[Archived] Sam's January Targets

[PAFELL]

A lot of people seem to think that there were only Dindane and Benjani available from the whole footballing world. Because we didn't sign either of those two doesn't mean we have done well.

Incompetence from my club.

I do not agree. Yes it would have been nice to sign somebody to replace Bennie. But Sam considred nobody good enough. Rovers get a transfer fee, reduction on the wage bill of £35k a week - Treacy has also moved. One or two other players out on loan. maybe a risky stratigy to save for the summer - but Bennie had given up playing for Rovers anyway - so why pay him.

Out of curiosity do Rovers have any decent reserve team striker who may well deserve a chance in the first team?

WHU debt is going up and up, Pompey are more or less finished (so their players will be available anytime soon)

But lets be honest it really is a poor league this season - apart from Wham nobody else has really improved their squads much - so I suggest Rovers can more than stay up with what they have now.

Pedersen can play up front also if need be, so can Samba, diouf (who may as well as he does nowt on the wings, Kalinic, di santo, (lets play pass the ball with the keeper) Roberts.

Maybe those with more imo on money matters at Rovers will be able to workout how much Rovers save by selling Bennie etc.

At then end of the day, why buy somebody for the sake of it or just because it is january?

[LLOYDY]

Just heard we could not agree a deal on Dindane.......we did have time to ask a price and clearly, if correct, Sam wanted a striker to replace Bennie so why did did we leave it till transfer day to sort a price out?? Nicko can you help...?

[John]

Glad we still have Rigters.

Not too concerned that we have not signed anyone. If Dindane etc were so bad, then how come other clubs wanted them too? General, all-round bad judgement?

[Iceman]

Im more disapointed, in the fact that its taken us unil 5pm to rush for a striker. Sam knew Benni wanted out, and should have addressed the issue then. The availability of strikers, were not limited to 3 players only. The fact that Wigan, signed Victor Moses was a case in point, where they wanted him and signed him. Sam had a month to find somebody, yet he went scrambling for a striker. Im not unhappy that we didnt sign a striker, but more the fact that this is not the 1st time its happened. It was more amateur stuff, from a proffesional club.

[Exiled_Rover]

There's a lot to be said for the 'dodged three bullets' argument.

But explain this to me...

What were you doing in those particular firing ranges anyway?

£££££. Don't have any.

[alexanders]

The January Transfer window. Same story as every year.

No one worth buying due to prices and availability.

Glad we didnt buy anyone and clearly dogded some bullets.

Getting mccarthy off our books was a good choice, especially considering the price we got for him.

He hasnt been on fire this year and we wont miss him too much.

I think a couple of you are overreacting.

[Jim Royle]

I reckon Benni going on strike altered the dynamics - simples

so question was:

sell and get £2m or keep him and get nowt out of him for the rest of the season?

They had to sell but then had to scour market for a purchase and obviously there weren't many out there in our range and the number of clubs pulling out deals for all those strikers shows that these were not easy people to deal with.

Perhaps Sam has paid the price for getting 7 points out 9

If we'd only got 3 say, maybe extra funds could have been made available.

As it is........the £2m is 4 places in the league - value for money?

Time will tell, but if we get 40 points this season we should be content.

[booth]

I'm more disappointed that we didn't sell Andrews and Roberts. Stuck with them till the end of the b***ard season now

[PAFELL]

Just heard we could not agree a deal on Dindane.......we did have time to ask a price and clearly, if correct, Sam wanted a striker to replace Bennie so why did did we leave it till trasfer day to sort a price out?? Nicko can you help...?

Was not the bennie deal dependant upon a work permit for bennie? Maybe that came in late and the money even later. Considering WHU's money situation, I would want the money off them first. Anyway players have to have a medical, it probable took a day to measure bennie's waist, plus recovery time after being on the tread mill. Plus the need to stop for a pie and a pint - or two.

[Ozz]

Wow. Not even a Dietmar van Nostrilboy.

[mellison24]

The January Transfer window. Same story as every year.

No one worth buying due to prices and availability.

Glad we didnt buy anyone and clearly dogded some bullets.

Getting mccarthy off our books was a good choice, especially considering the price we got for him.

He hasnt been on fire this year and we wont miss him too much.

I think a couple most of you are overreacting.

[hollowsr]

Glad we still have Rigters.

Not too concerned that we have not signed anyone. If Dindane etc were so bad, then how come other clubs wanted them too? General, all-round bad judgement?

But have any of them moved?

[Manchester Blue]

We'll see. We're playing them away, not at home. Can't see how we're going to score many at the turf or anywhere else away from home for that matter MB.

We scored 4 at Villa minus McCarthy.

[Amo]

Wow. Not even a Dietmar van Nostrilboy.

Joining Plymouth, I understand.

[Tom]

At least Treacey is gone thats one reason to celebrate.

So how soon do you expect we will see Basturk? Is there a reserve game this week?

[philipl]

In terms of eye off the ball, Sam has said he was at risk of being fired earlier this month in his interview yesterday so the club was not involved in the transfer market whilst those questions were being posed and eventually answered.

Sam embarked on a process well before the window opened to get rid of Benni which he duly succeeded in doing but his targetted replacement is probably going to be lining up alongside Benni at West Ham in the ultimate of ironies. Got a feeling the porn boys are probably having a chuckle to themselves over that one.

[saxo1man30]

look at it this way- we potentially have replaced an ageing lazy non-committed benni mccarthy with a young hot striking prospect wanted by many clubs on the continant in david `junior` hoilett. he may never had got enough of a chance if any of the 3 targetted players had been brought in, now he should get a decent chance and i`m sure that`ll influence any decision he makes in the summer in terms of staying or going.

[PAFELL]

Im more disapointed, in the fact that its taken us unil 5pm to rush for a striker. Sam knew Benni wanted out, and should have addressed the issue then. The availability of strikers, were not limited to 3 players only. The fact that Wigan, signed Victor Moses was a case in point, where they wanted him and signed him. Sam had a month to find somebody, yet he went scrambling for a striker. Im not unhappy that we didnt sign a striker, but more the fact that this is not the 1st time its happened. It was more amateur stuff, from a proffesional club.

Iceman, how could Rovers go out and buy anybody until somebody made an offer for a rovers player. Sam did say he had to sell in order to buy. If WHU's takeover had not taken place then Bennie would still be on strike at Rovers, draining away the wage bill even further. Bennie may well have wanted to leave, but who else apart from west ham came in for him - maybe that speaks volumes in itself. Bennie is a lazy but talented player. West ham will get A season out of Bennie Macarthy, before the latter gets bored again - maybe even half due to the world cup. After the world cup he will go back to sulking etc.

How many other teams were looking for strikers this window - other teams were not selling and what was available, maybe Rovers have done themselves a load of good and saved the wage bill increase.

[hollowsr]

At least Treacey is gone thats one reason to celebrate.

So how soon do you expect we will see Basturk? Is there a reserve game this week?

Next reserve game is on the 16th!

[den]

How many other teams were looking for strikers this window - other teams were not selling and what was available, maybe Rovers have done themselves a load of good and saved the wage bill increase.

Plenty of strikers have moved in this window Pafell. Can't see how weakening the already limited strike force is a good move.

[PAFELL]

But have any of them moved?

Ironically only one club came in for Bennie, WHU.

More than one came in for both Benjani and dindane - but as you say they stayed where they are. Though come Pompey's end of business in a few weeks time, dindane will be available again. Then there will be a scramble.

[Fife Rover]

Moreno was on his way to sign for a club in Brazil, got hijacked halfway [so to speak] and agreed terms about ten minutes ago...he has not even got his visa sorted out yet.

That one was not on the horizon until earlier today. They had tried and failed for Ruben and were also in for James Vaughan.

It is called 'cutting it fine' in anyone's language.

It's also called "getting your finger out" and finding some decent players!

[hollowsr]

Ironically only one club came in for Bennie, WHU.

More than one came in for both Benjani and dindane - but as you say they stayed where they are. Though come Pompey's end of business in a few weeks time, dindane will be available again. Then there will be a scramble.

But Dindane will just go back to Lens, meaning only Championship clubs at best can get him on loan!

[LLOYDY]

Iceman, how could Rovers go out and buy anybody until somebody made an offer for a rovers player. Sam did say he had to sell in order to buy. If WHU's takeover had not taken place then Bennie would still be on strike at Rovers, draining away the wage bill even further. Bennie may well have wanted to leave, but who else apart from west ham came in for him - maybe that speaks volumes in itself. Bennie is a lazy but talented player. West ham will get A season out of Bennie Macarthy, before the latter gets bored again - maybe even half due to the world cup. After the world cup he will go back to sulking etc.

How many other teams were looking for strikers this window - other teams were not selling and what was available, maybe Rovers have done themselves a load of good and saved the wage bill increase.

Perhaps your right...I agree he was lazy and better rid of a bad apple but Sam if reports were right wanted Dindane so why was a deal left till today... that then fell through????

[Iceman]

To me Pafell, Sams policy was to find a replacement 1st, then sell. He has said, he will only allow a player to leave, if he has a replacement lined up.