Chris Samba => Arsenal/Spurs

[Waggy76]

I can't see what the problem is Hughesy. He's a professional footballer and is chasing BOTH money and a club that will achieve better things than the Rovers over the next few years. I have no doubt that he was sold the "Venky Dream" and now realises that it was little more than a pipedream. The glamour, glitz and money of London/Paris or a one way ticket to the Championship with the Rovers? No wonder he wants to get out and I suspect he won't be alone come the summer.

A pretty good summing up Parson ..

[gumboots]

A pretty good summing up Parson ..

I don't have a problem with samba wanting out - I don't think most of us do. However, I do have a problem with his wanting out to QPR for a fee below what he is worth. Even if he's not worth as much as some think he is, he's worth more than QPR are supposed to have bid so far. Agents know what it would take to prise a player away from a club usually and if Samba's agent is worth his salt then he should be persuading potential buyers that his client is worth paying that or pretty close to that for. Then he can go with our best wishes and enjoy the rest of his career. He's good but won't necessarily cut it at a CL club - I remember watching Ciani and thinking he was brilliant but then I saw him in a CL match and he was at fault for 2 of the goals. Samba didn't go last time because the bids from big clubs weren't there and it looks like it's the same story this time. If Redknapp or Wenger or Ancelotti wanted him then they'd get a bid in to test the water at least. so far as we know, that hasn't happened

[Tony Diamond Inc]

Poor Chris!

[FFP83]

I can't see what the problem is Hughesy. He's a professional footballer and is chasing BOTH money and a club that will achieve better things than the Rovers over the next few years. I have no doubt that he was sold the "Venky Dream" and now realises that it was little more than a pipedream. The glamour, glitz and money of London/Paris or a one way ticket to the Championship with the Rovers? No wonder he wants to get out and I suspect he won't be alone come the summer.

Once again your spot on!

Its very simple if you think about it. Just put yourself in Sambas position, go play for a better run club for more money and maybe achieve something, why not?

Remember Samba isnt a Rovers fan like us, its not his dream to play for Rovers, he and many other players before him have used us as a stepping stone to a bigger club and it will continue to happen in the future. Im just happy how well hes done for us in his time here.

As for Cahill etc, his wage demands were so high because he KNEW come the summer when hes a free agent he could demand high wages as Chelsea or any other club wouldnt be paying a transfer fee. So say he was expecting 150k a week in the summer and Chelsea maybe were happy to pay a player of his calibre 100k a week now they have negotiated and met in the middle.

Much like wellbeck, people think its obscene for him to demand 60k a week from united? Well im pretty sure the likes of Wes Brown and John Oshea were on obscene amounts there, higher than 60k at least. Wellbeck is now considered a key squad memeber and starting to break into the England squad so 60k a week isnt unreasonable for a club like United.

[LeChuck]

Good summary Ricky (although don't agree with your wage estimates for Brown and O'Shea).

Jean-Marc Bosman has a lot to answer for.

[Stuart]

Good summary Ricky (although don't agree with your wage estimates for Brown and O'Shea).

Jean-Marc Bosman has a lot to answer for.

Struggling as well, I read a couple of weeks ago. Virtually penniless, "former" alcoholic, whilst players make millions on the back of his contractual test case.

I'd say he's answered plenty.

[bob fleming]

Samba probably wants out for several reasons but quite possibly the biggest one is that the manager of BRFC is a lying, divisive, manipulative sun of a gun of the highest order.

The fact that Kean is prepared to lie about Samba's team mates being injured when they're not, continually backs our absent, silent owners, has a go at the previous (far more successful) manager in the press and calls into question the loyalty and motives of the fans surely won't have gone down well with Samba or any of the players. The fact that the manager buys players he hasn't a clue about also will not have gone un-noticed.

If people want to think that he's jumping ship for money then you can please yourselves, as superbly put earlier in this thread, I'd suggest, just like most of the fans would, that ambition will play a part and that if there was an infrastructure (Board and Management) at the club that Chris could believe in instead of the constant bull and false promises we are all fed he'd be far more inclined to stay. I doubt he's alone in wanting out either.

Having said all that I truly hope he is in a position to tell it like it is when he does leave later this month (looks odds on to me despite what the club say, just too late to spend the money as well, what a shocker ("but what could we do? He was very unprofessional and left us no option in the end, he didn't buy in to what we are trying to do". The fact he's put a transfer request in would surely mean that he isn't entitled to a "loyalty" bonus or they can buy his silence.). He owes us that much.

[John]

it is clear, to me anyway, that Samba has little time for Kean - can also tell he gets naffed off with losing football matches.v

Few weeks back, Clarence Samba, his brother, tweeted "Kean out", says it all.

[beanie]

If he has a good solicitor and those promises of investment etc were made in a meeting with his agent, then I think he could force a move, a verbal agreement which at the time was made to persuade the player to sign, would I feel be legally binding. You sign a contract to purchase something, if its not as described, the contract means bugger all.

If that was the case then all you would need was an agent saying oh yes they said x y and z to us when we signed a contract so its our right to leave cause we have been lied to no contracts would be binding and players could leave as and when they wished.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Samba probably wants out for several reasons but quite possibly the biggest one is that the manager of BRFC is a lying, divisive, manipulative sun of a gun of the highest order.

Oh come on - so why did he previously want to go ?

I believe him when he says he was given false promises - your appraisal of Kean isn't too far off the mark (though I think he has also been led down the same garden path of false promises from our owners as Samba).

But this must all just be an excuse - we have had this same issue during every transfer window.

Having said all that - if he leaves, I do hope Samba comes clean about the goings on at Ewood - but I wouldn't be surprised if they are as anti-Kean as many hope.

[beanie]

Oh come on - so why did he previously want to go ?

I believe him when he says he was given false promises - your appraisal of Kean isn't too far off the mark (though I think he has also been led down the same garden path of false promises from our owners as Samba).

But this must all just be an excuse - we have had this same issue during every transfer window.

Having said all that - if he leaves, I do hope Samba comes clean about the goings on at Ewood - but I wouldn't be surprised if they are as anti-Kean as many hope.

Yeah im not a fan of kean or the venkys but big chris has become a problem every transfer window fair enough if the top clubs were coming in for him but lets face it qpr and there tiny bids should not be enough to make the captain who signed a huge five year contract last jan to phone in sick and refuse to play he can waffle on about ambition all he wants but if qpr are the only ones tony fernandes will take them no further than top half of the prem sorry not good enough.

[bob fleming]

Oh come on - so why did he previously want to go ?

I believe him when he says he was given false promises - your appraisal of Kean isn't too far off the mark (though I think he has also been led down the same garden path of false promises from our owners as Samba).

But this must all just be an excuse - we have had this same issue during every transfer window.

Having said all that - if he leaves, I do hope Samba comes clean about the goings on at Ewood - but I wouldn't be surprised if they are as anti-Kean as many hope.

Ach! Very good point! This is the first time he's put in a transfer request in though.

I'm sure many are anti Kean. Salgado, Roberts, Samba and Keef all training with the ressies and out of the squad? In a relegation battle? The kids have done well but you know as well as I that old heads will be needed come crunch time. It's all about margins, maximise every strength you've got, all pull in the same direction, in it together. Alienate a few, upset the camp. Not good.

[bob fleming]

Beanie - who is your money on to finish higher in the league? Mark Hughes and Tony Fernandes or Steve Kean and Venkys?

[RevidgeBlue]

Well done to Kean and the Club for their current stance that Samba is going nowhere having only signed a lucrative new contract less than a year ago. I hope they stick to the guns on this and don't cave in otherwise they will lose what little credibility they have with much of the fanbase given how adamant the Club are in their stance currently.

As far as Samba is concerned I do feel a little sorry for him, one of my favourite ever Rovers players, the best centre half in the League imo, and unlike say Phil Jones he has given the Club sterling service over a five year period. However no-one forced him to sign a whopping new contract 12 months ago, and presumably his bank account benefitted handsomely as a result. Let's not kid ourselves he signed a new contract because of promises that may or may not have been made to him, he signed it because he was getting a whopping pay rise.

As things stand we desperately need him, he is our player under contract and if we feel like being magnanimous in the summer we can maybe allow him to leave then if he's still of the same mind. Until then like I say I'll be very disappointed if we cave in to him because he's chucked his toys out of the pram (again).

[beanie]

Beanie - who is your money on to finish higher in the league? Mark Hughes and Tony Fernandes or Steve Kean and Venkys?

Fernandes and hughes but are we right to sell important players to clubs just because they might finish a bit higher sorry if you are going to challenge yes if its a middle of the road club no. Should we let players go cause they want to go to somewhere like norwich or swansea cause we think they might finish higher if thats the case might as well run the white flag sell everyone and hope we don't go to the blue square soon. muppet.

[bob fleming]

Fernandes and hughes but are we right to sell important players to clubs just because they might finish a bit higher sorry if you are going to challenge yes if its a middle of the road club no. Should we let players go cause they want to go to somewhere like norwich or swansea cause we think they might finish higher if thats the case might as well run the white flag sell everyone and hope we don't go to the blue square soon. muppet.

"Muppet". Cheers.

No I wouldn't sell him. Then again there's a lot of things I wouldn't have done that have happened over the last 13 months. Will he play tomorrow, or, as he'll no doubt say "we just felt his head wasn't right"? Or dare we not risk an injury? (I don't think Swans or Norwich could afford him or be as attractive long term either btw).

No offence, I'm just calling it differently to you and giving other reasons as to why Samba has done what he's done, possibly out of frustration in how the club is being run.

[beanie]

"Muppet". Cheers.

No I wouldn't sell him. Then again there's a lot of things I wouldn't have done that have happened over the last 13 months. Will he play tomorrow, or, as he'll no doubt say "we just felt his head wasn't right"? Or dare we not risk an injury? (I don't think Swans or Norwich could afford him or be as attractive long term either btw).

No offence, I'm just calling it differently to you and giving other reasons as to why Samba has done what he's done, possibly out of frustration in how the club is being run.

muppet prob a tad harsh but what i'd say is fair enough going to a bigger club challenging for something but not qpr spurs i'd say fair enough but i'd say despite our problems (Kean and venkys by the way) with some of the young players we have we are better than qpr.the last 13 months have been a nightmare but there are a few positives to take and we can stay up as long as we keep players like samba even tho i think his actions have been disgraceful and insulting.

[FFP83]

Well done to Kean and the Club for their current stance that Samba is going nowhere having only signed a lucrative new contract less than a year ago. I hope they stick to the guns on this and don't cave in otherwise they will lose what little credibility they have with much of the fanbase given how adamant the Club are in their stance currently.

As far as Samba is concerned I do feel a little sorry for him, one of my favourite ever Rovers players, the best centre half in the League imo, and unlike say Phil Jones he has given the Club sterling service over a five year period. However no-one forced him to sign a whopping new contract 12 months ago, and presumably his bank account benefitted handsomely as a result. Let's not kid ourselves he signed a new contract because of promises that may or may not have been made to him, he signed it because he was getting a whopping pay rise.

As things stand we desperately need him, he is our player under contract and if we feel like being magnanimous in the summer we can maybe allow him to leave then if he's still of the same mind. Until then like I say I'll be very disappointed if we cave in to him because he's chucked his toys out of the pram (again).

But you do realise he would have still got a "whopping pay rise" whoever he signed for?

I genuinely think he likes our club, we have done a lot for him and ideally I think he would have loved to stay with us with our club going up the table. Thats why the promises of big signings coming in made him sign a long contract. I genuinely believe if we were 9th - 12th now Samba would be happy then next season 6 - 10th he could see things are working. But im pretty sure we have less points now then this time last season? Samba cant see progress, nor can we.

QPR on the other hand are trying to sign the likes of Samba and Onuaha, they are very good signings. IMO they would take QPR in the right direction. One last thing, we wouldnt be having this discussion if Venkys sacked Kean and apointed Hughes.

[FFP83]

muppet prob a tad harsh but what i'd say is fair enough going to a bigger club challenging for something but not qpr spurs i'd say fair enough but i'd say despite our problems (Kean and venkys by the way) with some of the young players we have we are better than qpr.the last 13 months have been a nightmare but there are a few positives to take and we can stay up as long as we keep players like samba even tho i think his actions have been disgraceful and insulting.

Say QPR under Hughes keep finishing 8th - 14th every season and go on good cup runs every now and then, that looks like a more exciting future than ours under Kean plus he gets to live in London.

Their chairman has brought in Joey Barton, SWP, Ferdinand etc already and targeted good players in this window.

Samba probably feels it would be a refreshing change to have a chairman he can trust and who understands football

[Hughesy]

Samba missed training again so he doesnt have to play

FINE HIM!!!

[beanie]

Say QPR under Hughes keep finishing 8th - 14th every season and go on good cup runs every now and then, that looks like a more exciting future than ours under Kean plus he gets to live in London.

Their chairman has brought in Joey Barton, SWP, Ferdinand etc already and targeted good players in this window.

Samba probably feels it would be a refreshing change to have a chairman he can trust and who understands football

Then why was he he looking for a move in previous transfer windows when at the time we where in those magical mid table spots you speak of he was happy to sign his big contract extension but it now looks like qpr will pay him more and he will get a bumper sign on fee don't let it fool you it's all about cash for chris always has been always will be. There can be no way you can spin the captain and so called 100% leader crying off two januarys in a row cause he thinks he's bigger and better than his team mates.

Oh and by the way the only one from barton swp and ferdinand i'd have taken was barton and he comes with a unique set of problems that ment only someone willing to take a risk like qpr could afford to gamble on.

[dubdubdub]

Been a while but I feel like chipping in my coppers' worth.

He has done this every window for the past few seasons so I don't think it's anything related to the club or the position we are in; no more so than it was a few seasons back anyway.

I would be fine with him wanting to leave and would want him to do so if a fair offer came in (£10 million plus) but I can't see any of the big clubs doing so because they don't simply want a great defender these days; they want someone who can defend and play the ball out a little.

Samba is undoubtedly the best in the league on his day at defending but big clubs don't necessarily need that because they don't invite much pressure and so Samba wouldn't be of as much use.

Personally I don't think it's fair of him to expect a move based on a bid worth pittance. Bit more money and i'd like him to have his big chance if it ever arose but I can't see it doing. PSG would be the only club i'd expect a decent bid from.

[beanie]

Been a while but I feel like chipping in my coppers' worth.

He has done this every window for the past few seasons so I don't think it's anything related to the club or the position we are in; no more so than it was a few seasons back anyway.

I would be fine with him wanting to leave and would want him to do so if a fair offer came in (£10 million plus) but I can't see any of the big clubs doing so because they don't simply want a great defender these days; they want someone who can defend and play the ball out a little.

Samba is undoubtedly the best in the league on his day at defending but big clubs don't necessarily need that because they don't invite much pressure and so Samba wouldn't be of as much use.

Personally I don't think it's fair of him to expect a move based on a bid worth pittance. Bit more money and i'd like him to have his big chance if it ever arose but I can't see it doing. PSG would be the only club i'd expect a decent bid from.

I'd sell just to be done with him at the min but not to a relegation rival and certinaly not for 4 mill plus 3 in add ons to be fair when cahill is going in last year of his contract for 7 that figure is not only laughable its downright insulting i'd actually tell them that they should sve money on a phone call/fax paper as i will not be answering anything by them again no matter what they come up with.

[dubdubdub]

I'd sell just to be done with him at the min but not to a relegation rival and certinaly not for 4 mill plus 3 in add ons to be fair when cahill is going in last year of his contract for 7 that figure is not only laughable its downright insulting i'd actually tell them that they should sve money on a phone call/fax paper as i will not be answering anything by them again no matter what they come up with.

My exact feelings towards QPR over the cheek of it. Except i'd have just called them tossers.

I think if Rovers bid £5 million for someone like Defoe (no specific reason why I chose him) we'd get slated but QPR's bids were taken seriously. There was also some degree of acceptance from the media that we would take that.

[DE.]

Samba missed training again so he doesnt have to play

FINE HIM!!!

If he wants to act like a child until the transfer window ends then let him.

If there's one thing we've learned about Venky's it's protests just make them dig their heels in even more. If Samba thinks he's going to get anywhere by refusing to train or play he should probably reassess his plan.