[Archived] Nickos Thread

[alexanders]

I am not questioning you Nicko, but isn't there a possibility that the fee was more than £1,5?

I know Start has financial problems and Annan is owned together with a company (ESM) so they would have to split the transfer money.

I also know that he is on loan at Stabæk until 31st of August, therefore no rush by selling him.

As I said; Start have been trying to sell him since they got relegated after the 2007 Season.

[hawkiiz]

£1.5 million or thereabouts.

agent talk. start have set no fee on him. they are trying to trigger a bid war. untill they get a actual bid it could be anything. rovers have to make a move and see what happens.

[gbax]

And well said Paul Ince:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle4500445.ece

That article is a cut and paste job containing several different 'stories' (from someone who knows someone) from last week, editited together. It really is poor journalism! People on here read this recycled rubbish and run with it because it must be true!

[Hughesy]

Hardly confidence inspiring talk is it? When Hughes came he set an objective for the start of each season and we were usually there or there about. He left us as an established top ten club.

Ince has only set the vague target of playing "attractive football" and the comment that he is trying to "build something". It sounds to me like he expects us to plummet and he is going to use the excuse that we are playing more "attractive football". It has horrible echoes of Sammy Lee last summer and we know what happened there.

I think Ince's targets are crystal clear. "We want to be playing european football each year, we have had a taste and want that each year and need to finish 6th", "to be a success we need to build on the 58 points from last season" - from that simple English I would say it is fairly clear that the target is to beat 58pts this season.

[thenodrog]

I think Ince knows deep down that this has come too early for him and that he is too thick to manage a Premier League club,

Surely that would require intelligence wouldn't it bish?

[vintageadidas]

Im looking forward to signing Andrews, eat your heart out Carrick, Essien and so on .......... we have a 4th division journeyman.

The future is bright.

[Billy Castell]

I'm wishing this Andrews will be a revelation if we sign him, but I'm not so sure. Players have made a good career coming straight up from the lower divisions (e.g. Kevin Phillips) but many have been over hyped, and fail to make the grade (e.g. Lee Thorpe, Bobby Zamora, Luke Steele). As Andrews is about 27, I think he will probably be in the latter group.

Speaking from someone who has seen neither Andrews or Annan play, I just feel Annan would have been more exciting, and if Wenger wants him, he should have some talent.

[The Prof.]

More I read about Ince the more I am convinced we are in for an exciting season.

I suspect we will either be bottom by Christmas with no wins or we could be in the top four. There will be no in between with him. His lack of experience and knowledge of the Premiership will be found out or his arrogance will be well founded and he will be a Brian Clough type manager whose big 'ead will overcome all and he will prove as inspirational as he did at Macclesfield where he somehow convinced a terrible team they were world beaters in weeks. No one else could have done that. By Christmas we will know.

On City. Lovin' it, just lovin' it.

• I had thought of having a few quid on them going down.
• Then maybe thought we should bid for Richards and Johnson - £3m should do it at the big City sales.
• Then I thought I'll ring JW up and tell him what a good idea it would be to get a mate to buy it all off Frank. How much is it worth - £30m? Frank might grab that. Take their best players on a free and sell the club on.

Then I realised, it's probably worse than Leeds as they at least owned their ground and players. City seem to have no assets at all except their future revenue - which might not be theirs anymore- from their long suffering gullible fans. (How thick are they? - they get conned again and again and again and still stump up cash and still believe they are in for RSC). The club is worthless. Even some players appear to be owned by someone else. Wonder if Sparky will get paid this month?

Now where's that bookie.

[Ewood and I Would]

agent talk. start have set no fee on him. they are trying to trigger a bid war. untill they get a actual bid it could be anything. rovers have to make a move and see what happens.

OH no you're not disagreeing with the Messiah are you? Cue the stock reply from nicko about you're not a journalist and he is etc....

[LDRover]

As Andrews has been transfer listed who else has shown an interest in him?

[philipl]

As Andrews has been transfer listed who else has shown an interest in him?

Watford I believe.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Surely those who don't mind Andrews coming or are willing to let Ince make this transfer move can see that £2 million for a 27/28 year old player from League one is completely ridiculous?

We have a limited budget, especially as it looks like the Bentley money may have just vanished into thin air. £500k or less is what we should be offering for Andrews not £2 million.

[novella]

As Andrews has been transfer listed who else has shown an interest in him?

didnt he only get transfer listed because of our original interest in him?

[The Prof.]

Watford I believe.

It was the Watford game I saw when he ran the show. Not too surprised at that.

[hawkiiz]

OH no you're not disagreeing with the Messiah are you? Cue the stock reply from nicko about you're not a journalist and he is etc....

doesnt have to be a journo to read the news i very much appreciate nickos info on here. he is usually spot on with most things. but when Start directors are quoted as saying any price-tag is pure agent-gossip, that is what i go by, and based on what Start have said, to me these are the facts right now -> no bid, and no asking price.

[LDRover]

Watford I believe.

No other Prem clubs then? That looks like a fair indication of his ability, or should I say lack of.

I'm totally dumbfounded that this is the calibre of player we're looking to buy, it just defies belief.

didnt he only get transfer listed because of our original interest in him?

That's irrelevant, the fact is that he's readily available and there's only two clubs interested, and only one from the top tier of English football. That for me says all you need to know.

[T4E]

Not meaning to annoy you still further Jason, but I believe Leicester were also in for him?

[Ewood and I Would]

Keith Andrews was taken OFF the transfer list a few days ago...

http://www.mkdons.premiumtv.co.uk/page/New...1360328,00.html

Seems strange given recent developments but I suppose the Dons would be looking for more from a non-transfer listed player. Then again the fact he was listed kind of defeats that...

[roversmum]

Well whatever is going on I wish it would happen so we can move on. Then, as I said before, someone will be proved right and someone wrong. Fed up with all the indecision - it's all very well to talk about bids for players unsettling the squad but this situation is no better.

[Ewood and I Would]

MK Dons are going to look a bit stupid if they sell him now. Take him off the transfer list, make a statement like that and then sell him a few days later? If I was an Dons fan I'd be p*ssed right off IF it happens.

[modes98]

I suspect we will either be bottom by Christmas with no wins or we could be in the top four. There will be no in between with him.

I completely disagree. There is no way we will be top 4, we have sold our main creative player (11 assists) and not replaced him. I also do not think that we will be in the bottom 6, we have to many goals to see us down there.

My personal opinion is that this season is a stabilising/transition period between old and new, 14th at worst and 7th at best.

[Ewood and I Would]

Oh and no trial eh?

http://news.accra-mail.com/index.php?optio...s&Itemid=58

[LDRover]

Not meaning to annoy you still further Jason, but I believe Leicester were also in for him?

Just gets better and better doesn't it?

[hawkiiz]

Oh and no trial eh?

http://news.accra-mail.com/index.php?optio...s&Itemid=58

who do you think have the better view of norwegian press. me or a paper from africa? (or wherever that one is from...)

[DingleBaiter]

That article is a cut and paste job containing several different 'stories' (from someone who knows someone) from last week, editited together. It really is poor journalism! People on here read this recycled rubbish and run with it because it must be true!

Sad to see "The Times of London" can only add one quote from Ince & dress it up as a new article. So much for 'growing unrest' - no evidence of any increase in unrest, or really any at all, in the article as I read it. Times turning tabloid it seems? Or slow news day?

Think previous posts show that ultimately, people read - and think - what they want to.

Anyone that thinks Ince will pick up the reigns and continue the good work right away needs locking up in a padded cell. Any fair-minded, sensible, reasonable thinking person would accept the situation is likely we may have to face backward steps initially in the hope of steps forward in the longer term. Ince et al can't be expected to be better than - or even as good as - the Taffia right away surely? Hughes had a shaky start, not least until he got Bowen in. Personally, if we can finish top ten I'd settle for that in his first season. Then isn't this the crux of the whole affair - managing expectations? As a club under Hughes we saw steady growth, fantastically better than I honestly thought we were entitled to (punching above our weight is a common view) although last season's inconsistency was frustrating. Then again, we've changed our expectations due to what we've been fortunate enough to have witnessed over the past few years, maybe we're a tad unrealistic expecting that to continue - law of averages etc - given several factors...

Think a few salient points need to be considered. Financial situation at club precludes being able to buy ourselves out of trouble (it's not whether we have liquiditity in the Bentley cash, trustees, 10 mill war chest etc - it's the constraints the club have, that Hughes acknowledged & worked with, that Ince will have to also). Ince is an upcoming manager with potential; read that again - potential - that fits into the template the club clearly have based on Hughes. Obviously that tactic is a risk, but "who dares wins Rodders" is only a motto, not a promise. The club also have a stated goal whereby they are looking to expand the Academy focus (based on the Middlesbrough model) so in the next few years, the squad at the club will include more home-grown players; early indications are Ince isn't averse to youth. I think it's shocking TBH how people are setting a value on Andrews BTW, we've a long track record of wasting money and the transfer market certainly isn't settled and equitable, not least for British players. However, given the perceived scrimping & prudence I would hope they extend that to Andrews if they do sign him, and make a sound commercial deal (which have no reason to doubt, given their track record). I really don't think we're about to let ourselves get shafted, it's a bit disrespectful to JW & the board to suggest otherwise, no?

What Ince has to do, more than anything, is to ensure that the guys in charge of delivering his vision are the ones most likely to do that - it's his nadgers on the chopping block after all. Personally, I'd rather trust him to do just that, however he sees fits, than see him make the judgements I would like as a fan. This is what I keep telling myself about the Andrews affair - which as we speak is still pure & utter speculation, with possibly a bit of 'worse fears' creeping in to amongst the pitchforkers.

Still think also the Annan affair is all horse trading about the price/financial aspect for a player that Ince seemingly wasn't sold enough on in his opinion, which surely should be the criteria? If Andrews is the man that Ince trusts more to do a job then let Ince do his job.