Can't help thinking this wouldn't happen with Hughes in charge.

It did when Chelsea supposedly came knocking but no official bid was made.

I`d personally block his move, fine him a weeks wage for each training session he makes and make him play in the reserves until he changes his attitude.

Make it our choice instead of his.

I agree with what you are saying but we as a club are in no position to let highly paid players rot in the reserves, we could do it in the mid '90's but sadly not these day's.

The seeds were probabaly sown in the summer when the manager told him he would sell him with a week to go of the summer transfer window left. Hes probably been waiting all this time until now to leave.

The seeds were sown long ago, he has never been fully committed to the Rovers, he wanted to leave a couple of seasons back when there was a rumour that Chelsea were sniffing round and has had itchy feet in every transfer window since.

If he does go to West Ham, and as far as I'm concerned they're welcome to him, he'll have to up his work rate and work a hell of a lot harder than he has done here. How long until he wants out of West Ham to go to the Scottish Sunday League???

SSN this morning report interest in Gudjohnsen, I think that would be a cracking signing for us.

McCarthy?

He doesn't want to play for us Bryan. HE has asked to leave and HE is trying to manufacture a move. We need to look ahead of Benni now.

unintesested tonight. Never challanged for the ball. Slow, fat. Kalinic and Di Santo up front please

I don't think Di Santo is the answer either. Luckily Kalinic is finding his form and settling in. We'd be in trouble if we had to depend on Benni.

Get West Ham up to at least the £2m mark then let him go providing we can bring in a replacement. We are not going to get a player with the same experience or potential creativity but we may get someone who's fit and willing to put in a shift.

Sorry I thought you suggested the midfield had played so well Dunn shouldn't be back in the team.

Not at all mate. Although the midfield was an improvement to a midfield partly consisting of Andrews, I'd love to see Dunny & Reid in midfield tonight with Benni & Nicko up front and with Junior and Bert on the wings we could be in business.

Could really mix it up and play Dunn in midfield?

shillito, If you read back a couple of posts I'm replying to the comment about leaving Benni out and playing Dunn behind Nicko. I'm saying keep them playing together.

Eh?

Why split up Benni and Nicko?

Not sure he will. Dunny was rested for this game tonight, i think its likely Kalinic will start with Dunny just behind him.

As much as I like Dunny, I don't think he warrants a start tonight after the way the lads performed against Fulham.

How's about a bit of stability and continuity Sam???

When he is at his best he is one of our best players but his head will be turned now and he will want to leave and he will do everything he can to make the move happen.

I don't think we will see another decent performance from Benni again which is a shame.

I hope I am wrong.

There's always tonight Rob. He's got to start after Sunday's performance.

I wish I was as fat as Mr McCarthy

I prefer Fat Benni to Mr McCarthy.

Just my opinion.

No idea if a bid has been made or not, regardless I would not sell him to anyone in the bottom half of the Premier League as it will just make them stonger. Even if we got £2 million or even £2.5 million, we won't be able to get someone of Benni's quality. I am fan of his so am baised, I agree that he is not the perfect professional but against Fulham he showed that he still he can have a positive impact.

I agree, and if he was a model professional then he'd be at a far bigger club than ours. I too would rather he was on our side than against us towards the back end of the season, but he really frustrates me as we know he can do it but never know when he's going to be bothered!

Really? I would say most teams struggling in the Prem will have a look at him alongside Galatasaray et al. I think there will be a bit of interest.

2m is not going to buy us a servicable player. it won't even get us Beattie for God's sake. We shouldn't sell for 'what we can get' we should sell for what he is worth to us. And I would say 4m is about right. If we get much less we should keep. He is looking like forming a good partnership with Kalinic.

We are 20 days into the window and nobody has put in a firm bid for Benni. I class anything in the papers and on Sky as rumours until Rovers actually announce the a bid/signing has been made. However I agree that we should sell for what it's worth to us, but I'm afraid like in any industry it's a buyers market at the moment and nobody other than Man City are going to pay over the odd's for players. The next couple of games could start to forge a good partnership between Fat Benni and Nicko and that could make Benni decide to want to stay.

As I have said before, this could work in our favour if he spends the rest of the season fighting for his world cup jersey wearing a Rovers shirt then we could have done well out of it.

If Benni is prepared to fight for his place in the Rovers 1st team and work on his fitness levels then he will be welcome to stay at the club by most of us.

True. Annoying.

If he really is contracted till 2011 we should be looking for 4m I would say. Ambitous I know but he is a brilliant player on his day and already attracting far more interest than Beattie is who is rated at 3m.

Far more interest? 1 rumoured bid on SkySports and thats it!

You'll never get Benni for £4m unless you have half a dozen Man City's after him. He's not fit and he's well known for his moods and spitting his dummy out. Take what we can provided we can draft in another forward.

Puppies always prance around and look good when someone is looking through the shop window.

That is his only motivation at the moment but it could well work in our favour if he stays for the rest of the season.

Exactly. I really can't believe there are still people who want him out.

It's Benni that wants out rather that people wanting him out. If he wants to commit his immediate future to us and work on his fitness levels then we will all embrace the idea.

I've just spotted on skybet that Galatasaray are odds on favorites to sign Benni...

Benni's club after transfer window;

Galatasaray 1/2

Blackburn 3/1

Everton 10/1 (along with Celtic & Brum)

Sunderland 12/1

has anybody tried the Farmers glory on Haslingden old road? just wondered if the food was as good as the price suggests....

I went last summer and it was fantastic, however it's been taken over since then and I'm not sure how the new management are doing.

Have you been and have you any feedback?

I'm off to Usha on Haslingden Old Rd on Saturday night, go up there early and have a nice chill out in the conservatory with a couple of bottles of wine then a damn fine curry.

Best cheapo TV for the masses that there is in the opinion of me and mine. Just about the only reallity TV (if that is what it is) that we all watch. Problem is they are in danger of selling their souls by selecting participants based on controversy rather than personality/ability.

Is the narrator Harry Hill cos if it isn't it certainly sounds like him? In last night's episode (Sun) the Iranian woman prepared about the best meal that I have seen on the show to date.

As for a good Thai meal I'm still mourning the passing of the Little Elephant in Darwen.

The Narrator is Dave Lamb, if it wasn't for him I don't think the programme would have took off like it has done. Dave Lamb was in Goodness Gracious Me, if any of you ever watched that he was the only regular white character.

How many times was he caught offside?

I dont believe Benni is angling for a move - yes his agent is, but I dont believe its Benni's desire - he simply wants 1st team football and to be honest with his ability its only fair!

He's off side too often in general. My issue is that he's playing to manufacture a move away from our club. He has already stated that he has spoken to Aaron about a move, hoping Pompey would pay him silly money for a move down there. I think he'll be off given the first opportunity in January.

On the other side of the coin, if I am right and he is playing to manufacture a move away, then playing well will only up his price tag and Big Sam has already said he won't go on the cheap and not until he's found a replacement.

Can't believe this wasn't brought back to the top after Saturday. Benni was absolutely outstanding in my view against Liverpool. He played the Dunn role differently to Dunny, but just as effectively, he hardly wasted a ball and some of his touches were exquisite.

When he plays like that its a no brainer that he must stay. Just wish it happened more often.

Remember who or what Benni is playing for... He's playing for a move away, he's put himself in the shop window already this season.

I don't think I'd have described his contribution as outstanding verses Liverpool but he didn't do too badly. Still a too many off-sides and too much waving his arms about.

Looking for a place to take my girlfriend for a birthday so I'm wondering if any foodies here can think of a place that might tick the following criteria. I want an English restaurant in or around Manchester City Centre/South Manchester with a good selection of vegetarian meals (as a guide...cauliflower cheese is her favourite), but it must be a restaurant and not a pub/restaurant (if possible).

Greens in Didsbury is my obvious choice but we've been there before so I'm hoping there is somewhere different to go.

Earle on Cecil Rd, Hale is good. It's owned and run by Simon Rimmer the TV chef. A good feed and I've been told his vegetarian dishes are excellent. Not bad prices either. starters from £3 to around £8 and mains from £11 to £18.It is well known in the area for it's quality vegetarian options. All the ingredients are locally sourced too.

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but had an excellent meal this week at The Railway at Euxton.

Highly recommended.

Thanks for the tip, but I worked there several (and the rest) years ago. we were fitting a new boiler and working like idiots so they could get the pub open on time so they didn't lose any trade. The landlady asked if we'd like some lunch so we accepted... only to find a bill for the food tucked under the plate! Cheek! we took our time after that and let the job last for another day... I swore then that I'd never put a penny behind that bar.

Me and Mrs Sidders seem to have been eating out far too much of late and over the last few we months we've been to...

Nuraghe's (Italian - used to be Quattro's) at Samlesbury - very good food, good service and pleasant atmosphere. Surprisingly very quiet for a Saturday night. I didn't like it when it was Quattro's as it felt like motorway services.

Usha at Burnley - good food, generally good service (they kept us waiting a long time for our main course but gave us free drinks) and not bad at all. Been there many times and never been disappointed. Good value too.

Calf's Head at Worston - good pub grub and you get a lot for your buck. Service is a bit sour though.

Tampopo at Trafford Centre - really rather good east Asian food with no frills. The Japanese stuff is very fine. Friendly inobtrusive service.

Siam Palace (above Judge Walmsley) at Billington - in a word, sh1te. I went for the chef's special and it was flavourless and a stodgy mess. Mrs Sidders enjoyed her sea bass in fancy sauce but I thought it was vile. Decor was very, very shabby (especially the downstairs waiting area) and the menus looked like they had been typed by a chimpanzee. Friendly service though.

Shajan on A59 at Clayton le Dale - eaten there many times and it's always been fairly decent but last time was truly dreadful. Excessively loud background music that seemed to consist of a screeching jazz trumpet solo on a permanent loop, dreadful service and really bland food. The service was so bad I'd have to think long and hard about ever going back.

La Tasca in Liverpool - you'd be hard pressed to screw up tapas (especially if you do it for a living) but this lot managed it. We went for the chef's special set menu and regretted it. Overpriced, lukewarm food served by crap staff and it wasn't even busy at the time. I've been to the Manchester branch on Deansgate in the past and liked it.

Pizza Express in Salford - best place for pizza and good value based on sheer volume of food. Staff generally very good but one waiter came close to a thick ear.

Three Fishes at Mitton - I think it's overpriced, better than average pub food. She loves it. It's a pleasant place to go though for no frills eating.

There is also an Usha on Haslingdon Old Rd in Ossy, what used to be Ye Olde Brown Cow, it's excellent. As for the Shajan, I'll never go again. I used to enjoy it but in the last 12months or so it's really gone down hill.

If anyone can tell me a better place to dine than The Royal Oak at Pleckgate I would be amazed. Top quality food, good prices and a pleasant atmosphere. Two of the best chefs in Blackburn too.

I take it the Royal Oak has picked up again? I used to be in there every night and have Saturday and Sunday lunch there with my mates. It used to be a cracking pub with what's got to be the best local produce possible.

Is it still a traditional menu? I think I'll give it a try in the next couple of weeks.

The manager has also had a long look at Keith Andrews and decided to play him in nearly every game so far...

Maybe Keith has a better attitude towards training than others? Sam obviously see's something in Keith that he doesn't see in Benni.

That something could be either work rate, attitude or commitment. Possibly all three.

I don't really get where Benni is coming from with his comments regarding not fitting into the formation. Even Sam said in the post-match interview why Benni isn't playing - he is clearly, and has been for a while, unfit(ter than normal).

I have to say that if this fitness is down to him and he's not pulling his weight ( :lol:pardon the pun ) yet earning big bucks then should he not be sacked? If I was getting paid that much by you as the fans then I'd certainly want to repay you by getting my arse in gear at the very least.

He's great when he pulls his socks up ( ) but he basically hasn't featured because of his own doing.

He's admitted he's out of shape and that he needs to improve. Now that his mate (Alan Mokoena) has left he thinks the grass will be greener at Pompey! He's trying to make out that Sam is pushing him out when that's clearly not the case.

He's obviously not willing to prove his worth so let him go, we've seen far better players than Benni come and go in the past, he'll be forgotten about in no time.

Well, unless BFS has someone better than Benni McCarthy lined up (who that would be I have no idea), he better do everything to convince him to stay.

So how do we keep a player at our club who doesn't want to play for us? Contracts mean nothing so don't play that card.

If Benni wants to go let him go, he blow's hot and cold and only really shows us what he can do when he comes on as sub.

Sam has said that he can go if we find a replacement and the money is right. I don't have an issue with that at all. We need players who want to play for the club.