Exactly, will do wonders for his confidence....................... having four subs brought on before him. "Everyone's good enough for a run out son................ except you." I saw a quote by ginger Sven mid week in which he desceribed Bentley as "having potential but that's all it is" I agree he's no world beater yet, but I think he's shown a lot more than "potential" this season - it's not like he's some raw untested Walcottian type seventeen year kid. The only way he's going to blossom at this level is by being given time on the pitch. As I predicted when goldenballs was recalled, DB's call up was a complete waste of time. Didn't even make it on to the pitch and will have had everyone else telling him how great it is at Man Ure/Arsenal/Chelski all week etc.

I don't understand Benni's latest posturing about "might make himself available for his country this Saturday" Either he has made himself available for selection or not. (I presume he has otherwise the question of him playing wouldn't arise) Thereafter he's obliged to attend isn't he? As for him moving elsewhere, the prospect of him leaving seems to have receded into the distance somewhat along with roman's billions. Bit awkward for him after he paraded up and down the sea front like one of the lay-dees in Little Britain twirling a little frilly brolly saying "I love Chelsea"

"He's not sure we're the right club for him?" I've got news for you Chris, few of us feel you're the player to take us forward either so the feeling is entirely mutual. I think it would be a heck of a break for us if Newcastle snap him up forcing us to look for a better option. They do keep helping us out dont they? First Souness and now hopefully Nonda.

Bentley's call up is a complete waste of time in the light of McClaren's inexplicable, shortsighted, and approval craving recall of Beckham. People wanted Beckham dropping - he drops him. People want Beckham recalling - he recalls him. Dropping goldenballs in the first place is just about the only thing Sven mark 2 has got right in his miserable reign so far. Beckham is yesterday's man, hasn't played well for England since 2002, and we hardly pulled up any trees when he was in the side anyway.

I think a certain ex manager and Willie Mckay have already been down that road! Not so sure it was with Rovers blessing though!

Isn't that what Luton did with Newell? That worked out well!

As Chelski's going rate for 30 year old players seems to be 30m (Shevcenko) and Benni has 3 years left on his contract I would advise them he is NOT available unless they are prepared tostump up said sum of 30m. Over to you Roman.

The standard is certainly improving - in 2004/5 I was joint 16th with 60 points - the same points total this year sees me in joint 42nd.

He is bound to think "I deserve a bit more loyalty from this ungrateful s.o.b." (As with Bellamy 12 months ago) And he'd be right. To be fair the club have expressed no inclination whatsoever to sell Benni so if anything does happen it's likely to be at the player's behest. Not a lot you can do about that, it isn't as if Benni is being sold by the club against Sparky's wishes. We're only three days into the close season and I'm already fed up to the back teeth with Benni "I'm a good guy really and don't want to leave Blackburn Rovers but on the other hand if a Champions League team came in" McCarthy. We all hope you stay but whether you stay or go for the appropriate fee please keep your mouth shut. I think the Club, Sparky and your team mates deserve a lot more respect than for you to be going round like this angling for interest everywhere you go. I'm sure you have an agent who can register and receive expressions of interest in private.

Crikey, you're easily pleased, it's hardly an unequivocal declaration of intent to stay is it? "I'll be playing my football here next season, or if not, somewhere else." Going back to the original quotes if they were indeed from a Portugese paper it would seem as though he was "flying a kite" as someone said above in the hope of generating some interest. And made the common mistake a lot of foreign players seem to make of assuming it won't be picked up on over here. If that was the case very naughty of the Sun to claim it was a direct interview with them and put a stronger slant on it though.

Everyone's trying to be very charitable towards Benni but "I've enjoyed (past tense) playing for Blackburn" sounds quite final to me from his perspective. He might just have to eat some serious humble pie for Mark Hughes and the rest of his team mates if there are no suitable bids forthcoming for him. It's still the timing of it that gets me. If he'd said it after the season had finished I'd have been more inclined to think "It's a shame but possibly only to be expected." (Despite all the guff he's given us this season which made us all think that he was cuddly wuddly Benni and not a bit like that nasty wasty Bellamy!)

On the other hand you could argue that a front line of Nonda and Roberts looks desperately short of sharpness in front of goal to be the preferred starting duo. I'm not sure Nonda looks good enough to be the 3rd choice striker on this season's evidence let alone a guaranteed starter. Still, Benni isn't gone yet, a "big" club may not come in for him or, perhaps more likely, they'll want him for around 5m, we want around 10m and hopefully any potential deal will fall through.

Why shouldn't they? On the one level you can't really blame McCarthy at his age for wanting to grab a last chance of Champions League soccer if it's offered to him. On the other he's been feeding us this sheeeeeeee ite all season about "I'll only leave if the club want to sell me, I want to repay them for giving me my big chance in the Prem" etc. The worst thing though is the timing of this announcement which I really can't get my head round. He may not be bothered about what happens to us next season, but we actually have a crucial game tomorrow which may well dictate whether or not we play in Europe again this season. Could he not have waited until Monday morning? Even Bellamy had the sense not to say anything at all really about wanting to leave, but certainly not on the eve of a big game. If we didn't need the points I'd have him sat on the bench all the way through tomorrow and make him strip off to come on for the last 30 seconds. The annoyance factor apart, and yes, we will find it hard to replace his goals, I'll feel nowhere near as upset if he does go as I did when Bellamy went. He has given the impression on the pitch since Christmas that his head and heart were elsewhere. His latest recent little flurry of form is probably designed to secure his dream move. 10m and let's move on.

He didn't say that, he said there's no clause in Benni's contract. Although hopefully no-one else will have either.

The most disappointing aspect is that if we are interested in signing him it would seem to preclude a move for Bellamy - which would leave us with Bellamy McCarthy Roberts Derbyshire Nonda Gallagher Jeffers Unless of course someone out of the first four is leaving. Would we really be spending 2m on our 5th choice striker?

Hopefully the final word on the Benni "Is there/isn't there a clause?" debate. Sparky (in today's LT) "Benni's not going to be sold and there's no clauses in his contract." "There will always be people checking (if he's available) but he's not available. Full stop."

2m we could spend a lot better elsewhere on someone younger imo. On the other hand quite a few foreign players have performed much better second season than first. Expect him to be like Drogba next time round.

So did I - after all Benitez is reputedly the greatest manager in the world!

Jol has claimed he wouldn't let Berbatov go for less than 40m which according to your theory would mean he values Saha at 22m. Unlikely I think. As for Benni, let's be frank , if one of the "Big four" come in for him he'll be off without so much as a backwards glance. Personally I don't think he's good enough to command a regular starting spot at any of those clubs but then the grass seemingly often seems greener etc.

Strange player Nonda, the harder or more unlikely a chance might be, the easier he makes it look. Give him a sitter and he seems to go to pieces. Overall, don't think he's done enough to warrant a contract.

Samba has been generally superb for me. However Nelsen is looking a long way short of his best, might be best to wrap him in cotton wool for the rest of the League season at least and give Todd a chance to impress.

No. that's why we're likely to finish 10th - 12th this season as opposed to 6th last. FLB is spot on with this. Clubs weren't exactly queueing up to sign McCarthy last close season so there was no obvious reason to let him have a ridiculously low release clause. If anything we were taking a risk on him at this relatively late stage in his career. Despite that and his obvious shortcomings, 5m after 18 goals in all competitions falls into that "ridiculously low" category. From our point of view it should be 10m or the potential suitor should go and whistle.

He ain't "local" - he's from Bolton isn't he?

I only saw the first half on Saturday but to me from their body language it's quite obvious that most of the 100k p.w guys - Rio, Gerrard Lampard, Rooney etc simply can't be arsed playing for England these days. I would excuse Terry from that charge but it's not just a recent thing either. These type of guys certainly don't seem to respond to Sven or McClaren, I'm starting to wonder if they'll respond to anyone once they have to go through the chore of pulling on an England shirt. However, on the off chance they might, and if Mourinho leaves Chelski in the summer, the FA should move heaven and earth to get him in. The "new Brian Clough" albeit 30 years too late.

I'm not looking it up but I suspect he's been a lot more impressive than Lita was at comparable stages of their professional career - i.e. after only fifteen or twenty games. Get over it Eddie - local lad doing well - and could well get even better. Philip never said he was "world class" just opined he played a "world class ball". I don't think anyone knows exactly how good or otherwise he might turn out to be at this stage, as I say he's still only 20 and fifteen or twenty games in. Some people, not just you, see a local name on the teamsheet and if they don't play like Maradona every single match they'll never be good enough. Very weird.