[Archived] Paul Dickov Signs - Good Deal Or Not ?

[thenodrog]

Can't argue against facts eh Tris?

Ricky......Don't be too sure about that wage comparison cos I would imagine (given that we robbed him for only 150K) that Dickov is on seriously big money.........as indeed Andy Cole prob is for the self same reason. Transfer fees in the main are now simply paid to the players which promises a very bleak future for our national game. No money=No investment.

[frosty]

What a bargain dickov has turned out to be!

[Tris]

Players with more PL goals than Dickov.

Henry

Defoe

Johnson

Pires

Baros

Hasselbaink

[American]

But we know the stats lie and Cole is a better striker right now than Dickov.

I mean there's only one stat that means anything, and that's points. Oops, we went ahead of Fulham.

[Tris]

Oops.

Chris is gonna come back at me and say it's all down to Dickov's two penalties.

Henry

took 1 missed 1

Defoe

took 0

Johnson

took 5 missed 2

Pires

took 1 missed 0

Baros

took 3 missed 1

Hasselbaink

took 0

looks like most of em enjoy the odd chance from the spot then

[T4E]

Chris would do well to remember that Dickov's two penalties were both earned by him, and both times resulted in an opposition player being sent off. Quite apart from being maligned, he should be applauded for two more priceless contributions to the team.

[Scotty]

Cole's still a class above but Dickov was tremendous today.

[T4E]

Talent wise Scotty you may well be right - but a decent amount of talent mixed with an abundance of application will always win above an abundance of talent and little or no inclination to use it. In that sense, Dickov is a long way above Andy Cole.

[Manchester Blue]

Dwight Yorke is a class above Dickov, in terms of ability. What he brings to the team however is a different matter. Class will get you so far but you will always need to work as well, otherwise it's just wasted. I'd still be inclined to agree with Scotty on who i'd rather have, however he hasn't slated Dickov in recent weeks for being nothing other than a nuisance. Today showed what a nonsense that view is.

[jim mk2]

Dickov makes the most of his limited ability as a relegation scuffler.

His goals so far this season do not hide the fact that the club's decision to offload Cole was idiotic.

[Tris]

Cole's biggest problems are his lack of professionalism, and his inability to adapt to those around him.

He does have many qualities, mainly fantastic movement off the ball and he's good at holding play up and then bringing runners into the attack.

His fantastic overall record owes much to Peter Beardsley at Newcastle, and to Cantona and Sheringham (and later Yorke mk1) at United. Players with great football brains who could understand Cole's game and used their abilities to suit it.

Many Rovers fans used to excuse Cole's abysmal scoring record at the club by claiming that those around him couldn't read his runs, or play the right passes for him.

That pattern is repeating itself at Fulham, and the longer it continues, the more one has to say that the problem is not Cole's teammates - it's Cole himself. He should - 4 years after leaving United - have been able to adapt his skills and his game to suit the environment he finds himself in.

He had a honeymoon period of 14 games at Rovers (which only makes his record for the rest of his spell look even worse) and also had a few good games for Fulham. But for his supposed pedigree, it simply is not good enough.

Dickov doesn't have Cole's movement or probably his footballing brain, and never will have. But what Dickov does have is far more valuable in any team outside the elite of 4 in this league.

Dickov won't ostracize a team mate (as Cole did to Sheringham) just because they've had an argument off the pitch. Dickov won't decide he is above playing for any particular manager. Dickov won't say in an interview that he's not interested in helping kids at the academy, or the first team strikers, because he's only interested in his own game.

Cole did all of the above, and as the records now show that he's also the lesser player of the two so far this season as we pass into 2005, those Rovers fans who continue to mourn Cole's departure are really only mourning the player who excelled at Newcastle and United.

Edited December 29, 2004 by Tris

[American]

Cole's biggest problem is that he's past his prime at this point, and showing it. His drop off is to be expected. I'm just amazed how most people on here tend to go by a players reputation, not by their recent form.

Edited December 29, 2004 by American

[Shaddy]

Dickov makes the most of his limited ability as a relegation scuffler.

His goals so far this season do not hide the fact that the club's decision to offload Cole was idiotic.

By most accounts, the club was faced with a decision, instigated by Cole, to "offload" either he or Souness. Considering you have been in favour of the latter scenario since day one of Souness's regime, you are being disingenuous with your wording. I assert that what you actually consider idiotic, is the decision to not sack Souness, that would have kept Cole at Rovers (supposedly).

Nothing wrong with that opinion, but who are you trying to kid? Again, I assert that if Cole had pulled this stunt on Hugues, or another manager who was not Souness, you would not have considered the decision so idiotic.

EDIT. Actually, I shouldn't be so assertive. Call them suggestions instead.

Edited December 29, 2004 by Shaddy

[Ozz]

Dicky has scored as many prem goals this season as Anelka, Gudjonson and Scoles.

And more than Andy Cole.

[USABlue]

Well put Shaddy, you saved me the bother.

[AxesFirstTouch]

Dicky has scored as many prem goals this season as Anelka, Gudjonson and Scoles.

And more than Andy Cole.

Its the end of season tally that matters. If The D man can play out of skin until then he could be up there maybe. Granted this could all help if he was sold at end of season helping the club make a profit.

[thenodrog]

Dickov makes the most of his limited ability as a relegation scuffler.

His goals so far this season do not hide the fact that the club's decision to offload Cole was idiotic.

Jim you've hit the nail right on the head albeit by fluke rather than intelligence or perception! We are not a top 3 outfit anymore, we are a bottom half club nowadays! Fact! So we need players suited to relegation fights. A Formula 1 Ferrari is a fine car on Grand Prix circuits but it will never complete the RAC Rally through Grizedale will it?

But speaking of of Grand Prix............

[jim mk2]

[ We are not a top 3 outfit anymore,

True, but we ought to have ambitions to be a well-managed top-ten club, perhaps like Charlton.

Either way, the board's decision to allow Souness to replace a class act like Cole with the artisan Dickov made no sense.

[thenodrog]

Either way, the board's decision to allow Souness to replace a class act like Cole with the artisan Dickov made no sense.

I suspect that a few opposing centre halves and their managers would disagree with you there Jim.

Mark Lawrenson and Alan Hansen (two of the best centree halves that I have ever seen play in the same team) always say that the best defender in the all conqering Liverpool team of the late 70's early 80's was Ian Rush! As centre forward he harried and chased opposing defenders relentlessly when they had the ball, simply to stop play being built up from the back and forcing them to aimlessly boot the ball up field or out of play. Dickov is very similar and it is a hugely influential part of his game for which he receives little credit......apart no doubt from his manager and teammates.

Course I suppose he could always pick up a small fortune every week by refusing to ever run wide and by patrolling no more than a 10 yard circle in the middle of the pitch all the while scowling sullenly with his hands on his hips whilst admonishing his team mates for not putting the ball on a tee for him.

[greggyk]

[  We are not a top 3 outfit anymore,

True, but we ought to have ambitions to be a well-managed top-ten club, perhaps like Charlton.

Either way, the board's decision to allow Souness to replace a class act like Cole with the artisan Dickov made no sense.

I was too very angry with the decision to let Cole go but...after seeing Cole play recently, the guy is past it!

[American]

Hazzah, a voice of reason. We will convert you all!!

[Tris]

[  We are not a top 3 outfit anymore,

True, but we ought to have ambitions to be a well-managed top-ten club, perhaps like Charlton.

Either way, the board's decision to allow Souness to replace a class act like Cole with the artisan Dickov made no sense.

Interesting to compare us with Charlton.

They are IMO the best run club in the Premier League. It's a credit to them that they recently submitted a planning application to boost the capacity at the Valley to 40,000.

If and when that happens and they fill it, they will have every chance to be described as a top ten club. After all - they are already advertising London-wide to tempt the fans in who can't near the other London PL grounds, as well as the commuter corridor down into Kent. Ask Paul Scally (Gills Chairman) who detests them with a passion.

Compare their catchment area of 20 million people with ours of 200,000. We can't hope to compete on the same terms.

However, their finishes since promotion are 9 - 14 - 12 - 7.

Ours are -- - 10 - 6 - 15.

So on the football side at least, Rovers have made a far better fist of it than Charlton have since getting back up. And that's even before the cup win.

[jim mk2]

Compare their catchment area of 20 million people with ours of 200,000.  We can't hope to compete on the same terms.

Eh ?

I doubt if the population of the entire South East is 20 million unless you think they are all potential Charlton supporters.

Charlton are in the SE London and attract supporters from that area and north Kent. I don't know what that catchment area is but I would hazard a guess at about 1-2 million at most, certainly more than East Lancs.

It's a poxy horrible area anyway.

Catchment areas are meaningless in my view. Hull, Plymouth, Brighton are examples of towns/cities with large catchment areas yet their football clubs have rarely been successful.

Rovers can certainly compete with the likes of Charlton/ Southampton/ Fulham/ Portsmouth (all with larger catchment areas) on gates of 20,000 - 30,000 provided the club is managed properly on and off the field.

[Tris]

Compare their catchment area of 20 million people with ours of 200,000.  We can't hope to compete on the same terms.

Eh ?

I doubt if the population of the entire South East is 20 million unless you think they are all potential Charlton supporters.

Charlton are in the SE London and attract supporters from that area and north Kent. I don't know what that catchment area is but I would hazard a guess at about 1-2 million at most, certainly more than East Lancs.

Sorry Jim, wasn't entirely clear.

I was referring to the fact that Charlton have used the Evening Standard and London-wide radio stations to advertise Prem League football 20 mins from Waterloo (East), at prices which are cheaper than the likes of QPR, West Ham, Millwall, and even Brentford and Leyton Orient for certain games.

They have spent up to £80,000 per game on London-wide publicity, depending on the opposition.

And it's worked. Which is why they are looking to increase capacity from 27K to 40K.

Rovers cannot even dream of doing anything like that - the Lancaster Guardian and Westmorland Gazette aren't the ES, whilst The Bay radio has started to sponsor Morecambe (and cover their games).

[jim mk2]

The key to Charlton's success is not their potential supporter base but the appointment of Alan Curbishley and their ability to keep him for more than 10 years.

Curbishley's mild manner and relatively low profile means he has not been lured away by one of the so-called "big" clubs and has been allowed to build Charlton into a successful club over the long term. Having said that, they have not a won a trophy.

I'm hoping Hughes is of similar calibre to Curbishley and that he will also be at Ewood for many years. We have had too many managerial changes. I'm also hoping that we are not grooming the next ManU manager.