[Archived] Roque Santa Cruz Thread

[bigbrandjohn]

How about this for obtuse. By the time it comes to January Hughes is out on his ears and is picked up quickly by Sunderland. Hughes persuades Roque that Sunderland are a bigger club than City who dont want him, and persuades the Sunderland board to buy him. I wonder what the odds are ;-)

[John]

Also should point out. The club is in a massive battle now. We need everyone to pull together and fight with everything we have got to get out of this mess.

On the eve of a massive game (it really is if you look at the table), Roque Santa Cruz comes out with these types of comments. I think it is a complete disgrace.

People can blame Ince, but these comments from Cruz are best left unsaid at this moment in time.

[Amo]

Okay, so say we sold him for £18m, whatever. People are saying that would boost the £10m the board are supposedly squeezing out for Allardyce. But don't you think they'd withdraw that and just give him the Cruz booty instead?

[krislu]

£18 million plus £10 potentially from the board that is nearly £30 million, with Big Sam that could be potentially 6 top class players, I would suggest two of each, defenders, midfielders and strikers, a mouthwatering proposition...

Haha, how many times have we seen those "£m for him and bla bla, should give us..." If we sell Roque for £18m, then perhaps £6-7m will go back to the transfer kitty, at most.

[RoyRover]

I too find Roque's comments bang out of order and have over shadowed the feel good factor running through the club now that Sam is in charge. He didn't have to do any interview at all. He should be totally focused on helping us, the team he is contracted to, who pay his wages and who resurrected his career, get out of trouble. I'm feed up of players who are happy enough to use us and take our money and rediscover their form, before jumping ship at first chance. Man City may have a lot of money, but they aren't going anywhere fast either, I don't care who they sign. This will have a negative affect on the rest of the team, because now they are thinking that this guy doesn't want to be here. People should have been talking about a new regime and new sense of hope under Sam, now all the press will be focused in will be Sam having to keep us up without Roque. He has totally undercut the manager, who only yesterday said he wouldn't be selling anyone. I want to know what JW has to say about this and voices his disapproval of these comments.

[dopper69]

Not too down-hearted by tonights revelation to be honest. Twas expected.

Anything over 12 million (All to Rovers + BS) would be a decent price considering his current form and injury record. Too be frank for the 18 million thats being quoted any decent manager could compile a shotlist of strikers far greater than RSC.

If BS got say, 12 million from any RSC deal and 10 million from the board there could be 4 or 5 fantastic first team signings in January.

Edit - As a side note I hope JW fines the dopey git for disrupting team morale. Paraguaian mercenary!

[roversmum]

Roque is quite lucky to have been allowed to give the interview. I'm sure if Sam had known about it he would have stopped it. As it is, Roque will be left in no doubt of Sam's feelings on the matter, I am sure.

[lockers]

Dont need players like this right now, grow a set of balls or get out

[allanncd]

Get rid! This saga reminds me of Chris Sutton the last time Rovers were relegated. Having come off a great season sufficient to get in the England squad and with "big clubs" hovering Sutton developed a persistent ankle "injury" so he played a couple then missed half a dozen, came back unfit and frankly contributed nothing to what little fight Rovers put up against relegation. Sound familiar? Even if Rovers only net £15m after agent and player have taken their cut, Big Sam can surely find someone for much less and have funds to invest elsewhere? For example Dean Ashton for say £9m would not be a bad shout. Possibly another sicknote would be the downside. Apparently the RSC interview tonight was on his way back from hospital. Perhaps BS is just checking there is actual evidence of an injury?

[philipl]

First of all, Roque has a genuine problem which is hampering his mobility and Ince was ignoring medical advice and still playing him.

Secondly, there is a clause so anything short of £18m and Roque's cut and Roque stays at Ewood. Rovers got the clause amounts every time in the past- Bentley wasn't a clause.

[Pugg]

It's all a cunning plan by Sam to get all the talk away from our 'must-win' game and to get Stoke thinking we have want away players. Just you wait! He hasn't got a niggle and he'll get a shed load tomorrow...honest

[allanncd]

City won't sign a player with a long term problem ie if he won't be fit for a significant part of the remainder of the season. Might as well wait till summer and pick him up cheaper then. Hughes doesn't sign crocks (well apart from Dunn). That will leave Rovers with a very serious problem.

[John]

With the pressure growing on Hughes, I can see him being keener than ever signing players he has worked with before.

[bob fleming]

I too find Roque's comments bang out of order and have over shadowed the feel good factor running through the club now that Sam is in charge.

Not really Roy, I don't think so. It's not much of a shock to be honest. Yes, the service hasn't been there and he's been working for a bad 'un up until Wednesday. But he hasn't put it in this season as far as I'm concerned. A crying shame as on his day he's up there with the very best we've had in recent years.

If he's carrying an injury fair enough. And I agree that he may well have been put under pressure in the interview and given the wrong impression.

Tomorrow is all about Blackburn Rovers though (and of course Big Sam). The feel good factor is back and an ill timed, ill advised interview by a player who has contributed relatively little this season should not detract from that.

He's no favourite of mine but maybe it's Benni time. He looked a miles better player before Roque showed up - maybe this is the spark he needs should Roque leave. Someone has to score the goals! "He has it in his locker" after all doesn't he?

Regardless of the interview I was already thinking that it might be an idea to sell. Obviously you don't sell your best players - but refer to the above - it's not happened this season for one reason or another (probably lots). What can BS do with £15m? A lot I'd imagine - and hope.

[Bobby G]

Disappointing timing...

Its obvious he wants out and I can see it being orchestrated by City themselves.

Now hopefully City lose their next two and fall into the bottom 3...

I just listened to it and he explicitly states he wants to change sides, if an ambitious team comes in.

He will never play for a top 4 side, and I am sure he will pushed aside at Man City if he goes there cause Hughes wont last and bigger and better players will eventually join...Some players should know they will never be the top top player playing for a top side, but rather they need to be a star at a side like us. At Man City, if it goes to plan, players like Villa will eventually be playing there, maybe Buffon, etc...Santa Cruz, like Bellamy before him, and Keane as we see now, belongs in a team like us...

You can bet your bottom dollar, he wouldnt have been talking this way if we were mid-table pushing for a UEFA Cup spot right now, and he wouldnt have signed the new contract had he known this is how we would be playing.

With that said, he hasnt played well this season, despite the poor service, he hasnt been as clinical as last season...

[RibbleValleyRover]

I find the comments disgraceful, Roque has really gone down in my estimation. The timing is really, really bad. We should be uniting as one in order to fight our way out of this current plight not being divided by personal goals.

It really is out of character of Roque to do this, i suspect he has been tapped up by City and directed by his agent to come out with these comments.

Sam aint going to be happy about this thats for sure.

[Bobby G]

We will find a new hero. Players come and go but Blackburn Rovers will remain...

[rover6]

I hope Allardyce is lining up Henrik Pedersen to replace Cruz. What a coup that'd be.

Sardonic mode off.

The depressing thing about Cruz possibly leaving is that it might give other players ideas - Warnock, maybe.

[den]

Not really Roy, I don't think so. It's not much of a shock to be honest. Yes, the service hasn't been there and he's been working for a bad 'un up until Wednesday. But he hasn't put it in this season as far as I'm concerned. A crying shame as on his day he's up there with the very best we've had in recent years.

If he's carrying an injury fair enough. And I agree that he may well have been put under pressure in the interview and given the wrong impression.

Tomorrow is all about Blackburn Rovers though (and of course Big Sam). The feel good factor is back and an ill timed, ill advised interview by a player who has contributed relatively little this season should not detract from that.

He's no favourite of mine but maybe it's Benni time. He looked a miles better player before Roque showed up - maybe this is the spark he needs should Roque leave. Someone has to score the goals! "He has it in his locker" after all doesn't he?

Regardless of the interview I was already thinking that it might be an idea to sell. Obviously you don't sell your best players - but refer to the above - it's not happened this season for one reason or another (probably lots). What can BS do with £15m? A lot I'd imagine - and hope.

You know Bob, I agree with pretty much all of that. In particular this:

Tomorrow is all about Blackburn Rovers though (and of course Big Sam). The feel good factor is back and an ill timed, ill advised interview by a player who has contributed relatively little this season should not detract from that.

One point though. I'm by no means a fan of Man Utd, but hey, their players know how to deal with the media. Ever heard Paul Scholes do an interview? No, nor have I. Ever heard any of them do an interview? Not many. This is the approach that should be imposed by BRFC. They should do their talking away from the media and hopefully Sam is the man to deal with these outbursts. Clamp down on this kind of thing and insist, nay absolutely demand as taken, that they act professionally.

[Bobby G]

Big clubs can control their players, cause its a privilege playing for them. Other clubs dont have that "right" it seems.

[Billy Castell]

Then stuff the little toads Rover6. There are other players who need their careers rescuing and are cheap. Some are old, some have bad injury records, and some are forgotten and in the reserves. Friedel, Bellamy, RSC, Warnock, Hendry and Le Saux have all come and gone (or will one day go), usually with their reputation and value greatly enhanced. Now we have BFS, we will probably have a great scouting network, and contact list for these kind of deals. RSC goes, then how about some once highly rated Croatian playing in Turkey or whatever?

[bob fleming]

Ever heard Paul Scholes do an interview? No, nor have I. Ever heard any of them do an interview? Not many.

That's because Fergie removes their testicles when they sign for them. They get them back at the end of their career at OT. They wouldn't bloody dare. Unfortunately we're not The Biggest Club in the world Manchester so that isn't going to happen with us.

Players come, players go. Managers come, Paul Ince goes. Makes no odds. I think there's a lot of agreement in this thread. We should be p!ssed off with Roques comments but we're getting used to this happening.

Rover6 talks of signing young players who will improve and become world beaters. Well they won't be at BRFC very long will they? Look at Tugay - still a class act at 38 (just about) - signed for us at 31 (from memory) lucky still still be drawing breath at such an old age apparently. He's a legend now. Who'd buy him aged 35? It's not ideal by any means but that's where we're at. I blame the FA for giving all the power to the Premier League back in 92.

Any young player we buy or bring through who's of a certain quality will leave should a perceived "big club" come in for them. The money comes in handy though.

Having said that, you can count on the fingers of one hand (that's 4 and a thumb for any burnley viewers) those who have left in recent years and furthered their careers.

[den]

Big clubs can control their players, cause its a privilege playing for them. Other clubs dont have that "right" it seems.

Lot's of players left Man U over the years. They simply have a policy that the only person that speaks to the press, is the man that matters - Ferguson.

Time Rovers went the same way.

[Bobby G]

Who would those be?

May, Berg, and possibly Given although with no success for the latter...

Cant think of many more who left to higher plateaus, other than our boys who joined United.

[Blue n White Rover]

£18 million and the Taxis on me!

Thanks for everything Roque and good luck with the rest of your Career coz ya gonna need it lad!