[Archived] Nickos (newer) Thread

[Ozz]

Must be nice when all you have to worry about in life is whether or not your teams goalie is going to leave. Give it a restival, calm down and wait till the dust settles. A trite post, but thankfully no one will read or take heed of it, the speed at which this thread moves makes 99% of it a waste of time writing. Read the Heaven I'm in Heaven section for some relief till the season starts.

[Alan75]

Bottm of the page Villa link

[T4E]

Bellamy lied to the fans about his clause, I don't recall the club making any comment, I certainly don't recall the club lying to the fans about it.

Where's the evidence that the club have ever lied about anything to do with the sale?

Nabeel Chowdery has confirmed that he has bid - the club have said no bids. Even our beloved LT mentioned it (a day or two late)

There you go.

Fair enough

Oh my...

The Lancashire Telegraph can confirm that both Aston Villa AND Manchester City are trying to sign the former United States number one.

Well, imagine that.

[T4E]

Nicko also has previous too - for not always being right, or at least, not being able to prove (or have disproved) his stories. It amazes me just because he's a tame journo that there is a "Oh Oracle Al, tell us what you foresee" on everything footballing and that he has the answer to every little snippet of info.

Of course that stand point is ridiculous - I don't dispute that. It's no more ridiculous however than those that still doubt his sources - they've been proven many a time to be reliable. No one gets it right all the time, situations change. It amazes me however that people still doubt that what he tells us is in anything but good faith. That viewpoint is without substance and totaly out of order.

Edit: Interestingly, SSN says Villa have agreed a fee for Brad Guzan, the other Septic goalie. Are they looking at our Brad to mentor him, or will they be choosing between the two at some point?

[thenodrog]

Fowler given two weeks to prove himself.

Story blown out of all proportion - JW.

He's on the back foot there alright and judging by the public reaction (and his over reaction to some adolescent site called 'facebook') I'd wager that Fowler will not now be signed even if he plays like Rooney in Germany.

Similarly I'd imagine that the reaction to losing Freidel will be worrying Williams greatly...... and quite right too. Every other club supporter in the Prem rates Brad as a top 3 keeper when you talk to them, every TV pundit and every opposing manager too, it's obvious that he is of excellent character and the popular choice of many on here to be named club captain. So to me it's mighty odd that our clubs leaders allowed these 'rumours' of Brad leaving to develop in the first place. imo this shows that the club seems to be a little out of touch with the fans?

[Hughesy]

Friedel is going nowhere.

Just more speculation and interest from other clubs as usual, we deal with it every summer for our best players and this summer is no different, only this time we have nicko's updates to keep us in the loop of what is happening. Im suprised Tottenham havent been linked with thier annual move for Pedersen again.

Oh they have!

[den]

On the Brad situation and Nicko suggesting that there is a "twist" to the story ..........

After reading that article in the LT, I reckon INCE DOES want to keep Brad and Brad has told Rovers he will stay - AS LONG AS Rovers match Villa/City's offer.

Hence Rovers looking at other keepers and weighing the situation/alternatives up.

How's that Nicko?

[SAS]

Oh my...

The Lancashire Telegraph can confirm that both Aston Villa AND Manchester City are trying to sign the former United States number one.

Nicko, after reading what has been said on here and whatnot, i was very very confused by the article

Ince "DESPERATLY" wants to keep friedel

and it also went on to say friedel doesnt want to leave and is perfectly happy here

SO, wheres the story ?????????

[den]

Nicko, after reading what has been said on here and whatnot, i was very very confused by the article

Ince "DESPERATLY" wants to keep friedel

and it also went on to say friedel doesnt want to leave and is perfectly happy here

SO, wheres the story ?????????

Maybe one post above you SAS?

[doctorryan]

Typical. Back-channeling the idea of a last big pay raise in order to unsettle him. Nice to see the world never changes. You would hope for better from Mark Hughes and Randy Lerner, but I guess this is "par for the course" behavior nowadays.

[SAS]

Maybe one post above you SAS?

I wont accept money is an issue in this. If it is, then i am very very dissapointed in Brad Friedel

[ihateburnley]

Fowler is factual, Friedel is speculation. In fact, it's speculation limited to one tabloid article and this messageboard!

If JW had to clarify every piece of speculation that appeared by this route, Rovers would be issuing hundreds of statements / denials every month. It's not how they work!

Once again, supporters of BRFC prepared to believe anyone but the club they support.

That's spot on that - just what I came on here to post.

I appreciate the fact that football is evolving into this media frenzy comedy show, but the constant thirst for football-news is incidentally part of what has made the game so bloody dull. The fact that the team can be in another country, the players can be on holiday along with all the agents and boardroom directors, and WE STILL get linked heavily to buying ten players a day is pretty pathetic. But the papers and Sky (etc) know that the supporters will be wetting themselves in excitement and begging for more news. But that's just it - it's stuff to sell papers and when you snip the stories down to their basic points...well they aren't very exciting at all are they?

Nicko will come on here and spout off a load of stuff and yes, 1 in 10 of them or whatever may be right. They'll be written in a way that keeps them open-ended and subject to change. If you like, telling you one thing but covering their backs at the same time if it doesn't happen. I can see that. Now I'm not saying Nicko's input isn't appreciated - it obviously is. I see it as mildly entertaining, but as the old saying goes, if they aren't on the pitch holding the scarf up with JW then I'll just forget about it.

The thing with Fowler. I'm not getting into a sweat about it. It's just another player who's training with the squad as a favour from his mate, with the intention of working on his fitness in order to find a new club, and in his wildest dreams he may yet convince Ince that he is going to be worth a punt...maybe as a backup player. That's it. There's no point throwing your season-ticket back at the club because he's our main summer signing, there's no point listening to journalists saying that Fowler is about to sign a contract, and there's certainly no point in questioning our new manager that has only been at the helm a matter of weeks. Even if he does sign on, why is it so bad. Tugay was a gamble, because he wasn't exactly a world-beater at Rangers. We've taken gambles on Dino Baggio, Markus Babbel, Vratislav Gresko, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke etc who were either 'injury ridden' or seemingly 'past-it'. Some of them paid off, some of them didn't, and some of those signings/loans put far more at stake than a backup Robbie Fowler would! Christ, even our beloved Brad Friedel was a major major gamble when he signed for us - and don't any of you have selective memories now, because John Filan was COMFORTABLY our number one (a bit like Brad is now but not as good) yet Souness took that gamble on a failed (nay laughable) ex-Liverpool goalkeeper....and we've never looked back.

Which leads me nicely onto the thing with Friedel. It's media speculation. End of. The REASON the board DID NOT come out and DISMISS the newspaper rumours is because that's all they were. Like Tris quite rightly says, if they did that for every newspaper article on us, every BBC gossip snippet, and every SSN exclusive on the scrolling marquee.......well, we wouldn't have any time left to sign any bloody players! I don't think Friedel will be going. He seems very content at the club and I can't see why he would have any particular allegiance to any active manager now - he was here long before Hughes.

Just chill out people. The fact that Nicko's thread(s) must have had nearly a million views now shows that we're all getting a bit too addicted to fabrication and speculation. I've been in Turkey for a week and there were over 100 new pages to sift through when I came back. So I just laughed, and didn't bother.

[Hughesy]

Friedel will show loyalty to the club im sure. He already has a 2 year contract with us and if he continues at the top level then that will only get extended further. Dont think he will leave us at all.

[John]

Oh my goodness, can this possibly get any worse???

Ince eyes Mark Lawrenson as defensive coach...........

[liam]

Oh my...

The Lancashire Telegraph can confirm that both Aston Villa AND Manchester City are trying to sign the former United States number one.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11677_3809460,00.html them out the way then

[yoda]

On the Brad situation and Nicko suggesting that there is a "twist" to the story ..........

After reading that article in the LT, I reckon INCE DOES want to keep Brad and Brad has told Rovers he will stay - AS LONG AS Rovers match Villa/City's offer.

Hence Rovers looking at other keepers and weighing the situation/alternatives up.

How's that Nicko?

That won't sell news papers!

[Fylde Coast Fan]

The club can say Ince would love Brad to stay, but they haven't said he'd have Brad as first choice keeper next season. As I understand it, the timeline of events looks a bit like:

Papers link Brad with a move, Ince linked with other keepers, Brad gets nervous about his first team spot and starts thinking about a move as an actual possibility, situation snowballs to where nicko thinks we may well lose him.

[Hughesy]

Villa have a new keeper in that young american keeper.

Man City apparently want friedel to put pressure on Hart? Ha yeah ok!!! Hart isnt good enough to clean his boots, never mind 'Brad is wanted to put pressure on hart'

[The Gull]

So now Villa have signed Brad will they leave our Brad alone?

Is Brad willing to possibly play second fiddle to one of the most promising goalkeepers in the country in Joe Hart?

Is JW lying when he says Ince wants to start the season with Brad as No 1?

[gumboots]

So now Villa have signed Brad will they leave our Brad alone?

Is Brad willing to possibly play second fiddle to one of the most promising goalkeepers in the country in Joe Hart?

Is JW lying when he says Ince wants to start the season with Brad as No 1?

Sounds like the blurb for one of those soap operas

[thenodrog]

I wont accept money is an issue in this. If it is, then i am very very dissapointed in Brad Friedel

SAS thats naive. It's his last pay cheque we are talking about! No matter what he feels for BRFC his wife and family' future must come first in any decision.

[imy9]

The Big Brad story will be revealed tomorrow in the Sunday People, if Brad is not leaving what is there to worry about?

I believe Nicko and the constant sniping at the messenger is getting boring now- especially when the LET report the story- late again!

We are in such a privaleged position to be getting these updates, what other club has this insight?

[SAS]

SAS thats naive. It's his last pay cheque we are talking about! No matter what he feels for BRFC his wife and family' future must come first in any decision.

Yeh it will be his last paycheck, but he`s hardly going to be on peanuts as it is now is he?

And im pretty sure brad is one of those that will go into coaching, as he has his own coaching set up in the states?

So their will be life after his playing career.

He is one of very very very few that i dont think would leave a club for money.

[tony gale's mic]

Nicko will come on here and spout off a load of stuff and yes, 1 in 10 of them or whatever may be right. They'll be written in a way that keeps them open-ended and subject to change. If you like, telling you one thing but covering their backs at the same time if it doesn't happen. I can see that. Now I'm not saying Nicko's input isn't appreciated - it obviously is. I see it as mildly entertaining, but as the old saying goes, if they aren't on the pitch holding the scarf up with JW then I'll just forget about it.

1 in 10?! Sounds like yet another bitter board member....

[RibbleValleyRover]

On the Castillo link, someone rang the world football phone in last night to ask Tim Vickery about him and how he would fair in the premier league.

His response was something along the lines of he is a powerful, strong defensive midfielder with a great work rate. And that its Tim Vickery's view that he would do a solid job in the prem.

It would be nice to add more steel to the midfield but at £6 million, which could be a huge chunk of our budget i'm not sure he is the right choice.

Its a top class attacking midfielder we really need.