Well, he did well for Everton last season. http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/lancashire/rovers/sport/ROVERS3.html
Wow, more than one US striker in top-level Euro football at a time? Nah...... (Imagine, Cleetus at Rangers, Donovan at Newcastle, McBride at Blackburn, and Cunningham with FC You-can-dribble-all-you-want (France)..... BTW- Any of you guys see the article (I think on Revolution thread) that talks about "Irish-American" Pat Noonan, and how he is slated for big National team things, if not with US, then with Irish National Team. The article was in an Irish newspaper! (the Independent)... Wacky international things going on with our strikers now....just wacky...
This is great. Maybe Americans and the MLS will start getting some respect from footie fans around the globe.
It sounds like Blackburn is interested in a loan initially with an option to buy if things work out. But if I can remember correctly, McBride said he didn't want to do any more loan deals after his time with Everton. Perhaps that was just a negotiating ploy but he may have been sincere when he said it causes a lot of strain on his family. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Murf
(McBride doesn't want loan w/option) Cleetus...pick up the red phone...oh Cleetus... With 8 Premiership teams averaging 1 (offensive) goal a game or less, you'd think our boys (Mathis, McBride, Donovan....I can even think of a couple more) will continue to get some sniff(s). 1 goal a game...that's pathetic...I feel confident our top striking boys can AT LEAST keep that team pace going...
Except that Souness said he wants a target forward who will work his socks off. I don't think those are Clint's strong points.
target forward, works socks off- exactly describes Brian.I guess this is for real because it is being discussed on Rovers boards.
yes and no...I mean, if McBride says no (likely without longer term deal?)...Sounness will have to get SOMEONE...its all well and good to say what you want...another thing, what you will get... Cleetus can score at that level...wouldn't it be a kick to see him jump in arms on Big Brad on a game winning, goal scoring celebration?
I believe McHead was upset with Everton because they only wanted to extend his loan until the end of the season, which it seems like B'burn wants to do. Maybe they could work out a deal that allows an opt out at the end of the season with a large % of the transfer fee being returned.
I think he might do a useful job shouldering the physical burden, whilst letting the other strikers do their stuff. He seemed to do well at Everton. My only concern is he's another striker that would be over 30 should he sign. We already have Cole and Yorke of a similar age, and the strikers we have coming through are either just breaking into the 1st team (Gallagher), or are just starting to light up the reserves (Johnson). Is Donovan is pacy, nippy kind of forward, like an Owen or Fowler when he was in his prime ?. I think Souness should look at him if he is, as I think that's another sort of striker we could do with. P.S. Did McBride do that homoerotic calander with the likes of Cobi Jones and Clint Mathis ? .
Yes, though he's got a way to go to earn a place in that sentence. I've thought of him as a more skilled, faster version of Everton's Radzinski.
If Noonan is "Irish-American", does that mean we should be calling Donovan and McBride "Irish-American" too?
Could you post the picture, so I can put it on the Blackburn boards please ? . To go back to Donovan, although I doubt he's as good as Owen etc., would I be right in saying he'd do OK for a club like Blackburn, that has ambitions of establishing itself as a top 10 or maybe a top 6 team (not this season) ?. And how much would he cost if a club was interested ?.
Donovan can do a lot of things that Owen cannot. Donovan can make killer passes and link up with midfield. Donovan can play midfield and wing if he needs to. Is Owen going to get that much better than he is now? Doubtful. Owen has peaked last year. Donovan can get a lot better than he is now. He is not going to be cheap, but he would have been a hell lot better buy than Andy Cole. Blackburn will be lucky if they can get McBride. I really don't think they can get Donovan. Leverkusen owns his contract. Blackburn will have a hard time convincing him to join a club that is going to get relegated to Div1
Blackburn is unlikely to get relegated Fah Que. They're out of the rel. zone, and they've been playing pretty badly. They'll get at least a little bit better. As noted, Donovan is not really that much like Owen. Josh Wolff is America's poor man's version of Owen. Donovan might be best described as a cross between Scholes and Owen (in terms of his game, not his quality. He's good, but he ain't as good as that.) I think Donovan would provide Cole many chances to f*** up.
I wouldn't say Blackburn are likely to be relegated thank you. It's a possibility, but not a probabilty. Villa, Wolves and Leicester probably have more chance It seems that Blackburn are getting it together at last, judging by the Everton game, and the second half against Man Utd (although we were very crap in the 1st). I think we have more or less turned the corner, and are getting going now. A few wins, and Blackburn would be about 8th all of a sudden. As I see it, Donovan is only really rated by Americans, rightly or wrongly, and could possibly shine at a club the size of Blackburn, Southampton, Charlton etc. His fee would be higher since he's on contract with Bayer Liederhosen, but are they going to play him ?. I don't think the Man Utd's of football would be really interested in him, as he is seen as a 'risk'. It's a possibility he may sign for Blackburn/Birmingham/Charlton etc. sometime, then go to a Man Utd or Chelski after that, should he do well.
Hopefully none, because we always lose to them, whatever the form suggests. We could be 10 points ahead of anyone else, at the top of the EPL, and we'd lose. Blackburn really should not get relegated this season. I'd put Villa, Leeds and one of Bolton/Everton/Leicester/Wolves to go down right now.
There's a poll right now on the BRFC Supporters' Board about whether they (the supporters) want Brian or not. It's 60/40 against. His age seems to be the major factor. Please feel free to register (you don't have to just to read) and join in. They are a much kinder group towards each other and particularly toward their Yank contributors than you're used to experiencing on BigSoccer.
Souness interest confirmed on the official site: http://www.rovers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10303~457153,00.html
Yeah you could say that. Donovan is as quick as they make them. Not as aggressive as Owen, but very very very quick. Scored 12 goals in 22 games during the season and then 4 more in 4 playoff games. Scored two in international comps for the quakes, and seven more with the senior National team for a grand total of 25 goals in around 45 games. Somewhere like 13 or so assists as well. I think he's out of Blackburn's price range though.