[Archived] Nicko's January Rumour Mill

[herbergeehh]

Do you have any idea what team we will play tomorrow? Can Villanueva get a chance to impress?

[Oklahoma]

If Man City offer 15 million £ in the next 2 weeks, I would accept it.

Hughes wants 5 more players and he might get the money available for some time.

If he doesn't start winning, he could be on his way out. So our hope of a great deal could be over.

Valencia will only sell David Villa for a crazy ammount of money, I would guess 50 million £ minimum.

And Villa probably wants Real Madrid or Barça.

[nicko]

I think what needs taking into account when shopping in Europe is the British Pound is not worth very much anymore €1=1GP and gainning!

Good point.

[Fife Rover]

OK, the best way of looking at this is the two possible scenarios - [a] Roque going in the summer and Roque going now.

In [a] if a club offers the £20 million in the summer Roque gets £5 million, Rovers get £15 million. The advantages are that you keep the player until then.

In if a club offers a lower fee now, Rovers will still want £15 million clear while Roque would want as much of the £5 million he is looking forward to getting as possible. So if the fee is £18 million then Roque would want £3 million of that from the sale. He could make up some of the 'lost' £2 million in extra wages.

Of course the down side of is that Mark Hughes might not be around in the summer to pay that money and no-one else will.

So if Rovers want the £15 million from the sale now is probably the time to try and do it.

There is an even better 3rd scenario:- Sam gets RSC to one side and whispers in his ear " You stay with us until he season ends and get yourself on top line form and fitness (including mentally) and if you have recaptured your form of last season and scored a good quota of goals to boot, there will be a queue of top clubs chasing your signature and your £5m is guaranteed".

[tony gale's mic]

Hope this isn't flagged up as it is relevant to Rovers given the relegation battle but..

What are the chances of West Ham/Portsmouth going into administration would you say?

[nicko]

Hope this isn't flagged up as it is relevant to Rovers given the relegation battle but..

What are the chances of West Ham/Portsmouth going into administration would you say?

Totally relevant.

Hammers have the bigger problems if the Icelander's company goes bust - but even then they should bring in some cash to see them through this month.

Portsmouth's owner wants to sell the club and also needs to sell players before the window shuts.

Both are in trouble but are being careful not to lose too many players in case it relegates them anyway.

If either were going to go down they could always play the Leeds United trick and go into admin when their fate is sealed.

[my_name_is_Earl]

Nicko, given the fact that we are in a relegation scrap and unlikely to spend big in case the worst happens as well as the fact that the pound is weak against the euro, are our more realistic targets ex-Bolton/Newcastle players such as diouf, ben haim etc?

I know you've mentioned these two foreign targets but i'm still willing to put my money on the tried and tested in this case.

[nicko]

Nicko, given the fact that we are in a relegation scrap and unlikely to spend big in case the worst happens as well as the fact that the pound is weak against the euro, are our more realistic targets ex-Bolton/Newcastle players such as diouf, ben haim etc?

I know you've mentioned these two foreign targets but i'm still willing to put my money on the tried and tested in this case.

Sam once stayed up at Bolton by signing three guys he had never seen play in one last-minute set of deals...all done by one persuasive agent who bundled them onto a jet.

This transfer business is not an exact science.

[den]

If Man City offer 15 million £ in the next 2 weeks, I would accept it.

Who would our strikers be, when/if Benni Roberts get injured/suspended, or as in previous seasons - lose form?

[philipl]

The football League closed the Leeds loophole so those clubs would start at -10 points in the Coca Cola plus a Leeds/Luton/Rotherham/Bournemouth problem over getting the share which could trigger further points deductions. They would get the meaningless Premier League 9 points deduction as a going away present as well which might cost them a couple of £750K place prize moneys as a going away present as well if they ended up 18th.

Realistically, West Ham face potential administration whilst Pompey "just" need to re-balance their out-goings at present. It does mean both need to clear out all >£50k a week earners and bring in at least a net £20m+ in transfer profit this window- probably more if they are facing cash squeezes. The sale of Diarra probably brings in £5m now from Madrid of which £2.8m goes straight out to Arsenal so that does very little to solves Pompey's here and now.

Our realistic targets are whatever proven Premier League player is willing to join a club in 19th place... seriously.

[T4E]

Sam once stayed up at Bolton by signing three guys he had never seen play in one last-minute set of deals...all done by one persuasive agent who bundled them onto a jet.

This transfer business is not an exact science.

Who were they?

[Presty On Tour]

Nicko, if Joaquin is still available for under 9m and is interested surely he has to be our number 1 target.

Our right side of midfield was a problem in the summer and it still is now as it still has not been addressed. The fella is class but the most important thing is whether Big Sam is interested? Admittedly a lot of money for one player but you get what you pay for.

Also I heard we are in for Ferreira for only 1 million? Personally I think that's an amazing deal if true?

[my_name_is_Earl]

Sam once stayed up at Bolton by signing three guys he had never seen play in one last-minute set of deals...all done by one persuasive agent who bundled them onto a jet.

This transfer business is not an exact science.

HAHA Yeah, there is always that unpredictable element with Sam After all the stuff he's said about our squad though, perhaps he feels as though he doesn't need to take as many risks as we already have the quality. We shall see.

Personally, i'll just be happy to see the midfield 'beefed' up.

Bring on the unknowns if that's to be the case!

Does anybody know if Sam brought in his own chief scout? Does anybody know who our new head coach will be - currently vacant?

[John]

Nicko, any idea if Sam wants to make additions to the back room staff?

I posted in another thread that Sam thought he made too many changes too quickly at Newcastle, therefore does not want to make the same mistakes again. Plus any extra backroom staff would just have to be laid off should we get relegated.

[Oklahoma]

Who would our strikers be, when/if Benni Roberts get injured/suspended, or as in previous seasons - lose form?

I was just refering to Santa Cruz leaving.

Of course we would have to get a new striker.

But, the best deal we can make is as soon as possible, before Hughes is sacked lol

[nicko]

Who were they?

Florent Laville, Pierre-Yves Andre and somebody I forget...

Nicko, if Joaquin is still available for under 9m and is interested surely he has to be our number 1 target.

Our right side of midfield was a problem in the summer and it still is now as it still has not been addressed. The fella is class but the most important thing is whether Big Sam is interested? Admittedly a lot of money for one player but you get what you pay for.

Also I heard we are in for Ferreira for only 1 million? Personally I think that's an amazing deal if true?

Joaquin wouldn't come now...Ferreira is an interesting thought but Chelsea are short of players.

Nicko, any idea if Sam wants to make additions to the back room staff?

I posted in another thread that Sam thought he made too many changes too quickly at Newcastle, therefore does not want to make the same mistakes again. Plus any extra backroom staff would just have to be laid off should we get relegated.

Sbragia is obviously not coming now.

Wonder if Chris Sulley may turn up at some stage. Put on gardening leave by Bolton last I heard a couple of months ago.

Same scouting staff.

[alexanders]

Is this the left-back you are talking about Nicko?

Translated into English: "Gaël Givet did not play a game this season with official OM. A blow to the French international, placed (in spite of himself?) On the list of undesirable club. And it may well be that the former Monaco left the city as early as this winter to join ... England. According to La Provence, the central defender would be on the shelves Blackburn Rovers. (Photo Press Sports)"

Gael Givet - In french

He can play both as center-back and left-back.

[JAL]

Wonder if Chris Sulley may turn up at some stage. Put on gardening leave by Bolton last I heard a couple of months ago.

Same scouting staff.

Nicko do you not think having Sulley in the coaching/management team would leave them looking far too defensive as a coaching team unit when Allardyce is an ex-centre half, Macdonald is an ex-full back, surely not another ex-full back in Sulley, it has to be a more attack minded type of coach to balance the other two out.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Nicko, if Joaquin is still available for under 9m and is interested surely he has to be our number 1 target.

Our right side of midfield was a problem in the summer and it still is now as it still has not been addressed. The fella is class but the most important thing is whether Big Sam is interested? Admittedly a lot of money for one player but you get what you pay for.

Also I heard we are in for Ferreira for only 1 million? Personally I think that's an amazing deal if true?

Good player going forward but he's a poor defender. Not a vast improvement on Emmo and he'll want massive wages.

[thenodrog]

The problem with most Rovers' fans and Neill is that he told the truth. Other players have bit their tongue and engineered moves away quietly without the wrath of Rovers' fans.

He thought he was being offered more money by a club in champions league position and so tried to engineer the move. It did not work out as he planned but another club bailed him out by givinig him a move out of Ewood for a far higher wage.

Mark Hughes appeared to do same by trying to engineer a move to Chelsea and was bailed out in similar circumsatnces by City.

Exactly. You can see that and I can see that, so why do we appear to be in the minority and not part of the baying lynch mob?

[nicko]

Nicko do you not think having Sulley in the coaching/management team would leave them looking far too defensive as a coaching team unit when Allardyce is an ex-centre half, Macdonald is an ex-full back, surely not another ex-full back in Sulley, it has to be a more attack minded type of coach to balance the other two out.

I don't think a coach's position as a player counts.

Sam's right-hand men have been Phil Brown [right back], Ricky Sbragia [centre half], Sammy Lee [midfield], Steve Round [midfield].

[tony gale's mic]

Exactly. You can see that and I can see that, so why do we appear to be in the minority and not part of the baying lynch mob?

Hughes was different as he went to a club which even under Thaksin appeared to have more money to spend so he could further his managerial ambitions, but it's very rare that players move from sides in UEFA Cup slots to sides battling relegation simply for the money.

[thenodrog]

Its not only the money issue, a lot of fans won't want him because he is a liability and is no better than our current options. Do you really want a player renowned for his reckless challenges, giving away freekicks in dangerous positions and giving away pens when you are battling against relegation? When you need every point you can get the last thing you need is Lucas Neill in your side.

I'll accept that viewpoint. It's reasoned and rational. I take it you do not sit on the Blackburn End?

[RovertheHill]

Exactly. You can see that and I can see that, so why do we appear to be in the minority and not part of the baying lynch mob?

I had no problem with Lucas when he left. However, I would take some convincing that he would be up for a relegation scrap, especially if he had to take a pay cut to come back. Frankly we'd be better with a young and hungrier player like Simpson, or Emo

[AJW]

what are the rules on loan players , i know we have 1 domestic and 1 international is that our limit ? i think its relevent because which players would sign a permanent deal with a club that may get relegated and do we really want to be offering 3-4 year deals at 40-50k a week and be in the championship