to say about you. I get the impression that he holds Rovers and the staff in high esteem as well for he has not said a single bad word to my recollection.

[cletus]

Didn't rate him when we signed him, not been impressed with anything he's done whilst he was at Ewood. He's a flop at Derby ? What a surprise ! Not one of Sparkie's smarter moves.

Of Robbie`s numerous ex-clubs, i think Rovers fans will probably be the only one`s who`ll give him a good reception (unless he signs for the Dingles ) He came at the right time, looks like he left at the right time & installed a 'fighting spirit' into the team whilst here....even if he wasn`t the best or most silky-skilled player to wear the blue & white halves

Robbie is quite clever in my view. He could`ve kept his head down, his hair short, driven an ordinary black footballers car & been just like every other 'average' premiership player, but he grew his long-flowing blond locks, (making himself instantly recognisable on the pitch) became quite theatrical during games, made himself a figure of hate & love (depending on who you supported) drove a yellow ferarri & became almost a cartoon character of himself. All the while earning himself a fortune & becoming one of the most recognisable footballers in the UK.

Q...ask yourself, how many average premier league midfielders (not your super-stars) would you recognise walking down the street? I know i wouldn`t get many.

[Eddie]

We really can't judge him as a player now. He's in such a horrible side, even Ronaldo would look a bit average playing with that bunch every week.

[broadsword]

Er no, he's not playing well Eddie. Eevn in a poor side you can play well.

Apparently he's still struggling with minor niggles, which can't be helped.

[American]

I have Savage on my shirt from last season, but was happy we sold him. Against Arsenal's kids, he looked way off the pace and wasn't effective any more.

That being said, we should have replaced him....

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Robbie Savage has said of his time at Derby: "It's been a nightmare going home to read people saying that my legs have gone and I'm struggling for fitness. I've been believing it and it's been dreadful."

Savage has been honest enough to admit: "The seven games before I was left out of the Derby team, I was rubbish."

Well Robbie certainly hasn't been the only Derby player to be "rubbish" this season - that goes for most of his team-mates at Pride Park too. But it was an improved performance from Derby against Man United last Saturday and the United keeper Ben Foster made a couple of good saves in the match to deny Derby a goal.

Savage admits Rams struggles

Incidentally, Robbie Savage has received more yellow cards - 87 - than any other player since the Premiership began. Our own Mark Hughes is joint sixth in the list of the most booked players, with 70 yellow cards, the same number as Kevin Davies.

But red cards are probably more of an indication as to how 'dirty' a player is, and in this respect Robbie Savage hasn't been sent off nearly as often as the likes of Roy Keane, Vinny Jones and Duncan Ferguson.

Link: The most booked players in the Premiership

[rover6]

Savage is a bit like the stock exchange - built on confidence. If he ever was to lose his immense self-belief, he'd be a very lower league player.

[Eddie]

But red cards are probably more of an indication as to how 'dirty' a player is, and in this respect Robbie Savage hasn't been sent off nearly as often as the likes of Roy Keane, Vinny Jones and Duncan Ferguson.

Nearly as often? He was sent off once.

[Hughesy]

Saw an article in the paper last weekend about this seasons most fouled players so far and in the top 10 we had 2 - 3rd Bentley and 9th Pedersen. No suprise that Andy Johnson was in the top 10, along with Arteta.

[RevidgeBlue]

If only we had a fully fit and firing Robbie Savage from a couple of seasons ago to galvanise the rest of the team at the moment.

Who's the nearest equivalent, Bullard?

[Eddie]

I don't think there is any point trying to replace Savage. No one can really do what he did when he was at his best (at least not within our price range). We need to change the actual style in which we change, which will be a test for Hughes.

[tcj_jones]

How ace is this? I miss Sav!

Savage being a legend

[T4E]

That'll go down a storm with the Porn Brothers!

Gotta love Sav

[allrovertheworld]

That'll go down a storm with the Porn Brothers!

Gotta love Sav

Ha ha an Amazing Fairy Tale? Thtas a great way to describe it. Not sure he should be saying stuff like this. But then he was treated pretty badly by the owners and the fans. Remember a lot of pressure and boos being aimed at him by BIG CLUBS fans.

[thenodrog]

I'm sure Dunny could have done without the mention.

[tcj_jones]

Haha innit, what a way to drop your pal in it!

[Presty On Tour]

typical savage stuff!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

He's a good laugh sometimes but you have to wonder if he does engage his brain before opening his mouth....really wouldn't like to be in his shoes bumping into a group of bluenoses on a night out!

[grizfoot]

It would be an amazing fairytale indeed. Super Sav.

[John]

Jewell asked Robbie Savage to check if the showers in the changing rooms were hot and, when the £35,000-a-week midfielder inquired why he was being asked, the Derby manager told him it was "because you're about to go in them".

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

"We don't want to go down without a fight. We don't want to go down with the lowest ever points total in the Premiership," said Robbie Savage not long after he moved to the club in January.

Well it hasn't exactly gone to plan for Savage. They have gone down without a fight and with just a pitiful 11 points, the lowest ever in the top flight. To have gained only one victory in 38 games is truly shocking - Derby becoming the first team since Loughborough College in 1899/1900 to finish an English League season with only one win.

There was speculation that Sunderland were interested in buying Savage in January, but Robbie chose Derby. If he had known what an absolute shambles it would be at Pride Park, with the club completely humiliated, would Savage have gone there? I suspect not.

We'll have to see in the summer whether Paul Jewell tells Robbie that he is no longer wanted at the club. "We need a new team. The majority of those players, if I have my way, will never play for Derby again," said Jewell after losing 0-4 at home to Reading on Sunday.

Jewell's full-length 3 minute interview for Match Of The Day is worth watching. Rarely can a manager have been as scathing about his players than Jewell was after the Reading match. "No passion, no desire, no willingness to run," said a clearly furious Jewell.

I said last week that I thought the Derby players have been a disgrace to their supporters this season and I expressed surprise that the Derby fans have remained so supportive of the gutless shower on the pitch. After the shambles against Reading, for the first time ever this season, some of the Derby fans finally lost patience and rightly displayed their anger, chanting "You're not fit to wear the shirt".

Forget about a lack of quality within the squad - the Derby players, as Paul Jewell says, have no passion, no desire and no willingness to run. That is unforgivable at any level. The players have been a disgrace this season.

Link: Jewell video interview here

[1864roverite]

I think we will see a record number of players being shown the door from a relegated club when Derby announce their released players.

of that squad there is perhaps 3 players max who are capable of putting in the effort of a promotion push.

Such a sad end