[Archived] De Pedro Signs

[jim mk2]

Dear Javier

Welcome to Ewood Park! Here’s hoping you have a long and successful stay at the club. Forget the fact that I said I would not be signing any more “Johnny Foreigners”. Unlike other Latin types to venture into the cold northern tundra, I think you can adapt to English football despite evidence to the contrary provided by Messrs Perez, Grabbi, Baggio, and Yordi, some of your “Johnny Foreigner” predecessors.

Blackburn is not alot different to Sociedad and I’m sure you’ll enjoy dining at the town’s many Spanish restaurants. You can of course try the local cuisine. The chippy at the top of Shear Brow does an excellent steak pudding and mushy peas with gravy. Better than paella I’d say!

You will get on famously with the Rovers players too. Most, of course, are also in the 30s, so you can discuss the merits of Duran Duran and Wham and talk about your investment and pension plans with them. Garry Flitcroft, the captain, is a big property investor, so he might show you round some hacienda in Oswaldtwistle that you might like to buy while Craig Short, our veteran centre half, is a director of Stannah lifts. Perhaps you might like to buy some shares in his company?

All in all, I think you will have a great time in Blackburn and I am completely confident that you will not follow the example of Sebastian Perez and beat a hasty retreat to Southern Europe when temperatures dip below 50F in October.

G Souness

(BRFC Manager and SunLife Pension salesman of the year)

Edited June 16, 2004 by jim mk2

[Ste B]

Well...

...you've read me like a book - I'm not happy.

Now that the guy's signed, I hope he does well for us. But I have huge reservations about this deal.

a) It's yet another old player. What happens in a couple of years when he's past it (if he's not already)? We have to go and find someone else - we are just delaying the problem of finding a decent left midfielder - not solving it.

and b. He's skilful but very slow. Being a slow player and playing successully on the wing in the Premiership don't often go together - e.g Viana. (Beckham was an exception).

This deal strikes me as a panic buy - as Gresko was. Souness didn't want to give de Pedro a 2 year contract before because he claimed not to know enough about him. And all of a sudden, Pedersen is out of our reach, so we go back to de Pedro.

That's my opinion, i've voiced it and that's what this messageboard is about. Many won't agree and I hope that you're right that de Pedro turns out to be a great signing. I also fear that the money that was going to be spent on MGP may be used to try to lure Butt to Ewood.

I've never seen him play, so really have reserve judgement until I the season gets underway.

What is completely clear is that there are not a great deal of left wingers/midfielders about, so at times you have to take the best you have available to us.

Panic Buys - Gray and Stead seem to be doing alright, Gresko was hardly a panic buy he appeared to be doing a good job for us in his first half season, but struggled due to lack of any defensive cover in front of him. I would also have thought Souness would have had him watched since he was first touted to us.

Old player he may be, but gives us 2 years to bring one of our own through, or find somebody else.

[rover6]

As for panic buy like Gresko ???? How can Gresko be a panic buy when it took us about 3 months to make our minds up about signing him ? I just don't understand the comment !

He was probably the least panicky buy we have ever made !

Sorry, didn't make myself clear.

A panic deal - as in when we got him in on loan. Souness knew absolutely nothing about him but was recommended him be an agent who knew we were looking for a left back.

BTW - aren't the parallels between our search for a left back last season similar to this season's quest for a left winger?

After Stig left, I think just about every player had a go at left back. The same has happened with left mid following Duff's departure.

[John]

I know where your coming from rover6- just think if we dont have much cash then De Pedro is probably a good option.

Quality left footers are rare, but at least we know we have got someone of proven pedigree. As for the panic buy, maybe not a panic buy but I think GS did not want to get caught out again and miss out on buying left footer this summer. As MGP didnt materialise, next on the list was De Pedro.

As with the age of him, well unless you have much cash then it is unlikely to get quality in around the ages of mid 20s. Building a team with a small budget is about getting short term solutions and backing it up with players coming through the youth system.

I am sure Souness does not enjoy doing a Redknapp and wheeling and dealing around free transfers, the club finances dont allow him to do anything else.

Expect Matteo to join if he lowers demands then no more in-comings until Todd and maybe others go.

[des]

its a good buy for a number of reasons

one he has play at thre highest level

its a free

its for two years which means that if it all goes wrong its only two years (but I do not think it will)

its gives the club time to either find or bring in a younger player

so nice one JW and GS

[78]

Well...

...you've read me like a book - I'm not happy.

Now that the guy's signed, I hope he does well for us. But I have huge reservations about this deal.

a) It's yet another old player. What happens in a couple of years when he's past it (if he's not already)? We have to go and find someone else - we are just delaying the problem of finding a decent left midfielder - not solving it.

I'm with you on this. It's the whole transfer strategy that is puzzling me. Soon when the Sportsworld deal ends, we can lease the ex roverthemoon shop to a retirement home.

I just hope that we continue scouting for a striker and a left winger despite signing Dickov and De Pedro because realistically we need to planning for replacements for the both of them next summer. I just feel that this summer Souness has got sick of this whole transfer business and just tol JW to go get him because he was free.

Anyway, it's always nice to have a new face in the team.

[USABlue]

Seems like a decent move. It's part of a plan though. If no-one else moves in for Pedersen we will be back in for him towards the end of the Norwegian season, at a bargain rate. I think we have sent a clear message to Tromso and Pedersen. However, I think we still need cover there on the left. If LeChucks hero goes down injured we are right back at square one. Or we stick it out as we are with this new fella and hope that he stays healthy and young Jemal Johnson develops quickly.

[herbergeehh]

I just hope that we continue scouting for a striker and a left winger despite signing Dickov and De Pedro because realistically we need to planning for replacements for the both of them next summer. I just feel that this summer Souness has got sick of this whole transfer business and just tol JW to go get him because he was free.

Anyway, it's always nice to have a new face in the team.

No need to scout for future strikers, what is wrong with Gallagher, Stead and hopefully Jemal ? Also, Barker, Garner +++ !

Leftwingers is another story though, if Watt or Peter doesn't make it to senior level within the next season we WILL need a Gamst or someone else to cover for the future I guess..

And, as Souey says to LET, we don't have any money (for some reason?) this summer, therefore we sign bosman and free transfers. Wouldn't you say that Dickov, De Pedro and perhaps Matteo is quite good considering they are free?

[Brownie]

To be honest, untill I saw Ky News a minute ago I didn't even know what he looked like.

But doesn't it make things a little more interesting that we've got an allegedly skilful left footed winger from Spain to look foward to rather than Jonathan 'I'll mark this space' Douglas ?

He may well be totally crap but at least the signing makes life more interesting and haven't we all been crying out for a bit of flair in the side ?

An experienced international, scores goals, creates goals, takes free kicks and on a free, you can't expect much more when youre a Blackburn fan.

[greggyk]

It really gets on my tits when people slag of souness and his signings for the sake of it.You always fail to see players good points and will not even consider ever being wrong and never congratulate players if they do prove u wrong(which they usually do).Even if we signed Zidane members like jim and rovers6 would only highlight the negative aspects of his game such as he being over 30, slow and cannot track back, and u cannot bare to type in a positive way.You 2 should learn that football is a game and is there to be enjoyed and not to be taken so seriously that you have to analyse everything so criticaly.You should also love the fact that your small town club that shouldnt even be in top flight football can hold its own in the top league of england and has even had great success in it!

Im sure you both want ur reps to stay as being the 2 negative ones but why not just enjoy supporting blackburn instead of hate them!

UP THE ROVERS!

Edited June 16, 2004 by greggyk

[1864roverite]

jim the season is about 8 weeks away and you have already made an arse of it !

nice attempt at humour but failing as usual

We dont know how he will fit in, not many spaniards have come to the PL in recent years so lets give him the benefit of the doubt, lets welcome him with a good old Lancashire greeting, lets get behind him and wish him well.

i mean jim seriously your past it, I respect your ageing views but now it truly appears you have senile dementia of the highest order.

Please can one of the mods take control of him

[adopted scouser]

To be honest, untill I saw Ky News

There's news station devoted to tubed lubricant ? Fair play Brownie, you don't hide your light under a bushel.

Is that where you got your name ?

[Brownie]

To be honest, untill I saw Ky News

There's news station devoted to tubed lubricant ? Fair play Brownie, you don't hide your light under a bushel.

Is that where you got your name ?

Belting !!

Great sense of humour an all that !

[Liquidsaint]

Hi, Saints fan here. We have been heavily linked with De Pedro for about a year, and it all came to a head in the January transfer window. It was basically reported in Spain as a done deal, and what we understand to be the truth, was that De Pedro had agreed a contract package, and all that was being negociated was the final price. Saints were willing to pay £1.5m, but Sociedad were holding out for an extra 500k, which we were reluctant to spend for a player available for free in the summer. There was a few weeks when the deal was off, then on again, and it seemed only a matter of time before he signed. He gave various interviews saying he was looking forward to joining us and the contract he had been offered was 'unbelievable' (he was only on 4k a week, and we'd offered 12k a week) Anyway after this saga the transfer window closed and we hadn't signed him, it looked like Rupert Lowe had missed out on a good player yet again because he wasn't prepared to fork out a bit more cash. Instead, for £1.5m we bought Niel McCann, this made it all the worse, as he's got to be one of the worst players to pull on the Saints shirt. Later, however, it came out, through various sources including Lowe, that there were other reasons we didn't sign him. Saints not only scout players on the pitch, but also off it, and apparently the club were shocked at aspects of his lifestyle. He is said to have a 'big problem', but no one really knows what it was Saints found. Anyway we will watch De Pedro with much interest, and hope, of course, he turns out to be crap

[T4E]

Hi, Saints fan here. We have been heavily linked with De Pedro for about a year, and it all came to a head in the January transfer window. It was basically reported in Spain as a done deal, and what we understand to be the truth, was that De Pedro had agreed a contract package, and all that was being negociated was the final price. Saints were willing to pay £1.5m, but Sociedad were holding out for an extra 500k, which we were reluctant to spend for a player available for free in the summer. There was a few weeks when the deal was off, then on again, and it seemed only a matter of time before he signed. He gave various interviews saying he was looking forward to joining us and the contract he had been offered was 'unbelievable' (he was only on 4k a week, and we'd offered 12k a week) Anyway after this saga the transfer window closed and we hadn't signed him, it looked like Rupert Lowe had missed out on a good player yet again because he wasn't prepared to fork out a bit more cash. Instead, for £1.5m we bought Niel McCann, this made it all the worse, as he's got to be one of the worst players to pull on the Saints shirt. Later, however, it came out, through various sources including Lowe, that there were other reasons we didn't sign him. Saints not only scout players on the pitch, but also off it, and apparently the club were shocked at aspects of his lifestyle. He is said to have a 'big problem', but no one really knows what it was Saints found. Anyway we will watch De Pedro with much interest, and hope, of course, he turns out to be crap

Maybe he's a bummer?

[Siriwan]

It's a long time since a wrote a message for the last time, but maybe someone remembers me. I'm a Spanish Rovers supporter, so i think i can tell you my opinion about Javi. In fact i don't know what to say; it's obvious that his best days have passed as he was Real Sociedad's star one time and last season he has been a regular on the bench. His losing of speed isn't worrying as he has never been a quick player. He is a winger with a soul of a Nº 10.

It will be difficult for him to settle in the Premiership, a kind of football much faster than the Spanish League. But his crossings can be very useful, as his intelligence and of course his magnificent shooting and his experience. But he is in the last years of his career and, in an extrange way, almost any Spanish player settles well outside his country.

Conclusion: It could be a great signing... two or three years ago. Now i don't know what to think. But i will give him a bit of confidence (and it will help to read more of Rovers in local newspapers here!).

[chris]

Well...

...you've read me like a book - I'm not happy. 

Now that the guy's signed, I hope he does well for us. But I have huge reservations about this deal.

a) It's yet another old player. What happens in a couple of years when he's past it (if he's not already)? We have to go and find someone else - we are just delaying the problem of finding a decent left midfielder - not solving it.

I'm with you on this. It's the whole transfer strategy that is puzzling me. Soon when the Sportsworld deal ends, we can lease the ex roverthemoon shop to a retirement home.

I just hope that we continue scouting for a striker and a left winger despite signing Dickov and De Pedro because realistically we need to planning for replacements for the both of them next summer. I just feel that this summer Souness has got sick of this whole transfer business and just tol JW to go get him because he was free.

Anyway, it's always nice to have a new face in the team.

i'm fairly good with numbers and remembering them, but icould be slightly off

Freidel 33yrs old, peak age for keeper

Gray 29 yrs old great age for defender, experienced not too old

Amoruso 33yrs old getting to the end but two years in him, never been quick

Todd 29 years old good age 4 or 5 years Player of season

Neill 26- reaching peak but last season not great

Emerton 25 years old reaching peak

Thompson 27 years old at peak age

Flitcroft- maybe slowing down at 31 years old, need younger player here

Ferguson 26 years old- Perfect age, hitting peak

De Pedro 30 yrs old- it is pushing, i take heart in Ginola and Waddle winning player of the season at 33yrs old

Stead 20 yrs old- young player may years ahead

Cole 32yrs old experienced and still has allot to offer in his final year i think

these are the likely starting players can't pick between Thompson and Emerton, but mixture of youth and experience i think

[Ossydave]

Hi, Saints fan here. We have been heavily linked with De Pedro for about a year, and it all came to a head in the January transfer window. It was basically reported in Spain as a done deal, and what we understand to be the truth, was that De Pedro had agreed a contract package, and all that was being negociated was the final price. Saints were willing to pay £1.5m, but Sociedad were holding out for an extra 500k, which we were reluctant to spend for a player available for free in the summer. There was a few weeks when the deal was off, then on again, and it seemed only a matter of time before he signed. He gave various interviews saying he was looking forward to joining us and the contract he had been offered was 'unbelievable' (he was only on 4k a week, and we'd offered 12k a week) Anyway after this saga the transfer window closed and we hadn't signed him, it looked like Rupert Lowe had missed out on a good player yet again because he wasn't prepared to fork out a bit more cash. Instead, for £1.5m we bought Niel McCann, this made it all the worse, as he's got to be one of the worst players to pull on the Saints shirt. Later, however, it came out, through various sources including Lowe, that there were other reasons we didn't sign him. Saints not only scout players on the pitch, but also off it, and apparently the club were shocked at aspects of his lifestyle. He is said to have a 'big problem', but no one really knows what it was Saints found. Anyway we will watch De Pedro with much interest, and hope, of course, he turns out to be crap

Maybe it's a 'big problem' like Beattie had?

I.e getting ###### up and trying to fight people who'd wipe the floor with you if the bouncers didn't kiss your ass?

[Tom Pringle]

Maybe he's a bummer?

He might collect spoons.

We know what them lot are like after the last one we had

[Liquidsaint]

I.e getting ###### up and trying to fight people who'd wipe the floor with you if the bouncers didn't kiss your ass?

Right then........just saying what we know about him, don't know what your problem is with Beattie - if you ever see him on a night out, you'll see how much grief he has to put up with. Just trying to be helpful with a serious post, wont bother in future

[chris]

Maybe he's a bummer?

He might collect spoons.

We know what them lot are like after the last one we had

keep him and Jansen apart then

[T4E]

Jansen doesnt collect spoons.....

[jim mk2]

  Saints not only scout players on the pitch, but also off it, and apparently the club were shocked at aspects of his lifestyle. He is said to have a 'big problem', but no one really knows what it was Saints found.

So, De Pedro has an "unknown" problem that frightened off Saints, plus he's had a falling out with Sociedad.

Sounds like his agent has done a perfect selling job on Souness.

Good old, Souey, the Arthur Daley of football. He'll take on all the rubbish no one else wants.

[Parasyte]

I suppose this is almost a wry nudge in the direction of when Saints were more or less Rovers feeder club. Flowers, Shearer, Kenna and co... never mind, you got an aging, desperately poor Stuart Ripley in return

And De- Pedro, crap or not, will still be better than what we had last season, and whatever he does, it'll give balance to the midfield, allowing the central players to tighten up, not allowing so much to get through to the defenders.

[Ossydave]

I.e getting ###### up and trying to fight people who'd wipe the floor with you if the bouncers didn't kiss your ass?

Right then........just saying what we know about him, don't know what your problem is with Beattie - if you ever see him on a night out, you'll see how much grief he has to put up with. Just trying to be helpful with a serious post, wont bother in future

FYI Beattie was a pisshead in his time here. Used to be a regular every thur/fri/sat and make a tit of himself week in, week out.