[Archived] Nicko's January Rumour Mill

[philipl]

In that same article it said Rovers had been offered £18million plus a player on sunday. If that was the case why did Rovers not accept this bid. Especially if £18million reaches the clause in RSC contract - as well as another player.

The same article said Scott Parker had signed for City for £11m and £100k a week...

If West Ham with all their problems can tell City go stuff it in sufficiently straight terms that almost a week later they have not been back for Bellamy and Parker, then I am sure we can.

And Bellamy and Parker rather fancy the wages at Middle Eastlands like Roque does.

Well City can sign me instead, they signed Jo after all.

[nicknj72]

Cheers lads!

Tugay - I had to smile when you responded to my first post. You'd make (if not already), a great detective - you saw right through me !!! haha

Martin O'Neil appears to give good team-talks. I might be wrong but i understand he doesn't speak to them before the game. Sometimes the way we have started games has been annoying, as we'll give a daft goal away. You absolutely deserved to be leading us though. Even though Man City got two mega mega lucky goals late on against you, Sam won't allow that to happen in future, i'm sure. I'd be amazed if he didn't get things moving for you - just thank your lucky stars you didn't get David O'Leary !!!!

Re Brad, you'll probably hate hearing this, but i don't think we've fully taken to him yet and i think you have probably got rid of him at the right time. I thought he played well against Gillingham, but against Hull he dropped two catches a man of his ilk should catch, and he has bounced a lot of balls back out into play in other games. He has been a great keeper for your boys though and will hopefully be remembered in his prime (it can be sad to see someone great getting older and worse, and that last image can overwrite the good ones. I remember when we signed, in my opinion the best keeper ever, Peter Schmeichel. He was the worst keeper i have ever seen for us - i remember Rovers giving us a good d1cking that season as well (as you always seemed to do!!!) Has Robinson not got his confidence back yet? Does he look like it might return?

I remember the team you used to have when you were in the old 2nd Division (mid to late 80's). Simon Garner/ Colin Hendry/ Chris Price, etc. You always seemed to get to the play off's and then for some reason or other, didn't get promoted. Always seemed to be loads of goals in your matches (for you, not against). Did you have ICI as your sponser as well (or am i dreaming that ?!?!)

None of you have mentioned Papa Booba Diop, so i take it you were so keen !! haha I would imagine Sam will want someone big in there to win the ball and give it to the lads to do the damage. Shame you didn't get Huddlestone as part of the Bentley deal, i quite rate him. How do you lads feel about Bentley? Interesting that he hasn't done much down there. I'd have liked him in my team, but he'd have got a rollocking from MON if he had turned in the performances he's been putting in for Tottenham.

What positions do you think will be filled short-term then? I hear right and centre midfield and up front. As much as i don't like the bloke, I think Diouf would be a good signing. I'd also be looking at Hunt from Reading. Someone who i used to rate (but also detest due to the way he left us), would be George Boeteng. I think he's the type of player who would be good for you for the rest of the season however.

Thanks again,

Nick

[steverovers]

I remember the team you used to have when you were in the old 2nd Division (mid to late 80's). Simon Garner/ Colin Hendry/ Chris Price, etc. You always seemed to get to the play off's and then for some reason or other, didn't get promoted.

Hi Nick, welcome to the forum.

Yep. we used to fight promotion off every year one way or another!

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Cheers lads!

Tugay - I had to smile when you responded to my first post. You'd make (if not already), a great detective - you saw right through me !!! haha

Martin O'Neil appears to give good team-talks. I might be wrong but i understand he doesn't speak to them before the game. Sometimes the way we have started games has been annoying, as we'll give a daft goal away. You absolutely deserved to be leading us though. Even though Man City got two mega mega lucky goals late on against you, Sam won't allow that to happen in future, i'm sure. I'd be amazed if he didn't get things moving for you - just thank your lucky stars you didn't get David O'Leary !!!!

Re Brad, you'll probably hate hearing this, but i don't think we've fully taken to him yet and i think you have probably got rid of him at the right time. I thought he played well against Gillingham, but against Hull he dropped two catches a man of his ilk should catch, and he has bounced a lot of balls back out into play in other games. He has been a great keeper for your boys though and will hopefully be remembered in his prime (it can be sad to see someone great getting older and worse, and that last image can overwrite the good ones. I remember when we signed, in my opinion the best keeper ever, Peter Schmeichel. He was the worst keeper i have ever seen for us - i remember Rovers giving us a good d1cking that season as well (as you always seemed to do!!!) Has Robinson not got his confidence back yet? Does he look like it might return?

I remember the team you used to have when you were in the old 2nd Division (mid to late 80's). Simon Garner/ Colin Hendry/ Chris Price, etc. You always seemed to get to the play off's and then for some reason or other, didn't get promoted. Always seemed to be loads of goals in your matches (for you, not against). Did you have ICI as your sponser as well (or am i dreaming that ?!?!)

None of you have mentioned Papa Booba Diop, so i take it you were so keen !! haha I would imagine Sam will want someone big in there to win the ball and give it to the lads to do the damage. Shame you didn't get Huddlestone as part of the Bentley deal, i quite rate him. How do you lads feel about Bentley? Interesting that he hasn't done much down there. I'd have liked him in my team, but he'd have got a rollocking from MON if he had turned in the performances he's been putting in for Tottenham.

What positions do you think will be filled short-term then? I hear right and centre midfield and up front. As much as i don't like the bloke, I think Diouf would be a good signing. I'd also be looking at Hunt from Reading. Someone who i used to rate (but also detest due to the way he left us), would be George Boeteng. I think he's the type of player who would be good for you for the rest of the season however.

Thanks again,

Nick

Bentley's demise is going down very well. I think many of us realised that he'd been overrated by much of the media throughout his time at Rovers, in a similar way to Morten Gamst Pedersen. On their day they can be match winners, but too often they can disappear. Bents did play very well for much of last season it has to be said, but mainly due to having Santa Cruz being on the end of every cross.

Brad - Very sad to see him leave, but Robinson has done well enough. To be honest i dont think we'd have been able to get a better replacement if Brad had left a year or so later. Shame you Villa lads havent taken to him quite yet.

We badly need a RM. Emerton does a job but last few seasons he's been doing very well at RB. Centre mid we lack any sort of creativity esp when Dunn is missing so two midfielders are desperately required.

Have to say Villa have a cracking team this season, good to see them shaking a few top team's feathers.

[DeadlyDirk]

Cheers lads!

Tugay - I had to smile when you responded to my first post. You'd make (if not already), a great detective - you saw right through me !!! haha

Martin O'Neil appears to give good team-talks. I might be wrong but i understand he doesn't speak to them before the game. Sometimes the way we have started games has been annoying, as we'll give a daft goal away. You absolutely deserved to be leading us though. Even though Man City got two mega mega lucky goals late on against you, Sam won't allow that to happen in future, i'm sure. I'd be amazed if he didn't get things moving for you - just thank your lucky stars you didn't get David O'Leary !!!!

Re Brad, you'll probably hate hearing this, but i don't think we've fully taken to him yet and i think you have probably got rid of him at the right time. I thought he played well against Gillingham, but against Hull he dropped two catches a man of his ilk should catch, and he has bounced a lot of balls back out into play in other games. He has been a great keeper for your boys though and will hopefully be remembered in his prime (it can be sad to see someone great getting older and worse, and that last image can overwrite the good ones. I remember when we signed, in my opinion the best keeper ever, Peter Schmeichel. He was the worst keeper i have ever seen for us - i remember Rovers giving us a good d1cking that season as well (as you always seemed to do!!!) Has Robinson not got his confidence back yet? Does he look like it might return?

I remember the team you used to have when you were in the old 2nd Division (mid to late 80's). Simon Garner/ Colin Hendry/ Chris Price, etc. You always seemed to get to the play off's and then for some reason or other, didn't get promoted. Always seemed to be loads of goals in your matches (for you, not against). Did you have ICI as your sponser as well (or am i dreaming that ?!?!)

None of you have mentioned Papa Booba Diop, so i take it you were so keen !! haha I would imagine Sam will want someone big in there to win the ball and give it to the lads to do the damage. Shame you didn't get Huddlestone as part of the Bentley deal, i quite rate him. How do you lads feel about Bentley? Interesting that he hasn't done much down there. I'd have liked him in my team, but he'd have got a rollocking from MON if he had turned in the performances he's been putting in for Tottenham.

What positions do you think will be filled short-term then? I hear right and centre midfield and up front. As much as i don't like the bloke, I think Diouf would be a good signing. I'd also be looking at Hunt from Reading. Someone who i used to rate (but also detest due to the way he left us), would be George Boeteng. I think he's the type of player who would be good for you for the rest of the season however.

Thanks again,

Nick

Welcome to the forum, I have no problems with other fans coming on here if they respect that this is a Blackburn Rovers message board and that should remain the main, but not all in cases, focus of discussion. You seem to have your head screwed on and have a broad view of football without having claret and blue tinted glasses, so good to have you around.

Brad will always be remembered as a legend here regardless of what he does at Villa, I think everyone wanted to see him finish his career here and it's sad that it didn't happen but that's football sometimes. Some of us felt that he was perhaps on the decline so for the money you paid we did okay and you still got a top keeper, it worked out okay for both clubs I guess. Robbo has shown signs of his confidence returning, personally I think on the whole he has done alright and done as well as most keepers in the premiership who seem to be under more and more examination. He's produced some world class saves at times but still seems prone to flapping crosses. There was a lot of negative talk about him on here when he first arrived which has now died down which probably suggests he's steadily getting on with his job and doing okay. I think most of us would still swap him for Brad though!

You're right, we do need a strong holding midfield player, were hoping though that Vince Grella can be that man, he's been injured during most of his time here, only played in about 4 games so far so its hard to judge whether or not he is the man for the job or not. In regards to Diop I've always quite liked him as a player, Portsmouth apparantley don't need to sell anyone else though so probably unlikely, I'd imagine he is fairly important to them after they lost Diarra. Not so sure about Boateng, I'd have thought his best days are behind him, Hull are certainly scoring enough but are conceding plenty too.

If Roque goes which is looking more and more likely then a striker is essential, I hope we don't go near Diouf for non footballing reasons, (See the other thread) other strikers to go for I'm not sure, the best I've seen anyone come up with so far would be Doyle from Reading, or Podolski if we can dream! I think we'll be looking to add at least one defender of quality to at least put pressure on the current team, Ooijer is a center back and not a right back so we need to either get a right back in or someone on the right of midfield so Emerton can go back there.

I agree with you about center midfield, that's a must for me really, we have plenty of numbers, but lack quality. Tugay is still a class act but can't do it for 90 minutes week in week out at 38, he has to be used sparingly. We have Dunny who is a good player but struggles with injuries and then the previously mentioned Grella. After that you have Mokoena and Andrews who are not really good enough, Steven Reid has been injured since 1876 and isn't due back until 2021 so that rules him out.

How much for Gabby and Young?

[philipl]

Good reading Nick.

I think Diop is out injured until April which might account for the silence on that front- happened this week.

[RevidgeBlue]

'We are just trying to make it happen now but there is a certain level that we won't go above and there may come a time when we just walk away.'

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...y.html?ITO=1490

Good. **** off then.

It's our player under contract, (with apparently no get out clause) Hughes is publicly on about, yet he's trying to make Citeh sound like the aggrieved party!!

[RevidgeBlue]

The thing is Chelsea didn't need the money and we do,

Let's get one thing straight - short of a specific contractual clause being in effect, we don't HAVE to sell anyone.

Which makes it all the more disappointing in our current predicament we haven't just told Citeh where to get off.

[DeadlyDirk]

The thing is Chelsea didn't need the money and we do, therefore you have to offer more to a club like Chelsea who can easily afford to knock back a £9m offer and let Bridge sit on the Bench. Blackbunr are famously poor, meaning we need money, thus weakening our position when it comes to demanding higher transfer fees for our players. Add to the fact that Wayne Bridge hadn't been doing interviews saying he wanted out of Chelski unlike Roque and there's your answer.

The "Wayne Bridge was sold for £11m, so Roque is worth £20m" argument doesn't hold water. Besides, I though most of the fuss over Bridge was how they are paying him in wages and not the fee.

On the contrary, I was under the impression that Chelsea needed to sell before they can buy anyone given Roman's recent stance on transfers. If we NEED to sell him we would have accepted the bid already, we don't need to sell anyone, certainly not someone who could jeapordise our premiership safety, not unless we have a replacement lined up and the deal is right for Blackburn Rovers, sod City!

[RevidgeBlue]

Even leaving aside the Roque fiasco, I'm finding the window extremely depressing from a Rovers perspective.

I found the comment from JW that he and SA thought the squad needed only "minor tweaking" astonishing. As much as anything I took this as confirmation yet again that the owners aren't prepared to part with any cash in a transfer window, despite us this time being in desperate trouble and in grave danger of losing our Premiership status.

To confirm the "minor tweaking" viewpoint, our "major" target appeared to be a 2m acquisition, yet after much pussyfooting around, it seems we never actually got round to making an official bid for him, nor does it actually appear he's available!

What's going on? I had hoped that Sam wouldn't have taken the job on without having very specific targets in mind nor without having received certain assurances about funding being available for strengthening.

It's not looking like either was the case at the moment.

[BRFC1995]

whatever happened to the tapping up rule...................few seasons ago all managers would say is "i'm not going to comment on another teams player".

now redknapp hughsey and kinnear are basically telling the world the system players would be in before a bid is accepted.........sickening.

Man city need proven premier players who don't need time to settle or they'll be in the relegation scrap for the rest of the season........hold the buggers to ransom £25m minimum and put a deadline on it so we can buy...........they are a desperate club and a bad result at the weekend will either see sparky off or get us more money. Hughes dreams about santa he's obsessed on the fella, all his plans for city are built around the guy.........he'll go the extra mile or rather 6 or 7 million.

[colbert]

Ok now i dont post a lot of comments but i do read alot. this is what i think of the whole RSC transfer.

It seems that evey one and his dog seems to know about RSC contract. wright or wrong.

So why has Man city bid a low amout? well i think its just to please Hughes. He has bid for Parker and Bellamy...both turned down, bids too low.

Makes me even more think that they are backing Hughes in public but not really cause i think they want major stars at the club, Hughes does not want these kind of players.

So i think Hughes will get the push in the summer so they can get a big name in as manager. They do not want so called un known players. they must be world renowned.

I dont think Hughes had a clue that Robinhio was going to be part of the team on that night! so ok Bridge has signed for a so called £10 million - i dont think so, probably more like £5 million (i know) with add on and performance's payments it may well add up to that!

Its almost like a Paul MeKenna show, its not all what it seems.

All i can say is Hughes is right in the middle of a very big game of Poker......and i dont think Hughes is going to win this one.

One thing i will say is that hughes is putting up a brave face on it all, knowing what it takes to get RSC to city but yet the so called richest club in the world not putting up the cash!

[gumboots]

Which makes it all the more disappointing in our current predicament we haven't just told Citeh where to get off.

We might well have done without shouting to the press about it and that could be why he's whingeing to the media trying to make us look like the villains.

[nicko]

There's not much to add...plenty of Man City-inspired propaganda around about Roque and a few people catching up.

City are spinning some terrible rubbish just now. There is even a report that they have offered over £20 million for Bellamy and Parker. The figure is closer to £15 million.

It's the same with the Roque bid, nowhere near the level that their fan club in the press seem to believe.

What is the point in talking big figures and bidding low ones?

There's some Ivory Coast player from Benifca possibly coming on trial...never even heard of him.

Still think Givet is on...but more to be watched at the weekend.

[Bobby G]

We dont know how much money we do have.

If we had won against Sunderland, and City, I am sure things wouldve been different. But this is a critical point in our future, and the difference between signing players and not could result in the end of Blackburn Rovers.

I think we have 5 million pounds at best personally. But with Sam's history of loaning quality players, maybe that may yet suffice.

[nicko]

Bridge has signed for a so called £10 million - i dont think so, probably more like £5 million (i know) with add on and performance's payments it may well add up to that!

Its almost like a Paul MeKenna show, its not all what it seems.

All i can say is Hughes is right in the middle of a very big game of Poker......and i dont think Hughes is going to win this one.

One thing i will say is that hughes is putting up a brave face on it all, knowing what it takes to get RSC to city but yet the so called richest club in the world not putting up the cash!

Missed this...spot on.

The Bridge bid is only around £6 million up front plus extras.

Smoke and mirrors.

[Bobby G]

There's not much to add...plenty of Man City-inspired propaganda around about Roque and a few people catching up.

City are spinning some terrible rubbish just now. There is even a report that they have offered over £20 million for Bellamy and Parker. The figure is closer to £15 million.

It's the same with the Roque bid, nowhere near the level that their fan club in the press seem to believe.

What is the point in talking big figures and bidding low ones?

There's some Ivory Coast player from Benifca possibly coming on trial...never even heard of him.

Still think Givet is on...but more to be watched at the weekend.

Marc Zoro is the right sided center back but can play right back too. Famous from the infamous racism incidents in Serie A when he began crying and threatened to retire from football, when at Messina I believe.

May I add something about Man City's Arab "money-men".

6 months ago these guys were sitting up in the clouds, but the financial hit as well as the property burst especially in Dubai has meant that those guys have had to take a very hands on role in plastering the situation. In fact they lost a lot of money through the process too, with sources saying a significant amount of money in the Lehmann Brothers were theirs. In this climate, it doesnt surprise me that they are not that gung-ho with their money. Now the UAE is very much a publicity seeking entity, and if Santa Cruz was say David Villa, I am sure they would be able to even write off 50 million pounds in one go, cause they would see the rewards of such publicity.

[alexanders]

The one you where talking about Boggy

Marco Zoro on trail

[hawkiiz]

Marc Zoro is the right sided center back but can play right back too. Famous from the infamous racism incidents in Serie A when he began crying and threatened to retire from football, when at Messina I believe.

Marco Zoro is available on a free, but they need to check on fitness.

He is an Ivory Coast international, only recently signed a 4 year deal at Benfica, so that one is but he is only 25 so it may be a good shout

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...15875-21027169/

[alexanders]

Nicko, do you know when this Zorro is due to come in?

[Bobby G]

Lets remember as far as I know he wasnt a regular at the WC in 2006. Boka was the right back. I believe he played in the meaningless rubber match when Boka was rested?

[alexanders]

Hope I don't sound to pessimistic, but I don't think that Zoro is all that.

He has only featured twice for Benfica and has been transfer only a couple of months after he came there.

[Bobby G]

Average player at best, but may be a better right back than Ooijer.

I am certain that Brett Emerton is better than MOST of the right backs we are being linked with.

[PLZ Blue]

Nicko

Any truth in the Mirror story written by David McDonnell that City will table a take it or leave it bid of £17.5M?

[Bobby G]

Possibly 11 million guaranteed and the rest in games played, which would be USELESS for us.