2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[Old Codger]

2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Talking of which, how IS the search for a new "CEO" going?

I wonder, is it compulsory to have a CEO, or can a football club operate without being challenged is such a person is not appointed? 

Not that I'm overly concerned, either way, because the simple fact is we could appoint a turnip (or swede) and it would still be told what to do and say by the shady folk in the shadows...

Come on you root vegetables!

SHADY VENKY STOOGES OUT!

[Fraserkirky]

7 hours ago, neophox said:

Shame we didn't snap up Gassama early in the window...been great for Rangers

Our 2025 John McGinn edition 

[Fraserkirky]

9 hours ago, callumrovers said:

Anyone heard the mystery winger could be Omari Forson? English, decided to join serie A team Monza after his Manchester United contract expired - they have just been relegated. 9 appearances last season all of the bench. 

That is a fabulous shout, ticks a lot of boxes.

Young, cheap, doesn’t need ESC spot, big for a fast winger, from a relegated team.

Would be happy with Forson.

Would also have been okay with Hanley coming back for a year. He is a bit slow but then so was Baath. 

[Upside Down]

6 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

If we didn't a plan we wouldn't be making signings after signings that Ismael wants. We must had a plan to replace Brittain and who are targets were

But to be honest your post and comments is zero surprised. 

Absolutely pathetic chaddy. 

Beyond embarrassing.

[KentExile]

7 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Interesting take. Thanks.

My post was based (with only three or four days to go before the new season) about what would be the situation if we brought in another midfielder and defender without selling anyone, we'd temporarily have no space left in the squad for a winger or striker.

To me we desperately need one or preferably two strikers and a right winger. I'd be bringing those players in first before piling players on top of more players in other areas.

Your post assumes we'll be able to easily offload Travis, Leonard, Pears and Buckley. I'd imagine Clubs would be queueing up to buy Travis if we gave them any encouragement but it might not be so easy to shift the other three.

Your theoretical squad actually  looks quite a bit better than what we have currently but I'd say it's still massively imbalanced - potentially ten midfielders but only two strikers plus either Leonard or A.N. Other if we did manage to bring someone in.

And of course all loans have to be registered so if we fill up the squad with more defenders and midfielders we still can't go down the loan route to bring strikers in without selling first. Unless they're under 21 which probably wouldn't be any upgrade on Leonard.

 

I am pretty certain from the efl handbook that the 25 man squad doesn't come into effect until the end of the window (from memory, the wording is "changes can be made at any time during transfer windows", but hopefully WilsdenRover (how do you do "mentions" anyway?) sees this post and can confirm or correct me.. thanks in advance either way), so for that limited period of time, we have room to bring in more anyway

Just my guess at what I think they may be aiming for, I am not not saying it will ultimately be achievable, and I may be wrong of course

We wouldn't necessarily have to sell Leonard, Pears & Buckley in order to create room in the squad, loans for them would do, and if Rovers desperately need squad space at the end of the window and are willing to take a hit by paying a hefty portion of their wages, then I would think all 3 could be found temporary homes in League 1 & 2 without much issue

Edited 7 hours ago by KentExile

[rob_of_the_rovers]

Prediction, we're waiting for a controversial outgoing to be finalised before confirming another incoming 

[Old Codger]

7 minutes ago, rob_of_the_rovers said:

Prediction, we're waiting for a controversial outgoing to be finalised before confirming another incoming 

Not much left in the tank for there to be much in the way of controversy around a player going. Who is your money on, whose departure would be considered controversial? I'm with you in principle - just interested in hearing your thoughts..

[NeilInBristol]

7 hours ago, OnionBalaji said:

To sum up where our club stand at the minute as if we are a local pub eatery with decent food & the plan 

and if you were a customer would you keep going to the local and trusting the plan?

 

 

the brewery get into legal trouble so can’t fund the pub, an ambitious danish head chef leaves because he’s told by the pub manager he can’t choose the ingredients or the menu any more and has to get cheaper ingredients and equipment despite adding some danish flair 
 

we sell our nice oven to a London pub for a price that keeps the bills paid for a month and bring in an ambitious chef who wants to buy nice ingredients, launch a new menu and the pub manager starts to see results, but worries about the margins - changes his order at the wholesalers for cheaper ingredients without telling the chef despite promising him the ability to craft his menu his way… invariably he walks out and joins a worse pub down the road but starts to take his sous chef and pot washer and front of house with him 

the long standing bar manager takes over in the kitchen, gets some results and is eschewed aside for an out of work French chef who’s last few kitchens have failed hygiene standards .. but he comes in and tries hard after a rocky start and agrees to buy unknown weird ingredients and work with the microwave 

he starts building a menu bringing in foreign untried ding ding meals on the hope the locals will like them 

the pub raise prices meanwhile without doing any decor or refurbishment in the establishment and the place starts to look and feel tacky 

the new menu launches with a load of unknown dishes from the microwave as the oven, the grill and the sous chef all gone to pay bills 

 

 

the locals ask for feedback at a village meeting and the minutes keep getting delayed as the pub manager wants to hide the shambles behind the scenes whilst advertising their exciting new microwave menu and watered down pints of fosters 

 

Excellent post!

[KentExile]

1 hour ago, rob_of_the_rovers said:

Prediction, we're waiting for a controversial outgoing to be finalised before confirming another incoming 

How would this be for controversial?

Mafoumbi back to France & a Henriksson & Baradji double signing

Swiftly followed by a Travis departure

Edited 8 hours ago by KentExile

[Herbie6590]

9 hours ago, Penwortham Blue said:

I admire how you always come across as so cheerful, despite the heartbreak of following our once proud club. I would find it impossible to come across with such a cheery disposition when opining on the sad state of affairs at my club.

It’s my coping strategy…(& I think it’s more effective on the radio 😉)

[davulsukur]

2 hours ago, Upside Down said:

Absolutely pathetic chaddy. 

Beyond embarrassing.

What are you talking about, of course there is a plan......

.........to reduce costs! 

[Herbie6590]

9 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Our "plan." 

Changes every year. Have to be pretty gullible to think we have one.

The plan is cost control. Football is secondary. 

[Herbie6590]

5 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Talking of which, how IS the search for a new "CEO" going?

She wants paying…😉

[KentExile]

39 minutes ago, Herbie6590 said:

It’s my coping strategy…(& I think it’s more effective on the radio 😉)

I was especially pleased to hear you say "that income does to affect the budget".. or words to that effect.  This nonsensical thinking needs highlighting at every opportunity

Edited 7 hours ago by KentExile

[Tomphil2]

7 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

So if no plan why have made 5 signings to fit the profile of player Ismael wants? If no plan why have we scouted and signed players from overseas? 

If we had no plan why was Brittain's replacement line up, deal agreed and at Brockhall set to sign before Brittain transfer was confirmed? 

That's not a long term plan is it it's just replacing players that are leaving which any and every club has to do unless they fill the spots with youth players.

Clubs tend to work to 3 year plans not wing it summer to summer like these lot do.

[KentExile]

6 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

That's not a long term plan is it it's just replacing players that are leaving which any and every club has to do unless they fill the spots with youth players.

Clubs tend to work to 3 year plans not wing it summer to summer like these lot do.

Some even have 5 or 10 year plans, can you imagine?

If we had a 5 month plan we would have done well 😉 

Edited 7 hours ago by KentExile

[Tomphil2]

15 minutes ago, KentExile said:

I was especially pleased to hear you say "that income does to affect the budget".. or words to that effect.  This nonsensical thinking needs highlighting at every opportunity

Not defending Gestede as he was all over the shop in some of those interviews but perhaps he meant he'd been told look you've got 3.5 million to spend this summer regardless of who is sold or not.

Wishful thinking obviously but we know the BS that flies around inside Rovers and the promises that are made to new gaffers etc plus they know there'd be future sales to plug that gap.

IMO what we are seeing now is what we've always seen in terms of some backing for a new coach/manager that will all but disappear after this summer again and the well will be dry for Ismael even if he stays 3 years so he better make the most of it now.

Invest a bit, grow a new squad, sell, pay down the overdraft, rinse and repeat.

[Emerald Isle Rover]

7 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

So if no plan why have made 5 signings to fit the profile of player Ismael wants? If no plan why have we scouted and signed players from overseas? 

If we had no plan why was Brittain's replacement line up, deal agreed and at Brockhall set to sign before Brittain transfer was confirmed? 

That’s not a ‘plan’ that’s reactionary based on circumstances 

As Iv stated before we don’t seem to have a long term plan particularly this off season. We haven’t/hadn’t a clue about the contract situation with our players which will in turn determine our next step so effectively at present it’s day on day week on week until the window closes or the contracts are sorted one way or another 

[KentExile]

22 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

Not defending Gestede as he was all over the shop in some of those interviews but perhaps he meant he'd been told look you've got 3.5 million to spend this summer regardless of who is sold or not.

Wishful thinking obviously but we know the BS that flies around inside Rovers and the promises that are made to new gaffers etc plus they know there'd be future sales to plug that gap.

IMO what we are seeing now is what we've always seen in terms of some backing for a new coach/manager that will all but disappear after this summer again and the well will be dry for Ismael even if he stays 3 years so he better make the most of it now.

Invest a bit, grow a new squad, sell, pay down the overdraft, rinse and repeat.

I am sure that is what he meant (whatever the original figure was),  Assuming he was being truthful, then I cannot see another way to interpret what Gestede stated,  And that is exactly what is ridiculous!

Completely hypothetical, but If Adam Wharton was sold for £XM, & Rovers get their 15% (of the profit) none of that gets reinvested, no matter how high the figure is, is mental

Likewise if Rovers spend their budget, and then in the opening weeks of the season, Ohashi has a blinder and one of the relegated sides has a bad start, needs a striker, and throws us aa few million for him, we just accept the inflated figure and trouser it without a replacement

Edited 7 hours ago by KentExile

[JHRover]

Blackpool under the Oystons and Accy Stanley under their pre-Holt ownership used to basically sign a new squad every summer as their previous group were released/sold off to clubs with ambition/loans returned.

Not sustainable and not a plan but they probably signed more players than anyone else, a direct result of the short term approach they selected in a bid to minimise costs.

It involves taking an almighty gamble with league status every year in the hope those signed are good enough to avoid relegation.

I think Chaddy and others would have loved supporting either of those clubs as they could spend every summer excitedly discussing what signings were coming whilst proven players rushed for the exit door.

If you think that 'model' is sustainable or acceptable for this club or division you're wrong. 

Those most qualified - Mowbray, JDT, Eustace - knew this which is why they aren't here any more.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

7 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Blackpool under the Oystons and Accy Stanley under their pre-Holt ownership used to basically sign a new squad every summer as their previous group were released/sold off to clubs with ambition/loans returned.

Not sustainable and not a plan but they probably signed more players than anyone else, a direct result of the short term approach they selected in a bid to minimise costs.

It involves taking an almighty gamble with league status every year in the hope those signed are good enough to avoid relegation.

I think Chaddy and others would have loved supporting either of those clubs as they could spend every summer excitedly discussing what signings were coming whilst proven players rushed for the exit door.

If you think that 'model' is sustainable or acceptable for this club or division you're wrong. 

Those most qualified - Mowbray, JDT, Eustace - knew this which is why they aren't here any more.

It'll all go wrong at some point and we'll end up in League One. I do think we'll have enough this year though, 12th-15th would be my bet. 

[Mercer]

If the ultimate goal is to get Rovers back to the PL then I think it's pretty clear there is no plan:

Do Rovers have direction:  No

Do Rovers have a focus:  No

Do Rovers have a clear path to achieve its ultimate goal:  No

Without a clear plan, players, coaching staff and other employees can become demotivated, disillusioned and morale suffers - what better examples than JDT and Eustace and how long before Ismael snaps !?

All I see is a club failing to protect and secure its playing assets and an ongoing degradation of the club as a whole. 

'Wing Commanders' Pasha and Gestede - IMO, just versed in the art of 'winging it', and 'winging it' poorly!

Edited 7 hours ago by Mercer

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

8 minutes ago, CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber said:

It'll all go wrong at some point and we'll end up in League One. I do think we'll have enough this year though, 12th-15th would be my bet. 

Another wasted season then.

[K-Hod]

4 minutes ago, Mercer said:

If the ultimate goal is to get Rovers back to the PL then I think it's pretty clear there is no plan:

Do Rovers have direction:  No

Do Rovers have a focus:  No

Do Rovers have a clear path to achieve its ultimate goal:  No

Without a clear plan, players, coaching staff and other employees can become demotivated, disillusioned and morale suffers - what better examples than JDT and Eustace and how long before Ismael snaps !?

All I see is a club failing to protect and secure its playing assets and an ongoing degradation of the club as a whole. 

'Wing Commanders' Pasha and Gestede - IMO, just versed in the art of 'winging it', and 'winging it' poorly!

I genuinely think the administration at the club, as long as they hit their financial targets, they aren't bothered.

[alexanders]

I have been impressed with how quickly we moved to JEs successor in VI. 
 

I am less then impressed by our lack of efforts or ability to tie down important first team members in new contracts. 
 

We don’t know the circumstances, but it seems as though we are keeping a very tight wage structure. This makes sense, but is very frustrating for us supporters. 
 

I don’t buy in to the mass exodus and it is always going to be a sell and buy industry. Lots of less than impressed supporters losing their favorite players every season. Transfers dragging out. Even well-run clubs like Brentford are facing those challenges. 
 

If I was in charge and somebody showed me the «result» of the last contract renewal which was so important to tie down; Bucko, Garrett etc I would question and be hesitant.