[Archived] Brad Friedel Autobiography

[Claytons Left Boot]

Just finished reading the above book. Very good read. Rovers get the lion's share of PL related stuff, there are some good historial facts about football in general and it was interesting reading about the red tape and bureaucracy when Brad was attempting to sign for an English team towards the start of his career.

A great tale about when Souness planted the Gala flag in the centre circle at Fener's ground. What I found most pleasing, however, is that Friedel comes across as a first class, caring human being.

Well worth the read.

[Exiled in Toronto]

No BRFC insider gossip worth repeating?

[AndyNeil]

Any mention of why he ditched Rovers other than the 'official' reasons given?

[Guest Vinjay606]

I wouldn't be surprised if Lerner is helping him fund his soccer schools or something like that.

[Rover9]

Good to hear as mine arrived in the port this morning. Rovers legend and by the sounds of it a decent guy to boot!

[Claytons Left Boot]

No BRFC insider gossip worth repeating?

Blokes don't do gossip, John!

Brad isn't really the sort to snitch, gossip and the telling tales stuff, so no.

He was happy at Rovers and wasn't thinking of leaving. Whilst back in the States in the summer he started receiving phone calls about rumours of both Man City and Villa being interested, one of the early ones from our own Alan Nixon. This was the first he knew and after a while, knowing that he was approaching the end (relatively) of his career, he thought why not at least speak to them and see what they may have to offer. Villa made the better impression with MON and Lerner waiting for him, he liked what they had going for them and with Lerner having business interests in his neck of the woods, Ohio, he presumably felt he had something in common. It basically just went on from there.

With regard to his footballing academies, I think some sponsorship is involved in addition to Brad's own capital input, so you never know. Lerner could be involved. He doesn't say. One of his close associates, close friends and linked in to the academies is Barry Venison.

He does mention that he does not have one negative thing to say about Blackburn Rovers.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Blokes don't do gossip, John!

Brad isn't really the sort to snitch, gossip and the telling tales stuff, so no.

He was happy at Rovers and wasn't thinking of leaving. Whilst back in the States in the summer he started receiving phone calls about rumours of both Man City and Villa being interested, one of the early ones from our own Alan Nixon. This was the first he knew and after a while, knowing that he was approaching the end (relatively) of his career, he thought why not at least speak to them and see what they may have to offer. Villa made the better impression with MON and Lerner waiting for him, he liked what they had going for them and with Lerner having business interests in his neck of the woods, Ohio, he presumably felt he had something in common. It basically just went on from there.

With regard to his footballing academies, I think some sponsorship is involved in addition to Brad's own capital input, so you never know. Lerner could be involved. He doesn't say. One of his close associates, close friends and linked in to the academies is Barry Venison.

He does mention that he does not have one negative thing to say about Blackburn Rovers.

Guilty as charged!

Sounds reasonable enough. Very surprised to hear that our own Nicko was messenger-in-chief though. What a thoughtful service to provide for pros nearing the end of their careers!

[Claytons Left Boot]

Very surprised to hear that our own Nicko was messenger-in-chief though. What a thoughtful service to provide for pros nearing the end of their careers!

:lol: My thoughts exactly.

[RevidgeBlue]

Guilty as charged!

Sounds reasonable enough. Very surprised to hear that our own Nicko was messenger-in-chief though. What a thoughtful service to provide for pros nearing the end of their careers!

Absolutely unbelievable.

And nicko was prominent amongst those on here blaming Ince for Friedel's departure!

Bloody hell, if only we'd have known nicko had moved part time into the agency business we could have got him to shift the Axe for 20m whilst he was still under contract!

[roversmum]

For once, I'm speechless. Probably just as well, as I might say something untoward

[thenodrog]

I wonder who was Alan Nixon's source?

6th post down.........

http://www.brfcs.co.uk/mb/index.php?showto...53&st=3420#

So at least we know why he's come here to this mb.

[Mr. E]

So, basically...one day he just thought "oh, why don't I join Villa, it seems nice and that pay good, thanks for everything Rovers, ta-ta."

After so many years of loyal service he just walks out without a second thought.

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

I don't feel that Alan Nixon deserves a lynch mob over this to be honest.

It's part of his job to speak to players, agents, managers etc to discover transfer news and to check out 'gossip', for want of a better word.

There's a difference between asking a player if a particular rumour is true and openly encouraging him to move to another club. I'm sure that Nicko didn't tell Brad: "You've got to get away from Ewood Park. Aston Villa are offering you much more money. Ince will be hopeless, so you'll be better off moving."

I suspect it was simply a case of Alan speaking to a player and trying to find out if Brad was happy at Rovers and if he had any plans in the summer to move. Nothing particularly sinister about that, in my view.

It was reported that there had previously been 'friction' between Ince and Friedel when they were players at Anfield, with one of them allegedly grabbing the other by the throat. With that in mind there was always the possibility that Friedel wouldn't exactly welcome Ince with open arms and would want to look at other options, especially if there was more financial remuneration to him available at other clubs.

I don't like it when players move for more money, but it's a sad fact of life that it happens. Brad isn't an angel or a saint in this respect. If he was an angel he could have simply said to Nicko on the phone: "Irrespective of how much more money other clubs are offering I'm completely committed to Rovers and will be staying at Ewood Park."

Friedel could have dug his heels in and refused to move. I suspect though that the dollar signs started to flash in Brad's eyes and he saw Villa Park as a chance to have a final good payday, as well as joining a club who were competing in Europe and likely to finish considerably higher in the Premiership under Martin O'Neill than Blackburn Rovers under Paul Ince.

I don't feel that Alan Nixon should be blamed for the fact that a) Brad ultimately wanted to leave in the summer and b] Paul Ince was happy to sell Friedel and buy Paul Robinson as a replacement.

Naturally many of the conversations that Nicko has with players and managers have to be kept private. Alan couldn't post on this website: "Today I spoke to Brad Friedel and this is exactly what he said."

As Nicko has previously said, he can't always reveal his 'sources' if conversations are done in private - in the same way that political journalists also sometimes speak of 'sources'. You'll read political articles where journalists write: "Ministerial sources said X and Y," or "A senior Government source said such and such".

There are times when if a journalist revealed in the paper the exact source or the name of the Government minister in question then he wouldn't gain the confidence of other ministers and MPs to speak out and so there would be less stories to cover.

Some journalists - like the ones who printed lies about the victims of Hillsborough - are scumbags, but I've got no reason to question Nicko's integrity or to start throwing stones at him.

At the end of the day he is just doing his job and I don't believe that he is deliberately trying to destabilise Blackburn Rovers.

[Tris]

It was reported that there had previously been 'friction' between Ince and Friedel when they were players at Anfield, with one of them allegedly grabbing the other by the throat. With that in mind there was always the possibility that Friedel wouldn't exactly welcome Ince with open arms

I don't feel that Alan Nixon should be blamed for the fact that a) Brad ultimately wanted to leave in the summer and b] Paul Ince was happy to sell Friedel and buy Paul Robinson as a replacement.

From my (personally signed ) copy of Friedel's book -

I have massive respect for Paul Ince. I respected him as a player and team mate, and we are personal friends.

...

The Blackburn fans need to know that at no stage did Paul Ince, or anyone at Blackburn for that matter, want me to leave. It wasn't a case of bad judgement or of them showing me the door, they wanted very much for me to stay.

As I posted at the time, Ince and Williams didn't want Friedel to go. It was entirely the keepers own decision.

[Claytons Left Boot]

So, basically...one day he just thought "oh, why don't I join Villa, it seems nice and that pay good, thanks for everything Rovers, ta-ta."

After so many years of loyal service he just walks out without a second thought.

Not at all. Yes, it was Brad's decision to leave but it certlainly didn't appear to happen like that. It was not done for money and it was not a quick decision, more a case of several factors combining to make the move more attractive than staying at Ewood.

[allanncd]

Further proof that Nicko is a Dingle in disguise.

[Tom]

To be fair to Nicko he makes his living writing stories for the paper, he had wind of a potential story and followed it up. Put food on the table so to speak.

[EwoodGlory]

Exactly, but this is the internet. Guilty until proven innocent

[RevidgeBlue]

To be fair to Nicko he makes his living writing stories for the paper, he had wind of a potential story and followed it up. Put food on the table so to speak.

Maybe I'm being a bit naive and it goes on all the time, but if it's something that in this case Friedel knew nothing about then in my view it's a bit more than that.

It's not a million miles away from "tapping up" the player on behalf of the buying club.

[jim mk2]

Managers often use journalists as go-betweens to sound out players as a way round the tapping-up rules.

Certainly seems the case with Nixon and Friedel.

[thenodrog]

There's a difference between asking a player if a particular rumour is true and openly encouraging him to move to another club. I'm sure that Nicko didn't tell Brad: "You've got to get away from Ewood Park. Aston Villa are offering you much more money. Ince will be hopeless, so you'll be better off moving."

Well I certainly would have in that situation! Nicko's made it plain many times that he is very fond of the folding stuff, he is not a supporter of BRFC per sae and in a frank and private conversation I'm not suprised that he'd say something similar to that. In fact I'm sure that most people other than ST holders in the Blackburn End would have advised BF to take the opportunity to double his money in the twilight of his career.

The only suprise were the goons in charge allowing it. Verifying the predictions of a few wise heads from last summer when BF was nowhere near an out of contract situation. It's been speculated many times that he must be worth 'x' points a season to us. Well imo if 'X' points are anywhere between 3 and 9 nobody can deny that they would be worth their bloody weight in gold now!!! !

Oh btw I've heard unofficial whispers that Robinson is out come summer. SA doesn't rate him worth the money thats invested in him.

[Guest Vinjay606]

He considers him good enough for England though.

If he can get someone like Kameni on a free transfer (as free as it gets in football anyway) it makes sense to spend incoming funds for Robinson on other areas of the team. So it's not really a question of not rating Robinson highly.

[thenodrog]

He considers him good enough for England though.

Dont be naive. It's business. If he can get him in the Capello's England squad his value will rise.

[Napoleon]

As Nicko has previously said, he can't always reveal his 'sources' if conversations are done in private - in the same way that political journalists also sometimes speak of 'sources'. You'll read political articles where journalists write: "Ministerial sources said X and Y," or "A senior Government source said such and such".

In politics that statement almost always means its a leak by the people concerned to test the water, probably the same in football.

[nicko]

Nice of Brad to confirm the facts.

I believe I said at the time that I had checked out the Man City and Villa rumours with him and he was in the dark.

He had just got back from holiday and was puzzled by what was going on.

Both clubs came in very quickly when the word was out that he was available.

Villa offered the best deal - and Rovers didn't match the terms he was getting.

The previous manager was telling anyone who would listen that he wanted a new keeper...and some were approached well in advance of Brad leaving.

The point remains that Brad would have stayed if Ince had got him similar wages to what Villa paid him.

So Ince wanted him replaced and the club backed that stance.