All Activity

He is a proper manager, but just like those before him, he has realised this isn't a proper setup. I agree with the bolded. He absolutely should be insisting on both. It should never be an either/or situation at our level and especially not with so called billionaire owners. The fact he has made such a suggestion is, IMO, quite likely due to the "woe is us, we can't spend, we need to cut costs" kind of vibe around the place. What are the chances that Ismael has been hearing such lately i.e we've got limited funds, player x, y and z are too expensive to sign, we need to cut the wage bill, yada yada. That lot crying about funds. It would be easy to conclude in that scenario that we can't do both, hence the suggestion he has put forward. It feels like a desperate suggestion from someone who wants the situation resolving quickly, rather than a Mowbray type thing. That's just my view though. It would not happen at any normal club.

4th Manager in a decade about to sack the club?

That interview from val is class to be fair to him he’s gone for the “head ofs”, that comment alone makes me know full well he thinks it’s a fucking shit show but it pays his mortgage. Clubs a fucking disgrace.

val to be relieved of his duties(in the guise of him resigning) before christmas,he`s broken the vow of silence that is a prerequisite of the job,the excuse will be he misses his family

Fair enough. Cutting it slightly fine if there are any problems on the motorway Id have thought.

It's just something that would never been seen or heard in public at any other professional football club, yet here, due to the void and silence, we have another manager turning to the media to get his message out there in the vain hope someone in India picks up on it and acts The impenetrable wall of silence and inertia between Ewood and India leaves confused and frustrated managers with only one option - wash our linen in public in the hope it makes something happen. It wouldn't be necessary or accepted anywhere else, because you'd have contactable owners with a drop of decency or pride in their systems, but here we all know these people are far from decent and have never had any pride. Ismael knows full well that the budget will be maxed out for the year and funding won't be forthcoming for remedial works at Ewood. So his only option is to try and balance it with an offer of a reduction to his playing budget. A crazy situation but the only chance he and we have of seeing this work get done in the near future. Otherwise all the money is allocated and there's no more. Head stooge isn't ringing Pune for more cash, that's not an option. More than his job is worth. Remember that when they shuffle the pack in January, wheel and deal, move a couple out and bring a couple in on lower wages, this isn't the owners investing. They're merely allowing the stooges to reduce outgoings by replacing higher earners with lower/younger/cheaper ones The club can manage all that in it's own budgets without input from Pune.

Are grounds staff saying no point on 10am pitch inspection because looking at heavy rain forecast it will be called off but by 2pm onwards water will drain away to become playable??

He might be using it to bond and protect the players, or at leas the few we left who are fit. Six first teamers out is it?

What sort of proper manager does that? He should be insisting the pitch is sorted AND there's a workable transfer budget. It reminds me a bit of Mowbray trying to dissuade the owners from spending or wanting to sell Rothwell to our major rivals for promotion.

Their coaches are scheduled to leave at 2pm.

After how many years of being dumped upon by Venkys I don't buy Ismael's latest comments - other than the fact its embarrassing. Offering the January transfer money to pay for the pitch is like a parent saying we'll pay for the kids food with the money we were going to spend on their clothes. Both are needed and its a farcical situation to be in. Owners who never hesitate to sign a cheque? A couple of words too many in that sentence. Cue another hodge-podge sticking plaster on the ground and a convenient excuse to continue to underinvest in the squad. The downward spiral continues.

Sure a lot feel the same way where Venkys (and some other people) are concerned. The problem on here is people are too nice when you need to get down in the gutter with them. As always though you never do what it takes and it's the same old, same old. Baa baa Blackburn sheep. Why do I even bother?

I've known football clubs to win games at this level without a European jobber worth £2m I haven't known a football club to ever win a game at this level, that can't provide an adequate pitch to play on I am presuming the above is the logic. I am also aware some of you more pedantic than me may reference Coventry and similar case. They don't count!

I think he's here until the end of his contract come what may but we'll see I guess.

His offer to remedy the pitch immediately even if it takes something off the January budget are the words of a man desperate to fix the situation. He is showing more urgency and desire to resolve this than any of the hierarchy are doing. He doesn't want the fans, the players and staff to lose out because of the incompetence and lack of knowhow of bastards like the shadow man. A common theme around this club is the notion "that's too expensive, we can't do that". All he has done is offered a begrudging compromise. I.e take it out of the January budget if you have to, but fix this now! I do not think this is some sort of ploy where he is distancing himself from blame and giving his superiors an easy get out.

2-0 Scorers: Aquaman, SpongeBob Squarepants.

1-1 right on HT though. They might draw a bit of confidence from that. It would be really funny if they beat the Red Scum.

Yep he probably knows it's inevitable sooner or later and we're going to need a playable pitch whatever league we are in. The actual chance of there being 2 million in the budget that can be transferred to pitch rebuilding instead of players is fanciful by anyone's thinking. So it's a green light to sell another player or two and take whatever comes after. He'll probably have escaped back to a foreign league before next summer anyway.

He’s gone up in my estimations, slightly. To be honest though, he’s a victim just as we are, only difference is he’s being paid and thinks he can make a difference. VENKYS OUT - NOTHING ELSE MATTERS

Perhaps VI knows his job is safe whatever happens and (like Suhail and Gestede) isnt bothered whether we stay up or go down. Therefore might as well do the pitch.

How could we possibly save money in the transfer window and stay up?

If we get another called off I'll be amazed if the EFL don't begin the punishments. It's an absolute farce and completely preventable. If the game goes ahead, Oxford have a bit of fight about them and we generally struggle with that. With the cancellation at the weekend an Oxford win will rope us in so this is a must-win for me. However, I doubt we will. Rovers 1-1 Oxford

Like that he's come out strong, but it has also given the perfect excuse not the reinforce the squad in January, which I fully expect them to take. Knowing them, they'll half-ass the pitch maintenance too.

Wolves are absolutely shocking. United aren't that much better but if this is how they're set for the season I don't think they'll even reach Derby's total. The United goal was also just awful from every single player's POV, on both teams.

Forecast has the rain starting to fizzle out then 40% chance and continuing to reduce further up to kick off. They'll probably call it off at 2pm and then by kick off it will be perfectly playable