Football

[WelshBluebird]

Too bad we can probably predict what'll happen next season too - yep, another Play-Off defeat

One day, I will watch Cardiff vs Everton in the Prem in person. One day.

Judging on the latest rumours to be coming out of the club, I won't care!

Rumours are that our owners want to rebrand the club, changing the club colour from blue to red (including the home kit and stadium), change our nickname and our badge (they want to make the dragon a theme rather than the bluebird) amongst other things. On the plus side all that will come with a large amount of investment and a proper go at promotion.

But if all that is the cost of promotion, then count me out. I'd rather go back to being in league 2.

Nothing official from the club yet, but a few people who have good connections are saying that is at least what the owners want to do, and they are having a meeting with the club tonight. So we'll see what happens.

 

[richw]

And now the preferred bidder for rangers has withdrawn his bid. Apparently seeing further into the club has caused him to walk!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

And now the preferred bidder for rangers has withdrawn his bid. Apparently seeing further into the club has caused him to walk!

This of course being Bill Miller, the American tycoon, who was preferred over the owner of Sale Sharks RUFC.

 

[richw]

bill miller has now stated he has withdrawn following due diligence, and things are worse than the administrators have declared

 

[EM2]

bill miller has now stated he has withdrawn following due diligence, and things are worse than the administrators have declared

Talking of due diligence, I have heard that Venky's had no idea what relegation was when they bought Blackburn, and thought they were buying an MLS-style franchise.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If that is the case, the Venky group need to ask why their advisors did not fully explain all the possibilities that could have occurred.

 

[Ivo]

Ironically bolton and blackburn both were promoted to the premiership together in 2001! (along with Fulham). Pretty sure that was the last time that 3 promoted teams have all stayed up, Which could be repeated this year if QPR survive.

This is certainly true, although both had had previous experience in the Prem - indeed, Blackburn went from Champions in 1995 to relegated in 1999! The time before that Bolton were promtoed was in 1997, and they joined Barnsley and Crystal Palace - the other two promoted sides - in going straight back down again. (Not that I will complain, considering only goal difference saved Everton (:?)) I believe these two instances involving Bolton (1997/98 and 2001/02) were the only Prem-era instances of all three clubs going back down and all three clubs surviving respectively so far.

Can QPR survive? They might have the advantage in terms of position - but their opponents have a lot to fight for, unlike Bolton's opponents...

Talking of due diligence, I have heard that Venky's had no idea what relegation was when they bought Blackburn, and thought they were buying an MLS-style franchise.

If that is the case, the Venky group need to ask why their advisors did not fully explain all the possibilities that could have occurred.

Some lessons have to be learned the hard way, but this isn't one of them. A very costly mistake that must have involved someone slipping up somewhere...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

If that is the case, the Venky group need to ask why their advisors did not fully explain all the possibilities that could have occurred.

I believe their advisers spent half of this season telling them Rovers were in deep trouble, and yet they refused to listen. I believe even a group of fans and experts went over there and were totally ignored. Do you seriously expect them to take a blind bit of notice? It is rather obvious that they do not care one iota.

Kean out, Venky's out.

 

[richw]

Kean has apparently been doing more roles than the manager does at a conventional club, apparently he is effectively acting as chief exec as well!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

... And the role of a shocking manager too. Rovers played well in yesterday's second half according to Kean (I was there - they did not). Well that's useful! Relegated but never mind, they played 'well', so well in fact they got three shots on target, had more holes in defence than there are in a block of Swiss cheese, and lost the game in quite convincing style. He is useless: always deflecting blame, never acknowledging let alone addressing negatives, playing poor styles of football, not utilising what he has (e.g. losing and not even using subs from a bench with more talent than the starting XI, and not even accepting that things were going badly.

I hope Rovers get rid of him as soon as is humanly possible to imagine, and God help the next club he gets involved in. That man could take Arsenal to the Ryman Premier Division without even realising it. Berk.

 

[andrew bell]

Judging on the latest rumours to be coming out of the club, I won't care!

Rumours are that our owners want to rebrand the club, changing the club colour from blue to red (including the home kit and stadium), change our nickname and our badge (they want to make the dragon a theme rather than the bluebird) amongst other things. On the plus side all that will come with a large amount of investment and a proper go at promotion.

But if all that is the cost of promotion, then count me out. I'd rather go back to being in league 2.

Nothing official from the club yet, but a few people who have good connections are saying that is at least what the owners want to do, and they are having a meeting with the club tonight. So we'll see what happens.

I assume the owners will change the name to Wrexham too

 

[Ivo]

If the Blackburn job is set to become available, where can I apply?

I assume [Cardiff's] owners will change the name to Wrexham too

WAG United

----------------

Random Fact

Courtesy of this post, I have now made more posts in the parts of the forum that actually count towards post counts than I have in the Quiz Forum.

 

[andrew bell]

If the Blackburn job is set to become available, where can I apply?

Go to the shops, buy Football Manager, install it and play new game, make yourself Blackburn boss and hey presto, you'll be Blackburn manager in no time

 

[richw]

Has someone told Andy Carroll the England selection are coming up? Having another top performance, with excellent work rate in the first half, Making John Terry look like he belongs in the conference. Liverpool 3-0 at half time, and downing missed a penalty as well!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Anyone else feel Crouch and / or Holt should be heading off to Euro 2012 before Carroll does?

I see Mr. Downing was trying to boost his shocking goal / assist levels this season by taking a nice easy penalty. Oh, wait...

 

[Chew Chew]

And now the preferred bidder for rangers has withdrawn his bid. Apparently seeing further into the club has caused him to walk!

This of course being Bill Miller, the American tycoon, who was preferred over the owner of Sale Sharks RUFC.

bill miller has now stated he has withdrawn following due diligence, and things are worse than the administrators have declared

It's time to let Rangers die.

Let them start afresh from the bottom division.

If a NewCo gets to start in the SPL then it is the end for the SPL.

 

[richw]

Anyone else feel Crouch and / or Holt should be heading off to Euro 2012 before Carroll does?

I see Mr. Downing was trying to boost his shocking goal / assist levels this season by taking a nice easy penalty. Oh, wait...

Carroll reminds me very much of Crouch,
took almost a season to settle at liverpool, then started scoring good goals.
Paid over the odds for both.
both stupidly tall!

A part of me expects Roy to select some players from the lower teams who often get overlooked, as he has such an eye for talent in lower teams, and gets good performance from them.
Personally i think we would do better if we dont pick the egos from the top 5-6 teams.

 

[SS4]

Personally i think we would do better if we dont pick the egos from the top 5-6 teams.

I concur. Indeed, I'd be happy with us playing with heart and passion for the country.

 

[andrew bell]

I concur. Indeed, I'd be happy with us playing with heart and passion for the country.

Can we take the England C team (the one made up of players in Blue Square Bet Premier and lower) that way we will have players who WANT to play for their country and not because they feel like they have to and would rather be on Copacabana or Ibiza

 

[Johnuk123]

bill miller has now stated he has withdrawn following due diligence, and things are worse than the administrators have declared

I don't blame Miller for withdrawing.

Some Rangers fans held up anti - Miller banners last week and he's had literally thousands of hate filled e-mails.
I don't think all Rangers fans are like this but you do wonder at some peoples mentality.

 

[Robinson]

It's time to let Rangers die.

Let them start afresh from the bottom division.

If a NewCo gets to start in the SPL then it is the end for the SPL.

Sink us and we'll sink you

Seriously though, all of us Rangers fans who'll be out of a club to support aren't just going to turn up somewhere else if we go bust. We'll chuck Scottish football, and the SPL and SFA will soon hit financial trouble big time - not to mention they'll be hard pressed to get any kind of TV deal for their league.

 

[andrew bell]

Personally I think if Rangers go into Liquidation and reform and are still allowed to compete (as a new team) straight away in the SPL it will make a mockery of the administration route, most teams will say we cant afford to pay the bills off but if we liquidate ourselves and reform we can stay in the division. If Rangers do go bust and reform, they should start at least 2 divisions lower than where they are now.
Before anyone says I'm anti-Rangers, I'm not. I just want fairness to all teams because if it was Inverness in this position the vote wouldn't go ahead, only because Rangers and Celtic make up the largest share of revenue in the country is why its happening.

 

[Chew Chew]

Seriously though, all of us Rangers fans who'll be out of a club to support aren't just going to turn up somewhere else if we go bust. We'll chuck Scottish football

If that means I no longer have to hear sectarian, racist songs or songs about child abuse any longer from an element of the Rangers support then so be it.

the SPL and SFA will soon hit financial trouble big time - not to mention they'll be hard pressed to get any kind of TV deal for their league.

Maybe yes, maybe no.

What we do know is that the doom mongers in the Scottish media telling us it will be the end for Scottish football if Rangers are liquidised are wrong. Falkirk survived relegation which meant no visits from Rangers or TV money, the same with Hamilton and Dunfermline.

Rangers fans need to remember one important point here, Rangers are not the victim. It is Rangers who have been carrying out the acts that have put them where they are today. You all enjoyed the success that you never paid for properly, well now it is time to pay the piper.

Personally I think if Rangers go into Liquidation and reform and are still allowed to compete (as a new team) straight away in the SPL it will make a mockery of the administration route, most teams will say we cant afford to pay the bills off but if we liquidate ourselves and reform we can stay in the division. If Rangers do go bust and reform, they should start at least 2 divisions lower than where they are now.
Before anyone says I'm anti-Rangers, I'm not. I just want fairness to all teams because if it was Inverness in this position the vote wouldn't go ahead, only because Rangers and Celtic make up the largest share of revenue in the country is why its happening.

You are 100% correct there.

 

[Donny Dave]

Anyway, moving away from the discussion about top level clubs for a moment ....

Preston NE striker Neil Mellor has retired because of injury at the age of 29, plus there is a number of quality players at League 1 level available ofter Alan Knill wielded the axe at Scunthorpe Utd.

Josh Lillis, Andrew Wright, Eddie Nolan, Cliff Byrne, Sam Togwell, Michael O'Conner, Jordan Robertson and Garry Thompson have all been released.

Cliff has been granted a testamonial as he has been at the club for 9 years now, but the 1 player I feel sorry for the most is Lillis. The biggest surprise though, is that Knill took up the option on Bobby Grant's contract, so us regulars in the Doncaster Road end need to keep our riot shields handy for next season, as long range shots are, erm, not his strong point ....

He waited very patiently for a chance in the team, which he got when Joe Murphy left the club last summer. The trouble is, he picked up a knee injury in September, and never regained the #1 jersey.

Sam Slocombe who became the #1 keeper in December after Sam Johnston's loan finished has forced me to eat a very large helping of humble pie. Until January, I had never rated him, but consistently good performances have made me revise that opinion.

 

[Ivo]

...and moving straight back again (sorry, I had already prepared this post before you said that David!):

A couple of sackings have been made over the last 24 hours or so in relation to things that have been said at two separate clubs, one of which is managerial...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17927073
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18005433

 

[Chew Chew]

plus there is a number of quality players at League 1 level available ofter Alan Knill wielded the axe at Scunthorpe Utd.

Josh Lillis, Andrew Wright, Eddie Nolan, Cliff Byrne, Sam Togwell, Michael O'Conner, Jordan Robertson and Garry Thompson have all been released.

Hibs had a bid from him turned down in January and IIRC Celtic were looking at him last year.

 

[Donny Dave]

Hibs never made a bid for him, although the did make a lot of noise in the press about signing him.

 

[Chew Chew]

Hibs never made a bid for him, although the did make a lot of noise in the press about signing him.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16808922

We've had an offer, I spoke to the Hibs boss Pat Fenlon late last week about a general enquiry.

In the meantime, they've made an offer and the board is considering it. At the moment, he's our player until the end of the season.

 

[Donny Dave]

Fair enough, but the Scunthorpe Telegraph reported it as no offer was made.

 

[Chew Chew]

So, what game are people watching tonight?

Europa League final or the Championship Play Off semi?

Europa League final for me, the La Liga games have averaged 3 goals a game so hopefully it will be an open and flowing game of football.

Gora Athletic!!