2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[unleaded]

2 hours ago, Lancaster Rover said:

I can understand the standpoint of contracts for players over 30 however there needs to be some consideration to games played at the level of(or comparable). We have an average age of 26.5, which is right in the middle of the champ average squad age. 25 years olds who've played a lot of games are great, however I'd prefer a 32 year old with 400 games over a 21 year old with 20 when considering the nature of the championship. I'm sure Gestede, etc will point to data, ceilings, etc but the one thing with football data is good analysts also use context and most importantly their eyes. 

I listened to an excellent podcast last week with the Head of Recruitment at Coventry, Dean Austin. He was highlighting the importance of context and using what you see in front of you with data playing a supporting role. He gave an anecdote of a player from overseas Coventry were all in on, so much so he went over to do a physical scouting exercise. The data on the player was all there, ticked every box. Going over was seen as merely due diligence and confirmation on what was going to be a big outlay. He watched 2 games and 2 training sessions and went from being all in to all out. Because no matter what the data was telling him, his eyes saw something different. And herein lies the problem with Gestede, Suhail et al they seem to be working purely on data and looking for a certain profile of player (i.e. age, height, running stats, recoveries, etc) and not taking into account contextual factors. 

 

Know they had scout out watching a right winger this week in Europe .. who was flagged up on the data system .. so the same process is being done… We have data scouts & physical scouts who do the due diligence part of it ….  

Ismael was right to answer the question instead of giving a robot answer regarding Travis how he saw it .. players & agents hide behind microphones and play the fans then 6 months later are leaving on frees ….if the best contract a club can offer is not acceptable then cash in … We do exactly the same to other clubs and sign their players…

[Hullrover]

54 minutes ago, KentExile said:

I would suspect that his post Rovers career will follow a similar path & trajectory to Owen Coyle & the Odious One

 

Managerial career
2003	Falkirk
2005–2007	St Johnstone
2007–2010	Burnley
2010–2012	Bolton Wanderers
2013	Wigan Athletic
2014–2016	Houston Dynamo
2016–2017	Blackburn Rovers
2017–2018	Ross County
2019–2020	Chennaiyin
2020–2022	Jamshedpur
2022–2023	Queen's Park
2023–2025	Chennaiyin

 

Managerial career
2010–2012	Blackburn Rovers
2013–2017	DPMM FC
2014	Brunei
2021	Melbourne Victory
2023–	Torpedo Kutaisi

Whilst this may well end up being the case, he is at a far earlier stage of his post player career than Coyle who had failed elsewhere. Kean is a different kettle of fish.

His signings have yet to be proven as rubbish especially given that (presumably) he is doing as he is told regarding available finance for players.

[JBiz]

8 minutes ago, unleaded said:

Know they had scout out watching a right winger this week in Europe .. who was flagged up on the data system .. so the same process is being done… We have data scouts & physical scouts who do the due diligence part of it ….  

Ismael was right to answer the question instead of giving a robot answer regarding Travis how he saw it .. players & agents hide behind microphones and play the fans then 6 months later are leaving on frees ….if the best contract a club can offer is not acceptable then cash in … We do exactly the same to other clubs and sign their players…

It’s more and more common. Preston mate of mine was talking me about Emil Riis.

[roversfan99]

5 minutes ago, unleaded said:

Know they had scout out watching a right winger this week in Europe .. who was flagged up on the data system .. so the same process is being done… We have data scouts & physical scouts who do the due diligence part of it ….  

Ismael was right to answer the question instead of giving a robot answer regarding Travis how he saw it .. players & agents hide behind microphones and play the fans then 6 months later are leaving on frees ….if the best contract a club can offer is not acceptable then cash in … We do exactly the same to other clubs and sign their players…

You seem (not from this post, in general) very pro Gestede, pro signing these randomers from here there and everywhere on the cheap from abroad, and have regularly gone out of your way to criticise Eustace both as a person and his approach, as well as any players leaving.

Do you not have any concerns about the fact we cant agree any deals for seasoned and proven quality Championship players, and at where the club is heading?

If what you have said is true, why are we still identifying and scouting players when we should already have sorted this key signing. 

[roversfan99]

Just now, JBiz said:

It’s more and more common. Preston mate of mine was talking me about Emil Riis.

Sometimes it does happen and it is unavoidable. Take Armstrong, a youngish attacking player, had outgrown the club, understandable that we couldnt keep him. (Shame we didnt reinvest ANY of that money)

The problem here is that we cant agree deals at all. Its certainly not isolated examples. There is a clear desire to get rid of these players. They arent offered deals proactively, and we will not offer them reasonable Championship wages. 1 deal in nearly 2 years.

[Emerald Isle Rover]

5 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

You seem (not from this post, in general) very pro Gestede, pro signing these randomers from here there and everywhere on the cheap from abroad, and have regularly gone out of your way to criticise Eustace both as a person and his approach, as well as any players leaving.

Do you not have any concerns about the fact we cant agree any deals for seasoned and proven quality Championship players, and at where the club is heading?

If what you have said is true, why are we still identifying and scouting players when we should already have sorted this key signing. 

Couldn’t agree more - our priority position of a right winger should have been in weeks ago

[XLM]

12 minutes ago, unleaded said:

Ismael was right to answer the question instead of giving a robot answer regarding Travis how he saw it .. players & agents hide behind microphones and play the fans then 6 months later are leaving on frees ….if the best contract a club can offer is not acceptable then cash in …

I just don't get this viewpoint at all. Why would you want your manager throwing your captain under the bus? Unless he's an arse that everyone, players included, want out of the club it just breeds a toxic environment. 

Knowing your manager will just call you out in public isn't exactly going to endear him to the rest of the squad. If I was Hyam or Tronstad I'd just keep my mouth shut. No point talking to the manager to work out a mutually beneficial outcome, he might try to make the fans hate me. Sod him, I'll just keep clear of injury and go on a free.

It's called (a lack of) psychological safety, and it's naive management at best.

[MarkBRFC]

Elliot saying that Rovers have blocked any talk of Lewis Travis or contracts in general at todays press conference.

Joke of a setup.

[RoversClitheroe]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

Elliot saying that Rovers have blocked any talk of Lewis Travis or contracts in general at todays press conference.

Joke of a setup.

Reminds me of JDT scenario.

[joey_big_nose]

Just to find something positive to say... watched the Bradford game back and Tavares has real world cup winner N'Zonzi vibes. Really like the look of him. Also Miller looks very good, will land well and fit right in.  McCloughlin looks like he knows what he is doing.

Not so convinced on Alebiousu, De Neve, Henricksson, . Plus Gueye is getting worse and worse. We need three of those four to come good.

[DE.]

6 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Reminds me of JDT scenario.

Trying to think of another example in modern times, at this sort of level, where a manager has literally been stopped from attending a press conference due to his alleged incandescent anger over the incompetence of the people he's working with. To be a fly on the walls of Ewood on that day. 

Edited 1 hour ago by DE.

[Emerald Isle Rover]

A shambles of a club - would not want to be Rudy/pasha tomorrow the pressure is well and truly on them. They have no hiding place nor anyone else to pin the blame on

 

[JHRover]

11 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Elliot saying that Rovers have blocked any talk of Lewis Travis or contracts in general at todays press conference.

Joke of a setup.

Like full on Soviet Union. Any topics the Regime isn't comfortable with are banned. Any comments at the Fans Forum they don't like simply omitted from the minutes. 

So much for Gestede and his 'communication' spiel. Sounds good but no real intention of delivering it.

[TugaysMarlboro]

19 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Elliot saying that Rovers have blocked any talk of Lewis Travis or contracts in general at todays press conference.

Joke of a setup.

"Open, honest, transparent"

Edited 1 hour ago by TugaysMarlboro

[StHelensRover]

Eustace gloating in the local paper at how cheaply and easily he's been able to fleece us for half our team. Thanks again Venkys 

[JHRover]

Wonder if Jackson will still be praising the 'openness and honesty' of Ismael whilst at the same time being banned from asking questions about the most important topics at the club right now.

If he had anything about him he'd walk out of the room and refuse to report on the topics Rovers want covering. 

[Herbie6590]

23 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Elliot saying that Rovers have blocked any talk of Lewis Travis or contracts in general at todays press conference.

Joke of a setup.

Like Trump & Putin’s summit in Alaska ruling out mentioning Ukraine…

[wilsdenrover]

24 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Elliot saying that Rovers have blocked any talk of Lewis Travis or contracts in general at todays press conference.

Joke of a setup.

He should ask those questions anyway.

If his story becomes the club not answering his questions then so be it.

[KentExile]

1 minute ago, wilsdenrover said:

He should ask those questions anyway.

If his story becomes the club not answering his questions then so be it.

Fair play to him, he has lead with that

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25393354.blackburn-rovers-block-questions-future-lewis-travis/

[RoversClitheroe]

13 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Like full on Soviet Union. Any topics the Regime isn't comfortable with are banned. Any comments at the Fans Forum they don't like simply omitted from the minutes. 

So much for Gestede and his 'communication' spiel. Sounds good but no real intention of delivering it.

Never forget WATR welcoming him like a legend.

[alex l]

2 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Wonder if Jackson will still be praising the 'openness and honesty' of Ismael whilst at the same time being banned from asking questions about the most important topics at the club right now.

If he had anything about him he'd walk out of the room and refuse to report on the topics Rovers want covering. 

As much as many of us would like to think we'd take the moral high ground, for him it's his livelihood to support his family. I doubt his time at the LT and LancsLive has provided such a financial build up that he can tell them to sling it and abandon his job. 

[KentExile]

5 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Wonder if Jackson will still be praising the 'openness and honesty' of Ismael whilst at the same time being banned from asking questions about the most important topics at the club right now.

If he had anything about him he'd walk out of the room and refuse to report on the topics Rovers want covering. 

The order came from the Blackburn Rovers board rather than the head coach himself.

[roversfan99]

Suhail is a cretin. A worthless control freak who clearly must now realise that you cant spin this level of neglect.

[jim mk2]

Tight news management and all awkward questions banned. Trump's Maga regime alive and well at Ewood. 

How did it come to this? 

[Tomphil2]

What the local journo's should do is quite simple 'Ok Mr Ismael fair enough' then turn straight to the club and say right where is Mr Gestede he is director of these operations and these questions are for him to answer, if he doesn't we'll have to concoct our own headlines and he may not like it'.

Makes me boil that just casually batting things off means that nobody is accountable, someone is always accountable for every action.

Get after the root of it.