[Archived] Nicko's Thread

[BRFC95]

To quote myself

Why can't I add you to my ignore list?

[gumboots]

Why can't I add you to my ignore list?

The pennant stories have re-emerged in the sun this morning. Is there any truth in them?

[Cocker]

Why can't I add you to my ignore list?

This is something you need to ask in the ASK ADMIN thread and not this topic

[Zulu]

As far as I can see Rovers have said nothing about any player so I'm not sure it's a bad sign. Players have been for trials before, makes a lot of sense to me. If he's rubbish better to find out before the deal is done?

The resilience and optimism of football fans (from any club, by the way) is a phenomenon of which we can but marvel. If only we could bottle and sell it.

[Paulsman]

No more news on Warnock today?

Last night you said it still there. Does that mean the bid has neither been accepted or rejected?

[socngill]

The thing with Castillo was that he was going to cost a fair bit of money. And if he isn't great then it's not worth spending it. As always I think the club have done the right thing in bringing him in to have a look at him and make a decision. They obviously don't think he is good enough, or his attitude stinks, or he doesn't get on with the players. He certainly seemed to think very highly of himself and seemed prone to throwing a paddy with all the "I'm an international and too good for a trial" nonsense. He played in a second rate league and for a third rate nation.

As fir Villa - While Ince has seen him on DVD (as with Castillo) I don't think it is as much of a risk. He is being brought in as a creative force - which the clips show him to be. He is only 22 and was named Chillian Player of the Year as well as being a fully fledged international for a good national side. As such, I don't see him as being as much of a risk as Castillo. Plus it sounds like the guy is coming in on a year long loan in which case the risk is very minimal.

The link with Brescha seems interesting. I always thought he played as a right sided midfielder? Is this not the case, as people have mentioned him for our central midfield? Also not sure we need a ball winner or box to box player as we have Vogel and Reid to fill those roles respectively.

At the moment I am not panicking as so far it looks like we will be getting in Robinson for about £1m and Villa for loan fee of something like £400k while losing Brad. Of course all this could change if Spurs stump up the money for Bentley, but I think there are people out there we could spend the £10m we get from his sale. I really can't see either Warnock or Cruz leaving - the club are not stupid enough to allow any more of our top players leave.

Hope this doesn't get deleted - as there are a few questions in amongst all that

[Exiled_Rover]

No, let's get it right.

Rovers approached Castillo and his agents...asked them over...went through the third-party issues and the prices...fixed up the flights...

Now it appears Castillo's agent has told the player he had a three-year deal waiting and this was no trial...where did that information come from?

So there have been a few stories told on this one.

The fact is that an experienced Ecuador international, with more caps than David Bentley among others, has been brought in under false pretences...and not measured up in THREE DAYS?

One way or another a lot of time has been wasted here...and not just by the South American guy.

It makes sense for Rovers to sort out all the details around Castillo before bringing him in for a trial - it'd be more embarrassing to bring him in for a trial and love the look of him only to find out the deal is unworkable (third party ownership/his club wanting too much money). As for the three year deal, perhaps Rovers told his agent that's what he'd get if they liked him?

Though obviously I'm probably very, very wrong.

[Majiball]

To make that big a song and dance over someone and then not sign him ... not good.

At the end of the day Ince has made a bold decision! He's looking for the right players, yes a media storm was created from it all, but Ince has obviously not been impressed. After all the time invested in this etc it takes a strong character to admit when he's wrong. I take my hat of to him its the first decision he's made that I applaud, he could have too easily have thought he will adapt, he will improve, but he hasn't. Wasting 6M of our very precious pounds on someone who may or may not have been up to the rigours of premiership football would have only incensed us all.

But as yet I do not see any confirmation of this, but if he has been sent packing 6M would still bring in a quality player.

[hawkiiz]

Listen guys if you want to bury your heads in the sand and put a positive spin on everything then that's your prerogative but here's my take on it.

We WILL be losing 2 of our three best players - that is pretty much set in stone. Warnock will probably depart (agents at work and funny how there have been two bids, player must have intimated he would like to go) and if Santa Cruz gets his head turned (by Arsenal or Spurs) chances are he'll be off too. You can throw the line that they're happy here and that they're 'looking forward to the new season' blah blah blah but the fact remains that when a bigger club comes calling, our players leave.

So .....

oh god! do you think ewood will be bombed by terrorists within the next week aswell?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Nicko, is it true that Bentley and Robinson have the same agent?

[alexanders]

Nicko or anyone else, do you have any Idea why Vogel only has been given 45 minutes in the preseason matches so far? Is he out of favour? Won't he be used next season?

[Paul]

The resilience and optimism of football fans (from any club, by the way) is a phenomenon of which we can but marvel. If only we could bottle and sell it.

For me it's born of a healthy cynicism about anything generated by sections of the media! When the BBC state Rovers have accpeted a bid for Friedel I know he's gone, when other sections of the media, websites, Sky Sports etc. publish stories I view them as just that - stories as these sources have to sell product in one way or another.

May not get to a game till Arsenal so I try to avoid getting to het up about these things.

[joey_big_nose]

Nicko or anyone else, do you have any Idea why Vogel only has been given 45 minutes in the preseason matches so far? Is he out of favour? Won't he be used next season?

Well spotted.

[philipl]

You've raised the bar as far as Blue and White tinted @#/? goes Philip.

And what element of the blue and white tinted @#/? is not 100% factually accurate?

This will produce your usual silence when challenged of course.

[nicko]

Nicko, is it true that Bentley and Robinson have the same agent?

Yes.

Nicko or anyone else, do you have any Idea why Vogel only has been given 45 minutes in the preseason matches so far? Is he out of favour? Won't he be used next season?

Injury.

ON BRESCIANO...I am always wary of players described as 'versatile' - a pal of mine watched him for another Premier League side last season and said he wasn't good enough.

ON WARNOCK...does the player want to go?

ON PENNANT...Never ever been worth £6 million. Won't happen at that price.

ON CASTILLO...dying to see his side of the story in the Ecuadorian papers...to describe him as having a 'bad attitude' is ludicrous.

[LeChuck]

Fowler – Yes he is getting on, but you don’t lose the goalscoring ability, as Cole has showed over the last few years.

Cole has kept himself in great physical condition, Fowler always looks slow and overweight and is blighted by injuries.

I think his record of a mere 32 goals in 123 games since 2003 suggests he has lost his goalscoring ability. I can't understand why Ince believes he can get him back to his form of eight/nine years ago when he couldn't even manage it at Liverpool when his motivation and desire would be at a peak.

[Paulsman]

The Warnock thing is worrying. Have you heard of any further bids from Newcastle or anyone else?

[nicko]

The Warnock thing is worrying. Have you heard of any further bids from Newcastle or anyone else?

No, but I am starting to expect one...

[dteagle]

I had a dream last night that Roque had changed his facebook status to "Roque Santa Cruz has found a nice new manager to play for..."

Could there be any truth in this Nicko?

[Paulsman]

You're starting to expect one from Newcastle or someone else?

[AndyCV]

I had a dream last night that Roque had changed his facebook status to "Roque Santa Cruz has found a nice new manager to play for..."

Could there be any truth in this Nicko?

You want to know his view on your dream?!

[nicko]

You're starting to expect one from Newcastle or someone else?

My Newcastle man reckons they have been speaking non-stop for a few days about the Warnock deal. There is also interest in Shorey, but Warnock is first choice.

Keegan has had a nightmare signing defenders so far and they believe this one 'can be done.'

Now, someone must be encouraging them. It's that simple.

[American]

VILLANUEVA - a little bit puzzled that Carlos said his farewells, the club announced the deal and yet he is not coming in until next week...almost a week late...I will be happier when he is in the building.

There is always the possibility that they know the guy is uprooting his life to move thousands of miles away and they are letting him get his affairs in order....

[LeChuck]

My Newcastle man reckons they have been speaking non-stop for a few days about the Warnock deal. There is also interest in Shorey, but Warnock is first choice.

Keegan has had a nightmare signing defenders so far and they believe this one 'can be done.'

Have you any idea why they are pursuing this so vigorously Nicko? I thought Jose Enrique was well-liked by the fans and had performed quite well last season? I thought centre backs would be a far more pressing need for them.

[nicko]

There is always the possibility that they know the guy is uprooting his life to move thousands of miles away and they are letting him get his affairs in order....

It sounds like a work permit issue. But I don't see that as a snag.

However the info from another American poster yesterday was that a rival club thought they could sneak in.

I will feel a lot better when the boy actually turns up.