[Archived] Nicko's January Rumour Mill

[Mozzer]

nicko..you mentioned blackburn were looking at two foreign targets-1 been gael givet- has there been any more progress and is he coming in for a short trial..

also any chance you can mention who the other target was..

[nicko]

Nicko any news on City's quest for Tevez?

Tevez's handlers - Joorabchian and Zahavi - are trying to make that happen. They still have friends in high places at Man City.

Sparky wants Roque and Bellamy and - for some reason - City are not bidding enough.

Sounds like it is still very political in there.

That's ok...but then it starts to involve other clubs and becomes a pain.

nicko..you mentioned blackburn were looking at two foreign targets-1 been gael givet- has there been any more progress and is he coming in for a short trial..

also any chance you can mention who the other target was..

I'm still waiting to hear if they will watch the guy this weekend and whether he is playing.

[den]

Sparky wants Roque and Bellamy and - for some reason - City are not bidding enough.

Sounds like it is still very political in there.

That's ok...but then it starts to involve other clubs and becomes a pain.

Thing is City don't have to offer fantastic money at this stage because they know that they hold the aces. City want him and he wants to join them. It wont trouble Hughes making life very difficult for any other club, he's too thick skinned for that. After all, only last summer Rovers told City "in no uncertain terms" where to go in their attempt to sign Rocky. Didn't bother them one iota, did it?

[Tom]

I think we need to set a concrete deadline on the santa cruz deal and let both City and Roque know in no uncertain terms that we will not be messed around. Worked for Villa and Barry anyway.

As time goes on I find myself disliking city and Hughes more and more, they're like Spurs on speed!

[Hi Mack]

I think we need to set a concrete deadline on the santa cruz deal and let both City and Roque know in no uncertain terms that we will not be messed around. Worked for Villa and Barry anyway.

As time goes on I find myself disliking city and Hughes more and more, they're like Spurs on speed!

Theres a clause so we cant set a deadline it means nothing!

[den]

Theres a clause so we cant set a deadline it means nothing!

If that's the case, then why haven't they come in at the correct figure?

[nicko]

The price clause is £20 million, Roque gets £5 million of that...if it happens at the end of the season.

It should have an impact on the price now - but it does not mean a straight figure gets Roque.

The bottom line is Rovers want to clear £15 million.

Man City know this - they are aware of the figures in the contract and what that tells you about the profit that Rovers want.

So why are they bidding so low?

[Tom]

Theres a clause so we cant set a deadline it means nothing!

Ah but did Nicko not mention the clause isn't effective until summer, therefore there is no magic number which means we have to sell now, therefore the only way we lose him without time to replace him is by bad planning on our part.

Thats the bit that worries me though!

Edit: too late see nickos post

[LeChuck]

I've got a horrible feeling City are going to keep offering us figures below what we want right up until the last day of the window, then give us the £15 million (or whatever it is) we want by when it'll be too late to replace him.

I hope we're trying to set up some deals for this scenario, although they'd probably have to be loans in that situation.

[broadsword]

So why are they bidding so low?

Because they're not very nice people.

[Hi Mack]

If that's the case, then why haven't they come in at the correct figure?

Lots of players have clauses but if their not playing too well clubs sell for less than that!

Example, i think Messi has a £144m clause (if someone pays that he can definately go)but no ones going to pay that.

.....But a team may offer £50m and Barca can consider the bid but dont have to sell!

City think we might want the money!but in our case we can use the clause to our advantage!unlike the Bellamy clause!

[nicko]

The choice is...

Say no to Man City's low offer and gamble on staying up with Roque and then sell him for what you want - £20 million or even less if you feel like it - at the end of the season.

Say yes to Man City's low offer.

If the offer is as low as I hear then there is no way he should or could be sold.

The daft thing is that Man City know this. So why behave like this.

Who do they think they are? Spurs?

[Rainmaker]

I've got a horrible feeling City are going to keep offering us figures below what we want right up until the last day of the window, then give us the £15 million (or whatever it is) we want by when it'll be too late to replace him.

But if the clause is not in effect in January that makes no difference.

[ackroyd75]

.

Man City know this - they are aware of the figures in the contract and what that tells you about the profit that Rovers want.

So why are they bidding so low?

I presume to unsettle Rocky! There is no one else in for him. He may play poorly till the end of the season ala Benny. We get relegated with West Brom and Stoke. City are the safe! Sparky shafts Rovers. Or am i paranoid!

[nicko]

I presume to unsettle Rocky! There is no one else in for him. He may play poorly till the end of the season ala Benny. We get relegated with West Brom and Stoke. City are the safe! Sparky shafts Rovers. Or am i paranoid!

Roque has already been well and truly unsettled. There is a deal to be done - and they are clowning about. Very annoying.

[Oklahoma]

Maybe Man City idea is to cause problems in the other team's players.

Unsettling them, creating problems for their opponents.

Then, some clubs will eventually accept selling cheaper than they would before.

[nicko]

Maybe Man City idea is to cause problems in the other team's players.

Unsettling them, creating problems for their opponents.

Then, some clubs will eventually accept selling cheaper than they would before.

That certainly won't work in Roque's case...I would think John Williams is a tougher cookie than that.

[Oklahoma]

JW probably is.

But Roque is not.

Players are very unstable and Man City idea must be: "you either play for us or perform badly for them".

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Surely the real reason for City to lowball us (and West Ham, possibly) is so that when Hughes is out of a job in a month and a new manager wants to bring his own men in, they can clear out Sparky's expensive white elephants like Scott Parker and Roque Santa Cruz without losing TOO much.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Its looking likely that City are trying to unsettle the player in order to get Roque to put in a transfer request or declare himself so unhappy that they can buy him considerably cheaper.

Unsettled/unhappy players usually go for cheaper, its like the buying club is doing the other club a favor by taking an unsettled or unhappy player off their hands.

[allrovertheworld]

nicko..you mentioned blackburn were looking at two foreign targets-1 been gael givet- has there been any more progress and is he coming in for a short trial..

also any chance you can mention who the other target was..

Rovers...no hard feelings just gets me upset when we are refered to as Blackburn. Its Blackburn Rovers, Rovers or The Rovers.

Sorry this is not related to Nickos thread is it...but the Rovers police are allowed exceptions surely?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Honestly hand on heart does anyone feel we are overvaluing Roque?

Personally i think £18-20 million a fair price. He scored over 20 goals last season, signed a new four year contract not that long ago and we aren't in a position where we have to sell him.

When you look at how much City paid for Jo (£19 million?), our valuation is perfectly reasonable.

[Hi Mack]

Rovers...no hard feelings just gets me upset when we are refered to as Blackburn. Its Blackburn Rovers, Rovers or The Rovers.

Sorry this is not related to Nickos thread is it...but the Rovers police are allowed exceptions surely?

And the front runner for strangest post of 2009 is..........................................

Whats it matter did you know what he meant?

[gumboots]

And the front runner for strangest post of 2009 is..........................................

Whats it matter did you know what he meant?

It doesn't but it annoys me too.

[Hi Mack]

It doesn't but it annoys me too.

Nicko are Blackburn likely to buy anyone before Fulham?