[Archived] DO NOT GIVE ROQUE SANTA CRUZ A PERMANANT CONTRACT

[allanncd]

His performance coming on at West Ham was absolutely atrocious. He makes no effort to jump for headers, has no movement - totally static - and looks disinterested except to wave at the away end. He makes Ashley Wardrobe look good - and I never thought I'd say that about anyone.

[jim mk2]

[1 SOCCER Blackburn Nightlead

SANTA CRUZ EYES EWOOD MOVE

By Tom Rostance, Press Association Sport

Roque Santa Cruz hopes to secure a permanent move to Blackburn this summer and end his frustrating time as a Manchester City player.

The 29-year-old was a £17.5million signing for City from Rovers in the summer of 2009 but a combination of injury and poor form has limited him to just six league starts and three goals at Eastlands.

He was loaned back to the Ewood Park club in January and was a late substitute in the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Saturday which pushed Steve Kean's side closer to securing their Barclays Premier League status.

The Paraguayan is a popular figure with Blackburn fans and is keen to sign on a permanent basis once the season is over.

He said: ``The loan ends this summer and I need to see how it goes, but once I finish here I will need to go back to City.

``Everyone knows that I am very happy at Blackburn, I have a lot of friends. I have enjoyed my time here so it would be a great thing for me if I could stay but it is up to the club and City so we need to see what will happen.

``As a player you expect and want to play and of course when you come to my age you want to enjoy the last bit of football that you have left.

``I don't want to spend the rest of my career not playing. So That is the main consideration for me.''

Should Santa Cruz end up back with Roberto Mancini he will be at the bottom of a long list of striking options, with Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy and Felipe Caicedo all also out on loan and likely to be sold in the coming months.

The targetman was pleased with the point gained at Upton Park but admits he feared the worst when Hammers midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger lined up the equaliser to cancel out Jason Roberts' opener.

Hitzlsperger made his name at Aston Villa and Stuttgart by firing in powerful 25-yard drives and Santa Cruz was all too aware of the threat.

He said: ``It was a good goal from Thomas Hitzlsperger, he has a great left foot and it went into the corner.

``It was a bit unlucky for us but it was a good hit. After that of course we tried to keep playing and score on the break but we also realised that suddenly we had a lot to lose if we conceded again.

``I think that the result was not too bad for us.

``I knew Thomas Hitzlsperger from Germany and knew what he could do. He is famous because of his left foot.''

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Don't even think it pal. Roy Orbison had it right= " It's Over "

[Paul]

``I don't want to spend the rest of my career not playing."

Why? It seems to have suited him for the past few years.

To be serious though, I like Roque and on the occassion I met him he seemed a very decent individual but this can't disguise that as footballer he has been something of a one season wonder. Quite how Sparky managed to squeeze all those goals out of him I don't know but suspect it was a combination of good management, general fitness, Bentley and good fortune. I often wonder how it is a certain manager gets the best possible from a player but when the player moves on his form can't be replicated at a new club or under a different regime.

I don't feel I've gone in for Kean bashing but if SK feels RSC is the answer it simply underlines his lack of understanding of Rovers position. Under Rovers financial circumstances a player earning £90k per week has to perform every week, which in RSC's case means scoring goals, anything less than 15 per season (which is a pitiful target) would not be good enough. If the player can't achieve this we'd be far better off investing in three players at £30k per week than an injury ravaged striker with one good season in ten and whose motivation for being here is doubtful.

Is everyone aware RSC has a nice house near Altrincham, a beautiful wife and young kids in school? So a move abroad or to Blackburn? Tough decision.

[ABBEY]

[The Paraguayan is a popular figure with Blackburn fans and is keen to sign on a permanent basis once the season is over.....SHOULD READ "WAS" A POPULAR FIGURE

``Everyone knows that I am very happy at Blackburn, I have a lot of friends. I have enjoyed my time here so it would be a great thing for me if I could stay but it is up to the club and City so we need to see what will happen...HAPPY AND ENJOYED MY TIME...AYE I WOULD TOO IF I EARNED 90 GRAND A WEEK AND DIDNT BREAK CHUFFIN SWEAT!!!!!

``I don't want to spend the rest of my career not playing. So That is the main consideration for me.''......YOU SPENT SINCE CHRISTMAS NOT PLAYING YA LAZY TW@@

ARGHHHHHHHHH THIS INTERVIEW HAS REALLY REALLY WOUND ME UP!!!! ONE SEASON WONDER WHO HAS STOLE MONEY SINCE ARRIVING HERE...OFFER HIM A CONTRACT AND I THINK I WILL TOTALLY LOSE MY FOOTBALL LOVE!!!!

[chris]

He better get use to the bench a little longer

[92er]

I read an article in today's Independent with interest.

Ian Herbert wrote that Wright-Phillips is not currently working at Fulham or Bolton because of Manchester City's "refusal to do business in January with clubs who would not agree to an option to buy in the summer".

I'm sure people will come up with intersting interpretations on this!

[blue_and_white]

I'm not sure it's an attitude problem, he just doesn't look fit. He looks unable to exert himself physically due to the fear of getting injured.

He looked like this in the World Cup as well. I don't really blame us for taking a gamble on loaning him because we all know how good he can be, but it's obvious now that his time has passed.

It's a shame injuries have ruined him, for a man of his ability to only have one good season in European football in his career is such a waste of talent.

Very good post and sums up my feelings about him. He's a likeable guy and I'm not convinced he's being lazy, as you said he just seems incapable fitness-wise of giving 100% and that 20% drop makes all the difference. Unless it was on a free I wouldn't want us to sign him permanently.

[HemelRover]

I read an article in today's Independent with interest.

Ian Herbert wrote that Wright-Phillips is not currently working at Fulham or Bolton because of Manchester City's "refusal to do business in January with clubs who would not agree to an option to buy in the summer".

I'm sure people will come up with intersting interpretations on this!

Im sure Kean went on record to say that Rovers were unable to agree fixed prices for either JJ or RSC?

[92er]

Im sure Kean went on record to say that Rovers were unable to agree fixed prices for either JJ or RSC?

You're right.

And he's said it a few times.

What I found interesting was a reporter on a national paper taking a totally different perspective.

I just speculate he might have some info from the other club.

Or he could be completely wrong.