[Archived] Nicko's January Rumour Mill

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Some Bolton fans I know think he is very overrated by supporters of other clubs (maybe like a Pedersen), so I'm not sure about the price.

I think he's overated as well, a really one dimensional player, I've never seen him beat anybody. Run past people yes, beat people no. At £ 4.5 mill they're having a laugh , if Barton hadn't have got injured there's no way Newcastle would have been in- panic buy.

No 1 rule of football manager- Always replace players with better players. Sounds obvious but we haven't always followed this guideline. Diouf is a better right winger than Brett and any one else at the club to be honest, sign the guy. I want him to play for Rovers not marry my daughter or live next door to me.

[Eddie]

You're breaking your own rule.

Is Diouf better than Bentley was? No.

Could we do better for 3.5 million? Yes.

If Diouf was coming in for 1.5 or less I'd say it was a shrew, if unspectacular, signing. For our club 3.5 is pretty much our maximum expenditure on a single player most of the time, so to bring in a player who has lost some pace, comes with a ton of baggage, relatively high wages I'm sure and has also never exactly been a consistent premiership player is a nightmare signing.

Allardyce will get away with it because everyone is still in the honeymoon period, but if Ince had done it no one would be in favour. No doubt phlipl, theno and the rest will come out saying that this is because we trust Allardyce's ability to get the best out of the players, but personally I think it is a terrible piece of business. This is Allardyce's Andrews, just more expensive, older and more of a problem. I didn't want Bullard, but is Bullard Diouf+1.5 million? Certainly.

[thenodrog]

Excellent post! A few on here need to put things in perspective.

Too mature a viewpoint for some I fear.

I didn't say there was anything wrong with it. I just said that I feel that some of the things he might bring outside of his playing might not be to the advantage of the club. It's an opinion - that's all.

Gumboots you've posted God only knows how many posts in attempts to deny your earlier post so why not simply think a bit more and act a little more grown up before you hit the 'add reply' key in future?

Anyway I thought you were never setting foot in Ewood again until Allardyce is sacked?

[spencey7]

You're breaking your own rule.

Is Diouf better than Bentley was? No.

Could we do better for 3.5 million? Yes.

If Diouf was coming in for 1.5 or less I'd say it was a shrew, if unspectacular, signing. For our club 3.5 is pretty much our maximum expenditure on a single player most of the time, so to bring in a player who has lost some pace, comes with a ton of baggage, relatively high wages I'm sure and has also never exactly been a consistent premiership player is a nightmare signing.

Allardyce will get away with it because everyone is still in the honeymoon period, but if Ince had done it no one would be in favour. No doubt phlipl, theno and the rest will come out saying that this is because we trust Allardyce's ability to get the best out of the players, but personally I think it is a terrible piece of business. This is Allardyce's Andrews, just more expensive, older and more of a problem. I didn't want Bullard, but is Bullard Diouf+1.5 million? Certainly.

***STANDING OVATION***

[disgruntled]

Could we do better for 3.5 million? Yes.

Who? I'm sure Sam would be interested!

[gazsimm]

You're breaking your own rule.

Is Diouf better than Bentley was? No.

Could we do better for 3.5 million? Yes.

If Diouf was coming in for 1.5 or less I'd say it was a shrew, if unspectacular, signing. For our club 3.5 is pretty much our maximum expenditure on a single player most of the time, so to bring in a player who has lost some pace, comes with a ton of baggage, relatively high wages I'm sure and has also never exactly been a consistent premiership player is a nightmare signing.

Allardyce will get away with it because everyone is still in the honeymoon period, but if Ince had done it no one would be in favour. No doubt phlipl, theno and the rest will come out saying that this is because we trust Allardyce's ability to get the best out of the players, but personally I think it is a terrible piece of business. This is Allardyce's Andrews, just more expensive, older and more of a problem. I didn't want Bullard, but is Bullard Diouf+1.5 million? Certainly.

allardyce would love Bentley at Ewood but we could not simply afford him. If you can find a good enough winger for less then 3.5 million then please till sam. Diouf on the right wing is a lot better then what we got now.

[Waggy76]

Everyone wants to stop whining and moaning ..As it stands we have a great chance of staying up ...So lets all pull together and sing our hearts out for the lads !!!!

Who ever wears the shirt ...

[thenodrog]

Finally, someone who understands!

There is never a swap deal in football, presuming its because of the agent fees and stuff involved, but not too sure.

Those people that keep banging on about swapping players, can you give me an example of the last time a PL club had a swap deal? I can't think of one. Before you say Ashley Cole and Gallas, they were 2 separate deals!

I blame schoolyard chat and Championship manager.

[AJW]

i'll reserve judgment on a player until i've seen him in a rovers shirt , el hadj diouf might be a digustng little .....so and so , but i dont care if we had a front line of fred and rose west if they scored the goals that kept us up!!

[LessThanJake]

any chance Rovers might be in for N'Zogbia, Nicko? if not, where's he likely to go?

[thenodrog]

Agreed.

If you don't boo your own players for diving, how's it ever going to get cut out of the game?

Holier than thou eh? So do you boo Toogs? He's not entirely innocent of all charges in that direction is he?

I won't hear ill of the stead either - i

Me neither BUT he has found his level in a lower division as I predicted he would at the time.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

You're breaking your own rule.

Is Diouf better than Bentley was? No.

Could we do better for 3.5 million? Yes.

If Diouf was coming in for 1.5 or less I'd say it was a shrew, if unspectacular, signing. For our club 3.5 is pretty much our maximum expenditure on a single player most of the time, so to bring in a player who has lost some pace, comes with a ton of baggage, relatively high wages I'm sure and has also never exactly been a consistent premiership player is a nightmare signing.

Allardyce will get away with it because everyone is still in the honeymoon period, but if Ince had done it no one would be in favour. No doubt phlipl, theno and the rest will come out saying that this is because we trust Allardyce's ability to get the best out of the players, but personally I think it is a terrible piece of business. This is Allardyce's Andrews, just more expensive, older and more of a problem. I didn't want Bullard, but is Bullard Diouf+1.5 million? Certainly.

Where does Bentley come in to this ? As I understand it he plays for Spurs. Is he coming back ? I think not.

Who's the right winger who's better for that sort of money?

Bullard, his knee's held together with the medical equivalent of super glue, good player but a risk I'm glad Hull have taken and not us.

[Billy Castell]

any chance Rovers might be in for N'Zogbia, Nicko? if not, where's he likely to go?

Charlie 'Insomnia' is an odd one. He could be a very skilfull player, but seems to have lost it a bit. Perhaps a change of club would suit him. Worth asking the barcodes about, just as long as BFS doesn't play him at left back again.

[thenodrog]

Rhys Williams from Middlesbrough will sign for Burnley on loan.

Deep joy.

Donald? Is that you Donald? I bet you've even got one of these .......only in claret and blue of course.

[Mr. E]

Honestly if we have to buy someone unknown, let it be so, but in all cases we need a central midfielder. It won't matter if we sign Henry or Eto without a midfield that can create chances, you simply can't play football this way. Anyone that is better than Andrews/Mokoena and can play more regularly than Tugay/Dunn. It's really do or die time now.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Charlie 'Insomnia' is an odd one. He could be a very skilfull player, but seems to have lost it a bit. Perhaps a change of club would suit him. Worth asking the barcodes about, just as long as BFS doesn't play him at left back again.

Not really the answer , if he could play right wing that would be great but he can't.

[Eddie]

Who? I'm sure Sam would be interested!

Back to this game again?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Honestly if we have to buy someone unknown, let it be so, but in all cases we need a central midfielder. It won't matter if we sign Henry or Eto without a midfield that can create chances, you simply can't play football this way. Anyone that is better than Andrews/Mokoena and can play more regularly than Tugay/Dunn. It's really do or die time now.

Exactly right.

[gazsimm]

Exactly right.

or maybe not

[thenodrog]

............... This is Allardyce's Andrews, just more expensive, older and more of a problem. I didn't want Bullard, but is Bullard Diouf+1.5 million? Certainly.

In basic ability I don't think you can even mention Diouf in the same sentence as Andrews...... or is Rafa lining up an 11m deal as we speak?

[OJRovers]

Back to this game again?

To be fair Eddie, you can't just say "we could do better for £3.5m" without coming up with some alternatives.

I am in favour of getting Diouf, for the same money we could either get a foreign player with no experience of the Premiership or someone like EHD who has played here for a few years and we know has the skills we need and has worked with Sam before.

[Kelbo]

I hold onto a comment Sam made about incoming transfers!

"I need to bring in a player (s) who are capable of withstanding the pressures of this league"

Sparky is wanting Santa and was going to 15 million plus, Many City fans think its far too much and they could do better!!

But Sam has worked with Diouf, knows what he is capable of and puts in a shift, couple that with the fact he is versatile and gives us a real option on RM !!

I dont like him as a person, but believe me, there are few players as direct and for me he is a better player than Pennant for less money!!

I understand and respect the many comments made on here, his spitting etc is horrible but we need to keep our prem status and if he only stays one year and we achieve that, the money will be well spent, as I have stated, Sam knows the job he can do and he wanted him at the beginning of the window, maybe, like Hughes with Bellamy (another horrible bugger) Sam knows how to handle and get the best out of him!!

Sams done fine so far, lets back him and see where we go - we were going nowhere under Ince!

[mjs]

I don't give a toss about Diouf's past.

Think he would be a good signing for us, will give us lots of options.

Go for it BFS.

[Billy Castell]

Not really the answer , if he could play right wing that would be great but he can't.

That is true, but he might be good to provide a creative spark in centre midfield, or on the wing.

Any 11 o'clockers Nicko?

[mohelger]

Could we do better for 3.5 million? Yes.

If Diouf was coming in for 1.5 or less I'd say it was a shrew, if unspectacular, signing. For our club 3.5 is pretty much our maximum expenditure on a single player most of the time, so to bring in a player who has lost some pace, comes with a ton of baggage, relatively high wages I'm sure and has also never exactly been a consistent premiership player is a nightmare signing.

Allardyce has said he wants someone who can hit the ground running. Experience from the Premier League certainly comes into that. I very much agree that the price seems high for Diouf, but it's a very limited market now. I certainly think we could have got more out of the same amount in the summer. But a player with that right experience, who's matchfit, and who can be 4th striker as well as cover the flanks without looking misplaced isn't easy to find now.

I, as many others, really can't stand Diouf - but I accept that he could do a job for us immediately - and Big Sam knows the player. For me, that counts a lot.

Very similar to the situation we had when Hughes bought Savage - whom he had worked with in the Wales-squad.

(Just really hopes he aims at the ground if he needs to spit... )