[Archived] Nicko's January Rumour Mill

[Sandiway Blue]

That's what I've been asking myself about this whole Kaka thing

Nicko, surely this is all a PR exercise, are they really offering this sort of money £100m + ?

If so why are they piddling around with £2m increments for Bellamy and Santa Cruz ?

The arabs want their dream team and the likes of Roque and Bellamy doesn`t exactly fit in with their plans of world domination..

[CAPT KAYOS]

Am I the only one in the whole world that nas never heard of RSS or Opera until today? Would someone care to enlighten me?

not quite FR - was thinking the same thing - have seen it before but not sure what it is or how it functions 'remote service system'?

And there is only one form of Opera I am aware of

[T4E]

Don't want Pennant glad we're not being linked anymore.

Huddlestones a good shout, lack of pace is an issue, though not if Sam switches to 451/433. He has a good varity of passing bit like Tugay.

Half way through and nothings happening I must admit I'm now getting a bit worried by it all.

Defence is a big problem - Givet in. Thats the only real move so far and it's a very positive one

There's plenty of time yet.

[CAPT KAYOS]

The right back position does seem a bit of bad luck at the moment, going to watch two players that didn't play for different reasons!

Fate DD , Fate - stay away I say and look elsewhere ...too spooky

[nicko]

The Man City 'plan' was one or two massive names and a few of Sparky's Premier men.

So far they have not pushed the boat out for the Premier players but go mad over Kaka.

If I was Sparky I would be feeling a little awkward right now.

A good gubbing by Wigan tomorrow might make things interesting.

If he loses out on Bellamy he is a lame duck. Likewise Roque although the price tag Rovers want may be an excuse that he can use. However Bellamy going to Spurs instead - if he does - for the sake of £1 million or so is a vote of no confidence in Hughes by City.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Defence is a big problem - Givet in. Thats the only real move so far and it's a very positive one

There's plenty of time yet.

Defence is a problem? Apart from the shambles at the back against City in the last few minutes its been fine under Sam. On the Givet signing he's a good option to have but i am wondering where he will play when everyone is on form.

Midfield, centrally and on the right wing is the area that needs major investment.

Nicko i know this is off topic but whats your thoughts on the potential Kaka transfer? Do you agree with some experts that it could ruin the transfer market, driving up the prices of players? If Kaka does move then that will surely increase the value of players of similar quality? Then there is the issue about increasing competition for the affordable players.

[alexanders]

IS Janko ONLY coming if Roque is sold?

I saw a price of £4 million being mentioned somewhere.

[The Harwood Yankee]

That's what I've been asking myself about this whole Kaka thing

Nicko, surely this is all a PR exercise, are they really offering this sort of money £100m + ?

If so why are they piddling around with £2m increments for Bellamy and Santa Cruz ?

I've been wondering the same thing and I think the answer is a business one not a footballing one. Same reason they paid so much for Robinho & tarted around Berbatov in the last transfer window. City are desperate to announce themselves as a global brand to rival ManU, Real Madrid etc. Signing Kaka and the ensuing media circus would do just that. Signing the likes of Bellamy & Santa Cruz wouldnt, even though they would be the sort of choices Hughes would like (but since he's prostituted himself he's going to have to accept that he's really just a puppet to a global business now.) Great player tho Kaka may be, he's also a huge PR exercise, presumably worth £50 million to City (£100 million minus the £50 million he's probably really worth if Robinho is worth £32 million).

[T4E]

Defence is a problem? Apart from the shambles at the back against City in the last few minutes its been fine under Sam. On the Givet signing he's a good option to have but i am wondering where he will play when everyone is on form.

Midfield, centrally and on the right wing is the area that needs major investment.

Defence is definitely a problem. 3 games under Sam we've been excellent, -17 GD for the rest of the season suggests a problem. It's a problem we've done something about because the right player became available. Now we can start dealing with the rest of it.

To have no dealt with the defence because of 3 games and inspite of the rest of our season so far would have been very foolish.

[RoversSG]

Just a question - why does everyone here think prices are inflated in the current market? Eg, someone mentioned huddlestone might be worth 12m now, janko for 9m, RSC for 25m etc

Isn't there a credit crunch going on so financing for purchases are going to get harder thus ensuring more clubs trying to sell than to buy?

[nicko]

JANKO - The £9 million fee is way too high. He would only come if Roque left and even then it would have to be for less.

KAKA - Don't ask me about that...it's a Billy Smart's Circus job.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Defence is definitely a problem. 3 games under Sam we've been excellent, -17 GD for the rest of the season suggests a problem. It's a problem we've done something about because the right player became available. Now we can start dealing with the rest of it.

To have no dealt with the defence because of 3 games and inspite of the rest of our season so far would have been very foolish.

I blame that on Ince trying to play pretty football. The backline especially Samba was made to make more advanced runs, run with the ball, short passing game etc. The back four weren't playing as a unit, we are now and look far more solid.

[roversnick]

PENNANT - Fee will be about £2-3 million...wages ridiculous.

HUDDLESTONE - Would be available.

IMO, Huddlestone would be a quality signing with great sell on potential (even if he cost £5m)

[T4E]

I blame that on Ince trying to play pretty football. The backline especially Samba was made to make more advanced runs, run with the ball, short passing game etc. The back four weren't playing as a unit, we are now and look far more solid.

Well clearly Sam agrees that we needed to improve in that position, and has done so.

[dom_rog]

Well if roque santa cruz does not go to City, will we really want him to play for us as he clearly does not want to be at rovers???

[captainhaircut]

What about Bafe Gomis from St Ettiene as a replacement for RSC?

Hasn't done as well this year as last and might be available for as little as 5m. Had a load of clubs after him last year and now Comoli is there Sporting Director I'm sure he'll operate his crazy revolving door policy.

[socngill]

Am I the only one in the whole world that nas never heard of RSS or Opera until today? Would someone care to enlighten me?

Also this "hitting F5" thing..... That's another thing that I NEVER do. Simply not being computer literate it would never even occur to me. And as for the suggestion some posts back that the authorities should make the Nicko thread "Members Only" to reduce the hits on the thread.....how could that help? You have to be a member to be able to post anything. Guest are "view only".

Off topic and I might get shot for this, but Opera is a web browser (like Internet explorer & Firefox) which has a built in e-mail ad RSS (which are feeds from sites such as SkySports etc) which many people consider to be "safer" than IE and Firefox. www.opera.com

F5 is just the same as hitting the refresh/reload button.

Hope that helps!!

[my_name_is_Earl]

Nicko, any interest from us in Huddlestone as far as you know? When does the next Rovers signing look likely to be?

[Majiball]

Defence is a big problem - Givet in. Thats the only real move so far and it's a very positive one

There's plenty of time yet.

What bothers me the most is quite simply this. Until RSC is sorted we are in limbo, an extra 18M to spend changes everything. I have gut feeling we'll see the right bid come in in the last few days, as will West Ham et al.

RSC will then demand his move and we'll have no choice but to accept, we seem to have set the price. Then we have to make a rushed call on a player if we can even agree a fee/wages other teams will know we are armed and will demand more.

On Givet I'm gonna wait, yes he has good pedigree but I want to see how he measures up physically and can he cope with the pace of the game? I'm told he's rather slow does anyone know?

[modes98]

What makes you think that City will back Hughes anymore than they are at the moment? It appears to be lip service whilst they await for him to be sacked.

Personally I think we should sell, he isn't the player he was last season and if he can rediscover it for them then good luck to him. You can't just switch it on and off, it doesn't work.

[my_name_is_Earl]

What bothers me the most is quite simply this. Until RSC is sorted we are in limbo, an extra 18M to spend changes everything. I have gut feeling we'll see the right bid come in in the last few days, as will West Ham et al.

RSC will then demand his move and we'll have no choice but to accept, we seem to have set the price. Then we have to make a rushed call on a player if we can even agree a fee/wages other teams will know we are armed and will demand more.

On Givet I'm gonna wait, yes he has good pedigree but I want to see how he measures up physically and can he cope with the pace of the game? I'm told he's rather slow does anyone know?

Givet is a French international so he must have something about him. Admittedly, I haven't seen much of him but a player of his calibre will always be welcome at Ewood.

On the Roque saga, I personally think he will go and it could be towards the end of the window if City want to wait that long. However, I really can't see a man of Sams experience and character letting him go at the end of the window without trying to include a loan deal for a City striker to cover his own back. I believe Roque will only be sold once somebody else is lined up so there is no reason to worry about issue. Thoughts?

[speeeeeeedie]

I'd have Huddlestone in a heartbeat.

If Kaka goes it will create a carousel. Milan will rebuild their enitre team with the cash, hopefully freeing up the market. However, it may not be until the summer.

[Balwer]

Givet is a French international so he must have something about him. Admittedly, I haven't seen much of him but a player of his calibre will always be welcome at Ewood.

On the Roque saga, I personally think he will go and it could be towards the end of the window if City want to wait that long. However, I really can't see a man of Sams experience and character letting him go at the end of the window without trying to include a loan deal for a City striker to cover his own back. I believe Roque will only be sold once somebody else is lined up so there is no reason to worry about issue. Thoughts?

A sound argument, but I am from the school of thought that Roque is not producing this year, should start on the bench behind Roberts and Benni, and any replacement for him where we get a net cash inflow we should take. Sturridge would be amazing, Janko sounds impressive as well.

I am more concerned with finding - right winger, central creative midfielder, dedicated right back, . If we can get one of those in this window (right back seems like happening) we should be able to avoid relegation. We can fix the other two up in the summer. The third striker saga is probably the fourth biggest problem for us now (although if Dunn and Grella are both fit and play well together I might bump it up to third biggest problem).

[Majiball]

What makes you think that City will back Hughes anymore than they are at the moment? It appears to be lip service whilst they await for him to be sacked.

Personally I think we should sell, he isn't the player he was last season and if he can rediscover it for them then good luck to him. You can't just switch it on and off, it doesn't work.

Everyones saying they're not backing him, but he still has a job. Surely if they had decided to can him they would have done it at the start of the window. Also who is going to come mid-season?? If they do it I think they'll wait till the season is over, I doubt they'll go down. Then I think we'll see some serious changes, Ancelotti is being linked already.

I'm all for the club making cash from RSC, but its not ideal. Since we have to be so exact with our big money signings I'd rather we spent a bit more time on it, we'll be lucky to watch any new potetial signings once in the time left. Janko puts the willies up me, Grabbi springs instantly to mind.

RSC has not played since Sam came in, given the teams/players improvement, is it not fair to assume Sam could get RSC firing again? He is proven in the Prem, he will score goals if given the service and any new signing will need time to fit in etc. Unless there is a quality replacement lined up who will not only score goals but be a good foil for Benni then fine, but if not I fear we maybe cutting our own throats.

[RovertheHill]

Janko puts the willies up me

That is a most disturbing post