[Archived] Elrio Van Heerden

[alexanders]

Iccers - do you think we will be able to see Elrio in action during confed cup?

[Hughesy]

Sam said he needs some work on his core strength and mobility, but should make an impact around half way into next season. Although he did say if he makes the impact at the start then thats a bonus. So he will obviously be getting his chances. He has likened him to Pienaar.

He also flew through the fitness tests so he hasnt any injury worries.

[joey_big_nose]

That we signed him immediately after he became a free agent without a trial suggests good things too. Sam obviously has faith.

[alexanders]

Also the fact that they have been monitoring him for a while adds more believe in this signing!

[Hughesy]

Sam & his scouts have been watching him for a couple of months though, so they did their homework - aswell as watching DVD's of him.

[T4E]

I trust Sam to make this sort of signing far more than I did any previous Rovers manager, including Sparky.

Got a good feeling about this one.

[Hughesy]

"Blackburn opens up the biggest chapter in my career and I will try repay the club for showing faith in me by playing my best football at Blackburn," added Van Heerden.

To improve, to become a better footballer, it's always crucial that a player is tested against the best.

And, for Van Heerden, he has no doubt as to the strength of the league where he will now be playing: "The English Premiership is a big league - one of the biggest in the world - and I look forward to testing myself against top players week in and week out," he said.

"Blackburn are a historical club who have enjoyed great success in the past.

"Last season was obviously one of change for them, following the changes in management, but manager Sam Allardyce has kept the club up and I have no doubt that I am joining a club which will once again be on the rise.

"It is great to be joining a league where the likes of Mokoena, McCarthy and Pienaar are playing.

"Pienaar has enjoyed a tremendous two seasons so far at Everton. He has shown that, in the English Premiership, where most clubs always want big, powerful players, if a smaller but technically good player is given a chance, he can succeed.

"I will use Pienaar's example as a motivation at Blackburn."

Full article here

[greco]

As someone said earlier.

He was c**p at FCK. He couldnt handle the physical side of the Danish Superleague, so I guess he will have a hard time in the PL.

Hope I am wrong and that the belgian league has improved him a lot.....

he was very young at the time, and when he started to establish himself, fck wanted renew his contract, but elrio didnt want to and went to belgium.

personally i see him as a squad player, who has the ability to play both wings. As a squad player he sjould be a major improvement, if we compare to treacy.

he certainly had pace and the ability to get past a defender, in the danish league that is.

[67splitscreen]

Surely the place to judge him will be in the up coming Internationals for SA if selected.

Many of players he will come up against will be from the top leagues in Europe.

Let's just hope he proves to be a great success for Rovers, and makes us many millions in the future.

[RIML]

My theory is the big money signings who come to this league, people have high expectations of them which adds to the pressure of them trying to succeed in this league. Like the big money signings for Chelsea and Utd etc no need to mention names, they're constantly under pressure to do well and usually that results him them not being able to cope under the pressure resulting in bad performances, lack of confidence etc.

This young promising footballer has no big money tag on his head, the fans and the club are not expecting miracles from him so he's under no pressure and in my opinion, he will just go out on the pitch and let his football do the talking, all he has to do is impress the manager and fight for a first team place in the team, the supporters won't necessarily be on his back because we've not paid anything for him. No matter what league he comes from, I'm sure without that added pressure he will adapt to this league quite well.

[FourLaneBlue]

Whether he's the sort of player who could walk straight into the first team, we'll have to wait and see. Can't see too much point in signing a load of "squad" players. We need quality above quantity.

With six players having left recently and four of them midfielders we need a bit of both to be honest. Getting in a few aquad players on a free with presumably quite low wages while saving the main bulk of cash for some quality signings seems a prudent way to go.

[Presty On Tour]

Got to give the fella a chance.

I'm so glad from what I've seen that the guy has some pace but the fact he has pace and looks as though he can run with the ball past players could be a massive outlet for us. Don't know what his passing abilities are but it's going to be interesting to find out.

We have had no real speed in the side since Bellamy, Emerton can move and has a fantastic engine but isn't lightning. Really hope he's a good un.

[philipl]

OK, how do we pronounce his name correctly?

[Hughesy]

El-rio Van Heer-den is my guess.

El-Rio ooooh

El-Rio ooooh

He wears the blue n white

He makes Bentley look sh!te.

[Billy Castell]

So would he be described as a flying winger then?

[Hughesy]

So would he be described as a flying winger then?

Dont see why not - Sam said he 'Flew' through his medical.

[Kelbo]

Surely the place to judge him will be in the up coming Internationals for SA if selected.

Many of players he will come up against will be from the top leagues in Europe.

Let's just hope he proves to be a great success for Rovers, and makes us many millions in the future.

The only way to judge him is when he dons on a Rovers shirt in a premiership game!! Internationals dont always show the guys up correctly, they may look ok but its not premiership football, look at Deco, no great shakes at Chelsea and then we see Pienaar, never heard of the guy and he looks good for Everton!!

[Iceman]

OK, how do we pronounce his name correctly?

Just put El Rio at the back of his shirt.

[Hughesy]

The only way to judge him is when he dons on a Rovers shirt in a premiership game!! Internationals dont always show the guys up correctly, they may look ok but its not premiership football, look at Deco, no great shakes at Chelsea and then we see Pienaar, never heard of the guy and he looks good for Everton!!

More importantly - look at Rigters at the last u-21 cup and then look at him when he has been with us since!!

[Mr. E]

If South Africa's captain was so poor for us, not sure how a regular midfielder would do...if he turns out to be any good it will be another transfer miracle.

[robbo_rovers]

Captain doesn't neceserilly mean best player. Benni is a better player than The Axe and he isn't captain.

[Iceman]

If South Africa's captain was so poor for us, not sure how a regular midfielder would do...if he turns out to be any good it will be another transfer miracle.

How did you work that one out? I wonder how poor Pienaar is at Everton, because Aaron is captain. Oh well!

[FourLaneBlue]

The most exciting thing about this signing is that he has pace...something we have been lacking for far too long. Allardyce has acknowledged his pace (and did so before mentioning his other benefits) in his quotes which suggests he will be addressing that problem.

If we are going to have a Plan B next season we cannot have such a pedestrian speed throughout the squad.

[Plastic Head]

Sounds like he could be a good impact player to bring from the bench, we really struggled for a Plan B last season.

Plan A didn't go too well either......

Valeri Domovchiyski!?

Bless you!

[67splitscreen]

The only way to judge him is when he dons on a Rovers shirt in a premiership game!! Internationals dont always show the guys up correctly, they may look ok but its not premiership football, look at Deco, no great shakes at Chelsea and then we see Pienaar, never heard of the guy and he looks good for Everton!!

[/quote

Point taken, perhaps I should have said (get an insight or similar), instead of judge,