[Archived] Nikola Kalinic

[Seedstral]

well, that's a defeatist attitude if I ever read one. Why are YOU "sticking around" if you are content with Rovers being nothing more than a feeder club?

Thats reality you fool we are feeder club like it or not!!! As for him being defeatist i doubt it hes more like a realist whereas i think you are being a fantasist!! Ooooohhhh champions league should be a minimum for us as i miss my european away days wake up and smell the coffee fella we are punching so far above our weight its untrue and long may it continue even though it might be to your detriment!!

[Mr. E]

this forum makes for some seriously depressing reading at times, that's all I can say. And no, it's not "being realistic", it's just that some people are infuriated even by the thought of having to clean their windshield every now and then and see what's on the other side.

Pretty much the same people who sing the players' names as if they're some kind of heroes, and then have nothing to say when those same players walk out the next day for the "bigger clubs with the better fans". If that's not pathetic, I don't know what is. It makes not the slightest bit of sense to cheer on players whom you know and accept have no loyalty at all to Rovers. Cheer for the club, not the individuals.

[philipl]

my fear is we will lose him before he even has one sensational season for us.

[patrickvalery]

I agree with Mr E on the point about striving for Champions League football. This has to be the aim. As unrealistic as it is now and very likely for the foreseeable future. I really do not see the point in being satified at simply surviving each season. I know we are punching above our weight and staying in the PL is in itself to be applauded. But surely as a club we have to aim as high as possible?

Unfortunately i agree with most other posters when it comes to the concept of selling on our big names. It is a necessity. Even if we sold out Ewood each week it would still be a necessity. Even if we regularly played Europa League football it would be a necessity. Like some have said, even being league champions doesn't guarantee you can keep your top players.

But what is important and will determine future sucess is how its invested. The only way we can become stronger is to have a nucleus of good talent coming through and developing around the same time. This is not something anyone can guarantee either. Even if you invest in young players with potential, they don't necessarily develop at the same rate. However, if it works you are then in a position where you may have 3,4 or 5 players who are suddenly worth considerable amounts and would turn a decent profit. Thus affording you to sell one or two and bulk up the coffers.

This is very very debatable. But if for instance we were to secure Di Santo on a permenant deal in the summer and Hoilett signs a new contract, we could be sitting pretty. In theory we'd have Kalinic, Hoilett, Di Santo, N'Zonzi and Ollson all of a similar age, all with first team experience and all likely to improve. If this were the case we would be in a position to sell one or two and not significantly weaken the side.

Make no mistake, Kalinic will depart if he continues this form. But its what we're left with which matters. Its the investment of the funds which is key. In my humble opinion Allardyce is looking to invest properly. If he had been incharge the summer Ince turned up we'd be a year further down the line and looking healthier for it. The money wasted on an aging Vince Grella could have been far better used and i'm certain under Sam this mistake will not be made again.

[S15]

my fear is we will lose him before he even has one sensational season for us.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Yes he is starting to look the part, but still just 2 PL goals.

I have no doubt he will be a top player certainly for a team at our level, but at age 22/23 he is yet to show he has what it takes to be a top striker at the top of the european footballing ladder, something plenty of players have done by the time they've hit the age he's at.

[thenodrog]

my fear is we will lose him before he even has one sensational season for us.

Somehow I doubt that gunner. He's hardly worth the money we paid at the moment. We need to sell him when he is at the top of his value. It might be prudent to offer him a new improved contract though.

As long as we can at least double our money then we'll have to accept it. It's the facts of life at BRFC.

Look at the positives, if we had known that we could buy an unknown kid for 6m and double up the money within 12 months only a fool would have thought that was an unacceptable deal.

If it happens I wonder if SA is due a %age bonus on any profit? Cos after losing the goldmine that was Mark Hughes without a whimper it would certainly make sound business sense to do so. Don't you agree?

[tony gale's mic]

We should be bothering precisely so that we can once again achieve a Champions League spot. That is the Mecca, the only thing that can drive any club our level forward. How else would we progress? But for that to happen, we need to be able to hold on to our world class players for more than a season or two.

The circumstances before every player that comes to play for us must be that they understand they are here to play out their contracts, and will not be sold for any reason other than if the club sees fit. If they are not ready for that commitment, then they should not come to Rovers. This is the mentality that I believe can set us apart from other clubs. And yes, I am certain we will still find players with potential.

What we can not allow to happen is, say, if we help Niko become a world class striker, and we sell him to Arsenal or Man City in one years time. That sort of practice should be put an end to, because the only thing it does is help our rivals and push us further down.

You just fundamentally don't understand football, do you?

If Niko wants to go and we don't sell, we get a player who's heart isnt in it playing probably below his best for a couple of years, and we miss out on at least £10 million in the process.

That sort of bullshit commitment you said is rubbish anyway. The club can ONLY sell if it sees fit - we had every right to hang onto any player we've sold except for the ones on release clauses. We saw fit to sell Roque, we saw fit to sell Warnock, we saw fit to sell Bentley and we saw fit to sell Shearer. But if we have our best players playing out our contracts and not moving for transfer fees then we'd miss out on so, so much money.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

It happens at every club in the country. Ronaldo wanted a move to Madrid, Henry to Barcelona, Alonso to Madrid, Barry to Man City, Berbatov to United, Carrick to United, Gerrard/Torres/Fabregas are all rumoured to want moves etc etc etc. Even the top 4 have players who aspire to greater teams.

Its the nature of football. We get players who would rather play for us then play for Wigan/Pompey etc, its how the game works. If Kalinic becomes a world class player we will make a big profit, have benefited on the pitch with his ability and may have been able to rise up the table and then be able to attract a decent replacement.

Of course we would like to keep hold of the Santa Cruz's/Bentley's/Bellamy's etc, just like Man Utd wanted to keep Ronaldo, but thats not going to happen. We buy players cheaply, hopefully sell them on for bigger money and then go again. Just enjoy the best players whilst we have them.

[beanie]

Was he in the croatia squad for their friendly tonight?

[roversfan99]

Played for the u21s yesterday

[47er]

Played for the u21s yesterday

and N'Zonzi on the other side!

[BPF]

Not really surprised but...

Has anyone else heard this story about him talking to the Croatian media, telling them that Blackburn are a 'stepping stone' for him?

[Torgeir]

Not really surprised but...

Has anyone else heard this story about him talking to the Croatian media, telling them that Blackburn are a 'stepping stone' for him?

Good, at least he'll stay hungry while he's with us

[T4E]

Not really surprised but...

Has anyone else heard this story about him talking to the Croatian media, telling them that Blackburn are a 'stepping stone' for him?

I doubt any of us thought Rovers were the pinaccle of his footballing ambition.

If we are then there's something wrong with the boy.

[Hughesy]

I doubt any of us thought Rovers were the pinaccle of his footballing ambition.

If we are then there's something wrong with the boy.

Sad but true....if it happens then we all benefit - simple!

Big Sam will find us another 3 with the £20m fee!!

[T4E]

Big Sam will find us another 3 with half of the £20m fee!!

I fixed this for you

[Hughesy]

Half the fee?

Ok he will get 6 with that then!

[Majiball]

I don't care if we are a stepping stone in his eyes. There are certain things that just shouldn't be said and thats one of them, if it turns out to be true I will not be impressed.

[thenodrog]

Not really surprised but...

Has anyone else heard this story about him talking to the Croatian media, telling them that Blackburn are a 'stepping stone' for him?

Sounds an honest enough thing to say and given the two (and particularly given our many experiences over the years) I much prefer honesty to bullshit.

[gumboots]

What do you expect him to say? "To play for Blackburn has always been the height of my ambition"? Come on - who except us who are the fans would ever say that. Of course he wants to play for Man Utd or Barcelona or Real. Who cares, because to do that he'll have to be damned good for us. It's only when players choose to go to places like West Ham that it gets to me.

[Amo]

If he was asked an honest question about his career, do you not expect an honest answer? If the guy wants to use us as a stepping stone, then good luck to him. It'll mean plenty of goals and a tasty profit.

[Majiball]

I expect him to say nothing about future moves and potential maybes. I expect him to get on with playing for us and not dreaming of being elsewhere.

He hasn't even really started performing for us and if he has been spouting off about moving on already, then he can.

I want players here who are focused on one thing, playing and performing for Blackburn Rovers. If he does that he will get his wish as our previous history proves, but talking about it in public is not on, he's done nothing here yet.

Here's my reply. "At present I am focused on only one thing playing well for my current club Blackburn Rovers, who have given me the platform on which to progress and develop my career. Who knows what the future holds, but for now I am fully committed to the cause of Blackburn rovers"

Is Junior spouting off about future moves no, he's only talking about cementing his place with us, not dreaming of greener pastures.

I hope its not true.

[broadsword]

I honestly couldn't care less.

We didn't buy him in the expectation that he'd be here 10 years.

As soon as someone big wants him for a good bit of wedge then we'll shift him on.

[Amo]

He hasn't even really started performing for us and if he has been spouting off about moving on already, then he can.

Are you comparing this to Bentley, who openly said he wanted to join a bigger club? Kalinic is (if confirmed) only saying what we all know: that ultimately this club is only a springboard for bigger things.

[Tom]

He does have a bit of a reputation in Croatia does he not? I thought he was a bit of a billy big shot over there, caused some disruption.

If he ends up being good enough to move onto a bigger club as others have said he will command a high fee, good news for all concerned and fits perfectly with the way Rovers do things these days.

It can be depressing but it's not going to change.