[Archived] Danny Graham Signs

[gumboots]

Hopefully not

surely depends what you're signing him for, how long the deal is etc. As first choice striker no. As a 3rd choice possibly. We're not going to go from what we have now to Messi and Ronaldo. We need to be realistic. We need better first and second choice

[Mattyblue]

We need a better second choice striker than Danny Graham?

Why? Fits the bill for me.

[Darwen Rover 007]

If he can perform like he did the other night on s regular basis then he'll do for me!

[Dean]

surely depends what you're signing him for, how long the deal is etc. As first choice striker no. As a 3rd choice possibly. We're not going to go from what we have now to Messi and Ronaldo. We need to be realistic. We need better first and second choice

He's definitely good enough to be second choice. He'll have plenty of other suitors at this level who will offer him at least that.

I posted this elsewhere, but he's a good goal scorer at this level. This is his record in his five most recent spells in the Championship:

2009-10: 46 (14)

2010-11: 45 (24)

2013-14: 18 (6)

2014-15: 5 (1)

2015-16: 2 (1)

His game is about a lot more than goals though. I really hope he stays for next season. We've got enough positions to fix already without giving ourselves another problem.

[chaddyrovers]

I think Lambert signed Graham with a view to him being his first choice striker next season(and the rest of the season btw).

Lambert was getting his loads of praise on Tuesday night after the game.

Hopefully we sign a quick striker(Wells or Bradshaw) to play with Graham.

I wouldnt be surprise to see Watt sign aswell.

[gumboots]

First choice striker, Chaddy. I hope not. He's not quite prolific enough. Hard working forward yes but we still need a bigger goal threat than he's been in recent years.

[DE.]

Depends on his wage. If he's going beyond the £10k barrier that's simply too much. Anything less and I'd trust Lambert's judgement.

[chaddyrovers]

First choice striker, Chaddy. I hope not. He's not quite prolific enough. Hard working forward yes but we still need a bigger goal threat than he's been in recent years.

But for me Graham should be be scoring at least 10/12 goals a season.

Thats why I suggestion a striker like Wells or Bradshaw. Pacey striker.

But we need 4 strikers next season. I expect both Graham and Watt to sign permanent here in the summer. Wouldnt surprise if Lambert sign Brown for another season in the summer

[Lancaster Rover]

I'm not sure where this idea that Bradshaw is rapid comes from. Bradshaw isn't that quick. He's not slow but he's certainly not going to be blazing past defenders. Wells however, is.

[Amo]

Depends on his wage. If he's going beyond the £10k barrier that's simply too much. Anything less and I'd trust Lambert's judgement.

Wasn't Graham on £35k at Sunderland?

Can't see him taking that much of a wage-cut to sign here.

[allanncd]

Wasn't Graham on £35k at Sunderland?

Can't see him taking that much of a wage-cut to sign here.

He might have no choice. Unlikely that any PL club will give that kind of money to a 31 year old with a poor PL scoring record.

[DE.]

Wasn't Graham on £35k at Sunderland?

Can't see him taking that much of a wage-cut to sign here.

Neither can I, but it's the only way I'd want him signing permanently.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

But for me Graham should be be scoring at least 10/12 goals a season.

Thats why I suggestion a striker like Wells or Bradshaw. Pacey striker.

But we need 4 strikers next season. I expect both Graham and Watt to sign permanent here in the summer. Wouldnt surprise if Lambert sign Brown for another season in the summer

I thought there was already an agreement to buy Watt in the summer (vague recollection of seeing something when he signed on loan). I am amazed that people wouldn't sign Graham - granted not on Premiership wages - but he is a definite upgrade on what we have. His all-round game is a significant improvement on what Rhodes offered - only time will tell if he can be as prolific - but personally I don't feel he has to be, as he adds far more to the team overall. I do agree that we need a pacy striker - I think Jackson has shown what a difference having that option makes.

[Pedro]

Depends on his wage. If he's going beyond the £10k barrier that's simply too much. Anything less and I'd trust Lambert's judgement.

I think you'd be very surprised how much an average Championship player is on. Keep in mind that Koita was on 10k a week and he came from some lower league French team.

[AllRoverAsia]

We are out of FUP so the 10K barrier is history. If Graham signs permanently a guess would be 20K pw but happy to be corrected. He's not wanted at Sunderland and doesn't want to go back there and out of contract soon anyway and will struggle to get a PL gig so I'm not surprised that he would be happy to stay at Rovers. I think he's a hard working honest footballer who can serve us well - as prolific as the previous striker? no need to wait............. he will not be......and it may be some time before we again see an almost guaranteed 20 plus goals per season from ONE player at Ewood.

[roversoutsider]

The question is, is Graham the best we can get on those kind of wages? He has no resale value as well.

[DE.]

I think you'd be very surprised how much an average Championship player is on. Keep in mind that Koita was on 10k a week and he came from some lower league French team.

Paying £10k p/w for Koita was ridiculous, let's be clear on that. It's not a comparison point worth making.

Ipswich don't have a single player on anything over £10k p/w and they're in roughly the same amount of debt as us. It won't take much for us to fall back into an embargo if we start splurging wages on ex-Premier League players after one last pay day, and do we really want to increase the speed with which we're piling up debt? Putting Graham on £20k p/w, as an example, would assumedly make him much better paid than the majority of our squad. Do we really want to go down the route of having certain players earning much more than others? It can only breed resentment, and if team harmony is what Lambert is going for it can't be allowed to happen.

[allanncd]

Paying £10k p/w for Koita was ridiculous, let's be clear on that. It's not a comparison point worth making.

Ipswich don't have a single player on anything over £10k p/w and they're in roughly the same amount of debt as us. It won't take much for us to fall back into an embargo if we start splurging wages on ex-Premier League players after one last pay day, and do we really want to increase the speed with which we're piling up debt? Putting Graham on £20k p/w, as an example, would assumedly make him much better paid than the majority of our squad. Do we really want to go down the route of having certain players earning much more than others? It can only breed resentment, and if team harmony is what Lambert is going for it can't be allowed to happen.

As he is out of contract he will expect a sizeable signing-on fee that might cushion the disappointment of being on "only" £15k plus bonuses.

[Baz]

He's on a free, so theres a bit more leeway for wages, Id be surprised if we don't sign him, if he doesn't get a better offer.

[Pedro]

Paying £10k p/w for Koita was ridiculous, let's be clear on that. It's not a comparison point worth making.

Ipswich don't have a single player on anything over £10k p/w and they're in roughly the same amount of debt as us. It won't take much for us to fall back into an embargo if we start splurging wages on ex-Premier League players after one last pay day, and do we really want to increase the speed with which we're piling up debt? Putting Graham on £20k p/w, as an example, would assumedly make him much better paid than the majority of our squad. Do we really want to go down the route of having certain players earning much more than others? It can only breed resentment, and if team harmony is what Lambert is going for it can't be allowed to happen.

I think the naff we could only sign for sub-10k a week should tell us all how ridiculously high a lot of bog - standard players are paid. Any established Rovers player will be on much more than ten grand a week. It is frightening really.

[riverside returns]

It does appear that when owners start talking football, the commercial brains go south. It is time to create a wage cap relevant to each league in order to get sense back into it. This would mean that players would really play for a manager and a club as against the financial benefit of being there.

[DE.]

I think the naff we could only sign for sub-10k a week should tell us all how ridiculously high a lot of bog - standard players are paid. Any established Rovers player will be on much more than ten grand a week. It is frightening really.

I'd agree there, that's why we need to be smart, and why having an experienced manager like Lambert is so important. There's no chance we would have been signing the likes of Koita for £10k p/w if PL had been in charge over the summer.

[Dean]

He's on a free, so theres a bit more leeway for wages, Id be surprised if we don't sign him, if he doesn't get a better offer.

Generally free transfers command higher wages, they play on the fact that there is no transfer fee involved.

[Baz]

Generally free transfers command higher wages, they play on the fact that there is no transfer fee involved.

That was my point.

[Dean]

That was my point.

Ah, sorry. I thought you meant leeway for us to negotiate downwards.