[Archived] Samba Reinstated as Captain

[Torgeir]

Confirms, IMO, that behind Kean's bullsh1te that there is little respect for him within "his group".

I don't think it confirms anything other than that Big Chris wants out. Samba was angling for a move before Sam got sacked, and is doing the same now.

[LeChuck]

Samba would get found out at Arsenal. He's one of the best 'backs to the wall' in the league (as we saw against West Ham), but top four teams rarely defend like that.

They need defenders who can concentrate for ninety minutes in games where they might have little to do defensively. They need defenders comfortable on the ball, good at retaining possession and starting moves from the back. Samba is very weak in both those areas and his mistakes would be heavily scrutinised at a top four club.

I can't blame him for going if someone does come in for him though.

[Mattyblue]

Forget Kean, in the midst of a relegation battle that could end in complete disaster, Samba is spouting off about moving to whoever will listen. Disgraceful behaviour from our supposed 'team captain'.

On a level with Dougan on the way to the 1960 Cup Final!

[chris]

Samba would get found out at Arsenal. He's one of the best 'backs to the wall' in the league (as we saw against West Ham), but top four teams rarely defend like that.

They need defenders who can concentrate for ninety minutes in games where they might have little to do defensively. They need defenders comfortable on the ball, good at retaining possession and starting moves from the back. Samba is very weak in both those areas and his mistakes would be heavily scrutinised at a top four club.

I can't blame him for going if someone does come in for him though.

yeah spot on agree

[Gav]

Samba would get found out at Arsenal. He's one of the best 'backs to the wall' in the league (as we saw against West Ham), but top four teams rarely defend like that.

They need defenders who can concentrate for ninety minutes in games where they might have little to do defensively. They need defenders comfortable on the ball, good at retaining possession and starting moves from the back. Samba is very weak in both those areas and his mistakes would be heavily scrutinised at a top four club.

I can't blame him for going if someone does come in for him though.

Couldn’t agree more LeChuck, but he’d certainly improve Arsenals current back 4 that’s for sure.

Nothing less than 10m though and I think we’ll have gotten a good deal.

[chris]

Couldn’t agree more LeChuck, but he’d certainly improve Arsenals current back 4 that’s for sure.

Nothing less than 10m though and I think we’ll have gotten a good deal.

I have a feeling van Persie and Fabregas will want out this summer.

I don't think Samba will make them think they will win anything soon.

[Jimmy612]

I don't think it confirms anything other than that Big Chris wants out. Samba was angling for a move before Sam got sacked, and is doing the same now.

Agreed.

Unfortunately the gulf between the top 4/5 and the rest of the PL means that players only have aspirations to play for one of those clubs. No-one can blame Samba for wanting to leave, deserves a crack at top level.

There could be many reasons for the timing of it. One would be the praise he got following the WHU game. His agent would have probably told him to do an interview stating his interest in moving on whenever he got chance. Just alerting the big boys (and the media) that he wants out.

[DE.]

Samba would get found out at Arsenal. He's one of the best 'backs to the wall' in the league (as we saw against West Ham), but top four teams rarely defend like that.

They need defenders who can concentrate for ninety minutes in games where they might have little to do defensively. They need defenders comfortable on the ball, good at retaining possession and starting moves from the back. Samba is very weak in both those areas and his mistakes would be heavily scrutinised at a top four club.

I can't blame him for going if someone does come in for him though.

Agreed... if he makes a mistake with us, he'll have plenty of chances to redeem himself throughout the match. If he makes a mistake which costs a club like Arsenal he may not get another chance to make amends.

[Majiball]

or say you happy in your current role as head chief of Blackburn "KFC" dunking chickens but if "Le Gavroche" offer you the head chief position in London, you'd consider it.

How true.

But I wouldn't be wondering the halls of my current employees telling all and sundry I'm too good to be here. I'm not sure people would like that.

When did he sign a new contract? He's never had a big deal before, he deserves one and he got one. How long ago?????

One sterling performance and he's touting himself around in the press, says all I need to know about him.

From now on I will be replacing the word ambitious with greedy in all his press releases.

[Gav]

So much for the " togetherness and spirit in the group".

Confirms, IMO, that behind Kean's bullsh1te that there is little respect for him within "his group".

More rubbish.

The one thing we have on the playing side is togetherness and spirit, that’s been clear for everyone to see, and is the only reason we have a chance of staying up, you do talk rubbish.

[blue_and_white]

You sometimes wonder what is the point of it all?

We are a PL club, yet if a 'top 4' club come in for one of your players, that's it off they go, ensuring the cartel stays intact year in year out.

Never even an issue that we could actually compete for honours in the league we are a part of.

It's all a farce when you think about it.

Yeah I sometimes think that. Its the one advantage to being relegated I suppose, playing in a league without this crippling inequality. Not that American sports ever seem to do well outside their native country but maybe the PL would be a lot more fun if they adopted the NFL draft system (weaker teams get the best of the new crop of youth players). Although they'd have to rework the academy setup so that academies weren't linked to specific clubs.

[Hughesy]

I agree I can see Samba in an Arsenal shirt next season, expect a pathetic £5M bid from Wenger in the not so distant future.

If we lose Samba we CANNOT sell Phil Jones as well, selling both would be a disaster.

Expect it to be rejected then....£5m??? Haaa

Bad timing from the player, but its not the 1st time - he wanted to go same time as Warnock, then again in summer, and then again in Jan - time we sold him for big pennies in the summer I think, no loyalty - bad egg!

[67splitscreen]

I'd agree time to move on, he's been in top form for the last few weeks, an the performance against spammers did no harm to his value.

If he is not 100% behind the club move him on ASAP.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Not surprised by his comments as he has kicked up a fuss in the past with talk about wanting to leave. The timing as usual is really poor, he should be doing it at the end of the season not in the middle of a relegation battle. Once again he has shown he is not suitable to be our captain.

[Ozz]

Why on earth would we want to sell Chris Samba? Did you see his performance on Saturday?

[den]

I'd agree time to move on, he's been in top form for the last few weeks, an the performance against spammers did no harm to his value.

If he is not 100% behind the club move him on ASAP.

Surely the lesson of selling your best players has been learned? Samba needs castigating for this latest presser, but selling our best players is as much a reason for us being where we are now, as selling the club to Venky's.

Honestly, if we are happy to sell anyone who mentions leaving, then we should be happy playing Darlington every season. A football club must do everything in it's power to keep the better players. The club or manager is only as good as the team it puts onto the park.

Simon Garner wanted away, would you all have sold him at the first opportunity as well?

[cesus]

Seeing further back than Sambas heroics on Saturday I'd say this has probably been his worst season. Agree with the sentiments of a few others here, he will be found out at a top club due to his concentration letting him down quite often.

[den]

Seeing further back than Sambas heroics on Saturday I'd say this has probably been his worst season. Agree with the sentiments of a few others here, he will be found out at a top club due to his concentration letting him down quite often.

Samba is a top centre half. Does he make mistakes? Do John Terry and Rio Ferdinand make mistakes?

[Gav]

Surely the lesson of selling your best players has been learned?

So would you keep an unhappy player Den? not that I'm saying he's unhappy, but would you keep a player that wants to leave?

[Ricky]

If he wants to leave id sell him for no less than £10m.

If all of that money was reinvested in the team we could improve other areas. We would need another cb to replace him but could look at bosmans, upson is out of contract in the summer.

[den]

So would you keep an unhappy player Den? not that I'm saying he's unhappy, but would you keep a player that wants to leave?

You do your best to keep him happy Gav. People on here are selling him off the back of newspaper articles.

Would you have sold Simon Garner Gav?

[67splitscreen]

Surely the lesson of selling your best players has been learned? Samba needs castigating for this latest presser, but selling our best players is as much a reason for us being where we are now, as selling the club to Venky's.

Honestly, if we are happy to sell anyone who mentions leaving, then we should be happy playing Darlington every season. A football club must do everything in it's power to keep the better players. The club or manager is only as good as the team it puts onto the park.

Simon Garner wanted away, would you all have sold him at the first opportunity as well?

Accept your points den, if it was the first offence fair enough, allegedly third time now in twelve months.

If he does go lets hope that the new regime allow the fees to be put back into the playing staff.

[RibbleValleyRover]

It all comes down to the individual. Some players you could refuse to let them leave and they would just get on with it, others will kick up a fuss. I just get the impression that because Samba has been angling for a move for some time (constant comments to the media, new deals offered to keep him sweet) it's inevitable he is going to force a move at some point. If that's the case then surely from a financial standpoint it's better to cash in before the trouble starts?

If Samba does remain here next season then I would strip him of the captaincy, he should never have been given it back when he kicked up a fuss last time.

[Stuart]

The thing that strikes me about this is the "everyone knows I'm ambitious" line.

I thought the players were all excited about the future under the new owners? Plus we hear from various sources on here that teh future is looking good (providing we stay up).

Next news, Samba and Jones are both linked with moves - with Samba, seemingly, welcoming of such links?

You have to question what ambition there is under Venkys and if we are ANY better off than we were under the last couple of years of the Trust? (Even as wantaway owners).

[cesus]

Well to be honest Den I'm sick and tired of all his @#/? coming out when the timing is poor to state he is keeping his options open. I'm open minded enough to acknowledge ALL of our players would leave to join a bigger club BUT they are professional enough to keep quiet. Samba is a very good defender he makes mistakes like all defenders in my opinion is he good enough for a top club no.