The Rovers Return

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A 2-1 defeat to the Scottish champions is nothing to be too ashamed of.

Unfortunately, I’m not in Australia, so I wasn’t there, and there was no chance of me getting up at 6am on a Sunday to watch the game online, so I haven’t seen it, but most are saying it was a poor performance.

Gleaned from the comments section of the Telegraph website from people who, I assume, did see the game:

Roberts up front on his own failed to impress. I still reckon Roberts is a decent player who can score goals, he just needs support. He is coming in for a lot of criticism at the moment, but maybe it’s a little harsh to judge players in pre-season …

One commenter says we did nothing until the introduction of Grella and Emerton. That’s good to see, at least we’re giving the locals something to cheer about. Apparently, Brett Emerton, who was born in Sydney, got a great standing ovation from the home crowd.

There is more, but it’s largely negative.

What I think people are forgetting is that Rovers landed 33 hours before kick off, so were full of jet lag. They were always going to struggle against a team that had had more time on Australian soil to adjust to the change of time zone. Read more »

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As I said in my previous post, a rumour emerged yesterday that Rovers had bid £2million for former England, Leicester and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, now plying his trade at Aston Villa.

It turns out the club is denying the rumour, but it hasn’t stopped people talking.

It amuses me how much one player can cause so much nationwide hatred.

On The Rovers Return’s Facebook page, I posted: “Heard this one at work yesterday but didn’t want to say anything in case Telegraph were doing something, but I see it’s hit the rumour columns today. Heskey £2m anyone?”

Here are the responses:

Duncan Miller likes this

Bryan Bayfield: That’s what we’re missing right now. Goals and excitement

Shaun Haworth: He wasn’t worth 2 million in his prime!!!! Let alone now..:-(

Richard Boardman: Exactly type of player alladyce will resurrect! Also will be good for niko.aslong as he doesn’t try step overs he’ll be a good signing for me.

Vicki Bell: Duh, duh, duh, duh E-mile Heskey!! His name fits into the song, so he’s fine by me!! xx

Shaun Haworth: Would rather them spend 1.5million on beattie, think he would score more goals.

Bryan Bayfield: an’t name you a better player that would cost £2 million, you’d need an unknown for that. Still, that doesn’t mean that Heskey isn’t gash.

Dave Walsh: oh great heskey and roberts up front just what we needed maybe we should consider buying someone that can score more than twice in the same season

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Rovers flew to Sydney on Thursday in preparation for the Sydney Festival of Football.

While in Australia, Rovers will play in a three-match series against Scottish side Glasgow Rangers tomorrow, AEK Athens of Greece on Wednesday and home side Sydney FC on Saturday.

I, personally, don’t see anything wrong with Rovers agreeing to this festival. By the time it finishes they will have two weeks to prepare for the first game, with two friendlies in Scotland to help them in that aim – Hearts on Saturday, August 7, and a newly arranged game with Celtic on the Sunday after the Celts’ game with Inter Milan was cancelled. Read more »

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I’ve been asked to try and get this going at Ewood (substitute Houston Oilers with Blackburn Rovers) by an American reader on Twitter @getshandsy

What do you think?

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Rovers lost 3-0 at Preston last night.

We shouldn’t really take too much from the result, as it was a friendly afterall, but a 3-0 defeat is slightly worrying.

I was unable to make the game as I was on the late shift at work, but what I have heard is this:

It was the worst game of football ever. Probably.

Keith Andrews was head and shoulders the best player, the majority not looking even remotely interested.

Dunny and Pedersen looked as though they were still on holiday.

Allardyce was there. There was some talk that he was absent yet again, as he was at Fleetwood on Saturday. That turned out to be wrong.

Keith Treacy skinned Salgado on a number of occasions.

Brazilian trialist Rodrigo Branco looked lively. Hopefully see more of this kid in future.

We need a new striker. Junior Hoilett can’t do the job on his own. Big Sam has admitted this in today’s Telegraph.

Rovers fans outnumbered heavily the PNE faithful, outsinging them throughout, even with the score at 0-3.

A win at Huddersfield tonight and the PNE result is forgotten about.

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Rigters in action against Southport on Saturday

Big Sam and Rovers have made no secret of their desire to sign another striker.

Having sold Matt Derbyshire and Benni McCarthy (no great loss) we’ve been left with two recognised strikers in Niko Kalinic and Jason Roberts.

But a transfer budget of just £2.5 million has seen Allardyce struggle to get anywhere in the market.

This could force him to look at the resources he already has available. Junior Hoilett may be able to play up front, and he could use Diouf. He’s already used Chris Samba in a forward role in the past as well.

There is one other, though, in Maceo Rigters.

Remember him? He’s that Dutch lad that scored a wonder goal in the Euro under-21s against England a few years ago, then Mark Hughes signed him, only for him never to be seen again.

With the situation as it is, this could be Rigters’s last chance to make it at Rovers and in the Premier League.

He scored for us at Southport on Saturday, but he needs to be able to do it at the top level.

Rigters is one of those ever so frustrating cases of a player not living up to huge promise. Having started his career well at Dutch side Dordrecht, and going on to score six in nine for Holland under-21s, he never got going at NAC Breda and Rovers offered him a route out. Read more »

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A day out at Fleetwood followed by a night on the lash round Blackpool. Can it get any better?

It was a typical pre-season friendly at Highbury, with Rovers winning comfortably, despite often finding it difficult to break down a resolute Cod Army that defended reasonably well.

There was a goal in either half. One for Roberts in the first and N’Zonzi in the second. Both headed in after crosses from open play.

Nothing to note really. It’s very difficult to analyse a friendly performance, and half of the squad were in Southport for another friendly that no one knew about until Friday.

That one was also won by Rovers. Chimbonda, Rigters and a 40-yard screamer from Dunn providing the goals in a 3-0 win. Slightly annoyed that the squad was split over two games considering most of our better players had headed for a different match, if I’m honest.

(**reference to Keith Andrews removed to avoid causing offence!**) Nobody played particularly well, but a young defensive line of Jones, Hanley, Gavin Gunning and Jackson Ramm (at right wing back) looked solid when tested. Neither Paul Robinson nor Frank Fielding, who replaced him in the second half, made a save throughout the match as far as I can recall. Read more »

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Ah the excitement of the close season. Transfer gossip. Ins and outs. Comings and goings.

Erm, no.

This has been one of the most boring close seasons of my relatively short time as a Rovers fan. You may have guessed this from the dire lack of posts on here.

It’s nobody’s fault really. The club has so little in the way of money that we can’t afford to throw money left, right and centre at any half decent-looking foreigner.

Things take time when you’ve got a transfer budget of 99p.

It always makes me laugh when you pick up the Sunday paper and we’re linked with a £5m move for whoever. No we’re not. If it’s 5p we might have a chance!

Balls to the Dindanes and the Nugents. If we can’t get anyone worth getting on our meagre budget there’s no point getting anyone at all. Stick to what we’ve got. Give Rigters a bash, or use Hoilett if we need to.

If we’re going to sign someone we may as well make it worthwhile, otherwise what’s the point.

If I’m honest, my money is on Benjani being a Rovers player by the start of the season. Read more »

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