[Archived] Rhodes To Boro

[sharpysharps]

So am I correct in assuming that in fact there are no more developments yet today?

Nothing so far. Looking at the current odds Rhodes is 10/11 to sign for Boro but the exact same odds to stay at Rovers.

[Hasta]

Err, Rhodes came to see Lambert and asked to speak to ' Boro. Not the other way round. Let's not rewrite history in this.

Did he? How do we know this?

I'm guessing Rhodes has been 'speaking ' to Boro unofficially via Agnew all season although obviously not clearly enough.

Boro will have had to resubmit a bid at which point Rovers / Lambert could have said no. However Lambert will have said yes.

[sharpysharps]

From Twitter page TransferCentre9

Sheffield Wednesday look to swoop for Blackburn Rovers forward Jordan Rhodes with a bid around £11Mil #swfc #brfc

That would be a crazy one, considering Sheff Wed have less chance of promotion. If that happens then I suppose the bridges have well and truly been burnt.

[islander200]

Not going on about it as it's boring to everyone. But last point is it's rarely paid in full and more often than not by the buying club.

And a few others on here agree with me.

BackTracking big time.This all started because yesterday in your first post on this matter you claimed rovers would have to pay up his contract.Then you moved on to say that we would come to an agreement and only pay him a percentage.Now it's the buying club who will pay him this in the form of a signing on fee.Just admit you are wrong.

[Giant]

All this looks like to me is another in the endless list of spivs (aka agents) screwing over not so bright individuals (aka footballers) and football clubs (aka financial black holes). Gibson looks like he's bucked the trend for his club, good on him.

[jim mk2]

From Twitter page TransferCentre9

Sheffield Wednesday look to swoop for Blackburn Rovers forward Jordan Rhodes with a bid around £11Mil #swfc #brfc

Wednesday are more skint than us so it's unlikely. Why bother with these tuppence halfpenny websites ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Did he? How do we know this?

I'm guessing Rhodes has been 'speaking ' to Boro unofficially via Agnew all season although obviously not clearly enough.

Boro will have had to resubmit a bid at which point Rovers / Lambert could have said no. However Lambert will have said yes.

Because Lambert has said so. Do you think he's lying ? Nobody else involved has contradicted his account of affairs.

[Jimmy612]

Radio Lancs interview with Lambert where he says "the club should have done it (see Jordan) a couple of years ago to rebuild"

Starts talking about Rhodes half way through/

https://audioboom.com/boos/4126169-it-s-good-to-come-here-and-win-lambert-delighted-with-onerovers-facup-progression

I've been saying it's our only option since about 2013, whilst getting repeatedly slaughtered on here for doing so. Lambert says it once and everybody (but the ones who stubbornly refuse to admit they were wrong) suddenly agrees.

[Speedie Dived]

BackTracking big time.This all started because yesterday in your first post on this matter you claimed rovers would have to pay up his contract.Then you moved on to say that we would come to an agreement and only pay him a percentage.Now it's the buying club who will pay him this in the form of a signing on fee.Just admit you are wrong.

Tried my best to explain it to you and you are not grasping it/believing it.

Have a look at The Secret Footballer if you don't believe me. Enjoy.

[Mani]

Has he?

I'm not aware of any evidence that Rhodes has been anything other than 100% committed to BRFC up until Middlesbrough's bid in the summer. In the summer of 2014 he willingly signed up for another 2 years at the club, committing himself until 2019 despite us being nowhere near promotion in his 2 seasons up to that point.

Soon after he extended his contract there was the very public Hull City transfer fiasco, when Rovers (Bowyer and Shaw) had basically accepted a bid and had all the wheels in motion to transfer Rhodes to a Premier League side, until at the very last minute Venkys pulled the plug on the whole thing by rejecting Hull's bid and releasing a statement setting out their intention to keep Rhodes here. At that point Rhodes could have kicked off, he could have made statements or submitted a transfer request, yet did none. He got his head down, was available for selection and if i remember correctly put in a fantastic performance against Bournemouth the following Saturday.

There's no evidence I've ever seen that anyone else made a bid in the summer of 2014 or January 2015 or that Rhodes was angling for a move at any stage.

Last summer there was nothing from Rhodes until the Middlesbrough bid came in. Rhodes made it known that he wanted to discuss a move to Middlesbrough, but didn't feign injury, didn't submit a transfer request and didn't muck Rovers about in any form. He accepted the clubs decision, frustrating as it might have been for him, and got down to work, setting off the season as the league's highest goalscorer.

Then Middlesbrough have come back in. Lambert asked if he wanted to speak to them. Rhodes has probably realised that Lambert isn't his biggest fan and sees a chance to transfer to a club favourites for promotion rather than fighting relegation with a club where the manager might not want him anyway. I don't blame him for that. Once again, he hasn't pressured the club, he hasn't tried to force them to sell him, he hasnt submitted a transfer request and I'm sure he'll be fit and available for selection on Saturday if he's still here by then. If he was that determined to leave Rovers he could have waived some bonuses to ensure the move was completed smoothly.

I think Rhodes needs to release a joint statement with the manager if he doesn't leave tomorrow.

But I think it's unfair to portray him as someone who has been angling for a move for ages. He fancied going to Boro in the summer, yet since then has worked hard and scored 11 goals for a poor side.

The last paragraph made me laugh...

How can it be unfair when it's a fact!? He actually has been angling for a move for over 12 months. He went public with this in the summer...

And the fact that managed to 'knuckle down' and bag a few goals on £40k a week should not placate our fan base...or manager for that matter.

Let me ask this question...how easy does anyone believe it is to implement new ideas when an influential member of your team has publicly stated his lack of commitment to your cause? No matter how much he subsequently 'knuckles down' the effect on the group and the club / company is huge.

Radio Lancs interview with Lambert where he says "the club should have done it (see Jordan) a couple of years ago to rebuild"

Starts talking about Rhodes half way through/

https://audioboom.com/boos/4126169-it-s-good-to-come-here-and-win-lambert-delighted-with-onerovers-facup-progression

Again....just telling the truth.

[Jimmy612]

Have you been on glue tonight jimmy? I know you can't stand Rhodes

Turns out neither can Lambert then, Simon because effectively he's said exactly what I have been explaining for 2 and a half years now - the ludicrous wage Rhodes is on PLUS any transfer fee (which by the way was thought to be more than this 6 months or so ago) could help us to perform desperately needed surgery on this squad. It's common sense and basic football knowledge I'd have thought.

[Mani]

Turns out neither can Lambert then, Simon because effectively he's said exactly what I have been explaining for 2 and a half years now - the ludicrous wage Rhodes is on PLUS any transfer fee (which by the way was thought to be more than this 6 months or so ago) could help us to perform desperately needed surgery on this squad. It's common sense and basic football knowledge I'd have thought.

I don't think it's personal. Rhodes is apparently a nice bloke. But you can't build a team based on a 'team' ethic when you have want away players. Simple.

[jim mk2]

Turns out neither can Lambert then, Simon because effectively he's said exactly what I have been explaining for 2 and a half years now - the ludicrous wage Rhodes is on PLUS any transfer fee (which by the way was thought to be more than this 6 months or so ago) could help us to perform desperately needed surgery on this squad. It's common sense and basic football knowledge I'd have thought.

Rhodes's wages are one of the main reasons I think we're keen to get rid. He's probably the last of the (very) high earners from the hangover of our PL departure and the club want him off the books. His wages probably made Gibson blush too.

[J*B]

Betting just gone from 10/11 to suspended on Boro signing Rhodes.

[Jimmy612]

I don't think it's personal. Rhodes is apparently a nice bloke. But you can't build a team based on a 'team' ethic when you have want away players. Simple.

My quote about two and a half years ago was 'he's the cherry on the top of a cake made of sawdust'. To this day that is still the most accurate analogy I can think of. In fact, a friend asked me to contribute to a blog he was writing back in 2013. Here is what I wrote way back when;

Jordan Rhodes is a goal scorer, a complete natural inside the penalty area. His two goals against Barnsley were both beautifully taken. His qualities are obvious for all to see, but equally so are the flaws in his game.

As 4-5-1 and 4-2-3-1 formations continue to overshadow the dated 4-4-2, the importance for a striker to be more than just goals becomes increasingly prominent. He must be able to do at least one of two things: Be strong enough and good enough aerially to challenge the centre halves, providing knock downs, retaining possession, allowing the No.10 to find pockets of space and dictate play. Alternatively he should be able to provide an outlet down the two flanks, stretching the play, and allowing the three attacking midfielders the opportunity get forward and support the attack.

It was blindingly obvious last year that Jordan Rhodes lacks the ability to do either of those tasks. The ‘un-pretty’ side of his game is extremely weak. How many times did we get dominated from start to finish by sides because we could not keep hold of the ball? How many times did we get pushed further and further back because at no point was there any outlet to relieve the defence, or to give the midfield the opportunity to face the oppositions goal. Far too often Rhodes disappears for long periods of a game. Yes he might be living off scraps and chasing balls down the flank, but unfortunately a lone striker is required to do those unselfish tasks for the benefit of the team.

This summer we have spent the entire transfer window, ducking and diving, and scraping the bottom of a very empty barrel. The squad was in serious need of overhaul, a fresh start. We have had to battle the foul remnants of the previous regime, mutually terminating contracts by the bucket load. Gary Bowyer has done some decent business, bringing a balance and a work ethic back to a terrible squad. But at the end of this season where will we be? My optimistic guess would be no higher than 12^th position.

Are we once again going to gamble our Championship status on Rhodes scoring 27 or more goals? What if he doesn’t? He scored two lovely goals against a woeful Barnsley side that were down to ten men, but in the three games previous he had been a virtual passenger. We are in serious danger of placing all of our eggs into one Jordan Rhodes shaped basket….again.

I don’t think there is a single Blackburn Rovers fan out there who would sacrifice Rhodes without the promise that the money would be properly re-invested. Not one of us would say ‘we can afford to lose him because we have better options in the squad.’ What some of us would say however, is that sometimes you have to sacrifice a player for the benefit of the team.

Could we sell Rhodes for the £8m that we paid for him? Would Gary Bowyer be granted permission to spend the money? Are Huddersfield Town owed £5.5million, and would they be entitled to it immediately, leaving us with little or no money for squad improvement? Does Bowyer have adequate replacements lined up? Do we even trust him to spend such wealth sensibly? If the answer to any of those questions is no, then Jordan Rhodes should remain a Blackburn Rovers player, at least until January. If however, Bowyer was allowed the opportunity to re-invest that money and make 3 or 4 good quality signings, would it be possible to improve the Blackburn squad? I 100% believe that it would.

Mikey wanted this to be a clear divide, a yes or no as to whether we should sell Jordan Rhodes. But this is not a black and white situation; there are numerous pitfalls and endless hours of debate to be had. What I do ask is that you take off those Blue and White spectacles, withdraw your membership from the ‘Jordan Rhodes Walks on Water Society’ and begin to see him for what he is; a talented finisher with very few additional attributes to benefit our team.

Can we continue to rely on his goals to keep us up whilst the rest of the squad is still in need of a serious makeover? Or do we take the cash and spend it wisely to create a strong, organised, quality side, capable of pushing for promotion?

Oh and by the way….. Last season Cardiff blew the Championship away, scoring 72 goals. A total bettered only by Watford and Crystal Palace. Their top scorers were Heidar Helguson, Peter Whittingham, and Aron Gunnarson, all with 8 goals. Heidar Helguson made 27 starts and 11 substitute appearances that season. But his ability to play as a lone striker was vital to the success of by far and away the best side in the Championship. They built a strong, aggressive side, capable of coping with the physical side of the Championship.

[punerover]

It will be interesting to see who blinks first.

1. Will rovers accept a lower valuation of Rhodes? We surely need the money.

2. Will Boro accept Rhodes demands? If they wanted to, they would have already done that, unless they were banking on getting someone else today.

3. Will Rhodes now accept a "lesser" contract from Boro? It will mean he will undermine his own abilities.

4. Will another club make a sweep for Rhodes? Will we loan him out by end of day?

Its like a Three way stand off

[jim mk2]

My betting is on No 1.

[chaddyrovers]

From Transfer Centre live twiiter account

Middlesbrough have reopened talks with Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes, who has already passed a medical. https://t.co/DsMmyCYYlf

[davulsukur]

Tried my best to explain it to you and you are not grasping it/believing it.

Have a look at The Secret Footballer if you don't believe me. Enjoy.

I haven't read back through the pages but the way i understand it to be is:

If Rhodes hands in a transfer request, he gets nothing from us.

If the club accept a bid and Rhodes hasn't handed in a transfer request, the club would have to pay Rhodes money if his wages at his new club are lower than what he gets at Rovers but it would be the difference between the 2 over the remaining length of his contract at Rovers.

If he moves and will be earning more money at his new club, Rovers will pay nothing.

That's my understanding anyway.

[JHRover]

The last paragraph made me laugh...

How can it be unfair when it's a fact!? He actually has been angling for a move for over 12 months. He went public with this in the summer...

And the fact that managed to 'knuckle down' and bag a few goals on £40k a week should not placate our fan base...or manager for that matter.

Let me ask this question...how easy does anyone believe it is to implement new ideas when an influential member of your team has publicly stated his lack of commitment to your cause? No matter how much he subsequently 'knuckles down' the effect on the group and the club / company is huge.

Again....just telling the truth.

How do you know he has been angling for a move for over 12 months?

12 months or more takes us back to at least January 2015 and more likely the summer of 2014 (the same summer he signed a new contract). That summer Hull City, a Premier League side at the time, came in with a very significant and public bid and Bowyer/Shaw were more than willing to accept it. Yet Rhodes didn't kick up a fuss when Venkys blocked it and got back to work at Rovers, going on to score 20+ once again last season.

Could you direct me to any evidence whatsoever that prior to the Middlesbrough bid last summer that Rhodes was unhappy/wanted to move? I've never seen any quotes from managers or the player himself to suggest it was the case or that Rovers have turned anyone away other than Hull and Middlesbrough.

So '12 months or more is not fact'. It is 6 months since he expressed disappointment at not getting the Middlesbrough move. Since then he's scored 11 goals and played most games. Not the sign of someone who doesn't want to be here.

A bid has come in that the manager likes the look of. He's spoken to Rhodes about it and Rhodes has said he would like to talk to them as was the case last summer. Bid accepted as Lambert feels it is in our best interests to do so.

Lambert's comments about him wanting to move for 3 transfer windows don't add up, and I think he is exaggerating to portray Rhodes in a more negative light.

If Rhodes is sold then I sure hope that Lambert has some tricks up his sleeve, because I'm not comfortable with selling our top goalscorer at the start of February when we're in a relegation scrap.

[J*B]

Betting just gone from 10/11 to suspended on Boro signing Rhodes.

Nevermind 8/11 now. Seemingly opening and closing.

[AllRoverAsia]

From Transfer Centre live twiiter account

Middlesbrough have reopened talks with Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes, who has already passed a medical. https://t.co/DsMmyCYYlf

Rovers already agreed a fee. Tell Gibson to do one. The Summer window was always going to be the big one and I would hate to see us turned over by Gibson or subsidise Jordans demands. If he wants to go so badly he can bloody well give up some of his loot.

[DE.]

If the deal does get done, it'll only be because Rhodes has lowered his demands. Us lowering the transfer fee by £1-2m holds very little benefit for Boro if they're quaking over the £30m overall outlay. It makes no sense for them to say "£30m is too much, but £28m is fine."

[Iceman]

Think if we are all honest, selling Rhodes has to happen, because the entire or most of the squad needs rebuilding. We probably stand a better chance of going up without him, because it needs a major overhaul. This team needs players all over the pitch who can contribute, and with Rhodes depending just on him is causing issues. If he doesnt score, those behind him are not contributing either.

[islander200]

I haven't read back through the pages but the way i understand it to be is:

If Rhodes hands in a transfer request, he gets nothing from us.

If the club accept a bid and Rhodes hasn't handed in a transfer request, the club would have to pay Rhodes money if his wages at his new club are lower than what he gets at Rovers but it would be the difference between the 2 over the remaining length of his contract at Rovers.

If he moves and will be earning more money at his new club, Rovers will pay nothing.

That's my understanding anyway.

That's my thinking too