Ben Brereton Diaz

[Exiled_Rover]

16 minutes ago, Armchair supporter supremo said:

He'd be best to see this season out before making a final decision. 

If we get to the playoffs and he puts in  a very good performance or 2 in front of the cameras with a big audience then it could tempt a few prem clubs to finally make a serious move for him. Or in the fantasy scenario that we won promotion he'd be better of signing a bumber Premier league contract here 

Being brutally honest I don't think he's good enough for the Prem - I wouldn't offer him a contract if we went up.

[lraC]

2 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Being brutally honest I don't think he's good enough for the Prem - I wouldn't offer him a contract if we went up.

I agree. We have seen with Armstrong, the premier league is a huge step up. If it is money only that matters, give it a go, but surely £1.5 million to stay with us, is enough for now and still have a choice a year down the line.

I have to say if he does sign, it will be a feather in Broughton's cap, for a change.

[Rogerb]

Nixon has not had a Scooby about Rovers for some time then suddenly back doing pieces on O'Brien and Diaz. It's all froth and a PR exercise.

[Sweaty Gussets]

I saw a video on twitter of BBD saying he'd like to play for Stoke one day as they are the team he supported as a boy. Stoke fans getting excited cos they think he's signing for them. 

Can't find the video now, but it seems to be an official Rovers one filmed indoors where they normally do them. He's just got a bit of stubble though so it could be from years ago!

Anyone seen it? 

[J*B]

10 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

I saw a video on twitter of BBD saying he'd like to play for Stoke one day as they are the team he supported as a boy. Stoke fans getting excited cos they think he's signing for them. 

Can't find the video now, but it seems to be an official Rovers one filmed indoors where they normally do them. He's just got a bit of stubble though so it could be from years ago!

Anyone seen it? 

Yeah, it was a sky sports thing not a Rovers thing. 

[Sweaty Gussets]

20 minutes ago, J*B said:

Yeah, it was a sky sports thing not a Rovers thing. 

A recent thing or from years ago? 

[Ossydave]

It's such an awkward watch that interview, I'm no genius but christ I'm a few levels above BBD

[J*B]

8 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

A recent thing or from years ago? 

A recent thing, 3 weeks maybe. He spoke about a few clubs including playing in Chile. Very openly said he was brought up a Stoke fan and would like to play for Stoke one day. 

[PotterLog]

There’s the clip. A few Stokies are getting all excited about it but it’s very silly to read anything into it, he’s just giving an off-the-cuff response to a daft hypothetical.. he’d also just been talking about how his family were all Stoke fans so it was fresh in his mind. None of it means he’s desperate to sign for us now.

That said, we’ll have a bit of money to spend in the summer and if nothing has been sorted in Spain and we put an attractive offer on the table and convinced him we were on a proper promotion charge.. maybe he’d think twice about it? 
 

Stranger things have happened 😅 (in his case more than most)

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by PotterLog

[DE.]

If Stoke are promoted to the Prem again one day and the opportunity arises, I'm sure it could happen. That scenario aside I don't really think there's any chance in the near future, at least not until Brereton's career is winding down and he's potentially entering free agency around the time he hits 32/33. One has to imagine at this point in time he's aiming a lot higher than moving to another team in the same league, who have finished below us in four of the last five seasons. 

[Exiled_Rover]

7 hours ago, Ossydave said:

It's such an awkward watch that interview, I'm no genius but christ I'm a few levels above BBD

I gather Dack is seen as an intellectual in the dressing room - make of that what you will...

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

20 minutes ago, PotterLog said:

There’s the clip. A few Stokies are getting all excited about it but it’s very silly to read anything into it, he’s just giving an off-the-cuff response to a daft hypothetical.. he’d also just been talking about how his family were all Stoke fans so it was fresh in his mind. None of it means he’s desperate to sign for us now.

That said, we’ll have a bit of money to spend in the summer and if nothing has been sorted in Spain and we put an attractive offer on the table and convinced him we were on a proper promotion charge.. maybe he’d think twice about it? 
 

Stranger things have happened 😅 (in his case more than most)

 

Villarreal will think they’ve dodged a bullet if it happens.

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, PotterLog said:

There’s the clip. A few Stokies are getting all excited about it but it’s very silly to read anything into it, he’s just giving an off-the-cuff response to a daft hypothetical.. he’d also just been talking about how his family were all Stoke fans so it was fresh in his mind. None of it means he’s desperate to sign for us now.

That said, we’ll have a bit of money to spend in the summer and if nothing has been sorted in Spain and we put an attractive offer on the table and convinced him we were on a proper promotion charge.. maybe he’d think twice about it? 
 

Stranger things have happened 😅 (in his case more than most)

 

I'd never forgive the club, or him, if we lost him on a free to Stoke this summer. Or to any other Championship club (with the possible exception of teams who have just come down).

[Andy]

Just came across this on social media.

Despite some fans feeling that he’s not had a great season, BBD has clearly been our most effective forward in literally every area analysed.

Good to see the stats supporting Trav’s performances also, particularly after returning to the team.

[XLM]

38 minutes ago, Andy said:

Just came across this on social media.

Despite some fans feeling that he’s not had a great season, BBD has clearly been our most effective forward in literally every area analysed.

Good to see the stats supporting Trav’s performances also, particularly after returning to the team.

TK has been stitched right up with that drawing

[superniko]

It feels like it’s basically a case of he decides to stay if we go up, he 99% leaves if we don’t and a small 1% chance that JDT and Greg work their magic and we have him in this league again next year. 

[Feed the Yak]

2 hours ago, Andy said:

Just came across this on social media.

Despite some fans feeling that he’s not had a great season, BBD has clearly been our most effective forward in literally every area analysed.

Good to see the stats supporting Trav’s performances also, particularly after returning to the team.

All a bit skewed towards who has played the most minutes that though isn't it? % would paint a clearer picture in a lot of instances. Not arguing that BBD isn't a key player for us mind...

[PotterLog]

On 12/03/2023 at 17:41, bluebruce said:

I'd never forgive the club, or him, if we lost him on a free to Stoke this summer. Or to any other Championship club (with the possible exception of teams who have just come down).

Pleased to report from Santiago that BBD has been doing the rounds today and I managed to get word to him that it’s imperative he goes back to his roots and signs for the Potters, and that the ghosts of Stanley Matthews and Gordon Banks mandate it.

The feedback I received was “he laughed”, which I’m taking to mean he’ll be opening negotiations with our transfer team as soon as he touches back down in Blighty. A dream come true I’m sure you’ll agree… 😉👍🏼

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

27 minutes ago, PotterLog said:

Pleased to report from Santiago that BBD has been doing the rounds today and I managed to get word to him that it’s imperative he goes back to his roots and signs for the Potters, and that the ghosts of Stanley Matthews and Gordon Banks mandate it.

The feedback I received was “he laughed”, which I’m taking to mean he’ll be opening negotiations with our transfer team as soon as he touches back down in Blighty. A dream come true I’m sure you’ll agree… 😉👍🏼

And then you woke up.

[Exiled_Rover]

On 23/03/2023 at 19:11, PotterLog said:

Pleased to report from Santiago that BBD has been doing the rounds today and I managed to get word to him that it’s imperative he goes back to his roots and signs for the Potters, and that the ghosts of Stanley Matthews and Gordon Banks mandate it.

The feedback I received was “he laughed”, which I’m taking to mean he’ll be opening negotiations with our transfer team as soon as he touches back down in Blighty. A dream come true I’m sure you’ll agree… 😉👍🏼

I'd break his legs. 

[bluebruce]

On 20/02/2023 at 11:29, Exiled_Rover said:

Being brutally honest I don't think he's good enough for the Prem - I wouldn't offer him a contract if we went up.

Even if he didn't make an immediate impact up there (some of his international appearances suggest otherwise) he'd still be an asset. We've been complaining all season about him going for free, there's no way I'd let it happen given the choice (within reasonable wages of course). Let's say we offer him 60k p/w to stay, and let's call that a 4 million cost over one season once you factor in national insurance, bonuses etc, do you think we wouldn't be able to find a Championship club who would pay say at least £5 million for him next summer? A recently relegated side would be able to cover those wages. Even if we took a small loss instead (let's say it costs 6 or 7 million to keep him a season, due to loyalty bonuses which I think have to be paid in full if a player moves without requesting to leave), it's certainly worth the gamble for me that he might cope with the level. Even if he is just a fairly average Prem level striker he'd be worth upwards of 20 million fully contracted.

[bluebruce]

11 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I'd break his legs. 

Or you'd let him go for free 😉

[Mike E]

I actually think he'd be BETTER suited in a softer league like the PL.

[roversfan99]

It's a league at a much quicker tempo with much more physicality and ultimately quality. No way would he thrive more.

[ben_the_beast]

The longer it goes on the more I think he's best suited to staying at Rovers or possibly being at another championship club with parachute payments. 

Technically he's still quite clumsy. He's a decent finisher though. If he were to play at a higher level I think he'd need to adapt his game to being a number 9 who runs the channels. You can get away with being a nuisance whilst being less technically gifted as a striker. His touch is too loose playing wide and he makes up for that by being brave and direct. Against better defenders he'd have very little success. He is a good, promotion pushing championship player. The buzz around him is fading. 

Money wise. He's going to want to see a big increase in his next contract. I think he's worth pushing the boat out to say 30k p/w. Then it's up to him. I can see his offers not being of the calibre he may have been expecting and I think he will be in the championship next year (unless we are promoted), I'm just not sure whether it will be with us or another team who offers more money.