Roberts Still Very Much On

[qblockpete]

Clubs in the premiership still made no enquiries and my guess is that this deal is NOT dead in the water, just biding out time

[stan_bowles]

Thought he wanted too much wages?.

[sirpiechucker]

Thought he wanted too much wages?.

Read this from David McIntyre:

Being a twit on Twitter
August 12, 2010 by davidmcintyre

One of the reasons I thought a blog would be useful was that I’d be able to clarify things when I phrase something so badly people get the wrong end of the stick.

Take a post on Twitter yesterday about Jason Roberts. A sure sign that I’ve worded something stupidly is my best mate ringing me up asking if Roberts is going to accept his offer from QPR of a three-year deal with a 50% pay cut, and others are asking the same question.

Apologies for any misunderstanding. I didn’t mean to suggest he’d been made that offer. I just meant that there’d been some references to Roberts’ big wages at Blackburn, but this needn’t be such an obstacle to signing a player like him.

My comment was that for a 32-year-old on his kind of wages, a three-year deal even with a 50% pay cut would be a great deal financially and mean that, at 35, he’d be getting more money than most ex-England players.

Whether Rangers sign him remains to be seen. I think they’ve got a fair chance, although they may have to offer him if not three years then two with the option of a third year if he makes enough appearances.

My point was really a hypothetical one. Just because Roberts is on a vast amount at Blackburn, it doesn’t mean a club would need to match it or even come close to matching it in order to sign him.

Even if – purely for argument’s sake – he’d move with a pay drop of as much as 50% (and it almost certainly wouldn‘t be that much), he’d still be guaranteeing himself a big wage up until the age of 35, were he to get a three-year deal. That’s rare for any player, and an excellent financial offer.

An example of this is Gavin Pea**** when he signed a new contract during his time at Rangers. It involved a substantial wage cut, and Pea****’s decision to re-sign was trumpeted at the time as a major act of loyalty.

Don’t get me wrong, Pea**** was a model professional with a genuine feeling for QPR. But the reality was that even though he was accepting a salary drop, the length of contract at that stage of his career meant he was still in line for more money around the age of 35 than many players who’d been at the very top.

Sure enough, a couple of years later the perception of Pea**** had changed and that contract, having once been portrayed as an example of his loyalty and the club’s prudence, was seen as a huge financial burden Rangers were keen to get rid of. It was still a big wage for a player of that age to be getting at a second-tier club.

Not that Roberts wouldn’t be a brilliant signing. The number of players QPR chase that I think would be good acquisitions you could count on the fingers of one hand. And the number of ageing Premier League players on big money I think would be good signings you could count on the fingers of half a hand.

But I reckon Roberts would be great for Rangers, both on and off the pitch. He’s a good enough player and, more importantly, a good enough pro to command a big wage packet without it taking the edge off him – unlike others I could mention.

Injuries are a different matter. These are hard to forsee, although harder with some players than others. I’m not sure hoping Jason Roberts will stay fit in his 30s is less ambitious than hoping the likes of Patrick Agyemang would be worth their contract at any age.

For me somone is only worth spending significant money on if they’ve got definite Premier League/sell-on potential, or if they can help more than any other player with a short-term goal like getting out of the Championship.

Roberts I think ticks the second box. He’d be brilliant this season and lead from the front – literally. Plus, he’s still good enough to do a job in the Premier League next season were Rangers to get there. Unlike the massively overpriced Michael Chopra, who should be avoided.

Roberts would give Rangers vast experience and a presence up front that they currently lack. They certainly lacked it on Tuesday night.

Before that game I compared QPR to Audley Harrison. Never mind Audley, against Port Vale they looked like the kind of no-hopers fed to Frank Bruno back in the 80s.

Mikele Leigertwood, a player I like a lot, certainly looked like a washed up journeyman. At one point in the second half I realised I’d forgotten he was even playing.

But that’s the Carling Cup for you. He’ll play much better this season and so will Rangers – with or without Jason Roberts.

[Rebel R's]

QPRSouth will be left with MAJOR egg on his face if this does not happen

[James1979]

why are we biding our time? Someone will snap him up

[MYU]

QPRSouth will be left with MAJOR egg on his face if this does not happen

Not egg on his face but he'll now know things can change direction so quickly and without warning.

[terry ball]

Clubs in the premiership still made no enquiries and my guess is that this deal is NOT dead in the water, just biding out time

Yeah thanks, but qprsouth has already confirmed this

[qblockpete]

he said we would have press conference on SKY tommorrow unveiling Roberts, then again I do have a bad memory

[G.T.P]

sticking my neck out here, roberts WONT happen.
dont think ive been wrong in my guestimates yet, so im giving the w12 username boys a massive chance to string me up..
it aint happening guys.

[Rebel R's]

he said we would have press conference on SKY tommorrow unveiling Roberts, then again I do have a bad memory

Nothing wrong with your memory Pete

[sirpiechucker]

sticking my neck out here, roberts WONT happen.
dont think ive been wrong in my guestimates yet, so im giving the w12 username boys a massive chance to string me up..
it aint happening guys.

Well if it doesn't happen then Helguson will no doubt start on Saturday and you'll be wrong about that as you've already claimed he'll never play for us again. As Sturridge was on the bench on Saturday he too will no doubt feature this season so again your guestimates might come up short.

[G.T.P]

Well if it doesn't happen then Helguson will no doubt start on Saturday and you'll be wrong about that as you've already claimed he'll never play for us again. As Sturridge was on the bench on Saturday he too will no doubt feature this season so again your guestimates might come up short.

i said helguson will never play for us again as a first choice when our new striker arrives, and it WILL NOT BE JASON ROBERTS
and the sturridge one im still winning on, he will never start for chelsea in the prem or euro cup.
keep watching me man, they call me septic peg for my all seeing eyes into the future.

[Quaz]

i said helguson will never play for us again when our new striker arrives, and it WILL NOT BE JASON ROBERTS
and the sturridge one im still winning on.
keep watching me man, they call me septic peg for my all seiing eyes.

i thought you lost that one, but tried to move the goalposts

[G.T.P]

i thought you lost that one, but tried to move the goalposts

no mate, if he ever lines up for chelsea in the first team at the start of a match in the premiership or european cup ill take a forfeit.
its not easy being a medium, it really aint. (especially when im usually a large)

[QPR-FOREVER-N-EVER]

Clubs in the premiership still made no enquiries and my guess is that this deal is NOT dead in the water, just biding out time

And you know this how?