[Archived] Big Fat Sam's Shopping List

[47er]

Care to elaborate? Aside from Murphy and Hyypia i'm not suggesting we sign any of them. And i admit Bischoff was a tad optomistic. But the others are players i can imagine us taking a punt on. The likes of Kanu and Viduka are classic Allardyce players and will fit snuggly into our budget.

But Viduka is 33 and no-one knows how old Kanu is. Viduka is almost never fit either. What is the point of that?

[patrickvalery]

But Viduka is 33 and no-one knows how old Kanu is. Viduka is almost never fit either. What is the point of that?

Maybe my english isn't up to scatch. I said two posts back that i wouldn't want either of them. I totally agree with your sentiments. Once Sam's backroom staff have carbon dated Kanu, Viduka will be on the treatment table for the third time. I just said i could imagine either one as the sort of bargain basement signing we might be forced into making. I thought i offered my endorsements for Murphy and Hyypia. Both of which i think would make us a better side in the short term.

[RevidgeBlue]

Care to elaborate? Aside from Murphy and Hyypia i'm not suggesting we sign any of them. And i admit Bischoff was a tad optomistic. But the others are players i can imagine us taking a punt on. The likes of Kanu and Viduka are classic Allardyce players and will fit snuggly into our budget.

Hypia is nearly 36. It would be absolutely stupid to let Ooijer go and bring someone in even older!

I really hope we don't start bringing in a load of old crocks on a "one last pay day" basis. Had enough of that when Souness was here. (And with Fowler even though he was only pay as you play)

[patrickvalery]

Hypia is nearly 36. It would be absolutely stupid to let Ooijer go and bring someone in even older!

I really hope we don't start bringing in a load of old crocks on a "one last pay day" basis. Had enough of that when Souness was here. (And with Fowler even though he was only pay as you play)

Stupid or not, Sam has got a bit of track record for bring in players the wrong side of thirty. I'd love to see us bringing in exciting young talent year on year, but something tells me we probably wont. I think we have to be realistic. Williams was intent on bringing Sam here because of the job he did at Bolton. We should expect him to replicate what proved to be a succesful model. If all goes well then great. But if and more likely when he leaves it becomes hard to function in his legacy. Just ask Gary Megson.

I honestly believe his plan for this summer will involve getting some experienced figures (like Hyypia) and surrounding them with enthusiatic runners. I hope i'm wrong and he his far more multi dimensional than i give him credit for. But everything i've seen thus far suggests to me we're on course to be Notlob II. I really hope i'm wrong.

On a souness note. I have to agree. If we start to be linked to equivalent aging talent as Dickov or Gray then something is seriously wrong.

[Hughesy]

Nobody over 32 please. Infact only those younger than 27-28 would be better, then at least their is some re-sale available on them!

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Its all very well talking about bringing in players aged below 28 as they will have resale but they will cost money. MONEY is the one thing that Rovers have not got. At best, we will be able to bring one or two players in, even with RSC money then other players brought in will be either young players from lower leagues, young foreign players on trial or journey men after one last pay day.

[Majiball]

Hypia, as good as he was no thanks I'm fed up of seeing has-beens. Yes we have no money as some have pointed out but signing players of this age has no investment potential. Sami is on serious cash at pool and even if he did come here he'll want at least 20K, I'd rather give a younger hopeful 10K and use the rest to fund his fee.

Its time to break the rovers mold and re-assess our transfer strategy and perhaps Sam's (should he want old has-beens). Anyway what does Sami have to prove nothing, a kid has it all to prove. Manicenne at Chelsea could be going, as well as Wheater and maybe even Taylor at Newcastle (should RSC depart). We've been linked to those younger CB's the french one and the swedish? so I'd rather take a punt on one of them thanks.

PS just read Adriano should be having his Inter contract torn-up, mad as he maybe I'd have him here like a shot, and I'll have one of those on sunday as well!!

[LeChuck]

Its all very well talking about bringing in players aged below 28 as they will have resale but they will cost money. MONEY is the one thing that Rovers have not got.

It's a fair point.

Older players are fine as long as they're coming on free transfers (thankfully this is something Sam seemed to do frequently at Bolton).

What we can't be doing is spending money on anyone in their thirties, only clubs that have owners willing to put money into transfers can afford to do that.

To be successful in the long term, we need to spend whatever money we have on younger players who will still hold value when they do leave, then supplement those with astute free transfers and loans. It's the only way a club with a budget like ours can survive long term.

[den]

To be successful in the long term, we need to spend whatever money we have on younger players who will still hold value when they do leave, then supplement those with astute free transfers and loans. It's the only way a club with a budget like ours can survive long term.

I'm sure the club would be very grateful if you could point out where we can find these younger players who are good enough to play at this level - and at a reasonable fee.

[LeChuck]

I'm sure the club would be very grateful if you could point out where we can find these younger players who are good enough to play at this level - and at a reasonable fee.

Wigan seem to do pretty well in getting players like Valenica, Palacios, N'Zogbia etc. We did it with Bellamy, Bentley, Roque, Samba, Warnock etc. Generally the players seem to be those that are yet unknown, and therefore require excellent scouting work, or those that have had problems at other clubs and can be turned around with clever management.

I didn't say it was easy, but then competing in the Premier League on our budget is inherently difficult.

[den]

Wigan seem to do pretty well in getting players like Valenica, Palacios, N'Zogbia etc. We did it with Bellamy, Bentley, Roque, Samba, Warnock etc. Generally the players seem to be those that are yet unknown, and therefore require excellent scouting work, or those that have had problems at other clubs and can be turned around with clever management.

I didn't say it was easy, but then competing in the Premier League on our budget is inherently difficult.

Yes, fair enough, but that's what we've been doing for a few years now and we've also been using the free transfer and loan idea.

[LeChuck]

Yes, fair enough, but that's what we've been doing for a few years now and we've also been using the free transfer and loan idea.

I don't disagree at all, it's why we've been incredibly successful in relation to our budget (up until this season at least). Paul Ince managed to end it all in one summer by making a 30 year midfield crock his major signing and adding rubbish freebie/cheapo/loan signings like Fowler, Andrews and Simpson. He managed to balls it up in both areas.

[broadsword]

What was the fee for Andrews?

Was it not 800k rising to 2 mill?

[LeChuck]

Wow, was it that much? I thought it was somewhere between £500-£750k. If we pay anywhere near £2 million for him then we've been had!

[Amo]

I read it was £750,000 rising to £1.3m

[Hughesy]

I read it was £750,000 rising to £1.3m

Correct. He is easily worth £2.5m as a lower prem/ championship player now though - so we could maybe ship him off to Ipswich in summer??

[Bennisfromheaven]

Correct. He is easily worth £2.5m as a lower prem/ championship player now though - so we could maybe ship him off to Ipswich in summer??

Could probably get 12 million off Ipswich now!!!

[LeChuck]

Now that Southampton have been relegated to League One we could do worse than look at Andrew Surman and Adam Lallana. Both have England U21 caps and were very highly rated not long ago, I think their form has dropped off this season but they could easily be affected by what's happening at the club. With Southampton in administration they should be cheap and definitely young enough to have lots of improvement left in them.

Jonjo Shelvey at Charlton would be another one to look at as they've also been relegated, but as he's only 17 I think there'll be a lot of competition for him. He'll be a Premiership player eventually though, and a good one at that.

[Majiball]

Three very good shouts there Le Chuck, Lallana looks promising.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Now that Southampton have been relegated to League One we could do worse than look at Andrew Surman and Adam Lallana. Both have England U21 caps and were very highly rated not long ago, I think their form has dropped off this season but they could easily be affected by what's happening at the club. With Southampton in administration they should be cheap and definitely young enough to have lots of improvement left in them.

Jonjo Shelvey at Charlton would be another one to look at as they've also been relegated, but as he's only 17 I think there'll be a lot of competition for him. He'll be a Premiership player eventually though, and a good one at that.

three good players and just the type of players Rovers should be adding to their squad but the priority has to be players who can benefit the First Team immediately and so we may have to miss out on these types

[JAL]

Care to elaborate? Aside from Murphy and Hyypia i'm not suggesting we sign any of them. And i admit Bischoff was a tad optomistic. But the others are players i can imagine us taking a punt on. The likes of Kanu and Viduka are classic Allardyce players and will fit snuggly into our budget.

Patrick, the players you mentioned I wouldnt want to see any of them playing for Rovers we've enough dross at the club without adding to it.

[LeChuck]

three good players and just the type of players Rovers should be adding to their squad but the priority has to be players who can benefit the First Team immediately and so we may have to miss out on these types

I actually think Surman and Lallana would be an improvement on what we have already, especially as both can also play out wide. I'd have either of them ahead of Mokoena and Andrews any day. Shelvey is obviously not up to Premiership standard at 17, but we do have to build for the future if we manage to stay up.

[67splitscreen]

Does anyone have any info on how the Ex l'arse kid Nicolas is doing. Are we likely to sign him, Etc.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

I actually think Surman and Lallana would be an improvement on what we have already, especially as both can also play out wide. I'd have either of them ahead of Mokoena and Andrews any day. Shelvey is obviously not up to Premiership standard at 17, but we do have to build for the future if we manage to stay up.

I just think that with finances so tight all available funds this summer need to go on players who are proven at Premiership level. All three players mentioned are unproven at premiership and many would argue as they are being relegated from the championship are not up to that level yet.

Once we have the first team sorted then we can start looking at youngsters who will be the future of the club.

[Hughesy]

Stoke boss Tony Pulis will join Sunderland and Blackburn in the battle to sign Liverpool centre-back Sami Hyypia. (The Sun)

Hope not!