[Archived] Nicko's Thread Part 3

[MCMC1875]

Liverpool have the ears of the city council. Everton tried to get Stanley Park but were knocked back. There you go!

[LeChuck]

Incidentally, it is not inconceivable that Gerard might have to move to Villa

That's a corker Philip, even for you.

[philipl]

Liverpool have the ears of the city council. Everton tried to get Stanley Park but were knocked back. There you go!

True- it doesn't reflect well on my party but you can tell how everything is going t*ts up at Anfield when the leader of Liverpool City Council re-floated the shared stadium idea at the start of the week.

[MCMC1875]

Anything would be better than the Toffees going to Kirkby!

[S15]

(especially Rock of the Bluegrass (shillito15), who seems to have some issues)

Oh you......

[leftfooter]

Anything would be better than the Toffees going to Kirkby!

Imagine if it was Liverpool FC that were considering a move there? From all the non-Scouse accents you hear touting themselves as LFC fans on radio phone-ins, most of them wouldn't even know how to pronounce it properly!

[MCMC1875]

Best trips in 28 years have been Anfield & Goodison. Train to Ormskirk & Merseyrail to Kirkdale. Will miss em!

[doctorryan]

Oh you......

It's always good to have a laugh every once in awhile Rock.

[brfcshabba]

Hughes approached by City?

Have you anything to add to the story Nicko?

[nicko]

Hughes approached by City?

Have you anything to add to the story Nicko?

I heard the rumour yesterday and checked it with Man City. I checked it again this afternoon when I heard there was a story coming out.

There is NO official approach by City for Sparky. They are waiting for the Chelsea and Inter Milan vacancies to be filled and then hope to pick off a manager who is overlooked in that process. They are still daft or crazy enough to think they can land Scolari or Mourinho. Sparky is in that category and in their thoughts but there has been NO move.

I heard - and mentioned before - that there was a third-party approach but I believe the answer was 'no' because of the managers fear that they have no more money to spend than Blackburn Rovers.

On reflection City's idea of waiting to get someone on the rebound isn't an entirely crazy thought. The only thing is that it delays an appointment, but Shinawatra does not think of things like that. If he lands a Scolari or a Mourinho in the end he will look very smart indeed.

[MCMC1875]

Amazing how many poisoned chalices are out there now.

[ffan]

Can somebody clear this up for me please?

Was Mark Bowen at the club before Mark Hughes came or did he come in with Hughes?

Cheers, just having a heated debate with a mate.

[brfcshabba]

Can somebody clear this up for me please?

Was Mark Bowen at the club before Mark Hughes came or did he come in with Hughes?

Cheers, just having a heated debate with a mate.

He came at the same time as Hughes

[ffan]

He came with Hughes

Cheers.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Can somebody clear this up for me please?

Was Mark Bowen at the club before Mark Hughes came or did he come in with Hughes?

Cheers, just having a heated debate with a mate.

Bowen was brought in by Hughes

[EwoodGlory]

Henk ten Cate seems to think there are 2 in the frame for the Chelsea job.

Henk ten Cate, who was last week sacked by Chelsea and was previously Rijkaard's No 2 at Barcelona, yesterday revealed that Chelsea had told him there are now two candidates for the job.

'Both the possible successors of Grant have insisted on bringing in their own staff,' said Ten Cate. 'They have made it clear that they want to work with their own assistants. I can't blame them. I'd do the same.'

Daily Mail think it is between Rijkaard and Carlo Ancelotti

Might just be the fact they are the top 2 at the bookies at the moment.

[nono91291]

Might just be the fact they are the top 2 at the bookies at the moment.

It's going to be Rijkaard.

[cn_barlow]

It's going to be Rijkaard.

After all the talk on here it would love it, love it, if it was.....

also because it means we'd still have Sparky

[AggyBlue]

also because it means we'd still have Sparky

Until he goes to City.

[philipl]

This could be fun if it ever gets to Court. West Ham former Chairman sueing for unfair dismissal!

[nono91291]

It's going to be Rijkaard.

I say that but NOTW thinks it's between Sparky and Ancelotti.

http://blogs.notw.co.uk/sport/2008/05/carlo-v-mark.html

Can't be many left to link the job to!

[Paul]

I say that but NOTW thinks it's between Sparky and Ancelotti.

http://blogs.notw.co.uk/sport/2008/05/carlo-v-mark.html

Can't be many left to link the job to!

While I don't want to decry Sparky's achievements at Ewood the comments by Peter Sandre are, from the Chelsea perspective, pretty accurate. Abramovich thinks he can buy what he wants, well it's true he can. With a wage bill 40% higher than United's once a player knows he is wanted by Chelsea he just has to sit back and wait for the offer. Abramovich seems to be the sort of person who believes you can buy style and acceptance when the truth is that despite all his cash he is nothing more than than the Russian equivalent of an East End barrow boy made good, a very rich Delboy if you like. Abramovich will never truely achieve the acceptance he craves, but there will always be plenty prepared to prostitute themselves and fawn at his feet. Who would really want to work for this man for any reason other than money? When you look at some of the characters on and off the pitch at Stamford Bridge it's clear why those individuals are at Chelsea. Kenyon, Lampard, Terry - lovely people, lovely personalities who you'd never turn your back on.

Currently dear Roman wants to be the man who turned Chelsea into EPL and CL champions playing the world's sexiest football. He wants glamour and a manager like Jose, despite the rows, fitted very well - Jose had a sense of style. Ultimately our Russian barrow boy will do what he wishes and I simply can't see Mark Hughes fitting the bill. Hughes could probably do the job, though I'm less sure about all this "dressing room" respect stuff from the squad at Chelsea, but would he be given time and would his football style meet with Roman's approval?

While I agree Sparky is ambitious and may well leave for a bigger club, in fact he must do so if he wants to be a serious contender for the OT position, I feel he's a man of principle and is unlikley to be prepared to work for a man like Abramovich. If Hughes goes to Chelsea for me it would show he is not the man we think he is.

[Alan75]

Picking up on Pauls comment. I also believe that Hughes is a man of principle. However, it's inevitable that at some stage, Mark Hughes, will leave Rovers. He is an ambitious young manager, who is inclined to want trophy's more that financial rewards at this stage on his cv.

With the financial backing and talent at Chelsea , he should be able to pick up his first managerial trophy. (They did come second in every competition last season.) Whether he would have the same moral backing at Chelsea as he does at Ewood is another matter. Whilst team selection at Ewood is Hughes domain, would he have the same authority at Stamford Bridge.

If true, then This Article by Rob Shepherd should be a timely reminder for any prospective Chelsea manager.

Hughes could end up in the same position as the Carrick Affair with egg on his face, when his descisions are over ruled.

[Iceman]

If Abromovich wants so called sexy football played at Chelsea,then he would be advised to steer wel clear of Rijkaard and Ancelotti.in fact that opens the door for somebody like a Brazilian coach ie Scolari.Hughes has made us a very good attacking team,and gotten rid to a certain extent that bully boy tag.compared to the players chelsea have,if Hughes took over he wouldnt have a problem turning them into an attacking force.btw,what is sexy football?i think pele,mentioned once about Brazil playing sexy football.

[Paul]

One other observation to make on the Chelsea position. The new manager needs to have real style, flair, a touch of culture, almost sex appeal, these are things Abramovich lacks and will never really acquire so he needs to buy them. For me Hughes has style, cutting a fine figure on the touchline or in a press conference, but I don't see it as the style Roman is looking for.

Abramovich made a huge error in sacking Mourhino though it became inevitable. At the start of Jose's reign the story and headline was Abramovich's Chelsea. In a short period that headline evolved into Mourhino's Chelsea, then Jose's Chelsea ending with the story just being Jose Mourhino. The man did more to raise Chelsea's profile than any other pushing Abramovich out of the limelight and headlines. Jose's mistake was to become too big, Abramovich's mistake was not realising how much he needed the Special One to give him the Chelsea he craves. Jose had the looks, the intelligence, the culture, the entertainment value and the footballing acumen to appeal to a very wide-ranging audience and Abramovich binned him - still in the old country he'd probably have been shot!!! Football fans loved to hear Jose talk but who cares what Avram Grant thought or said?

It will be interesting to see if Roman Abramovich has learnt the lesson.