[Archived] Summer 2011 Transfer Window Part One

[Exiled in Toronto]

He has stated a fact which is that EHD is no longer going to start matches as Olsson, Emerton and Junior are ahead of him, I would be annoyed too if EHD started in front of me and I was the three mentioned they deserve to be in front of him.

Exactly. Though he has the opportunity to handle it more sensitively when Spit returns by not giving him a squad number...

[vintageadidas]

Benjani is a good worker, can offer something to the team and is very happy to sit on the bench. Job done.

I have always liked the look of Shane Long and Simon Church at Reading.

I ask this as a serious question but has anyone seen the smile Steve Kean has when asked about the budgets for next season.

It was first spotted after the Wolves game interview, then at the LMA awards and another time too. I have a feeling it could be pretty hefty!!

[ada2020]

So, Diouff out and hand most of his substantial earnings to Hoillet, works fine for me.

[Rover & Out]

we basically only have Roberts & Kalinic as striking options currently.

I'd say we only need four in total so it should be one of either Diouf, RSC or Benjani, and then one other.

Personally, i'd opt for Benjani out of those three as it makes the most sense financially.

Our main priority should then be looking for that remaining striker in the market...

In a perfect world, we'd forget those three and get two new strikers in.

[brian nelsen]

Afternoon all, I don't post often but I trawl through the messageboard on a daily basis, just thought id add my opinion.

I find it strange how Steve kean said we will have a transfer budget miles bigger than anything we've had before and then the week after sums started coming out saying we'll only have 5 million, just some food for thought is that could we maybe have a lot more than 5 million but by saying we've only got 5 million clubs wont start raising there prices for players thinking we've got 10 million plus?

Could Steve kean be trying to do a shrewd bit of transfer talk or is he telling truth or is he just inexperienced as we all think?

Let's just hope we get a striker in no matter what that can get us 15 goals next season, if we do I believe we'll get a top 8 finish, always the optimist

I just think that after all the contradictory reports, people just want a straight answer. Honestly, there's more chance of understanding the clues in 3-2-1 than what's going on at Rovers. And do any of the other clubs give a hoot as to how much money Rovers do or don't have? It's not mind games we need at the minute. Just a bit of straight forwardness. I'm starting to think that may be too much to ask for.

[Kelbo]

I just think that after all the contradictory reports, people just want a straight answer. Honestly, there's more chance of understanding the clues in 3-2-1 than what's going on at Rovers. And do any of the other clubs give a hoot as to how much money Rovers do or don't have? It's not mind games we need at the minute. Just a bit of straight forwardness. I'm starting to think that may be too much to ask for.

Bingo!!

And that is why Venkys and the manager have divided the fanbase of this football club.

[patrickvalery]

Hughesy have you got a link to where he said this?

Also if kean had said that then surely the LT would have done a article on this.

I agree that we need to get rid of Grella, Andrews, EHD, let Benjani leave and don't sign RSC or MD permanent.

I would also agree that we should be looking at the free transfer market cos there is some good free transfers out there like Ba, Vaughan, Larrson and Reo-coker. Plus there is nothing wrong with looking at this market.

We do NEED proven Goalscorer and hopefully J Jones permanent transfer.

we need to sign 5 or 6 players. left back, midfielder, 2 strikers, winger and right back.

i think that Givet and Kalinic will want to leave in the summer.

The thing is Chaddy, thats 8 first team players you want out the door. Now don't get me wrong, aside from Givet and Kalinic, i am right with you. The others you list are below the required standard. But you can't strip the squad of so many first team playing staff. The key to long term success is not wholesale changes regardless of quality. Unless a benefactor of Chelsea or Man City's rocks up with a spare billion to waste, you have to build slowly.

Kean inherited a squad which needed an overhaul, he needs to do it gradually though. This is my problem with Rovers at the moment. Talk from the 'bigger' Rao brother about a cup win next season and a top 8 finish is daft. I would be far happier to hear noises about long term building projects in terms of our squad. To be fair to Kean, he brought in two for the future in Rochina and Formica. If they come good then you can add them to (potentially) Hoilett, Jones, Olsson, Kalinic, Hanley etc... I know some of the names there are neither signed up for the long term or assurred of a future here by the manager. But that is the core we need to be working with. We should look to add a bit of quality around them. Large scale squad changes like Steve Bruce seems to favour rarely works at our level.

[daren]

I base my opinion on the fact that they are not idiots! You lot treat them like they cant read or write. Why would you buy a football club and waste 23 million and much more if you didnt believe you could improve it. People go on about how Venkys didnt know what they were getting into? If i was spending 23 million i would make sure i knew everything about it. If you actually look at Venky's companies all have made profits year after year? They are obviously bussiness people WHO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

Let's be honest, they wouldn't be the first savvy business-people to get the football bug and end up burned. While I'm not sure that this will be the case, I'm not sure it won't either. I can't change it, so I'll worry a little bit to myself if you don't mind . I won't be complaining publicly. There's approximately 1 million "I hate Venkys" threads though, can we please move this kind of discussion over there? I don't feel like wading through 20 anti-Kean/anti-Venkys posts for every rumour, and I doubt anyone else does either.

I just think that after all the contradictory reports, people just want a straight answer. Honestly, there's more chance of understanding the clues in 3-2-1 than what's going on at Rovers. And do any of the other clubs give a hoot as to how much money Rovers do or don't have? It's not mind games we need at the minute. Just a bit of straight forwardness. I'm starting to think that may be too much to ask for.

Why on earth would anyone compromise their negotiating position by revealing the amount of money they have to spend simply because a section of the fanbase is freaking out? The only people that know the budget are in India or working for the club and are unlikey to tell.

On an earlier (and more on topic) point, Kean clearly wants EHD gone, but doesn't want to pay for it. If someone offered him a chocolate milk and doughnut he'd accept. I think MB won't be asked to sign, and I doubt RSC will either unless the asking price both in wages and transfer funds comes waaay down. Grella will also go if we can get rid of him - he's had a bad aul time here and a change of scenery might do him good. Andrews probably won't go because he's just useful enough to keep, and what I've outlined above is a lot of players out. My gut feeling is that Samba will go also and I think for his career he probably needs to, but at more than the paltry 8 million reported elsewhere. I would not be surprised to see Liverpool and Arsenal bid, they've both got defensive troubles. I *think* that Jones will stay, I don't feel he wants to leave at all, same for Junior. Actually, I think either of them would be mental to move now.

The positions to be strengthened are midfield - we still need an attacking midfielder with some creativity. I don't see where Charlie Adam fits in any of the big clubs bar Liverpool, and even there is a stretch. Rumour is that he wants to stay in the Northwest too. We should test the waters there. If Samba leaves we'll need another central defender, particularly if Givet goes too as has been suggested. And lastly we still need a frontline striker. People have mentioned Long (actually I recall Nicko brought him up at Christmas and was laughed at) and I agree. Long's got an eye for goal, holds it up very well and is surprisingly good in the air. He's got a bit of pace about him as well and I think he'd link up well with Hoilett behind him. Get another LB or bring one up from the reserves if there's one available but for gods sake keep Olsson on the wing, he's been brilliant there. Larsson can play on the right, so if the Christmas speculation was anywhere near the mark we should get him too.

My more-than-2c!

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Bingo!!

And that is why Venkys and the manager have divided the fanbase of this football club.

All managers and management divide opinion. Allardyce divided opinion as much as any manager has done. Ince was a catastrophe. The Walker trust's reluctance to spend money divided the fanbase. This isnt simply a Venky's issue here.

Right now, would you rather have Kean and Venky's or Allardyce and the Trust? I'd take the former. We need investment more than ever to compete next season. Venky's made big mistakes which almost had disastrous consequences but this is where they can make a positive difference.

[47er]

In my opinion he's trying to force EHD out.

Of course he is. Didn't defend him against Warnock. Very poor.

[47er]

The thing is Chaddy, thats 8 first team players you want out the door. Now don't get me wrong, aside from Givet and Kalinic, i am right with you. The others you list are below the required standard. But you can't strip the squad of so many first team playing staff. The key to long term success is not wholesale changes regardless of quality. Unless a benefactor of Chelsea or Man City's rocks up with a spare billion to waste, you have to build slowly.

Kean inherited a squad which needed an overhaul, he needs to do it gradually though. This is my problem with Rovers at the moment. Talk from the 'bigger' Rao brother about a cup win next season and a top 8 finish is daft. I would be far happier to hear noises about long term building projects in terms of our squad. To be fair to Kean, he brought in two for the future in Rochina and Formica. If they come good then you can add them to (potentially) Hoilett, Jones, Olsson, Kalinic, Hanley etc... I know some of the names there are neither signed up for the long term or assurred of a future here by the manager. But that is the core we need to be working with. We should look to add a bit of quality around them. Large scale squad changes like Steve Bruce seems to favour rarely works at our level.

He's not over-hauling it though. He's given 34 year old Roberts a new contract and he wants to keep over-thirties Benjani and Santa Cruz + Miram Diouf, all of whom were failures last season. he identified the major problem as lack of goals then wants to retain all the guys responsible! How is that over-hauling the squad? We can let M Diouf, Benjani and Santa go------nothing lost!

If we had a budget "the likes of which we've never seen at Rovers before"---why wouldn't we? The guys a fraud.

[Brfcrule1]

I think it is time to bring this subject back on topic. I have this afternoon been watching the Championship final at Wembley and,I know coincidence we were linked with Scott Sinclair after today's performance I have to conclude he would be a good signing.He is still young so fitls in with our ethos of bringing in good young up and coming players e.g. Hoilett, Olsson, Hanley, Jones, N'Zonzi and as he is English would fit in with the quota of bringing through English talent. As he is still young so will only get better with age & the goal he scored from open play to be so calm in slotting it between the player & post to score was just exceptional. He is definitely one who could improve us & one who seems so assured in front of goal. He would be on quite reasonable wages. I would hope as we are linked with him the least Kean should do is at least put a bid in for him after such a promising performance!. Alexanders I saw in an earlier post you stated RVN is on his way do you have a link to this?.

[LeChuck]

I would hope as we are linked with him the least Kean should do is at least put a bid in for him after such a promising performance!

You think we should put in a bid for him based on a promising performance?

The time to nab Sinclair was when he was going for £500k whilst at Chelsea, I think many people here wanted us to go for him. The lad's got a lot of talent but will definitely start the season with Swansea. Whatever we (or anyone else) offer Swansea will be drop in the ocean compared to the £90 million windfall from winning that game. Look how Blackpool dug their heels in over Adam - newly promoted clubs have shedloads of money, they don't need to sell.

[Hughesy]

Several sites reporting this one

Arsenal increase Samba bid to £10m

Kean tells Jones to stay put & suggests he could be one day a captain at Ewood

[patrickvalery]

He's not over-hauling it though. He's given 34 year old Roberts a new contract and he wants to keep over-thirties Benjani and Santa Cruz + Miram Diouf, all of whom were failures last season. he identified the major problem as lack of goals then wants to retain all the guys responsible! How is that over-hauling the squad? We can let M Diouf, Benjani and Santa go------nothing lost!

If we had a budget "the likes of which we've never seen at Rovers before"---why wouldn't we? The guys a fraud.

That was my point. We have many players who need to be replaced but it simply cannot be done unless you are lucky enough to be a Man City or Chelsea. I think Venky's wealth is up for debate, but we all agree they are not in that league. As such Kean has to do it piece by piece. I agree that RSC and MB Diuof are not up to the job and alternatives need to be found. But you can't suddenly trim 8 1st team players and expect cohesion the following season. Sadly this means we have to stick with some of the dead wood for a wee while longer.

As for the last line. That is putting spin on it. I'm sure he meant over the last few years. Lets be honest, if its £10m then its a vast improvement on what we've previously had in recent times. But £10m isn't enough to allow us to flog every 1st team player who isn't up to scratch and replace them with ones who are.

All i'm saying is any rebuilding job would have to be done over a few windows of sustained investment if the figures people are speaking about are true. I have no issue with what you say about retaining RSC and Diouf. I agree entirely in fact.

[RoyRover]

He's not over-hauling it though. He's given 34 year old Roberts a new contract and he wants to keep over-thirties Benjani and Santa Cruz + Miram Diouf, all of whom were failures last season. he identified the major problem as lack of goals then wants to retain all the guys responsible! How is that over-hauling the squad? We can let M Diouf, Benjani and Santa go------nothing lost!

If we had a budget "the likes of which we've never seen at Rovers before"---why wouldn't we? The guys a fraud.

I couldn't agree more. We all know, including the manager that we need a top striker to score the goals that we've been lacking. For the manager then to go and talk about wanting to keep all of the players who've been responsible for the lack of goals is unbelievable. Despite continually calling for Roberts to be let go, I do concede that a player like him or Benjani can be an affective option to have in certain games, so if we keep one of them, then fair enough. But to keep all of them? Just goes to show why I don't think that this guy should be manager and why I'm starting to doubt this huge budget that we apparently have.

But you can't suddenly trim 8 1st team players and expect cohesion the following season. Sadly this means we have to stick with some of the dead wood for a wee while longer.

This is true. I was all for getting rid of the likes Andrews, Grella, Goulon and Diouf. But by doing so, we would leave ourselves with a skeleton squad, which wouldn't be able to cope. We've all known that there is a lot of deadwood in the team, which has sadly been able to sit around for some time, making it difficult to get rid of all at once.

[Tom]

Several sites reporting this one

Arsenal increase Samba bid to £10m

Urgh you can see it coming that we will end up losing Samba for around £12m a good few mill under what we'd like.

[Steve Moss]

So, Diouff out and hand most of his substantial earnings to Hoillet, works fine for me.

If he did that it would be money well spent, IMO.

Of course he is. Didn't defend him against Warnock. Very poor.

Exactly. I don't mind him wanting rid of EHD. What I mind is his method. Build him up. Then sell him or loan him. Don't devalue the man, its counter-productive.

[XLM]

Exactly. I don't mind him wanting rid of EHD. What I mind is his method. Build him up. Then sell him or loan him. Don't devalue the man, its counter-productive.

It's not exactly like clubs will be all over us to sign him though. They need to know he's available.

The guys a fraud.

Relax. It's only May. We've only just found out who'll be playing in the division.

[Bobby G]

Id be disgusted if we accepted 10m, and disappointed if it was 12m.

At 15m, whilst I wouldnt be happy, Id at least say we got decent money more in line with his value.

[cruz]

In a rational world if Cahill at Bolton is worth £20m then Samba must go for the same.......

[True Blue & White]

You think we should put in a bid for him based on a promising performance?

The time to nab Sinclair was when he was going for £500k whilst at Chelsea, I think many people here wanted us to go for him. The lad's got a lot of talent but will definitely start the season with Swansea. Whatever we (or anyone else) offer Swansea will be drop in the ocean compared to the £90 million windfall from winning that game. Look how Blackpool dug their heels in over Adam - newly promoted clubs have shedloads of money, they don't need to sell.

Sorry but this is misguided. Newly promoted clubs aren't given a lump sum of £90m no matter how much Sky Sports keep saying it during their play off coverage. That figure is made up from the £45m TV money (which all EPL clubs get including us) and the £40m+ they'll earn in parachute payments (or another year's TV money if they stay up); they are not being given anything for free, there is no £90m lump sum or anything we aren't entitled to as well.

[47er]

Relax. It's only May. We've only just found out who'll be playing in the division.

STEP 1-------Its only May----relax!

STEP 2--------season hasn't started yet------relax!

STEP 3------Transfer window isn't closed yet----------relax!

STEP 4-------We've only played 4 games--------relax!

STEP 6--------Give the manager and the new players the chance to gell-------relax!

STEP 7---------I'm not making any judgement till Christmas!

STEP 8---------We're only 6 points from 8th FFS!

STEP 9---------We can't sack him now. Who would take over? It would disrupt the team at a vital time.

Step 10---------Sh**!!!!!!!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Sorry but this is misguided. Newly promoted clubs aren't given a lump sum of £90m no matter how much Sky Sports keep saying it during their play off coverage. That figure is made up from the £45m TV money (which all EPL clubs get including us) and the £40m+ they'll earn in parachute payments (or another year's TV money if they stay up); they are not being given anything for free, there is no £90m lump sum or anything we aren't entitled to as well.

I think the point is that Swansea will have a massive increase in their bank balance. They won't need to let Sinclair go for purely finanacial reasons. If he fancies a move to a bigger club a few could be in for him.

[ROVERS]

STEP 1-------Its only May----relax!

STEP 2--------season hasn't started yet------relax!

STEP 3------Transfer window isn't closed yet----------relax!

STEP 4-------We've only played 4 games--------relax!

STEP 6--------Give the manager and the new players the chance to gell-------relax!

STEP 7---------I'm not making any judgement till Christmas!

STEP 8---------We're only 6 points from 8th FFS!

STEP 9---------We can't sack him now. Who would take over? It would disrupt the team at a vital time.

Step 10---------Sh**!!!!!!!

Brilliant!

But i prefer Step 10 to be ------------ we'll judge them after the transfer window --- Relax