I won't be overly critical of the club for hesitating to extend the contract of a player who will be 35 in September. That will go wrong more often than it goes right. Of all of the contract resignings we have messed up, the likes of Batth, Weimann, and a few others are at least understandable.

Depeche Mode - My Little Universe

80% of the posters on here know who we signed, how much we spent on them, who we sold, and how much we sold them for. We don't need a transfer ombudsman to provide 'facts' on a regular basis. As for your other two points, great. Then stop undermining them by defending the club (whether you intend to or not) over how much has been spent and who has been signed. They have totally failed us when it has come to transfer dealings. Not only in terms of quality of signings, but, more improtantly, in terms of amount invested. Now please, for the love of God, stop defending that in this thread. No one wants it. No one needs to know it. It doesn't need to be mentioned again. The club must IMPROVE.

'Making it up on whim' is the exact definition of how they operate right throughout the club.

I believe 'they' - chief Venky stooge and his dogsbody - never wanted the likes of Batth, McFadzean or Weimann. They were very much Eustace signings, he wanted experience and eventually demanded it last summer threatening to walk away if he didn't get it. So I don't think chief Venky stooge will be making much, if any, serious effort to keep those players here now Eustace has gone. It will of course be dressed up as part of a project, wanting to lower the age of the squad, wanting to build value in the squad, and certain people will lap this up and convince themselves that it is all part of a plan. In the end they are just making it up on a whim and the minute another club comes along with a comparable or better offer we step aside.

I cannot believe they’ve allowed Batth to slip through their fingers. This could have been sorted months ago. His leadership is something we have desperately need in the side - along with Trav they’re the only two with any of it. No surprise to see our nosedive in form coinciding with his absence. Yet another terrible judgement call in a never ending list. No doubt one of Rudy’s lads will be coming in as his replacement. Happy days, eh.

I thought they were all pretty good signings, especially considering the outlay. Gueye was unplayable at times, Ohashi scored 10, Toth has taken the gloves off Pears (we hope!). Sadly Kargbo got injured, but he has the pace we've been crying out for. Alas the person that lined those all up left in October and you saw the calibre of player we brought in during January under Gestede et al. We're fucked.

Agreed that Weimann was someone I personally wouldnt have offered a new deal to in the first place so I wouldnt be too fussed about him not signing, in isolation. Batth would be a major blow though. The bigger issue is the failing of the club again. A few leaked articles about things we are trying to do or are supposedly close to change the narrative in some peoples eyes, dont believe it. If we cant even sort a new short term deal for a couple of veterans then that is pretty telling. Im sure if they do both join Derby then they will both get some stick. Lets not forget that we have already pissed about Batth in the past and cost him a year of his career essentially.

Looks like Bath and Weimann might head to Derby. I wouldn’t be too bothered if Weimann didn’t resign TBH. He popped up with some important goals last season, but his overall play was pretty ineffective last season. Considering his age and recent injury, offering a significant contract to him doesn’t make sense. Bath would be a bigger loss, no doubt. However again at his age I wouldn’t be paying over the odds to keep him.

Well it's irrelevant when you first said it, I was quoting you from today, don't be pedantic for no reason. The point is you can't say he is doing what GB did when you're also describing him doing half the job GB did.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25193971.blackburn-rovers-uncertainty-derby-county-lurk-duo/ As predicted. And folk actually think they can get Brittain to sign a new deal or get this lad from Montpellier signed up?! Do me a favour, these pair should have been the easiest deals they do this summer.

If you could make a million quid a year wheeling and dealing at a mid sized mid table championship club whilst also playing the big i am and benefiting from hospitality and perks etc why would you risk that in pursuit of a golden ticket. I am and always have been utterly convinced there are other irons in the fire at this club and those irons have been more than happy with the last decade.

It was certainly the case in the early days with all the Kentaro boys, if it still goes on they do a better job of hiding it now.

I'd much prefer it and it'd be much better if 15k home fans turned up every home game so we'd average 18k over a season then it would remove a lot of ready made excuses by those inside the club.

Here is an interesting article on football agents. I do sometimes wonder if the club is run for the benefit of agents, rather then the owners and the fans. One that always made me think that was our bargain purchase of Ruben Rochina. Show me the Money: Who should pay the Football Agent and how is it taxed? - The Football Week

But by his own admission, Gestede is in charge of the pie run.

Agree with the above The shocking and unwelcome demise of the women's team shows the accountants are in charge at Ewood and that spending this summer will be minimal.

I said it a few weeks ago but I will be amazed if we spend any money on player signings until either the court case is resolved or we sell some players. Even if we sell some players I could see it being needed to run the operational side rather than purchases. I am expecting nothing but loans and free transfers.

I said it yesterday actually. Where I said Gestede runs the football operations whilst Adam Owen runs the other bits.

I dont have faith either in the owners for providing anything like a reasonable enough budget or stooges like Gestede and the lingering Suhail sticking his nose in to have the competence to suitably fix the issues we have. I think we will get most of the positions we need filled, just not of a reasonable enough quality. I am happy not to sit on the fence and say that. History shows that we have no reason to trust these people.

Agreed. Not asking for tens of millions pounds for 2 or 3 million pounds for a couple of signings How much funding do you want and do you have faith in Gestede yourself? I would like to see a new keeper, centre back, 2 centre midfielder and 2 or 3 attacking players. How much would that cost? God knows, but we must improve the quality of our loan signings. I'm unsure on whether I think Gestede can do it. How much of the transfer negotiation did he do last season I dont know, but let's hope he can do for the sake of Rovers and our season.

Did he ever reach his peak? He was unbelievebly talented, but with his lifestyle it's hard to say he was ever completely on it. Bit like Paul McGrath for Ireland, he was immense but there is always a feeling of "imagine without all the off-field stuff how good he could have been.

I agree that I also havent been too impressed by Jobe whenever I have seen him. He made a big deal of changing his name on his shirt to Jobe to avoid comparisons but I wouldnt be surprised if his value is inflated due to his brother. Mind you, 90% of the time I have seen Jude Bellingham, I havent been that impressed. He is however obviously capable of moments of absolute brilliance as we saw at the Euros. I thought his general level of performance was poor throughout the tournament but he scored that overhead kick and also a header in the group stage.