[Archived] Big Fat Sam's Shopping List

[Guest benmaxwell]

derbs, gallacher,grella, andrews, reid and dunn...potentially 5million...

I doubt we'd dump 5 first teamers. Especially not for a return of 5 million.

We would get at least £3m from Derbs and £1m from Gally. Grella has been called "one of the best passers he has worked with" by Sam so doubt he will leave. Andrews, Reid and Dunn wont be sold either, as Sam has already said he wont be making wholesale changes.

He has already said that he will only be replacing players who depart through end of contracts, retirement and possibly Roque if his £18m mark is hit...

He wants to bring in quality though... Not squad players...

[Dunnfc]

Hernan Crespo on a free?

[The Rover of Finland]

Wasn´t RSC`s relause clause £M20 and he gets £M5 of it? So basicly Rovers can get £15M max. Hard to imagine anything over 12 but that should be enough. Does anyone fancy of Duff? He has shown real fighting spirit for Newcastle and played very well as a left back against Boro. Sure he is injury prone but could be released if they relegate. And do we hope that? Oh yes we do!

Hernan Crespo on a free?

Very hard to imagine him playing for Rovers. Always been a big team player.

[patrickvalery]

I doubt we'd dump 5 first teamers. Especially not for a return of 5 million.

We would get at least £3m from Derbs and £1m from Gally. Grella has been called "one of the best passers he has worked with" by Sam so doubt he will leave. Andrews, Reid and Dunn wont be sold either, as Sam has already said he wont be making wholesale changes.

He has already said that he will only be replacing players who depart through end of contracts, retirement and possibly Roque if his £18m mark is hit...

He wants to bring in quality though... Not squad players...

Ben, whats your take on Sams comments about reducing squad size? Apparently it was discussed at a Q&A night quite recently and he said he was looking to cut the squad size down/. I guess this makes sense with the dramatic reduction in season ticket prices. But his comments of late seem to suggest any who leave will be replaced. Are we to read that as ONLY those players leaving due to expiring contracts, retirements and completed loans are to be replaced? And anything else he feels isn't up to scratch will be sold and not replaced? In other words the he wants to bring in two defenders, two midfielders and one attacker (Ooijer, Simpson, Mokoena, Tugay and Villanueva). Just be interested to hear your take on it. You seem pretty well informed on the latest information coming out.

[Guest benmaxwell]

Nicko... If you are out there... Have you got any idea what Roque's (laughable) loyalty fee is roughly?

Their always seems to be a loyalty fee, or a signing on fee, or a unknown fee to be paid... Really gets on my nerves...

Ben, whats your take on Sams comments about reducing squad size...

I think that it all comes down to where the chairman of the club want this team to end up eventually over the coming seasons. Lets not kid ourselves, the days of 1st-6th are long over. I think all concerned aim for a 10th-12th finish in the league insuring safety, and anything else is a bonus. Lets not forget the board still wont be plowing much in that they have too because we are a club for sale. But at the same time they have to even out that we need to be appealing for investment/takeover. I personally think this huge lowering in season ticket prices is a sign that maybe the people in charge are coming back around to the need for laying down the foundations for long-term financial interest in younger fans. Where as they may have just been plodding along beforehand waiting for the takeover.

We are trully blessed that we have the legend that is John Williams in charge, without him, we would be in it up to our necks. He is a chap who has the clubs best interests trully at heart. I had the pleasure of meeting him a while back, and he is a guy who trully loves and has the fans best interests at heart. So when it comes to things like transfer budgets being discussed and fan support, you know whoever talks to him will be taken seriously.

As you said, the players who have already left help the wage budget. Sam will do his work to make sure that any player he brings in will come in on a reduced wage. For example, i think Vogel was on some hefty wages as a result of his free transfer and a pretty inflated ego, but if we bring in a replacement, he will probably be on around 10%-15% less wages then the person he replaces. Doesn't sound like much, but if you can bring this across the whole of the squad, it all adds up.

I also hear that allot of the young (but haven't quite made it) players will be shipped out to help with the wage budget. As i said on here the other week, Kane was leaving, Carlisle have a verbal agreement with Rovers. Hodge is off to Motherwell. We are also looking to offload some of the other fringe/reserve players including Jason Brown, Alan Judge, Paul Gallagher, Maceo Rigters, Matt Derbyshire, Bjorn Bussmann and quite a few of the other reserve players Sam deems as not good enough.

I think the wage budget has pretty much already been cut with the inclusion of ends of contracts, retirements, ends of loans and a reorganisation of personel at the club. Lets not forget the team Incey brought in that has left.

Like Sam says, players will be replaced with quality and i am pretty sure Sam is banking on getting Roque off the wagebill to even out the wages. We might see a decision being made on some of our more injury wary players over the summer, where they will be evaluated by Sam.

Interesting times lay ahead... (please excuse my poor grammar and spelling - have been up for 16 hours straight)

[Hughesy]

Its £5m aslong as we get £20m fee for him

[Guest benmaxwell]

Man City have confirmed Sturridge is leaving, cue Sam: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...ge-leaving.html

I'm sure Sam could get him on lower wages to Man City as we can offer him 1st team football. Where as all Man City (and probably Chelsea) could offer was the occasional sub appearence and a nailed on place in the reserves...

[patrickvalery]

I think that it all comes down to where the chairman...................

I'm glad someone else shares my opinion of Williams. Not that we're alone in thinking that, but certain others on here are incredibly short sighted in that regard. I've never had the privilege of speaking to the man face to face, but i did email him a while ago and received one in return which was completey above and beyond the call of duty. He seems to have the club at heart. Lots of people worry about managers getting tired of the restraints which come with managing Rovers. But the day John Williams tires of dealing with them and finding new initiatives to cure them is the real day we should worry.

Its interesting to hear that some of our younger pro's might be on their merry way. Some would argue that this is a pitty, but if they aren't up to scratch or showing potential to be so why throw good money after bad. I'm not sure we'll raise much by selling them on but i suppose in terms of their accumilated wages it may make a difference. However, here in lies the problem with Rovers. Our academy needs a re-think. We cannot go on producing sub standard talent. I'm not sure what the answer is. As a side note, i'd like to see Judge given more time. I work with a Plymouth fan and he speaks very highly of him. Apparntly they have been very impressed down there.

As for this summer. Well i can't help feeling pessimistic. As a rovers fan i have had my fingers burnt too many times. The close season always brings an untold number of rumours to get the pulse racing. But rarely do they come to fruition. Just last summer it was Joaqin and the likes and the only one who raised any eyebrows was Andrews. And that was clearly for the wrong reasons. I hope i'm proved wrong. I really do. There is a glimmer of hope for me this time. The noises are coming from Allardyce not just the daily rag. The man seems confident in his own abilities and that radiates to most (Waggy aside). I think this can only be a positive in any recruitment drive.

[47er]

I'd be sory to lose Judge. Bit early for that imo.

[herbergeehh]

Judge, Gallagher and anybody else on loan at a Football League club COULD play for Rovers because their other club's have finished their season.

Are you sure? BBC or someone else said a definite no right after Plymouth's season was over, and none of them have been in the squad for any of the games - not against WBA either. Surely both of them, if available, would be an asset right now.

[andyroversmad]

Hernan Crespo on a free?

He would be on big wages but that would be a amazing signing

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Still think people should stop thinking Eduardo and start thinking Jay Simpson. If it's a deal that can be done without ditching Roque off the wage bill that already needs cutting then he's not coming in on big wages, and without the £15m coming in there's a lot less to go out.

[RoverRich]

Hernan Crespo on a free?

Rumours around that he is signing up with Fiorentina on a 2 year deal

[Jeru tha Damaja]

Are you sure? BBC or someone else said a definite no right after Plymouth's season was over, and none of them have been in the squad for any of the games - not against WBA either. Surely both of them, if available, would be an asset right now.

I think their registrations with Plymouth expire when the final game of the Championship is played (the play-off final on Monday), not when Plymouth played their last match.

[Guest benmaxwell]

Still think people should stop thinking Eduardo and start thinking Jay Simpson.

Simpson would be a brilliant signing, also Jack Wilshere is a player with garenteed success destined...

I think their registrations with Plymouth expire when the final game of the Championship is played (the play-off final on Monday), not when Plymouth played their last match.

Nope. Unless a players loan is cancelled early, they stay at their club until May 31st... I know for a fact that Derbs, Judge and Gally are still training at their loaned to clubs... Derbs is currently in Vietnam on a post season break with Olympiakos...

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Simpson would be a brilliant signing, also Jack Wilshere is a player with garenteed success destined...

Absolutely. Just think the people going immediately to world famous names or players like Kenwyne "Sunderland want £15m" Jones will be disappointed, whereas if I keep my expectations low I can only be pleasantly surprised.

[Kelbo]

Firstly I feel I must echo the praise of chairman John Williams, a top man and without question one of the (if not the) best and shrewdest in the whole of British football!! Without JW as alredy stated, we would be in a real mess.

Now the comments on the academy, this is a very difficult one for having worked with youth teams over the years, the line is very narrow and lots of things come into the equasion.

Someone mentioned Burnleys youth team, who have they produced apart from Rodreguez and he has scored maybe 5 goals this season at championship level??? we currently have produced a number of championship players doing well, Nolan, Gallagher, Judge, Bruce, Garner, Walters etc. Treacy is well thought of and Doran looks promising!! Not to forget Derbyshire, though he did cost us a little from Harwood!! With the odd exception, to bring one player through each year is considered decent, only very occassionally do you have a few as did Man U with Scholes, Beckham, Giggs, Neville etc but that is very rare.

The final point is this, to bring players through, you need to bring them in slowley, preferably with a team which isnt struggling,

allow them to express themselves without fear and play their game, in a struggling team this isnt always possible. On the negative side, i do know that the present thoughts on the academy are tht if you are big and strong, youwillhave a much better chance than if you are smalland lightweight, I suppose Carlos to a degre showed that without strength life can be quite difficult, yet others, such as Ronaldo when he first came, walcott and wiltshire, plus the Spanish team which footballed England to death, shows the other side of the argument

Look at Man U and Arsenal, with the odd exception, their young players were poached or bought and only perhaps Welbeck as a real home grown player coming through (Simpson didnt do too well at Rovers) others such as Ramsay, Walcott and Wiltshire were bought from clubs at a young age.

The line is quite thin and whilst I do think there does need tobe changes at the academy, we re not in quite as bad a shape as we think.

[Eddie]

Its £5m aslong as we get £20m fee for him

I'm sure it is more that if it goes over 15 million then he gets the difference up to 5 million. I doubt he has such bad negotiators that we could possibly agree to sell for 19.99 million and he'd be left with nothing.

[Ricky]

if you are big and strong, youwillhave a much better chance than if you are smalland lightweight

a friend of mine had a trial at Rovers after being released by Middlesboro in the summer. They said they would have signed him of he was taller and stronger.

[Iceman]

Firstly I feel I must echo the praise of chairman John Williams, a top man and without question one of the (if not the) best and shrewdest in the whole of British football!! Without JW as alredy stated, we would be in a real mess.

Now the comments on the academy, this is a very difficult one for having worked with youth teams over the years, the line is very narrow and lots of things come into the equasion.

Someone mentioned Burnleys youth team, who have they produced apart from Rodreguez and he has scored maybe 5 goals this season at championship level??? we currently have produced a number of championship players doing well, Nolan, Gallagher, Judge, Bruce, Garner, Walters etc. Treacy is well thought of and Doran looks promising!! Not to forget Derbyshire, though he did cost us a little from Harwood!! With the odd exception, to bring one player through each year is considered decent, only very occassionally do you have a few as did Man U with Scholes, Beckham, Giggs, Neville etc but that is very rare.

The final point is this, to bring players through, you need to bring them in slowley, preferably with a team which isnt struggling,

allow them to express themselves without fear and play their game, in a struggling team this isnt always possible. On the negative side, i do know that the present thoughts on the academy are tht if you are big and strong, youwillhave a much better chance than if you are smalland lightweight, I suppose Carlos to a degre showed that without strength life can be quite difficult, yet others, such as Ronaldo when he first came, walcott and wiltshire, plus the Spanish team which footballed England to death, shows the other side of the argument

Look at Man U and Arsenal, with the odd exception, their young players were poached or bought and only perhaps Welbeck as a real home grown player coming through (Simpson didnt do too well at Rovers) others such as Ramsay, Walcott and Wiltshire were bought from clubs at a young age.

The line is quite thin and whilst I do think there does need tobe changes at the academy, we re not in quite as bad a shape as we think.

No doubt JW is a great chairman, somewhat of a risk taker as we saw this season, but also as we saw this season does make mistakes.

[thenodrog]

We would get at least £3m from Derbs and £1m from Gally.

Put the shoe on the other foot and I'd be bloody incensed if we paid that much for those two.... No harm in asking though I suppose.

[Ewood and I Would]

Put the shoe on the other foot and I'd be bloody incensed if we paid that much for those two.... No harm in asking though I suppose.

Can't speak for Gally but The Daily Star reported a £3m bid for Derbs a few days ago..

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/8...erbyshire-deal/

Given his age I think that's quite cheap actually.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Can't speak for Gally but The Daily Star reported a £3m bid for Derbs a few days ago..

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/8...erbyshire-deal/

Given his age I think that's quite cheap actually.

We'll see how he rates in value. If we get plenty of takers then he has been priced too cheaply if no takers then he is too expensive. Whatever the price a sell on clause needs to be added as a security blanket.

[Gav]

I think regardless of how much we pull in from fringe player sales, this coming closed season is massive for the club. We’ve had little or no investment for a number of seasons now, mainly because our wage bill takes up the sky money, but we must find the manager at least 10 million to go along with the player sale money, if we’re going to compete for the minor honours next season. That I believe will be the difference between challenging for Europe or another relegation dog fight.

Its all very well putting fantastic offers on for season tickets, but if we continue to witness football of the standard we’ve seen since Allardyce came in, I’m afraid the punters just won’t come the gates.

[Guest benmaxwell]

Can't speak for Gally but The Daily Star reported a £3m bid for Derbs a few days ago..

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/8...erbyshire-deal/

Given his age I think that's quite cheap actually.

As i said the other day. Gally will go for anything from half a million to a million (not forgetting he is down to the last 12 months of his contract) and Derbs will go for something between £3m-£4m, remembering he would be welcomed back to the club with open arms and could easily fit back into the squad...