If we have these targets of x thousand minutes for Academy graduates (i.e. generally filling the back end of the squad with Academy players to keep costs down) then Duru has to be lined up as the #2 RB, surely? You've always got the fallback option of Carter at RB (I know he's much better at CB, but he can play RB in the Championship) if the Duru experiment fails and you need to strengthen in January (try typing that with a straight face!).

1000%

Very true. Its been long situation of this happening.

The top 4 championship teams had the highest squad values. The lowest squad value of any surviving Premier league team is still double that of any of the promoted teams. All the relegated prem teams have higher squad values than the promoted teams There's the gap

Gazza was a very good player and I will always remember his goal against Scotland in Euro 96

One for our vintage supporters:

Batth is worth an extra 5 grand a week because he brings the best out of Hyam that's a good partnership and shouldn't be broken up.

Brentford and Bournemouth are always in danger of relegation , one bad season is all it takes and those 2 teams especially Brentford are due one .

Hoddle should have taken him to 98 world cup. Him and le tissier would have given us something different. Especially when we were down to 10 men against Argentina. Hoddle just didn't like players who were equal to his ability

Forest spent well over 10 million under Hughton, had a bad start to the season and Cooper took them up. As Matty says above, its not impossible, as the teams above prove, but its a tough ask and the gap is getting bigger in my opinion.

Wonder when Marinakis will be sanctioned for invading the pitch at full time to confront their manager. He wasn't there in an official capacity - he isn't on their board of directors, isn't on the coaching or playing staff and I don't think is even technically an owner any more after he divested his shares to get around the UEFA multi club ownership rules. So presumably he will be treated as any other civilian would for invading the pitch at full time - banning order or fine / prosecution I would expect. Surely all are to be treated equally.

Yes, look how results went when he did not play.

It is just what I think. The season gone has little or no relevance to next season. I don't expect Manure or Spuds to be near the bottom. I think the Irons will be blowing bubbles around mid table.

…and managers, and minority shareholders.

So by my count Sunderland the 25th different club that has won promotion to the Premier League, some more than once (Dingles done it 4 times) since we were removed from it by these owners, and since when we have managed to avoid so much as a top 6 finish at this level in return for their 'investment'. It's almost impressive.

Danny Batth was imo one of the main reasons we did so well last season. Tying him down to another year is the most obvious decision ever and clearly he deserves to be paid according to his influence. Just get it done for the love of God.

Wolves did ok when they switched manager and he'd got his feet under the table, lost a few recently but only after they confirmed safety. Brighton had a good season for the most part they just seem to be frustratingly inconsistent which meant they just missed out on the top 6. Palace had a solid second half to the season, but if they lose a few it may affect them next time out. Bournemouth may struggle, fell apart around Feb time. Surprised you haven't listed West Ham, they'll be down there unless they throw a sizeable amount of cash at next season and actually use it wisely for once.

Weimann was training with Rovers last summer as there was no interest in him. Batth had spent a year hardly playing for Norwich it is obvious what happened, Rovers picked up both on low cost deals, and are hoping that they can't be bothered with the hassle of moving and/or the possibility they may not play as often as they would be at Rovers

There were claims that Eustace was at the end of his tether last summer and ready to walk, and the stooges buckled and allowed him to bring in Batth, Weimann and McFadzean to give him the experience he wanted and ensure he didn't quit. This time around we've heard Gestede's textbook talk about developing players and the younger end of the scale. I suspect Ismael has less interest in experience and is going to be less forceful when it comes to signings. We ain't giving them a pay rise when a year older and the stooges will fancy not paying them from June to August and then hope they renew at the last minute.

If it wasn't for Venky funding we'd go the same way as Derby you know

Last of these for this season, seeing as technically Markanday is still our player until his contract expires at the end of June. Although this game should also give us the chance to stare longingly at Thierry Small, who starts for Charlton, before he inevitably signs for someone else later this summer 😉 On the bench today Markanday - score/update - game on Sky Sports Football - 1:01pm kick off

Yet the previous talk also mentioned a policy of higher wage short term contracts for experience being Eustaces preferred method ? Seems Jackson has done a bit of a 360 on that now. I think Weimann will have been on a decent wedge at Bristol and i'm sure there'd have been other interest in him so i'm not sure he'll have signed for peanuts to come all the way up here from down there. Batth maybe a bit different given his career trajectory was on its way down - something i hope he remembers when Rovers rescued him - but similarly he'll have been on good wages at Norwich previously.

According to Jackson, both Bath & Weimann signed up for less than market value last summer to prove their fitness/worth/etc. So any new deal for them will need to be on higher wages "Batth and Weimann both signed on low-cost contracts last year, such was their enthusiasm to join and prove their value. Having done that in excellent debut seasons, any new deals would need to be a fairer reflection of their Championship experience and pedigree." So yes, negotiations have stalled due to low balling them and also, given that they are on "low cost contracts", it is entirely possible that Derby are offering much more

Says it all. Brittain is decent. Better going forward than defensively but also picks up knocks/strains regularly... and he's our best player. Whoop.

They're after more free credit by dripping Nixon stuff. Close to, aiming to, trying to, talking to, will be sorted soon honest, all meaningless. We've heard it dozens of times before. All that matters is actually getting pen to paper on a proper contract extension. Brittain, Travis, Tronstad, Hyam, Dolan, Carter and Batth needed them months ago. I suspect some are already too late now and the others we are rapidly running out of time on as agents and rivals get busy. Rovers will not be getting a shred of credit from me for claims of being close to something. I've seen this one before and it ends with 'admin errors' or 'changes of heart' or something unforeseen changing the situation. As I've said many a time. Feeding Nixon and the rest talk of trying is free, easy and meaningless. Actually getting stuff done, deals complete is tricky and costly. We're good at the former, and have totally failed on the latter.