[Archived] Nicko's January Rumour Mill

[chocky]

Why are we being comfortably outspent by the likes of Wigan and Bolton?

Not having a dig just seeking some reasoning.

Has anyone thought that it is actually good management of the club...They are just not spending money we have not got while other clubs mortgage their futures with borrowed money..I think I'm right in saying that Rovers was Jack's love and not his Wife's or his Brother's...We need patience...We will not get back the Premiership title unless some rich Arab or likewise comes in and buys the club...The same follows with buying all these players we are being linked with..Buy in haste repent in the Championship..

[Mr Creosote]

Has anyone thought that it is actually good management of the club...They are just not spending money we have not got while other clubs mortgage their futures with borrowed money..I think I'm right in saying that Rovers was Jack's love and not his Wife's or his Brother's...We need patience...We will not get back the Premiership title unless some rich Arab or likewise comes in and buys the club...

Just wondering if our current plight is down to unrealistic parsimony. Also deeply worried about our medium term future and whether or not that will be in The Premier League. Slightly concerned also About Allardyce's demeanour at a recent press conference. Did he have the air of somebody who had bought into something only to find that he had he hadn't quite got the full picture?

I also dont notice much comment about Bolton and Wigan being particularly badly run clubs.

[nicko]

Before we get into the rights and wrongs of how much the Trustees put in...a point is being missed. Most of your relegation rivals are having a bad window.

WEST BROM - Jay Simpson [loan] - not great. Fortune [loan] - even less great.

STOKE - Beattie [over-priced] - Etherington [over-priced].

MIDDLESBROUGH - King [loan] - hit and miss - having a nightmare keeping their players.

TOTTENHAM - Defoe [pricey but scores a goal] - having a shocker finding keeper, defenders and midfielders.

SUNDERLAND - new manager discovering previous manager did their dough.

NEWCASTLE - Lovenkrands [spent force] - doesn't know any good players around and backed by awful scouting network.

BOLTON - Davies [some kid from Wolves], Puygrenier [slow centre half], Makukula [poor striker].

PORTSMOUTH - lost two major players.

MAN CITY - Bridge [over-priced] - Bellamy [over-priced], doubts about so many other ins and outs.

So there is a lot of rubbish about. A good time to sign wisely, but by the looks of it a time to be complacent and hope.

Strange days.

[spencey7]

SAM'S TARGET - It's gone and it's up to the manager to come out with the details. I know there is some unhappiness about it, but that's for them to sort out and hopefully starting signing before the window...no point in worrying over it until the lack of spending becomes a real issue. Time to assess that is on February 3.

In my opinion our lack of spending is a real issue NOW - And has been since Hughes left. Granted under Sparky we were able to pull of some incredibly shrewd deals (e.g. Benni and Roque for around £5m in total), but the trustees MUST accept than sometimes money needs to be spent.

It's incredible that we've managed to do so well given our lack of investment - In the summer we sold Friedel (who prevented our conceding countless goals) and Bentley (who created the majority we scored) for a combined £19m. Regardless of Bentley's dip in form since he moved, at the time they were arguably our two most important players. Less than half of this money has been reinvested in the squad, and now - when the manager asks for the club's backing - he's refused?

Don't get me wrong, I'm FAR from a fan of Sam Allardyce (and to be honest rather fear who/what he might bring in), but there's no denying there is a fundamental problem within the club at the moment.

Bolton are in talks to sign Miguel Veloso and we're scrambling after a youngster from the Egyptian league? (I'm not saying he won't turn out to be good, but come off it Rovers - Aim higher.)

[Mr Creosote]

Before we get into the rights and wrongs of how much the Trustees put in...a point is being missed. Most of your relegation rivals are having a bad window.

WEST BROM - Jay Simpson [loan] - not great. Fortune [loan] - even less great.

STOKE - Beattie [over-priced] - Etherington [over-priced].

MIDDLESBROUGH - King [loan] - hit and miss - having a nightmare keeping their players.

TOTTENHAM - Defoe [pricey but scores a goal] - having a shocker finding keeper, defenders and midfielders.

SUNDERLAND - new manager discovering previous manager did their dough.

NEWCASTLE - Lovenkrands [spent force] - doesn't know any good players around and backed by awful scouting network.

BOLTON - Davies [some kid from Wolves], Puygrenier [slow centre half], Makukula [poor striker].

PORTSMOUTH - lost two major players.

MAN CITY - Bridge [over-priced] - Bellamy [over-priced], doubts about so many other ins and outs.

So there is a lot of rubbish about. A good time to sign wisely, but by the looks of it a time to be complacent and hope.

Strange days.

Cant argue with any of that but, as Revidge Blue pointed out, the last three windows have proved to be frustrating and worrying. We've carried the financial clout of a middling Championship club. The period covering the last three windows has seen us decline from UEFA to relegation candidates and the departure of a key player and two managers.

Coincidence?

[my_name_is_Earl]

As much as I admire the astute financial dealings of the club, the further people mention the issue of a lack of money and make such good points, the more worried I become.

For me, i just can't understand how we are spending coppers when we are receiving such large amounts from t.v. revenue amongst other revenue. Sure we spend a large percentage of our revenue on wages but so do all the other clubs, its what they have to do to compete in this league yet they are still spending money.

Nicko, care to expand on the target sam missed out? i.e. How angry was he about it? Was it the board that rejected the money to be spent? Or was it the player who turned their back on us? Seems like a strange set of circumstances.....

[BiggusLaddus]

Don't know about a Given sell-on clause...think the fee will be about £8 million. Somebody made a mistake letting him go all those years ago.

Had no choice, he left after a tribunal. He was behind Flowers and the club didn't want to sell. It was reported at the time that we wanted £6m for him, I think the tribunal ruled that £1.5m was fair

The most annoying thing about it was that it was only about a year after that Flowers lost his place in the side to Filan anyway.

[roverich]

As much as I admire the astute financial dealings of the club, the further people mention the issue of a lack of money and make such good points, the more worried I become.

For me, i just can't understand how we are spending coppers when we are receiving such large amounts from t.v. revenue amongst other revenue. Sure we spend a large percentage of our revenue on wages but so do all the other clubs, its what they have to do to compete in this league yet they are still spending money.

Nicko, care to expand on the target sam missed out? i.e. How angry was he about it? Was it the board that rejected the money to be spent? Or was it the player who turned their back on us? Seems like a strange set of circumstances.....

Our gates are only half what many others are and our tickets are considerably cheaper so you do the math. Everyone wants something for nothing but frankly I think we have the best value squad in the league. It's easy to complain about how little we spend compared to other clubs around us but in my opinion, Makukula, Lovenkrands, Puygrenier, Jay Simpson, King, Etherington & Fortune aren't good enough to challenge our starting eleven so what's the point spending money if this is the kind of quality available to us?

[my_name_is_Earl]

Our gates are only half what many others are and our tickets are considerably cheaper so you do the math. Everyone wants something for nothing but frankly I think we have the best value squad in the league. It's easy to complain about how little we spend compared to other clubs around us but in my opinion, Makukula, Lovenkrands, Puygrenier, Jay Simpson, King, Etherington & Fortune aren't good enough to challenge our starting eleven so what's the point spending money if this is the kind of quality available to us?

I totally agree with your last point, our starting eleven is very capable of at least a mid table table finish and I doubt most of them players would get into our first eleven. However, when you consider the sheer volume of players that are available out there and look at an almost threadbare position out there on the right, then it is obvious something needs doing.

To be honest, i'm guessing that I share your thoughts on how well the club is actually run but a few people have made a great point just recently about the fact that the position on the right wing should have been filled (or at the very least a shortlist should have been drawn up!) once Bentley stated his desire to move on last January.

Last night I was of the opinion that Emo there would be good enough for us defensively this season but I would still like to see somebody there for when the tactics change and we are chasing a game.

Its just not good enough to keep saying we have no cash quite frankly because as soon as the fans start saying 'i've no cash to come and support the team because i'd rather eat' they get hounded as being plastic fans. As much as i'm in favour of an astute board, I think the fans that do wish to question what exactly is going on, have every right to do so.

[Exiled_Rover]

Etherington would walk into our starting 11. The rest, Fortune and King aside, I don't know enough about to comment on.

[Mr Creosote]

Our gates are only half what many others are and our tickets are considerably cheaper so you do the math. Everyone wants something for nothing but frankly I think we have the best value squad in the league. It's easy to complain about how little we spend compared to other clubs around us but in my opinion, Makukula, Lovenkrands, Puygrenier, Jay Simpson, King, Etherington & Fortune aren't good enough to challenge our starting eleven so what's the point spending money if this is the kind of quality available to us?

I dont think that I am alone in wondering why Hull can afford £5m for Bullard without having to sell. No sugar daddy there and their first season of Sky cash. Bolton paid £10m for a player in the summer and apparently weighing up a £12m bid for a striker. Same gates as us and no Arab oil sheikhs in the background. They dont appear to be in financial turmoil and, in common with Wigan, seemingly have a board/ownership that will fight for their Premier League survival.

[alexanders]

Nicko heard anything about Cardiff bidding for Derbyshire?

[gumboots]

There's another week to go. Most of the activity in the transfer window tends to happen at the end as clubs get desperate to either sell or buy. If we've done our homework well and clearly got targets there's still every chance we'll find someone. Loans cost wages too so even if we bring them in on loan some of our budget has to be set aside for that. I agree it's galling to see clubs no better than us going out and buying players bu then a club like Hull did not have that good a squad to start with and didn't do much buying in the summer preferring to see how their season went. Now they look like they'll survive, especially with a couple more players, they are out buying them. Don't Bolton still have a rich guy stashed away somewhere who won't support them regularly but comes up with cash every now and then or am I imagining I read that somewhere?

[Mr Creosote]

There's another week to go. Most of the activity in the transfer window tends to happen at the end as clubs get desperate to either sell or buy. If we've done our homework well and clearly got targets there's still every chance we'll find someone. Loans cost wages too so even if we bring them in on loan some of our budget has to be set aside for that. I agree it's galling to see clubs no better than us going out and buying players bu then a club like Hull did not have that good a squad to start with and didn't do much buying in the summer preferring to see how their season went. Now they look like they'll survive, especially with a couple more players, they are out buying them. Don't Bolton still have a rich guy stashed away somewhere who won't support them regularly but comes up with cash every now and then or am I imagining I read that somewhere?

I think there's an Isle of Man based guy called Yates or something similar on the Bolton board. You are right he does stump up a bit of brass for the Trotters now and again but he's no Sheikh Mansoor or whatever.

[DeadlyDirk]

Before we get into the rights and wrongs of how much the Trustees put in...a point is being missed. Most of your relegation rivals are having a bad window.

WEST BROM - Jay Simpson [loan] - not great. Fortune [loan] - even less great.

STOKE - Beattie [over-priced] - Etherington [over-priced].

MIDDLESBROUGH - King [loan] - hit and miss - having a nightmare keeping their players.

TOTTENHAM - Defoe [pricey but scores a goal] - having a shocker finding keeper, defenders and midfielders.

SUNDERLAND - new manager discovering previous manager did their dough.

NEWCASTLE - Lovenkrands [spent force] - doesn't know any good players around and backed by awful scouting network.

BOLTON - Davies [some kid from Wolves], Puygrenier [slow centre half], Makukula [poor striker].

PORTSMOUTH - lost two major players.

MAN CITY - Bridge [over-priced] - Bellamy [over-priced], doubts about so many other ins and outs.

So there is a lot of rubbish about. A good time to sign wisely, but by the looks of it a time to be complacent and hope.

Strange days.

You could add Wigan to that for having to let Heskey and Palacios go. We've seen how money bags City are even struggling to get anyone in despite their bottomless pockets.

I think we have to sit tight in this transfer window, replace Roque if he goes otherwise I'm happy with a loan signing or someone cheap who may strengthen the squad. Sure we could probably do with a right midfielder or a right back but Emerton can solve one of those positions and do a job, it would cost £5+ to get someone better and probably double that trying to do it in January.

Janko sounds pricey and unproven, could be a hit but would be a big gamble on someone that looks like they have only done it for a short period of time in the Austrian league, still we could do worse.

With regards to Bullard, he's a decent player and will strengthen Hull so fair play to them for taking a chance, they have their own ideas but I'm happy we didn't shell out 5 million, £40,000 a week on an injury prone 30 year old who isn't a lot better than what we have. What year contract was it? Probably at least 4?

One thing about Zigic is that he would fit Sam's style of one big man upfront to hold the ball up perfectley so not surprised if we have been linked with him, probably Sam's sort of player.

[Esulx]

Nicko was spot on with Ben Watson... signing for Wigan tomorrow apparently.

Would like to see some signings at Rovers though.

[1864roverite]

City have apparently agreed a deal for Given for £8m plus add ons, to be announced this week.

Rumours, perhaps as indicated by AN that RSC has in principle agreed to join City and that these two signings will be the last for City in this window, taking their spending to a nice £70m.

City have turned down bids for Johnson and Sturridge from unnamed clubs.

[philipl]

If you add West Ham, Wigan and Hull to that list, right now it doesn't look too rosey for them either although Wigan seem to be on the point of two decent-ish signings.

Players' wages are the big issue- they have increased by over 30% in two seasons at Rovers.

[gumboots]

Nicko was spot on with Ben Watson... signing for Wigan tomorrow apparently.

Would like to see some signings at Rovers though.

I think we'd all like to see some signings at Rovers too. I like most have watched recent transfer windows go by thinking "Come on, let's have someone vaguely exciting". Not a massive signing just someone to make me feel a bit brighter, someone you feel will bring a bit of something different. It hasn't really happened and like most fans I find that disappointing and worrying. However, I do not want to see way over the odds spent on fairly ordinary players, and in most cases that's what seems to be happening.

[Majiball]

I think we'd all like to see some signings at Rovers too. I like most have watched recent transfer windows go by thinking "Come on, let's have someone vaguely exciting". Not a massive signing just someone to make me feel a bit brighter, someone you feel will bring a bit of something different. It hasn't really happened and like most fans I find that disappointing and worrying. However, I do not want to see way over the odds spent on fairly ordinary players, and in most cases that's what seems to be happening.

Couldn't agree more.

Our one signing (for the first team) at least has a pedigree.

Nicko curiously do you know what price Bent has on his head at spurs??

Oh and has the trust put in the promised extra cash?

[RevidgeBlue]

The time to analyse that is when the window shuts.

It seems odd that Hull City can take a punt on Jimmy Bullard and yet Rovers seem unable to move without ANOTHER sale.It needs to be explianed, but the trouble is it won't be until the window shuts.

Curious.

Agreed.

The Trustees have already driven Hughes out for want of financial support - there must be a fair chance they'll do the same to Sam unless things improve.

The Hull thing is hardly a reckless gamble, neither is Bolton looking at a 12m signing. Transfer fees are generally spread over the life of a contract and there will no doubt be the appropriate stipulations in place in the event of relegation.

We have to start and keep on investing in quality to continually improve the squad otherwise we'll be relegated in sharp fashion regardless of whether Sam manages to keep us up this season.

Our one signing at least has a pedigree.

Nick Blackman?

[John]

Not going to happen, but I would actually be happy with signing Ben Watson. For a while now, central midfield has been a problem for us and not only are we lacking class there, we cannot rely on Dunn and Grella to remain fit.

Watson can pass the ball well and is quite creative (can play a killer ball). He works hard, is still young and will improve!

Whether you like him or not, Steve Bruce is a good judge of player and bought ok in the past - Watson will do well for Wigan.

[BomBom]

Just as a point of interest. There is no money available? Correct me if I am wrong but didnt JW state at the start of the season that the £5 million for Villanueva had to be set aside from the budget? Well it looks like Carlos isnt staying and if Sam has told the board that, wheres the budgeted money? or has it been squirrelled away by the trustees AGAIN?

[spencey7]

Click here for an interesting article on Premiership spending.

Published in March 2008, it points out that Blackburn have spent less than any Premier League club for the previous five years.

In looking at Newcastle's £42.95m expenditure, remember that £26m of that was spent by one Mr S. Allardyce on Mark Viduka, Jose Enrique, Geremi, Abdoulaye Faye, David Rozenhal, Alan Smith and Joey Barton.

(On second thoughts maybe we shouldn't give Sam any money...)

[TimmyJimmy]

Agreed.

The Trustees have already driven Hughes out for want of financial support - there must be a fair chance they'll do the same to Sam unless things improve.

The Hull thing is hardly a reckless gamble, neither is Bolton looking at a 12m signing. Transfer fees are generally spread over the life of a contract and there will no doubt be the appropriate stipulations in place in the event of relegation.

We have to start and keep on investing in quality to continually improve the squad otherwise we'll be relegated in sharp fashion regardless of whether Sam manages to keep us up this season.

Nick Blackman?

That's true but we need to keep in mind what happened to the banks, everyone owed everyone else via derivative trades. All well and good as long as everyone stays in game, but if one falls over the rest follow like dominos. If we start financing with monies not yet received then we face a ruinous situation when/if a club out there fails. It's also worth remembering that it's only the bad clubs that get bought up by rich backers. Rovers is a 'proper' club to use the Souness phrase, if we mismanage then there will be no billionaire angel waiting to save us, we'll disappear without a trace.

Totally agree we need more and better players but we have to stay solvent (and in the premiership) so for my money the club are doing the right thing albeit the unpopular thing ie they are playing for the long term. No use IMO being successful one season and then turning into a memory like Accy.

Sam knew the score when he joined and he should stick with the script. Our squad is strong enough to keep us up, then we rebuild/remodel in the close season.

Nicko, I know you're not a betting man but if RSC does go who is your money on to come in - best guess.