2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[aletheia]

38 minutes ago, ROVER_N_OUT1978 said:

Text is much bolder which is great I find.

I find it more awkward -it used to be in blue I think. Now hard to tell if up to date on a thread or not.

[Paul Mani]

56 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Aside from the bickering and the grumbling is there any firm transfer news or even speculation?

It's gone very quiet

Nothing strong as of this moment. However, if you look at the way 99% of our business happens, it seems to start with UK (Nicko etc) speculating on a couple of targets (Afaloyan and Soumano) which I reckon are used as misdirection for the actual target.

The ones you know are happening generally break from reputable sources in the target location / country and are basically already agreed.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see several names mentioned between now and the weekend and then Sunday night, Radoslav in the Czech Replublic starts bleating on about a completely new name who is about to sign!

Lets see!

[TheKitGuy]

Would anyone take Oxlade-Chamberlain? 32 and now a free agent... I feel as though we lack serious experience. 

[smiller14]

23 minutes ago, aletheia said:

Good posts.

But on the point above. As I'm sure you know, it was working until promises were broken and the usual shenanigans went on. Close with JDT, close with JE, even Mowbray, all with dsysfuntion all around -not backed when it mattered. Some with plans that are remarkably similar to the new one.

And so we have a volte face of sorts -money even tighter but a plan that all -well the unholy trintiy -agree to. The rest will follow (as in the best dictatorships) knowing full well the consequences of dissent.

I don't really see how even further reduction in expenditure can lead to promotion but who knows?

I do see that there won't be competing voices or power battles when it comes to transfers (SWAG v Pasha/RG etc) but that just means that all will accept less money spent and the mine will be in certain leagues.

Of course you're right. That being said, even when it was working or we appeared close, it always felt like it was miles away. The one constant in all of that is of course our Pune overlords, but some of our players also bear a lot of war wounds amongst all the near misses and 'what ifs'. 

18 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Personally I would have quite liked to have built upon the squad that finished 7th last year, rather than dismantling it and starting again.

Granted, that takes money which the owners refuse to provide.

A good point. I sometimes forget that we finished 7th last year; it feels a lifetime ago now. Even by Championship standards our overhaul has been considerable. It felt inevitable there would be some turnover, especially when the first domino (Dolan) fell.  

1 hour ago, Herbie6590 said:

Screengrabbing this & diarising for May 😉

I cannot blame you and fully expect me to disavow the majority of my post within the next 6 months or so.... 

[J*B]

3 minutes ago, TheKitGuy said:

Would anyone take Oxlade-Chamberlain? 32 and now a free agent... I feel as though we lack serious experience. 

Can we delete this before it becomes an internet meme? 

[Emerald Isle Rover]

9 minutes ago, TheKitGuy said:

Would anyone take Oxlade-Chamberlain? 32 and now a free agent... I feel as though we lack serious experience. 

He isn’t going to be taking that much of a pay cut 

[aletheia]

8 minutes ago, smiller14 said:

Of course you're right. That being said, even when it was working or we appeared close, it always felt like it was miles away. The one constant in all of that is of course our Pune overlords, but some of our players also bear a lot of war wounds amongst all the near misses and 'what ifs'.

Yes indeed. You never felt like it would really happen.

What is interesting to me is that the new narrative is that some of those players were responsible, tired old faces who never quite got it done. There may be truth there but I find it harsh. Those same players (and respective managers) just needed some more backing. It will run and run.

But the new orthodoxy in town has for now taken hold. Only a run of bad results will shift it and even then there will be plenty of voices around to step in and provide excuses. 🙂

 

[roversfan99]

It will be interesting to see what Ismael says tomorrow. His consistent comments for 2 or 3 weeks were 1 more (a winger) and then replacements for outgoings.

Since then, Baradji has come in (injured) and Travis has gone. Obviously that winger turned out to be Morishita, and Buckley has also gone although he wasnt in the first team picture anyway.

A midfielder based on that logic would potentially fit into what Ismael was saying, although Buckley they might argue was not in the picture and doesnt need replacing, although Travis' replacement is injured. So who knows.

Unless something has changed. We wanted a striker at the start of the summer, so the only explanation would be that the fees for Travis and Buckley have opened something up.

I am not convinced that is certain that we will do more business.

[Herbie6590]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Just as a side issue, has the site been updated?

The skin looks vastly different on my phone today and the ability to like/dislike posts is no longer there?

We have a problem on a specific page which @StubbsUK is trying to resolve 👍

[RevidgeBlue]

2 hours ago, smiller14 said:

I think Rovers has been an easy team to play for for too long. Flatter to deceive, gallant losers. This isn't a vindication of what we've done, but something had to change. 

You make some very good points. Of course there is a slight possibility that this lady and other long standing employees at the Club were "career lifers" and had been on easy street for far too long but it's the general turn over of non playing staff in general that makes me tend to think something is amiss.

I particularly agree with the bit above. One thing I'll say about VI (and Im prepared to put it down as a positive rather than a negative for the time being) is that if he decides a player isn't for him then that's it, not only are you slightly out of favour but you seem to become completely persona non gratis - you're frozen out (Leonard ) have stuff fairly said about you in the Press which will alienate you with the fan base (Brittain) or quite possibly unfairly (Travis) which will have the same effect but no matter as it assists in easing said player out of the door.

Coincidentally there's some talk about Mowbray on the other thread and this approach couldn't be further from his, one of his major failings was he would never trade or wheel and deal to try and improve the squad and hung onto people for far too long once they were past their best or had outlived their usefulness.

Whether this current ruthlessness pays dividends in the long run or eventually turns the players against VI remains to be seen. I'm a bit nervous about him getting rid of players like Travis when he's never previously lasted more than about 50 games himself anywhere.

[RevidgeBlue]

8 minutes ago, Herbie6590 said:

We have a problem on a specific page which @StubbsUK is trying to resolve 👍

Thanks.

[...]

1 hour ago, RoyWegerlesLeftToe said:

That's half the reason I'm overweight. 

Hahahaha 

👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 

[Ossydave]

2 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

Aside from the bickering and the grumbling is there any firm transfer news or even speculation?

It's gone very quiet

Pretty sure the source of a lot of our transfer leaks has now left the club (the one who's so glad to 'get out') discussed on this thread, hence our recent signings have been kept under wraps a lot more.....

[CaptainBeanfart]

With Tronstad, Tavares, Baradji, Forshaw, and Montgomery for two positions, I don't see us spending money on the midfield. 

The only obvious deficiency now is up front. I don't think we have the funds to buy a guaranteed improvement. A last minute loan perhaps when clubs get desperate to offload? 

[Trinidad Rover]

First window in how long that we won't be loaning players?

Truly a change in strategy this summer. Proof will be in the pudding, but it certainly isn't dull.....

[Exiled_Rover]

17 minutes ago, CaptainBeanfart said:

With Tronstad, Tavares, Baradji, Forshaw, and Montgomery for two positions, I don't see us spending money on the midfield. 

The only obvious deficiency now is up front. I don't think we have the funds to buy a guaranteed improvement. A last minute loan perhaps when clubs get desperate to offload? 

I think that's 3 starters and then 2 guys you only want to see come off the bench. We need another. 

[RevidgeBlue]

1 minute ago, Trinidad Rover said:

First window in how long that we won't be loaning players?

Truly a change in strategy this summer. Proof will be in the pudding, but it certainly isn't dull.....

I've always said the way loans should work is that they shouldn't form the core of your transfer business but maybe be limited to one or two and one of them should be a real hum dinger like Elliott who is the cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake and the sort of player you'd never be able to afford permanently.

So I basically agree with VI regarding loans but it might be we bring in one or two through necessity given that forward players in general, and decent strikers in particular, tend to be a lot more expensive.

[RevidgeBlue]

1 minute ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I think that's 3 starters and then 2 guys you only want to see come off the bench. We need another. 

Not really a priority in relative terms. Many would argue we only have one guy up front and one you only want to see come off the bench.

(Although I quite like Gueye myself)

[Exiled_Rover]

21 minutes ago, Trinidad Rover said:

First window in how long that we won't be loaning players?

Truly a change in strategy this summer. Proof will be in the pudding, but it certainly isn't dull.....

I'm actually quite excited about our transfer activity - and this is coming from a dyed in the wool Venky hater who isn't fond of Gestede at all. 

We're targeting big, athletic players - ones who are hungry (having come from smaller leagues so this is a pay rise). They're gambles and inexperienced in this league, but at least they're not jaded by ongoing contract talks. 

Loans are a literal waste of money unless you're desperately fighting against relegation or pushing for promotion e.g. Hull set fire to £1m + wages for 6 months of Louis Barry sat in their treatment room last year. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Exiled_Rover

[Theaxe15]

45 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I'm actually quite excited about our transfer activity - and this is coming from a dyed in the wool Venky hater who isn't fond of Gestede at all. 

We're targeting big, athletic players - ones who are hungry (having come from smaller leagues so this is a pay rise). They're gambles and inexperienced in this league, but at least they're not jaded by ongoing contract talks. 

Loans are a literal waste of money unless you're desperately fighting against relegation or pushing for promotion e.g. Hull set fire to £1m + wages for 6 months of Louis Barry sat in their treatment room last year. 

Got to agree to a point. There’s obvious issues in the club. But at the same time, players like Travis and Dolan have been regulars here for years and we’ve achieved nothing. So at some point the dice may as well be rolled.

[rob_of_the_rovers]

Forwards are stupidly expensive at the moment. Average players are going for crazy money at the top level. We may end up having to settle for Ohashi and Gueye.

[smiller14]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

You make some very good points. Of course there is a slight possibility that this lady and other long standing employees at the Club were "career lifers" and had been on easy street for far too long but it's the general turn over of non playing staff in general that makes me tend to think something is amiss.

I particularly agree with the bit above. One thing I'll say about VI (and Im prepared to put it down as a positive rather than a negative for the time being) is that if he decides a player isn't for him then that's it, not only are you slightly out of favour but you seem to become completely persona non gratis - you're frozen out (Leonard ) have stuff fairly said about you in the Press which will alienate you with the fan base (Brittain) or quite possibly unfairly (Travis) which will have the same effect but no matter as it assists in easing said player out of the door.

Coincidentally there's some talk about Mowbray on the other thread and this approach couldn't be further from his, one of his major failings was he would never trade or wheel and deal to try and improve the squad and hung onto people for far too long once they were past their best or had outlived their usefulness.

Whether this current ruthlessness pays dividends in the long run or eventually turns the players against VI remains to be seen. I'm a bit nervous about him getting rid of players like Travis when he's never previously lasted more than about 50 games himself anywhere.

It won't let me give a thumbs up but I agree. I am not nailing my colours to the mast by any means, there's a good dollop of devil's advocate and wishful thinking in my post. The high turnover is concerning; on one hand you can point fingers and wonder how we let it get to a position where so many key players are out of contract shortly. On the flipside, at least we got some money for them; our failure to do so has been a key bone of contention in the past. Even taking money out of it, do players nearing the end of their contract who are certain they're moving on push themselves as much as others? Dolan would suggest they do, but perhaps different when playing to impress potential suitors (Dolan) vs trying not to get injured before joining a club that had been in the pipeline for months before (as may have happened with Brittain/Trav). The latter don't seem the type to down tools, of course, but subconsciously it can affect performance.

As for non-playing staff, again does it suggest a poor working environment or is it a case of trying to hire staff less wedded to the 'old guard' and have a fresh, joined up approach (which could of course be construed as trying to flood the club with 'yes men')? It's difficult without knowing what has gone on behind the scenes. I'm sure NDAs have been signed and we'll never know, which adds a sense of annoyance to the cryptic 'glad we are out' posts that seem petty and immature but could easily be another mark against Suhail and co's names. I hope none of this comes across as casting aspersions against any former staff members - I genuinely don't know and the way our club has operated, coupled with said posts, creates a vacuum of potential misinformation and conjecture. If the powers that be decided said staff members couldn't work with the new players/manager and were too wedded to previous players/managers, then they had a decision to make. More cynically, the club might just have easily have treated her and others like crap and might be fully deserving of her ire. 

As for VI, the ruthlessness can go either way but for me a happy medium is preferrable. It depends as well what he's like behind closed doors.

Again, I'm conscious I've said a lot without really saying anything, which shows I haven't really made my own mind up on a lot of the above! 

 

 

[smiller14]

1 hour ago, Ossydave said:

Pretty sure the source of a lot of our transfer leaks has now left the club (the one who's so glad to 'get out') discussed on this thread, hence our recent signings have been kept under wraps a lot more.....

Is this based on anything specific or just a hunch? No obligation to answer.

I know the much discussed BRFC Privy is almost certainly a club employee but they tend to post only when things are done and the person discussed above departed before BRFC Privy's rise to Twitter prominence (I think!). 

[RevidgeBlue]

5 minutes ago, smiller14 said:

It won't let me give a thumbs up but I agree. I am not nailing my colours to the mast by any means, there's a good dollop of devil's advocate and wishful thinking in my post. The high turnover is concerning; on one hand you can point fingers and wonder how we let it get to a position where so many key players are out of contract shortly. On the flipside, at least we got some money for them; our failure to do so has been a key bone of contention in the past. Even taking money out of it, do players nearing the end of their contract who are certain they're moving on push themselves as much as others? Dolan would suggest they do, but perhaps different when playing to impress potential suitors (Dolan) vs trying not to get injured before joining a club that had been in the pipeline for months before (as may have happened with Brittain/Trav). The latter don't seem the type to down tools, of course, but subconsciously it can affect performance.

As for non-playing staff, again does it suggest a poor working environment or is it a case of trying to hire staff less wedded to the 'old guard' and have a fresh, joined up approach (which could of course be construed as trying to flood the club with 'yes men')? It's difficult without knowing what has gone on behind the scenes. I'm sure NDAs have been signed and we'll never know, which adds a sense of annoyance to the cryptic 'glad we are out' posts that seem petty and immature but could easily be another mark against Suhail and co's names. I hope none of this comes across as casting aspersions against any former staff members - I genuinely don't know and the way our club has operated, coupled with said posts, creates a vacuum of potential misinformation and conjecture. If the powers that be decided said staff members couldn't work with the new players/manager and were too wedded to previous players/managers, then they had a decision to make. More cynically, the club might just have easily have treated her and others like crap and might be fully deserving of her ire. 

As for VI, the ruthlessness can go either way but for me a happy medium is preferrable. It depends as well what he's like behind closed doors.

Again, I'm conscious I've said a lot without really saying anything, which shows I haven't really made my own mind up on a lot of the above! 

 

 

If you put your finger where the like button used to be you can still react to stuff I've now found!

[RevidgeBlue]

4 minutes ago, smiller14 said:

Is this based on anything specific or just a hunch? No obligation to answer.

I was wondering same.

Seems a bit of a stretch to out her as a transfer "mole" just because she showed support for Travis on social media in the absence of anything specific.