[Archived] Nicko

[LeChuck]

We lose our main striker and replace him with "something for the future" well who is going to score the goals?

Very harsh on Kalinic. I think he's shown over the last few weeks that he's ready to score goals for us now. He's not the finished article by any means, but he is good enough now.

Surely he can't be far away from Roque's grand total for the whole of last season anyway? Hand on heart, if City wanted to swap him back Kalinic, I'd want us to turn it down. Injuries are probably the main factor, but I think Niko is good enough to get the level Roque was at with us in a few years.

[Hughesy]

Very harsh on Kalinic. I think he's shown over the last few weeks that he's ready to score goals for us now. He's not the finished article by any means, but he is good enough now.

Surely he can't be far away from Roque's grand total for the whole of last season anyway? Hand on heart, if City wanted to swap him back Kalinic, I'd want us to turn it down. Injuries are probably the main factor, but I think Niko is good enough to get the level Roque was at with us in a few years.

RSC got 6 all last season, Kalinic has 5 - in 9 starts!

We got £17m for RSC

[Fife Rover]

I hope there are no W.Ham observers on here today. The sheer number of posts that have been at pains to describe just how useless and unfit and uninterested Benni is at present will ensure that we will be lucky if Gold and his henchmen offer anything over £50 for Benni. Maybe that is the plan from those that want him to stay!

[rebelmswar]

I hope there are no W.Ham observers on here today. The sheer number of posts that have been at pains to describe just how useless and unfit and uninterested Benni is at present will ensure that we will be lucky if Gold and his henchmen offer anything over £50 for Benni. Maybe that is the plan from those that want him to stay!

We are the great unwashed, ill informed, uneducated, uncultured, football supporting masses: everyone knows that we don’t know what we are talking about. Sam on the other hand obviously thinks he is one for the future. We may let him continue his growth spurt and stuff him into our goal. No one could hope to score against us then.

[Iceman]

If you want to compare players, then do it like for like. Compare Benni to Jansen, Cole, Yorke, Shearer, Beattie, Bellamy, RSC. People are saying Bellamy was one of the best, but only because he was quicker than Benni. He buggered off as soon as an offer came in. I remember comments about, how Benni is one of the best strikers we ever had. This was when he was banging the goals in. If i was Benni, with a midfield like ours i would be frustrated myself. Again, if we had Drogba and Rooney up front, they would get a lack of service from midfield. Benni will score you a goal, but he cant do that if he doesnt get the ball, or if he sits in the stands.

[rebelmswar]

If you want to compare players, then do it like for like. Compare Benni to Jansen, Cole, Yorke, Shearer, Beattie, Bellamy, RSC.

The difference is all of them are gone and most were not here long.

It’s always easier to forget when you do not see them all the time. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and familiarity breeds contempt.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

What do you mean "probably even"? Absolutely no doubt about it.

The "probably" around Brotherston - was more out of the fact that he never reached the heights on a consistent enough basis to get a place in the 1st Division - which his talent undoubtably merited. He was a throw back to another era - he would beat a man, wait for him, beat him again etc. I still have fond memories of Brotherston on one wing, with Miller speeding down the other.

[mhead]

But Bellamy was world-class whilst he was here.

And Jansen was in the England Team but for stomachache,then motorbike hire.

But Benni's stats are quite good....how many Rovers players have scored over 50 goals in 134 years?

[Iceman]

The difference is all of them are gone and most were not here long.

It’s always easier to forget when you do not see them all the time. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and familiarity breeds contempt.

I cant agree with that Rebel. What made RSC and Bellamy, one of the best we ever had? Their heads were turned, as much as Benni's when offers came in. The difference, is that both were allowed to leave. Benni was unprofessional, to allow his attitude and performance to change. The argument about Benni being one of the best, is a crap argument, especially when the names of Bellamy and RSC are thrown in there. Benni must go, he is a liability, but given proper service from midfield will give us goals.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Benni will score you a goal, but he cant do that if he doesnt get the ball, or if he sits in the stands.

Or if he is constantly off-side, unfit and can't be bothered to run to get in the area - all of which we have observed this season.

His first season was good - but the goals masked some average performances at times - and the penalty's contributed to his goal tally.

He has lost his hunger - he may get it back for a while if he moves on - but I doubt he will get it back in a Rovers shirt (other than the odd burst). Without doubt he would have stayed if we had won the semi-final - but I am sure as soon as that match was finished he was on the phone to his agent to engineer a move away.

I have no axe to grind with Benni - and I hope he finds a club that will meet Rovers and his expectations.

But Bellamy was world-class whilst he was here.

And Jansen was in the England Team but for stomachache,then motorbike hire.

But Benni's stats are quite good....how many Rovers players have scored over 50 goals in 134 years?

That is a hell of a playing career - but only equates to one goal every three years

[alexanders]

He has lost his hunger

[Iceman]

But Bellamy was world-class whilst he was here.

And Jansen was in the England Team but for stomachache,then motorbike hire.

But Benni's stats are quite good....how many Rovers players have scored over 50 goals in 134 years?

Jeez, i know he is old, but surely not that old.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

But Bellamy was world-class whilst he was here.

And Jansen was in the England Team but for stomachache,then motorbike hire.

But Benni's stats are quite good....how many Rovers players have scored over 50 goals in 134 years?

As of 2002 - 33. Lots nearly score 50

[broadsword]

considering mccarthy has been here longer of course he`s scored more goals, but even going off your dubious stat ratio(which is total `dribble`) the differance ain`t that great that mccarthy should be a major hero while yorke is hated!

Why is it total dribble? He's had a better return of games to goals than Yorke, which is nothing to do with his length of service.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

I cant agree with that Rebel. What made RSC and Bellamy, one of the best we ever had? Their heads were turned, as much as Benni's when offers came in. The difference, is that both were allowed to leave. Benni was unprofessional, to allow his attitude and performance to change. The argument about Benni being one of the best, is a crap argument, especially when the names of Bellamy and RSC are thrown in there. Benni must go, he is a liability, but given proper service from midfield will give us goals.

I dont think you can say that just because Bellamy's head was turned that it made him any less of a player. Bellamy was world class for us, as he is right now for City, and thats regardless of his attitude. RSC is different. I dont rate him as highly as Bellamy as his form was totally dependent upon the service he got.

Benni is a very good player on his day but clearly doesnt want to be here. The difference is that he also isnt particularly fit and when he isnt interested he very rarely gives 100%. That could never be said of Bellers.

If the option was a top form McCarthy or a top form Beattie, there wouldnt be a discussion but thats not what we're dealing with. Its an off colour, disinterested Benni or a Beattie who would be playing for his home town club and desperate to impress.

[MarkBRFC71]

How far can I go back ? Start with McKenzie and forward ? Or can I go back to Douglas Can I include all psitions - as this wasn't clear - top 50 forwards or 50 players ? I was refering to 50 players - which I could pick out 50 just in the Jack Walker era (which would incl Garner - just ).

I honestly think that Benni is another example of an over-paid player, with probably above average skill - but below average contribution to games.

Just a few JW onwards era :- Flowers, Given, Friedel, Berg, Hendry, Short, LeSaux, Wright, Batty, Sherwood, Ripley, Wilcox, Duff, Shearer, Newell, Garner, Gallagher, Sutton, Tugay, Bohinen (must admit a personal favourite), Samba, Nelsen, Bellamy, Santa Cruz, Speedie, Jansen, Dunn, Flitcroft, Warhurst, Henchoz, Berkovic, Hughes, Cowans, Sellars, Atkins, Moran, Kenna

Have (IMO) all contributed more or as much as Benni to Rovers cause. Go further back - well, I can even pick out players from the Kendall era that I would put ahead of Benni - McKennzi, Faz, Keeley - even probably Brotherston.

Whilst I agree with most of them, some you are plainly having a larf .... Warhurst? Bohinen?? Berkovic??? How on earth have they contributed more than Benni to Rovers? Berkovic only played 11 games ffs!! And as for Given - 2 games?!?

i can`t under stand the fans who blasted dwight yorke`s efforts at rovers, yet rave about mccarthy`s! both are exactly the same to me!

yorke signed and in his first season hit double figures to help us into europe, so did benni. yorke after his first season scored goals but the effort was noticably lacking and he clearly wasn`t as bothered about making an impact, same with benni. yorke in his last season netted the odd goal but he took the ###### in most displays showing little or no effort and was clearly out of shape and moaned about the manager, same as benni is now.

dwight yorke - blackburn rovers flop in most fans eyes and subject of hate jibes.

benni mccarthy - rovers legend in most of our fans eyes because he does the occasional backheel that comes off which for some reason blinds our support to his total lack of effort. well he`s no legend on my eyes, in fact he`s no better than dwight yorke was.

This one took the biscuit though - unbelieveable. Dwight Yorke makes Benni look like Robbie Savage in terms of effort, and like Dixie Dean in goalscoring terms.

As an aside does anyone have a list of our all-time leading scorers?

[Fife Rover]

But Bellamy was world-class whilst he was here.

And Jansen was in the England Team but for stomachache,then motorbike hire.

But Benni's stats are quite good....how many Rovers players have scored over 50 goals in 134 years?

Try Tommy Briggs! Over 30 goals in each of the 4 full seasons he was with us, including 7 in one match. He was not the only one either. Quigley regularly scored over 20 in a season (28 in one season). Also Crossan , Langton and others chipped in with regular scores in the high teens. And with all of them playing together in the same Rovers team at once for several years it gave Rovers an overall goal scoring rate of around 100+ per season, whch was still not enough to get us promoted. But it did make the long trip down Bolton Rd every home match something to really look forward to. Oh happy days!!

[cruz]

Benni is one of the best players this club has EVER had! he can win games by himself.

Name me one? I'd especially like to hear about the time he saved a stinging shot then rolled the ball out to himself dribbled 20 yards, played a one two with himself in midfield then sprayed a lovely ball out to himself on the right wing, took on the full back and whipped in a glorious cross right onto his own head at the far post where he firmly planted the ball into the corner of the net.

This would be a great story to hear because I missed it and just saw the part where he tried to play a fancy flick on the half way line rather than a simple pass and allowed the opposition to attack our back four time and time and time and time again.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Whilst I agree with most of them, some you are plainly having a larf .... Warhurst? Bohinen?? Berkovic??? How on earth have they contributed more than Benni to Rovers? Berkovic only played 11 games ffs!! And as for Given - 2 games?!?

Berkovic was one of the main reasons we got promoted. Warhurst (but for injuries) would have been an England regular - still have fond memories of him running the midfield against United until we had our regulation player sent off.

Given - I'll give you - probably one of the biggest mistakes we made keeping Flowers and letting Given go.

[Manc Rover]

Try Tommy Briggs!

50 goals in 134 years isnt really a good strike-rate!

[CrazyIvan]

But Benni's stats are quite good....how many Rovers players have scored over 50 goals in 134 years?

Blimey, that's a long time to score 50 goals. Didn't figure Benni for being 160 though

[MarkBRFC71]

Berkovic was one of the main reasons we got promoted. Warhurst (but for injuries) would have been an England regular - still have fond memories of him running the midfield against United until we had our regulation player sent off.

Given - I'll give you - probably one of the biggest mistakes we made keeping Flowers and letting Given go.

Warhurst was a good player, and did well in the odd game but was injured far too much to have any real impact. Scored a couple of crackers though.

The main reasons we got promoted were Jansen, Duff, Flitcroft, Dunn, Hughes, Jansen, Freidel, Berg and did I say Jansen?

[Iceman]

Berkovic was one of the main reasons we got promoted. Warhurst (but for injuries) would have been an England regular - still have fond memories of him running the midfield against United until we had our regulation player sent off.

Given - I'll give you - probably one of the biggest mistakes we made keeping Flowers and letting Given go.

So what did Berkovic do, in the top division(epl) while at Rovers? Reid and Dunny has also been injured, so the Warhurst bit is stupid as well.

[Manc Rover]

So what did Berkovic do, in the top division(epl) while at Rovers? Reid and Dunny has also been injured, so the Warhurst bit is stupid as well.

Berkovic didnt last long at Rovers when we signed Tugay for the prem but i agree with prev comments, he was a class act in promotion season.

[cruz]

Given - I'll give you - probably one of the biggest mistakes we made keeping Flowers and letting Given go.

Hindsight. That wonderfull thing that makes the most modest of football fan a potential Champions League winning manager