[Archived] Keith Andrews - Rovers Newest Signing

[92er]

Yes-it has just come on Radio Lancs.

It's such good news I'm speechless.

[Tom]

Good for Keith, he's more than earned a place in our squad. If he had more with his fitness and drive we'd be better off. Sure he isn't the quality we want starting games but a more than capable backup.

[T4E]

Good for Keith, he's more than earned a place in our squad. If he had more with his fitness and drive we'd be better off. Sure he isn't the quality we want starting games but a more than capable backup.

Do you think a capable back up should be signed to a four year contract?

[imy9]

Do you think a capable back up should be signed to a four year contract?

Andrews had two years left on his deal, so could technically 'buy out' his contract next year and by the sounds of it he was on low wages, so maybe Rovers wanted to secure an asset that they had paid £1 million plus pounds for.

[RibbleValleyRover]

From the Official site:

http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,...1730505,00.html

[sambo]

At first I thought a major breakthrough had been made in the hunt for a new striker!

But congrats Keith

[Tom]

Do you think a capable back up should be signed to a four year contract?

I think he deserves a new contract, the length means nothing these days

[Al]

From the Official site:

http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,...1730505,00.html

Top signing of the summer.

[Mr. E]

I'm sorry, but losing our top players every summer is bad, but willfully choosing to keep hoofers like Andrews is worse. Heck, I'd rather we kept Mokoena instead.

[T4E]

Andrews had two years left on his deal, so could technically 'buy out' his contract next year and by the sounds of it he was on low wages, so maybe Rovers wanted to secure an asset that they had paid £1 million plus pounds for.

We could have sold him to Fulham for £2m couldnt we?

We're trying to lower the wage bill, yet give Andrews a raise. Madness.

[Manc Rover]

I think he deserves a new contract, the length means nothing these days

Agreed. Not a world beater but he did ok in the end last season, gives his all, filled in at right back when needed and chiped in with a few goals.

[den]

Did we not learn from the Jon Douglas saga?

Douggie played in a team that scraped clear of relegation, made the Irish team, had little talent - so we gave him four years. Just like Andrews. Madness.

[accyrover]

Keith Andrews is never going to satisfy most people on this board becuase he will be forever tarred with Paul Ince's disasterous brush.

Keith Andrews came from the lower leagues and took the most of his opportunity. He has proved himself a useful utility squad player who, despite not being the most gifted, from what I've seen gives 100%, unlike some lazy shysters who get paid extortionate amounts for kicking a football about, or sitting on the bench injured if you're Paraguyan .....anyway, I digress.

Sam obviously sees something in him. Trappatoni obviously sees something in him. Heck, even Woy sees something in him. I'd take those three's assessments of Keith Andrews over the banal rubbish spouted by some on this board.

So he's not the most talented palyer in the Premier league. What he is is hard working, committed and reliable.

Accyrover

[FourLaneBlue]

Sam obviously sees something in him that many do not. So...in Sam we trust.

[CrazyIvan]

Sam obviously sees something in him. Trappatoni obviously sees something in him. Heck, even Woy sees something in him. I'd take those three's assessments of Keith Andrews over the banal rubbish spouted by some on this board.

So he's not the most talented palyer in the Premier league. What he is is hard working, committed and reliable.

Agreed. For some to say (repeatedly) that Andrews is not a Premier League player, Rovers board and management obviously disagree with you. Comparing KA to Jon Douglas is weak and pointless. Andrews is here now and playing for Rovers.

[den]

Agreed. For some to say (repeatedly) that Andrews is not a Premier League player, Rovers board and management obviously disagree with you. Comparing KA to Jon Douglas is weak and pointless.

Comparing this to Jon Douglas obviously does prove a point. Rovers board and management [as you put it CrazyIvan] obviously saw Douglas as a Premier league player.

Managers always know better than us fans - goes some of the argument. I would rather listen to a manager than any fan, they say. The club and manager were wrong then, weren't they?

[OJRovers]

Any minimum sell on clause??

[Exiled_Rover]

If Fulham aren't prepared to offer £3m then we might as well keep him. He's a decent squad player - you're in trouble if he's starting for you as a Premier League club, but he's a good option to fill in when injuries and fatigue hit.

[Rovermatt]

Ok so obviously nobody with any sense is going to be duped into signing Andrews for a second time in as many years, but why on earth has he been given such a long contract? We need some positive news coming from the club. Not this sort of nonsense.

[CrazyIvan]

Comparing this to Jon Douglas obviously does prove a point. Rovers board and management [as you put it CrazyIvan] obviously saw Douglas as a Premier league player.

Managers always know better than us fans - goes some of the argument. I would rather listen to a manager than any fan, they say. The club and manager were wrong then, weren't they?

I'm not going to get into any kind of debate with you because you'd argue with the wind over Andrews so I'll say this and that'll be it. Who was the manager when Douglas was signed? Who is the manager now? This manager and this board has decided Andrews is worth more than £2 mil and worth giving a 4 year contract. It's called protecting an asset. TTFN Den.

[spencey7]

We're trying to lower the wage bill, yet give Andrews a raise. Madness.

Couldn't agree more. The mind truly boggles.

"No need for a striker, but if we've got cash burning a hole in our pocket why don't we give that sub-standard utility player a few extra thousand pounds?"

[LeChuck]

"The chairman (John Williams) was very fair with me. When I signed here from MK Dons he said that if I performed and got in the team and stayed in the team I would be rewarded and he has been true to his word."

I'd be extremely surprised and disappointed if Williams had gone back on his word. This seems more like simply fulfilling a promise rather than making a statement about his worth to the team, for all we know Sam might not even have been involved in the decision.

Either way, having players on long term contracts is no bad thing, providing they're not into their thirties.

[FourLaneBlue]

Comparing this to Jon Douglas obviously does prove a point. Rovers board and management [as you put it CrazyIvan] obviously saw Douglas as a Premier league player.

The term "Premier league player" is largely meaningless when bandied about like this however. What does it mean? There must be at least 4 different levels within that definition after all. For example...

1. Good or Above Average Premiership performer. From Rovers we probably have Samba, Warnock and Benni (well...when in the mood) for that. Good players who are assets to the team and should be always be starting. One really good season and we are in great danger of losing them. I think we can all agree that keef ain't one of those...

2. Regular starting players. Not world beaters but good, solid players we would expect to start games regularly. Brett Emerton springs to mind or perhaps Robinson, Nelsen, Dunn. Is Keef good enough to be a regular starter?

3. Squad players who are not first choice but play pretty regularly and can expect to be involved in most games. Jason Roberts for example or the likes of Ooijer last season.

4. Back-up players. There to be used when injuries force them to be called upon.

The majority of those on this board seem to think Andrews rates well enough as a backup to be called upon when injuries force it. Yet last season he started 27 of the 36 league games after he joined (we had already played 2 games by then and he was a sub against West Ham). Therefore he STARTED 75% of all possible league games last season for us. Add in 6 sub appearances and he barely miss any game at all...was he suspended or injured at all? So in fact last season he was used by Rovers as a regular starter (a number 2 from that list if you will ). Not many on here think he is good enough to be one of regular starters...but does Sam?

Well...if he doesn't then why turn down a reputed £2 million from Fulham?

Andrews seems like a capable enough squad player to come in when injuries and suspensions mean we need a stopgap. It does seem however as if it is likely that he will starting plenty of games as well this coming season however. Otherwise why turn down millions? Why get him on such a lengthy contract?

Andrews does get more stick than he would because he is linked to Ince and League 2. It means he stands out more than otherwise and cannot fly under the radar so much as he normally would be. However it just remains to be said that if he is a regular starter for us then we are not going to be all that stronger than last year.

With Dunn and Grella such regulars to the treatment room...he could well be one of out first choices in Central Midfield again this coming season.

[OJRovers]

I don't really agree with JW's logic here

If it weren't for Rovers would KA still be a lower league unknown? Yes

I'm sure when he signed he would be getting paid a lot more here than at Mk Dons so why do we need to reward him more?

It's a supply and demand market, if he doesn't like the wages he shouldve stayed at Mk dons, if anything he owes rovers for taking a chance on him and getting him exposed enough to get in the Ireland squad.

Extend his contract to protect any sell on fee- YES

More wages- NO

[FourLaneBlue]

I'd be extremely surprised and disappointed if Williams had gone back on his word. This seems more like simply fulfilling a promise rather than making a statement about his worth to the team, for all we know Sam might not even have been involved in the decision.

If John Williams is handing out contracts to players without "involving" Sam in the decision then that can't be good can it? It was only a year ago Williams was thinking Ince was the man to lead the club so I think any major decisions involving the first team squad should only happen with the man being paid handsomely because of his expertise in that area fully involved.

Either way, having players on long term contracts is no bad thing, providing they're not into their thirties.

Well...Andrews won't be that far off 33 when the contract ends. It does seem a rather long contract to be given without the full encouragement of the boss.