[Archived] Sparky - Not A Great Manager?

[Darth Paul]

Agreed, to be honest, with all prospects of recognisable success long gone, I try to set Rovers milestones of success of my own, like least money spent per point won, smallest fan base per league placing etc...

In a perverse sort of way I like it that we are skint and are fighting against all the odds. I would much prefer to spend nothing and enjoy the kudos of finishing say, tenth, than spend £30 or £40 million like some clubs and finish anywhere between 7th and 17th (or worse!).

Having players like RSC and Benni in the top two or three in the scoring charts gives me a lot of pride also. Ok these arent recognised club honours, but it is more admirable than patting onesself on the back because my club gets 40,000 fans in every week, out of a catchment area of millions, wasting a load of cash and achieving exactly nowt else. This accounts for about half the league in one way or another right now...

[tcj_jones]

Remember that both Bridge and Zabaleta were Hughes signings, so he probably has them in mind for the first team. He also has Micah Richards who can play at CB and RB. It's really just CB that's a major problem at the moment IMO and he is working to get players in - Terry, for example.

Wait until the start August before writing them off. If Hughes gets Lescott and Terry, to play alongside Bridge and one of Zabaleta and Richards, then we'll be eating our words.

[DeadlyDirk]

Remember that both Bridge and Zabaleta were Hughes signings, so he probably has them in mind for the first team. He also has Micah Richards who can play at CB and RB. It's really just CB that's a major problem at the moment IMO and he is working to get players in - Terry, for example.

Wait until the start August before writing them off. If Hughes gets Lescott and Terry, to play alongside Bridge and one of Zabaleta and Richards, then we'll be eating our words.

That's what I said, it's too early to be making assumptions that they will flop with all their strikers.

Hughes is no moron, he may find it tough keeping them all happy but he won't be playing 5 at a time.

Their midfield is now becoming a good all round unit with the addition of Barry who much as I hate to admit because of my distaste for Villa he is an excellent player. De Jong and Kompany (Although injured for the start of the season) provide some defensive stability in the midfield. The likes of Wright Phillips, Ireland, Petrov are talented if they even get games and would walk into any club outside the top 4 right now.

They have an excellent goalkeeper in Shay Given and the defence seems to be the next area Hughes tends to improve, Dunne and Richards for starters are not terrible defenders, they just had bad seasons. (I'm not saying they are world beaters but again would get into a lot of premiership teams.) One or two defenders and they have most of the ingredients of a good team, the question then remains as to whether or not Hughes can get them to play as a team and whether or not some of their fancy players will do their share of the hard work.

[FourLaneBlue]

The financial clout we had was greater than anyone elses, that is a fair point.

Not really...who was the team that broke the UK transfer record in the summer of 1993 and again during our title-winning season?

Man United.

Soon after we won the title Liverpool were spending £8.5million on Stan Collymore.

The line that we had more money than everyone else does not hold up well to scrutiny. Rather it allowed us to compete with the big boys.

[thenodrog]

Not really...who was the team that broke the UK transfer record in the summer of 1993 and again during our title-winning season?

Man United.

Soon after we won the title Liverpool were spending £8.5million on Stan Collymore.

The line that we had more money than everyone else does not hold up well to scrutiny. Rather it allowed us to compete with the big boys.

Correct. Problem is most people only believe what they want to.

[Billy Castell]

It's because we were not part of the established order of that time. We punched at the same weight financially as Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool whilst eclipsing other 'establishment' teams such as Spuds. The same goes for almost any area you care to look. For example, the landed aristoctracy hated the wealthy industrialists of the 19th century as they were richer than them despite not being from the right families. Its that sort of thinking that makes us 'the team that bought the title'.

[thenodrog]

It's because we were not part of the established order of that time. We punched at the same weight financially as Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool whilst eclipsing other 'establishment' teams such as Spuds. The same goes for almost any area you care to look. For example, the landed aristoctracy hated the wealthy industrialists of the 19th century as they were richer than them despite not being from the right families. Its that sort of thinking that makes us 'the team that bought the title'.

Hey up! Lanky Utd no more........ It's Luddite County from now on! Apolitical with a nice ring to it eh?

[Darth Paul]

Correct. Problem is most people only believe what they want to.

We probably did have more financial clout than anyone at the time. If we had wanted to buy (and in on case we did!) the likes of Keane, Cole or Collymore we easily could have bought them. We just chose not to throw the cash around in a way that a lot of people would like to remember that we did.

I think what is significant however is that even though we could have bought anyone, we didn't. That is another difference between us and the likes of City, Chelsea etc...we tried to build a team, not play fantasy football.

We never, ever got enough credit for winning the title, not just for actually winning it, but winning it in the style and with the players that we did.

[leftfooter]

We probably did have more financial clout than anyone at the time. If we had wanted to buy (and in on case we did!) the likes of Keane, Cole or Collymore we easily could have bought them. We just chose not to throw the cash around in a way that a lot of people would like to remember that we did.

I think what is significant however is that even though we could have bought anyone, we didn't. That is another difference between us and the likes of City, Chelsea etc...we tried to build a team, not play fantasy football.

We never, ever got enough credit for winning the title, not just for actually winning it, but winning it in the style and with the players that we did.

We also tried, and came very close to signing Keane too, which would have changed the course of history.

[Darth Paul]

The story I heard was that he agreed to sign for us but by the time he got to Ewood the offices were shut. He was supposed to come back in the morning to sign on the dotted line and overnight Fergie nipped in...

[Hughesy]

Not really...who was the team that broke the UK transfer record in the summer of 1993 and again during our title-winning season?

Man United.

Soon after we won the title Liverpool were spending £8.5million on Stan Collymore.

The season we won the league, United spent more than us too - everyone doesnt mention that they bought 2nd though do they?!

[brfcs5359]

Hughes is full of contradictions. He will say one thing today, the opposite tomorrow recycling his limited vocabulary and intelligence over and over.

5 top strikers.... no midfield or defence.... reminds me of Ossie Ardiles and Spurs. Hughes will be sacked by Christmas. Dunn is over the hill and he was their only rock.

[thenodrog]

The story I heard was that he agreed to sign for us but by the time he got to Ewood the offices were shut. He was supposed to come back in the morning to sign on the dotted line and overnight Fergie nipped in...

Almost.

Dalglish phoned the office for them to fax a signing on form, but it was after 5pm Fri and they'd all gone home for the weekend. . Kenny and Keane shook hands (a binding act to one and sweet FA to the other as it turned out) on the deal and agreed to finalise on Monday am. Over the weekend Keane flew home to Cork where no doubt he'd be surrounded by plastic paddy's and it was there that the old RFW contacted him by phone and arranged to meet him getting off the plane at Manchester. When they met he persuaded him to ditch us and sign for the Red Scum.

Dalglish never forgave the man who renaged on his own handshake.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Chelsea are set to report Manchester City boss Mark Hughes to the Premier League for 'tapping up' John Terry

One of the things that has really disappointed me about Hughes is his behaviour when it comes to transfers, I don't recall him being this vocal about players when he was at our club. He has really gone down in my estimation, in fact I seriously dislike him now.

[Billy Castell]

Seconded here RVR. His conduct over the last season regarding Roque was awful, with his constant harping on about fictional fees and so on. It was like Harry Redknapp.

[thenodrog]

Chelsea are set to report Manchester City boss Mark Hughes to the Premier League for 'tapping up' John Terry

One of the things that has really disappointed me about Hughes is his behaviour when it comes to transfers, I don't recall him being this vocal about players when he was at our club. He has really gone down in my estimation, in fact I seriously dislike him now.

Like Chelsea have never been guilty of that!

btw I think a lot of this crap will be down to his Chairman tbh.

[roversmum]

The whole thing is a farce. Wonder how long it will take the Arabs to get fed up with it all and look for a new toy.

[gumboots]

Like Chelsea have never been guilty of that!

btw I think a lot of this crap will be down to his Chairman tbh.

Smacks a bit of hypocrisy after the Ashley Cole affair but then they did get done for that, didn't they?

[tcj_jones]

Wow, I'm astounded that Chelsea have the nerve to report a club for 'tapping up'. I'm enjoying there being another big player on the scene now. Obviously, it's ruining football, but then that's been happening for years. I hope they get Terry.

[tcj_jones]

Wait a minute, according to that NOTW piece, Hughes is being reported simply for openly stating he wants to buy a particular player? Doesn't Harry Redknapp do that every other day?

[John]

Ferguson on Man City: "They have bought a lot of high profile players but they have 10 strikers. That is a hell of a lot. I have not spoken to all the managers but the one or two I have are saying 'Who are they going to leave out?'"

[Kelbo]

Dalglish bought well

Le Saux £500,000 sold for 5 million

Shearer bout around £3,000,000 sold for 15 million

Sherwood £500,000 sold for 4 million

Sutton, was sold with a 6 million pound profit

a couple of million profit on Batty

Need I go on!

Will city sell Bridge for a profit??

or Roque? Bellamy? Tevez? Ronaldinho?? Adebeyor?

That is the clever way Dalglish worked!! the best talent spotter in the world at the time, I would pick his brain any time!!

[Blue n White Rover]

Dalglish bought well

Le Saux £500,000 sold for 5 million

Shearer bout around £3,000,000 sold for 15 million

Sherwood £500,000 sold for 4 million

Sutton, was sold with a 6 million pound profit

a couple of million profit on Batty

Need I go on!

Will city sell Bridge for a profit??

or Roque? Bellamy? Tevez? Ronaldinho?? Adebeyor?

That is the clever way Dalglish worked!! the best talent spotter in the world at the time, I would pick his brain any time!!

I presume you mean Robinho?

I agree with what you say about Kenny Dalglish, I was talking to Stuart Ripley on the train to Manchester a few months back, and he said himself that his knowledge about every single player was brilliant. He could tell you the strengths and weakness of every player and had studied pretty much all the European players. I think his scouting ability made him a better manager, something Sparky has, however, if you look at his buys at Rovers, most the players he did buy, did leave for a huge profit. So theres no doubting Sparky in that area.

I can recall the following:

Jeffers sold for £1 million when we bought him on a free

Bentley bought for £3 million and sold for £18 million

Roque bought for £3 million sold for £18 million

Bellamy bought for £3 million and sold for £6.5 million

He has bought in the likes of Samba, Nelsen and Warnock, who if sold right now in the market, would undoubtedly make us a huge profit.

[philipl]

Interesting Ferguson comments that City are no threat but Ronaldo is a huge loss.

[Drakefyre]

Wait a minute, according to that NOTW piece, Hughes is being reported simply for openly stating he wants to buy a particular player? Doesn't Harry Redknapp do that every other day?

Exactly, I don't understand how publicly stating that you want a particular player is "tapping up." Weren't Chelsea in trouble for meeting with Ashley Cole and discussing terms?