Ferguson Hands in Transfer Request

[BigDom]

"The speculation is annoying," said Barry Ferguson.

"I'm loving it at Blackburn and, hopefully, I can stay here for a few more years yet," he said.

"I definitely see my future here. The main thing is that I'm happy and my family is happy."

"I've still got more than two years left on my contract and since the new regime have come in, I've really enjoyed it. I've learned so much in the last couple of months and I'm really enjoying myself."

"The training has been excellent. I think I can learn a lot more off the new guys who have come in and the stuff they are coaching us."

The words there from Mr Ferguson.

They were not said a year ago or six months ago. They were said just last month in December.

When he joined Rovers, Barry explained the reasons why:

"Moving to England will be good for the family."

"I'm excited about playing in the Premiership. I have always wanted to play at Anfield, Old Trafford, Highbury, Stamford Bridge and White Hart Lane."

Ferguson is a despicable and dishonorable man who has treated Rovers fans with contempt.

He told us how happy he was to play for the club last month. And now he wants to jump ship.

A guy who continued to have his vast wages paid each week when he was injured for six months - praising the care and support that he received from the Rovers medical team.

And this is the way that he now chooses to thank the club.

I'd like to know how much Barry was paid, in terms of a signing-on fee, to come to Rovers 18 months ago.

The usual amount is about 10% of the transfer fee. A six hundred grand signing-on fee perhaps?

Enough to pay for the nice big house he bought in Lytham St Annes?

Ferguson is a shameless, treacherous, unprincipled disgrace to football.

His actions have been disgusting.

Just sounds like Savage saga to me ?

[doctorryan]

Rovers to reject Ferguson request

It would be classic if this is the way it actually ends.

Nope, if you're playing in anything blue, it's gonna have a white half attached to it. Now shut up and get stuck in.

Edited January 19, 2005 by doctorryan

[Yorkshire Blue]

Just sounds like Savage saga to me ?

The difference between the Savage saga and this one is that Birmingham have had good service from their man and they have made a tidy little profit.

We have had precious little service from wee ned, we have paid his wages whilst nursing him back from injury, and now it seems we are being forced to sell him back to the same club for a whopping loss.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Rovers to reject Ferguson request

If, as that report suggests, Rangers are offering £3m plus the balance on the debt, I say bite their hand off.

Okay... hold out for another 1/2 - 1 million. Then bite their hand off.

[philipl]

Nothing is indicating that Rangers have shifted from offering £440,000 now and cancelling the £2.56m which they were claiming is due this week and Rovers have stated is payable at the end of August this year- that makes sense as it would be the second anniversary of the transfer.

Murray has come out with some untruths already- Ferguson being on a Bosman next year and the timing of the final stage payment. Obviously he is playing dirty.

Rejecting the transfer request is the obvious and sensible move for Rovers.

Now the ball is in the Ferguson (or should I say Viola) court.

Does Barry cut up rough? A bit tricky with a groin injury- perhaps Rovers should dispatch him for a hernia operation now.

If he does, he is rather too close to the end of the transfer deadline to risk Rovers pulling a Brum-style stunt and stop paying his wages as a suspension punishment for non-cooperation whilst still retaining his registration.

Are Rangers willing to up their transfer offer? JW made it very clear that the Rovers DO NOT consider the unpaid balance an element in the negotiations.

Whatever happens, the other sides have got to make one if not two moves before Rovers will even name a price for Ferguson.

We have only seen two rounds of what is likely to be six rounds at least needed before Ferguson leaves Blackburn.

Rangers also have a problem having whipped the Gers fans into a frenzy of anticipation. Rovers can and will play this with steely resolve.

All those members of the MB who do not like uncertainty are going to have to sit back and watch a pair of professionals play poker for very high stakes very slowly. Quite possibly through to July 2005 unless Murray cracks and makes a bid of £5m+ now; and even then the Rovers will play cold and hard.

We don't need to grab anybody's hands off, we control the asset.

[stuwilky]

Rangers also have a problem having whipped the Gers fans into a frenzy of anticipation. Rovers can and will play this with steely resolve.

That is our biggest bargaining tool, we have seen the influx of many Rangers fans who are convinced Barry will be joining them next week. Come the 30th January if there is no deal done the pressure will be on Murray to put up, or he could very well face a public outcry.

[mattjansen]

Rovers to reject Ferguson request

It would be classic if this is the way it actually ends.

Nope, if you're playing in anything blue, it's gonna have a white half attached to it. Now shut up and get stuck in.

This is good news if its true, hopefully Rangers either come up with something much better or get out. That thing about Rangers switching to other targets is just bull to get Fergie on a cheap.

[dave birch]

Anyone seen any comments coming out of Newcastle?

[Blue and White]

Leaving your club at a time of a relegation battle, especially when you're captain is a very...dissapointing thing to do. When he joined I don't think he was expecting us to be where we are now, but he hasn't proven himself to be deserving of more. He's had some good games at Rovers but I don't rate him more than £3m. Hopefully we'll get as much from his as possible.

I don't think losing him is such a disaster though. We still have a midfield that can do the job.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Only one thing that people appear to be missing here is if he stays for the meantime the fans are going to ghet on his back no matter what consideing what is happening.

So as I have said before - unhappy player causes unrest which is not what we need.

I'm with YB on this - if Gers are offering 3m plus the debt -(nobody yet clear?) then sell him.

As with most I have not been impressed with him at all and 3 million is probably the max he would fetch in the market.

[AndyC]

Nothing is indicating that Rangers have shifted from offering £440,000 now and cancelling the £2.56m which they were claiming is due this week and Rovers have stated is payable at the end of August this year- that makes sense as it would be the second anniversary of the transfer.

Murray has come out with some untruths already- Ferguson being on a Bosman next year and the timing of the final stage payment. Obviously he is playing dirty.

Rejecting the transfer request is the obvious and sensible move for Rovers.

Now the ball is in the Ferguson (or should I say Viola) court.

Does Barry cut up rough? A bit tricky with a groin injury- perhaps Rovers should dispatch him for a hernia operation now.

If he does, he is rather too close to the end of the transfer deadline to risk Rovers pulling a Brum-style stunt and stop paying his wages as a suspension punishment for non-cooperation whilst still retaining his registration.

Are Rangers willing to up their transfer offer? JW made it very clear that the Rovers DO NOT consider the unpaid balance an element in the negotiations.

Whatever happens, the other sides have got to make one if not two moves before Rovers will even name a price for Ferguson.

We have only seen two rounds of what is likely to be six rounds at least needed before Ferguson leaves Blackburn.

Rangers also have a problem having whipped the Gers fans into a frenzy of anticipation. Rovers can and will play this with steely resolve.

All those members of the MB who do not like uncertainty are going to have to sit back and watch a pair of professionals play poker for very high stakes very slowly. Quite possibly through to July 2005 unless Murray cracks and makes a bid of £5m+ now; and even then the Rovers will play cold and hard.

We don't need to grab anybody's hands off, we control the asset.

couldn't agree more philip

There is definitely something fishy going on here though.

Why did it take a week for the transfer request to go through after the initial meeting with JW?

Which club/s has Viola been talking too? We know he spoke to Rangers, because Murray said he had been alerted to Barrys situation.

Newcastle? Sounesses record in the transfer market always has the speculation before the signing. There has been very muted, or little comment which I find strange, so maybe Souness is not interested at all.

Things are very quiet with Everton and they are probably the only other club with any cash at the moment.

Could it be, that we actually want him out and the initial meeting was held to discover if Barry still had a future with savage coming in?Probably not, but I can still dream about getting rid of Barry for 5 mill and signing scott parker.

[stuwilky]

Only one thing that people appear to be missing here is if he stays for the meantime  the fans are going to ghet on his back no matter what consideing what is happening.

So as I have said before - unhappy player causes unrest which is not what we need.

I'm with YB on this - if Gers are offering 3m plus the debt -(nobody yet clear?) then sell him.

As with most I have not been impressed with him at all and 3 million is probably the max he would fetch in the market.

Murray confirmed in an interview that it was a TOTAL BID of £3m. ie £440,00o cash plus writing off the £2.56million due in the summer.

Edited January 19, 2005 by stuwilky

[streakyb]

Only one thing that people appear to be missing here is if he stays for the meantime  the fans are going to ghet on his back no matter what consideing what is happening.

So as I have said before - unhappy player causes unrest which is not what we need.

I'm with YB on this - if Gers are offering 3m plus the debt -(nobody yet clear?) then sell him.

As with most I have not been impressed with him at all and 3 million is probably the max he would fetch in the market.

Murray confirmed in an interview that it was a TOTAL BID of £3m. ie £440,00o cash plus writing off the £2.56million due in the summer.

But Murray was probably lying in that interview as Williams has come out and said that it is less than £2.5 mill that we have left to pay. I am more inclined to belive our chief exec than theirs.

[stuwilky]

Only one thing that people appear to be missing here is if he stays for the meantime  the fans are going to ghet on his back no matter what consideing what is happening.

So as I have said before - unhappy player causes unrest which is not what we need.

I'm with YB on this - if Gers are offering 3m plus the debt -(nobody yet clear?) then sell him.

As with most I have not been impressed with him at all and 3 million is probably the max he would fetch in the market.

Murray confirmed in an interview that it was a TOTAL BID of £3m. ie £440,00o cash plus writing off the £2.56million due in the summer.

But Murray was probably lying in that interview as Williams has come out and said that it is less than £2.5 mill that we have left to pay. I am more inclined to belive our chief exec than theirs.

I havnt seen Williams say it was less than that - do you have a link? In fact in everythign I have seen Williams has been vague on the money front.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Yesterday's Daily Record

[broadsword]

Murray confirmed in an interview that it was a TOTAL BID of £3m. ie £440,00o cash plus writing off the £2.56million due in the summer.

So let's get this down in black and white.

We pay them 7.5m Autumn(?) 2003 over installments, we have so far paid 5m for him.

He manages 12 non-descript months for us, plus is out for 6 months, during which time he gets medical attention second-to-none in British football.

We then let him go back to his old club, who cancel the remaining payments and pay half a mill on top.

So effectively having him on loan for 18 months (6 of which he was unavailable for) has cost us 4.5m. Is that right? Sorry, bit knacked this morning.

Even bigger rip-off than Grabbi, that.

[T4E]

Yesterday's Daily Record

"We want Barry Ferguson more than Rangers"

in other words -

"Up the bid to a decent amount and we'll sell"

He will go, but I think JW will make sure we get a decent amount.

[SAS]

I`d let him go at the price we got him for. if anything hes worth more as he will have more experience and should be a better player.

As long as our board save face and dont go about it the way brum did with savage.

[rosie]

I hope the board are reading your posts Philipl and Tris (amongst some others) if they need any convincing to play this hard, which I doubt. Respect is due (but not to our Barry I'm afraid).

[Jan]

You could add that Rangers supporters are not entirely behind the move to get Barry back. I've spoken to the three I have in close proximity, and there was positivity from only one!

[AndyR]

What we need now is a bid from Martin O'Neill of £5m to make Rangers stump up the cash and force Rangers hands - the point made about their fans holding influence is very valid as they WILL now be disappointed if he doesn't sign.

For me anything less than £5m is a disgrace and I would make him stay until at least the summer. Relegation, although now looking less likely, would cost us at least £20m.

I do think Ferguson was starting to turn into a decent Premiership player and would have hoped he had seen the same difference in the team that we have and felt more encouraged to stay, but if he really wants the highlights of the SPL then he is welcome to it providing we get our cash!!

[chris]

Murray confirmed in an interview that it was a TOTAL BID of £3m.  ie £440,00o cash plus writing off the £2.56million due in the summer.

So let's get this down in black and white.

We pay them 7.5m Autumn(?) 2003 over installments, we have so far paid 5m for him.

that just is shocking, I find it really hard to believe, it almost seems like a setup, "fergy will you go to Blackburn for a little while so we can rip them off"

Have to say I was thinking about three days ago with Savage in the team ferguson could have some real competition for his place, but then he's captain and the fact he cost 7.5 million seems to get him a huge advantage over other players. With Savage in the team I would consider Thompson more creative and more a threat, but also Ferguson and savage together would have been good to see.

nice to see a few more supporters admit fergy not been great at Blackburn, when a player does wrong the blue and white glasses just seem to fall off

[Scotty]

While I admire the sentiment of all this talk about leaving Ferguson to rot in the reserves it just isn't practical. Rovers simply can't afford to have one of their highest paid players doing nothing for the remaining 2 and a half years of his contract. We could maybe leave him to rot until the summer but no longer.

Unfortunately we have to sell him and it's probably a case of the quicker the better. And I'm afraid we won't get anything like what we paid for him back - partly because we overpaid Rangers for him in the first place and partly because it's the player, and not Rovers, who hold all the cards in this situation.

Ferguson is the only one who'll get what he wants out of all this. We'll lose a decent player for less money than we bought him for and Rangers will probably have to spend more than they'd like to get him.

[eddiewac]

According to skysports we have paid almost £200,000 for each game ferguson has played! If ferguson moves, he will regret it for the rest of his career, being a footballer is only a short career so why not make the most of it and play in the best league in the world instead of settling for the easy life. Fergie needs to get a new agent who doesn't just want money!

[T4E]

Fergie needs to get a new agent who doesn't just want money!

.....and in todays other news, man finds good looking woman who can cook and clean....