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Hearts dominated pretty much the whole game. Celtic scored two very, very good goals but did very little else. They were truly wasteful on the rare occasions when they had the ball. The only glimmer of light for them is that their new centre forward looks a decent signing. It’s terrific stuff, it really is. You would have got long odds back in October on Rangers being in a title race this season!

Agreed, which I think is more or less what they did in 2015 when the penny dropped with the top dogs that this was going to keep on costing the family a ton of cash, so they took a step away and Balaji and his mates sidelined Bowyer and got control of things again. The top dogs then got a grip on it again after relegation - bypassing Pasha and summoning Mowbray to India for face to face talks - and because of Mowbray's skills around the table 'wonderful human beings' routine he tempted them back in - they liked him and his talk so agreed to throw their weight behind him on the basis he'd get us back up and in the mix. But then they lost faith with him after a couple of years of big losses and decided they'd had enough again, probably for good this time. The only other element to this arrangement was Waggott, who had got himself set up here with the top dogs in similar fashion to Mowbray - a seat at the table in Pune and audience with Madame - and by virtue of that was untouchable to some degree - allowed to carry on with his hefty salary and some autonomy, including on recruitment (Eustace) and signings / expenditure. This was a problem for those in control now because he had the ability to act as a counterweight and carried some clout, which they wanted rid of. I'd be intrigued to know how his departure came about and whether he saw the writing on the wall and got out before the real trouble came or whether those in control now finally managed to get those upstairs to get shut of him. I keep on thinking back to Pasha talking about a new CEO and how that would be something he would find out about if/when it happened from India - that's because appointments of that nature have always been reserved to the top dogs and I don't think he's acting on their instructions any more. He'll find out like the rest of us if/when they ever get involved again.

This. Every day of the week and twice on a Sunday.

No established L1 clubs lose as much as the current annual operating loss of £15 m ++ at Rovers. Wage bill would be slashed from current £25m (taking account of this season's reductions) probably to £10 at most. TV and solidarity receipts are less than £10m. Do the maths and you'll find the losses in L1 will be less than £10m.

The Reyes Cleary thing just doesn't sound right. Where is he playing if he signs for Rovers? Wide left? Up top alongside Gudjohnsen? Not a clue what the reasoning is because there is no clear plan for what system we're supposed to be playing. the 3-5-2 was always a system that they stumbled into, but it doesn't work without Hedges and Alebiosu in the same side. Equally Gudjohnsen isn't really a lone striker either, so playing 4-2-3-1 isn't suitable for our best finisher. It all stinks of poor planning and no one person with a clear vision ultimately. Having said all that, I fully expect Cleary to go to Bristol City anyway 😂.

I think the top dogs lost interest and willingness to keep chucking money in years ago but Barry and his pals refuse to let go of it. So they continue to play around with it but under serious financial restrictions from the top dogs who now just ignore it all. Barry runs the 'Venkys' arm of the company or should i say he is the name on that door so my take is he's been told use your profit from that for your playing the head company won't top it up anymore. Hence he's allowed to keep his toy but the managed decline has ramped up a notch due to less available input.

League One would eat Tavares alive 😂

Owners say we need to lower costs what can you do about it ? Advisers/directors running the club present a plan, owners sign it off. That is how things tend to work.

I still think there are two camps in India. One is the Balaji/Suhail camp which is running the show today and has run it in the past. The other is the Madame/husband camp which ran things when Bowyer and Mowbray were in charge. When a manager gets the ability to go to India and meet the top dogs he comes back with power, money and ability to run the club in a semi-professional manner. That's because the top dogs can override/overrule the underlings and sanction spending that allows us to compete. Bowyer got it after his flight to India in 2013, Mowbray got it after his flight to India in 2017, and Waggott got a long tenure as CEO after his flight to India. When the top dogs are disengaged, as they were from 2015-2017 and as they have been now since about 2020-2021, into the void Balaji and his chums are able to play, albeit on a much smaller cost base than when the top dogs are involved. No big wages, no major outlays, player sales are needed to fund it, but between all that just do what you want, we ain't interested. Last time around it led to relegation to the third division but stopped there because they summoned Mowbray out to India and he got his feet under the table and was allowed to run the club like a professional outfit. This time around that won't be happening because it seems the top dogs are well and truly out of the loop.

Madness to think we've signed Tavares and Henrikson and Foreshaw, is better than both of them.. Sterling recruitment! Can't wait for next season when we have a central midfield consisting of Baradji, Tavares and Henrikson.

If they've got Gestede's brother in charge of transfers then their asking price will drop to £2,5m in no-time 😉

I wouldn't have thought so. They have been trying Powell centrally for a while (personally think this is strange as he looks like he will be the perfect fit at wing back when he builds himself up a bit), and Dlamini is a wide player Tyjon (2) Trialist, Garrett & Powell with the goals so far 5-0 up trialist off the bench was a 19 year old winger/wide forward, Osman Kamara from Arsenal

4-0 up after an hour. "Trialist" scoring with his first touch.

I thought Balaji wanted his son to run the club at some stage & if I remember correctly the son was studying over here and attending matches. Surely he should be saying "Hey Dad, those idiots you've got in charge are ruining the club and might cost you money by getting the club relegated"

Another 1-1. Although not sure how are we getting our goal, probably a Hull OG.

Heading to Liverpool it seems, reported fee £80million. 🤑

There is still the odd true centre fwd knocking about, Hull have one, and the odd poacher, which is what Leonard should develop into, but really these days it's just... Left sided fwd, right sided fwd, in the middle rwd and in the hole fwd. Of course they have invented names for them but that's just the gist of it in basic terms. One day someone will go old school with 2 wingers, a centre forward and a poacher and rip a league to shreds. As it stands though the 'striker' is no more.

The plan to cut costs stems from the owners. Thats the most logical conclusion. The stooges are happy to oblige.

I think that is exactly how its happened although imo the real drivers of this are hiding in the middle somewhere and this plan was hatched in the later days of Mowbray, hence them letting him go rather scruffily. It nearly backfired spectacularly as JDT almost overachieved and raised the bar where they didn't want it but once he'd been reeled back in and him and GB weren't the right puppets Waggot regained control by prioritising league status over moneyball. His card was well and truly marked then though so the 'middlemen' and their man Suhail bring in Rudy to shake things up and implement a more aggressive version of what they tried before. Removing every obstacle in the way with the ownerships blessing and installing his own puppets and data driven model. And here we are.

Probably not, but we're not even in the same ball park on the fee so any talk of him coming is ludicrous imo. If that changes and we land him, fair play.

Perhaps you should convey that message to your glorious leader! 😂😂

I've no doubt it happens, I'd very much doubt Rovers loan out even their younger players and just say do whatever you want with him, let alone one which supposedly cost £9 million.

Pratt has made 10 Championship appearances for us now so could theoretically be that this triggers a pay-rise if he reaches more - don't you think? A bit odd to leave him out of the team when 'we' did.

He'll increase his wages here and play a level above where he's currently playing at. Next chance might be in the summer, then there's the risk of injuries, form drop etc. If another team offers better terms, then that's probably where he'll go. As for long term, why would he care if we're just a stepping stone on his way to the Premier League. Do you think anyone will pay £5m for him this window? I can't see it happening myself, but it will probably drag out until next weekend before this one is resolved one way or the other.