[Archived] Sam's January Targets

[tonygreenbank]

A new keeper is very low down on the list in terms of priority areas that need to be addressed. I'm happy enough with Robbo and with a decent midfield putting less pressure on the back four in front of him i think he could do an even better job.

The number one priority is a winger, AMC or playmaker style MC. If we can bring a decent one of them in then i think it could transform our season and help us avoid a relegation battle. If we sell a striker like Roberts or Benni then we would need to look at bringing in a striker, but if we end up selling no one and we only have funds for one player it must be a winger, AMC or creative central midfielder.

There was some comment on Radio Rovers after the game on Saturday that Robinson might be heading back to London in january to either Spurs or Chelsea and that could generate the funds needed to fund the positions we are short in namely midfield.A fee of £5m was mentioned which sounds a very good offer. I must admit this was a rumour I hadnt heard

before.

Talk today also of offering the American Stuart Holden a midfielder a lomg contract to sign.

[AJW]

Does anybody know anything about this Holden chap ? is he a wide player or central midfielder?

[joey_big_nose]

Does anybody know anything about this Holden chap ? is he a wide player or central midfielder?

He is a played who has appeared wide left, not sure if it is his preferred position?

Was in MLS team of the year last year, Scottish born. He is free. Looks like he will be the cheap replacement for Pedersen. I hope he has some pace....

edit-

Dreaded YouTube here

Seems right footed, has some pace, possible that we may be signing him to play more centrally as he does not seem a winger. From the miniscule amount you see on YouTube he does seem reasonably similar to Pedersen, although quicker.

[Tom]

Were we not linked to Holden a year or two ago and various sources said he was poor? Was he playing in Holland at some stage?

[naperrover]

Does anybody know anything about this Holden chap ? is he a wide player or central midfielder?

Holden is somewhat versatile as he has played wide left for Houston and done capably. He has pace and is a good passer as well as having a nose for goal.

He definitely has talent and has "supposedly" attracted Aberdeen and Rangers (he's Aberdeen born and a naturalized US citizen). I'd like to think he could be useful and would farther along than, say, Van Heerden. MLS is not the best league but Houston is one of the better clubs and the American game is physical, just not always as skillful as one might like.

[naperrover]

Were we not linked to Holden a year or two ago and various sources said he was poor? Was he playing in Holland at some stage?

Are you perhaps thinking of Michael Bradley, whose name made the rounds for a while? He was with Heerenveen at the time and is now at Monchengladbach.

[JC4LAB]

Rumour that Tony to be released by Bayern Munich a on a free..Any good for us?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Were we not linked to Holden a year or two ago and various sources said he was poor? Was he playing in Holland at some stage?

That was Michael Bradley who from what i gather is playing really well at the moment for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga.

What's the work permit situation with Holden? From what i gather he was born in Scotland so it shouldn't be much of an issue?

[super_arran]

Rumour that Tony to be released by Bayern Munich a on a free..Any good for us?

For the love of God; please don't start that one again

[T4E]

For the love of God; please don't start that one again

Mr T for January?

[Steve Moss]

Stuart Holden is an excellent attacking midfielder, though he's played both on the left and the right. Fan opinion is that he's best at wide right. One commentator referred to him as having a "sweet" right foot.

He's extremely fit and an top drawer passer.

He's very popular in Houston, both with the fans and the team. He's something of a publicity hound, but channels it in a good way, doing a lot of charity events for children's hospitals, etc. The Houston fans desperately want him to stay and are of the opinion that he's the next Donovan of American (the forbidden word we use for football in the States), and opinion which seems to be shared by the MLS commissioner. They think that if he stays another year in Houston, and performs to expectations in the WC, that he'll make big money in endorsements, something that he and his agent will have to consider above and beyond the high (by MLS non-DP standards) salary with Houston.

If we got him, I think a lot of the Dynamo fans would begin the watch the Rovers as a second team. Holden is very well liked, and despite his Scottish roots (born in Aberdeen, Scotland, became an American in 2006), he's considered (and considers himself) a Texan.

[1864roverite]

At least we wont see Ellington playing at Ewood, he is off to Xanthi on loan for 6 months.

Thank god for that.

[RoverRich]

Were we not linked to Holden a year or two ago and various sources said he was poor? Was he playing in Holland at some stage?

I don't think it was Michael Bradley you are thinking of, I reckon you are thinking of Brett Holman, the Australian attacking midfielder we were linked with last January. I seem to remember a number of people saying he would be no good for us at the time but he seems to be playing more for AZ Alkmaar now and doing well.

[nicko]

I don't think it was Michael Bradley you are thinking of, I reckon you are thinking of Brett Holman, the Australian attacking midfielder we were linked with last January. I seem to remember a number of people saying he would be no good for us at the time but he seems to be playing more for AZ Alkmaar now and doing well.

Correct. Ince was interested but did not pursue it...

Most people thought he was garbage, so it's interesting to see he is doing well.

[LWX]

I don't think it was Michael Bradley you are thinking of, I reckon you are thinking of Brett Holman, the Australian attacking midfielder we were linked with last January. I seem to remember a number of people saying he would be no good for us at the time but he seems to be playing more for AZ Alkmaar now and doing well.

Hmmm, Australian attacking midfielder playing quite well in Holland.... Brett Emerton anyone?

[Tom]

I don't think it was Michael Bradley you are thinking of, I reckon you are thinking of Brett Holman, the Australian attacking midfielder we were linked with last January. I seem to remember a number of people saying he would be no good for us at the time but he seems to be playing more for AZ Alkmaar now and doing well.

Thats the badger, this new guy we're linked with sounds positive at least.

[bennyboyt11]

Any news you could share Nicko, not just Rovers related but in general? Doesn't seem to be much gossip surrounding the Premier League at the moment.

[nicko]

Any news you could share Nicko, not just Rovers related but in general? Doesn't seem to be much gossip surrounding the Premier League at the moment.

May be a bit of Rovers news in the morning...or earlier if you get the Mirror's online edition.

[chaddyrovers]

I think we should offload Roberts, Diouf and Pedersen. Maybe Reid aswell. We should sign Beattie, Holden and Michael Bradley. Beattie would be able to hold the ball up, good header of the ball and can score goals. Holden looks a good winger and might be worth looking at. Bradley is a attacking midfielder who score goals. Mark Hughes wanted to sign him!!!

[Steve Moss]

I think we should offload Roberts, Diouf and Pedersen. Maybe Reid aswell. We should sign Beattie, Holden and Michael Bradley. Beattie would be able to hold the ball up, good header of the ball and can score goals. Holden looks a good winger and might be worth looking at. Bradley is a attacking midfielder who score goals. Mark Hughes wanted to sign him!!!

If this happened I would thank Santa and ask for nothing else for Christmas next year. Except for maybe a Rover's cap, another tie . . . and a few other odds and ends, like a regular left back and left footed winger. And maybe backup defender if Samba were to go. And world peace, course.

Seriously, I think Holden and Bradley are excellent midfielders and would do us a lot of good. And they are young and improving, which is even better. And they would certainly be head and shoulders above MGP, EHD and Andrews.

[Iceman]

Rumour that Tony to be released by Bayern Munich a on a free..Any good for us?

Tony Blair is coming to Rovers?

[thenodrog]

He looked a big lumbering donkey when he played against us last season Theno, i'm suprised you've brought him up as he had championship player written all over him.

Not the most mobile perhaps but he won nearly every ball in the air against Samba and Nelsen. He's Duncan Ferguson re-incarnated. Not eye candy perhaps but a Sam type of centre forward.

[Ricky]

Ineresting to see Sams quote about "not having the money to go for a crouch or a bent who were available in the summer".

Am I the only one Reading something into that. I'm reading it like sam wanted us to push the boat out for one of them and was knocked back by the board and he's having a little dig now saying look how well they're both doing. Just seems to be something in that quote.

[FourLaneBlue]

Don't think there is a dig in there. Just the way it is. It came out as being resigned to it rather than angry in any way.

[JAL]

I think we should offload Roberts, Diouf and Pedersen. Maybe Reid aswell. We should sign Beattie, Holden and Michael Bradley. Beattie would be able to hold the ball up, good header of the ball and can score goals. Holden looks a good winger and might be worth looking at. Bradley is a attacking midfielder who score goals. Mark Hughes wanted to sign him!!!

Sign Beattie chaddy and we really are on the road to nowhere.