Hey Brownine, not sure if we can trust you on this one considering your recent rack record.

Eh !!??

It wasn't me making things up, he was genuinely uninterested on signing for West ham last saturday.

Obviously something has turned his head , no idea what .........................

My brother who ridiculously is a West Ham fan on Konchesky

His passing is very very poor and his crossing is also cr*p.....When he gets the ball he just lumps it forward.......

Good defender and an excellent engine he just has no ability......

Looks like deal will only go through if we get Konchesky

Quite right Eddie, we should now withdraw our latest contract offer and replace it with the lower one he was originally offered before the World Cup!

Oh dear, it's all going pear shaped for Lucas isn't it? A place in Liverpool's reserves on not as much money as he thought or a bit more money than he's on here to drop down to the first division and scrap it out with the mighty Clarets!

Where are Barcelona and AC Milan when you need them?

Oh well, he always said he wanted a "challenge" Trying to keep West Ham up certainly falls into that category.

Least Vegas is on the mend ..............

This would definitely be an agent inspired move if it came off.

He rolled his eyes and actually said "No chance" when I mentioned West ham to him.

Looks like they are offering him the money we wouldn't even consider and his agent has recomended the move to him

Lets cut out the ignorance and realise that this is Lucas Neill's agent trying to get the best deal he can for the player.

It appears he wants to sign for Liverpool and like any agent would he's trying to match the offers he already has on the table from other clubs.

Why slag Lucas for negotiating his salary with his prospective employer ?

Looking forward to reading Bruce and Allardyce's comments on the transfer.

How's the dogs paw BTW?

Vegas isn't too bad, lucas wrapped the paw in a bandage and tied it on with a little bag and string.

I'll keep you updated ........

Brownie - did Neill have anything positive to say?

Not with regard to staying, no.

He feels like he's been poorly treated by the board and the differences are ireconcilable

At the risk of agreeing with SAR I think he's spot on here. Neill's probably realised that Brownie's a gobshite and will post everything he says so has offered him a bit of sugar. It's probably also worth noting that Brownie hasn't exactly got a perfect record of posting the "truth" on here.

However, perhaps I've been unfair and maybe Brownie did accurately report what Lucas said. I find it hard to believe that Neill hasn't been offered a better deal. I find it very easy to believe that Rovers don't want to negotiate with his agent. Perhaps if Neill changed agents he'd do better. Either way, it wouldn't surprise me at all if we kept Neill until the summer - which is what I think we should do anyway.

Thanks for the 'Gobshite' label Scotty, love you too.

"offered me a bit of sugar" ?? It wasn't an interview just a casual chat, we spoke more about my 9 week old labrador and the cut on his dog's paw !

Not strictly the case Gordon, I'm sure it was specifically reported in summer that although there was already an existing offer for him on the table he was offered another new deal in light of the World Cup.

Unless my memory is failing me or I read it wrong.

Thats what has been reported but Lucas specifically said there has been nothing new on the table since last January. I asked him why the stories then, and he said they have to say these things to the fans.

He said the truth will come out after he leaves.

Am shocked about the lack of concern for Vegas' paw !

I asked him that Bobby and he doesn't see it happening.

The Board have told him/his agent what they are doing.

Hee gave me the impresssion he is very unhappy with the Board telling lies in the press about new deals being offered and he says it has resulted in him being booed.

He said he made the gesture after he scored because no player should get booed as it affects the team.

The other shattering news is that his dog, Vegas, has cut its paw on some barbed wire !

I'm shocked if thats true and i don't see what the club has to gain by putting out stories that they have offered him a contract when they haven't?

Hughes obviously wanted him to stay (captaincy, etc) so why would the board go against that?

Exactly the point I made to him, and he just shook his head and said he also doesnt understand it.

Either he or the Club are telling porkies on that one then. As I recall it was clearly reported in the summer in the aftermath of the World Cup that at least one new deal had been put to him.

IF (and personally I don't believe it) that was the case he might have a right to feel slightly aggrieved. Of course it depends what "the same money" is.

If for the sake of argument he was on 30k p.w. already I don't think the Club would have anywhere else to go with that.

I doubt Lucas would lie to me, no reason to, but he clearly stated three times that they haven't been to him with a contract offer since last January.

When I said I cant believe it, he said "Well there you go, people dont know the truth"

He said he was suprised they didnt offer him something as well.

I can only think it has something to do with the pay structure

did you ask him if there was any chance at all of him signing a new deal and staying, though looks very unlikely ??

I did sort of and he just said "Its not going to happen"

I was suprised so I asked him about three times but he was adamant that they haven't offered him more money and nothing new in a year.

He said the stories about contract offers are not true and the truth will come out later.

Talking to him you could understand why he was after a move, he doesn't like the Board one bit.

Been chatting to Lucas this morning.

Some interesting snippets

He laughed at the prospect of West Ham - " No way mate"

He hasnt been offered a contract since January 2006 and was offered the same money over a longer deal.

He personally doesn't mind being booed but the rest of the team do and it affects them

He doesn't think we should sign Dunny cos he's not fit and easily picks up injuries

Laughed at the Damien Duff/Mytton Fold story

Has no ideaif he's staying or leaving but says it looks like he could be staying till May

Also has no idea if he's starting or is captain today

Says the Board have told him they will not pay silly money and wont even negotiate with his agent

It is true unfortunately.

Lucas Neill told me today, he snapped his knee in training yesterday though it hasn't been diagnosed yet.

When i asked him if he's out for the season he said "And some more"

he said he was looking really good in training as well

Yes, what's far worse than Crap? He was that and more. I didn't get there till 20 minutes gone, but the proportion of passes that went to Liverpool directly (bad pass) or indirectly (through kicking the ball "inadvertently" out of the pitch) was disgusting. At times it was like we were 10 against 12.

Complete and utter, undiluted Bull.

Yet again Lucas fills in on the opposite flank to which he is accustomed in a game where he was undoubtably under outside pressures, and he comes through it in his usual professional manner, working his socks off and contributing to an outstanding clean sheet for the defenders, and the word you use is 'disgusting'.

Do you care to give me a list of full backs who can perform as well as he does at right back, centre half and left back ?

He again has proved to be a thorough professional and whether he goes next week or next year, the effort and comittment our leader sowed on that pitch today cannot be questioned by anyone with at least half a brain.

Never read such narrow minded, insulting rubbish in years.

Don't be ridiculous Brownie. Neill is perfectly entitled to move on and I know your view is in the light of Lucas being your best mate or something but there is no way at all he should play against Liverpool. It will be a tough enough game as it is and his long term loyalties must clearly lie with them not us.

Whether he plays against Arsenal, Boro and Wigan is a different matter entirely. I've no doubt Hughes will pick him if he feels he is sufficiently committed. Personally I still wouldn't pick him if Emerton is available, and he definitely shouldn't still be in possession of the armband.

Depends really whether a deal has already been struck.

if not then he should play.

As we stand he may well be staying untill the summer or may even join another club.

Don't forget its down to MH whether he joins Liverpool in January or not.

Or true supporters.

Don't delude yourself.

Those of you giving Lucas a hard time remind me of spotty fifth formers who can't get over their girlfriends finishing with them for someone better looking.

Get over it and move on, and don't go round calling her a slapper.

I can't understand some who are calling for Neill's head over his refusal to sign a new contract. Is it the sheer novelty of a player showing enough loyalty to a club to see out his full (and fairly lengthy) contract without once spitting the dummy and demanding a transfer? He has never refused to play any role asked of him, right across the backline, and has a positive influence on the pitch much more often than not.

As for those who would doubt his love of the club for his insulting the supporters. Well, i think it fairly obvious to anyone who cares to think for themselves that his gesture was aimed at a minority of fans who have taken it upon themselves to take the moral 'high-ground' by suggesting that Lucas is obligated to re-sign for the club when his current contract runs out, instead of either taking a better offer should one arise. I know you love the club, but it's ludicrous to suggest that one who has served the club so long and well should be singled out for derision for not staying for their full playing career.

Lucas probably realises that he is now approaching the peak of his abilities and to further improve, or to be challenging for honours on a regular basis he needs to move soon. It's not as if he has been disloyal to the club, or even been talking to other clubs as many if not most players of the modern game would have done long ago. No, he is fulfilling his obligation to the club in full.

And for that he is castigated by his own fans. It's a shame that fulfilling the obligation agreed between himself and the club is not enough for some. But when someone sulks and demands a transfer that is seen as a normal situation.

Agree with Tris that this is an excellent, considered post.

What right has anyone on here or in the crowd got to castigate a true 100% honest professional of making a career move that suits his high ambitions. He knows if he doesn't play for a big club now, he never will.

Some people are so up their own backsides with their elevated opinions of others its incredible.

Let Lucas move on, thank him for his service as well as his honesty and wish him the best.

I am more dissapointed than anyone about Luca's departure, I consider him one of the most complete defenders in the Premiership, hom many others can play right along the back four ?

I only hope MH can discover another Lucas Neill for £700,000.

I wouldn't be so premature. He who laughs last and all that.

Whilst it may be a little dispiriting to have news that you've found out for yourself greeted with derision, I don't think there was a need to fly off the handle quite so badly.

The reason, Bryan, was I was wondering whether it was really worth posting in case the dull sister's cousin's milkman's dog gags came out again.

So when they did you can imagine what I thought.

The only thing that winds me up more is people referring to Chelsea as Chelski.

Anyhow, no worries, apologies for my terrible language.

Ray-Von, thanks for your post.

-->

I should have Ste, I know.

But you hear something which is both interesting and genuine, post it and a couple of smart alecs (self censored) produce a couple of dull predictable gags.

Winds me up, and puts others off posting

What a couple of **very naughty boys.

Mate of mine has a chat with a player we are strongly rumoured to sign, he confirms this directly, I post the contents of the conversation and you get a couple of smart arses with incredibly witty replies.

** very naughty word removed

Mate of mine who does match reports for every Birmingham game for a website rang me last night to say he'd had a chat with David Dunn yesterday.

He said he wasnt playing because he has agreed a move back to Rovers and neither him or Birmingham want to risk it failing due to another injury.

He cant wait to come back, is signing a pay as you play deal and could also have gone to Man City.

It is in the Daily Mirror today....

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