[Archived] Don't Sell Friedel!

[Hasta]

Villa play Odense of Denmark live on Setanta tonight in the intertoto cup. Whilst I doubt it would make much difference to the Friedel issue, it will take a touch of the gloss off his move if they got knocked out.

Odense certainly aren't the easiest team you could face in this InterTwobob. I notice they have former Man Utd, Villa and Dingle star Eric Djemba-Djemba. They actually qualified for the UEFA cup via the Intertoto in 2006 beting Hibernian along the way. They're far toguher than that Mickey Mouse Faroes team that City beat on Thursday.

[philipl]

Of course! Sorry, silly me for suggesting otherwise.... please enlighten me with more going ons at BRFC Mr Positive.

The sooner you starting facing reality the better IMO.

cough- you are the person posting nissed as a pewt, not me.

[Paul]

The Guardian are linking Rovers with Robert Green from WHAM. Apparentlt he was ever-present in the PL, player of the year but Hammers won't improve his current deal of £20k per week (Dean Ashton is reportedly on £50k). He is also linked with Villa so I suppose this could work well in either direction? If Brad goes to Villa it would be good to have two keepers we could bid for or Green to Villa could solve the problem anyway?

[John]

Green would be an excellent replacement!

[tony gale's mic]

Would definitely accept Friedel leaving if we got Green in, that would be good business.

[philipl]

Green would be an excellent replacement!

Have to beg to differ- the guy is poison in the dressing room/training pitch by many accounts. He also got mega-lucky in three WHam games I watched live when some great saves were interspersed by opposition finishing out of the Rosenthal manual of how to slot into an empty net.

I am quite content that Robinson is currently the one and only Friedel replacement according to Nicko.

[Paul]

That would be my feeling as well, in fact given the choice of the three keepers in question I'd favour Green above Robinson and Friedel. Brad beacuse of age and Robinson because of consistency.

[John]

Having the pleasure of knowing quite a few Spurs fans, it has been interesting to listen to their views on Robinson.

Whilst a couple are happy for him to leave, the majority think he is a really decent keeper. Obviously he went through a bad patch, but they highlight the season they 'nearly' finished 4th and say he was key to their success that season.

There is no doubt he is talented and who is to say there is not room for improvement in his game.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Having the pleasure of knowing quite a few Spurs fans, it has been interesting to listen to their views on Robinson.

Whilst a couple are happy for him to leave, the majority think he is a really decent keeper. Obviously he went through a bad patch, but they highlight the season they 'nearly' finished 4th and say he was key to their success that season.

There is no doubt he is talented and who is to say there is not room for improvement in his game.

A Spurs fan I know reckons that his replacement, Gomes from PSV isn't that great either. But then he is a Spurs fan

[thenodrog]

I don't see morally why players shouldn't maintain a healthy time span on their contracts - we all know it doesn't stop them moving as long as the buying club are prepared to stump up the going rate, but it does protect the selling club financially. Surely players should show more loyalty to their existing club that pays their wages than to some unspecified other club that may or may not come in for them in the future.

Free agents can obviously command bigger salaries / signing on fees etc.

[Blue blood]

Since last posting on this thread it's emerged from the club that Brad wants out. Shocked doesn't begin t discribe it - I genuinely thought the guy would see out his career here...

Not sure entirely where the blame lies on this. Certainly I don't think the club have handled this brilliantly. From day 1 of Ince's reign the signs have been there that Brad's time at rovers was numbered. Nicko mentioned that we were after another keeper, in fact most of the papers did too. Now I'm not saying that every paper story is true, but it did strike me as an odd choice for lazy football journalism to link rovers with the likes of Cuddicini (sp) and the like, after all, where's the link/obvious connection?

Coupled with that I'm not sure money would be the sole motivating factor for someone like Brad. He's settled here, in many ways it's his club. He knows and likes the way the club is run, he's well respected within the club, and so on. So jacking in a comfortable and enjoyable way to end his career just for more money (and he must be in the position where money isn't a worry) seems a tad strange. Added to which Brad could've demanded a transfer a lot earlier, which would have been much more benificial to his career - either after the season he was the goalkeeper of the year, or in the darkest days of the end of the souness era - but he didn't. Plus there's the fact that he's seen many a player leave rovers and their career has taken a downward turn, I'm sure that Brad would have no illusions that the grass isn't always greener on the ohter side.

I'm not saying that the money wasn't an influencing factor - let's be honest double wages would make anyone stop and think - nor in the end that Brad didn't sucumb to the money. However my suspicions are that it isn't all one way, and that the club are at least in part culperable for Brad leaving. Maybe he didn't get on that well with Ince, maybe he got hacked off with them looking for a replacement, maybe he didn't like the clubs ambition (let's face it Andrews is not an ambitious/inspiring transfer), maybe it was double wages. Most likely it's a combination of the lot, and the club and Ince should hold themselves responsible for the part they've played in what is a very sorry affair involving a true rovers legend.

Oh, and Green, no thanks, he's far too inconsistant and way below Friedel. Robinson's nowhere near as good either, but at least he's a bit more promise, and besides who else is there out there for us to get?

[Hasta]

I have to disagree with you Blueblood.

Your points listed as to why else Brad might want out are:-

Maybe he doesn't get on with Ince: - Brad was one of the first interviewed regarding the new manager and was complimentary about Ince - as Ince has been about Friedel. Even if that was all a cover and Brad has issues with Ince, then that's Brads problem to deal with. he has to be big enough to carry on and do the job. The club cannot employ a manager because they might upset one player - whoever that player may be.

Maybe he got hacked off with them looking for a replacement:- The club had to take time to analyse all options and get the man they wanted. Surely Friedel understands this. Most logical people do. No point appointing the first available person without seeing all your options.

Maybe he didn't like the clubs ambition (let's face it Andrews is not an ambitious/inspiring transfer) - a couple of weeks is hardly enough time to judge ambition after being here for 8 years. None of us knows who Ince will bring in before August 15th. The three South Americans at least look like a big step in the right direction - good potential at a price we can afford.

The fact is that Brad seems to want out for one last big payday. Good luck to him. I know loyalty doesn't exist and if I was in his position at a club which I wasnt a lifelong fan of, then I'd probably jump for double the cash. Lets just stop trying to pin much of the blame on Ince and the board though.

[92er]

Since last posting on this thread it's emerged from the club that Brad wants out. Shocked doesn't begin t discribe it - I genuinely thought the guy would see out his career here...

Someone around page 43 on Nicko's post suggest that Brad is in 2 minds about the move.

[Blue blood]

I think if I'd given 8 years top service to a club and been in excellent form last season, I'd be somewhat put out if one of the first things the club did was look for my replacement. Especially when you consider there are other positions which are a lot more pressing - Bentley's replacement, centre midfield, right back, for example. I know he's getting on a bit, but it isn't an immediate concern, and is a bit of a slap in the face for the guy.

Also, in terms of not appointing the first available guy; why don't we do that with the likes of Santa Cruz, Samba, Warnock etc. - the reason, it's just not practical. All clubs have to build with what they have and Brad is a good player to build from.

The question which remains unanswered is why has Brad's head been turned now? Why not earlier, there have been other chances/links for a move, why all of a sudden in less favourable circumstances does Brad now want to leave.

I don't think the board and Ince have been as sharp as they could have on this one. Not a good way of spending their time, nor is it great player management.

If it's true that Brad's in 2 minds about the move that's great news. I feel his stabilising influence could well be needed this coming season.

[roversmum]

I know this link from the LET has been posted before but I think it might benefit Blue blood to read the article.

[Blue blood]

Thanks, Mum, not the cheeriest reading.

It does seem that Brad wants off, but as repeatedly stated am really suprised that after all this time Brad decides he wants to leave, and find it hard to credit it is solely down to money.

What the club says contrasts a lot with what the papers and nicko have been saying. Now I doubt that the papers have the full story, but equally I'm sure Williams isn't averse to putting the best spin on things, but there do seem to be two very different messages coming from the official and unofficial sources.

[philipl]

Thanks, Mum, not the cheeriest reading.

It does seem that Brad wants off, but as repeatedly stated am really suprised that after all this time Brad decides he wants to leave, and find it hard to credit it is solely down to money.

What the club says contrasts a lot with what the papers and nicko have been saying. Now I doubt that the papers have the full story, but equally I'm sure Williams isn't averse to putting the best spin on things, but there do seem to be two very different messages coming from the official and unofficial sources.

At 37, Brad is of an age at which 99% of his contemporaries in professional sport have retired.

Villa for whatever reason have offered a chance to improve his lot by £5m. Putting that in context, that is more than he will have earned combined between the ages of 17 and 34 in all probability.

I do wonder what planet some people are living on.

[roversmum]

Well, I think most of us (including JW) were devastated when we heard Brad wanted to leave - I know I was. However, with further information to hand and given time to calm down a bit, I fully understand Brad not feeling able to turn down the doubling of wages and the extra year involved. Plus the connection with Cleveland by the Villa owner, possibly extra funding for Brad's Academies over there etc and it's a no-brainer really.

It's also, as JW says, hard to think that players would want to leave for clubs in and around us in the league.

Hopefully it will all be sorted out soon and we can get on with preparing for the new season.

[Greenall_David]

I hope he don't leave but we have to prepare with life without him soon! would it not be ideal to do tht now under a new era or not?

[waggy]

was in blackpool yesterday and got talking to some lads in a boozer,westspam fans and they said if brad friedal is leaving blackburn for money football as we know it is finished,one said premier teams will be operating off a budget like rugby league soon,maybe thats the only way for teams like us and them

[Ninja Boi]

I can fully understand why Brad would want to take up Villas offer. Its such great opportunity at this stage in his career.

[Amo]

Is it true Villa have offered him £75,000 a-week? That's pretty steep for a goalkeeper, especially a 37 year old one.

[gumboots]

Last season Villa did well with Carson in nets. Think how well they could do (or could have done) with Friedel? It may sound like silly money, but he is one of the best in the Premier League (and world) and if it gets them an extra 10 points a season or so then they'll be knocking on the door of the top four.

On top of that, if they offered a contract for one or two years then there's no real argument to the age factor that you're putting forward.

He'll earn every penny of it too unless they get those defenders bought that their fans are crying out for.

[67splitscreen]

Having read a few reports today, and nicko's updates, I find it hard to believe certain aspect with regard to the speculated cntract details.

Friedel offered 50k a week by Rovers, if this is true, good on um, and IMO cannot be accused of pushing him out.

Villa 75k get real, where the hell has that come from, He's good, but that has to be just gutter press reporting.

Brad & Rovers, until three weeks ago seemed inseparable.

IMO, You can discount all the media reports by Brad, Ince and JW. There is a giant rift been created at Ewood, that no bridge seems able to spam.

It is probably fair to say, that bridges have been burnt by Brad, as he has now submitted a transfer request, or is this yet another showing of his love for Rovers.

I assume this latest development, would mean he does not get a % of the transfer fee, allowing rovers the full amount for a replacement.

I'm not sure, to the full extent how we will all feel, when Brad runs out at Ewood for the first time. That will be one of the only times in recent history, that a player who left Rovers will be cheered by erery single supporter in the ground, rather than booed. No doubt a few tears too.

Watching him making save after save is going to be a nightmare, I hope we manage to get at least one past him though.

Can you imagine villa at home 0-0, five minutes to go, penalty, Rovers score and win the game 1-0.

There will always be a question raised, in the media, and probably the villa fans, did he or ??????? he.

What we the fans all know, Brad is, and always will be our Brad.

I have been watching rovers since 64/65 season, IMO he is without doubt the greatest goalkeeper, that has worn the green shirt, as it was in those early days.

A true professional in our game, football

Good keepers, seem to build a rapport with the fans. Somethign special and unique, maybe it's because they are so close to the fans, and there actions, effect the outcome of the game, more than out field players. A player may score to win the game, a keeper may make ten saves, to enable to win the game.

One thing is for sure, Brad has left his mark on us all.

Brad Is King and always will be, in my eyes. B)

[S15]

You might, I just think he's the American Lucas Neill really.

Wierd how people find ways to justify it just because he's decide to break the terms of his contract and the honour of his word behind closed doors, whereas Neill was slaughtered because he decided to oblige the full term of his contract in public.