[Archived] Nicko's Thread

[EwoodGlory]

I know there are a couple of would-be young journos out there.

You might want to apply for this:

http://www.jobs-merseyside.co.uk/jobsearch...-name_page.html

That would be a dream job for me, if it was in the North East. Not looking to leave the area for a couple of years.

[joey_big_nose]

Total carnage in the transfer market. Just a daft league table of what it will cost.

MAN U - still no goalscorer, relying on Rooney being fit and Saha being interested. MINUS.

CHELSEA - missed out on Alves and Drenthe and that daft Ronaldinho idea, lost Robben. MINUS.

LIVERPOOL - all that money and no good wingers. MINUS.

ARSENAL - Diarra a shrewd one, but no real replacement for Henry. MINUS.

TOTTENHAM - big fall-out behind the scenes and still missing a left winger. MINUS.

EVERTON - went for Fernandes and Riquelme and got Gravesen, still no left winger, Jagielka and Pienaar signed but not used. MINUS.

BOLTON - too many squad men, but kept Anelka. MINUS.

PORTSMOUTH - Harry Redknapp is one of the best wheelers and dealers, always willing to have a go, Muntari, Utaka and Johnson OK. PLUS.

NEWCASTLE - Sam Allardyce is another shrewdie, Barton one of the best signings, couple of decent defenders. PLUS.

WEST HAM - aimed high and settled for average, think it will all be too much for Alan Curbishley. NO CHANGE.

ASTON VILLA - plenty of money for Martin O'Neill, but signed two players from West Ham and a lot on two centre halves, Curtis Davies and Zat Knight. NO CHANGE.

MAN CITY - spent enough but ended up without a real goalkeeper and a goalscorer. NO CHANGE.

WIGAN - started quite promisingly, but a farce to have no left back and no proven partner for Heskey. NO CHANGE.

READING - keeping Shorey was the only good news they had, needed to improve. MINUS.

FULHAM - bought so many that it will take time to see how they cope, may struggle with some of their arrivals. MINUS.

MIDDLESBROUGH - nice players but will miss the goals of Viduka and Yakubu. NO CHANGE.

SUNDERLAND - had to buy big and they bought plenty, but quantity no replacement for quality. NO CHANGE.

BIRMINGHAM - had a go, but it's hard. NO CHANGE

DERBY - disaster, got Kenny Miller when they wanted David Nugent, doomed. DOUBLE MINUS.

So by that reckoning ROVERS have a REAL chance of making ground on everyone above them, but have to watch out for Portsmouth and Newcastle. Signing Roque Santa Cruz makes it a NO CHANGE, but funnily enough that could be enough...

Im a bit confused about a few of those. Man City clearly in my mind have a much better team than last year, and Everton have far more quality as well, if losing Fernandes is a big a blow. I would say those two, alongside Portsmouth, Newcastle, West Ham and Spurs, are going to be our main competitors for UEFA cup places.

[-foreverrovers-]

ok,citeh have done well,but it could just be a little bit of begginners luck perhaps?

lets see how all their foreign imports fare when the weather turns nasty and they havent won for a few games.personally i cant see them maintaing current form through the season. Spurs despite there poor start will be there or there abouts come may,remember they had an indifferent start last time out,once lennon,king,dawson etc are back, and berbatov hits the heights then i think they could get 4th.newcastle,again with big sam at the helm have bought in some quality,and just because we havent heard of them here doesnt mean they are gunna be crap!,but i cant help thinking there is some kind of curse on them,and even if they were to sign cech,puyol and nesta would still leak goals!,up fron tho they have the potential to bang them in left right and centre.west ham have bought in some quality in my opinion,iv always rated parker and bellamy, and with solano,camara,faubert and dyer (if he back this season) have more than enough to worry us. and as for pompey,being from southampton,i would dearly love o see the skates back in the championship,i dont really know too much about utaka,but muntari is quality,but pompey ar gunna be hit hard come january with the 'african nations african cup only for nations of africa cup'!!!!!

these are our main rivals this season and i think this is the order they will finish in....

spurs

rovers

west ham

newcastle

city

pompey

i think i will be tight between us and west ham,as we do have european football,and they dont,and i still feel that our defence and midfield just isnt big enough to compete of premiership and uefa fronts. i f,eel that it would take a bloody good effort for us to finish above spurs,but you never know!.

[rover_groo]

After Souness? Hah!

I still am fond of Mr Souness and I think that the job he done here was magnificent, but his time had come to an end.

To get us out of the 'old 1st division', after struggling the year previous and also getting shot of the old wood, then credit is due to the Big Scot. Also to be present when Rovers won a decent enough trophy is something I will never forget.

Don't worry too much about Kuqi, if he puts in the effort for you that he did for us you'll like him. Bad first touch, terrible, technically but he does bang in the odd goal and can bully defenders. Deceptively fast for a big fella, caught quite a few defenders by surprise playing for us with his pace. Defenders thnk they have time on the ball but he closes them down really qucikly. I wish him luck at your place.

You have mentioned every, but missed out on his 'goal celebration'.

Certainly worth another viewing.

I know there are a couple of would-be young journos out there.

Nicko,

I'm in agreement with the large majority of users here. This thread has been quite a read and have thoroughly enjoyed your posts. First of all I though you were some t0$$er who just worke upon gossip, but your findings were quite founded.

On top of that, fair play to you notifying a few budding journos about that post and I'm certain that they're certainly be quite a few applicants for that post. I'm already changing jobs in 2 weeks for one of my all-time career choice and finally have made it, so I need not apply. Talk to you soon and thanks for the entertainment on this.

[Raymond Rover]

It has been a scary few days but I'm pleased we managed to keep our heads and not feel the need to sell anyone due to the crazy money being thrown about.

This season is going to be an exciting one I can feel it in my bones, and we can concentrate on the football now, thanks again for all the info nicko and hope you stick around, all your input has made this board a great place to visit.

[John]

Thanks Nicko, really appreciate it.

[Fife Rover]

I am surprised that nobody has yet mentioned the incident resulting in Souness getting arrested for brawling in a very posh bar at Gleneagles. Don't know any more details as I only saw the banner headlines outside a newsagents shop this morning.

[John]

Souness pal was it not, it was on the front of the Daily Record - saw it down here.

Story here

[Billy Castell]

What got into Willie McKay to make him get in a fight?

[RevidgeBlue]

I think there is a midnight deadline on the takeover bid.

But that will only be confirmed in time.

I find that a bit odd nicko - setting a deadline after which point it will not be possible be invest in any players!

If a deadline of say July 31st or August 15th had been set that would have seemed a lot more logical.

P.S. Is there any fresh takeover news in the People tomorrow?

[nicko]

I find that a bit odd nicko - setting a deadline after which point it will not be possible be invest in any players!

If a deadline of say July 31st or August 15th had been set that would have seemed a lot more logical.

P.S. Is there any fresh takeover news in the People tomorrow?

The deadline date was being worked on when the offer went in earlier in August. There was supposed to be a result by the 31st...

I know there was an awful lot of activity last week on both sides and including this mystery second bidder.

The fact that I am still waiting on news is a little concerning. But I have learned to be patient over the course of this saga.

I know the prospect of a rival bid was holding up things, but I am assured that it's still going smoothly.

One thing remains, Rovers have said they want new investment. So if they do not like Dan Williams and his team then they WILL try to find someone else.

The trustees want a fighting fund for players to be guaranteed, which is fair enough. Most people recognise it will take more money to sustain what is happening just now.

It's frustrating for me, for you but definitely far worse for the guy who has been trying to put this together since last March. If he was a time-waster or a publicity-seeker I think he would have gone away a long time ago.

And, no, there wasn't a Sunday People scoop either...

[nicko]

England international call-up shock number two...and you heard it here first.

Emile Heskey is in the squad.

Steve McClaren saw him at Newcastle yesterday. There is a doubt about another striker, so he is in.

Peter Crouch not even on bench yesterday - and if Steven Gerrard is out Alan Smith may have to be in midfield.

Oh dear...

[Jan]

England international call-up shock number two...and you heard it here first.

Emile Heskey is in the squad.

Steve McClaren saw him at Newcastle yesterday. There is a doubt about another striker, so he is in.

Peter Crouch not even on bench yesterday - and if Steven Gerrard is out Alan Smith may have to be in midfield.

Oh dear...

I feel the same pain as you for the England team in this case!

[Mozzer]

heskey, why not call up dean ashton, ok he isnt fully fit, but neither is michael owen..

i was actually thinking with bentley in the squad, and if he gets a game, what bentley does best, which is crossing, there would be no one upfront to get on the end of them..

i dont see the point in calling up players like heskey and campbell just for one game, when players like steven taylor and lita/derbyshire have a whole future ahead of them..

[pksrover]

England international call-up shock number two...and you heard it here first.

Emile Heskey is in the squad.

Steve McClaren saw him at Newcastle yesterday. There is a doubt about another striker, so he is in.

Peter Crouch not even on bench yesterday - and if Steven Gerrard is out Alan Smith may have to be in midfield.

Oh dear...

Heskey to play on the right midfield then and Bentley to settle for place in the stands

[Cocker]

Why not call Heskey up? He has been playing well for Wigan. I have said it before and I say it again - you play well for your team and you should be called up for your country. Players that dont play regularly should not be picked. Players that get in because of their name and past achievements and have not been preforming at club level - should not get in.

End of story

[joey_big_nose]

England international call-up shock number two...and you heard it here first.

Emile Heskey is in the squad.

Steve McClaren saw him at Newcastle yesterday. There is a doubt about another striker, so he is in.

Peter Crouch not even on bench yesterday - and if Steven Gerrard is out Alan Smith may have to be in midfield.

Oh dear...

Isn't Derbyshire in better goal scoring form?

[Eddie]

No.

Anyway, if Heskey is selected it will be because he offers the phyiscal forward England lack, Derbyshire doesn't. Derybshire is miles off of a call-up (quite rightly). I think it would be right to recall Heskey, it will improve the shape and set-up of the team. It isn't always about having your 11 most talented players out there.

[nicko]

I've seen Heskey twice this season and had a decent chat with him. He is very relaxed and less worried about what people think about him.

That is obviously going to change over the next week or two, but he may be in a position to cope.

He is still a better player than many around, but it was always his hunger that was a doubt - he may have got past that stage.

After watching Smith and Owen in the last game it only surprised me that he was not picked in the original squad for that game or the next two.

Plus - with a Rovers and a Wigan player in the squad it's good to see some of the ignored clubs getting a look-in.

[Billy Castell]

Is this the Emile Heskey who has an uncanny resembelance (sp?) to Frank Bruno, as he is big, black and hits the canvas through sheer crapness? He may be having his good month now, but no way is he international class. He's not even Premiership class. Dean Windass and Trevor Benjamin will in be in next.

[USABlue]

I can see McClaren breathing a sigh of relief with these injuries actually. At least he will have something to blame for our eventual failure to qualify. A failure I predicted as soon as he was hired as England boss and one I stick by, regardless of the players available to him.

[deftangel]

I can see McClaren breathing a sigh of relief with these injuries actually. At least he will have something to blame for our eventual failure to qualify. A failure I predicted as soon as he was hired as England boss and one I stick by, regardless of the players available to him.

Couldn't agree more. If only sacking the loon and qualifying for the next tournament wasn't mutually exclusive

Villa just took the lead against Chelski, O'Neill should have gotten the job over second choice Steve

[Flopsy]

15th Choice steve please

[roversmum]

Is this the Emile Heskey who has an uncanny resembelance (sp?) to Frank Bruno, as he is big, black and hits the canvas through sheer crapness? He may be having his good month now, but no way is he international class. He's not even Premiership class. Dean Windass and Trevor Benjamin will in be in next.

I was about to mention that. Irritating thing about Heskey's international career, he is always on the deck. Big, clumsy oaf. Sure he's a very nice guy and all that Nicko, I'm a very nice lady but I can't score goals either.

[ihateburnley]

It isn't always about having your 11 most talented players out there.

No, of course it isn't Eddie!