[Archived] January Transfer Deadline day

[arbitro]

Don't understand why everyone keeps saying Neil informed the Club well in advance he wouldn't be signing a new contract, he did nothing of the sort. If he had have done there wouldn't have been a lucrative new deal waiting on the table for him for months. He said nothing either way, keeping his options open, waiting to see who offered him the most money, then left us in the lurch at the last minute.

If he'd shown a bit of loyalty towards us and signed a new deal, it wouldn't have stopped him going anywhere else but we'd have received a proper fee. Compare his attitude with RSC who surely knew he was leaving sooner rather than later but nevertheless did the right thing by us by signing a new deal enabling us to extract a whopping 16m fee from Citeh.

We weren't good enough for Neil in his eyes at the time, now no-one else will have him, not even at J League standard, he's come crawling out from under his rock. We should despatch him back there forthwith. He's a parasitic scumbag imo.

He did what the majority of people would have done and waited for the best offer and the club were aware of this. His didn't see his contract out - he left in January. West Ham reportedly paid £1.5m for him when if he had waited until the summer he could have gone for free and probably had a slice of that fee for himself. Who can blame him for looking after himself and getting the most money anybody was prepared to pay him.

Too much taking of moral high ground on here.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/1052216.Hughes_warns_rivals_over_restless_Neill/

[Neal]

I think Lucas is behind a few targets that Bowyer may have in mind for the loan window. If we don't get those then I think he'll sign him up.

[Atomicrover]

He broke Jamie Carragher's leg, and wasn't he involved in injuries on Babbel, Cissé and/or Baros as well?

I think Cisse was being pursued by Jay McEverly when his studs seemed to stick in the ground just as he was letting fly at goal. Sorry - my point being I dont recall McEverly actually fouling him, but it certainly wasn't our Aussie chum (other side of pitch at the time)

[Guest Norbert]

I thought Cisse broke his leg against us twice over a period of 2 or 3 seasons. Once may have been from Neill, but I can't remember.

[tomphil]

Neil's most recent C.V. (According to Wiki)

19/08/11 joins Al Jazira in the UAE. Released 02/06/12

Aug 2012 joins AL Wasi. Released Jan 2013

Feb 2013 joins Sydney - plays 4 games only

Aug 2013 signs 4 month deal with Omiya Ardija in Japanese J League - Released Nov 2013.

Offers services to all Australian A League Clubs but receives no offers.

That clearly shows he isn't up to it anymore, nowhere near the standard we'd require in this division. A complete step in the wrong direction yet the misty eyes all seem to ignore those facts.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

As has been mentioned, if he'd never played for us everyone would be in uproar about this potential move, and rightly so.

[Mani]

Don't understand why everyone keeps saying Neil informed the Club well in advance he wouldn't be signing a new contract, he did nothing of the sort. If he had have done there wouldn't have been a lucrative new deal waiting on the table for him for months. He said nothing either way, keeping his options open, waiting to see who offered him the most money, then left us in the lurch at the last minute.

If he'd shown a bit of loyalty towards us and signed a new deal, it wouldn't have stopped him going anywhere else but we'd have received a proper fee. Compare his attitude with RSC who surely knew he was leaving sooner rather than later but nevertheless did the right thing by us by signing a new deal enabling us to extract a whopping 16m fee from Citeh.

We weren't good enough for Neil in his eyes at the time, now no-one else will have him, not even at J League standard, he's come crawling out from under his rock. We should despatch him back there forthwith. He's a parasitic scumbag imo.

Do you actually KNOW any of what you have written? Because I don't and i am in a privileged position in terms of having access to some info..

[K-Hod]

Do you actually KNOW any of what you have written? Because I don't and i am in a privileged position in terms of having access to some info..

Any danger of you enlightening us??

[Jimmy612]

Neill set for Blackburn departure - August 4th 2006

Australian defender Lucas Neill wants to leave Blackburn.

The 28-year-old, reported to be a target for Tottenham, has one year remaining on his current contract and has rejected the offer of a new deal.

"They have made an offer which Lucas has declined - he is not going to be signing a new contract at Blackburn," said Neill's agent Peter Harrison.

"He has enjoyed his time there, he loves the club and the fans, he just feels it is time for a change."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackburn_rovers/5246524.stm

Well that puts that one to bed then.

Well done Amo

[Baz]

How about a poll, on Lucas Neill?

Im guessing that Bowyers comments are aimed at gauge-ing the reaction of the fans, a poll may answer that.

[Mani]

At the start of the Jan I told you that Dann was leaving and that Kilgallon had been bought prematurely in the summer to replace him....

The Lucas Neill thing came just after but before anything was reported. It was genuinely a hunch. I knew that they were desperate for more experience in the rank and that they concentrate heavily on personalities...this targeting people who they know.

It seemed fairly natural tbh. Shorty is mates with Lucas and both he and GB will know the script in terms of Neills qualities. He has vast experience (tick), will be cheap (tick), no fee (tick) and wants to play well to go to the WC (tick)... It actually just made sense tbf...

This hunch has developed but ultimately it will prob depend on whether he's still good enough to do a job..

What you have to remember is that Lucas was one of the first relatively high profile players to run his contract down causing uproar at the time. The article posted above proves that he actually dealt with it as well as he could at the time..I don't remember him EVER pulling out of a challenge do you? Or giving less than 100% on the pitch? Do fans hate Jr Hoilett as much? How diff was his situ? He left a badly sinking ship and we got a fraction of the fee we deserved...

I'm not sticking up for Lucas Neill..just trying to put some perspective on it.

But there you go...it was a hunch based on what I know they want..now it seems more and more likely. I trust Bowyer so if it's good enough for him then it's good enough for me!

[Jim Royle]

Do you actually KNOW any of what you have written? Because I don't and i am in a privileged position in terms of having access to some info..

Best no to take Rev too seriously.... He has an opinion and then twists the, ahem, "facts" to suit his tale.

[Doug]

Always liked Lucas, 100% commitment, no nonsense player. He left us....wow, how many have over the years!! Some Rovers fans need to get over themselves, if he's good enough, cheap enough and wants to play then why not.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Not that I'm advocating him or anything but did anyone else see an episode of the Fantasy Football Club, when someone put Lucas Neill in their best 11 players they've ever played with after playing together at West Ham?

I can't remember who it was but the main reason was because he had such a tremendous influence on the dressing room at that time. I'll try and find out who it was and what was said.

[thenodrog]

He broke Jamie Carragher's leg, and wasn't he involved in injuries on Babbel, Cissé and/or Baros as well?

Thats the popular myth. He went in hard one foot to take the ball and the other tucked under his leading with his knee at a right angle. His toe on his trailing leg then connected with Carraghers leg and resulted in a cracked bone. Completely accidental unless you want to believe that French gobshite Gerrard Houllier.

I've no recollection of an incident with Babbel but the other two were again completely accidental, Baros broke his leg in the same match whilst under pressure from Berg but freakishly Berg was a good yard away from him when it snapped. As for Cisse his leg snapped whilst being challenged by McElvey..... again it was a freak break and no blame was ever attached to it.... except that it was against us at Ewood!

The fact that everytime a Livvie player broke his leg that it was against us has resulted in more stupid press / media based myth..... just like the furore they whipped up when RVP ran full tilt into Todd's elbow.

The press are ignorant, inglorious, agenda'd keans when one of their percious big clubs suffers a misfortune of any king.

[thenodrog]

That suggests he is sh_t to my eyes.

That suggests to me that he wanted too m uch bunce.

No disrespect on your ability to judge a player simply by vague reports in the press Norbert but if Bowyer thinks he's OK after watching him for a month or so at first hand then it's OK by me.

[Leonard Venkhater]

That suggests to me that he wanted too m uch bunce.

No disrespect on your ability to judge a player simply by vague reports in the press Norbert but if Bowyer thinks he's OK after watching him for a month or so at first hand then it's OK by me.

If he does turn out to be fit enough, I would be delighted.Much needed experience and steel.

[thenodrog]

That clearly shows he isn't up to it anymore, nowhere near the standard we'd require in this division. A complete step in the wrong direction yet the misty eyes all seem to ignore those facts.

Bowyer and Shorts misty eyes included in your assessment are they?

Do you actually KNOW any of what you have written? Because I don't and i am in a privileged position in terms of having access to some info..

Popular myth abounds on here mani. Don't you know that if you say something often enough it becomes fact?

[tomphil]

Bowyer and Shorts misty eyes included in your assessment are they?

Popular myth abounds on here mani. Don't you know that if you say something often enough it becomes fact?

There is always a jobs for the boys element to any managers reign. IF i thought for one min that he could play similar to the way he used to i'd have no probs if they gave him a try and modest pay. Everything points to he can't.

[thenodrog]

There is always a jobs for the boys element to any managers reign. IF i thought for one min that he could play similar to the way he used to i'd have no probs if they gave him a try and modest pay. Everything points to he can't.

Can Dunny play like he used to?

If Neill could play like he used to he'd be snapped up by a Prem club and we'd have no chance of signing him. Neither the team nor Lucas are of Prem quality. Rem we are looking for cheap cover with quality.

[CapeTownRover]

if we have any ambition of getting into the players, then we need a much more solid defender coming in. Dawson would be ideal, but i cant see that happening. Neill will be okay, but with a tough run in to the end, can he keep up with the pace? we need to be alot more resolute in these last few games, but if we have a slow past his sell by date Neill, then its going to be tough work. irrespective whether we bring Neill in, we still need a genuine replacement for Dann

meant to say play offs not players

[jonv]

Bringing Neill has the smell of Robbie Fowler all over again

I'd like to be proved wrong, but there's a reason he's been shipped around nonchalant clubs the past few years - he simply doesn't have the legs to be competing in the higher leagues anymore.

If we're looking for experience and he's the right fit, a coaching role at the club for sure, why not!

As to who to bring in as cover? Not a clue

[thenodrog]

You say that but have you seen him in training at Brockhall jonv? That is the only relevent issue to this entire debate.

Another relevent issue here is that we all rem Neill as a full back not a CH. Pace and mobility is far more important for a full back than for a CH where strength and physicallity is a greater requirement. Providing they are big enough for the role then moving inside can add a couple of years to a players career. I'd imagine Spurr will be one to move inside as he gets older whereas the likes of Kane and Henley aren't tall enough.

[Jimmy612]

You say that but have you seen him in training at Brockhall jonv? That is the only relevent issue to this entire debate.

Another relevent issue here is that we all rem Neill as a full back not a CH. Pace and mobility is far more important for a full back than for a CH where strength and physicallity is a greater requirement. Providing they are big enough for the role then moving inside can add a couple of years to a players career. I'd imagine Spurr will be one to move inside as he gets older whereas the likes of Kane and Henley aren't tall enough.

Probably the most important aspect would be the ability to read the game well. Can't remember is Neill was particularly decent at that or not? Great centre halves who lack pace (Terry etc) can all read a game supremely well which is why they never usually get caught out. Terry's positioning, particularly when defending crosses and balls into the box is incredibly good too which has helped him a lot.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Probably the most important aspect would be the ability to read the game well. Can't remember is Neill was particularly decent at that or not? Great centre halves who lack pace (Terry etc) can all read a game supremely well which is why they never usually get caught out. Terry's positioning, particularly when defending crosses and balls into the box is incredibly good too which has helped him a lot.

I am fairly sure he played centre half at World Cup level? That has to be worth something in terms of reading a game. It is all down to his fitness in my view.