[Archived] Bentley

[tony gale's mic]

it would be ideal if we could keep him till world cup 2010 and then sell him for big money if he does well, although to get a big fee for him he'd need to sign a contract till 2012...i think we could keep him till 2010 potentially but i doubt he'd tie himself to us for another 5 years, and i don't blame him. if he stays another couple of seasons he'll have done a great job for us.

[Hughesy]

1 key thing is that Bentley has seen the other side at Arsenal and it messed him up - if the lad has any sense, which going off his interviews he does - then he will realise the grass isnt always greener elsewhere.

YES he will move eventually - but not yet - unless of course the club recieve a daft offer like they did for Shearer & Duff.

[JAL]

Bentleys performance for England was the first positive news for Blackburn Rovers and the whole marketing of the club.

A Blackburn player looking on a par if not better than other big club internationals thats what John Williams in all his time at Rovers has hoping for or at least needed in order to move the club forward and expand the fan base.

How much time money and effort and money has it taken to reach this point after a decade of general negativity towards the club. The key is to build on it but how?

Positive television and media history is so so important that i hope we can add more on this point .Playing Arsenal on monday presents another great television moment in showing how good Rovers are against one of the best teams in England and Europe.

Pace and excitement is what the fans want maybe Rovers are a little short on that at this moment in time but hopefully Mark Hughes can build on it in the near future.

[HATRIX]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12010_3119715,00.html Rooney on bentley for those who haven't read it.

[John]

I think he still not the finished article, and improve on many aspects of his game (he has said so himself and is still young).

However, in the summer, I can see a club coming in with a bid too big for us to turn down.

[Wolverine]

Found out yesterday that Bentley is still fiercely loyal to Hughes and Blackburn Rovers and the club have no plans to sell him for at least the next season.

It isn't just the loyalty Bentley feels to the fans and Sparky, but a third reason behind the scenes. Believe it or not, but Bentley staying is worth more for the clubs finanaces than almost any transfer fee we would likely get.

Furthermore, he laughed off the prospect of a return to Arsenal, or playing for Chelsea. He is turned off the Gunners for life, in fact the experience he had there has bittered his experience of playing for ANY 'big club'.

I was slightly surprised to find which club have the best (albeit very slim) chance of buying him, but that isn't a difficult one to work out for anyone who knows his agent.

When all is said and done, his family are up here, he is the first name on the team sheet, he earns far more than the Mail or whoever said he does, and he is playing for a team challenging for Europe every year. Not to mention the superb support he received from Blackburn management and fans over his international career.

I know as Rovers fans the glass is half empty and leaking through a crack and is cipped, and dirty, but I am trying to get it straight from the man himself, which is difficult at the moment, as I am sure you will gather.

[thecomebackid]

If Capello truly values Bentley as reports suggest, and sees him as the anointed successor to the media's (and Highercroft type chavs) Chosen One it will not only be the heavy-weight clubs in this country that will be interested in Our Man at Ewood.

Capello's reputation on the Continent is such, and no doubt his opinion of a player similarly valued, that interest is inevitable from the likes of Milan & Real Madrid (former Capello managed clubs of course).

I'm virtually sure however that we will get at least another season out of the lad.

Augmented by his likely signing of a new improved contract, should the club at some point receive the proverbial Duff style offer that we can't refuse; the club will be in the classic 'win-win' situation, once the time comes.

[USABlue]

The best thing to have happened for us as fans of Rovers and the club is that Bentley has tasted the bitter sweet pill of being at a big club. I am sure the whole experience has soured him, the most obvious move that comes to mind is him following Sparky when he leaves.

[T4E]

Believe it or not, but Bentley staying is worth more for the clubs finanaces than almost any transfer fee we would likely get.

I'd love to know how.

[Jan]

If Capello truly values Bentley as reports suggest, and sees him as the anointed successor to the media's (and Highercroft type chavs) Chosen One it will not only be the heavy-weight clubs in this country that will be interested in Our Man at Ewood.

Capello's reputation on the Continent is such, and no doubt his opinion of a player similarly valued, that interest is inevitable from the likes of Milan & Real Madrid (former Capello managed clubs of course).

I'm virtually sure however that we will get at least another season out of the lad.

Augmented by his likely signing of a new improved contract, should the club at some point receive the proverbial Duff style offer that we can't refuse; the club will be in the classic 'win-win' situation, once the time comes.

Maybe, just maybe, the club learned something from the Duff debacle- If you are only selling because the manager thinks he could do more with the money than the player DON'T do it- you'll only end up making a fool of yourselves.

And even though it's Hughes and not the unemployable one, I'd hold to that.

[thecomebackid]

Maybe, just maybe, the club learned something from the Duff debacle- If you are only selling because the manager thinks he could do more with the money than the player DON'T do it- you'll only end up making a fool of yourselves.

And even though it's Hughes and not the unemployable one, I'd hold to that.

Understand your sentiments entirely Jan; but selling Duff wasn't a debacle, just as accepting 3.5 million from Leeds at the time for Jason 'Handbags' Wilcox wasn't a debacle either (as we knew we had Duff waiting in the wings ).

The sanctity of the contract in English law is not applied in the context of English football. We all know that if a player is 'unsettled' (basically a euphemism for not wanting to play for the club) he can consequently do considerable damage to that club – who can forget a certain Mr. Le Saux's laggardly performances once Chelsea started to jangle the loose change in their very deep pockets?

I might be in an opinion of one, but I don't think the money for Duff was totally wasted – totally being the operative word:

1. 2/3 of the money was recouped on the back of the home-sick-(sweaty)-sock jock (no ethnic slight intended despite the crass epithet);

2. Steven Reid was a great signing – despite the Blackburn End initially believing he had been bought to replace Duffers;

3. Ditto Emerton – despite having a Brazilian sounding name & triumphal entry as the Australian David Beckham – well, as the Aussies' say, he has been 'good value';

4. Amoruso was a total disaster – no spin can be put on that big kilted Galumph.

Further I might add (slightly off point), Dunn was sold & repurchased for a minimum 3 million profit (no pound sterling buttons on my keyboard, sorry).

The moral of the tale – selling players is not all bad & in some cases benefits the club.

[Yorick]

Maybe, just maybe, the club learned something from the Duff debacle-

What a strange statement given the full benefit of hindsight. Thank God we sold him when we did. He has been a virtual sick note ever since and as a result has never displayed the form and talent for any club that he did for us.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Believe it or not, but Bentley staying is worth more for the clubs finanaces than almost any transfer fee we would likely get.

I have got ask why - does he have a sell on fee ? Is sponsorship linked to England international. Come on - you have wetted my appetite - explain yourself

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I think people need to think carefully about who could a) afford Bentley and where he could further his ambitions and play first team football.

United - good though he is, replace Ronaldo - I think not

Arsenal - surely not after all the bad press

Chelsea - maybe - but they already have Wright-Phillips

Liverpool - possibly the most probably of the so call big 4

Tottingham - already have Lennon

Of other teams - I would be surprised if they could further his ambitions better than Rovers at the moment. He is only young - and I would hope that we have at least one, if not two seasons with him playing in the blue & white. However - if he continues his rate of progress (which has been impressive since his initial performances) - I seriously doubt we will be able to hang onto him as he has all the makings of either a second striker or attacking central midfield player.

[tony gale's mic]

i think there's a good chance he'll go to spain next. there's been reports linking him and im sure he's happy at rovers now, but with the situation that davidmail just described and the fact that bentley is quite an outward looking, forward thinking footballer who i could see trying to test himself in another league, its a reasonably likely next destination.

[Jan]

Understand your sentiments entirely Jan; but selling Duff wasn't a debacle, just as accepting 3.5 million from Leeds at the time for Jason 'Handbags' Wilcox wasn't a debacle either (as we knew we had Duff waiting in the wings ). [/b]WHO DID WE HAVE WAITING AFTER DUFF?

The sanctity of the contract in English law is not applied in the context of English football. We all know that if a player is 'unsettled' (basically a euphemism for not wanting to play for the club) he can consequently do considerable damage to that club – who can forget a certain Mr. Le Saux's laggardly performances once Chelsea started to jangle the loose change in their very deep pockets? OBVIOUSLY A NEW FAN. THE ONLY THING THAT UNSETTLED DUFF WAS THE UNEMPLOYABLE ONE SAYING HE COULD GO

I might be in an opinion of one, but I don't think the money for Duff was totally wasted – totally being the operative word:

1. 2/3 of the money was recouped on the back of the home-sick-(sweaty)-sock jock (no ethnic slight intended despite the crass epithet); ANYONE WHO KNEW FERGUSON KNEW THE ONLY OUTCOME OF THAT ONE WAS A LOSS TO ROVERS.

2. Steven Reid was a great signing – despite the Blackburn End initially believing he had been bought to replace Duffers; EVENTUALLY GREAT. FOR A LONG TIME POOR. THEN INJURED FOR 18 MONTHS. WELL WORTH LOSING DUFF FOR

3. Ditto Emerton – despite having a Brazilian sounding name & triumphal entry as the Australian David Beckham – well, as the Aussies' say, he has been 'good value'; EVENTUALLY MADE IT TO BE AN AVERAGE PREMIERSHIP PLAYER- FROM A COMPLETE AND TOTAL DRONGO FOR 2 ISH SEASONS

4. Amoruso was a total disaster – no spin can be put on that big kilted Galumph. YOU DO SURPRISE ME. TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT ONE AT THE TIME TOO

Further I might add (slightly off point), Dunn was sold & repurchased for a minimum 3 million profit (no pound sterling buttons on my keyboard, sorry).

The moral of the tale – selling players is not all bad & in some cases benefits the club.

For those who said Duff has been a sicknote ever since, I give you the case of Mr Dunn. 53 games in 3 1//2 years at Brum. About that in a year back with us. Whose to say that the rubbish management srtucture at Newcastle since he's been there and their childlike training methods (through all of the managers) didn't do the same for him as Bruce did for Dunn??

[thecomebackid]

I think people need to think carefully about who could a) afford Bentley and where he could further his ambitions and play first team football.

United - good though he is, replace Ronaldo - I think not

Arsenal - surely not after all the bad press

Chelsea - maybe - but they already have Wright-Phillips

Liverpool - possibly the most probably of the so call big 4

Tottingham - already have Lennon

Of other teams - I would be surprised if they could further his ambitions better than Rovers at the moment. He is only young - and I would hope that we have at least one, if not two seasons with him playing in the blue & white. However - if he continues his rate of progress (which has been impressive since his initial performances) - I seriously doubt we will be able to hang onto him as he has all the makings of either a second striker or attacking central midfield player.

Remember when Liverpool perennially offered 12 million for Duff, but never quite enough to buy him? Bentley is probably a similar scenario.

Besides, which hungry or ambitious player wants to play under Benitez's 'rotation' policy?

[thecomebackid]

For those who said Duff has been a sicknote ever since, I give you the case of Mr Dunn. 53 games in 3 1//2 years at Brum. About that in a year back with us. Whose to say that the rubbish management srtucture at Newcastle since he's been there and their childlike training methods (through all of the managers) didn't do the same for him as Bruce did for Dunn??

OBVIOUSLY A NEW FAN.

Far from it. I actually physically missed the glory years. Not a new fan at all, rather a 'lapsed' fan if anything Jan.

1. ANYONE WHO KNEW FERGUSON KNEW THE ONLY OUTCOME OF THAT ONE WAS A LOSS TO ROVERS: That is not denied. What I did say is that we did recoup a large percentage of the fee

2. EVENTUALLY GREAT. FOR A LONG TIME POOR. THEN INJURED FOR 18 MONTHS. WELL WORTH LOSING DUFF FOR: I don't think we lost Duff for him, surely?

3. EVENTUALLY MADE IT TO BE AN AVERAGE PREMIERSHIP PLAYER- FROM A COMPLETE AND TOTAL DRONGO FOR 2 ISH SEASONS: He was playing out of what he thought was his 'natural' position – but for 1.2 million, is he such poor value for money?

4. YOU DO SURPRISE ME. TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT ONE AT THE TIME TOO: I'm a latter day visitor to this website, so I'm happy to take your word for it.

Happy to debate further but i really must go to the pub before the wife gets home. Goldstar here I come!

[LeChuck]

United - good though he is, replace Ronaldo - I think not

You're right, he couldn't replace Ronaldo...but I think he'd be a very adequate replacement for Giggs, I wouldn't be surprised if RFW is eyeing up Bentley because they are going to need a new wide player very soon.

[RibbleValleyRover]

You're right, he couldn't replace Ronaldo...but I think he'd be a very adequate replacement for Giggs, I wouldn't be surprised if RFW is eyeing up Bentley because they are going to need a new wide player very soon.

I thought Nani was brought in to replace Giggs in the long term?

[waggy]

i cannot believe after one 90 minutes for england rovers are negotiating a new contract with bents,the game has gone MAD

[joey_big_nose]

i cannot believe after one 90 minutes for england rovers are negotiating a new contract with bents,the game has gone MAD

We do it or someone will buy him. The game was the point at which he showed he is as good as any player available for England bar the absolute biggest names (Joe Cole, Gerrard, Rooney).

He does seem a little different in attitude to the average footballer, less about going to the big clubs and more interested in being a bit unconventional and making waves. Blackburn suit him on that front- but then so would Valencia or Seville I would guess.

[tchocky]

i cannot believe after one 90 minutes for england rovers are negotiating a new contract with bents,the game has gone MAD

Contract negotiations with Mr.Bentley were already in the works before the England game. Has been for a few weeks now if I'm not mistaken.

[tony gale's mic]

i really think he'll go to spain. not in the very near future but i think it'll be his next destination.

anyone know how long this contract extension will last? ideally would be until 2012, that way if we keep him for a couple of years and he does well in world cup 2010 we can sell him for big money on the back of that for lots of money as he'd still have 2 years left.

[krislu]

I have no doubt that Bentley will sign a new contract. I just hope they won't put a silly (under £20m) release clause in it.