[Archived] "no Money For New Players" - Souey

[S15]

Where is the money that we were quoted to have 3 weeks ago,of which John Williams said 1 million was cut off because of our last week result?So we only had around 150,000?What?

No as that would leave us with -£850,000 according to your sums.

[coffeeman]

Souness shows no interest in cup matches.

Aaaaaah I knew it, you're one of them frnch connection part time glory hunter supporters, as you obviously started following Rovers 2 years ago, at least AFTER the cup final 02.....

One of those who never witnessed the infamous flag planting in turkey, right?

[Scotty]

I suppose these quotes can be interpreted a number of ways. Either:

1) We've got money and don't want other clubs to know. Does this approach actually work? Why not wait until after the renewal deadline before making the announcement?

2) The club, or more specifically the manager, is just being honest and also perhaps making an excuse up front for another potential season-long struggle. In which case we'll have to rely on key players staying fit, Souness and his coaching staff dramatically improving their tactical input, and hope that we can pick up one or two bargains along the way.

3) The club think that this might emotionally blackmail fans into renewing season tickets. A ridiculous move that will surely back-fire.

4) Souness has had a bit of a hissy fit because the board won't give him any money to spend.

If it's 1 or 4 then the club or the manager have timed the announcement very badly. If it's 3 then the people who are behind this are just stupid. If it's 2 then we're probably going down.

Incidentally, if we really don't have any money then why have we spent what admittedly was a small amount of money on a striker when a left midfielder is a far bigger priority?

Let's hope the club just made a booboo with the timing of this and we really have at least a few quid up our sleeve. I seem to remember similar noises coming out of Ewood last season but we still seemed to have £5m to spend even before the sales of Dunn & Duff.

[FourLaneBlue]

Scotty - whether it is 1, 2 , 3 or 4 doesn't matter as whoever decided to release the information at this moment is either a moron or just incompetent. Season ticket renewal time...let's say we have no money!

Many of the posts on here miss the point- it isn't about whether we have any money or not, it is about telling the local paper we have no money and dampening enthusiasm just as the club wants people to cough up some dough. It's just doesn't make sense!

The question is- what possible good can it do us to release that information at this time? The only people who automatically renew season tickets are those who can either easily afford it or those who have no other commitments, particularly family. It's all about putting across a positive, go-getting image of the club, regardless of what the actual situation is.

As for the comments about the LET- those who read it can see they are the mouthpiece of Rovers. Who on earth buys the thing except for the football? How many people care about who has been done for shoplifting? If it is in the LET you can bet it has come straight from Rovers, as the quotes in the article prove. Don't shoot the messenger...

Edited June 15, 2004 by FourLaneBlue

[Exiled in Toronto]

Everyone seems to think that Souness' announcement has been prompted or condoned by the club.

I am by no means sure that this is the case. I suspect Souness may have gone "off message" either unguardedly, or to put pressure on his employers.

Either way, to be complaining that the wallet is empty given how much he has spent in the last 3 years is just humbug. Last season alone he spent $18m, of which we have only had a fractional payback so far.

[Tony Diamond Inc]

Don't know about you lot, but I'm off to buy my season ticket!

Up the Rovers!

[Tris]

Don't know about you lot, but I'm off to buy my season ticket!

Up the Rovers!

Think the ticket office might be closed right now ... however there could be an all night queue like there was pre-Celtic away given the imminent deadline for the direct debit scheme.

So you're right to take no risks. Take a flask.

[philipl]

As the Manchester Evening News have reported that Rovers have made serious enquiries about Butt, I suspect the Souness "no money for transfers" comments were directed at Old Trafford rather than at our supporters.

On that basis, saving a few £m from the transfer fee is worth more than a few impressionable fands not renewing their £400 season tickets.

The club is probably reasoning that if those fans are so impressionable, they will be swayed by the line up the Rovers have assembled by the middle of August.

The comments in the LET would also indicte that whilst there are wage problems over Matteo, the transfer remans a very real possblity and the predicted squeeze has gone onto those impecunious folk at Elland Road to help ease the deal. Certainly seems that Celtic are not in the equation (which did worry me) but Souey's transfer shadow, David Moyes has popped up again (which should not be too much of a problem).

[Manchester Blue]

It was the main story on the home section of Sky Sports news this morning. They reported that Souness had 'blasted' the board for not giving him any money. Whilst I have doubts about aspects of the story questions now have to be asked about it's origins.

Whatever the aim of the story it does seem to be poorly timed and the national press have now picked up on it and or running it as some kind of internal feud. Not good really is it?

[AussieinUk]

...but Souey's transfer shadow, David Moyes has popped up again

He jumps in on, nearly every deal we are linked with... would bloody annoy the hell out of me!

[Blueboy Downunder]

it is rather wrrying that we are getting mixed messages like this. no money to spend....well what happened to the dosh that we were suposedly bidding for perdresen with? either we really don't have any money and thought lets make a really cheaky bid for him and see if it gets accepted or the rovers really are not prepared to pay more money for him. if the latter is the case then i think it is rather poor because 2.5m in todays market is peanuts. it is probably a result of the transfers that we payed when kidd and woy were in charge dailly,davies,ward,blake etc etc....highly inflated transfer fees because other clubs knew that we had money to spend in a desperate bid to stave off relegation, which unfortunately did not work. anyway, the point i am trying to make is that rovers are probably so guarded against paying them kinda transfer fees after the events in recent years...grabbi aswell fo0r that matter.

whatever the reason it is not vvery confidence building for the new season, at a stage when we have not even had a ball kicked in anger for pre-season training.

[AndyC]

why do people assume we had a 1.5 million bid turned down ? Just because the newspapers reported it?

Come on guys - none of us know how much is in the pot, but one thing we do know for certain.

Souness is an absolute master at playing with the press and getting them to write what he wants.

As someone else mentioned - this is all his usual smoke and mirror tricks.

If we 'suddenly' sign a player now, souness can turn around and say that the board made increased funds available. And the club come out of it smelling like roses, even though they have probably hatched it along with souey!

I'll keep my optimist head on!

[broadsword]

why do people assume we had a 1.5 million bid turned down ? Just because the newspapers reported it?

To be fair Andy, Williams did say that he went to Tromso with a bid, but it had been turned down, and they weren't sure whether they would submit another bid. I'm not sure where the 1.5 mill came from, whether it was from the horse's mouth or whether it was Norwegian papers.

But in any case, JW admitted we made a bid, so what did we bid with? Black pudding?

[Tris]

It was the main story on the home section of Sky Sports news this morning. They reported that Souness had 'blasted' the board for not giving him any money. Whilst I have doubts about aspects of the story questions now have to be asked about it's origins.

Whatever the aim of the story it does seem to be poorly timed and the national press have now picked up on it and or running it as some kind of internal feud. Not good really is it?

The question is now begged.

Did Souness spend yesterday "blasting the board" or did he and John Williams spend most of the day working together to sign some Spanish bloke with a left foot.

It would appear the latter.

I wonder how the Telegraph story came to be published yesterday, or if someone put the wrong spin on it ... ... or if indeed it was intended to take focus away from the fact that a player was about to sign and Rovers didn't want any of their rivals to interrupt the negotiation.

Or was this their idea of a joke - a cryptic warning. HA we've got no money, but HA wait 'til you see tomorrow's news HA.

Then you'll only have 2 days left until the Direct Debit Deadline HAHA (fans) and HO you've missed out on De Pedro HOHO (Sturrock6, Moyes, Camacho, Mourinho, etc).

[1864roverite]

some people never get the idea of misdirection or idle misquoting to put off the mockers and slaters of the critics.

of course there is money for transfers

of course there is money for wages

it strongly appears to me that like a good solid business they will NOT ever broadcast it

[bob fleming]

Smoke & Mirrors. The thing is I don't even think the Board know what's going on. Hang on a minute- maybe that's the idea? Brilliant stuff. Never a dull moment with this lot.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

There is no smoke and mirrors with De Pedro - though a potentially good piece of business - he didn't cost anything (other than the usual wages, signing on fees etc). So the story from Souey still stands - we have no money

Now sign Butt, and the smoke and mirrors scenario would come into play. Though Williams says to expect potentially one more new face (presumably Matteo) - which again wouldn't help with the conspiracy theory that we have money, but just don't want people to know we have

Edited June 16, 2004 by DavidMailsTightPerm