[Archived] Nicko's January Rumour Mill

[Rainmaker]

Of course we have to be contingency planning to replace RSC, what good are 30 million pound coins on the pitch?

If we stack them up on the goal line it may be an effective shot stopper.

Lets us play with an extra outfield player

[BlueWhiteDynamite]

Philip I am aware,as we all are that most professional players in the prem are on more than £20.000 a week.

How true is this though? I remember seeing a few years ago (i know times have changed since the new TV deal) that most players at blackburn earned less than 18k with only 1 or 2 above 15k and 1 or 2 others near 30k. It's always heavily reported about the " BIG " players wages, but I'd take a guess that the majority of players in the League earn 20k or less (still fantastic) . . . . . sits here expecting to be proved wrong though

[philipl]

Two clubs made totally accidental profits in the summer.

Rovers and Spurs who had not planned to sell Keane (£20m) and got £10 more than they budgeted for on Berbatov and no time to spend it.

So £30m now is spending their unexpected summer windfall. Spurs would make a loss of £35m+ year one in the Championship and their new stadium would be lost.

Newcastle buyers- Ashley BS. Serious prospective buyers never existed.

As for Rovers, as I have previously explained, the £8m apparent profit was book and does not count the payment to Arsenal for Bentley. The cash benefit of last summer's transactions will not properly be felt until this summer. And no Rovers did not screw up- that is how the system works and you will see from the accounts that Rovers work it better than other clubs because they are always ahead in terms of owing more to other clubs for purchases than we are owed ourselves from sales.

In round numbers, Rovers wages are £40m or £800K a week.

RSC gets £60K of that, divide roughly £630K between 21 players and what do you get?

That figure has gone up by 30% in two seasons during which time Rovers have moved from being in the top third of payers to the bottom half.

The likes of West Ham and Pompey have whizzed by from being below the Rovers in wages to paying around £58m a year- see why they would go bust if they went down and were at risk even in the Prem.

Chelsea pay £130m a year- £40m more than Man U in 2nd place!

[RevidgeBlue]

Hence why I said we all knew he was joking. However, that's why you can't say we're definitely not selling - because they just might hit a figure that is too good to resist. Obviously not 40 million but suppose they came up with 25 cash. Unlikely but they just might and could we really say no to that?

Personally I'd rather take 20m in the summer as per the clause hopefully with our Premiership status assured.

Or keep him. Benni and Jason aren't getting any younger.

[Hughesy]

Pompey have shifted Defoe, Diarra who were both on 75k a week - thats £8m a year saved. They are waking up to their growing costs. They also wont ever sign players like James, Lauren, Campbell etc who all came in on big wages.

West Ham had Neill, Bellamy, Upson on around £200k a week between them. 1 has gone, 1 is out of contract in summer, and 1 will probably be sold in the summer. They have also shifted Mullins, Bowyer, Etherington & soon to be Davenport and Boa Morte. So they are obviously cutting there wage bill by easily over £13m a year.

We can still pay big money to our top players, we just dont pay daft money to average players like West Ham & Pompey seem to.

[Eddie]

Personally I'd rather take 20m in the summer as per the clause hopefully with our Premiership status assured.

Or keep him. Benni and Jason aren't getting any younger.

1) Based on this season would you start Santa Cruz at the moment?

A) For me no.

2) Even if you start Santa Cruz, are we guaranteed survival because of that?

A) See previous answer.

3) Is he likely to stay fit like he did last season or will next season be more like EVERY other season in his career?

A) See previous two answers.

4) Is he worth 20ish+ million?

A) See previous three answers.

5) Should we sell at that price?

A) Yes.

[Hughesy]

The way I see it is that in the 6 games since big sam took over, Roque hasnt been involved or done anything in those he has...without him we will be fine. Keeping him isnt going to gaurantee anything.

He is never worth £20m, if City offer that then we should snap their hands off...his heart is already there so we may aswell cut him loose.

Take the £20m and save on his £60k week wages - bring in another striker at say £6-7m and then the egyptian right winger at £1.5m. We would already be a stronger team, with money in the bank and no extra on the wage bill. We should probably also try and get a player for free from City. Ben Haim, Sturridge, Johnson would all add something.

[RevidgeBlue]

1) Based on this season would you start Santa Cruz at the moment?

A) For me no.

2) Even if you start Santa Cruz, are we guaranteed survival because of that?

A) See previous answer.

3) Is he likely to stay fit like he did last season or will next season be more like EVERY other season in his career?

A) See previous two answers.

4) Is he worth 20ish+ million?

A) See previous three answers.

5) Should we sell at that price?

A) Yes.

1) What if Benni and/or Roberts pick up an injury?

In any event is Roberts better than RSC or vice versa?

2) Are we guaranteed to stay up if he goes? Do you not think it's less risky to stick with RSC than twist with an unknown quantity?

3) Don't know. Is Benni likely to keep up the form he's shown over the last month or so or is he likely to revert to the form of the last eighteen months? Are we not better being able to call on either?

4) He is if he can score 20 Prem goals a season.

5) Depends on 4) above. That 20m pales into insignificance against the cumulative losses if we are relegated.

[RevidgeBlue]

Eddie, if someone came in with 7m for Benni again now, would you sell?

I'd have snapped their hands off in summer, but maybe not now as we need all hands to the pump until summer to get out of the current mess.

[Eddie]

7 million no, not unless we had a replacement lined up. It's pretty well documented that I'm a big Benni fan and I've always thought that he is a better player than Santa Cruz and more important to the team and club.

[RevidgeBlue]

7 million no, not unless we had a replacement lined up. It's pretty well documented that I'm a big Benni fan and I've always thought that he is a better player than Santa Cruz and more important to the team and club.

I would suggest then there's a discrepancy between your stance on the two players.

I don't think Bentley's worth 15m either but if we still had him I wouldn't sell him in our current situation.

[hawkiiz]

i think benni will be great for us this season. his head is back where it should be. he is smiling and seems very happy, and a happy player is a good player. same goes for MGP and Jason. now how will santa react to the blocked move to city?

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Personally I'd rather take 20m in the summer as per the clause hopefully with our Premiership status assured.

Or keep him. Benni and Jason aren't getting any younger.

We won't get 20m in the summer.

[hawkiiz]

We won't get 20m in the summer.

it hardly matters though. there is only one priority right now and that is to keep us above at least three other teams. at all costs.

[Hughesy]

I would suggest then there's a discrepancy between your stance on the two players.

I don't think Bentley's worth 15m either but if we still had him I wouldn't sell him in our current situation.

Bentley had more impact on our team than what Roque does.

Also Benni is the better of the two strikers, and in form. I think they are some key points when considering a £20m offer.

[Guest Kamy100]

Also Benni is the better of the two strikers, and in form. I think they are some key points when considering a £20m offer.

Benni is more of a natural finisher but has a history of blowing hot and cold. Also what happens if Benni gets injured? Roque sold and repalced by someone who is unproven at Premier League level. Roque has proved that he can score at this level and will do so again now that Sam has started to get the team sorted out.

[kandi]

Bentley had more impact on our team than what Roque does.

Also Benni is the better of the two strikers, and in form. I think they are some key points when considering a £20m offer.

That`s your opinion..

[nicko]

ROQUE - I don't believe the £19 million Man City bid mentioned in some papers is correct...it's just people putting new numbers on the story and justifying their faith in City's previously 'massive' offers. I think the offer is around £15 million with no strings attached.

REPLACEMENTS - Got to say the vibes I am getting is that none of the players watched appear to be the answer - either in terms of talent or price. Don't know where that leaves finding a replacement. And that is MORE important than the size of any Man City bid.

RIGHT BACK - Zoro is still dreaming about a move but the word I heard was that Ooijer will see out the season...so that might take some pressure off...although the Dutchman is still not ideal for that role [cue video of Man City draw].

EGYPTIANS - Some talk of movement, but believe it when they arrive.

ROBBIE KEANE - Is on a fortune, around £80,000-a-week. Can't see him coming to Rovers. Sorry.

[Majiball]

Well if the targets don't measure up, he doesn't leave.

I will not be best pleased if we end up selling him because we won't get the offer again and no replacement is signed.

What about this chap?

Does anyone know if we have sent a scout to this!

[SamTheShrew]

nicko you said last night that you heard city might want the deal done by 12 tonight, or they would walk away...

if none of those watched are the answer, then where do you think this leaves the deal? i'd hate us to do a bentley and sell the player before we have an

adequate replacement.

that would be shooting ourselves in the foot in terms of premiership survival

[Mr Creosote]

ROQUE - I don't believe the £19 million Man City bid mentioned in some papers is correct...it's just people putting new numbers on the story and justifying their faith in City's previously 'massive' offers. I think the offer is around £15 million with no strings attached.

REPLACEMENTS - Got to say the vibes I am getting is that none of the players watched appear to be the answer - either in terms of talent or price. Don't know where that leaves finding a replacement. And that is MORE important than the size of any Man City bid.

RIGHT BACK - Zoro is still dreaming about a move but the word I heard was that Ooijer will see out the season...so that might take some pressure off...although the Dutchman is still not ideal for that role [cue video of Man City draw].

EGYPTIANS - Some talk of movement, but believe it when they arrive.

ROBBIE KEANE - Is on a fortune, around £80,000-a-week. Can't see him coming to Rovers. Sorry.

Whoever suggested that -

a) Rovers would pay the sort of fee Keane would command,

we would match his wage demands,

c) he would sign for us in a million years,

has been smoking some good stuff imo

[kieran84]

Any news on the sturridge situation nicko?I would love to see him at rovers.

[nicko]

nicko you said last night that you heard city might want the deal done by 12 tonight, or they would walk away...

if none of those watched are the answer, then where do you think this leaves the deal? i'd hate us to do a bentley and sell the player before we have an

adequate replacement.

that would be shooting ourselves in the foot in terms of premiership survival

There's no way Roque will be sold without a replacement.

And so far there isn't a replacement that ticks all of the boxes.

The quest goes on - but Roque won't be sold without one in first.

Man City WERE sniffing round the Keane situation yesterday but Sparky still wants Roque more...I was told that midnight tonight is significant in the timing of the City bid.

We shall see.

Any news on the sturridge situation nicko?I would love to see him at rovers.

The lad is happy to see out his contract at Man City.

Judging by the interest in him from Rovers, Chelsea and Aston Villa over the past 12 months he won't be short of offers in the summer if he decides to move.

[Fife Rover]

This situation is getting both very silly and desperate! What is the sense in keeping RSC in his current state( unless of course anyone can guarantee that he will again become the same version as last season)? Also given that City apparently still want him at around £15m (no strings), and Janko apparently does tick all the boxes at £9m........what are we waiting for?

What would relegation cost us? I think we all know the answer to that one. Which only leaves one question.....does the board/trustees care?

[trs]

Anything in this Nicko? http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/aussies-abr...ig-call-166547/