[Archived] Roque Santa Cruz Thread

[thenodrog]

He's clearly going. I don't like it, but it's all about getting the best possible deal now.

Not much point in him staying now that according to the lower quality press he is pleading with BRFC to let him go. Aside from the fact that he should in fact save any pleading for the Arabs to stump up the asking price he'll soon have burnt his bridges with the intellectual hordes on the Blackburn End who by now will be preparing to give him the 'Lucas treatment'... big style.

It's all about money I guess. Despite the fact that Hughes will likely be gone by the time the ink is dry on any contract RSC is increasingly desperate to get his snout in the trough first. 'Pleez let me go Signor Weelliams, pleeez.... my ashent he say eet eeees very important I sign before the Citeee loose to Portismouth'.

[jonv]

santa has to stay.

is it so hard to understand that benni and jason will NOT score goals to win us matches on a constant basis.

unless we get a bid that matches that the cost of relegation to the club, there is no one suitable and of the same quality to bring into the team at this moment in time.. simple as that.

[Guest Kamy100]

The fact that Rovers have not come out and said that he is not for sale speaks volumes, I personally think that the decision has already been made to sell and now it is all about getting the best deal for the club. Very disappointing because it is going to be virtually impossible to get someone of Roque's quality at short notice. No matter what anyone says I firmly believe a fully fit Roque from now until the end of the season would score goals for us and be a threat. It is a shame that our board have not taken the stance that Middlesborough have with Downing.

[den]

Just caught the end of Sam's quotes on SSN.

"You can never say never" [Rocky moving to City].

"We will have to see what happens in conversations next week"

"We haven't considered a player swap."

"I'm more than confident about keeping him. He's contracted to us and there's no price that City could offer us that would be enough, - unless they blow us out of the water."

"We decide where and when he goes"

[Guest Kamy100]

Good on Sam for making those comments and also proves that talk in the press about player swops etc is incorrect.

[joey_big_nose]

Whether we win or lose on this only comes down to who Sam has identified. If he has got targets in mind who are available, of a good quality, a decent price and want to play for Rovers in the premiership we are in a good position, and should look to sell Roque for the right money.

If we don't then there is a strong argument for keeping him.

As we don't know who Sam has lined up it is virtually impossible to make any meaningful judgement.

[bellamy11]

Just caught the end of Sam's quotes on SSN.

"You can never say never" [Rocky moving to City].

"We will have to see what happens in conversations next week"

"We haven't considered a player swap."

"I'm more than confident about keeping him. He's contracted to us and there's no price that City could offer us that would be enough, - unless they blow us out of the water."

"We decide where and when he goes"

If that's the case, he may as well have said "Roque will be leaving the club almost immediately".

[67splitscreen]

Just caught the end of Sam's quotes on SSN.

"You can never say never" [Rocky moving to City].

"We will have to see what happens in conversations next week"

"We haven't considered a player swap."

"I'm more than confident about keeping him. He's contracted to us and there's no price that City could offer us that would be enough, - unless they blow us out of the water."

"We decide where and when he goes"

.

Love the last two quotes, just how a manager should talk with regard want away players. Sends a clear message to both player and suitor.

Sounds as though 20m may not even get him.

[den]

Just to be clear, they were quotes attributed to Allardyce by a SSN reporter. Allardyce said they politely refused an offer yesterday - so the quotes were from this morning.

[T4E]

If that's the case, he may as well have said "Roque will be leaving the club almost immediately".

Which we all know to be the case, anyway.

[my_name_is_Earl]

I'm surprised with Roque's immediate demands to leave. We gave him the opportunity to play regular first team football and gave him the move to England when others may have shunned him and this is the thanks we get. If City were to come in with a large bid and it were to be accepted then I can understand him wanting to move on. But going out of his way to gain a move is disappointing.

I've always said we should flog him if the right money comes in. I don't think he is as important a player as Bentley was to us when he left and I think we'll survive regardless of who is playing for us come the end of the season.

Very disappointed with Hughes as well. I respect him for the job he did here but his ridiculous comments to the media seem to indicate he wants to burn all bridges with the Rovers fans. I, for one, will be laughing when he finally gets sacked.

[den]

I've always said we should flog him if the right money comes in. I don't think he is as important a player as Bentley was to us when he left and I think we'll survive regardless of who is playing for us come the end of the season.

So if Rocky goes and Benni gets injured, we'll be OK?

[T4E]

So if Rocky goes and Benni gets injured, we'll be OK?

To replace him we'll need to find a striker that can score 4 goals in half a season. I reckon we'll cope.

[67splitscreen]

To replace him we'll need to find a striker that can score 4 goals in half a season. I reckon we'll cope.

Sort of comment we would have got from Ince in the same circumstances.

[BuckyRover]

So if Rocky goes and Benni gets injured, we'll be OK?

Probably not. But if Benni gets injured and Roque stays we still won't be ok, because Roque has only scored 3 goals this year and has hardly played.

We need Rocky to leave, new players to come in and ideally Benni not to get injured.

[T4E]

Sort of comment we would have got from Ince in the same circumstances.

Possibly! Although I'm sure he would have made reference to the positive impact of Robbie Fowler in the same breath.

[tchocky]

To replace him we'll need to find a striker that can score 4 goals in half a season. I reckon we'll cope.

Well, that's if we are intending to have the same (relegation) form in the second half of the season - which we clearly dont!

Rocky needs to start contributing to the cause or we need a new quality replacement in before he's out the door.

[Guest Kamy100]

To replace him we'll need to find a striker that can score 4 goals in half a season. I reckon we'll cope.

I would say that to replace him we would need to get someone who has the ability to score 10-12 goals from now until the end of the season which Roque has.

Signing quality strikers in January is usually very difficult, especially if you are working on a limited budget.

[T4E]

I agree - I was just pointing out that on the evidence of this season we are losing very little and gaining a lot.

[RevidgeBlue]

I agree - I was just pointing out that on the evidence of this season we are losing very little and gaining a lot.

How does banking a load of cash and (as with Bentley) not replacing him constitute "gaining a lot"?.

We'd just be left still facing a relegation battle, only one very good player down.

[T4E]

Goodness me Revidge, do you really want me to reply to that?!

Obviously we would need to spend some of that cash on a replacement. My original post covered that.

[BuckyRover]

Apps Goals Assists

Bayern 32 7 -

Bayern 19 5 -

Bayern 32 8 -

Bayern 14 5 -

Bayern 37 6 -

Bayern 4 - -

Bayern 15 4 -

Bayern 35 3 -

Blackburn 43 23 8

Blackburn 10 3 1

*Correct 26/10/08

Not gonna happen is it?

[RevidgeBlue]

Obviously we would need to spend some of that cash on a replacement. My original post covered that.

Our recent experience tends to show that simply doesn't work.

We sold Duff and nearly got relegated two consecutive seasons running.

We sold Bentley, didn't reinvest the proceeds and look where we are now.

And now in the depths of a relegation scrap we're contemplating selling RSC as well? Insanity.

[gumboots]

Apps Goals Assists

Bayern 32 7 -

Bayern 19 5 -

Bayern 32 8 -

Bayern 14 5 -

Bayern 37 6 -

Bayern 4 - -

Bayern 15 4 -

Bayern 35 3 -

Blackburn 43 23 8

Blackburn 10 3 1

*Correct 26/10/08

Not gonna happen is it?

What isn't?

[BuckyRover]

He isn't going to "save" our season. I wouldn't be surprised if he was sat at home in a Man City shirt, whilst texting Mark Hughes.

If we don't sell him ASAP, IMO he is not going to save our season and will we have on our books a striker on 50k p/w who just can't be bothered.

That is what the Bayern fans thought of him, he never "pulled his finger out" and knuckled down. It just got to a point where his value hit 3m and Hughes took a chance on him (NO OTHER CLUB WANTED ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIM).

Is Hughes a genius or did everybody else know (generally) what he is like. I don't think anybody expected him to do so well last season, but in some circles is our current predicament unexpected? I don't think Bayern fans would say so.