That is my reading also for what its worth. I think we are getting strength in depth for once so come the January horrors the XI we put out doesn't drop off precipitously. We have still got 20+ days to the "can anyone find that fax machine?" moment and the PL has shipped very few players out on loan yet. I would be feeling OKish about this window were it not for Pasha and the Venky's capacity for screw up/sabotage... Brittain's valedictory confirms all the worst fears that the club hasn't learned from being sacked by JDT and JE.

To me, from a marketing point of view thats a margin of advertising gone going all digital. Because people who have season tickets often like to show them off a little in its case. Its a badge of honour, there's no fun in getting your phone out

Watched a bit of the highlights against NEC and especially Hedges positioning. Also seen highlights from Axel in GAIS. He could/would slot right in Hedges place in the XI. His attributes is quite similar to hedges just better hopefully. Defensive work, engine. Not a tricky and pacy winger. Ismael doesn’t seem to want that.

Seems to prefer a more central role than an out right winger, still right side and would be a great fit if we have a right wing back behind him

I think there is a very simple solution here, but perhaps, I am missing something. Release both sets of minutes and put a caveat in, to state who does and who does not agree with each version. Given that the club have struck a line through certain parts that they don’t agree with, or don’t want releasing, highlight those bits as being rejected, by the club and ask them to comment on why they want it removing. If they won’t give a reason, simply say, the club refused to comment on why they rejected XXX but the fans attending, consider these minutes to be fair and accurate. Rather than asking anyone to resign, go down the route of a no confidence vote again and get it out in the press. It’s pretty clear now, that these meetings have been a pointless exercise, so again, either a coalition statement, or a FF statement, ensuring that it’s made perfectly clear, who is making the vote of no confidence and who isn’t.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25326841.blackburn-rovers-stance-brittain-middlesbrough-bid/ Above link is from LT posted on July 19th. Ismael states clearly in the article that he wants Brittain to stay and that he's important to him from a personal standpoint given they worked together previously at Barnsley. This is a serious problem that the club currently has and it doesn't go away by signing new players. Whilst I agree that we should cash in on players rather than having them leave on a free, it would be a lot better for the club from a tactical perspective to make important players sign new contracts and continue working with them to improve team cohesion and understanding on the pitch. We have had key players who would rather sign for Championship rivals than to extend their contract with us (Batth, Brittain, Lenihan etc.). If we can't keep hold of these types of players, then you're likely having to break up your squad building every 2-3 years and basically start from scratch with a new set of players coming in at a, presumably, lower quality compared to those who left. Not to mention spending fair amount of time and effort to make them understand their new roles and what is required of them in the different phases of a game. We should be fighting tooth and nail to stop other Championship clubs from getting stronger by taking some of our best players but we aren't. There's no foresight, no vision, and we keep changing the 'project' together with managers/head coaches because they feel that they can't take the team any further whenever the 'funding' stops.

Armstrong? For 5x that amount. Our inability to extend contracts still continues to undermine us and will do so until something changes.

As mentioned, it wasnt the full Japan team and was against Hong Kong. Based on his goal record at his new team, it was very much a brief half season good spell and at 30 years old, he probably wouldnt have made it at this level. Not that we should specifically be targetting Japanese players using some sort of logic that they carry a specific premium in terms of value. Your posts seem very pro Gestede and you always seem very keen to criticise the methods of Eustace where possible. His methods seem to work very well in terms of getting results. Hopefully Gestede signing all these exotic names does lead to better results but he still hasnt managed to figure out contract extensions.

No problem 47er

Surely this should be widely exposed? A press release from Rovers fans reps showing once again how this Club has degenerated? Government brings in laws to ensure dialogue between fans and Club and we can't even get honest and accurate minutes of the meeting!

My mistake, sorry and I've deleted.

That competition isn’t for the full Japan national team

Well it can’t have been that bad .. Germain got called up to the National Japanese Squad and scored 4 goals on his debut … First ever To do that in the history of Japanese football has a record of 5 in 3 for national …. Just to get into the national team is enough these days ….. Japanese players are being sold & bought for £10 to 15 average ….. We missed the boat as Eustace wanted some big old lump probably one of his old pals ……

Nothing has changed ? When was the last time we sold someone in the last year of his contract who wouldn't sign for £3 million ?

The club has created this issue. They have closed down all communication forums and chose to hide behind a group of unelected fans who are happy to have their autograph books signed. Our club is in serious existential difficulties which requires elected fans who are prepared to hold them to account. If the club will only speak the FF then the FF members need to be radically overhauled.

I know it has. And nothing has changed since Ismael came in because he has no control over it. Are you suggesting in terms of your last paragraph that Ismael doesnt want the likes of Travis, Tronstad and Hyam and didnt want the likes of Brittain, Dolan and Batth to sign new deals? The length of the new signings contracts has been in line with the past.

Thank you to the poster who highlighted the Brum fly on the wall series, I didn't know about it 🙏 Just binge watched the first 3 episodes, very good. 👍

O2G on holiday and I can't say it enough times, he's not the party villain here. The process certainly broken or never been challenged before that's a certainty. However he presented the edited version to the club when the initial approved set were rejected by the members of the forum Club has amended the new set, which all groups with members have rejected. The options presented by the chair are as my previous. I've reiterated my stance, (told others have too). Case closed from my perspective, the minutes if ever released wont be the ones which i believe reflect the meeting, so i will push on as per the mandate set by the members I represent, remain transparent and cover it off in the podcast i'm taking part in at the weekend. Under the FEP the FF is open to all,

It's been going on ages, which is what I think Ismael was suggesting. The Britain sale bucked the trend, as does the length of contracts for the new arrivals. We also have a new head coach, why would he want to renew the contract of a player he doesn't want ?

Fully agree with this analysis, in my opinion both the chair and O2G should resign or the other members of the FF should issue a vote of no confidence in both. But how can you vote in a panel of unelected members.

Never going to happen sadly

Quite a lot of inflation on these reported fees. Our budget is the same as last seasons for transfers, we are clearly getting it to stretch further, and its not the tap has been turned on, or a reinvestment on sales. The budget has been set and agreed and sales have no baring. To be more granular sales dont mean more to spend. At the same time, we are not being told to sell players. If we do sell thats a choice at ground level based on , not wanted, dont want to be here or wont sign new contract.

Looking like 4 weeks again, like last time. Club will be expecting that all attention will be buried by a new signing and the KO off to the new season. It will (again). O2G has gone into hiding, too embarrassed to make excuses or explain the only forum of club communication, which he chairs. This is years in the making of cosying up to the club for personal super fandom. Time for change, if this is how the club dictates it will (only) communicate with the entire fanbase.

When its a pattern then surely it becomes a worry. I suspect a mixture of money when they are offered one, but often a total lack of proactivity to even offer one. Hence why Brittain, Tronstad and Travis all said at easter that there has been no talks.

Seems like we swerved a bullet with that Germain we supposedly wanted last year. Had a brief spell of goals (think 4 or 5 in one game) before returning back to irregular scorer.