Rovers are in talks with Benni McCarthy over extending his current contract, which expires in 2010. Talks have started with the South African striker but Mark Hughes has stressed there is no definite timeframe regarding the negotiations.
I find the idea of extending McCarthy’s deal somewhat confusing for a number of factors. Firstly, he currently has two seasons left on his current contract after this campaign. Therefore by the time his deal expires McCarthy will be 32 and surely past the peak of his powers. Would it not make more sense to evaluate McCarthy’s position at the club once he has just a year left running on his contract?
Also, I think it’s fair to say McCarthy has been a mere shadow of the player we saw score 24 goals last season. The transfer talk of Chelsea clearly affected him. Once it became clear the move had died, McCarthy became uninterested and has looked that way in the majority of games he has played this season.
Perhaps he has not been helped by Santa Cruz’s form, which has seen him quickly become a fans’ favourite. But I do still believe that Hughes can get McCarthy back to his old ways.
His performance against Bolton, regardless of the goals, was a much more commmited effort than we have seen previously. Hopefully now, Benni can press on and re-capture his form last season. Maybe then will be the time to discuss his long-term future.
An important result for Rovers which keeps us in touch with the European places, although it could of easily been a different story had Bolton put away one of the many chances they had.
Instead two penalties form McCarthy (one slightly dubious), a Bentley header and a goal from Pedersen (finally) made the match look a lot easier than it actually was. But at the end of the day it was three points that we desperately needed to stay within reach of Villa, Everton and Pompey and those lucrative European places.
Continuing on the positives, it was great to see McCarthy get two goals (albeit they were penalties) but more importantly to see him look interested again instead of the lacklustre performances we’ve seen from him too many times this season.
On the subject of scoring goals I’m delighted Pedersen has ended his drought although I suspect it will take more than that to quieten the many Rovers faithful who are doubting him.
My only other concern yesterday was our back-four who looked far from convincing. If it hadn’t been for the ever reliable Friedel and some poor finishing form Bolton we could have been made to pay. I still believe on recent form Andre Ooijer is worth a place in the starting line-up at the expense of Zurab Khizanishvili.
Hopefully this result can kick start a run for us and put us in contention for a European place, but we will need more convincing displays than this. Next up, the Geordies (you really feel we should at least score).
Mark Hughes has admitted he is interested in signing former Manchester United and Bolton defender Quinton Fortune. The left-back is currently on trail and travelled to Florida for a training break with the rest of the squad.
Although I feel Fortune was a solid player while at Manchester United, I don’t see why we are signing a left-back who hasn’t played a competitive game for over a year.
We have enough cover for Warnock with Bruno Berner, and also Martin Olsson and Tony Kane who I think could have great futures ahead of them.
Also at 30 years old Fortune is at the end of his ‘peak years’, therefore it would only be a short-term deal if anything, and denying youngsters first-team chances. Which leaves little or no reason for signing him.
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Posted by prideoflancashire
Mark Hughes has admitted he is interested in signing former Manchester United and Bolton defender Quinton Fortune. The left-back is currently on trail and travelled to Florida for a training break with the rest of the squad.