no point using this thread to discuss this more, I think we agree on a lot of things and we disagree on others. I think we are going in a healthy direction, and having been involved in a board for a football club I know how extremely difficult running a football club is. There is small margins for error which can lead to a negative spiral. This is spending too much, too high wages and investing wrongly. With Rovers as with my kids when they say the other kids can do that or get that, I don’t give two pennies. I care about me, myself and my family and try to make the most out of it. looking forward to seeing our biggest signing this summer Tavares who comes with English language, Arsenal academy, International experience and network and ticks most boxes. Looking forward to see the blue and whites against Elche later 🙂

In terms of best position, his lack of physical presence or real speed, but being seemingly a clever player, probably mean that being a 10 (more in the mold of Dack rarher than Cantwell) is where he will end up Can see him being Cantwells deputy this season, as it will enable that 1st team route, and also means that they have an excuse for not signing someone

They didn't buy into whatever he was asking of them for his first six and a half games and ultimately that cost us any chance of the play offs.

It'll be a cold day in hell before anyone from the Club will ever announce that the aim is promotion!

When Venkys took over , we were in the top ten of the Premier League . I rest my case !

We were the 2nd lowest spenders last season after Rotherham. To say we over-achieved is a big under-statement. As for the wage/turnover issue, we are well clear of difficulty there after sales but hardly any money is ever made available for transfers. As for the Academy, I'm suggesting that while we think its there to provide players for the first team squad, increasingly its looking like its there to earn money to keep the club going. And, of course, while they're here these young players are cheap. As for "we have a lot to be proud of" tell that to the women's team. In truth we have a lot to be ashamed of and so much to be angry about. The club is dying season by season. No better decisions, it's a tale of wasted opportunities which suck the life-blood out of us and will lead to relegation and administration. That's my firm belief. You'll call it negativity, I'll call it realism. And as for Racing Santander and the rest, what about Wrexham or even Bolton and Burnley? No good telling me things could be worse. Venkys have had 15 years and things get worse every season.

Im reminded of the brilliant 4 Yorkshire men sketch. 🙂 https://youtu.be/VKHFZBUTA4k?feature=shared

Yep, think we'll struggle to get any decent fee for him with his injury record. We'll be stuck with him and his 12 games a season.

Flying scoucers ?

The lad is made of glass.

Or the Rovers

He took his goal really well last weekend. That was a real strikers goal.

In the early seventies, the school I went to (Billinge) had computer studies. At that time I could only wish for a job paying three pounds per hour.

I watched him in the Accy game. A near and tidy player who obviously knows his way around the pitch. He not particularly big and not particularly quick. He kept possession ok and passed the ball around with short passes. I wouldn’t say the game passed him by but I can’t recall him doing anything that really caught the eye. Buckley also came with a massive reputation at a similar age. It’s a real achievement to be playing against men at such a young age but I didn’t see what Arsenal scouts are allegedly seeing. I suppose they can afford hoover up as many likely young players as they like on the off chance that 1 in 10 might make it.

You never know, Yuki might have a 'Szmodics' season or the breakthrough like we saw with BBD. People will scoff, but Szmodics scored just 5 league goals in his first season here, Yuki got 9 whilst adapting to not just a new league, but a new country too, after playing a shed load of games. As it stands, we certainly need him to shine.... Gueye I'm not as confident with although he does randomly look capable now and then so can hopefully play a part. It's crunch time for Leonard too, he's managed just 32 appearances now in 3 seasons, simply not good enough at that age, if he spends another season crocked we may as well assign him to the scrap heap I'm afraid. Question marks remain over his ability but he's never going to prove himself from the treatment room or with the odd fleeting substitute appearance here and there.

They did destroy the club from the off, and the Steve Kean era was absolutely devastating. It felt like slow torture that never ended. I was at Stamford bridge when we got relegated and it was not the club I had fallen in love with. Slowly they have taken better decisions. They have invested a lot in our academy which is of great importance for a small club like ours (attendance, turnover etc). over two the part about the summer transfers: We have a wage/turnover ration we have to live by. We didn’t have to that under Jack. This is what makes the football world extremely difficult nowadays. Those American owners (having entered the marked lately) have a completely different nous for social media, media expose and how to create turnovers. I remember at the time the potential owner who went on to buy Racing Santander. We would not be better off with him. Let’s talk about the Cardiff owner, Sheff wed. At least Venkys doesn’t send us to misery and for me after Mowbray came in the family feel for the club came back. We have a lot to be proud of and we are pushing for playoff every season. Never a dull game. Homegrown talents. over to the part about the summer transfers: I mean, this is just my opinion. Not everything works and is rousy, but as I said earlier; every transfer comes with a risk and you are taking to big of a risk by having too much players without any resell value; this is both Weimann and Batth. Likely not the smallest wages coming from several clubs having increased their wages everytime. Then I am more in favor of saving those wages to be able to give more wages to an exciting prospect from our own academy (such as Trav) or when we try to aquire someone: We did say the exact same things last summer and then both Gueye and Ohashi got signed late July and then Cantwell and Toth, all money signings.

We will also have a very disaffected footballer on our books who will deeply harbour the notion we have denied him an opportunity. That is no good for the club. His race is run here and he needs to be out the door.

Can those who watch more of the under 21 team shed some light on Igor Tyjon? Keep seeing his name mentioned as the next top prospect. He doesn't seem prolific. Is he actually that good? What is his best position? I've read that we are offering a route to the first team, in the hope he signs a pro deal. I feel we definitely need another first team striker, do we go with this lad? Without knowing much about him, it seems like another situation where a youth player is holding the club to ransom a bit by not signing a pro deal (within his rights obviously). If we hild off signing another striker to give him that pathway, surely you would want the pro deal signing before the end of this window?

I said we were 350/1 however that was what came up from a search I did.

I hope there is some : Venkys Out Pasha Out Gestede Out This afternoon.

Also worth bearing in mind he's playing a position where experience is crucial to being a good player.

Poor sods.

Ipswich have a lot of players that are stand out Championship players that are unlikely to get Premier League moves. Greaves, Philogene, Clarke, Szmodics, Davis, Broadhead, Chaplin, O'Shea etc. Can see why they would be favourites. Even though they were so bad last year, it says a lot about the gap between the leagues that Southampton also have lots of really good Championship players. Leicester are the ones of the 3 who maybe look the least likely even before a points deduction.

That's the only way I can see Dubois winning. Usyk has just got way too much skill for someone to try and out box him.