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Brad Friedel: I want to leave Blackburn Rovers
10:30am Friday 18th July 2008
Comments (79)
By Andy Neild »
BRAD Friedel has paved the way for a move to Aston Villa by telling Blackburn Rovers he wants to leave.
The former United States number one has made it clear to new manager, Paul Ince, that he is keen to speak with both Villa AND Manchester City.
In the last 48 hours, Rovers have rejected bids from both clubs for the in-demand 37-year-old, who only signed a new two-year deal in February.
However, with Friedel making it clear he wants out, chairman John Williams has been forced to admit the American’s tough stance has left the club in a ‘tricky situation’.
The Rovers chief said: “We’ve had two bids for Brad, despite my insistence to the clubs concerned we didn’t want them. They’ve been rejected.
“When Brad told us he wanted to leave, it was a bolt out of the blue – he had only signed his latest contract back in February, and a replacement keeper has not even been on our radar.
“It’s an unwelcome situation for us, and particularly for Paul, who has been concentrating on other targets, as well as assessing our squad and bedding in his new backroom staff.
“We are very keen for Brad to stay but to deny him the move he clearly wants after a lengthy stint with the club is difficult.
“We know we have good players and are constantly rejecting unwanted overtures, but it’s particularly difficult to accept players leaving for clubs in and around us in the league.
“We have told Brad that, in any event, we cannot even consider a move for him, unless we can satisfy both our football and commercial requirements.
“Looking at the market for proven keepers, we haven’t got a bid that anywhere near meets the commercial part of the equation.
“I know some observers will feel that we should take Brad’s age and service into account, but it’s not that simple.
“We have not earmarked any funds for the goalkeeping department. Why would we?
“And on the football side, Brad Friedels don’t grow on trees.
“If he doesn’t get his move, although disappointed, Brad is the ultimate professional and I am confident he will remain focused on Rovers.
“But there’s no point in denying that this is a tricky situation.”
As we reported last Saturday, Villa and City are both ready to double Friedel’s wages and offer him a three-year contract, which would take him past his 40th birthday.
That prompted Ince to offer Friedel improved terms this week, but the former Liverpool ace has made it clear his heart is set on a move, and Villa is believed to be his preferred destination, with Martin O’Neill keen to wrap up a deal before tonight’s Intertoto Cup deadline.
Your Say YourTelegraph
RishtonSteve, Rishton says...
10:48am Fri 18 Jul 08
Hotspot, Chiswell Green says...
10:48am Fri 18 Jul 08
mike rover, essex says...
10:51am Fri 18 Jul 08
While at rovers his profile has gone up, allowing him to start his own "soccer" accademy, and he signed a new deal last Feb, to pretty much tie him over for life.
Now the back-stabbing, 2 faced greedy t*at wants to screw us over for more money? Brad Friedel represents everything that is wrong with a modern day footballer. The man is a disgrace. Ungrateful ****.
Morst the 88th min Heartbreaker, Accrington says...
10:56am Fri 18 Jul 08
Ribble Rover, Ribble Valley says...
10:57am Fri 18 Jul 08
RishtonSteve, Rishton says...
10:57am Fri 18 Jul 08
batesempire, darwen says...
10:59am Fri 18 Jul 08
Rovers Girl, Blackburn says...
11:00am Fri 18 Jul 08
First Bentley now you, I wonder who's going to be next. Let's just hope Incey keeps him.
swindon_rover, swindon says...
11:01am Fri 18 Jul 08
Ainzy, Darwen says...
11:07am Fri 18 Jul 08
mj, blackburn says...
11:07am Fri 18 Jul 08
Murton_Rover, Murton says...
11:08am Fri 18 Jul 08
Jim Wilkinson, Penwortham says...
11:12am Fri 18 Jul 08
This is ince destroying the spirit in the campthat Hughes built up with his wretched entourage of lower-division backroom staff who are already proving they are out of their depth
It's time for Williams to admit he's made a mistake and arrest this catastrophe in the bud - I expect a deluge of "Give Ince a Chance" messages from those who are unable to read between the lines of a few articles but remember my name when we're bottom of theleague and he's first sacking of the season
odarren572, Lower Darwen says...
11:15am Fri 18 Jul 08
ripleywonder, Chester says...
11:16am Fri 18 Jul 08
Im sick of hearing about Bentley - ship him out and just be done with it, and sort out some young fresh faces in our team. It is time to rebuild.
On another note, i personally think Steven Warnock should be made captain next year? Also in a realistic world I think Roque will just be too good to keep hold of.
Come on Incey - build a young fresh team!
Respect to a rovers legend brad friedel, thanks for everything!
Trev Manchester, The real deal... says...
11:16am Fri 18 Jul 08
RishtonSteve, Rishton says...
11:19am Fri 18 Jul 08
Jim Wilkinson wrote:I think you could be right. From the first day Ince arrived, papers were full of Cudicini, then Robinson and now Carson...maybe Ive done Brad an injustice..He has been a great servant for us though..I wish him all the best despite being shocked
You don't have to be the brightest bulb in the pack to deduce here that Brad has been squeezed out - the instant Ince arrived we started being linked with keepers This is ince destroying the spirit in the campthat Hughes built up with his wretched entourage of lower-division backroom staff who are already proving they are out of their depthIt's time for Williams to admit he's made a mistake and arrest this catastrophe in the bud - I expect a deluge of "Give Ince a Chance" messages from those who are unable to read between the lines of a few articles but remember my name when we're bottom of theleague and he's first sacking of the season
ripleywonder, Chester says...
11:21am Fri 18 Jul 08
Trev Manchester wrote:you horrible little man!
what a horrible man, thought him and ince were mates?
Jim Wilkinson, Penwortham says...
11:23am Fri 18 Jul 08
SusieF, Darwen says...
11:26am Fri 18 Jul 08
Think we wouldn't miss Bentley too much, he flatters to deceive, his head hasn't been in the game most of last part of season.
As for Stevie Warnock, he is a solid rock, always there when needed.
Was glad to read Roque's comments on Sky Sports News about Blackburn, looks like we maybe able to keep hold of him.
I am still unsure about Ince, but we got to give the lad a chance!
C'mon you blues, can't wait till 16th August as long as we still got a half decent squad.
You boys got to think half full not half empty! Negative vibes don't help!
mike rover, essex says...
11:36am Fri 18 Jul 08
Jim Wilkinson wrote:Paul Ince cannot stop speculation from happening in the press, so how u can slag him off for that is laughable.
You don't have to be the brightest bulb in the pack to deduce here that Brad has been squeezed out - the instant Ince arrived we started being linked with keepers This is ince destroying the spirit in the campthat Hughes built up with his wretched entourage of lower-division backroom staff who are already proving they are out of their depthIt's time for Williams to admit he's made a mistake and arrest this catastrophe in the bud - I expect a deluge of "Give Ince a Chance" messages from those who are unable to read between the lines of a few articles but remember my name when we're bottom of theleague and he's first sacking of the season
As for "lower division backroom staff", when in the past 30 years has Archie Knox been out of the top flight?
also where did you hear this stuff about the spirit in the camp being damaged? or is this you playing devil's advocate?
Ince has gone on record to say he want's Brad as No.1, and both men stated they were friends at liverpool.
Face it BRAD FRIEDEL IS A GREEDY BASTE*D WHO DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THIS CLUB!
thanks for showing your true colours brad, enjoy's city's blood money.
Spookyfish, Lancaster says...
11:37am Fri 18 Jul 08
Get a bid in for Scott Carson. Ince should be building for the future, so selling OAP's is part of that
mike rover, essex says...
11:39am Fri 18 Jul 08
Jim Wilkinson wrote:Dont be rediculous!
Don't forget we only get half of any Bentley money (sell-on clause) - there's an exclusive for you Telegraph.
Sell on clauses are 10% at the very most. what are you on??
Spanish_Rover82, España says...
11:41am Fri 18 Jul 08
In: Robert Green/Scott Carson/Paul Robinson/Cudicini
Sebastian Larsson
R/B
Yossi Benayoun and/or
Carlos Villanueva
Poss Castillo
Comments..
Why did i think there was any loyalty left in football?
gerardc, galway says...
11:41am Fri 18 Jul 08
guys, i think especially in the friedel situtation we should consider everything. My hat goes off to friedel for all the class performances he has given us to date, he is a top pro. i personally salute you friedel. to finish, john williams, you have made some wonderful choices for us to date, but i hope appointing ince is your first and last boo boo. Hopefully i am wrong about ince, but i fear not....
Champion Sound, Blackburn says...
12:08pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Carson from villa looks like a good choice to me, he nearly signed for stoke as the guy wants to play, he's english and hungray for football.
Brad, youve been a great servant to the club but we aint goin to let you go without a replacement in place.
AS for slagging ince off, its nothing to do with it and more to do with the money both villa and city are offering
jukes, leicester says...
12:29pm Fri 18 Jul 08
bit upsetting tho. dont wana sound to negative but i dont think this would have happend if laudrup would have come in!
please mr ince make an inspired signing to cheer up all the rovers fans!!
true-blue, blackburn says...
12:30pm Fri 18 Jul 08
i still think brad is the best buy i have ever seen £0 for an ever present goalkeeper who saved us more points than i like to think about
and on replacements what about that espanyol keeper kemeni would be mint or id be happy with robbinson carson or cudicini
Stevo, Blackburn says...
12:30pm Fri 18 Jul 08
What a load of rybbish - he wants to leave because Ince is a league 2 manager, and he's realised this in the 2 or 3 weeks he's been here.
Should have gone for someone with proven experience at the top level, whether that have been Allardyce, Laudrup or even Houlier.
Roque will be next, once he's back and see's the standard of the new boss.
Trev Manchester, The real deal... says...
12:30pm Fri 18 Jul 08
lowelife, Helmshore says...
12:32pm Fri 18 Jul 08
With regard to Brad, he's 37 and still dynamite! Surely if it was only a matter of wages he could be persuaded to stay, he's a mature and intelligent man, who is not prone to hasty decisions. The man has been our virtual salvation and we owe him plenty; a renewed contract, reflecting his worth and commitment should be quickly drawn up.
As for DB, I think we would have been in this position wether Hughes was here or not and we should let the child go!
stecoward, LONDON says...
12:33pm Fri 18 Jul 08
jinkyjase, Preston says...
12:33pm Fri 18 Jul 08
You're appointment of a man who is blatantly out of his depth has brought all this on. His back room appointments have polarized this opinion too.
If he'd come in with a top assistant or coach none of this would have happened. This bunch of nobodies we've acquired, mainly because of Ince's inexperience, has probably made our top pro's think about jumping ship.
Even if Ince proves to be the right appointment, the football world has not perceived his appointment as that by a club 'going places' and as such they're in for our best players like vultures. The players are having their heads turned and the rest sorts itself out. I'm a williams fan, the guy is a genius but i fear, and I've said it for weeks, that he has got this one TOTALLY WRONG.
On a related issue. Has anyone thought that Friedel may have told the board he wanted to go when Ince came in? This would explain why we were linked to Cudicini so early, Ince may have had his hands tied.
I'm not looking forward to this season at all.
RishtonSteve, Rishton says...
12:59pm Fri 18 Jul 08
moomintroll, salford says...
1:14pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Ainzy, Darwen says...
1:32pm Fri 18 Jul 08
To all Rovers fans slagging Ince off get a grip stop crying get behind the team by the sound of it Ince has a few good players in mind he is trying to sign
Romeington, Preston says...
1:32pm Fri 18 Jul 08
jinkyjase wrote:Bunch of nobodies ? you clearly have little football knowledge. Knox is one of the most experienced coaches there is, and yes more expereinced than Eddie Niedzwiecki and Howard our new sports science coach was boss of our previous sports science coach whilst they were together at bolton. And steele our new goal kepper coach is highley respected in the EPL and againg prob more experienced than Hitchcock. The only memeber of staff i may agree with you on is mathias. But we must wait to see how they do. So this buncj of nobodies is actually a much better coaching team on paper, obviously we will have to wait and see as to how they do compared to hughes and co, but calling them nobodies is a clear lack of footballing knowledge. Friedel out Carson in is good business for the present and future.
Step forward John Williams.You're appointment of a man who is blatantly out of his depth has brought all this on. His back room appointments have polarized this opinion too.If he'd come in with a top assistant or coach none of this would have happened. This bunch of nobodies we've acquired, mainly because of Ince's inexperience, has probably made our top pro's think about jumping ship.Even if Ince proves to be the right appointment, the football world has not perceived his appointment as that by a club 'going places' and as such they're in for our best players like vultures. The players are having their heads turned and the rest sorts itself out. I'm a williams fan, the guy is a genius but i fear, and I've said it for weeks, that he has got this one TOTALLY WRONG.On a related issue. Has anyone thought that Friedel may have told the board he wanted to go when Ince came in? This would explain why we were linked to Cudicini so early, Ince may have had his hands tied.I'm not looking forward to this season at all.
msrx6mas, Landan says...
1:53pm Fri 18 Jul 08
All this talk of Carson and Robinson - yep, they're younger and Premiership ability so if it's a cost-neutral deal, fine, do it. I just wonder how that would make Jason Brown feel as he's surely thinking "Now's my big chance" and to be fair, his one and only standout appearance way back was the penalty save v Bolton. He's been an able understudy to Brad so lets give hima chance. He'll surely leave too if we don't.
jamie wrexham, wrexham says...
2:03pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Ive had a bit of stick on here in the past for being a sheep sh@gging taffy however one benefit of that is that im also a Wales fan and I can honestly tell you that Jason Brown is genuinely a class act. Every wales fan loves this guy, ok he's not seen much first team action with us but who wud with Brad playing like he is.
I think losing Sparky was a blow but under Ince I think we will leek less goals.
If the Jason Brown thing doesnt work then we will look for a keeper but have faith.
Just a quick one to Brad "F**K off then to City you Judas if you stay I'll boo the hell out of you"
The Player, Manchester says...
2:03pm Fri 18 Jul 08
http://www.skysports
.com/story/0,19528,1
1095_3709839,00.html
money talks.
bburnrover, Wilpshire says...
2:08pm Fri 18 Jul 08
The Player, Manchester says...
2:10pm Fri 18 Jul 08
The Player, Manchester says...
2:12pm Fri 18 Jul 08
batesempire, darwen says...
2:19pm Fri 18 Jul 08
RishtonSteve, Rishton says...
2:24pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Romeington, Preston says...
2:41pm Fri 18 Jul 08
jinkyjase, Preston says...
2:58pm Fri 18 Jul 08
What I was attempting to point out, albeit clumsily perhaps, is that the Ince appointment and with it the resulting back room have not, by any stretch of the imagination INSPIRED the squad. If what you say about them is true then maybe it's the idea of playing for Ince they can't hack? I say 'they' because I anticipate at least two more high profile exists apart from Bents and Big Brad.
King Kenny, Langho says...
3:18pm Fri 18 Jul 08
The Player, Manchester says...
3:29pm Fri 18 Jul 08
.com/story/0,19528,1
1095_3834608,00.html
Carlos Villanueva TO SIGN
roversfan, Mt Brydges, Ontario. says...
3:34pm Fri 18 Jul 08
I hate to say this, but 'Sparky's' desertion could come to seriously hurt Rovers. For Friedel to wish to leave, there must be some anxiety among the Players. Whether this is justified or not, has to be found out and, if Player anxiety is present, some serious thinking has to be done.
'Sparky's' exit was most inopportune. His reason for leaving was quite understandable, but his timing was the worst. Clearly, he hadn't informed John Williams - which introduced a panic situation within the Club.
Paul Ince may, or may not, be the right man for the job. Sadly, he has been thrown in at the deep end and this isn't at all fair to the man.
Wouldn't it be nice if the Players had some feeling of loyalty and rallied around their new Manager - at least until he has had time to show them who and what he is all about!?
John Smith, Chorley says...
3:38pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Or do I save it to skim at Ince three home games in?
The Player, Manchester says...
3:40pm Fri 18 Jul 08
.uk/sport/football/2
008/07/18/10-things-
about-chilean-supers
tar-carlos-villanuev
a-89520-20653591/
The Player, Manchester says...
3:40pm Fri 18 Jul 08
.uk/sport/football/2
008/07/18/10-things-
about-chilean-supers
tar-carlos-villanuev
a-89520-20653591/
BJS, Bourne says...
3:47pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Woody Riversider, Blackburn says...
3:54pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Morst the 88th min Heartbreaker wrote:Hey Morst how you doing? Had no access to computer for a while but this news of Brad is absolutly staggering. Only two choices now as for as I'm concerend(considerin
6 words required - "Sorry Brad the answer is NO"
g the time scale) STEVE HARPER OR SCOTT CARSON. If everything is to be believed then we could quite possibly have 2 or 3 players half hearted playing for BRFC next seasson. What a shi**y scenario that would be. Anyhow's be well & we'll catch up in the near future. Hope Ossy & co are all well? Hey Bill have you been down yet with your ST renewal form?
Arte et labore
Guinevere, Blackburn says...
3:58pm Fri 18 Jul 08
I hope that's all it is, and not the dressing room unrest being suggested. But all the talk must be distracting the squad, whatever they think of Ince.
Not a good pre season......
Morst the 88th min Heartbreaker, Accrington says...
4:29pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Woody Riversider wrote:Hey Woody - how R U? Good to have your comments back on here. I was on hols in Internet cafe in June when I saw you slagging off new website - thought you and some of the old gang were on a boycott or something. This reminds me of the Dalgliesh / Shearer effect and we must learn from it this time. I said in Jan (and got called a moaner!), for saying the lack of investment could send out the wrong message and if Hughes went etc etc. I really believe this time we mustlearn to use the word NO. We tell the players the loss of Hughes and his team is enough this summer and the club needs to stabilise and all those players who have signed long contracts (like Brad only 3 months ago) have to show some responsibility and let the club stabilise. They can always run down their contracts or be sold nearer the end of the contract but right now Rovers come first. We should not accept less than £20m for Bentley - take a stance like Villa have with Barry - Pay Up or Shut Up. BRFC come first, first and first again.
Morst the 88th min Heartbreaker wrote:
6 words required - "Sorry Brad the answer is NO"Hey
Morst how you doing? Had no access to computer for a while but this
news of Brad is absolutly staggering. Only two choices now as for as
I'm concerend(considerin
g the time scale) STEVE HARPER OR SCOTT CARSON. If everything is to be
believed then we could quite possibly have 2 or 3 players half hearted
playing for BRFC next seasson. What a shi**y scenario that would be.
Anyhow's be well & we'll catch up in the near future. Hope Ossy
& co are all well? Hey Bill have you been down yet with your ST
renewal form?
Arte et labore
Spanish_Rover82, España says...
10:45am Fri 18 Jul 08
STUNNED