[Archived] Ins and outs

[DE.]

Indeed, Nelsen seems like the obvious candidate to transfer full captaincy to. Always thought the idea of 'club captain' and 'team captain' was kind of silly anyway.

[Commondore]

Templeton is a cracker. Massive potential, not sure if he's ready for PL yet, but at the right price he'd be a shrewd buy.

Speaking of SPL wingers, what happened to Andrew Driver? Featured in the U21 European Championship in 2009, then just disappeared? English left winger born 1987, plays for Hearts for those of you who haven't heard of him.

[Steve Moss]

I love Samba as much as the next fan, but he IS DEFINITELY replacable!

Kean playing a straight bat, probably the best way forward.

Everyone is replaceable. Samba, Kean and even, as we have found, Sam. Whether they are replaceable and we stay up, that is a different question.

But Kean is saying and doing the right things. Let's see how things play out on the pitch for the next few games.

Regarding Samba, I can't really argue with what he's come out with.

Venkys have come in and made a rash decisions to sacking Big Sam nobody really knows why, just had some half hearted excuse from the Indians.

I agree and this has caused me some confusion. So far as I am aware, Samba has spoken only the truth and fair opinion. The players were being kept in the dark and there was some discontent. That has since been resolved, and I would assume that was due, in part, to Samba and Nelson making their position clear. So it was a win win for everyone and I don't see the problem.

I think Samba will stay...because nobody wants him at [a] his cost and his daft wages.

The clubs with money - the ones in the Champions League teams - will not fancy him because he is not great on the ball.

The mid-range clubs will not pay the package.

So, Big Lad, clear your head and get on with doing what you do.

Good news then. so long as he acts like a professional.

And I don't mind him or other players wanting away if they can make more money elsewhere. From the owner's perspective and the player's perspective, its a business. We shouldn't be surprised or angry when they react to profit opportunities. Its the fans who make the spirit of the club, not the temporary hired help (and I include owners in that).

Do the players really care who actually wears the armband?

I suspect the players do. After all, there are some huge egos involved.

And I suspect that club does. The captain is the club's most visible ambassador. Nelsen was excellent at it.

[Bobby G]

6-8 million for Samba?

He should cost about twice that (in that range).

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Indeed, Nelsen seems like the obvious candidate to transfer full captaincy to. Always thought the idea of 'club captain' and 'team captain' was kind of silly anyway.

Surely it was just to make Samba seem more important to the team to stop him from leaving.

[RovertheHill]

I don't understand.

A few years ago Lucas Neill made it clear that he was going to leave Rovers at the end of his contract. He behaved professionally, gave plenty of notice and was about as open and honest as a professional footballer can be about it. In the main he got slaughtered on here.

If it's true that Samba has been trying for a move for a year, and he's now pinning it to the recent goings-on, then if it's true, IMHO it's absolutely despicable behaviour. Yet people seem to be okay with that? To me you don't want that kind of person "in the trenches" with you, let alone captain surely?

[philipl]

Either Steve Kean is disingenuous or it shows how junior he was before being appointed Manager.

Samba discussed a move from Rovers two Summers ago and agreed to stay for another season. There was an extended contract and an honest gentleman's agreement with Sam and John Williams that if a CL club came in for him this summer Rovers would not stand in his way blocking a move unreasonably- no clauses. To my huge relief nothing developed.

Now he finds himself in the situation that of the two gentlemen he had his agreement with, one has been sacked and the other sidelined. Any wonder his army of agents got nervous? Any wonder Samba eventually spoke out when the removal of Sam was a farce developing into drawn out comedic tragedy?

I knew this and Steve Kean didn't???

I am relieved that nobody is looking at Samba at a realistic price because Samba is critical to Rovers staying in the Premier League this season. There are no Central Defenders either in the club or in the market place this January who are better than Chris Samba.

[Hughesy]

Nelsen captain??

Sorry but if we want to move forward he needs to go at the end of his current deal as he is no spring chicken & often is at fault for goals. Making him captain makes it tough to drop him.

[nicko]

6-8 million for Samba?

He should cost about twice that (in that range).

You are worth what someone is willing to pay for you.

There is NO £10 million-plus offer going to come in for him because he is not techincally good enough for that kind of club.

There is no point in taking a low offer for him because he is more valuable on the pitch for the rest of the season - if his mind is right. He is an ideal player for a club in a fight...even if the former manager described him and his chums as 'old women' a couple of weeks back.

So, odds-on he stays.

Either Steve Kean is disingenuous or it shows how junior he was before being appointed Manager.

Samba discussed a move from Rovers two Summers ago and agreed to stay for another season. There was an extended contract and an honest gentleman's agreement with Sam and John Williams that if a CL club came in for him this summer Rovers would not stand in his way blocking a move unreasonably- no clauses. To my huge relief nothing developed.

Now he finds himself in the situation that of the two gentlemen he had his agreement with, one has been sacked and the other sidelined. Any wonder his army of agents got nervous? Any wonder Samba eventually spoke out when the removal of Sam was a farce developing into drawn out comedic tragedy?

I knew this and Steve Kean didn't???

I am relieved that nobody is looking at Samba at a realistic price because Samba is critical to Rovers staying in the Premier League this season. There are no Central Defenders either in the club or in the market place this January who are better than Chris Samba.

Yes, but you know everything so that is no real surprise...

Samba has been looking for a move - anywhere upwards - for the past few months SINCE the summer.

His agents have also changed in that period.

And, by the way, Harry Redknapp just ruled himself out of the race.

If I was Big Chris I would be taking a step back, committing myself to Rovers for the season and getting on with life.

Have the other players put their transfer requests in yet?

[roverich]

Surprised to see so much negativity and focus on Samba at the moment. Recent messages coming out of the club have been far more positive (believable... debatable - go ahead). So on that note, has anyone any idea what players Kean or the scouting team (or even Kentaro) might be looking to bring in? Does anyone care to speculate on the level of investment Venky's are promising? Or just simply which areas of the team are most in need of strengthening?

For a starter I'm going to go right ahead and say our attack still needs strengthening because all this talk of finishing in the top half and seeing us starting with Roberts up front does not add up to me. I'm fairly happy with the defence but thinking our long term target of a central midfielder must still be a priority. I'm still unsure of what appeal our club holds to players who truly could improve our starting 11 and I fear Venky's may need to raise some eyebrows with one or two big surprise signings before others will take their talk more seriously.

[Billy Castell]

I don't understand why a player has more than one agent, as it can lead to such confusion.

[HemelRover]

I don't understand.

A few years ago Lucas Neill made it clear that he was going to leave Rovers at the end of his contract. He behaved professionally, gave plenty of notice and was about as open and honest as a professional footballer can be about it. In the main he got slaughtered on here.

If it's true that Samba has been trying for a move for a year, and he's now pinning it to the recent goings-on, then if it's true, IMHO it's absolutely despicable behaviour. Yet people seem to be okay with that? To me you don't want that kind of person "in the trenches" with you, let alone captain surely?

Spot on RovertheHill. 100% agree.

[Oklahoma]

According to the portuguese press, Simon Vukcevic will be sold in January. Probably cheap since they want to get rid of him.

Could be a good player for ROvers.

[Bobby G]

I would be worried if we considered selling Samba to a club like Newcastle for instance.

Nicko, Arsenal and Chelsea are both arguably looking at a central defender. Looking elsewhere?

Are players like Bentley on our radar?

[John]

Bentley's agent is trying to push through a deal with Fulham and Villa (for some reason) has been mentioned.

[bluebruce]

You are worth what someone is willing to pay for you.

There is NO £10 million-plus offer going to come in for him because he is not techincally good enough for that kind of club.

I could not agree less. Samba, IMO, is good enough to play for any team in the league. I don't know what this nonsense (no offence meant) about daft transfer fee and wages is. The fee perhaps, if we are asking for £15 million or more (which I feel we should be). But surely he is only on about 30k wages? A bargain compared with what most top clubs pay. Or is he asking for 80k p/w or something?

[nicko]

I would be worried if we considered selling Samba to a club like Newcastle for instance.

Nicko, Arsenal and Chelsea are both arguably looking at a central defender. Looking elsewhere?

Are players like Bentley on our radar?

Newcastle can't afford Samba.

Arsenal and Chelsea are looking for players who have good technique. That's why they look at a player like Jones who is comfortable on the ball.

Bentley? I hope not.

[Ricky]

I'm guessing his new deal would be way more than £30k a week. I would guess he'd be on a par with our highest earners at around the £50-£55k mark.

[chaddyrovers]

So Bentley could be a target then nicko?

I think he will go to fulham to play under Mark Hughes

[MeanGreenMachine]

I could not agree less. Samba, IMO, is good enough to play for any team in the league. I don't know what this nonsense (no offence meant) about daft transfer fee and wages is. The fee perhaps, if we are asking for £15 million or more (which I feel we should be). But surely he is only on about 30k wages? A bargain compared with what most top clubs pay. Or is he asking for 80k p/w or something?

He is clumsy on the ball and can't pass for toffee, top end prem teams play the ball out from the back, he aint good enough at that. I think Nicko has summed up him up plenty of times in his past few posts.

Still would love to see Kris Commons here, contract runs out in June so wouldnt cost an awful lot. Think of Dunny but still has the legs in him, even as a squad player he is a better option than what we currently have.

I would also be casting an eye over lewis mcgugan at Forest if we wanted to bring in young talent. He is labelled as abit of a big time charlie in the past but has knuckled down this season and is potentially a cracking cm.

[Miker]

Personally, I think Samba is quite good on the ball, but he gets a bit too clumsy with it. We've seen him make some impressive runs up the field before, but quite often he looks about as nervous and clumsy as Kalinic.

[donis1410]

a lot of my friends have been telling me that we are still being linked with Robbie Keane and David Bentley, but I thought that their names had been mentioned alongside Roque as Sams targets before he got the boot (which I am still riling about but as a fan I have to move on and get behind the team).

But I have also seen in papers and on net that our "BIG" Budget is no more that £5,000,000 which is ridiculous if we want to achieve anything this season.

Realistic targets, i feel that David Wheater would be worth a shout given that Mowbray has come out and said they are possibly looking to sell him as he can leave on a bosman at end of season, i have always rated him as a centre back he is still young and would be an ideal partner for jones in the future (if we manage to hold on to him).

I would love to see Robbie Keane at rovers and also Bentley but what are peoples thoughts on our realistic targets for January?

[cruz]

Have you just received last weeks newspapers Donis?

[T4E]

Speaking of SPL wingers, what happened to Andrew Driver? Featured in the U21 European Championship in 2009, then just disappeared? English left winger born 1987, plays for Hearts for those of you who haven't heard of him.

He had a knee injury and needed an op back end of last season, then got another knock when he tried to come back too quickly. He hasn't played this season.

And for the record, he's now a Scottish winger

[farhanology]

Someone mentioned that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%C3%A9phane_Sess%C3%A8gnon is a little unsettled at PSG...