[Archived] Roque Santa Cruz Thread

[philipl]

This morning's lancashire telegraph reports that City, Spurs and Villa interested in RSC. They say one club has made initial contact and Rovers are confident that RSC future will be sorted before players return for pre-season training on 1st July.

That is encouraging- I really did think we were in for a long long summer on this one.

[Guest Kamy100]

Manchester Evening News also reporting that City will sign Tevez and RSC.

[modes98]

This morning's lancashire telegraph reports that City, Spurs and Villa interested in RSC. They say one club has made initial contact and Rovers are confident that RSC future will be sorted before players return for pre-season training on 1st July.

We need Spurs or Villa to put an offer in to force citeh's hand. Plus if they kick it off at £12m, City will be inclined to pay more to secure him.

[Hughesy]

This morning's lancashire telegraph reports that City, Spurs and Villa interested in RSC. They say one club has made initial contact and Rovers are confident that RSC future will be sorted before players return for pre-season training on 1st July.

Excellent - looks like that clause is working into making clubs move sooner.

[JC4LAB]

If Rocky does go would like him to go to a club who can give us a reral good quality part ex.but I fear that all these clubs would palm us off with an Arthur Daly type banger with a fiddled mileage..Reckon Spurs have the best selection up for grabs but cant see them doing us any favours

[Hughesy]

Id sell him to City for £15m + Fernandes or Caciedo

[Amo]

Id sell him to City for £15m + Fernandes or Caciedo

I thought it was Big Sam's job to bring in the right players?

[LeChuck]

I thought it was Big Sam's job to bring in the right players?

Fernandes would be a brilliant signing, just what we need in the centre of midfield. Plenty of improvement left in him too. I can't see there being much room for him at City with the arrival of Barry, he was struggling for games before he arrived.

[Amo]

Fernandes would be a brilliant signing, just what we need in the centre of midfield. Plenty of improvement left in him too. I can't see there being much room for him at City with the arrival of Barry, he was struggling for games before he arrived.

I'm not disputing Hughesy's suggestion, but when I asked him an alternative to Pedro Mendes he quipped:

Thats Sams & the scouts jobs - not mine.

[philipl]

If we want Spuds to join the RSC hunt, we will have to wait quite a long time, if at all.

[Sparky Marky]

Fernandes would be a brilliant signing, just what we need in the centre of midfield. Plenty of improvement left in him too. I can't see there being much room for him at City with the arrival of Barry, he was struggling for games before he arrived.

Fernandes is a lightweight and we've got enough of them in midfield already. I'd like us to get Heskey in part-ex if RSC goes Villa, or if he goes spuds, Darren Bent.

[Hughesy]

Heskey?? Id be gutted if we signed him.

Bent id like but i think he will go Sunderland.

[The Rover of Finland]

Would Heskey-Roberts be something. Grella-Andrews as CM duo and we wouldn´t score a single goal! Heskey isn´t coming so no point for this but someone did bring his name up.

[LeChuck]

Fernandes is a lightweight and we've got enough of them in midfield already.

He's got a few flaws in his game but I wouldn't consider being a lightweight one of them - he's 6 foot and quite strong. I thought he had an excellent game against England for the Swiss not long back, he put in a few tough tackles and we have a physically strong midfield.

[tcj_jones]

For the most part I agree with you (especially at least 2 seasons away - it takes that many new players time to gel), but remember that Chelsea was already a top 4 side when they were bought.

Yeah, that is a good point. But when you look at the players they've already brought in and those that they have been linked with, they don't appear to be struggling overly to attract the big names.

They were on the brink of signing Kaka in January, have already got Robinho and Barry and look set to get Tevez. The latter three are easily good enough to play first team football at any of the top four English clubs.

Let's wait and see how the summer pans out but, at present, I think Hughes is building a very strong, balanced squad with an emphasis on British players and those with Premier League and Champions League experience and he is assembling it very quickly. For these reasons, I think that they will gel pretty quickly too.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

They were on the brink of signing Kaka in January, have already got Robinho and Barry and look set to get Tevez. The latter three are easily good enough to play first team football at any of the top four English clubs.

I don't think they were "on the brink", Kaka is no sell-out.

[tcj_jones]

From what Nicko was saying, I believe that Garry Cook himself had talks with the player and the deal fell apart when the Kaka became frustrated at not having an opportunity to speak to Mark Hughes. That was my understanding of the situation anyway.

Kaka was very wishy washy with the press as well, saying it was up to the club whether they wanted to sell him and absolving himself from responsibility - much like he has done with Madrid now.

Oh, I'm not sure what has given you that impression of Kaka. I mean, I could never be so certain when the guy has just moved for a reported £180k a week!

[1864roverite]

Uhm, why would those two have conflict?

One massive ego versus another

1864, you honestly think that City, providing they are still heavily backed, would take five seasons to crack the top four? It's just a matter of time, and with the amount of money they have to offer, that won't be long. 99% of footballers are mercanaries and WHEN they hit the top four - most likely in two seasons IMO - they will have Champions League football to offer. Let's not forget that Chelsea were in a similar position a few years ago and progressed remarkably quickly.

Even if City stopped their spending here, I'd still bet on them reaching the top six. I'll wait to see how the rest of the summer goes before predicting their final league position but, if they continue to purchase the quality that they have thus far, then I can see them pushing Arsenal all the way for fourth spot.

City are no doubt heading to the promised land but we are talking about a team that had over £100m spent last season and who performed very very averagely, remember they only just finished above Rovers and finished outside of the top 7. City are doing the building wrong and woith the wrong man at the helm.

They bought Given for the keepers job and supplemented the defence with Bridge. In the current back 4 they do not have a class act amongst the 9 players capable of playing in those other 3 slots.

In midfield they have now purchased Barry. Is he going to be the missing link for Kompany, de Jong and Ireland ? Is he bloody hell. That midfield is not better than Villa or Everton who both healthily saw off City in the rankings.

Up front they are courting Tevez, E'to to play with Robinho, Bellamy, Jo, benjani and Bojinov not to mention caceidos. Some top players but what is actually on offer for the proposed stars ? Nothing apoart from league football and maybe a cup run.

I havent even mentioned the other 24 squad players they have.

City, despite their wealth are light years away from the top 4. They cannot play the type of football like Arsenal or Liverpool. they havent the mentality of Chelsea or United. They will find it hard enough to get above Villa and Everton, even Fulham and Wham where the footballing prowess is being built season upon season.

City will no doubt at some point reach boiling point and finish in the top 4 but they are going to have to rely on either Arsenal or Liverpool going bust becasue like I said they are 7 years away from United and Chelsea.

Thats my view.

City will only progress quicker with a vastly more experienced team at the helm. They need a manager like Hiddink to take the team to the next level and then progress even further.

In Mark Hughes they havent got that knowledge.

[LeChuck]

One massive ego versus another

In midfield they have now purchased Barry. Is he going to be the missing link for Kompany, de Jong and Ireland ? Is he bloody hell. That midfield is not better than Villa or Everton who both healthily saw off City in the rankings.

You're right, it's not better...but City won't be playing anything like that midfield, Kompany is a centre back who got put in midfield because City didn't have a holding player. If Hughes keeps the same formation next season, he'll be playing something like this...

.... .De Jong Barry

SWP....Ireland...Robinho

Stick a top striker (Eto'o, Tevez) ahead of that and it's a very well balanced and talented attack. If they put Robinho more central they have Petrov to come in on the left side. I've never really rated Wright-Phillips so personally I think he's the weak link there now, but I'd say that's at least as good as Villa's and Everton's midfield on a man-to-man basis.

[JAL]

Heskey?? Id be gutted if we signed him.

Bent id like but i think he will go Sunderland.

Heskey is better than Bent Hughesy !

[alexanders]

Heskey is better than Bent Hughesy !

No way José!

[Mozzer]

is heskey better then bent??

heskey is just like roberts who will give defenders a problem but he doesnt score enough goals..

bent is a goalscorer-who has scored goals in the premierleague..

if your asking me which one id prefer for rovers and who will score plenty of goals-its darren bent..

[JAL]

No way José!

Too right, Bent is vastly overrated and nowhere near a team player that Heskey is.

I'll concede on ages, Bents several years more in him than Heskey which if the price was the same then thats the only thing to swing it for me.

[Fylde Coast Fan]

If Darren Bent plays 38 Premier League games a year he will score 15-20 goals. Back at Charlton when he was first name on the team sheet and full of confidence he was banging them in for fun.

Heskey, as has been stated, is a very different kind of player. He's a big physical holding striker who causes defenders problems but doesn't score many. Him and Bent playing together would be a higher budget Benni and Roberts from the season they worked well together.

[Hughesy]

I disagree too. Bent anyday of the week for me -

Bent vs Heskey

Stats based on league only:

Bent - 203 (47) - 96 goals - Ratio of 2.1 games per goal - Aged 25

Heskey - 420 (48) - 111 goals - Ratio of 3.8 games per goal - Aged 31