[Archived] Big Fat Sam's Shopping List

[Hughesy]

If he's contract free then I think he can sign now, but like you say not play until the next window.

[67splitscreen]

From todays gossip columns.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has lined up 22-year-old Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzecko as a replacement for Roque Santa Cruz. (The People)

Is this one of yours Nicko.

From wiki, Edin Dzecko 6'3, 22 year old, scored 20 in 48 for Wolfsberg, 6 in 13 for Bosnia.

Sounds reasonable. Played against Pompey in the UEFA this season.

BBC gossip.

How much ???????.

[nicko]

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has lined up 22-year-old Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzecko as a replacement for Roque Santa Cruz. (The People)

Is this one of yours Nicko.

Yes, being watched more than most...and was on the list in January.

No idea on the price. That will come down to who else is in I suppose.

Wolfsburg are a selling club, so it is a realistic one to look at for the summer.

[Bobby G]

He has been scoring goals for fun after the mid-season break!

[brfcs5359]

I think Rovers are in trouble in the long run. BFS needs to spend money as fast and as quickly as Gordon Brown is doing to improve this Rovers team...

[Hughesy]

Nicko - any updates on any of our targets for summer? Or is it at a standstill until we know our league status?

Whats happening with the Academy? They seem to of gone quiet, afterall the signings they were being linked with.

[nicko]

Nicko - any updates on any of our targets for summer? Or is it at a standstill until we know our league status?

Whats happening with the Academy? They seem to of gone quiet, afterall the signings they were being linked with.

I think the focus - apart from staying up - is on Roque's replacement and a right winger.

The word I hear is that Brett Emerton will go back to right back when he returns from the knee problem.

No latest on the academy, although I did see the kid Blackman come on for Blackpool last night. Looks quite big and grown-up. He will have to be good to get the Donkey Lashers out of bother.

Must say they deserved something from last night.

[OJRovers]

I hope you're right about Emerton being put back at RB.

[Hughesy]

So if we are still after a right winger - does that mean Sam sees Diouf on the left wing??

[nicko]

So if we are still after a right winger - does that mean Sam sees Diouf on the left wing??

Diouf can play a few roles, but they are definitely looking at an out-and-out right winger. Quite a few on the list. No names just yet.

[LeChuck]

Central midfield surely is a bigger priority than right wing at the moment? Especially now that we're playing 3 in there and not 2.

[Sparky Marky]

Right Back is the priority at the moment....Ooijer is a clown.

[gumboots]

Right Back is the priority at the moment....Ooijer is a clown.

However, we can do nothing about it till the next transfer window.

[LeChuck]

Right Back is the priority at the moment....Ooijer is a clown.

By next season Ooijer will be gone and Emerton will be playing right back. Midfield is a much bigger issue.

[Billy Castell]

We do need to sort out the midfield. Ship out Vogel,Reid and possibly the axe for whatever we can get, and bring in an energetic, creative player. Then use Dunn, Judge, Andrews and Grella as squad members as 2 out of the 4 will be injured at any one time. That's the theory anyway. Get an out-and-out right winger, and maybe a right back on loan, then replace RSC. Of course, this is assuming we can sell RSC for £25m to Citeh before Hughes gets the chop.

[Oklahoma]

Priorities for next season:

RB

CM

RM

ST

LM

We should sign Givet on a permanent basis, get rid of Ooijer, Vogel, Simpson, Tugay, Reid.

[Hughesy]

We should also get rid of Brown, Rigters, Mokoena (Out of contract anyway) and then one of Derbshire/ Gallagher.

Priority for me would be:

CM

RM

ST (To replace Roque)

ST (Younger, with pace - in the style of Sturridge)

Any money left in the pot, then another Midfielder

[bluebruce]

Priorities for next season:

RB

CM

RM

ST

LM

We should sign Givet on a permanent basis, get rid of Ooijer, Vogel, Simpson, Tugay, Reid.

Are you suggesting we deal with just a couple of those positions? Because otherwise, it sounds pretty unworkable. Ooijer is out of contract so we get nothing there, we'd also get nothing for Vogel, Simpson and Tugay for varying reasons, and we would get very little for Reid. IF someone wants Roque at his contract clause price, we end up getting 15 million out of that after his 5 million slice. Givet will cost a few million, I don't know the price. Roque's replacement we can expect to be in the 4-7 million bracket. Which would leave us with 5-8 million for an RB, CM, RM and LM. You didn't mention getting rid of anyone else, but I've assumed Roque, and we could let Pedersen go for maybe 5 million to fund a left winger actually worth having.

Personally I'd prefer to loan Simpson again if we get the opportunity. Can't be very expensive, and personally I think he usually plays well. Sometimes very well. And he'll get better. I think he'd be a very good backup rightback option for next year, behind Emerton. For me, we desperately need a RM, and ideally we'd also sell Pedersen to get a decent replacement, and still be on the lookout for a good creative CM. We only get this kind of freedom if we sell Roque though. Our final position looks likely to be below the budgeted one, so I can't envision a nice war chest without a sale.

[JAL]

We need a minimum of TWO central midfielders come the summer not just one along with TWO forwards and a right winger.

Anything less is simply selling the fans short.

[bluebruce]

We need a minimum of TWO central midfielders come the summer not just one along with TWO forwards and a right winger.

Anything less is simply selling the fans short.

I think you mean anything less is realistic. Who do you think we are? Without sales of prized assets, we can afford nothing of the sort.

[JAL]

I think you mean anything less is realistic. Who do you think we are? Without sales of prized assets, we can afford nothing of the sort.

I'm not asking for your Gerrards or Lampards but the stars of tomorrow - it simply has to be done .

Come this summer it will highlight just how much Williams and the board cocked up last summer when the financial rammifications are revealed.

We will still be in the premier league though come next season i'm confident of that.

[LeChuck]

We need a minimum of TWO central midfielders come the summer not just one along with TWO forwards and a right winger.

Anything less is simply selling the fans short.

If we're playing one up front then we don't need to buy TWO forwards, a Roque replacement will be fine with the current two as back-up. If we can rid ourselves of some of the other midfielders then maybe we can bring in two, but we can't simply add to the squad without removing a lot of the deadwood first...Vogel, Mokoena and Reid would be nice.

[JAL]

If we're playing one up front then we don't need to buy TWO forwards, a Roque replacement will be fine with the current two as back-up. If we can rid ourselves of some of the other midfielders then maybe we can bring in two, but we can't simply add to the squad without removing a lot of the deadwood first...Vogel, Mokoena and Reid would be nice.

Do you not think MaCarthy and Roberts have been inconsistant plus with their ages acting against them, suggests to me they might need replacing aswell as.

Agree theres plenty of deadwood to leave the club aswell just like the ones you mention.

Its going to prove a massive challenge for Sam Allardyce and his team come the summer.

[bluebruce]

I'm not asking for your Gerrards or Lampards but the stars of tomorrow - it simply has to be done .

Come this summer it will highlight just how much Williams and the board cocked up last summer when the financial rammifications are revealed.

We will still be in the premier league though come next season i'm confident of that.

Sorry but what are you getting at with the comment about financial ramifications?

The stars of tomorrow aren't simply sitting there on a conveyor belt. And we don't need to go buying stars of tomorrow in all those positions- we need stars of TODAY for the most part. Those are key weak spots in our team! Getting players for those positions who are better than what we have costs at least a few million at a time, except for the odd freebie that becomes available. Which I'm sure is what we will look to- then everyone will moan about our lack of ambition, and how we should spend the money we don't have.

Do you not think MaCarthy and Roberts have been inconsistant plus with their ages acting against them, suggests to me they might need replacing aswell as.

I think Roberts has been consistently a pain in the ass to opposition defences and consistently a poor finisher. McCarthy has been good when he's been given the chance, and is better still when we keep him hungry by not starting him every week. Though he will get fed up of this.

But yes, both are old and we do need to look to long-term replacements. But as I keep saying, we're not loaded.

[JAL]

Sorry but what are you getting at with the comment about financial ramifications?

I'd say at least £ 10m plus will have been blown on hiring Ince and his clowns whom i'm sure will still be on the Rovers payroll at this moment in time and possibly come the summer IF they dont land another job. That along with a lower league position(less prize meoney) and the trustees reluctance to lend could all mean less money to spend.

The stars of tomorrow aren't simply sitting there on a conveyor belt. And we don't need to go buying stars of tomorrow in all those positions- we need stars of TODAY for the most part. Those are key weak spots in our team! Getting players for those positions who are better than what we have costs at least a few million at a time, except for the odd freebie that becomes available. Which I'm sure is what we will look to- then everyone will moan about our lack of ambition, and how we should spend the money we don't have.

When I say stars of tomorrow, it includes them being able to produce in a premiership match with instant success.

I think Roberts has been consistently a pain in the ass to opposition defences and consistently a poor finisher. McCarthy has been good when he's been given the chance, and is better still when we keep him hungry by not starting him every week. Though he will get fed up of this.

But yes, both are old and we do need to look to long-term replacements. But as I keep saying, we're not loaded.

Agree its all got to be done on a shoestring but If Rovers can afford to pay attractive wages then hopefully they might JUST be able to pull it off.Rovers arent going to be alone come the summer with financial restrictions.