speeeeeeedie

Didn't see the game, and glad I didn't as it seems like normal service has resumed from our overpaid footballing representatives. We will qualify, we will go into the tournament as favourites in the bookies' eyes, we will play like donkey's there, apart from 1 game, and we will go out on penalties. Well done Scotland, no vitriol from me here, I'd rather they win than France.

Kuqi? We got him for nothing, he scored a few goals, gave us a luagh or two and we sold him for a huge profit. What is bad about that? As usual with this debate posters' ages really matter. The older folk who saw us languishing with no money saw some tripe. Woy Hodgson era fans saw some very expensive dross. Davies was crap, but I will never understand why we signed Darren Peacock; one of a long line of awful Newcastle cantre halves that is still being added to.

I've just skimmed the message board and decided to put this here. We have 3 threads dedicated to what is bad about the national game; bungs, high ticket prices, and illegal TV. How strange is football? The game has been full of dodgy characters for years, and always will be. Clubs now want to make as much money as possible rather than breaking even to field a team. TV is always in it for TV too. I am beginning to seriously wonder why so many people continue to pay silly money to watch this sport, get mad when folk don't go, and travel vast distances to support a gang of overpaid thickos. I should have no room to talk as I contribute to the mess by subscribing to a channel that costs extra every month. It's getting to the point where I really do not want to bankroll a soulless idiot's latest flashy suit. But what else can I do? I've been football mad since I was a kid. Any ideas? Grass roots is great, I do my bit, but I still like watching top class football.

Reports say that Nelsen will now be out until Christmas.

Some argue that BRFC started the wage war. When Jack Walker came to the helm, we couldn't get players by impressing them with our training facilities (Pleasington playing fields), our ground (pre-developed Ewood), or our history (languishing for 20+ years in the lower leagues). Instead we paid them more than anyone else. I don't subscribe to this view but we have and still do pay more than most teams. Players are paid what the market is wiling to give them, until the money dries up they will always make extortionate amounts. Ashley Cole is only acting like any other self indulgent thick footballer and saying what he believes is true. I don't blame the bloke for what he says regarding money as I'd love to earn half of what he does. Fans complaining about him or wages/game prices in general can stop it very easily; stop going to games, subscribing to Sky, or going to the boozer to watch. The choice is yours.

Rovers were not up to par against the Blades. Plenty of possession but no cutting edge; much like the Chelsea game. It isn't looking too bright right now but I'm not going to slit my wrists. We were tidy but didn't do much else. It will be very hard for us to emulate last season, mid table obscurity I think. It's being discussed in the MGP hides thread but his corners were pathetic. Why he tries it every time is beyond me. It's like Roberto Carlos; he scored 1 free kick years ago and he thinks it gave him a right to take every free kick until he reitres.

Looks like Sparky Marky has been on the morbid juice. Henchoz is a capable back up, Huth cost too much money. I think it's a good signing. I do think it's funny that some are trying to have a go at him because he said that Blackburn was a dump. The bloke comes from Switzerland, a nice place, Blackburn is in the wet windy grey North West of England; he's right. But drive 10 miles out and you have some beautiful places.

I'm still sick of England and all the sucking up the press are giving them. Once they beat a World Class team when it matters I'll start being happy about them again. All reports I've read have Lampard playing badly again. On the bright side we have 6 points, no goals against, and an easy qualifying group.

I hope they throw the book at the thug. He's been doing it for years looking at the evidence at hand. I've now read that players are coming out and saying that he is a nice lad. I've also read stuff in the past saying that he's the biggest nutcase in the dressing room. There is obviously something wrong with the lad, but given that he can play football all will be forgiven.

This game is on tape delay (2:15pm EST) on Fox Soccer in the USA . Hopefully this time we can show the world that we aren't relegation fodder, which is what everyone will start saying on here if we don't win.

Pass the rope please. I know how this messageboard can overreact so I'm not surprised by some of the comments posted. The ever predictable cries of "Useless", "Championship here we come", and "Overpaid primadonnas" only seem to materialise after a defeat. It was the first game of the season, we were not at the races. There will be other games this season when this will happen, will we get the same prophecies then too? We are one game in to a 38 game season. We ahve plenty of time to put it right, Wednesday will be a different tale. Calm down.

I don't think so. I think Hughes wanted him to stay all along.

I don't know if this one counts but Paul Dalglish has just signed for the Houston Dynamos of the MLS. He played for our reserves a few times when his dad was in charge.

I agree with Den and Dave. Fans' always have a pantomime villain. We've had a few in past seasons now only Emerton fits the bill. Wilcox used to get slated for the exact same things I'm reading about Emerton; now he's a hero. Dave's right about the fans; we have no idea what goes on. I'll wager that it is far easier for Hughes to keep Emerton who knows the training, knows the system and knows the players, making it easy for the manager to stick with him rather than getting a new player in who is supposed to be better but has no idea of how Rovers are. Familiarity really helps football teams, managers would rather keep their players for as long as they can as it makes preparation much easier. I think the topic headline is absurd. How can a current player signing a new deal hurt our team? Myopic and stupid are words I would use.

I like the salary cap being % of revenue idea with a "luxury tax" for offenders. I'm still mulling over revenue sharing. Big teams will do better but it would eliminate some disparities. The luxury tax revenue should be split between non-offenders and grass roots projects. Each non-offender gets an even % of the share and all clubs get a sliding scale piece from the grass roots fund with low revenue clubs getting more. Shillito, could you not trade players for cash?

This rant is a bit strange. You might as well have a go at the whole board.

How would that team have done at the world cup? Crouch? No thanks.

I think that if Pompey offer us a decent amount (£6 million+) we should sell Nelsen. Ooijer is coming in, Todd is fit, as is Zurab. Neill hasn't gone yet, he can cover the mddle very well and Emerton can be lodged at right back. It would make sense for the club. We have one thread whining about attendances and the unloyal local public. We have a chance to offset the gates with this without damaging the team, but many want us to spend silly money trying for something we will never achieve. The Jack Walker days are long gone, we have to sustain ourselves and if that is retooling now and again to stay solvent so be it.

Rover6, do you spout tripe on purpose to get a rise or do you really believe the rubbish you write?

Cue another discussion between two old friends. Plastic v. cash.

Cletus, there is a picture in the article. Is yours not loading?

Very interesting. He apparently turned down many of the top jobs in England over the last couple of years and now decides that he is ready for a comeback. So he goes to Villa. Do they have a Russian billionaire lined up? Is Sven Eriksson splashing some of his FA booty on the Villains? I'm sure this saga is just beginning.

In my experience away fans normally make more noise than the home end, especially at Ewood. The opposite occurs away from home.

Slimmer of the year gets himself a new Burnley shirt; Porker at last gets a shirt big enough. They'll do anything for publicity won't they? Even advertising the fact that they have obese fans.

I agree wholehearedly that Arena has no idea. As far as US Soccer goes they are indeed stuck with underdeveloped coaches, an indifferent media, and a lack of a youth set up. Our failures in my eyes are much greater. England is expected to win every tournament they enter and haven't for 40+ years now. Our youth set up is going well but we still don't have it working properly as our players still get rumbled in the big games for being technically deficient. I get so tired of defending England. What can I say to defend us? Americans can say "it's not our sport". We can't. Our overinflated expectations ruin us every time. It won't be as apparent to you as you live in England where the majority feel the same way but I get it every day. Does this need a separate topic? "World Football: compare and discuss" Where is Left foot Lee Richardson these days?