Rostyn Griffiths

Just a couple of minor stories involving Rovers coming out of the press over the last couple of days.

Former youth striker Rostyn Griffiths has joined former Rovers teammate Robbie Fowler at Australia’s North Queensland Fury.

The 21-year-old English born but Australia youth team capped player’s contract ran out at the end of the season and he hadn’t done enough to make it at Rovers.

All the best from The Rovers Return Rostyn.

Rovers have ended a long association with Morecambe by moving reserve games from Christie Park to the 10,000-seater Leigh Sports Village.

The state-of-the-art complex, home to Leigh Genesis Football Club, managed by Gary Flitcroft and current employers of Rovers legend Matt Jansen, will host reserve matches for the coming season.

The move sees the reserves playing a little bit closer to Blackburn, Morecambe is about 35-miles from Blackburn whereas Leigh is about 25-miles away.

Roque Santa Cruz has said he didn’t cause trouble at Ewood in orchestrating his move to Manchester City. Sorry Roque, but that’s bullshit.

And lastly, footballing twat Joey Barton will not be heading to Ewood. Two word. Thank God!

Matt Derbyshire

Just as I was starting to wonder if the transfer window was going to be as boring as the ones we had under Hughesy, it all kicked off!

Disappointingly, Matt Derbyshire’s move to Greece is all but done. I like Matt, and thought the way he performed in Greece may have shown the management he is worthwhile having around.

Unfortunately, despite being a decent player for us, although he only ever seemed to impress from the bench, I thought it was worth another season.

Derbs hasn’t been treated well by Rovers ever since bursting on to the scene. Neither Hughes nor Big Sam have played him on a regular basis, and for a long period Hughesy kept sticking him at right wing, a position from which he rarely excelled!

The turning point for him seemed to be that equaliser for Man City at Ewood early in Big Sam’s reign. It was Derbs’ decision to try and play Emerton in rather than head for the corner flag that gave the ball away and saw City score a late goal to make it 2-2.

His moved to Greece on loan last season has proved to be the making of Matt. He has been treated well, put up in a nice villa in a posh part of the country and playing on a regular basis has seen him chip in with some vital goals for the club, becoming a bit of a hit with the fans already! It’s also a good move for him, moving from a relegation threatened small club in the Premier League, to the biggest club in Greece playing in the Champions League next season. And I wish him well.

Hopefully we’ll cash a few million for him. We were holding out for £5-million, considerably more than the £3-million Olympiakos wanted to pay, so I assume the clubs may have met in the middle. Still, whatever the outcome it’s yet more fantastic business for a player who cost us £35k from Great Harwood Town!

Then came the news that City had finally reached an agreement with us for Roque Santa Cruz. It’s about bluddy time. I can’t wait to see the back of the Paraguayan who has shown absolutely no respect for this football club in his short stay since we rescued his career.

His lack of gratitude is likely to see him reunited with former boss Hughesy, who must be a bit gutted at having to spend £17-million on a player that cost him £3.5-million just a couple of years ago. Then again, Man City seem to spend money for spending money’s sake at the moment.

I do believe we’re doing a fantastic deal. A £13.5-million profit on a player that has spent a long time injured is a great return.Latest I hear is that he’s having a medical at Eastlands, expect an unveiling later today.

Now Big Sam has started the clear-out, we need to see some incoming strikers. The loss of Derbs and Santa, alongside the likely sale of Paul Gallagher, sees us looking desperately short of fire power, with only Benni and Roberts, and possibly Samba/Diouf if they play out of position, left as senior strikers in the squad.

Franco Di Santo is likely to be joining us on loan from Chelsea. From what I’ve seen/hear I don’t think he’s our next 15 goals-a-season man. More of a squad player to replace the likes of Derbyshire. I would sincerely hope the board hand the £17-million recouped from the sale of Roque straight over to Big Sam. After last season’s dangerous brush with relegation they must spend money and gamble to ensure we become a better team for the experience.

Other names being linked with us include Kevin Davies, a player I wouldn’t want back at Ewood no matter how well he does at Bolton. He was fat and shit the last time he played for us and I don’t want to see him back in a Rovers shirt again!

Some less reputable sources have mentioned Eidur Gudjohnsen, while we are being strongly linked with PSG star Jerome Rothen, who has been told to leave the club he loves. Some say we have already tabled a £3-million offer for the striker, but that remains to be seen.

I expect a lot of new faces arriving over the coming weeks.

What is he thinking? As I said yesterday, he obviously has no regard for the supporters, the club or the dressing room harmony of a club in trouble. Had he waited until the end of the season I could have respected his wishes a bit more, but to come out five games from the end with us hovering three points above 18th place is very unprofessional!

I say this knowing he may well not play for the club again, and he may think the season is over as his injury has likely ruled him out. But he really should still have kept his gob shut!

Secondly, and more importantly, what has he done to justify a move to a bigger club? What big club, that was interested in him at the start of the season, would want him now?

This season he has scored five goals from 10 appearances, with one credited assist. So where does he get his big club ideas from? He’s played for a big, nay MASSIVE, club in the past in Bayern Munich and what happened? Fuck all. He had to leave to come and play for Rovers in a deal that rescued him from the German giants!

I’d be surprised to see Hughesy going back in for him, let alone any of the top four.

On another note, this is just further proof that contracts in football are not worth the paper they are printed on. Santa signed a four year one at the start of this season, seemingly ‘pledging his future’ to the club after we fought off al the big sides vying for his signature.

Also, I’m not one for slagging off the local media, as it’s the industry I work in myself, but come on Lancashire Telegraph! Where is your coverage of this? Even if it’s a load of old bollocks you should be telling me!

Cheers Roque

Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz claims he has told the club he is leaving at the end of the season for “a bigger, more ambitious team”.

The 27-year-old, currently recuperating after undergoing a surgical procedure on his troublesome right knee last week, told Paraguayan radio he has informed Rovers he wants to move on in the summer.”I have already told them (Blackburn) and they know that before the transfer window closes I would like to continue my career at a bigger, more ambitious team,” he told Radio Nanduti.

“Even though I haven’t heard anything, I haven’t changed my mind.

“I think it will be very difficult for me to play again this season because of the recovery. Our last league match is on May 24 and I also need a couple of days for my knee to physically recover.”

The former Bayern Munich frontman could, therefore, have played his last match for Blackburn, as he does not intend to take to the field again before he is 100% fit.

The way the fans cheered him after he stayed in January and this is how the Paraguayan shit repays us. Thanks.

In other news, Fans FC (who I regard as one of the least reliable sources of news in football) say we are going to sign Cameroon keeper Carlos Kameni, meaning Paul Robinson would leave the club. Unlikely. Robbo has been solid this season and has endeared himself to the Blackburn End since replacing Brad Friedel, whose boots were massive to fill!

However, this isn’t the game that’s going to save our season. We still have four points between ourselves and the bottom three, and our three home games are the important ones.

Newcastle travel to Spurs, so hoping for a favour from the Cockneys. Boro host Fulham so former boss Roy Hodgson could do us a real favour by turning them over.

Having said that, we are still well able of relying on our own results to ensure our safety, and that’s what Sam has to concentrate on doing tomorrow.

Stoke, on paper, are shit. But they have a fantastic manager in Tony Pulis who has done enough, it would seem, to keep them in the league this season. This has been based purely on their home record – their away record has been abysmal (remember our 3-0 tubbing of them in Big Sam’s first game?)

For that reason it will be extremely tough for us to take anything from the game, but we are well capable and should go into the game with a positive attitude, not the frightened, full of respect style of play we used at Anfield last match in which we looked completely out of our depth!

We have a solid following, having sold out our 3,000(ish) tickets for the away end, helped to an extent I reckon by the club laying on free travel – good on them. Unfortunately the sellout means this Rovers blogger has to miss out on the action and will have to put up with Jeff Stelling on Saturday afternoon!

Santa is still out, in fact the team is much as it was at Liverpool. It would be nice though to see Sam play two men up front, instead of the negative five across midfield! The only real difference is Vince Grella back, who came on as a sub and was largely ineffective in the last game. I rated this guy at first but, having had endless injury problems, need to see some consistently good performances to be persuaded he’s worth the £4m price tag Paul Ince paid for him.

Interesting to see where Samba plays though!

As I said in my previous post, I wasn’t expecting anything in terms of a result, but when we just turn up and allow ourselves to get pasted like that it really annoys me.

Samba up front was the best player for us, although as he was on his own it was impossible for him to do anything. I have no idea what Benni McCarthy has done but Sam seems to have fallen out with him.

If it was up to me yesterday, the South African would have been introduced at half time to replace a midfielder (preferably Treacy with Dunn pushing out to the left hand side) to give us a chance of scoring, which would have put some pressure on the home side.

Outside of Rovers I got the impression yesterday we were never supposed to surprise our hosts and take anything. Indeed, if we had, we’d have spoiled their Hillsborough memorial.

This may sound harsh but the Scousers do like to revel in everybody’s sympathy when it comes to this time of year, and if we came in and nicked a result it would have been what nobody wanted on the 20th anniversary of the disaster.

On a Hillsborough note, it was nice to see Scouser Stephen Warnock present a memorial gift to the Kop End prior to kick off. Moments like that really sum up the true spirit of the game, where things like that transcend the hatred and fury shown vented towards the opposition fans on the terraces.

Not much to say about the match. Torres’ goal was outstanding. His second annoyed me as I can’t see how Chris Samba, at 20 feet tall, can be beaten in the air… The third was an excellent finish, I don’t care what Andy ‘I’m the God of football’ Gray says on Sky (he’s a right twat) about Robinson needing to do better. Yes, he was beaten at his near post, but I doubt many keepers would have kept out that strike.

The third goal was shite defending, and for Ngog to score against us is just embarrassing!

In the end, we should have lost by double figures. The 4-0 scoreline does nothing for our steadily recovering goal difference, and other results really went against us.

Still, four points off the drop our safety is well and truly in our own hands.

We are level on points with Portsmouth, who we are still to meet at Ewood, and Hull, with Stoke just two points ahead who we take on at the Britannia Stadium next week.

One thing’s for sure, we could really do with Santa Cruz back!

- But will he pay £40-million? Lancashire Telegraph

- Ince to take over at Norwich? Sky Sports

- Zoro decision soon Daily Mirror

- Huddersfield bid for Gallagher? Terrior Bites

- Legend Jansen in Carlisle bid to save his career Sky Sports

His ‘£10-million’ budget is still intact and now he can move on to strengthening the right hand side.

Givet is a French international who hasn’t been playing for Marseille, this isn’t because he’s shit. It’s because he and his manager Erik Gerets currently hate each other.

Geret can play at both left and centre back, meaning he will provide good competition for both positions.

Let’s face it, Stephen Warnock’s had the position to himself, the only competition being Martin Olsson, who I am confident will not succeed at this level.

In the centre he’ll give Chris Samba something to think about.

His signing can only be good for the team, we have first option on him as well, so if he is good we can sign him permanently. If he’s not we can forget all about him.

Nice one Sam.

Moving on. Roque Santa Cruz. I have officially fallen out with the Paraguayan.

For a player who has done nothing all season he really is getting a bit above himself.

As Chris Flanagan at the Lancs Telegraph says:

“Yet what Ince failed to realise was that Ferguson went on to succeed because he knew to get rid of a player before he began to have an adverse effect.

He really should have known, because he was one of those given a hasty shove towards the exit door.

As the season went on, Santa Cruz showed his class with an earth-shattering four goals in 16 games.

Unfortunately for Rovers, this sort of strike rate was still seen as a highly valuable commodity given the fact that Jo’s form at Manchester City was about as hot as a Ukrainian gas fire.

So an unsettling situation dragged on and on still further.”

And don’t even try and tell me you’re going to Man City to play in Europe Roque.

You could have done this in pre-season and gone to Manchester United. But you didn’t. It is only now, with talks of £250,000 a week wage bills being thrown about you want to leave. For Manchester City.

Manchester City will not be in Europe. They have more chance of playing Championship football, not European.

Sam, sell the greedy sod, we don’t need him.

If we were to sell him some reports have indicated we may be lining up a move for Austrian sensation Marc Janko. The RB Salzburg forward has 34 goals and five hat tricks already this season and could be available for just £4-million and apparently wants to come to England. Now I’ll take that over four goals in 16 any day!

Today, Sergio Peter, who emerged as a player who, despite early promise, was never going to make it has moved to Sparta Prague while youngster Eddie Nolan has made his loan move to the Nob Enders permanent.

Both transfers are unlikely to bring in much in the way of a fee, but they both free up space on the wage bill. I believe Nolan’s transfer fee is based on appearances, with no up front payment. I assume Peter’s will be similar.

Villanueva’s loan is looking likely to be cut short as well. The Chilean has obviously failed to impress Sam which is disappointing as he looked reasonably good earlier in the season.

Although Big Sam has announced his intention to keep hold of Roque, I feel the Paraguayan will leave soon. Especially with Sparky seemingly ready to unleash an £18-million offer the board cannot afford to let money like that be turned down.

On top of this Andre Ooijer seems likely to move back to Holland with AZ Alkmar a likely destination.

That sort of fee would give Allardyce the means to bring in a few players in positions that really do need strengthening.

Rovers are not being linked with too many players, as usual we seem to be keeping our cards close to our chests. The majority of Sam’s Wanky Wanderers players are thought to be in his sights, particularly Kevin Nolan, Tal Ben Haim and El-Hadji Diouf. Kevin ‘fat waste of space’ Davies has also been linked but I can’t see this happening with his history at the club.

My Bolton supporting mate absolutely hates Nolan, says he’s useless. I have to say I’m not sure about him, he was superb a couple of years ago but has not developed into the star he could have done.

I don’t know much about Ben Haim, he did well at Bolton before Chelsea inexplicably signed him and hardly played him, he’s at City now but looks out of favour with Mark Hughes. I wonder if Hughes may see an opportunity to use him as a makeweight in a possible deal for Santa…

Diouf is a bit no no for me. I hate that man. He’s a cheat and I never want to see him in a Rovers shirt, no matter what he’s capable of. I still haven’t forgiven him for diving over Friedel a couple of seasons back. He won Bolton a penalty and they beat us 1-0. Because he cheated.

We’ve also been linked with Celtic winger Aiden McGeady. Apparently he will cost around £5-million and has been out of favour with boss Gordon Strachan ever since they fell out. The right wing is one place we need to strengthen and McGeady is adept at fitting in on either side. A move for this guy would be a good one!

Having been rejected in their efforts to sign Roque from the Rovers, City have signed Robinho for £32.5 million while United have plumbed for Spurs’ Berbatov for £30 million.

These whopping sums of money may have been saved had Roque have taken the decision to become yet another wantaway star sucked in by the lure of the big money clubs, but instead he chose to pen a four year deal at Ewood.

Both City and United had expressed a huge desire to sign the Paraguayan who has been a massive success for Rovers.

All this talk of money begs the question… How much is Roque Santa Cruz worth?

Sums of around £17 million were mentioned in potential bids for the player.

Last season, Santa Cruz bagged 19 Premier League goals for Rovers, four more than Berbatov and eight more than Robinho netted in the Spanish Primera League.

In my mind, this surely means that Santa should bring in a huge some of money when he does eventually leave Ewood, as I’m sure he will eventually as he pursues European success at a club higher up the Premier League, or even abroad.

The fact remains, however, that because Roque plays for us, bigger clubs know that they can rip us off. If Roque does decide he wants to leave, say at the end of this season, Rovers will have no option but to sell (see David Bentley) and the bigger clubs know that they won’t need to fork out £25-30 million to a club like ours because we simply can’t afford to refuse offers between £15 and 20 million when a player has expressed a desire to leave.

It is quite saddening that the bigger clubs hold such a monopoly over the better players, simply because they can afford them. For me it is anyway, I’m sure United and Chelski fans don’t really mind.

It reminds me of a mate at university. The poor bugger is a Cambridge United fan and recounted the story of Dave Kitson on numerous occasions. A great player who started at football’s less glamorous arenas. His transfer fee to Reading was set by a tribunal. £100,000. What good is that to a club in Cambridge’s position…?

Onto the transfer window itself. As ever it’s been a Summer of mass expenditure for the rich clubs. Spurs alone have spent £20 odd million today finalising deals for two players. Rovers, as ever, have been a bit quieter:

Villanueva and Simpson have come in on loan. Santa Cruz junior, Mark Bunn and Keith Andrews have all been signed but I’m guessing not for a great deal of money. The only ‘big’ money signings we have made are Robbo, the only player for whom the fee has been disclosed, signed for £3.5 million while Vince Grella has cost somewhere in the region of £4 million. So we’re looking at under £10 million yet again.

Last season we spent £3.5 million and had a superb result. Seventh in the league and confirmation that we, yet again, are the best town club in the country. How will this season compare?

- Meanwhile, Paul Gallagher’s loan spell at Plymouth Argyle was extended until the end of the season