[Archived] Blackburn Rovers Transfer Topic

[PAFELL]

Over my dead and over-sized body.

It's been a very odd day, some of the stupidest rumours ever to waste a lot of time over...but there is an explanation on the Crouch drama.

Crouch changed his mind and said he would sign for Sunderland this morning.

Then by lunchtime he changed it again and said no.

Someone - you provide the name - rang him to say they would also bid for him and not to go.

A couple of hours later Harry Redknapp went on TV to say how much he rates him but he would be too expensive.

Hilarious. The game gets funnier when you hear some of the nonsense that goes on.

No Rovers news...apart from Treacy to Sheff U which will happen.

How did that one keep for 24 hours? I thought we were being watched. Almost disappointed.

Just checked with McCormack's agent. He hasn't asked away yet and isn't going to Celtic. Rovers have to have better players than him on the short list.

Harry Redknapp also said he wanted a central defender- I wonder if he will think of Samba knowing rovers want a striker - as in Darren Bent.

[alexanders]

Another plumber?

sounds more like a carpenter.

[langhoblue]

Considering the other players that have been quoted at the 10 million I've seen for Bendtner, I think that would be a steal. His season this year reminded me of Adebayor a couple of seasons back - lots of great openings and bad finishing. If he gets the finishing down like Adebayor did, he'll be worth 24 million also.

As he struggles to score goals at Arsenal where they create millions of chances he may find life a little tough at rovers!

[PAFELL]

Another plumber?

I think Burnley need more than a plumber this season to stop the goals going in - try calling for a brickie!!!

[American]

As he struggles to score goals at Arsenal where they create millions of chances he may find life a little tough at rovers!

If he's being linked with Milan, I don't think we have a chance.

[beerwins]

As he struggles to score goals at Arsenal where they create millions of chances he may find life a little tough at rovers!

They dont exactly play the same game as rovers play do they, horses for courses as they say.

[den]

Not at all Den, his scoring record walks all over Santa Cruz's when he joined us. He had one bad spell during his time with valencia but apart from that his scoring record in spain is pretty good.

Scoring records can be very misleading Ricky. Even players from the same league don't score goals for their next club.

People keep referring to Santa as a gamble and somehow liken any journeyman to the same kind of "gamble". Rocky wasn't a gamble to anyone who watched him play. It was obvious from the moment he stepped onto the pitch at Deepdale in a pre-season friendly, that he was a very talented footballer. He had also been at one of the top European clubs for 8 years and you don't do that without a special talent. Add his record as Paraguays all time top goalscorer, and there's not much gamble involved - especially when you compare him to the Zigic's of this world - who couldn't play football to save his life.

[American]

Scoring records can be very misleading Ricky. Even players from the same league don't score goals for their next club.

People keep referring to Santa as a gamble and somehow liken any journeyman to the same kind of "gamble". Rocky wasn't a gamble to anyone who watched him play. It was obvious from the moment he stepped onto the pitch at Deepdale in a pre-season friendly, that he was a very talented footballer. He had also been at one of the top European clubs for 8 years and you don't do that without a special talent. Add his record as Paraguays all time top goalscorer, and there's not much gamble involved - especially when you compare him to the Zigic's of this world - who couldn't play football to save his life.

Yet as a striker, Zigic has a better scoring record. Goes to show that it isn't how you look when you play, it's about the results. I look for my strikers to score more than 5 goals a season on a consistent basis.

[Hi Mack]

Scoring records can be very misleading Ricky. Even players from the same league don't score goals for their next club.

People keep referring to Santa as a gamble and somehow liken any journeyman to the same kind of "gamble". Rocky wasn't a gamble to anyone who watched him play. It was obvious from the moment he stepped onto the pitch at Deepdale in a pre-season friendly, that he was a very talented footballer. He had also been at one of the top European clubs for 8 years and you don't do that without a special talent. Add his record as Paraguays all time top goalscorer, and there's not much gamble involved - especially when you compare him to the Zigic's of this world - who couldn't play football to save his life.

Santa cruz never played at Deepdale! XD

[den]

Santa cruz never played at Deepdale! XD

Hi Mack, what's XD mean?

[AndyR]

Santa cruz never played at Deepdale! XD

He did, came on as a sub in second half of the friendly we played there. We won 3 nil, all set pieces think Samba got 2

[den]

Yet as a striker, Zigic has a better scoring record. Goes to show that it isn't how you look when you play, it's about the results. I look for my strikers to score more than 5 goals a season on a consistent basis.

I don't know why I bothered to type that last post with one finger. It just isn't worth the effort.

He did, came on as a sub in second half of the friendly we played there. We won 3 nil, all set pieces think Samba got 2

Yes he did.

You know what XD means Andy?

[nicko]

Is it Wenger, that told Crouch not to go to Sunderland, Nicko? NO

Also, is it true what someone said earlier that Ancelotti wnts to now keep Di Santo at Chelsea as back up to Drogba, Anelka and Sturridge? NO

Another thing Nicko, is it true that Santa Cruz and Teves may miss the first game of the season? NO IDEA, IT'S JULY...

[BarrowOfCroft]

You know what XD means Andy?

XD=cross dresser

ok

[T4E]

You know what XD means Andy?

It's just a smiley den, nothing too exciting.

[beerwins]

Gotta be saggy chops redknapp himself that told crouch not to go , who else would have the nads to ring him direct unless they knew him previous.

[Steve Moss]

While I don't speak for anyone on here but myself, I will say that i've gotten quite tired of the 'exploiting the American soccer explosion'. We been hearing that claptrap since the mid 70's. If you cannot put together a product that resembles the football played by the rest of the world, ie: divisions featuring promotions/demotions -- i'm prepared to completely tune it out--hell, been doing that since the onset of this latest 'enterprise'.

I believe that U.S. Soccer should create a promotion/demotion system. Problem is that the game is so new (in its recent incarnation) and owners are hesitant to build stadiums, etc., unless they can control their destinies to some extent. Still, while I understand the reasoning I think it will create less interest in the game here, as compared to the rest of the world. Which is one reason I support the Rovers as opposed to one of the U.S. teams. More year round excitement.

With that said, there are many outstanding American players. Our own Ryan Nelsen while from New Zeeland is a product of the U.S. college and MLS soccer system. Ditto Brad Friedel, a Rover great.

What I am suggesting is that the MLS and American National Team has talent that we can steal. Donovan, Brady, etc. are obvisouly, in my opinon at least, EPL quality. So why not do it, especially if we can get a steal?

[Hughesy]

I wonder if this is one we will get involved in........

SSN - 22.16 Portsmouth are set to hold talks with Hajduk Split striker Nikola Kalinic on Friday.

[American Rover12]

thats' CT. (Connecticut).

While I don't speak for anyone on here but myself, I will say that i've gotten quite tired of the 'exploiting the American soccer explosion'. We been hearing that claptrap since the mid 70's. If you cannot put together a product that resembles the football played by the rest of the world, ie: divisions featuring promotions/demotions -- i'm prepared to completely tune it out--hell, been doing that since the onset of this latest 'enterprise'.

Hah, yeah I was still browsing the boards and didn't notice the typos till I came back to this thread.

On the topic of tuning out MLS, I don't blame you. I don't give it much of a look either. I was just saying how with a lot of things working for the expansion of football's fan base of America, it wouldn't hurt Rovers to do something like a partnership with a USL side or University. I'm not necessarily saying sign an American player to take up a squad spot to bring in new fans, but there has to be some good PR people who can use the success of the USMNT and football's growing acceptance in America to the advantage of BRFC.

[Nelson!]

That Crouch situation seems like a very strange one.....were we willing to sign him once he changed his mind and said he'd come?

I'd almost be disappointed in Bruce if he'd went back on his 'withdrawal'....time to persue other avenues. Crouch was obviously panicking that he won't get another club willing to offer the same fee/wages.

Personally I think/hope Saggy Harry is the one sticking his beak in (can you confirm nicko?)..........but in the end can't afford him and bluffs Crouch into being stuck at Pompey.

This is a really slow transfer window, but I don't think that's a bad thing necessarily. The media (ssn in particular.....and this isn't meant as a personal attack nicko) have turned the window into entertainment in it's own right and in my opinion it's a bad thing for football. It's little wonder that players are regularly spending 6 months with a club and moving on because there is so much pressure to make a decision quickly and players/managers often make the wrong ones for fear of missing out altogether.

I think myself and you guys on here should demonstrate a bit more patience.....and assess our squads at the end of August because I don't think either of us are going to have our total spending done until then.

[Steve Moss]

. . . I'm not necessarily saying sign an American player to take up a squad spot to bring in new fans, but there has to be some good PR people who can use the success of the USMNT and football's growing acceptance in America to the advantage of BRFC.

I also would not advocate signing an American just to sign an American. The player, regardless of nationality, has to be talented, focused and fit enough to play within the EPL, and be the type of player that the management needs or thinks would further develope the team. Assuming that an Amercian MLS player (or players) can be found who fit the bill, BRFC should be able to steal them in light of the MLS salary cap (which last I checked was about 2.3 million spread between 18 players on each team, with one foriegn player exempt). I don't know what the EPL average player makes, but I would guess its at least $10k a week, which is 25% of an MLS team's entire salary budget.

And IF American player(s) were signed by BRFC, it could attract additional attention to the club in a previsouly unexplored market, even in the absence of overt marketing. When I was looking for an EPL team to follow, I first narrowed it to the Lancashire clubs (of which there are plenty) and then discovered Brad Friedel (and to a lesser extent Nelsen). Friedel eventually left but I stayed. With the right player or players, that process would continue and, I suspect, multiple given the dynamics I see here in the U.S.

[awhom111]

Hah, yeah I was still browsing the boards and didn't notice the typos till I came back to this thread.

On the topic of tuning out MLS, I don't blame you. I don't give it much of a look either. I was just saying how with a lot of things working for the expansion of football's fan base of America, it wouldn't hurt Rovers to do something like a partnership with a USL side or University. I'm not necessarily saying sign an American player to take up a squad spot to bring in new fans, but there has to be some good PR people who can use the success of the USMNT and football's growing acceptance in America to the advantage of BRFC.

This is what more and more clubs are doing now. Chelsea has links with a CASL, which is a youth development league in the Triangle Area of North Carolina and Burnley are developing a network of USL and PDL sides for scouting purposes. The number of players churned out by this country is becoming quite large and it will not be long before more of them are at least at a decent level. Along with Australian players, there are a lot of Americans that have some level of European link that could be used to bring them in. Cercle Brugge, our "feeder" in Belgium had two American players from Brad Friedel's Academy playing with them last season. For a team like us, we need to get creative and find the next sources of cheap global talent.

[roversmad95]

Nicko, are we one of the clubs after Ross McCormack from Cardiff? 21 goals in 38 games last year in the championship, could do a job!

i was thinking the same we could get both mccormack and ledley for 10 million so that would be a striker and a cm player plus im sure they would have a resale value as they are still young... (as long as they can make it in the prem)...

also if sam was after hoffer that could be 3 players in for a total of 12.5 million all with resale value and all can put the ball in the back of the net....

any thoughts?

ok nicko thinks mccormack is a plumber but his scoring record is good...

[Sandman]

Is it Benitez who wants Crouch, one of the papers are saying Liverpool want him back.

[alexanders]

I wonder if this is one we will get involved in........

SSN - 22.16 Portsmouth are set to hold talks with Hajduk Split striker Nikola Kalinic on Friday.

Didn't unleaded say we where tracking this guy?