[Archived] Don't Sell Friedel!

[hawaii501]

if Brad Friedel is sold which I very much doubt it, it will be a sad day for the club. Brad has been an excellent servant to our club. If Ince decides to cash in then really Ince is clueless. He has shown abit of inexperience this morning with agreeing to let Fowler train with us to gain a contract at the club. Fowler is passed it. Brad is far from passed it.

I am a proper die hard supporter but I don't think I'd be able to support the manager and be 100% behind him if he decides to sell big Brad. We shouldn't sell our star players

[Karembeu]

In my own humble opinion, we shouldn't sell Brad. He had did a great job for us through all this year. And like most of you guys say, with 2.5million, we won't be able to buy anyone as good as him. Compare to Neil or bellamy. It is a very different situation. Both of them want to leave, but Brad want to stay, so why sell someone who willing to put his 'life' on line with the club??? I hope Ince can think twice before making the decision...

[Eddie]

Foster is the best option out there for me, but I'm not sure if we could afford him or if United would sell. I don't really want to replace Friedel with a loan.

[Ronin]

Your spot on Ronin about some sort of press release from Rovers over this horrible story......but dont hold your breath!

I know, wishful thinking

[brfc4ever]

Ok just to reitterate why it's stupid to sell Brad.

5) Message to the players - our best players can go for the right price, we're a club looking to sell. Why bother staying - could really do our squad moral a world of hurt. Blimey we've enough players who want out as it is...

6) Message as a club - we've no ambition, we're happy and looking to sell our best players. Brad's also a pretty good spokesman and a great ambassador for the club.

I was really scared for the future, when they for some reason appointed a 2. div manager for a top 10 premier league club.

Seeing his moves, bringing an entire 2. div staff and buying old mates and then selling a legend, dont exactly calm me down.

[Blue n White Rover]

I would say you comparing the loss of Friedel to Bellamy and Neill going were more indicative of your lack of insight.

Has the memory of all the penalties he gave away been magically erased from your memory?!

He was good for us, but he was nowhere near as big a loss as Friedel would be. Like I said, it's not just to do with quality but the fact we could bring in a new left back and shuffle things around with Neill's departure. With Friedel's we can hardly do that.

Unless Robbie Fowler has added a new string to his bow lately...

Bellamy and Neill were BIG losses to Rovers, we haven't had a RB since he left!

Bellamy was a big loss but fortunately Sparky bought in Benni and that memory was gone. Whose to say Ince won't do the same if Friedel leaves?

Yes Friedel would be a mojor loss i'm not saying he wouldn't but we've dealt reasonably well with the departures of other players and I have every faith in Ince to bring in a good enough replacement.

So much for "I'd back Ince all the way"!!

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Why don't people go down to the opening of the club shop and protest about Friedel.

If we really want him to stay and we really feel that he's the man we want to protect our goal. Go down to the club shop before the opening time and do a harmless protest to show them that we don't want him to go.

[tony gale's mic]

Bellamy and Neill were BIG losses to Rovers, we haven't had a RB since he left!

Bellamy was a big loss but fortunately Sparky bought in Benni and that memory was gone. Whose to say Ince won't do the same if Friedel leaves?

Yes Friedel would be a mojor loss i'm not saying he wouldn't but we've dealt reasonably well with the departures of other players and I have every faith in Ince to bring in a good enough replacement.

So much for "I'd back Ince all the way"!!

Friedel has been, in many peoples' eyes, the best goalkeeper in the history of the club. He's been easily in the top 3 keepers in the League this decade and was in the top 3 keepers in the League last season. Bellamy had one good season for us, with Neill we at least brought in a new left-back on the back of that, so we didn't really lose anything, we just got stronger on the left side of defence and weaker on the right side. We lost Bellamy because we had to (ie the clause) so thats a totally different circumstance and we had to sell Neill in order to get any kind of fee for him, so you can't compare them with Friedel who I'm sure would love to stay at Rovers.

And yes, Hughes brought McCarthy in but that was fortunate as you say. If we get £2.5 million, what will that buy us, really? Not very much at all and it would need to be a very big slice of fortune to land us with one of the best keepers in the league.

I'm not going to call for his sacking but I'm not going to blindly support everything he does either.

[arealbrfcfan]

At the moment being Goalkeeperless and 2.5 million up is not really the best option. Am i right thinking Ince is thinking Ben Foster on loan as first choice so he can get his buddy team United's upcoming keeper abit of exposure? hmmm

[rebelmswar]

At the moment being Goalkeeperless and 2.5 million up is not really the best option. Am i right thinking Ince is thinking Ben Foster on loan as first choice so he can get his buddy team United's upcoming keeper abit of exposure? hmmm

I have a feeling that Ince believes Brown can do well enough until a replacement can be found.

Still shaking my head at the thought of Brad leaving.

Perhaps Ince should urinate on each player instead of marking his territory in such a bombastic manner.

[thenodrog]

Perhaps Ince should urinate on each player instead of marking his territory in such a bombastic manner.

Well he's # me off so I guess he must be doing the same for them.

[thenodrog]

neill was playing left back for us before we sold him?

He was 'filling in' at lb, because he was the only one who could.

[arealbrfcfan]

No one wants to slag Ince off at such an early time...I'm certainly a believer in give him a chance and all that etc. But werent we told quote 'These are exciting times' ? well i dont feel very bloody excited now, do you? feel like my beloved team is being carved up. I mean there must be other players that are better to be shown the door, what about roberts?

[The Harwood Yankee]

I honestly thought this was just a wind-up when I first heard about it. I was firmly in the 'underwhelmed' camp when I heard we'd appointed Joker Ince as manager. If his first 2 moves as manager are to get rid of Rovers' most consistent player - Friedel - and to sign a player who couldnt even hold down first team football at Cardiff City then Im seriously worried. Maybe Ince thinks he's still in League 2 with the Fowler move, but as for even considering letting Friedel go before we really have to shows just how little Ince understands Rovers.

And this is on the same day that Portsmouth sign Peter Crouch! Their fans must be delighted. Wish I was feeling like that...

[jim mk2]

Friedel has been a wonderful servant for Rovers but how long has he left ? One year, possibly two ?

Ageing goalkeepers suddenly "go", losing the timing and anticipation that combined with declining athleticism almost overnight make them an embarrassing liability.

Robinson has lost confidence temporarily but he is a good goalkeeper who would be worth buying at the right price and make an excellent replacement for Friedel.

[mattyboy6000]

He was 'filling in' at lb, because he was the only one who could.

yep. warnock's a better left back anyway. we still have no right back, although Oojier played well there at home against villa. til we went down to ten men.

[The Harwood Yankee]

Friedel has been a wonderful servant for Rovers but how long has he left ? One year, possibly two ?

Ageing goalkeepers suddenly "go", losing the timing and anticipation that combined with declining athleticism almost overnight make them an embarrassing liability.

Robinson has lost confidence temporarily but he is a good goalkeeper who would be worth buying at the right price and make an excellent replacement for Friedel.

I'm inclined to agree with you about Robinson, Jim. He's had a serious loss of confidence but he's already shown he has ability. You only need to look at the resurrection of David James' career to see how a keeper's performances are influenced by confidence. I'd prefer to see us keep hold of Friedel though until someone like Robinson can be brought in.

[rebelmswar]

Does the new GK coach have something to do with it?

I would liked to have seen Brad get that job, if he wanted it of course.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport..._coaching_team/

[Majiball]

Right guys I think we've all been taken aback by the recent news, coming on to the forums. I for one am rather concerned at the moment. The most concerning part of all is the news on Brad and the fact our club have yet to make any move to deny the story at all. Whether you feel he should stay or go, the fact remains brad is one of the top keepers in our league point proven by the fact two of our major rivals want his services.

Brad has been a great example to us all he is practically ever present and we owe a lot of our recent success to his goalkeeping genius, I'm sure he could have left us for a so-called bigger stage many times but he has not he is Rover through and through.

Its our time to re-pay that loyalty and servitude, by showing him how much he means to us all. he has done what most players scough in these days and stayed with us through thick and thin!

We have started a face-book group called Save our Brad, I for one do not want to see him leave, he is still a top keeper more than capable of doing a job for a top 6 team. It may not be enough to save him but at least we will have shown how we feel about brad and the decision! SIGN UP NOW!!! Its time for us to re-pay him!!!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19055767117

[b12_simon]

Right guys I think we've all been taken aback by the recent news, coming on to the forums. I for one am rather concerned at the moment. The most concerning part of all is the news on Brad and the fact our club have yet to make any move to deny the story at all. Whether you feel he should stay or go, the fact remains brad is one of the top keepers in our league point proven by the fact two of our major rivals want his services.

Brad has been a great example to us all he is practically ever present and we owe a lot of our recent success to his goalkeeping genius, I'm sure he could have left us for a so-called bigger stage many times but he has not he is Rover through and through.

Its our time to re-pay that loyalty and servitude, by showing him how much he means to us all. he has done what most players scough in these days and stayed with us through thick and thin!

We have started a face-book group called Save our Brad, I for one do not want to see him leave, he is still a top keeper more than capable of doing a job for a top 6 team. It may not be enough to save him but at least we will have shown how we feel about brad and the decision! SIGN UP NOW!!! Its time for us to re-pay him!!!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19055767117

Another Facebook petition - spitting your dummy out the 21st Century way!

[modes98]

Another Facebook petition - spitting your dummy out the 21st Century way!

I've joined Simon! Although i don't think we can keep doing this to make the club listen.

Merged topics.

[Head Rover Heels]

The most concerning part of all is the news on Brad and the fact our club have yet to make any move to deny the story at all.

The club have issued a blanket statement that we are not looking to offload players, and that they will do all they can to help the manager to keep hold of his players.

This story is still at the rumour and conjecture stage - no bids have been made, Brad has not done anything to suggest that he wants out, the club have not indicated that they are willing to let him go.

If we were to make individual statements on rumours about our players we would need a few placards outside the ground stating MGP is not going to Spurs, RSC is not going to Arsenal etc, to be removed when one of them turned out to be slightly untrue.

As far as I can see, the only thing that has given this story any weight at all is the story about Cudicini a while back. Personally, i don't see how we can be the only group that sees the benefit of Brad's leadership, intelligence, talisman status, fitness regime, managerial potential, and even his soccer schools to the future of the club. He's not just a fans favourite for his playing skills - The story of his last contract negotiation and signing has inflated him to legendary status at this club, and no matter how many bids we get, i honestly cannot see the club forcing him out.

[frosty]

Can't belive what's happening with Brad. In the 8 years he's been here, there has been no offers for him, and now all of a sudden there's 2 bidders.

Something is going on.

[Head Rover Heels]

Something is going on.

We've changed manager, and clubs are trying their luck to see whether Ince will be tempted to let go?

It's been quite clear previously that our managers have valued him at more than he would be worth to other clubs, now is a good time to test that resolve.

[USRoverME]

I guess I have a different view on life. Who cares if a bid has been submitted. Even if it is true that we've recieved bids, first the club has to say okay, which is not given since every word so far from the club is that they aren;t interested in selling anyone. Then Brad himself would haev to agree with the new club. Gvien Brad's recent and past commetns, I don't think its a given that he wants to go anywhere. Two huge hurdles standing in the way of Brad going anywhere, and both of them seem to be huge hurdles for any move.

I'm not going to be worried until I hear something from the club or the player that sounds like "that offer is tempting".