GOOD on Gary Bowyer for hitting back at Doncaster owner John Ryan over his comments that Chris Brown has penned a £10,000 per week deal at Blackburn Rovers.
Not only are the comments, to quote Bowyer, ‘unwelcome and inaccurate’, they are also unhelpful and untimely.
Untimely to the club because it gives the impression that Rovers are paying over the odds for players when, in fact, they are going to have to be more careful than ever with their cash given the arrival of Financial Fair Play.
And unhelpful to the player because it only serves to pile pressure on his, admittedly broad, shoulders.
Strapping striker Brown, on first impression, has not been signed to go straight into Bowyer’s starting line up.
It was understandable, then, that Ryan’s comments led some Rovers fans to question why their club was sanctioning a five-figure weekly contract for a player who is likely to start the season as back-up to Rudy Gestede.
But that’s the thing; Brown isn’t on, as Ryan said, ’10 grand a week’. He’s on less than that – and that’s why Bowyer was right to put the record straight.
Will the Rovers manager’s decision to make the 6ft 3in frontman his first signing of the summer also prove correct?
Only time will tell.
But you would not bet against it given Bowyer’s canny dealings in the market in the past.
There was similar apprehension surrounding the arrival of the likes of Tommy Spurr, Tom Cairney and Gestede – and look at how they turned out.
And it should not be forgotten how big an impact injuries had on Rovers’ season last time out.
What would happen if Gestede was forced to spend time on the sidelines? It would be a major blow, undoubtedly.
But at least Rovers now have a replacement in the shape of Brown.
And it is clear that Bowyer and his coaching team have decided the way to get the best out of prolific top scorer Jordan Rhodes is to pair him with a big man.
Not that Bowyer will allow his other strikers to get away without chipping in with their fair share of goals.
And, watching the smile break across Brown’s face on Monday after he was told of Craig Conway’s crossing ability, it was clear he is confident of getting them.
Doncaster owner Ryan is too.
That’s why he did his best to soften the blow for his club’s supporters, having just seen their player of the year leave, by suggesting it took a £10,000 per week contract to tempt Brown away.
But if you are going to play that game you have to be ready for the comeback.
And Bowyer got his response spot-on.
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