[Archived] Could it get worse ?

[Steve Moss]

I really don't see a connection with the club. The club didn't pay Black. Givet's old agent, Dobarje, didn't pay Black. Black demands money from Givet. Givet pays Black. Givet does not claim that he was advised by the club, his lawyer or his agent(s) to pay Black. He was suckered by Black, end of.

And Black has repaid a good bit of the money, which makes me think Black knows he was shaking down Givet for no good reason.

Unless there is some evidence that someone at the club asked Black to contact Givet, there is no case against Blackburn. And even if Blackburn management did request Black to make contact (as a "favor"), but didn't pay Black money, isn't that more tapping up as opposed to paying bungs? I assume tapping up is a much lesser offense. Am I wrong?

[Paul]

Very much agree with the two posts above. Apart from Givet's value to the team I don't see how this involves the club at all.

Two points for me are this is The Sun, a complete rag of a newspaper which makes it's money from rumour, sensationalism and sex. The most interesting aspect would be to discover how much The Sun has paid people for the story. Pure gutter journalism which I wouldn't hang in a brick outhouse.

As for Givet he's either very, very stupid or is so greedy he's happy to sell his story regardless of the impact on the club.

How many people on here would be stupid enough to give any sum of money to a total stranger?

[cruz]

Be reet

[jim mk2]

Two points for me are this is The Sun, a complete rag of a newspaper which makes it's money from rumour, sensationalism and sex. The most interesting aspect would be to discover how much The Sun has paid people for the story. Pure gutter journalism which I wouldn't hang in a brick outhouse.

Rubbish. It's a legitimate story highlighting again the murky world of agents in football and the underhand dealings that go in the game.

If it helps to clean up football by cleansing the game of these agent leeches and making all transfer deals above board it will have done some good.

[S15]

"Could it get any worse?"

Yep, tomorrows fish and chips could end up being wrapped in that attempt of a 'story,' which in true 'The Sun' fashion doesn't match up with the headline.

Destabilising? To who? I bet the other players can hardly walk this morning after finding something that they probably already knew massively exaggerated and sexed up in the lowest respected Red Top in Britain. Even more worrying is that I suspect our relegation rivals will get a massive boost from finding out that our left back is a bit dim when it comes to money.

Frankly, I'd prefer it if the story were a bit more cutting; that might have helped create a siege mentality. As it is, the story is useless/ meaningless, and had it only come out on the morning of Sunday's game, it would still have been forgotten by 4pm.

[Stuart]

Very disappointed with Givet. But the headline gives a totally different perspective than the actual story. Must be a very poor week for stories. Must be all this rain.

Maybe Nicko could shed some light...

[Iceman]

asked one of our legal guys, to explain and basically said what most are thinking.

he said, that unless the club, management or owners at the time, were DIRECTLY involved, the player, rather than the club would be in trouble.

He mentions that, the amount paid was FROM Givet TO the guy. There is no mention of payment made FROM Givet to the guy via the club. However, if there were amounts paid from the club, other than his salary which equates to 50k, then we might be in trouble.

it also shows, that once again our handling of players are not up to scratch. Venkys, Finn, Agnew etc need to somehow ban players from giving any interview, unless authorised by the club

[philipl]

This is not the grotty news I am aware of but it is pretty grotty.

Some random thoughts:

- Sam is not linked in the article in any way but the Sun popped a less than flattering picture of him on there

- The article reads as though Black freelanced but it begs the question of what would happen if any of us just happened to roll up to Ewood with an ex-French international in the back of our car...

- Nicko posted when Givet was in dispute that there was an unpleasant angle which he hoped would never come out

- I wonder if Marple Leaf knew something which caused his rant about us not going for the winner against Man U

- It has taken the Kean drink drive out of the spotlight

- Last time we played Wolves in a massive game all kinds of stuff broke before the game and we lost 3-0

- Don't fancy going to Molyneux with Nelsen, Samba an Givet all unavailable

- I wonder how tight or how wide the FA investigation will be. Is this the chink they have been waiting for to look at some other things as well?

[ABBEY]

That my friend is gallows humour at its best ..PMSl

A surrendering Frenchman, a drunk Scotsman.

Why all the fuss?

[47er]

Doesn't read well but there is no direct link to the Club thus far. Why on earth has Givet chosen to talk about this now?

Presumably he's not intending to stay? But to destabilise us on the eve of such a game is abominable. Same goes for Kean.

FourLaneBlue-----you're absolutely right of course. I've been conned by the Sun!

Givet has said these things months ago and the Sun have sat on it and dragged it out when it suits them and does not suit us.

Doubtless, with the story about Kean, they'll be able to harp on about a "club in crisis" all the way up to the game.

[Mc Love]

Vinjay is doing a stroke boy on twitter about Givet

[Bobby G]

Doesn't read well but there is no direct link to the Club thus far. Why on earth has Givet chosen to talk about this now?

Presumably he's not intending to stay? But to destabilise us on the eve of such a game is abominable. Same goes for Kean.

Could this have been Givet coming out in the aftermath of that cash/tax thing he is involved with the club over?

I doubt he spoke to the Sun just now, but its certain they decided to come out with it now to add to the tension at the club.

From what I read, its not much of a big deal.

But if Givet is out of the match, then our defence is absolutely shattered. Hanely and Jones at the back would be too inexperienced.

[imy9]

Disgusted with Givet, I really am. Has he no bond with the club at all?

Givet is demanding 35K which may seem like a lot but amounts to what 70-80% of ONE weeks wages? From what I have read no direct link with Blackburn Rovers FC anywhere and The Sun would have included it in the article if they had ANY evidence.

[Beta Ray Bill]

Reads to me as if Givet has been hustled good and proper - he even admits he felt stupid for falling for it.

Perhaps he could have recovered some of the money by having a bet on him being called "Prem Ace" on frontpage of a 'news'paper. He'd have got stunning odds.

[PAFELL]

There's a few questions that need to be asked:

Who made the payment to the middleman? The selling club, the buying club or someone else (eg an agent)?

If the manager wasn't the one who made the payment, was he fully aware of what went on?

What will be the consequences for Blackburn Rovers?

As long as we don't get docked points, then ultimately this episode should be a harmless one to Rovers since if the last manager was implicated, he isn't around anymore so it's not like him getting a ban from the FA would make a difference to us.

But the first two questions will be of interest.

Was there not simular allegations a few years ago, involving Sam. A panarama programme!!!! ????

[PAFELL]

Doesn't read well but there is no direct link to the Club thus far. Why on earth has Givet chosen to talk about this now?

Presumably he's not intending to stay? But to destabilise us on the eve of such a game is abominable. Same goes for Kean.

I think it reads as an attempt by Black to blackmail Givet. What I cannot work out is if Givet's agent would not pay Black, why did Givet not do the same as his agent. why did his agent not tell him to NOT pay Black. If he did tell not to pay, why then did Givet do it. May explain why Givet has been in dispute with the club over payments he believes he is owned.

[Ralfinho]

I see it as Givet lent him the cash. In the article it says he paid him 15k back and then givet got lawyers to try and get the rest back. I think we are ok to be honest. Some dodgy manc hustler feeding him lies etc. Now he has gone to the sun and sold his story.

[davulsukur]

Timing is awful, the sun have done a good numnber on us here. As said above, with Samba a doubt, Nelsen deffo unavailable Givet Missing would be a nightmare. Centre back partnership of Jones and Hanley does not fill me with confidence.

Sounds to me like that bloke is trying to fleece Givet big time, the only thing that doesn't add up is how he actually got involved in the first place.

Yes Allardyce was involved in a panarama program a while back, however i find it unlikely that either he or the club were involved in this, as the trust and John Williams esp would have kept a close eye on things to make sure the club were not involved in any form of dodgey dealings

[Hasta]

Am I missing something.

If Givet signed for us permanently in june 2009, why did he pay this guy in December 2010 ???

[philipl]

Am I missing something.

If Givet signed for us permanently in june 2009, why did he pay this guy in December 2010 ???

Good spot. Puts further distance from Sam as well.

[CrazyIvan]

Am I missing something.

If Givet signed for us permanently in june 2009, why did he pay this guy in December 2010 ???

The second document picture is payments BACK to Givet, not payments from him.

[Seggie]

But the article quotes Givet as he has just arrived in the country. Its more shoddy writing like that of the LT

[Hasta]

The second document picture is payments BACK to Givet, not payments from him.

It says under the picture " document reveals payments of £15,000 into tailor Phil Black's account"

Also the 15k comes off the balance, not added onto it.

[CrazyIvan]

It says under the picture " document reveals payments of £15,000 into tailor Phil Black's account"

Also the 15k comes off the balance, not added onto it.

You're right. My mistake.

That just makes no sense...

[Hughesy]

Hopefully he is in the right mind to play on sunday.....after that - get rid of him, he seems like bad egg to me!