[Archived] Nickos Thread

[Kai]

News here report that Totthenham has transfer listed Ricardo Rocha, Paul Robinson, Chimbonda, Teemu Tainio e Younes Kaboul.

Would any of these be a good player for Rovers?

Chimbonda and Kaboul would be ok if the price was right. That is of course if you only expect Chimbonda to hang around for one season only I think that Kaboul might be decent as a defensive/deep midfielder rather than a centre back.

[pick32]

Was in the papers that chelsea were after selling beletti, and want to regain most of ther 5million, he is apparanatly on £35,000 a week so cant see wages being that much of an issue and he would provide a good attacking right back option if possible.

[philipl]

With a £40m wage budget, £1.75m a year for Belletti would make him one of Rovers' most expensive players.

That is a massive gamble for a player who has looked totally lost in the three appearances I've seen of his for Chelsea.

[PAFELL]

Just heard from a friend who supports Spurs that Bentley is signing for them shortly.

Fact or rumour I don't know which, but haven't we been here at least once before?

It is in one of the papers that spurs are willing to meet Rovers £15mill valuation (according to bbc football gossep)

[philipl]

Taken from the Express.

I think the £15m valuation is the key to the story being untrue. We got £18m for Duff four years ago.

[S15]

But Duff was better (And wasn't it £17M)

I agree with Philip when he says Bentley will have a sell on clause, however seriously doubt it's as high as 40-50%.

The way I see it is we haven't actually paid for Bentley oursleves yet, as I don't think either ourselves or Arsenal knew his value at the time.

So, assuming the clause is about 25%, and we get £15m, that's £3.75m to Arsenal, probably a true reflection on what we could/should have paid to them, and we get £11.25m.

That is, probably 100% fair, however, in the market we live in (as it were) we can probably get more. I'd be hoping Rovers are looking to get £15m for keeps, so perhaps the £20m price tag (Which I have previously stated is too much) is the only way to go.

If the sell on clause is 10-15%, it will be much easy for any business to be done.

(I'm writing this slightly assuming DB wants to leave)

[CAPT KAYOS]

Also here in the BBC Friday gossip

BENTLEY TO SPURS

There is also mention of us interested in a youngster at Walsall - Sean Geddes

[CAPT KAYOS]

The Blackpool "BAFTAs"

http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s608/st128898.htm

Surprised about the Bristol one

[Hughesy]

Express aint usually bad either - so maybe the truth about spurs?? Nicko?

When did Blackburn tell the press that it was £15m. I think I was the 1st on here to even mention that figure, which at 1st people said he wasn’t worth, now it seems that the media believe it’s the clubs valuation! IF there is a sell-on clause, which I don’t believe there is then surely we would want more than £15m.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Also here in the BBC Friday gossip

BENTLEY TO SPURS

There is also mention of us interested in a youngster at Walsall - Sean Geddes

Losing your best players to big clubs is one thing but having Tottenham take Bentley off us sends out all the wrong signals about us as a club and has worrying ramifications for our future.

[OscarRaven]

"Wigan chairman Dave Whelan fears Manchester United could try to lure away manager Steve Bruce if Sir Alex Ferguson wins the double and retires. (Various) "

[joey_big_nose]

Losing your best players to big clubs is one thing but having Tottenham take Bentley off us sends out all the wrong signals about us as a club and has worrying ramifications for our future.

Just to play devils advocate: Who would be happy if we lost Bentley but ended up lining up like this next season?

-------------------Roberts

Farfan---------McCarthy------Cruz

-----------Vogel--------Huddlestone

Warnock--Nelsen--Samba--Emerton

---------------------Freidal

For me that would be a better team than we currently have. I hope David stays but there are plenty of options out there if he does decide to go.

The key is to make sure we replace him with quality in the areas where we are weakest.

[gumboots]

So yet again we the fans are selling a player (who hasn't said he wants to go) to one of our rivals, on the basis of a report in the Express. They don't even acknowledge that we exist most of the time and I don't remember anyone naming a price for him. To name a price is to admit he's for sale and while every club probably has a valuation it would accept for any of its players, we don't usually go around broadcasting it.

[thenodrog]

But Duff was better (And wasn't it £17M)

SWP isn't and he went to Chelsea for 21m.

[Eddie]

At the time SWP was better, he looked like he could be a world beater.

[QOTSA]

Mark Hughes and Mark Bowen were at Espanyol v Atletico last night. Interesting when you consider what players he might be looking at, but, if you can read Spanish, then this article suggests the real reason he was there is that he's after a job in Spain?!

http://www.sport.es/default.asp?idpublicac...ticia_PK=507672

[thenodrog]

At the time SWP was better, he looked like he could be a world beater.

You really need to put 'imo' at the end of thet sentence eddie. SWP is a winger and thats it, whilst Bentley can play anywhere across a middle 5. And to any manager that is one big valuable asset.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I would be furious if we sold him to Spurs. If one of the champions league clubs came in for him and offered a decent price that Hughes thought was good and he could use the fee to find a replacement then fair enough but to the club i utterly despise and i club i feel feel aren't a major step up over us i would not be happy at all. Spurs also wouldn't pay the whole £15 million up front and would have loads of fee clauses, like if Bents made so many international appearances we get £3 million for example, or so many goals per season etc.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

I would be furious if we sold him to Spurs. If one of the champions league clubs came in for him and offered a decent price that Hughes thought was good and he could use the fee to find a replacement then fair enough but to the club i utterly despise and i club i feel feel aren't a major step up over us i would not be happy at all. Spurs also wouldn't pay the whole £15 million up front and would have loads of fee clauses, like if Bents made so many international appearances we get £3 million for example, or so many goals per season etc.

Tbh I wouldn't be that arsed if he went providing we got an adequate fee for him. I'm not keen on his attitude or body language recently and he appears to be becoming another Billy Bigtime. He wanted his own ball last saturday and seemed to go into a childish sulk when his showboating didn't come off (p 1ssed Paul Jewell off as well)

If he wants offski, f*** him, "off you pop". It just dosn't look good if he goes to the likes of Spurs.

[MarkBRFC]

Just to play devils advocate: Who would be happy if we lost Bentley but ended up lining up like this next season?

-------------------Roberts

Farfan---------McCarthy------Cruz

-----------Vogel--------Huddlestone

Warnock--Nelsen--Samba--Emerton

---------------------Freidal

For me that would be a better team than we currently have. I hope David stays but there are plenty of options out there if he does decide to go.

The key is to make sure we replace him with quality in the areas where we are weakest.

I wouldnt be happy at all.

We have seen plenty of times this season that McCarthy can't operate in that role, and Santa Cruz is no right sided player either, especially not for the long run, for the odd game ala Utd its ok but i wouldnt want him there all season.

For the club to keep progressing, we have to keep Bentley this summer.

[Eddie]

We don't have to keep him in order to progress, but if we sell him we have to have a replacement lined up and we need to get in enough money that we can not only replace him but also use it to improve the squad elsewhere. If we do that then we could actually improve as a side. Good player, but not such a rare talent that we wouldn't be able to replace him.

[BuckyRover]

I don't think it's that simple.

If you sell a player who is regarded in some quarters as being likely to operate on the England right flank for years to come, unless you bring somebody in with a very high pedigree our standing will go down within the football community.

He has had a bagload of assists this season (even when he is not playing well)

Keep hold of him. NO NEED TO SELL

[philipl]

Exactly Bucky- odds on the story is a disruptive wind-up and nothing more.

We must have the highest proportion of clinical psychiatrists and psychics on this board of any group of football supporters. All this body language reading and looking into Bentley's mind!

[nicko]

The Tottenham story isn't right.

Apart from anything else they couldn't even pay the wages he will be looking for...

And they won't pay £15 million.

Two pretty basic requirements.

[gumboots]

Exactly Bucky- odds on the story is a disruptive wind-up and nothing more.

We must have the highest proportion of clinical psychiatrists and psychics on this board of any group of football supporters. All this body language reading and looking into Bentley's mind!

His body language is one I'm always amazed by. How can you tell? And this "He's got too big for his boots". Says who? When my family have me him recently they've not noticed anything different about his manner.