[Archived] Paul's Progress

[LeChuck]

So you think we need new players?

I do. Who doesn't?

[MCMC1875]

Ince has just been on SSN. He looked worried and sounded very nervy.

He doesn't seem happy at all.

[den]

I'm sorry but the only naivety is yours. You may have been right in the 80's and early 90's but not now. The ONLY reason Barry didn't go to Liverpool was that Liverpool struggled to stump up the cash and the owners questioned the valuation. It's an utter nonsense to say Villa resisted selling Barry. They didn't. What they did was resist selling a player who wanted to leave until the valuation was met. Which it wasn't in any kind of credible manner. I'm willing to bet that if Liverpool get taken over between now and January, and Benitez stays, Barry will be a Liverpool player in January.

MON didn't want to sell Barry because he realised the implications of doing that - and he didn't. Villa's tactics were spot on.

Paul Ince sold Bentley seemingly within days and with no idea as to his worth, or how he could replace him.

No naievity there, only fact.

[AggyBlue]

I do. Who doesn't?

But do you think we would if Hughes was still here?

[LeChuck]

But do you think we would if Hughes was still here?

Of course I would, and I bet Hughes would too.

That doesn't mean I think we should be sat in the bottom three having conceded 11 goals in 4 games mind, before you try to twist what I'm saying.

Edit: Although...if Hughes had been in charge this summer, I don't think we'd be in such a desperate need for players as we are now that Ince ballsed up in the transfer market.

[MCMC1875]

In my opinion the current Rovers squad is the most mediocre the club has had in the Prem except for that of Kidd.

[RovertheHill]

MON didn't want to sell Barry because he realised the implications of doing that - and he didn't. Villa's tactics were spot on.

Paul Ince sold Bentley seemingly within days and with no idea as to his worth, or how he could replace him.

No naievity there, only fact.

To use a MON turn of phrase that's absolutely not the facts at all. I'm afraid you are distorting what happened to try to prove your point about Ince and Bentley

O'Neill said on the 2nd August

"We had a meeting last Monday with Gareth and his agent at which we all agreed we would have a 5pm deadline on Wednesday and if Liverpool had not proved they had the wherewithal to proceed with the transfer then we would all leave that aside and go on with it... They still felt that even though the deadline had passed they still felt Liverpool were going to come in and do the deal. Obviously I was disappointed to hear that. Gareth’s head is a bit all over the place at the moment and they asked for some more time. I listened to what they’ve said and I’ll go with it - reluctantly but I’ll go with it. There will be no deadline and Liverpool have all the time in the world now to sign Gareth Barry. They’ve got up to the normal window, which is the 31st of this month.”

Now frankly, in your version of events, I'd have expected something slightly different. The FACT is Villa would have sold Barry, albeit reluctantly, IF THE PRICE WAS RIGHT.

[den]

To use a MON turn of phrase that's absolutely not the facts at all. I'm afraid you are distorting what happened to try to prove your point about Ince and Bentley

O'Neill said on the 2nd August

"We had a meeting last Monday with Gareth and his agent at which we all agreed we would have a 5pm deadline on Wednesday and if Liverpool had not proved they had the wherewithal to proceed with the transfer then we would all leave that aside and go on with it... They still felt that even though the deadline had passed they still felt Liverpool were going to come in and do the deal. Obviously I was disappointed to hear that. Gareth’s head is a bit all over the place at the moment and they asked for some more time. I listened to what they’ve said and I’ll go with it - reluctantly but I’ll go with it. There will be no deadline and Liverpool have all the time in the world now to sign Gareth Barry. They’ve got up to the normal window, which is the 31st of this month.”

Now frankly, in your version of events, I'd have expected something slightly different. The FACT is Villa would have sold Barry, albeit reluctantly, IF THE PRICE WAS RIGHT.

That's one cut from a long running saga. Villa put a huge price tag on Barry and all along they knew Liverpool were struggling to meet it.

Compare that with PI who sold Bentley almost immediately and knowing that Arsenal had a large slice of the takings. It's the difference in the approach of the two managers that's the difference. JW and Mark Hughes had already told Bentley he would have to stay one more year.

[gumboots]

Barry isn't a 'Villa boy at heart', he joined from Brighton.

Didn't say he'd always been there or that he came from the area but he's played for Villa since he was young, a darned sight longer than Bentley played for us, has been sought after in the past by other clubs but has always stuck with Villa. They certainly regard him as one of their own, whereas we always knew that if anyone of the bigger or more media loved clubs wanted Bentley we'd probably sell

[RovertheHill]

That's one cut from a long running saga. Villa put a huge price tag on Barry and all along they knew Liverpool were struggling to meet it.

Compare that with PI who sold Bentley almost immediately and knowing that Arsenal had a large slice of the takings. It's the difference in the approach of the two managers that's the difference. JW and Mark Hughes had already told Bentley he would have to stay one more year.

What a nonsense. They put a price tag on him that was just £3M more than ours on Bentley. I'm sorry you are living in Cloud Cuckoo Land. Mark Hughes let Lucas Neill go and he let Craig Bellamy go. Why do you think he would have kept Bentley? You are trying to blame Ince for everything and that isn't right. Bentley was on his way regardless of Ince and you cannot lay the blame at his door. What he does have to take responsibility for is not replacing him in the time he had.

[John]

Don't think we should keep going on saying Hughes would have done this, what have done that. Sadly, that is all history now.

Very hard to though, as always felt in safe hands when he was manager!!

It may have been soundbites, but under his management, he would only let good players go if he felt he could replace them (or make us stronger in his words). To let Bentley leave and not even bring in a short-term (loan) replacement could cost us dearly.

[den]

Bentley was on his way regardless of Ince and you cannot lay the blame at his door.

I can and will. For the final time, it was Ince's decision to sell him. Tell me this then - who did sell Bentley?

[92er]

What a nonsense. They put a price tag on him that was just £3M more than ours on Bentley. I'm sorry you are living in Cloud Cuckoo Land. Mark Hughes let Lucas Neill go and he let Craig Bellamy go. Why do you think he would have kept Bentley? You are trying to blame Ince for everything and that isn't right. Bentley was on his way regardless of Ince and you cannot lay the blame at his door. What he does have to take responsibility for is not replacing him in the time he had.

Bellamy had a clause in his contract which meant if the particular fee was agreed, he could go.

Neill would not sign a new contract and would have left in the summer on a free. It was remarkable we got so much for him.

I don't think either case is identical to Bentley.

[RovertheHill]

I can and will. For the final time, it was Ince's decision to sell him. Tell me this then - who did sell Bentley?

Ince sold Bentley. Exactly the same as Hughes would have done. And MON would have sold Barry had Liverpool honoured their bid for him. There is no loyalty in football, contracts are absolutely meaningless and unless you can afford to let expensive resources sit and stew and get no return on them then you are stuck with it, whether you are Ince, Hughes or MON, and in your world that's probably Ince's fault as well

Bellamy had a clause in his contract which meant if the particular fee was agreed, he could go.

Neill would not sign a new contract and would have left in the summer on a free. It was remarkable we got so much for him.

I don't think either case is identical to Bentley.

Whilst you have a point about the Bellamy contract who agreed to that? Mark "Nobody leaves unless I'm ready" Hughes did. And you are right that it is remarkable that we got so much for Neill. But again, you prove my point. He wanted to go. Whilst Mark Hughes was manager. And the point is we have people blaming Ince for Bentley going and implying he would have stayed for whatever reason if Hughes had been here. Nonsense. I don't mind people having a go at him for our defence, our for the fact he didn't use the money wisely, but to suggest it's all his fault that Bentley went is utter, utter rubbish.

[den]

I don't mind people having a go at him for our defence, our for the fact he didn't use the money wisely, but to suggest it's all his fault that Bentley went is utter, utter rubbish.

Ince sold Bentley.

[RovertheHill]

[den]

[RovertheHill]

Europe are 2 points down in the Ryder Cup too. Ince Out!!

[92er]

Whilst you have a point about the Bellamy contract who agreed to that? Mark "Nobody leaves unless I'm ready" Hughes did. And you are right that it is remarkable that we got so much for Neill. But again, you prove my point. He wanted to go. Whilst Mark Hughes was manager.

I think the point about the Bellamy contract that MH made after he was sold to Liverpool was that Bellamy would not have agreed to come without the clause.

Neill had let it be known for some time he would not sign a new contract, as was his right, and was in effect looking to leave on a Bosman.It was presumed that the pay out from WH was big enough to warrant his leaving in Jan rather than June.

[AggyBlue]

I can and will. For the final time, it was Ince's decision to sell him. Tell me this then - who did sell Bentley?

You haven't a clue who made the final decision to get shut but don't let that get in the way of your blinkered hatred of Ince though.

Whoever it was though, , we couldn't get rid of the rotten egg that was Bentley quick enough.

[den]

You haven't a clue who made the final decision to get shut but don't let that get in the way of your blinkered hatred of Ince though.

Whoever it was though, , we couldn't get rid of the rotten egg that was Bentley quick enough.

I have no hatred of Ince, I sincerely hope he does well. Just trying to point out to the blinkered Inceites that when they say Bentley leaving had nothing to do with Ince, - they're wrong.

As for your second sentence, well it's fabulous watching Emerton playing right wing. It's like going back 5 years.

[AggyBlue]

As for your second sentence, well it's fabulous watching Emerton playing right wing. It's like going back 5 years.

Bentley not being replaced is a different matter. Getting shut of the moron was the only option for the club, whoever made the decision.

[tcj_jones]

Oops, my bad. Didn't read the article properly. Didn't mean to scare anybody!

[den]

Oops, my bad. Didn't read the article properly. Didn't mean to scare anybody!

You didn't scare me tcj. You terrified me.

[OscarRaven]

Ince hails 'brilliant' Hodgson

...he is the ideal guy to learn from, and I'm sure I'll be asking for his advice in the future

Rewind to nearly 10 years ago.... 22nd Nov 1998

ROY HODGSON was sensationally sacked last night after Blackburn Rovers had been dumped on the bottom of the Premiership.

The 1million-a-year boss has presided over a run in which Rovers have taken just five out of 33 points and owner Jack Walker had had enough.

And this is the man Ince looks up to? The manager who dumped us at the bottom of the league.

I can't understand why he would sing the praises of a manager who made a very significant contribution to getting Rovers relegated. Shocking.

Is 10 years of history about to repeat itself....

Of course I could be wrong ..... Billy thinks so, but he would, wouldn't he?