I assumed the point he was making was that if we weren't being skinflints, we could afford a high quality winger who already has enough points to qualify. But since we are in the bargain bin, we have to use ESC slots and we've spunked those. But the Mafoumbi thing sure is dumb. Especially since we could have brought him off the bench for a minute at any point last season or this, and cleared up a slot.

Could not tell you. He's 16 so maybe not.

https://rovers.co.uk/news/2025/august/20/blackburn-rovers--150-years/

Exactly this point. The club knew the dangers of signing a young lad to take up an ESC slot. he shouldn't be shafted because of it. at least try and get a fee off a club instead of just ripping the contract up.

Will he need a ESC spot?!

Your missing the point I’m making I’m saying he’s being shafted because of our clubs new needs of buying players who don’t qualify for the slots. If we were to sign an experienced winger who knows the league or is of decent quality we wouldn’t be in this position So he is being shafted - whether he’s good enough is a different conversation

Seems as though we have a Turkish lad on trial Cem Dursun Arac

I’ll never forget reading an article about his love for Argos when he first signed for Norwich 🤣 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-46950567.amp

On what grounds is it acceptable that a member of staff who joins, say, a month later than somebody else has to pay to park on their work car park? Can't even imagine what the morale must be like at all levels of the club.

I dislike Coventry, but at least it’s not Derby. He’ll have a nice role model in Lampard too. Happy for Travis. Pissed off at this club.

Neither Phillips or Finneran were good enough when we gave them their debuts - but the club thought they were worth 'playing the game' with in terms of contract negotiations. This French lad has never even sniffed the bench.

Ah yes, I forgot we don't do experienced players.

Seems Coventry in for Travis now.whilst Baradji expected to be fit by end of September after treatment for his stress fracture.

Onel Hernandez? He's 32, so the club won't be going anywhere near him, i wouldn't think.

Exactly this

I think we should be looking at Hernandez ex Norwich player, winger and wanted by Sheff Wed. of all clubs surely we have to table some form of contract? and if it's worse than Sheff Wed's then Christ we really are up shits creek.

I think I read that he was injured in training during the first few weeks and never recovered, so that’s the reason he never played in Belgium. He won’t be a massive loss as never made the bench for the first team, but it’s hard not to feel sorry for him. In less than 12 months we’ve paid up two players in Mafoumbi and Sigurdsson due to registration issues, it’s simply not good enough!

Heard a tail about Scholes the other day. Training at man ure Ronaldo had done a load of fancy moves other players couldn't do. Scholes says to him see that tree 50 metres away I can hit it in one can you?. Put the ball down and played a 50 metres pass straight onto the tree . Ronaldo couldn't get near it despite numerous attempts.

There are always going to be better players who make the transition quicker to senior football you have named 3/4 there but the majority at a young age do some time in the 21s he clearly isn’t fancied my point was/is I think he’s being pushed out the door because our recruitment is based on - signing more players exactly like him little/no experience hence needing the slot

Yeah a distinct lack of realism has been a consistent feature of Venkys from trying to sign Ronaldinho, to not being aware of relegation, to promoting Steve Kean, to letting our players go for free. How they made any money in business is beyond me.

They will eventually reduce us to a level where a seat is no longer required.

We played an 18 year old Dolan off the bat. Tyjon is in the first team this year. Finneran and Phillips were played at 16/17 year olds. He just clearly isn't good enough to justify taking that ESC slot.

Thing is he could be good enough, just not ready for the first team hence why we revoke his ESC slot for a player who is currently 1st team ready (ignoring the fact he is a crock and no other team has touched him with a 10000ft barge pole)

He didn't look good enough for our U21s in the games he played for them He also never really got above U19 level in France - failing to score above that level when playing for Nantes B team in the French regional leagues There are plenty of players who look ok at U18/U19 level who drop off when they move up an age group Rovers took a chance on him as he had a bit of pace, it didn't work out

Clearly the fact he wasn’t never chosen in Belgium on his loan spell or here to play first team by any manager after watching him in training shows this