[Archived] Vince Grella Signs

[dave birch]

Wouldn't surprise if the Australian coach (Pim Verbeek) had some sway in Grella coming to Ewood. Playing alongside Bert will help his play for the Aussie side.

I've never been overly impressed with Grella, he's a workhorse without being spectacular. Let's hope he proves me totally wrong and takes the PL by storm.

Would have much preferred Bresciano.

[LeChuck]

Anyone have an idea of the fee? Hopefully it's not much, we can't afford to spend much on 28 year olds. This quote from Wenger a few days ago sums up why...

""I find Barry a good player. The problems with players who are 27, 28 is that you pay big money but you get nothing back, no resale."

Still, as long a we bring in a young and talented right winger, then Grella might be just what we need in the centre of the park to feed the attacking players.

[AussieinUk]

Welcome to Ewood Vincenzo!!!

I think you will find that this was the right move for you.

Now, how to get rid of Mokoena... hmmm

[Ste B]

Jim must be gutted we have another aussie

Anyway, heres the first picture of Vince Gorilla

[American]

Looks more Italian there than in the pic on the official site!

[Sydney Rovers]

good player; likes to sit deeper and collect the ball from defenders.

tough tackler & and has the ability to play that "killer ball"

That's pretty much what you get with Grella, he's a massive improvement from what we have now besides possibly Vogel who I haven't seen enough of.

Also a tip to Rovers World, please, please don't interview him because he would be close to the worst public speaker in the football World.

And if you need a song for him, we tend to do this one when he plays for the Socceroos;

"Vinnie Grella is our friend,

Is our friend, is our friend,

Vinnie Grella he's our friend,

He hates Fetta"

[DeadlyDirk]

Good signing in my opinion, a few years ago now but he was fantastic in the world cup, if he can reproduce that form then he could prove to be a shrewd signing.

He's going to be better positionally than Mokoena and it's not possible to be worse than Reid at the moment, with Vogel injured and Tugay on the decline it was a much needed signing and a good bit of business until proven otherwise.

I don't get why people don't understand the defensive midfield role, there are very few who can defend well and attack to a high level, they are rare such as Gerrard, Keane, Essien etc who people have mentioned. Flamini played that role for Arsenal, Gilberto before him, Chelsea played it with Makelele, Liverpool play it with Masherano, if its good enough for them then it's good enough for me. Man Utd played it so some extent with Hargreaves.

Grella can sit allowing the likes of Pedersen, Dunn, Villanueva to play higher up the pitch where there likely to be more effective.

Good work, good addition to the squad.

[Rover Down Under]

I'd heard last week this move was likely to go ahead. Quite happy as from what I've seen of him he is incredibly fit, covers a lot of ground and is great at breaking up attacks and turning 'em round. He is largely "invisible" doesn't do much spectacular, bit of a David Batty. Can play some good passes though and is just solid and reliable, a Ryan Nelson of midfield basically.

Means we'll get more coverage over here as well with 2 Aussie Rovers again!

[philipl]

Welcome Vince Grella.

Gives the club a bit more strength in depth where we were bereft last season when Sav's form fell away dramatically.

Makes the competition for places even more intense.

I still would like the club to make a "box office" signing and this most certainly is not it.

[Greylock]

Nice to see another Aussie signing for Rovers! He's always looked good covering the back four for the Socceroos. At 28 should be a solid first teamer for the Rovers for a few years. Lets hope the Guv'nor can find us a quality, pacy right winger to round off the team!

[roversmad95]

What about Reo-Coker JAL?

Grella

Emerton Dunn MGP

Villanueva

I think I have heard that Ince likes to play 5 in midfield.

i like this in the middle of the park it could work really well....

[roversmad95]

When has a team ever had that? The most sucessfull teams have players that complement each other and work in a system. The best midfielders in the world, with the exception of maybe Gerrad, ecell in one role like Kaka or Ronaldo. Sucessful teams have some one like Gatuso or Hargreaves to complement them and allow them to concentrate on their role. I think its better to have players that specalise in their position and excel in it rather than ones who try to do everything and end up being average.

i agree ....

jack of all trades, master of none comes to mind....

[neekoy]

Excellent signing and finally the replacement for Tugay (not as good but same type of skillset)

Very fit, few injuries, can deliver a great pass, tough in defence. Excellent.

[roversmad95]

We're talking about DM's so that we can keep possession and stop conceding which will help spring our creative players (Dunn, Carlos, Benni) and score goals.

creaive.. benni?

[tchocky]

Good signing!

Makes our dealings this summer start to look good. We've lost two first teamers, and some deadwood, and brought in about 5 new first teamers (if you include Vogel): Grella, Simpson, Villanueva, Robinson. I'd say we have strengthened, but the real money is on whether Villanueva can be any sort of replacement for Bentley.

Still hope we can bring in a more attacking player for the midfield also.

[tony gale's mic]

Will there be new Rhianna-inspired chants at Ewood on the back of this news?

[Sydney Rovers]

Still hope we can bring in a more attacking player for the midfield also.

Got to agree there, that exact thing was lacking from the game against Hull when Dunn went off injured.

[Brad]

Great signing, a very solid and reliabe hard working midfielder who gets a great read on the game early...

[S15]

Having just read the thread from start to finish, I'm happy that we are strengthening our midfield and filling a role which has been sorely vacant since Savage lost his form and was sold as a result (A 12 month period now really).

It is also clear that JAL has never watched a game of football. A midfielder must be able to defend and attack in equal measure? What garbage. What makes it worse is that you then suggest that Vieira, Keane and Barry can attack as well as they can defend? What garbage. What about Petit, Makelele, Gattuso? These players (taking away Barrys' penalties) have about 5 career goals between them. They cannot shoot, they cannot take a man on, they cannot consistantly play killer passes, and outside of a fifteen yard radius their distribution isn't exactly world class. But these guys can attack and defend in equal measure? Do me a favour. For you to suggest that they aren't percieved, even by themselves as 'defensive' midfielder is crazy.

And what of the other extreme? The leagues best ever attacking midfielders, like Pires, Giggs, Ljungberg, Juninho, Le Tissier, Ginola and Rolnaldo cannot defend for sh*t. Not at all. Pick a team with a midfield four comprised of those players and that team will get beat with no 'defensive' midfielder to boot. Why is that?

So welcome aboard Vinny, and keep dreaming JAL.

[RoyRover]

I'm happy with this signing. By all reports, he is a very good player and he will add a lot to our midfield. We have a lot of options in the centre of midfield now, which is what we need if we are to do well. Hopefully we will get a chance to see him in action on Saturday. Now all we need, is another creative midfielder and a right back. Does this signing mean the end in our interest of Keith Andrews?

[Billy Castell]

Having skimmed the first and last page the vibes seem positive about Grella*. I admit I have no idea how good he is, but he must be an improvement on The Axe who seems to kick people and lump the ball to the other teams' defenders.

*=The exception, inevitably is JAL, who would complain if Jesus Christ himself descended from heaven in the 1994-5 season kit and signed a 5 year contract. Yep,all we would hear is how he has an old kit, not contributing to the clubs' finances and so on!

[jim mk2]

Grella sounds like a poor man's Mokoena, without the passing skills.

Don't see the point in another (£4 million !!!) defensive midfielder - the team desperately needs pace and width, and more creative ability in the centre.

[Flopsy]

*=The exception, inevitably is JAL, who would complain if Jesus Christ himself descended from heaven in the 1994-5 season kit and signed a 5 year contract. Yep,all we would hear is how he has an old kit, not contributing to the clubs' finances and so on!

To be fair he wouldnt be very good when it came to crosses now would he?

[Bobby G]

Grella sounds like a poor man's Mokoena, without the passing skills.

Don't see the point in another (£4 million !!!) defensive midfielder - the team desperately needs pace and width, and more creative ability in the centre.

A poor man's Mokoena?

[Billy Castell]

Actually, I think Jesus would throw himself at any crosses into the box. And he would literally die for his team mates. Still, he might be a bad signing if he was in a team with George Best, Paul Merson or Tony Adams playing for them.