[Archived] Nickos Thread

[PAFELL]

Nicko is there any inkling that the board and John Williams have concerns with Ince and the coaching team already?

I've had the same thoughts - but can you sack a manager before a ball is kicked. Publicity wise it would be a big howler if Rovers did so. Unless Ince did something extremely major leaving Rovers no choice but to sack him - then Ince is here until the season gets under way.

[Martin]

If I remember correctly Friedel and Warnock both signed new deals after Xmas 2007.

Before this season has even kicked off one has left and the other wants to leave.

You can talk about heads being turned by money etc, but rumours that Ince is not popular with the players seem to bear more truth with each passing day.

[Silencio]

You are not going to get an answer to that one.

But if Sparky had still been at Ewood, do you think the transfer funds would be 75% unspent in the last week before the season begins?

No I don't so I think the board need to make a decision don't they? It's clear we've got a Les Reed/Sammy Lee situation.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

If Warnock leaves then he would be straight in the first team. Is he not in the Everton first team though?

We could always get another Man Utd youth.

No no. Nicko said the guy was originally for cover, but considering the Warnock stuff, maybe more.

I doubt we were trying to get Baines as cover.

[PAFELL]

You are not going to get an answer to that one.

But if Sparky had still been at Ewood, do you think the transfer funds would be 75% unspent in the last week before the season begins?

Interesting point, but maybe Rovers are just paying off some debt and not 'witholding funds' as you appear to be suggesting. Unless Villianevue would cost more then we realise if he is signed ao a permanent deal.

[Hi Mack]

Worst pre-season EVER!

Its obvious the players dont want to play for Ince!

If Warnock does want to go we should simply say no!

We dont need to sell! But we do need to buy!

Ince needs to get the backing of the fans, by selling people like Warnock

and signing people like Fowler and Andrews he aint going to achieve this!

This aint a slate Ince post, Im going to support him totally but he really

does need to sort things out!

[imy9]

I am getting very nervous with all of our top players wanting to leave for other clubs, Ince must put his foot down and not allow any of them to leave the club. At the very least keep them til January when we have had a good chance to look at alternatives.

I do not blame Ince, if Warnock wants to leave then he wants to leave, you only need to read Warnock's comments when Hughes left.

[alexanders]

Interesting point, but maybe Rovers are just paying off some debt and not 'witholding funds' as you appear to be suggesting. Unless Villianevue would cost more then we realise if he is signed ao a permanent deal.

Maybe, Maybe not.

Sparky also did his bargains before everyone else was done shopping, remember?

[DeadlyDirk]

That's just not the case.

I was looking forward to an exciting if unpredictable season. I felt it needed a change as it happens.

But I have got to say I have never known so many stories flying around the club than there are right now.

I try to trace back where things come from and to get the strength of them before I commit to print.

But I have to repeat that this is like the Wild West at the moment...players coming and going and leaving and not coming.

I still say the time to judge is when the games start. But you can't be losing your best players and not finding suitable replacements.

As an advance of the 11 o'clocker I will tell you about the next left back in the sights. I think this one was originally as cover, but frankly you never know these days.

I guess if your confirming were looking at left backs then it also confirms that Warnock could well be on his way then and its not just a rumour over his transfer request? Perhaps they told the press they were looking at a backup left back but surely they already had Olsson for that?

[alexanders]

Is Sky reliable?

[Hi Mack]

Is Sky reliable?

On things like this ...............Usually!

[Eddie]

Not always. They get a lot right, but they get a long wrong, particularly with their breaking news. I tend to rank Sky far behind the BBC.

[my_name_is_Earl]

I think Ince is made of sterner stuff than all this. I think it has been a bit of a culture shock to him but I think he is a tough character and will ride it out accordingly. There is no crisis at Rovers in my opinion. I do agree that things seem a little all over the place but if we didn't have access to the information Nicko provides we wouldn't know anything really and we wouldn't appear so worried..........

At the end of the day, the season is yet to start and if a primma donna wants out (thats if) well he'll just have to stay and sit on the bench until his attitude improves. I would quite openly support Ince's decision to leave Warnock on the bench for Olsson if indeed he does have an attitude problem.

Call me ignorant but i'm not too worried about all of this. Granted it's unneccasary before the season starts but im optimistic of a mid-table place and a good cup run in Ince's first season in the top flight and after that things will only get better.......

[alexanders]

About Annan, but I think Nicko did mention it earlier;

This saga will most possibly be over on Thursday.

IF Annan plays UEFA cup match against Rennes on Thursday; Utd, Arsenal and others won't be able to use him in the cups. Therefore they might not be interested.

[philipl]

Interesting point, but maybe Rovers are just paying off some debt and not 'witholding funds' as you appear to be suggesting. Unless Villianevue would cost more then we realise if he is signed ao a permanent deal.

Rovers came into this season with bank debt of £21m.

All other things being equal, that has been cleared by the increase in media income and the Hughes settlement.

The increase in wages and net loss on the Friedel/Robinson deal makes it negative again but that is more than countered by whatever is left net out of the Bentley deal (which will only partially be cash and the rest IOUs at the moment).

The club has seemed OK about running with £15m borrowings in the past.

I keep coming back to the club having an amount of about £20m at most which could go on transfer fees this summer provided the wagesof the incomers are not exhorbitant.

[Eddie]

Let's put a positive spin on this. If Ince comes through all this then he will have matured 3 seasons worth in 3 months.

[Majiball]

If Warnock leaves then he would be straight in the first team. Is he not in the Everton first team though?

Lescott was playing there most of last year Baines had some injury problems.

Not always. They get a lot right, but they get a long wrong, particularly with their breaking news. I tend to rank Sky far behind the BBC.

Yes when its on the bbc I will worry.

Oh how I wish for the days when teletext was our main source.

[PAFELL]

Maybe, Maybe not.

Sparky also did his bargains before everyone else was done shopping, remember?

He also gave the squad he had a chance first - Ince has looked and given during the close season the younger players a chance - it is common knowledge that Hughes didn't do that to the same degree - maybe he is waiting until january to see how the current team does. I also believe that Ince came to the club and did not know what players he had at Rovers - how good they were or not - which is why he has looked at everybody. If there is unrest, maybe it is being caused by players who thought themselves first choice for the first team, Ince has come in and said that everybody has a chance for the first team. Ince has worked with players in the lower divisions seen how good some of them could be given the chance - which is possible why he has allowed himself to view the younger players.

Sparky also waited until others had finished their own dealings.

[Ewood and I Would]

The thing what I don't understand is we took a good amount of time appointing Ince so you'd think JW would have grilled him about what training methods he would use. If he did he would have noticed it was vastly different to what Hughes did at the club, you'd also think that although it was his ultimate decision to make he would have "ran it past" the players for any immediate signs he wouldn't be welcomed.

[briansol]

You are not going to get an answer to that one.

But if Sparky had still been at Ewood, do you think the transfer funds would be 75% unspent in the last week before the season begins?

If Sparky hadn't left for his sand castle, we wouldn't have a manager that was drawing up a list of targets for League 1 and had to readjust to another level. There is no point spending money for the sake of it, I think it's rather positive that Ince haven't gone overboard with buying blindly which would've been the case.

He needs to get his staff working, set up scouting and get used to all the agent crap and players offered. For my part we could just close business now and see how Carlos pans out. The Emerton/Reid solution on right wing might be adequate for now if we can't get a good replacement in time.

[PAFELL]

Rovers came into this season with bank debt of £21m.

All other things being equal, that has been cleared by the increase in media income and the Hughes settlement.

The increase in wages and net loss on the Friedel/Robinson deal makes it negative again but that is more than countered by whatever is left net out of the Bentley deal (which will only partially be cash and the rest IOUs at the moment).

The club has seemed OK about running with £15m borrowings in the past.

I keep coming back to the club having an amount of about £20m at most which could go on transfer fees this summer provided the wagesof the incomers are not exhorbitant.

What if there is a takeover interest and the one interested wants as much debt cleared as possible - what if the debt - no matter how small is what has held up, say for example the Chowdrey takeover. Surely an investor would want to invest in the club and not have to pay debts created by others.

[Hi Mack]

What if there is a takeover interest and the one interested wants as much debt cleared as possible - what if the debt - no matter how small is what has held up, say for example the Chowdrey takeover. Surely an investor would want to invest in the club and not have to pay debts created by others.

Its all ifs and buts!

But what is for sure theres upset at our club and were going in to our 1st game

with a squad lacking 2-3 players! There facts!

[DingleBaiter]

Let's put a positive spin on this. If Ince comes through all this then he will have matured 3 seasons worth in 3 months.

With all the pitchforkers & tripe around, he's more likely to look like Uncle Deakus from Lenny Henry show by the Everton game.

[philipl]

What if there is a takeover interest and the one interested wants as much debt cleared as possible - what if the debt - no matter how small is what has held up, say for example the Chowdrey takeover. Surely an investor would want to invest in the club and not have to pay debts created by others.

If you run a business by guessing what a putative buyer may or may not want, you end up with no business. I think this scenario is so unlikely as to be struck off as a possible explanation.

[BRFC1995]

Exactly what do the people posting on here think happens in training. Lets get this right ince has played for UTD,Liverpool< and inter Milan, and now all of a sudden he has decided to start flogging players to death in training and do things completely differently to what he has done throughout his career.

GET REAL. makes my blood boil when people let transfer requests come public as it makes the club turning the players head feel they are in the driving seat in negotiations when the other team has a player not comitted to the cause. We'd better get £9m or whatever it was that newcastle payed for that argie if he gets his wish.

Now firmly an ince supporter if he is actually managing to weed out the whingers and fairies from the team!

if this is true then i sincerely hope we avoid buying english in the future, money hungry big headed moaners!