If we go up, who are we poaching?

[Canaryboy]

Isn't ths discussion a bit premature? Why don't we wait until we get there.

Sorry but always feel a bit edgy with threads like this. Can easily fall flat on our faces!

Point taken, but it still beats the subjects we saw early last month... us sitting in 8th place with Neil Adams as manager discussing who we'll have to sell when we don't go up. 

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Would love us to sign Alex Pritchard on loan from Spurs, which I think it's quite likely as well that they'd want to loan him out to a Premier League club, so if we go up I'd like us to go for him. Patrick Bamford from Chelsea as well, similar situation to Pritchard. And possibly Ibe from Liverpool, but he appears to be featuring in their first team so could be unlikely.

Bakary Sako as well from Wolves. Apparently isn't going to sign a new contract with them once his current deal runs out in the summer, because he wants to the Prem. Would be great business on a free.

Never forget the lesson of Kane... Pritchard could be Kane (for us) mark two. We dont need to develop other people's youngsters. Its fine at this level, but if we go up to the Prem I'd only want proven players on loan

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Well I'm not saying that he strikes me as a player who is ready to jump ship at the first sniff of a big wedge, like Martin Olsson who I suspect would be at West Brom now if he'd been given a big enough pay rise 

Think thats a bit harsh on Olsson. You have to remember that he stayed at Blackburn in the championship when he could have left, and ultimately did so because he wanted to return to the Premiership. He left for the Premiership but just a year later finds himself outside of that again. At the time of the window it was looking highly questionable whether we would be able to mount a challenge for a return and there was upheaval with the managerial change.

He had the opportunity to return to the Premier League but for whatever reason decided to stay put. You could say he wasnt sure the two clubs wouldnt swap places in 6 months. With all the uncertainty, perhaps he was simply exploring his options but decided the move wasnt reassuring enough for him.

Big pay rise might have changed his mind, but dont think you can blame him for that.

If Olsson was that unhappy he would have signed. He didnt, so we must conclude ultimately he was happy to stay. I doubt it was purely about money, but perhaps I am showing my naivity!

 

[Canaryboy]

He actually submitted a transfer request when Blackburn were relegated. 

"It is true that Martin has submitted a transfer request. Of course, he would not play in the Championship" - His agent at the time. summer 2012 when Blackburn got relegated.

"The player wanted to join Swansea, but the club failed to make an offer" - His current agent, earlier this month. 

"West Bromwich agreed to pay the asking price demanded by Norwich but we were not happy with the contract offered to the player." - His current agent, earlier this month.

So the reason that he chose to stay put was, according to his own agent, because West Brom didn't offer him enough money. That's how I read it? 

It isn't difficult to see why I now consider him a bit of a mercenary with no affinity at all to our club is it?

Considers himself too good for the Championship, wants to be a Swansea player, but would have joined West Brom if they'd offered him enough money. Doesn't have enough respect for the fans of his clubs to tell his agents to shut up and keep these things private. 

I personally think that he is a bit over-rated and has let us down a bit over the course of this season, his form has been patchy and he's clearly had his head turned, so I wouldn't shed a tear if we sold him in the summer to Swansea or West Brom and signed a new left back who wants to be here for the right reasons. 

Interesting thread from the main Blackburn forum when we submitted an offer in 2013: http://www.brfcc.com/mb/topic/29555-martin-olsson/

 

[Surgeryman]

Point taken, but it still beats the subjects we saw early last month... us sitting in 8th place with Neil Adams as manager discussing who we'll have to sell when we don't go up.

Point taken but that thread was also premature!