[Archived] Nicko's Thread Part 3

[Brownie]

Even when she's had a sex change and aint a 'bird' no more Brownie?

I'm starting to feel like Ian Holloway !

[RevidgeBlue]

I am picking up worrying rumours that there are some people on the board who would rather go for the cheap and hungry option...so frankly I don't know what way this will work out now.

The obvious choice was staring us in the face all along then.

Steve Cotterill it is.

He must be positively ravenous by now.

[daren]

I have to say, my preferences are Bilic or ten Cate, but if they DO decide to go "cheap'n'hungry" I would prefer Martinez over just about anyone else. They guy has something - and is very familiar with the Spanish market with good contacts (for reasons I don't know, he's been in the UK for over 10 years!).

I just have a feeling we'll hear more about him in the future

[USABlue]

Nicko, two questions:

Any idea on the latest with Lafferty, and what's the latest on the Chelsea job, seems to have gone very quiet?

Cheers!

Try this place, amongst your own Good place for Dingle Question

[Silencio]

If the rumours about us skimping are true then it's an absolute joke. We have just received 5 million and need to get this appointment right or we could totally unravel. I get the feeling JW knows this but other members of the board are the ones who don't care...

I hope they go for who's good for the job, not who's cheap...

[USABlue]

I am picking up worrying rumours that there are some people on the board who would rather go for the cheap and hungry option...so frankly I don't know what way this will work out now.

Puzzled.

More than puzzled. Seems like a false economy to me. Jeopordise 30 odd Million a year for a percentage reduction in a Managers salary. Oh just great, let's see how Mr Williams does with this one.

[philipl]

It's a small enough board to be able to keep its mouth shut, surely?

[Paul]

Best barometer is wages paid and I'm pretty sure we weren't 7th in that category. As for using the rose tinted views of messageboard members as a true gauge, well frankly I'm speechless.

I don't know where we stand but I'm sure JW works on the basis that if you have the 10th highest wage bill (for example) you will, on average, finish most seasons around 10th. There will be seasons when the team overachieves and underachieves but wages / league postion have a very close link.

[philipl]

There was a league table of wages published for 06/7 and we were 10th or 11th.

However, what was clear was that apart from the top 4 and Newcastle being off in a world of their own (particularly Chelsea who were paying a massive 40% more than the number 2- Man U) and the bottom 3 or 4, all the clubs in the middle were pretty tightly bunched in terms of actual money spent on wages. West Ham had upped their wages by 50% and jumped from 15th to 5th- there was of course a general increase in players wages so the relative increase by West Ham was well under 40%.

Back to the cheap and cheerful thing nicko raised.

Bothroyd and Martinez are not that cheap and cheerful as they have existing contracts to be bought out.

In fact of all the names we have heard so far, Shearer with his two year contract at the BBC is probably the most expensive by some distance to be winkled out of his current employment.

[PAFELL]

There was a league table of wages published for 06/7 and we were 10th or 11th.

However, what was clear was that apart from the top 4 and Newcastle being off in a world of their own (particularly Chelsea who were paying a massive 40% more than the number 2- Man U) and the bottom 3 or 4, all the clubs in the middle were pretty tightly bunched in terms of actual money spent on wages. West Ham had upped their wages by 50% and jumped from 15th to 5th- there was of course a general increase in players wages so the relative increase by West Ham was well under 40%.

Back to the cheap and cheerful thing nicko raised.

Bothroyd and Martinez are not that cheap and cheerful as they have existing contracts to be bought out.

In fact of all the names we have heard so far, Shearer with his two year contract at the BBC is probably the most expensive by some distance to be winkled out of his current employment.

With regards to Shearer and his contract, did you notice Linekers comment on motd last night about shearer having time to read the small print in his contract.

[philipl]

"Spurs make Roque their top target" Bentley will be disappointed.

Hughes moving for Samba?

[Eddie]

If we decide to go for the cheap option then I think that would push me to the view that the fans would have to start calling for the board to go.

[philipl]

A claim here that Scolari is going to be the new boss of Chelsea.

There are other reports that Abramovich spent most of yesterday in art galleries and show rooms in Switzerland. And there is a large cream coloured superyacht back on its berth in Malta.

[bubblerrovers]

If we decide to go for the cheap option then I think that would push me to the view that the fans would have to start calling for the board to go.

Why are people surprised we may go for the cheap option??? the whole reason we're looking for a new manager is we're a club with little money! Why replace the board? who else would come in and do anything different?? It's all about the money

[nicko]

A claim here that Scolari is going to be the new boss of Chelsea.

The report is a little bit vague...and the way Chelsea have been cocking it up you couldn't be sure that they have anyone yet.

[Earlydoors]

1 - Man City don't have that much money unless they do a lot wheeling and dealing. They may even have spent a big part of their budget in the 'up front' payment for the manager.

Whaaat ? I thought the whole point was they had £ 65m to spend this year alone, with a possible £ 300m ready to be raked from the Thai people. Is it more of an Everton situation where they have say £ 10m transfer kitty then some money men who provide injection now and then ?

[The Gull]

Whaaat ? I thought the whole point was they had £ 65m to spend this year alone, with a possible £ 300m ready to be raked from the Thai people. Is it more of an Everton situation where they have say £ 10m transfer kitty then some money men who provide injection now and then ?

My thinking is that these deals for Ronaldinho and Jo and being brokered by Jorachapain (however you spell his name, you know who I mean, the dodgy fellow that dealt with Tevez and Mascharano) and therefore they could actually only be loaning them as was the case with the two argies.

I could be wrong, but I have been led to believe by people close to Rovers that they were extremely surprised by the claims of the transfer budget being made available to Hughes due to the actual lack of liquid funds at citeh.

It seems they could be in for a roller coaster ride at the City of Manchester stadium, but at the end of it they may have no assets to show for it and will be paying agents through the nose for the leasing of their players.

This is all hearsay, but it seems to be pretty common knowledge that Frank Sinatra is having trouble getting his hands on his* money.

* He know claims it to be his after fleecing the Thai people, allegedly that is.

[nicko]

It's not hearsay, your info is right.

[nicko]

Any news about the take over Nicko?

I understand that Chris Ronnie and his team have asked for this 'period of exclusivity' which lets them look through the books and decide whether to make an offer or not - and obviously what exact level to pitch it at.

There is some frustration on their side as they have not had some vital info from the club, but it may come at any time.

There should also be confidentiality letters signed soon, so it might become hard to find out what exactly is happening.

I have heard a bit of propaganda being put around behind the scenes against Ronnie - and I wonder what the motives are for this.

I thought the club was looking for a buyer, but it seems some are not quite as keen to let go of power.

This has suddenly become a crucial time in your club's history - not just deciding a boss, but a future path.

On the boss front I think there will be approaches made today, but they will try to keep it as quiet as possible.

Still, it makes it more fun finding out...

[nicko]

Clutching at straws here but maybe they don't want a similar type to Mike Ashley taking over (for whatever reason). After reading this, looks like they're close pals.

Chris Ronnie also worked with and for Dave Whelan...

I think the issue here may be personal between him and someone at the club.

[philipl]

If it is to be kept on the QT, could it be because there are candidates below the radar/contracted elsewhere/at Euro08?

As Trustees, it cannot be a personal power game. There are obviously other considerations coming into play.

Access to books does not equate to a period of exclusivity. Non-disclosure agreements should suffice and by letting on that letters of confidentiality have not been exchanged yet, you are effectively saying Rovers and Ronnie have not even reached base camp.

PS Please don't get hung up about "talking to Rothschilds". They are the equivalent of an estate agent but they sell companies instead of houses. In a thin market (which it is now) they will talk to anyone especially if they have bought before.

[nicko]

If it is to be kept on the QT, could it be because there are candidates below the radar/contracted elsewhere/at Euro08?

As Trustees, it cannot be a personal power game. There are obviously other considerations coming into play.

Access to books does not equate to a period of exclusivity. Non-disclosure agreements should suffice and by letting on that letters of confidentiality have not been exchanged yet, you are effectively saying Rovers and Ronnie have not even reached base camp.

PS Please don't get hung up about "talking to Rothschilds". They are the equivalent of an estate agent but they sell companies instead of houses. In a thin market (which it is now) they will talk to anyone especially if they have bought before.

I think Rovers will talk to some managers who are in contract - just hope they don't get caught by the paparazzi.

On the takeover there strikes me as being the sound of feet being dragged here - on the club's side.

Don't know why you are undermining Rothschilds as they have been looking for a buyer for the Trustees for quite some time.

Still, if the club doesn't really want a buyer I think we should be told...

[Eddie]

Why are people surprised we may go for the cheap option??? the whole reason we're looking for a new manager is we're a club with little money! Why replace the board? who else would come in and do anything different?? It's all about the money

Two reasons:

1) Hughes must have been fairly well paid. He resigned his contract a couple of times and must have had a pay increase each time, so he would have been at least a mid-level Premiership earner, if not above, which by general standards is a huge amount of money and would mean that offering the same pay to virtually any of the candidates we are looking at would have them interested.

2) We've just collected 5 million for Hughes going to City, so money shouldn't really be an issue. When you then consider that a couple of the best candidates are currently unemployed, it simply doesn't make sense that finances should really factor into this one. Anyone looking to defend the board when it comes to the tightening of the purse strings over the past 5 or so years can do it when it comes to reducing transfer funds, but when it comes to looking to profit from losing a manager by reducing wages it is taking it a step to far. At that point you are going beyond simply living within our means and are actually actively choosing finances over results, which in football simply isn't really an option. It is the very fear that any new owner might looking at profits rather than points that has many against a takeover, it would be a kick in the teeth to see the current owners do it.

[herbergeehh]

A bit OT, Nicko, but Norwegian newspapers claim Roma are negotiating a deal for Riise? Christ, we hear enough about Riise's fantastic relationship with Steven Gerrard, now he'll try to make Totti his best pal too. Agent talk, I hope? (I think their sources are Times)

[philipl]

I'm not undermining Rothschilds- simply saying that they will be on a retainer plus success fee basis. Therefore they will talk to anyone whom they screen in as being worthwile talking to (assets, track record, reputation).

Their job then is both a selling one of the Rovers as proposition with a set of unique and desirable characteristics (I hesitate to use terms like investment opportunity) and a screening one to decide whether they should bother the Rovers Board and the Walker Trustees with the prospective/aspirant purchaser.

If there is a poor fit between their brief and the person in front of them, they will work hard to convince the possible buyer to see things in the most positive way possible and look to engineer a deal if they see there is any coceivable way of doing it.

At the end of the day Rothschilds would like their success fee and obviously in the case of the Rovers they are having to work very hard and talk to some poor-fit candidates in the process. And please don't take it I am saying Chris Ronnie is a poor fit- I don't know anything to be able to comment- but the fact he has been on the scene as long as he has and not got anywhere of substance yet suggests an absence of good fit.

By contrast, Dan Williams was an obvious "very poor fit" candidate to buy the club even to complete outsiders.