[Archived] Sam's January Targets

[Amo]

Some seem to think that clubs, based in the UK and abroad, will just give away their best/better players.

Yeah, that's exactly what people are thinking...

We signed McCarthy & Santa Cruz for £2.5m - £3.5m, both of who scored 20 goals in their first seasons. It's tough, but not unimaginable, for us to look for that sort of coup again. Even half of that would be a bonus right now.

[tony gale's mic]

Yeah, that's exactly what people are thinking...

We signed McCarthy & Santa Cruz for £2.5m - £3.5m, both of who scored 20 goals in their first seasons. It's tough, but not unimaginable, for us to look for that sort of coup again. Even half of that would be a bonus right now.

Those were remarkable signings by a manager with an extra special talent for great signings on a budget. To compare Sam upto that is unfair.

[John]

We signed McCarthy & Santa Cruz for £2.5m - £3.5m, both of who scored 20 goals in their first seasons. It's tough, but not unimaginable, for us to look for that sort of coup again. Even half of that would be a bonus right now.

Forgot to also mention that every manager, pretty much, states that the January transfer window is very hard to do any decent business in. Not impossible or unimaginable of course but incredibly difficult, especially with our resources!

[den]

Forgot to also mention that every manager, pretty much, states that the January transfer window is very hard to do any decent business in. Not impossible or unimaginable of course but incredibly difficult, especially with our resources!

Read back to page 251 John and you will find that Dunn, Warnock, Savage, Nelsen, Mokoena, Samba, Diouff, Vogel, Pongolle, Givet all signed in the January transfer window.

No doubt there were plenty of others as well.

[John]

Try and not roll back the years too much Den. Most of those signings were under Sparky who was excellent at buying players for us. Its just not right to compare his acheivements, as he was 'one in a kind' in how good he was in the transfer market.

Times have become much tougher for us recently, in that other clubs are richer and we are well down the pecking order now.

Other clubs with much more money than us, in the transfer window also could not bring players in - what does that tell you, easy market is it?

Its hard to take, but try and keep some perspective. You seem to be finding our fall from grace in recent times hard to take, however its just reality - our manager and Chairman have said as much recently themselves (how difficult it is to compete for decent players with little/no money).

[FourLaneBlue]

Granted. However that doesn't mean we shouldn't have signed anyone.

Sam's just told you in his interview that we are weaker. There's no getting away from that.

Sometimes we just have to believe that it is too difficult to find the exact right player for the exact right price.

None of the players we were linked with were that bad IF we had got them cheap enough. They just weren't good enough for the price we would have had to pay for them.

Benjani...Beattie...Dindane. None are - potentially - that bad are they? None of them are worth considering breaking the bank for either.

Were there other better options for the same price? Dunno. Do you? Does anyone?

All I can say is that none of the other transfers - with the possible exception of this Moses kid and he's a winger anyway - made me sit back and say...damn...wish we'd got him.

My greatest fear is getting relegated and signing David Nugent, but each to their own.

To be fair...good player at Championship level.

Bet Andrews and Diouf would suddenly start doing well an' all...in fact, if we are going down, shame we sold Gally!

It's WC year, it can't be too difficult to attract players to Ewood Park with the prospect of first-team PL football.

It can be if we aren't prepared to pay bugger all for 'em.

Who that did move would you have liked us to gone for?

It is easy to say we should have got a bright, talented young prospect for the price of a few magic beans but when it is difficult to find players at this time AND we don't seem to have a pot to p1ss in these days it could well be a damn tough project for anybody.

[FourLaneBlue]

Read back to page 251 John and you will find that Dunn, Warnock, Savage, Nelsen, Mokoena, Samba, Diouff, Vogel, Pongolle, Givet all signed in the January transfer window.

No doubt there were plenty of others as well.

Sam brought in Givet last year and Basturk might work out this time.

Not sure we can be expecting mulitple successes all the time in January. You didn't mention, for example, that Berner also come in during the January transfer windows.

[John]

Sure this discussion will go on and on...

[liam]

Sorry if its been mentioned, but whats the deal with Dindane. Yesterday SSN were going with a story about him buying out his own contract so that he would become a free agent and move away from Lens,to any club he wanted, Think he was dissapointed that he couldnt get a deal at Rovers.

[John]

Sorry if its been mentioned, but whats the deal with Dindane. Yesterday SSN were going with a story about him buying out his own contract so that he would become a free agent and move away from Lens,to any club he wanted, Think he was dissapointed that he couldnt get a deal at Rovers.

Lens president Gervais Martel claims Aruna Dindane's loan move to Portsmouth has become permanent.

[liam]

Lens president Gervais Martel claims Aruna Dindane's loan move to Portsmouth has become permanent.

Cheers John, seems a bit of a strange set up,

[nicko]

Dindane's deal to Portsmouth is not permanent.

Pompey have to find £3.5 million by Wednesday.

What do you think the chances of that are ????

[liam]

Dindane's deal to Portsmouth is not permanent.

Pompey have to find £3.5 million by Wednesday.

What do you think the chances of that are ????

I think ive got more chance of finding 3.5 mill,do you think theres any chance of him coming to rovers as a free agent Nicko?

[thenodrog]

Read back to page 251 John and you will find that Dunn, Warnock, Savage, Nelsen, Mokoena, Samba, Diouff, Vogel, Pongolle, Givet all signed in the January transfer window.

No doubt there were plenty of others as well.

The previous fuel for the transfer window has run out. The Big clubs are skint and have had the tap turned off by the banks. If they don't spend then no one else can so thats that.

(Exceptions to the rule being Citeh and Spurs of course.)

[nicko]

I think ive got more chance of finding 3.5 mill,do you think theres any chance of him coming to rovers as a free agent Nicko?

It's a unique case.

Lens would be in their rights to pull him out of Pompey. He is, after all, their player. And they want money for him.

If the current deal is cancelled then it becomes very messy.

Lens are talking about going to FIFA to make him a special case and sell or loan him elsewhere.

Portsmouth are causing problems to the football authorities everywhere.

[thenodrog]

Portsmouth are causing problems to the football authorities everywhere.

Good. Might sharpen em up about 'fit and proper' in future.

It is a disaster that has been waiting to happen for a long time and to a number of clubs. Only the potential recovery ability of LUFC are is the reason that they are still in existence. Bates wouldn't have gone near if it had been us or Barnsley for example. Speaking of Bates he took Chelsea to the brink of bankruptcy until Abromovich rode into town to save them Same with Shinawatra at Citeh. Love him or hate him Cook played a blinder (.... in the short term at least.) But sooner or later reallity will bite some club on the arse big time.

[den]

Try and not roll back the years too much Den. Most of those signings were under Sparky who was excellent at buying players for us. Its just not right to compare his acheivements, as he was 'one in a kind' in how good he was in the transfer market.

Roll back the years John? It was a reply to your post where you said players aren't available in January, when they clearly are. To say only Sparky can find talent in January is a bit err... silly isn't it? Don't think he bought anyone this Jan when players moved clubs.

Other clubs with much more money than us, in the transfer window also could not bring players in - what does that tell you, easy market is it?

Of course clubs have brought players in. This is a fallacy John that business can't be done in January.

[den]

You seem to be finding our fall from grace in recent times hard to take,

Dead right I have. I would have thought all rovers fans have. Self inflicted most of it. Bad managerial appointments, bad signings, top players given "get out clauses" that put the future of your player in the hands of other clubs seemingly at will, weakening a strike force who have no idea how to find the back of the net to start with.

It's all a fall out from the policy of not doing the absolute utmost to keep hold of good players. We've sold every good player we have over the last two or three seasons. This is seen by players within your own club, players who you want to bring into the club, fans, journalists and anyone connected to football. You have to aim high - as Hughes did - anything less is cheating yourselves.

Anyway, what a beautiful morning. Gonna take the dog to St Annes for a stroll on the berach.

[John]

Roll back the years John? It was a reply to your post where you said players aren't available in January, when they clearly are. To say only Sparky can find talent in January is a bit err... silly isn't it? Don't think he bought anyone this Jan when players moved clubs.

Of course clubs have brought players in. This is a fallacy John that business can't be done in January.

Yes, of course some transfers took place in January, good observation that, also players were available.....

However, I don't think its silly to suggest that value for money wise, it would be nearly impossible for most managers to replicate what Sparky did here in the transfer market - as a scout and in relation to buying players, he was top quality.

Things have got more difficult for us even since his days, with our own finances plus clubs around us have more financial clout. Therefore, you need to try and remain realistic in your views, as we have nearly the lowest resources in the league, and owners who want the wage bill to be reduced.

Dead right I have. I would have thought all rovers fans have. Self inflicted most of it. Bad managerial appointments

I don't like it either but you need to retain some perpsective over it all, as difficult as that can be.

[den]

I don't like it either but you need to retain some perpsective over it all, as difficult as that can be.

I've just given you my perspective John.

[John]

I've just given you my perspective John.

Well get used to it then and be grateful, at least, that we are weeing with the wee willy we have got!

[den]

Well get used to it then and be grateful, at least, that we are weeing with the wee willy we have got!

Get used to self infliction?

[PAFELL]

Dindane's deal to Portsmouth is not permanent.

Pompey have to find £3.5 million by Wednesday.

What do you think the chances of that are ????

It was reported that dindane had a medical at Rovers - but the transfer did not go through due to paper work. Yet the Benjani deal was allowed for Sunderland - so what was the difference? Is it also a coincedence that when Benjani went to man city, it was also a late deal.

[Miker]

On the other side of the coin, we have sold a proven quality striker and brought in a past it crock and a kid

(This isn't my view as such its just to show there is as much chance of it as your post)

I know, but den said we haven't signed anyone, I'm just pointing out we have (and I know he meant strikers). I'm just being difficult.

[LeChuck]

It was reported that dindane had a medical at Rovers - but the transfer did not go through due to paper work. Yet the Benjani deal was allowed for Sunderland - so what was the difference? Is it also a coincedence that when Benjani went to man city, it was also a late deal.

Wasn't it a case of not being able to agree a deal with Lens in time, rather than simply just getting paperwork through?