[Archived] Nicko's Thread Part 3

[Earlydoors]

Rangers have not come in, but Derby would sell - they want money for several strikers.

I think Rangers will bid for another striker before the end of the week...and it won't be Miller.

What is the deal with Kenny Miller.. is he premier league standard or not ?

I remember him as scoring important frequent goals in glasgow and for scotland. Then Derby sign him for 4m ! Why would he go there as he seemed far better than the rest of the squad. Had to assume he had good relationship with Billy Davies. He started well with good movement and prepared to shoot and score from 20 yards but than as the reality of his move sank in, combined with a lack of service the goals dried up.

I could see him partnering Santa Cruz for Rovers - as I said good Movement. Surely he must be in the 2.5m region. Worth a punt ?

[EwoodGlory]

Cheers Nicko,

I'm sure Alan Smith would do OK in the SPL, but the transfer fee and wages would be a bit high, I would have thought they can spend there money a bit wiser.

Luke Moore has also been linked, but to be honest I've not seen to much of him, so not sure if he would be right or not.

[modes98]

I hope and pray thats not true. We the axe for our allocated non footballing player.

True. He isn't as bad as the axe but i have seen little to say he is worth a punt.

[nicko]

Alan Smith?

No.

[rover6]

The point I am making is that 12 years ago far more of the world's very best players were in Serie A than are in the Premiership now. And 12 years ago, players of enormous international standing were plying their trade at clubs outside of Italy's Juve, AC, Inter elite as well with world beaters at clubs like Sampdoria, Parma, Udinese, Fiorentina, Napoli and even places like Bari and Atalanta, not forgetting Roma and Lazio. Many of them were happy to stay and play a large proportion of their careers at those so-called lesser clubs.

I think the fact that for all its wealth, the EPL is not able to do the same is down to three factors:

- the strangulation by the Top 4 making the bottom 16 a less attractive proposition

- the ridiculously over-tight UK immigration rules applied to football

- the fans not appreciating that Wigan can and have every right to kick sand in the face of Benfica in the transfer market and therefore not expecting that the JJB should be attracting the best players away from Lisbon.

Philip, I think I understand what you're getting at but your three suggested explanations are too narrow.

Regarding, the third, about the fans - that's off-the-mark. It's not the fans that have scouts dotted all over the world at their beck and call, or "super agents" on speed dial, or influential football luminaries in the phone book. It's the managers and backroom staff of the clubs - and the chairmen. If you want to criticise English clubs for not being more daring on the international transfer front, you must target these guys - not the fans. There are all sorts of reasons for English clubs coming short in this foreign market. A few including:

(a) British managers don't have the knowledge or contacts abroad that the likes of Wenger has.

(B.) The British game is thought not to suit the more brittle, fancy Dan-inho.

(c.) Too many non-English speaking foreign players is sometimes considered to threaten team morale by dividing the dressing room.

Such factors, whether valid or not, can influence the sort and number of foreign targets British clubs have. Imo, factor (A), is the most crucial. And that's not to mention other external factors that make smaller British clubs less of an attractive proposition for foreigners: climate, style of football, managerial styles, absence of winter break, language barrier, food (very under-rated factor!) and so on.

(BTW Wigan to get Chimbonda for peanuts.)

I hope and pray thats not true. We have the axe for our allocated non footballing player.

Chalk and cheese, Cocker. Ghaly, having made his name in Dutch football, is a technically gifted player. He hasn't made the transition well - perhaps his attitude is suspect but he definitely has talent. Would be a very good signing imo because I believe that Hughes would get the best out of him. He's a footballer, unlike Mokoena.

[Dunnfc]

Edgar Davids is supposedly leaving Ajax, and apparently hes going to Newcastle on a free. - This has got to be a joke surely?

[joey_big_nose]

Apparently city are showing interest in Zabaleta. Price quoted is 15m ?!? Barmy.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3591147,00.html

[Esulx]

Nicko... any truth in this Giles Barnes story on Clubcall?

http://www.clubcall.com/index.jsp?storyID=338705

[nicko]

Nicko... any truth in this Giles Barnes story on Clubcall?

http://www.clubcall.com/index.jsp?storyID=338705

None whatsoever.

[Esulx]

Thank God for that... dont think he's as good as a lot of people make out.

[gumboots]

By the way Arsenal have made a bid for Samir Nasri at Marseille....someone asked the other day and it seems to be on.

That's been obvious since Nasri emerged as being any good at all. The French call Arsenal "Our Premier League team" and there are more Arsenal fans in France than over here now. Add to that that London is the 6th largest French city. Nasri was superb when I watched him at Lorient back at Easter and if the price of about 12 miliion pounds is right they could have robbed Marseille and got themselves another bargain. If he settles here he will be superb.

[Oklahoma]

"Duo keen on Sporting star - Daily Mail

Middlesbrough and Bolton are ready to do battle for Sporting Lisbon striker Simon Vukcevic. Would Vukcevic be a good signing for either club? "

I would like to see him playing for Rovers. He can play as a forward or midfielder, scores goals and he is unhappy in Sporting.

[Eddie]

That's been obvious since Nasri emerged as being any good at all. The French call Arsenal "Our Premier League team" and there are more Arsenal fans in France than over here now. Add to that that London is the 6th largest French city. Nasri was superb when I watched him at Lorient back at Easter and if the price of about 12 miliion pounds is right they could have robbed Marseille and got themselves another bargain. If he settles here he will be superb.

United remain the most popular side in France.

As for Nasri, he's a good talent, but not an amazing player.

[gumboots]

United remain the most popular side in France.

As for Nasri, he's a good talent, but not an amazing player.

United are the most popular side everywhere because everyone's heard of them but you don't here French people saying "our Premier league team" with reference to them. Nasri's young and how he does depends on how he settles obviously but I still think he will be superb if he does settle.

[Eddie]

To be fair, I've never heard a French person say "our prermier league team" about Arsenal either.

[Iceman]

Alan Smith?

Good God,Alan Smith should be chained to a goal post or something maybe then well just maybe he might score a goal

[nicko]

"Duo keen on Sporting star - Daily Mail

Middlesbrough and Bolton are ready to do battle for Sporting Lisbon striker Simon Vukcevic. Would Vukcevic be a good signing for either club? "

I would like to see him playing for Rovers. He can play as a forward or midfielder, scores goals and he is unhappy in Sporting.

I saw him score at Bolton in the UEFA Cup...and so did Megson.

From the sound of it he is available. A good finisher, but maybe not the quickest. He's a bit like Roque, so I don't think he would be a Rovers target just now.

[Oklahoma]

I think Hughes will only try to buy a forward if any of the ones we have leave...

I hope Roberts does

[LeChuck]

As for Nasri, he's a good talent, but not an amazing player.

If Nasri has any sense he'll take any offer Arsenal present him.

He's young, French and talented...surely Wenger can't fail to make him in to a world class player?

[gumboots]

To be fair, I've never heard a French person say "our prermier league team" about Arsenal either.

then you don't move in the same circles in France as I do!

[ihateburnley]

I think Roberts is worth hanging onto, I really do. I know it's been done to death to be fair, but I wouldn't have offered McCarthy a contract and he'd be the one leaving for me in the summer. I know Roberts has his doubters and can be guilty of the odd bad miss, but a hard work ethic and his pace and power will always CREATE chances for himself and others. McCarthy is more likely to put them away, but he doesn't get as many clear cut chances and that can worry me because it's not only himself that that affects - it also affects the success of his strike partner.

In my opinion, unless we can bring in a striker of immense quality that will undoubtedly improve our forward line, we should concentrate 100% on bringing in a creative midfielder of class, and a defender that can possibly can play both rightback and centreback. I feel if everyone is happy with their roles, then the strike department of Cruz, Roberts, McCarthy and Derbyshire (swell as Gallagher for backup) is good enough. The problem is, is if (I suspect it soon maybe the case) Derbyshire and Gallagher feel they need first team football immediately - then we would need to bring in another.

I'd say Rigters needs to be off on-loan for the season because imo that's the only way he is ever going to improve.

[joey_big_nose]

I am also in favour of keeping Roberts. He offers the forward line two things that none of our other strikers can do:

1) physical presence (Cruz is a big guy but he does not compete man on man with the opposition centrebacks)

2) pace

If we got rid of him then we would actually find ourselves in the bizarre position of having no proper "striker" in the traditional sense of the word. In McCarthy and Santa Cruz we have two players who like to come deep, and Derbyshire is someone who looks to get behind the defence but lacks the pace or power to be very effective at it.

So if we do move on Roberts we need to replace these crucial strings to our attacking bow. And if whoever replaces him can actually finish then that is a bit of a bonus.

[alexanders]

2) pace

Not the kind of pace I want. I don't think Roberts is a perfect partner for Santa Cruz.

[ffan]

Nicko which club has come in for finnan?

[Blueboy Downunder]

the problem we have with roberts is that he is an impact player, and imo is not suited to starting games. i think it has been mentioned on here by someone in the pst that he seems to go into a comfort zone and apart from being a physical presence off the bench...i don't see too many other strings to his bow. if sparky can get what he percieves as better than robbo...then again imo it is a no brainer.

btw...can a mod please change my member name to Blueboy, i have tried but am stuffed if i can figure out how to do it. thanks