[Archived] Nicko's Thread Part 3

[nicko]

If Bolton played so terribly then there's no way the likes of Okocha, Diouf and Anelka would have been able to play consistently well. They all need the ball at their feet in the final third, so it can't have all been about lumping it forward and playing percentages. In fact, you can be certain Anelka would have kicked up a fuss if he was just expected to try and head everything and feed off scraps.

Okocha, Diouf and Anelka were fabukously well paid.

Jay-Jay was on a fortune in 2002, Diouf came for a large packet and Anelka was on £75,000-a-week.

Another point Rovers need to consider before buying into this 'New Bolton' idea...all this 'bargain basement genius' stuff does not quite add up.

[spencey7]

If Bolton played so terribly then there's no way the likes of Okocha, Diouf and Anelka would have been able to play consistently well. They all need the ball at their feet in the final third, so it can't have all been about lumping it forward and playing percentages. In fact, you can be certain Anelka would have kicked up a fuss if he was just expected to try and head everything and feed off scraps.

Wow.

Somebody finally came out and said it. So Bolton's "style" under Allardyce wasn't that bad?

There's no point even discussing this with you - I can only be grateful that you BFFS fans are the tiny minority of Rovers supporters.

[thenodrog]

What do you mean? I was too busy marking exam papers - it's part of what they pay me for. I had been discussing the Rovers job in my free time but suddenly realised the pressing urgency of the task i was supposed to be performing - the kids were coming in shortly after that and I hadn't calculated their percentage marks so it had to be done. sometimes you have to have a bit of self-discipline even though you'd rather deal with more important issues.

Yes but you hardly needed to post a message on here just to tell us that! No sick notes must mean instant detention in your classes eh gumboots?

Anyway I'm just off for a pee..... then I'm going to make another brew...... back in a minute.

[LeChuck]

Okocha, Diouf and Anelka were fabukously well paid.

Oh I don't doubt it, but they still need the ball at their feet in the right areas to perform, regardless of how much they're paid.

I'd like to think John Williams could negotiate stronger deals for us than Gartside or whoever was dealing with that side for Bolton.

[Head Rover Heels]

Long balls crashed towards the corner flags as part of a long throw-propelled percentage game may have worked for a while at Bolton but the stakes are higher and the fans more demanding at Newcastle.

His squad grew bored during interminable team meetings about how "to stop" opponents, and one brave player once asked: "But what do you want us to do when we're on the ball?"

Sir Bobby Robson became so concerned about the lack of style at the team he once managed that he urged Allardyce publicly to "pass it shorter and play carpet football". As obdurate as he could be arrogant, Allardyce responded by using his regular column in Zoo magazine to opine that people "were talking rubbish" about Newcastle's perceived lack of style.

1)So they're arguing that Newcastle wanted prettier football, that's all.

2)Newcastles main problem was that they couldn't keep a clean sheet to save their lives. On the ball would have to come secondary, Sparky "started from the back" here - Sounds like their players just weren't willing to listen to criticism.

3)They were talking rubbish - Carpet football when you cannot grind out a single result, or concede less than two goals per match is no good to anyone.

I'm not, by a long way, in the BFS for Rovers camp, but it's clear that he had a hard time at Newcastle, trying to turn around a god awful team in an incredibly short amount of time with no backing from the board (As in constantly being undermined by rumours of sacking) and by a bunch of the most fickle and bizarrely expectant/demanding fans there are.

[American]

Wow.

Somebody finally came out and said it. So Bolton's "style" under Allardyce wasn't that bad?

There's no point even discussing this with you - I can only be grateful that you BFFS fans are the tiny minority of Rovers supporters.

You sound like a Newcastle supporter. Would rather us get relegated playing pretty football instead of being successful.

Oh wait, time for you to spout about 6 months while ignoring the prior 4 years....

[gazsimm]

Yes but you hardly needed to post a message on here just to tell us that! No sick notes must mean instant detention in your classes eh gumboots?

Anyway I'm just off for a pee..... then I'm going to make another brew...... back in a minute.

do us all a favour and don't come back at all!!!

[thenodrog]

Another little scoop followed up...

http://www.eatsleepsport.com/blackburn-rov...ted-744885.html

From that link....

"He told icwales: "It looks like Jason is staying at Blackburn now from what I have seen,"

Hmmm must think he'll fit right into BFS's game plan as No 1 striker after RSC goes to MU and Sam throttles Benny.

[LeChuck]

Wow.

Somebody finally came out and said it. So Bolton's "style" under Allardyce wasn't that bad?

There's no point even discussing this with you - I can only be grateful that you BFFS fans are the tiny minority of Rovers supporters.

It's not as horrific as you're trying to make out.

I can remember seeing quite a few Bolton games over the Allardyce era and it wasn't terrible to watch. It was always fully committed and they usually created chances, and they always had the odd flair player worth watching. There are loads of dull teams in the Premiership who try to pass it around on the ground because they believe it's the right thing to do, but without top quality attacking players they just knock it around in the midfield for a while before the attack fizzles out. That to me is more boring than a team playing long balls, at least the ball ends up in the 'action' areas more often.

And, for the record, I'm not an Allardyce fan, I'm just trying to put a bit of reality amongst all the hysteria surrounding him by saying he wouldn't be an awful choice if we fail to capture other names on the list.

[gazsimm]

will we hear anythiing today Nicko to see how well the the Big Fat Sam's interview was

[Exiled_Rover]

Another little scoop followed up...

http://www.eatsleepsport.com/blackburn-rov...ted-744885.html

That doesn't make much sense. Why would you give up hope of landing Roberts because the Rovers board knocked you back? They seem to be a pretty professional bunch, they're not going to sell players without a manager - and if the new boss has anything about him Roberts is going to be one of the first out the door as it is.

[philipl]

I was in the "take BFS if we have to" camp but skim reading the last 30 pages has swung me more into the "please no BFS" persuasion.

[nicko]

From that link....

"He told icwales: "It looks like Jason is staying at Blackburn now from what I have seen,"

Hmmm must think he'll fit right into BFS's game plan as No 1 striker after RSC goes to MU and Sam throttles Benny.

I can think of about 28,000 weekly reasons why he wouldn't fancy Cardiff.

[spencey7]

Newcastles main problem was that they couldn't keep a clean sheet to save their lives. On the ball would have to come secondary, Sparky "started from the back" here.

Three of the back four (Beye, Rozenhal and Cacapa) during the Allardyce era were signed by BFFS himself. Amounting to £5m.

[nicko]

will we hear anythiing today Nicko to see how well the the Big Fat Sam's interview was

Will be trying...if it goes well he will be bellowing it all over.

[leftfooter]

1)So they're arguing that Newcastle wanted prettier football, that's all.

2)Newcastles main problem was that they couldn't keep a clean sheet to save their lives. On the ball would have to come secondary, Sparky "started from the back" here - Sounds like their players just weren't willing to listen to criticism.

3)They were talking rubbish - Carpet football when you cannot grind out a single result, or concede less than two goals per match is no good to anyone.

I'm not, by a long way, in the BFS for Rovers camp, but it's clear that he had a hard time at Newcastle, trying to turn around a god awful team in an incredibly short amount of time with no backing from the board (As in constantly being undermined by rumours of sacking) and by a bunch of the most fickle and bizarrely expectant/demanding fans there are.

I'd like to see HTC or Martinez given priority consideration before BFS.

Ince, with his disparagement of his own club West Ham and Rovers, show a personality trait that's not suitable for where we should be going.

I will say about BFS though, just to give the debate perspective; take a look at the Bolton fan pages and the BEN, and you will see a general appreciation for the man that now manifests itself in BFS nostalgia.

[Guest Kamy100]

Sam's signing's at Bolton to begin with were superb, however talking their fans it becomes apparent that the signings he made in his last season and also those at Newcastle were poor (partiuclarly defenders). I am not his biggest fan and would rather have someone else mainly because of the style of football he prefers, however if appointed it would not mean instantaneous relegation, he has a proven track record of retaining Premier League football. However, what we would see at Ewood would be Rovers playing functional football which to be honest is not a prospect I am looking forward too.

[spencey7]

You sound like a Newcastle supporter. Would rather us get relegated playing pretty football instead of being successful.

Oh wait, time for you to spout about 6 months while ignoring the prior 4 years....

How is the Newcastle spell irrelevant?

Do you appreciate that Allardyce had SIX YEARS to implement his policies at Bolton before they achieved a Top 8 finish?

[gazsimm]

Will be trying...if it goes well he will be bellowing it all over.

so lets all hope for silence

[b12_simon]

will we hear anythiing today Nicko to see how well the the Big Fat Sam's interview was

I very much doubt it as there are other candidates left to see.

Unless a candidate gets rejected and runs crying to the press the first thing we'll hear is the chairman announcing the lucky winner.

[novella]

Will be trying...if it goes well he will be bellowing it all over.

lets hope a car drove through a puddle and soaked him on his way to ewood

[RibbleValleyRover]

A change of subject might be good:

Nicko, i'm just a bit curious about the timing of the annoucement that Scolari would be the next Chelsea manager. With Portugal being in a major competition i thought any distractions would not help. Have you heard any comments from the Portugal FA about the timing of the annoucement, are they not happy about it?

[thenodrog]

Okocha, Diouf and Anelka were fabukously well paid.

Jay-Jay was on a fortune in 2002, Diouf came for a large packet and Anelka was on £75,000-a-week.

Another point Rovers need to consider before buying into this 'New Bolton' idea...all this 'bargain basement genius' stuff does not quite add up.

Allardyces style was to pay big salaries to players who came as free agents or very cheap cost they were close to the end of their contracts. What else could he do cos

1. Gartside wouldn't back him with millions in the transfer market?

2. The players were in the last few years of their careers with a rapidly disappearing sell-on value?

It's obvious that the Bolton board made the rules and Allardyce simply had to work within them. No criticism is due.

[gbax]

If he gets the job and you still go, then it's you I feel for.

I don't think the gravity of exactly how grave this situation is can be getting through to fans.

To think that right about now Allardyce is spouting bull**** about ProZone, his own "brand of football" and the benefits of stupid earpieces to our board is enough to make me sick.

Mark Hughes used ProZone (it's already set up at Brockall), not sure about the ear piece thou.

[LeChuck]

How is the Newcastle spell irrelevant?

Do you appreciate that Allardyce had SIX YEARS to implement his policies at Bolton before they achieved a Top 8 finish?

It took him FOUR YEARS to do. I'll try and spell it out a little easier for you as you seem to be getting slightly confused.

He took over when they were in the lower half of Division One and led them to the play-offs, where they failed. They also reached League and FA Cup semis this year.

The next year he got them in to the play offs again, where they this time succeeded in getting promoted.

The next two years were spent stabilising in the Premiership. How many clubs come up and stay up for 2 years? Not many.

The following season he got them to finish 8th (including cup final appearance), starting a run of four consecutive top-eight finishes.

I fail to see how you can twist that in to anything other than a fantastic period for a manger. Virtually no other club that has come from the lower leagues has had success like that recently.