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What Blackburn fans are saying about Newcastle pursuit of Grant Hanley

8 years ago
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Newcastle United’s now public pursuit of Grant Hanley continues.

Bids of £3.5m and then £4.5m were unsuccessful and now we wait to see just how much Rafa Benitez rates the centre-back and whether he will increase the offer.

On Monday Sky Sports revealed that Blackburn’s asking price is an initial £6m plus a substantial extra payment if Newcastle get promotion.

In a number of interviews Rovers boss Owen Coyle has insisted he doesn’t want to sell his Captain but at the same time keeps mentioning that Newcastle’s offers have been nowhere near his or Blackburn’s valuation.

So we now appear to be clearly in a position where a move will happen IF Newcastle pay the price tag.

What about Blackburn fans though? What do they think about the prospect of their bets player and Captain potentially leaving for Newcastle.

Some very interesting comments left by Blackburn supporters on the Lancashire Telegraph, they all seem to rate Grant Hanley and the vast majority seem to be in a similar vein to their Manager – don’t want to see the player go but accepts it will happen if Newcastle offer enough – though they do value him a lot more than what United have offered so far…

‘Fingers crossed that he stays but if he does go, no one can blame him. Big pay rise, playing in front of 50,000 passionate home fans, incredible away support and a decent chance of getting promotion. Like I said, let’s hope he stays for our sake.’

‘Over the past 50 years there have been very few players or managers that have gone to Newcastle and been successful.

If Hanley does leave, then Venkys must ensure we get full value for him. He is very young for a centre half at 24, he’s our club captain, has made 200 or so appearances and is a regular international player.

In view of the bids made for Michael Keane at Burnley, surely Hanley must be valued at £10M. As Crewe have a 10% sell on clause, I would increase that to £11M.’

‘Gone by the end of July. Time to find a replacement.’

‘Its a shame you can’t accept some people/players want to improve and test themselves against better opposition and for Rovers to find a replacement either from within or from another club who is as good if not better.’

‘Test themselves against better opposition? You do realise Newcastle are in the championship? Have a little think next time before you start typing garbage.’

‘Hopefully this doesn’t drag on and on for too long and a decision is made either way. The longer it goes on the more everyone will become unsettled, players and fans alike. Ultimately Hanley holds all the cards so it should be interesting to hear from him, having said that Venkys are seemingly very stubborn when it comes to situations like this and they will not let him go for less than they want for him.’

‘Isn’t only last week that Hanley said in this newspaper “I love this club”? Let’s see shall we.’

‘Even if Hanley wishes to stay, it is not up to him at the end of the day, is it? It is the owners – if they get what they want for Hanley, then Hanley has no choice but to go.’

‘How many players have said those words down the years? Those words mean less than the paper that the player’s contract is written on. He may well enjoy being at Ewood, but a bigger pay packet and 50,000 crowds will be a head turner.

And there’s a financial hole to fill. The sale of Hanley, and the saved wages could well fill that void.’

‘I think in any walk of life you can love your job but if the chance to improve your career & double your wages comes along then it’s hard to turn down. Hanley has given his all for the club and probably could have looked for a move before now so I don’t begrudge him a move. The fee has to be right though.’

‘We have a 6m black hole to plug due to the end of the parachute payments.’

‘Please lets not think that this news is a shock to the club, the player or to Owen Coyle, it will have been bubbling around for several weeks, so each party has had time to plan for the different scenarios.’

‘Am I wrong but did we never sell a player when we where in the prem. In this day and age players now hold nearly all the cards and people say the prem is the promised land but how many teams in the prem actually make money and owners who are prepared to bankroll clubs should take a look at themselves as this is the system it has now left us with.’

‘So we didn’t sell Alan Shearer to Newcastle when we were in the PL? You might not like it but unless we fill Ewood every home game we don’t have a choice but to sell, and even then that wouldn’t bring in sufficient annual income without selling players.’

‘Yep- there is and always will be a pecking order within each division and through the divisions. As soon as we fell out the Premiership we became a average sized town club again at the mercy of all Premiership clubs and city clubs in the Championship.’

‘He’s better than Keane we should hang on to him until some Prem team gets desperate and gives us 15 million at Christmas.’

‘£4-5million for a central defender in the current climate is an insult. If he want to go, then the fee has to be realistic.you have to be looking in the region of £6-7m at least, anything less is a steal.’

‘Hanley. he is a BULLDOZER for any team. But pay the price for the priced star – 10Mil. Look at Michael Keane…. two seasons he played …rating shoots-up to 12mil. Hanley is better player.’

‘Newcastle have now signed Hayden and have another couple in the pipeline. Benitez is a good manager and knows Newcastle’s pulling power in the Championship. I reckon he can afford to wait it out.’

‘Perhaps Rovers can get a player + cash deal with Sissoko going the other way?’

‘Season before last Handley was worth nowt.Last season a very good one.He learned from someone?If we are to sell him then it cannot be on the cheap.That would be selling us short.The Venkys must put in decent money to get decent players.If selling Handley helps to that effect then good.Find a good as replacement. We must not sell to rival clubs.Aston Villa and Newcastle are bigger clubs than us but now competing with us.’

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