[Archived] Nickos Thread

[Yorick]

Rovers supporters have had the enormous privilege of watching the Premiership's two most prolific strikers playing wearing our shirt.

Also the 8th top scorer in that all time list Dwight Yorke!

Kind of puts things in perspective doesn't it?

[brian_gallagher85]

I can't see the point in offering players like a Hodge a contract. These days if a player coming through an academy/youth set up is good enough for the premier league, they would be in the team at 16/ 17/18 yrs (Fowler/Owen/Fabregas/Rooney/Ahsley Young/Gareth Bale/Lennon etc. If you hit 20 and haven't played it's very unlikely your going to make it!

Apparently it's to ensure we get another Twirl for him if/when Millwall come back in for him

[S15]

If Cole was good enough he'd have played. Hoddle never thought he was good enough (thought he needed too many chances - have to agree there, you don't get too many chances in international football).

To say Cole wasn't selected for "political" reasons (do you mean club affiliations?) is a nonsense, he wasn't bloody good enough.

How many world class strikers have taken air shots????????? Cole has on more than one occasion. Yes, he was capable of brilliance but he was too mercurial (unplayable one moment, laughable the next) to play for England.

Rubbish.

Plenty of players who are clearly world class have not been successful at international level, and more often than not it is down to pure bad luck that the national team in that particular era doesn't compliment or carry that players' particular talent/s. Nothing else.

Cole was world class, and was successful in a better team than England, and a team that played at a higher level than England ever reached.

[broadsword]

We'll agree to disagree.

If he was truly world class, then he would've been accommodated. Good player that he was, he wasn't truly world class. The number of world class players England have produced over the last 20-30 years is fairly small.

How can you play at a higher level than the World Cup, as a club player? You can't, sorry.

[Dunnfc]

I can't see the point in offering players like a Hodge a contract. These days if a player coming through an academy/youth set up is good enough for the premier league, they would be in the team at 16/ 17/18 yrs (Fowler/Owen/Fabregas/Rooney/Ahsley Young/Gareth Bale/Lennon etc. If you hit 20 and haven't played it's very unlikely your going to make it!

Hodge isnt a prem player me and you know that, but what happens in the summer when he moves on a free if we dont give him a contract nothing but if we give him a contract and a club comes in we can ask them for a fee which in turn could go to our transfer kitty.

[doctorryan]

Got to go out for a romantic evening with a gorgeous pouting blond - Diego Forlan.

I hope your wife has a sense of humor. Well, wait a minute, she did marry you.

Oh, by the way, word on the street is that Burnley is naming a stand after you.

[Commondore]

I'd have Cole right up there with the best of his generation.

Shearer was the best striker in the world 93-96 by a country mile. But the fact that Cole's stats bear comparison with the great man show how good Andy Cole has been. England selection is meaningless - it is a political game producing failure after failure after failure after failure after failure and bears little relationship to whether a player is good enough to represent his country or not. Sorry if this is news to the naive out there.

Rovers supporters have had the enormous privilege of watching the Premiership's two most prolific strikers playing wearing our shirt.

I knew Blackwell was going to Sheff U. Given that one is the open, I can tell you Sheff U will do very nicely out of the arbitration with West Ham but if that is kept quiet (which it will) you can reckon on at least £15m. It will only be public if Sheff U don't get a handsome pay off.

By a country mile? Roberto Baggio, anyone?

[Hasta]

Also the 8th top scorer in that all time list Dwight Yorke!

Kind of puts things in perspective doesn't it?

Not really. When Yorke was at Villa, and in his first few seasons at United, he was quality.

[Bing]

By a country mile? Roberto Baggio, anyone?

Aye. Nobody loved Shearer more than me but there's a few fellas around at that time who would have claimed to be up there with him. Romario, Stoichkov, Batistuta and Weah to name a few.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Aye. Nobody loved Shearer more than me but there's a few fellas around at that time who would have claimed to be up there with him. Romario, Stoichkov, Batistuta and Weah to name a few.

Some great strikers around in that time period. Though i still think Shearer was certainly at the very top or very close to it. He had it all, pace, power, could header a ball, shoot with both feet, a danger outside and in the box. He was pretty much a complete centre forward then.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Apparently it's to ensure we get another Twirl for him if/when Millwall come back in for him

Lol, that's alright then

[nicko]

On Sheffield United...

There is some serious intrigue this afternoon.

I think they are going to bring in a new face to take the team - and it's not who Robson wanted.

If the name I have is right there will be some stunned reaction around.

Watch this space. Closely.

I said stunned not stunning...

Why anyone would give a job to Blackwell is beyond me. He fluffed it at Leeds and did little at Luton.

This is a move to keep fans happy and I'm sorry because it's a bad day for democracy.

Still, it makes it easier on April 12th...

[nicko]

I hope your wife has a sense of humor. Well, wait a minute, she did marry you.

Oh, by the way, word on the street is that Burnley is naming a stand after you.

1 I was nice to her guide dog...

2 And I will accept nothing less than the Town Hall clock.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

Shearer was in the category of top 5 strikers in the world during the period 0f 93-96, along with the likes of Weah, Bergkamp, Batistuta, Romaria etc. To suggest that he was miles better than those players shows a complete lack of footballing knowledge and a completely Blackburn-centric opinion.

[Dunnfc]

Is it Coleman?

Be funny if it was Neil Warnock in a return.

[nicko]

Is it Coleman?

Be funny if it was Neil Warnock in a return.

No, it's Blackwell...as revealed about 5pm.

[Dunnfc]

No, it's Blackwell...as revealed about 5pm.

Oh right sorry Feel like a dunce now.

I check your thread for updates now Neeks so its your fault lol

[RevidgeBlue]

Shearer was a class apart during his time with us - and that includes the world stage.

However to try and deny that Mr. Andrew Cole is not one of the all time great strikers just because he now plays for our six fingered neighbours in his twilight years is simply insane.

[thecomebackid]

I'd have Cole right up there with the best of his generation.

Shearer was the best striker in the world 93-96 by a country mile. But the fact that Cole's stats bear comparison with the great man show how good Andy Cole has been. England selection is meaningless - it is a political game producing failure after failure after failure after failure after failure and bears little relationship to whether a player is good enough to represent his country or not. Sorry if this is news to the naive out there.

Rovers supporters have had the enormous privilege of watching the Premiership's two most prolific strikers playing wearing our shirt.

I knew Blackwell was going to Sheff U. Given that one is the open, I can tell you Sheff U will do very nicely out of the arbitration with West Ham but if that is kept quiet (which it will) you can reckon on at least £15m. It will only be public if Sheff U don't get a handsome pay off.

Philip,

Could you elaborate on the arbitration matter. Have you heard something specific or is your assertion based on your general knowledge? What grounds are Sheffield Utd basing their claim on; estoppel/legitimate expectations/loss of opportunity? I have been too busy unfortunately to follow this more closely, but I would imagine quantifying damages would be quite speculative. If you could point me to any resource I would be grateful.

[Hughesy]

Apparently our long term Midfield target is Herenveen’s midfielder Michael Bradley – have you heard anything on him Nicko? I seem to remember we were linked with him before?

[Earlydoors]

Why anyone would give a job to Blackwell is beyond me. He fluffed it at Leeds and did little at Luton.

That's a bit harsh Nicko.....

from BBC Website

Blackwell is a popular figure at the south Yorkshire club, with fans regarding him as pivotal in their successful 2002-3 season, when they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and League Cup, and the play-off final.

He was appointed Leeds boss in 2004 and guided them to the Championship play-off final in 2006.

[nicko]

That's a bit harsh Nicko.....

from BBC Website

Blackwell is a popular figure at the south Yorkshire club, with fans regarding him as pivotal in their successful 2002-3 season, when they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and League Cup, and the play-off final.

He was appointed Leeds boss in 2004 and guided them to the Championship play-off final in 2006.

I don't rate the guy too highly. I always worry when a manager says how well his team is playing when they are rotten. If you try to fool yourself you end up fooling no-one.

His Leeds side blew it when they had many advantages and Luton was a shambles all round but he did not help there either.

It's just a move to get the fans off the backs of the board...it will end in tears.

[herbergeehh]

Not mine

[nicko]

Apparently our long term Midfield target is Herenveen’s midfielder Michael Bradley – have you heard anything on him Nicko? I seem to remember we were linked with him before?

I'm puzzled by that one. I know for a fact that Everton fancy him and made a move. Hamburg have also declared their interest too. But I am not convinced that he is top of the Rovers list...if anyone actually is. It's more likely they have three or four midfielders in mind and will go for the best/most available and one that fits in their budget.

Heereveen want £4.5 million for Bradley which is a bit heavy. They don't have to drop the price as they just made a fortune for Afonso Alves. So Bradley is an expensive deal to do.

[Trickstar]

Nicko are the Asian Based Business men looking to buy Sheffield Wednesday the same people that where interested in buying rovers???