Nzonzi off?

[The Rover of Finland]

Will he play if he is still here in September?

[Pedro]

Bellamy for McCarthy.

Bellamy was a far better player but Benni was quite good when he be bothered. We've had some good strikers at Rovers.

[bennyboyt11]

We've also had some imposters such as Grabbi and Kalinic.

[budha]

Will he play if he is still here in September?

That's the nightmare scenario after he's been put to the dog house. Come September first, he's missed almost the whole preseason (with the first team) and is miles away from match fitness. It would take probably whole of September to get him back to speed, if he and Kean wants him to be considered again for the first team action. Even "pensioner"-Pedersen, who's apparently transfer listed, gets minutes in the pre-season so he'll be fit if we can't get rid..

[bluebruce]

Don't want to get into this debate again, and I won't, but I rated Kalinic and felt he deserved runs in the team at times but then was suddenly dropped, hence never finding his feet. Grabbi was very poor though.

[braddock]

To be honest, the one this regime has been good at it's leaving players out of the squad, so I don't think getting him up to speed would necessarily be a problem.

Don't want to get into this debate again, and I won't, but I rated Kalinic and felt he deserved runs in the team at times but then was suddenly dropped, hence never finding his feet. Grabbi was very poor though.

He may have been decent playing two up top. He didn't fit into Allardyce's way and didn't show enough to warrant not being sold when the money was offered.

I certainly wouldn't mention his name alongside Grabbi though.

[bennyboyt11]

In terms of bang for bucks I think he's the same as Grabbi.

However in fairness, he's done ok at Dnipro so far so it could well of been a different story had we been playing a different system at the time.

[braddock]

Those players need confidence and a partner up front with them. He didn't belong in the team with the way it was set up. He came awful close an awful lot of times, showing there was potential there, but it just doesn't cut it to be a nearly man for too long. Grabbi's only closeness to glory, outside of his goals, was a perfectly good goal chalked out against United. He can't use that to excuse his other performances. Kalinic's seventy two woodwork hits back him a little.

[forumquizmaster]

Don't want to get into this debate again, and I won't, but I rated Kalinic and felt he deserved runs in the team at times but then was suddenly dropped, hence never finding his feet. Grabbi was very poor though.

I agree with this bit - he was like Bambi on ice half the time. It was a miracle we got our money back on him. Granted, we've had worse since (Modeste).

[bluebruce]

In terms of bang for bucks I think he's the same as Grabbi.

Are you kidding? 13 goals in 52 games for Kalinic, 2 in 30 for Grabbi. And Grabbi cost almost a million more, whilst we got pretty much all our money back on Kalinic. They're as far apart as Kalinic is from being Rooney. In fairness to Grabbi, he actually had a rare debilitating foot disease for years whilst he was with us, that we never knew about.

[Hughesy]

Will he play if he is still here in September?

Nope, but lets keep him anyway so his sulky attitude can rub off on everyone else

[Taggart]

Nope, but lets keep him anyway so his sulky attitude can rub off on everyone else

Completely agree with you; it was terrible seeing that attitude end of last season (and during the season) - I wanted to reach out and give him a big slap and remind him how much it mena sto us fans, for someone to wear our badge and represent the club on the pitch.

[Jeru tha Damaja]

In terms of bang for bucks I think he's the same as Grabbi.

However in fairness, he's done ok at Dnipro so far so it could well of been a different story had we been playing a different system at the time.

If we were looking at signing Kalinic today people would whinge because a goal every other game in the Ukrainian league proves nothing.

[bennyboyt11]

Are you kidding? 13 goals in 52 games for Kalinic, 2 in 30 for Grabbi. And Grabbi cost almost a million more, whilst we got pretty much all our money back on Kalinic. They're as far apart as Kalinic is from being Rooney. In fairness to Grabbi, he actually had a rare debilitating foot disease for years whilst he was with us, that we never knew about.

I take it back, that's mental.

[Baz]

If we were looking at signing Kalinic today people would whinge because a goal every other game in the Ukrainian league proves nothing.

I'd whine because he's not good enough.

[roverandout]

n'zonzi linked with fulham in the daily mail

[allanncd]

N'Zonzi is an utter disgrace for his effective refusal to play. This type of behaviour is spreading and it is long overdue for the PFA to have something to say on the subject - but I'm not holding my breath on that one. Players expect to be paid even when they contribute nothing for years (take a bow, Grella) but think it's ok to put their personal ambition above the contract they were happy to sign.

[Hekla]

Get rid of this idiot as soon as possible. Another one with modern player syndrome.

[roverandout]

im with n'zonzi all the way if its anything to do with kean

[Eddie]

I'm not. He's receiving his salary, so he should be available to play and be fully committed.

[roverandout]

if it was a bust-up with the 'manager' that caused him not wanting to play then i know which side i am on eddie

[Stuart]

I'm not. He's receiving his salary, so he should be available to play and be fully committed.

Has history taught us nothing? After Nelsen, Roberts and Salgado. People are still willing to take the club's side of the story and not give the player the benefit of any doubt.

[Hughesy]

Stuart with those mentioned....Nelsen & Salgado especially you could see it was the manager.

Roberts was always shaking his head and moaning if subbed, and NZonzis poor attutiude has been clear to see on many occassions. Yes he might have had a bust up with the manager, but he has always had a sulky attitude. Wasnt it Sam who slagged him once about getting too big for his boots with his ego?

[Damien]

If the club had been relegated with EVERY Player trying his hardest then fair enough but we got relegated with players sulking and refusing to play... Even with Keans bad tactics and inept managerial skills you have to be annoyed at the zonz!

[Hughesy]

If the club had been relegated with EVERY Player trying his hardest then fair enough but we got relegated with players sulking and refusing to play... Even with Keans bad tactics and inept managerial skills you have to be annoyed at the zonz!

Spot on - yes the manager is shocking....

But any other relegation, some of these players would have been slated and probably had the old 'your not fit to wear the shirt' sung at them.