Mounir El Hamadoui

[Lurid Coat]

@CryerRovers

Andrew Cryer

Vedad is defo Kean's man target. He wont be getting both strikers.

22 minutes ago via web

So again we have been led down the garden path with Kean and Co, only one striker coming.

Horrible news if true. Both Benjani and Kalinic need to be replaced, and Roberst should be relegated to the subs' bench or even the stands.

[slough_rover]

What about Kuyt? Scored loads in Holland and has scored plenty in th PL even without playing up front.

Exactly.

[Heinz]

Blackburn have officially approached Ajax to sign El Hamdaoui according to coach Frank de Boer on TV.

[Iceman]

Think that doesn't make sense by Cryer, because Ibisevic is injured. If he is the only striker Kean wants, then Kean should be named the most stupidest manager ever. No way, that we will go out and sign just 1 striker, and that striker being injured

[Nelsta]

Rovers make approach.

[Hekla]

Very nice signing for us if we can sign him. A good scorer in that league and a known name in Europe. If it is a cheap deal then he is ideal.

[Hughesy]

"He must choose" - sounds like the bid is acceptable then.

So thats Ibisevic & El Hamadoui both in talks....G John here for a medical and Vukcevic just awaiting his permit

[XLM]

That was awfully translated. Use Google.

Here is a better translation:

Blackburn Rovers have officially reported at Ajax for Mounir El Hamdaoui. This confirmed Frank de Boer during the Thursday press conference ahead of the home match against Vitesse. Which English club to pay the amount, said De Boer at the center. It is currently debatable whether El Hamdaoui something feels a move to Blackburn. "He must choose," De Boer stressed once again.

[Nelsta]

I used live translator, I just liked the bit about a farmer in the middle.

[Al]

Maybe we are going for two targets so that neither club get too greedy with the transfer fee and will choose the most competitively priced one. Similar with wages. Or am I crediting Kean with too much intelligence to pull a trick like that?

[SamTheShrew]

Why don't we just sign both? Hardly massive cash.

Venky's have promised money for their 'baby' remember

[Daremz]

Mounir El Hamdaoui. As a Dutch Ajax-fan, I think I can give my fair and unbiased opinion on him. There we go:

Mounir would be the best signing of our transfer-period, if we make it. He's quite a character, but if we can keep him in line, you have a brilliant striker. His technique is amazing, his goal-scoring record is decent and he scores absolute cracking goals (although any sort of goals would help us).

Best player to compare him with is probably Berbatov, although he has more pace and less heading-ability. Trust me, Mounir would be very, very welcome. Only reason he must leave Ajax is because he and Frank de Boer (headcoach) dislike each other and are fighting all the time, otherwise he would be the no. 1 striker in the Ajax-squad without a doubt. Mounir is a proud person and therefor sometimes difficult to handle. At Rovers he would be the absolute star, so I don't expect any problems.

So, if we can keep him in line, motivated and fit, he would at least score us 15 goals a season, I'm 100% sure about that. With the pacey Goodwillie around him and JR as a breaking-iron on the bench, we could finally have the strike force we need for survival...

[67splitscreen]

Perhaps an injury to JR may force some additional funding to benefit the 'babies' well-being.

[K-Hod]

Not sure why I'm bothering reply to something made in such a tone, but...

Suarez was proven to be top quality in international football too. Anyone who had spent any time watching Uruguay knew that he was a top quality player.

El Hamdaoui has proven nothing at that level, which has to be worrying since Morocco aren't exactly blessed with great strikers. He shares far more career similarities with the likes of Afonso Alves than he does top quality players like Suarez.

TBH LC, I have just been getting bored with people covering every possible negative angle on a potential signing. Hence the rolling of the eyes.

[Hughesy]

i would stay well clear of him!!!! awful player! my housemate is a huge ajax fan, watches them every match so I usually watch with. El-Hamadoui is the most frustrating player i've seen. All Ajax fans hate the living hell out of him and are wishing he can leave for free even!

Mounir El Hamdaoui. As a Dutch Ajax-fan, I think I can give my fair and unbiased opinion on him. There we go:

Mounir would be the best signing of our transfer-period, if we make it. He's quite a character, but if we can keep him in line, you have a brilliant striker. His technique is amazing, his goal-scoring record is decent and he scores absolute cracking goals (although any sort of goals would help us).

Best player to compare him with is probably Berbatov, although he has more pace and less heading-ability. Trust me, Mounir would be very, very welcome.

Now then which one do we believe??

Daremz apparently ALL AJAX fans hate him?!?!

[EWOODACE1]

why didnt this guy get a chance in the past if he is good.

[Daremz]

Now then which one do we believe??

Daremz apparently ALL AJAX fans hate him?!?!

Most of them do, and that's because his 'faked illness' last year, a result of his conflicts with the manager. The manager won't play him anymore, and as he is a very proud person, the conflict got bigger and bigger. De Boer is an Ajax-icon, therefor fans chose his side, and El Hamdaoui was 'the bad guy'. Ofcourse, his character was and can still be a problem, but as I wrote; as long as we can manage that (difficult, but not impossible), he is our best player by about 20 miles. Look at the first half of last season and you must face the fact that El Hamdaoui was very important to Ajax. Because of the system they play now (4-3-3), he isn't of any use for anyone, quite an easy pick to get frustrated at, as an Ajax-fan, but my opinion is based on his football qualities.

Might eye a little lazy, but believe me, he wins you three or four matches, all because of his great individual talent. As long as we can keep him focussed and sharp, and give him the idea 'he's the man', he'll be absolutely sensational, I'm 100% sure about that. BUY HIM.

[Iceman]

Now then which one do we believe??

Daremz apparently ALL AJAX fans hate him?!?!

the one's location is York, the other Holland. you make your own mind up Hughesy, as to who you would rather go with. While i respect rover1993 or what ever his or her user name is, im of the opinion that Hamdaoui is a very capable striker, who like Daremz, i believe he will score goals for us. Would much rather prefer him than Ibisevic, but it will no doubt be interesting to see who we land up with

[rovers1993]

Hmm, I myself is not a Ajax-fan. I just watch them as my housemate is a huge Ajax fan. I am possibly biased against seeing as my housemate trash talks a crap load about him.

I say it again, I STAND TO BE CORRECTED! I am NOT 100% sure about how good/not good he is. From what I saw, he has qualities but as Daremz say he does have an attitude problem and he doesn't get games anymore for Ajax which is one of the reasons I say stay away from him.

He did also massively flop at Spurs and the Ere Divisie is not a division I hold highly. He only has 5 caps for Morroco also. I admit, the more people talk about him on this forum and the more I hear about him from other people who watches him play also is starting to change my mind now... but I would still go for Ibisevic instead of El Hamdaoui. By far.

@Iceman: Location makes no difference... I am from Bangkok originally, and I go to university in York. I probably get to watch more of Blackburn than half the people on the board. And I get to watch more of Ajax than most also. Cause of all the TV deals in Asia, I get to watch all 380 matches of the EPL season (I mean every single on of them, they show all the early, 3pm and late games, mid week also. LIVE). All champions league. and All the EPL fixture in the FA cup and Carling cup. So I repeat, Distance makes absolutely no difference. When I am in York, I just stream it from the TV channel in Thailand. My housemate has a subscription for Ajax so he watches all their games with me. Pff.

[Daremz]

Do not forget his period in England was 6 years ago, when he was 21. He now is 27 of age, a lot more mature, still a character but face it; we had a few in the past, most of them turned out to be hits (Bellamy, Savage). Ok, some of them weren't (Diouf) and it's a difficult one to predict with our current manager, but still: El Hamdaoui was brilliant in his last 4 seasons in Holland.

One of the most 'underrated super goals' I saw of last season:

And some of his chips:

He has the ability to become a star at Rovers, that's one thing I'm sure of. I really, really hope we get him and that he'll be grateful that we gave him a chance and re-pay us instantly.

[donnermeat]

Because of the system they play now (4-3-3), he isn't of any use for anyone

Is this not the same system as us though? (4-3-3 attacking and 4-5-1 defending) Unless I am misreading your quote. Apologies if I am.

[Daremz]

Is this not the same system as us though? (4-3-3 attacking and 4-5-1 defending) Unless I am misreading your quote. Apologies if I am.

No, absolutely not! Ajax have classic 'wingers' in Boerigter and Sulejmani, who provide crosses to the single striker (Sigthorson). Rovers play way more defending, although I think El Hamdaoui is more suitable in a classic 4-4-2 with through balls from the midfield.

[alexanders]

I see he isnt even on the bench tonight.

[Balwer]

I see he isnt even on the bench tonight.

he's not even in the first squad anymore I understand, he's fallen out with De Boer.

[Daremz]

Correct, he won't play anymore matches for Ajax. Everybody wants him to leave Amsterdam asap. Including me, but only when he's off to Lancashire...! Take this golden oppertunity Rovers!