2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[Miller11]

12 minutes ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

As for the club posting that ‘send us your questions’ that’s just a load of bs it’s so they can cherry pick what they want to ask

proper journalists should be able to ask and challenge accordingly not some pre scripted bs 

Yep. And this will be dressed up as fan engagement.

[Tomphil2]

6 minutes ago, BRFC4EVA said:

There is a difference between having a Muslim employee, player, physio etc - I assume they would be non discrimitory on that front, and allowing such a visible Islamic symbol with draconian rule such as only halal food being served. 

Maybe I'm wide of the mark, but I can't see Suhail going for that. 

But he is a muslim i'm told and the likelyhood of the owners even knowing about it is slim, everyone who may have stood against this regime and brought it up has been removed.

[lraC]

10 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

That doesn't make any sense because the two guys they are letting run wildfire through the club are Muslim i believe.

So like everything else they just aren't bothered.

When you sign players of that faith or any other you have to provide the correct food for them, no problem with that.  However if it's being enforced on everyone by that arrogant tosspot then that is a complete no no.

No wonder so many want out if such draconian rules are now being enforced.

It that Ismael & Gestede, or Pasha and Gestede, or all 3?

[Commondore]

Of the players we've lost it's only Brittain and possibly Dolan that I feel are very tricky to find solid replacements for, but more or less having a fire sale from our starting 11 of last season to teams in the same division is seriously bad news. I feel like this season and the club as a whole can go south very quickly. 

[Mike Graham]

22 minutes ago, Polky said:

I sent one in asking why they offered Hyam a new contract on lesser terms.

[rob_of_the_rovers]

When was the last time we had a good transfer window?

[Emerald Isle Rover]

3 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

Yep. And this will be dressed up as fan engagement.

Yes it’s scripted a bit like when Boris and the gang came out during Covid 

all staged and will be put across as good communication but without hard hitting questions or challenging the likely vague answers given 

pathetic really 

[aletheia]

7 hours ago, Goozburger said:

It all sounds plausible, Glen, but you're expecting us to take your word for it given you're the one airing the accusations.

A fairly pathetic attempt at a smear.

You should be aware (if you aren't already) of Glen's activities over the last 15 years at least.

 

[JHRover]

Will they be advising the owners to immediately take steps to sell the club?

That's the only question I'd like to hear them answer. Even then it ultimately makes no difference.

[bluebruce]

54 minutes ago, glen9mullan said:

This appears to be true as agent ozo called suhail yesterday over a player and was given Rudy's number as points of contact on all transfers ins and outs

Who is agent ozo?

[Mike E]

Can I just butt in here and ask that we don’t accuse posters of being ‘club plants’ just for having a contrasting opinion please.

I get many of us are frustrated about the transfer window and club as a whole for various reasons, but many are not and simply want to support the team while engaging with other fans.

[Wendal]

17 minutes ago, Polky said:

We’ve seen this with Broughton and Waggot before, it’s the same playbook from Pasha being rolled out again.

Have the puppets front up and take the heat for this idiotic cost cutting agenda. All the fan/influencer/media attention and anger will be focused on the puppets instead of Pasha/Venkys. 

Once the puppets have sufficiently deflected attention from Pasha/Venkys they will be thrown under the bus and replaced with the next set of puppets alongside promise of a new project.

It’s literally the same cycle on repeat. Pasha is always there, ensuring he and Venkys are absolved of blame. He has people believing that the owners are still naive and victims, 15 years in and being taken advantage of by the designated puppet (this year Gestede) - all the while he remains, pulling the strings and managing the decline of the club. 

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, BRFC4EVA said:

Surely this would be unlikely? The Indian Hindu majority (which I assume the Venkys hail from) don't exactly have the best relationship with Muslims. Would they tolerate such a strong symbol of Islam by making the club halal only? 

If it's true how would the owners even know or care about it? I was told it was wholly down to Gestede who controls the STC and Academy. 

I don't know about the catering at Ewood (I'm thinking hot-dogs) but Gestede has no influence over that.

[bob fleming]

3 hours ago, Wendal said:

 

I respect everything that’s been done to expose and lobby against Venkys to date, but I think it’s naive to lay all of this solely at Gestedes’ door.

The one constant since the very beginning has been Pasha. His entire way of operating is to pull the strings of others, let them take the bullets, and then absolve himself of responsibility so he can stick around longer.

The way he talks about the club, the players, and the fans mirrors exactly how they’ve all been treated this summer.

Let’s not forget:

• Waggott was essentially pushed out by Pasha.
• By the end of his tenure, JDT was already reverting to “ask Suhail.”
• He is the owners’ representative and their main adviser on all things Rovers.
• He was working for Kentaro and instrumental Venkys takeover of Rovers. He has been around ever since and overseen our decline.

Given he’s been the one constant throughout the last decade at Rovers, we cannot let him do what he always does - allow others to take the bullet while he continues to operate in the shadows.

This. The one constant has been Suhail. 15 years at the top of the tree, most of which went under the radar somehow.

So…. not that the owners ever define their Mission Statement or their Goal for a season… if that was achieving promotion then that would bring accountability. I mean at any other club sitting in the top 6 then losing your manager and failing to reach the play offs (never mind promotion) would be considered a failure, a monumental one at that. "How did it go so wrong?!" the owners would ask after another £20m was allegedly frittered away for a season. "Blooming 'eck Suhail, you keep at it lad, another 15 years and you'll get the hang of this!" they'd chuckle in India.

However, the Goal, the Mission for the season is never defined. Ask most supporters come August every year and their expectations are that the club will do all it can to be promoted. What an assumption to make. One that I make myself I hasten to add. I mean if they want any chance of getting their money back the only way to do so is through promotion to the Premier League isn’t it? Everyone knows that don't they? It's obvious isn't it?

You wouldn’t know. I don’t feel a burning desire to get there do you?

There are plenty of Rudy's out there, we've had a revolving door fitted for them, but Suhail has to go. Why on earth he is still here now is a complete mystery. If you judge him on my goals and what I’d like to see Blackburn Rovers achieve every year for the last 15, he’s a walking failure. A loser. And after this last transfer window I'd suggest he's going to fail again.

You’ve really got to wonder what the owners see in him after 15 years.

[Miller11]

Don’t underestimate how aligned things are behind the scenes right now.

There is very little point trying to differentiate between Suhail and Gestede - they are both very much on the same page. They are extremely close, holiday together, socialise etc. They might have different roles and responsibilities, but they are working towards the same goal. Same applies to the senior people still employed and recently promoted at Ewood.

I was told just after Eustace left that Rudy had decided that there was no need to pay more than 10k per week in wages and that would be the policy this summer, and Suhail was right behind it. Waggott was trying to push back on this - going as far as calling it a “suicidal strategy”, look how that worked out for him.

Nobody in the “senior management team” is remotely interested in doing anything that might rock the apple cart. Everyone who did has gone… Waggott, Fraser Read, Eustace, LOADS more whose names aren’t so well known but were frustrated/bullied out of the door.

I have absolutely no reason to doubt @glen9mullan’s info on what’s happening on the playing side, and I’ve got plenty of first hand accounts to suggest it’s just as toxic on the off pitch side of things.

[Tricky]

5 minutes ago, Wendal said:

Have the puppets front up and take the heat for this idiotic cost cutting agenda. All the fan/influencer/media attention and anger will be focused on the puppets instead of Pasha/Venkys. 

Once the puppets have sufficiently deflected attention from Pasha/Venkys they will be thrown under the bus and replaced with the next set of puppets alongside promise of a new project.

It’s literally the same cycle on repeat. Pasha is always there, ensuring he and Venkys are absolved of blame. He has people believing that the owners are still naive and victims, 15 years in and being taken advantage of by the designated puppet (this year Gestede) - all the while he remains, pulling the strings and managing the decline of the club. 

and the benefit of this would be...

[Tomphil2]

13 minutes ago, lraC said:

It that Ismael & Gestede, or Pasha and Gestede, or all 3?

The latter 2 not sure about Ismael.

[arbitro]

34 minutes ago, Polky said:

It will be just another vetted farce with any difficult questions simply ignored.

It should be an open forum done face to face and live streamed.

[Mike E]

I sent a Q asking why I should feel positive when the club has been unable to renew an first team contract since Adam Wharton in 2023 and a combined over 1000 Rovers appearances, and the spine from multiple 7th placed finishes, has been removed (choice word) from the club?

[alexanders]

See this window as a 8/10 - Club operation wise 

5/10 - performance wise 

On the running of the club (I know results are the only that matter) there has been a big overhaul. Lots of players who we cherish, had connection with the fans, academy lads and solid player leaving the club is not good at all. 
In-depth though: 

* "old players" - Hyam turning 30 in December and Trav 28 in a month (is in his peak)

* Some didnt perform well enough to build our future on: JRC, Markanday, Buckley

* Some injury prone: Harry Leonard and

* Some didnt want to sign a new contract so we had to cash in: Brittain and to some extent both Hyam and Trav. 

* One who didnt want to sign and wanted to go to Barcelona to try a new life. 

This lays a good economic foundation of turning the playing staff, who havent been able to reach the playoffs yet, upside down in an effort to reach the playoffs. 

We have reduced the wage bill significantly (hopefully) and brought in new players with potential for sales value, just like we did with Hyam and Brittain.  Both deemed relatively successes, but not able to push us to playoffs. 

We have replaced the aforementioned players with: 

5 players aged 23

3 players aged 24

and 2 players aged 28. 

In addition we have kept the promising Igor Tyjon and starting to mould Montgomery into a role in the first team. 

Its a lot of uncertainty around the team. Some of the signings I think look extrmely promising and our First XI of 

Toth

Alebiosu - Carter - McLoughlin - Ribeiro

  Tronstad - Tavares

Hedges - Cantwell - Miro 

Ohashi 

 

We have Wharton, Hickman, Gueye, Gudjohnson, Henriksson, Kargbo, Tyjon, Pickering, Miller

 

I am not so sure we look so much weaker than last season. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 minutes ago, bob fleming said:

This. The one constant has been Suhail. 15 years at the top of the tree, most of which went under the radar somehow.

So…. not that the owners ever define their Mission Statement or their Goal for a season… if that was achieving promotion then that would bring accountability. I mean at any other club sitting in the top 6 then losing your manager and failing to reach the play offs (never mind promotion) would be considered a failure, a monumental one at that. "How did it go so wrong?!" the owners would ask after another £20m was allegedly frittered away for a season. "Blooming 'eck Suhail, you keep at it lad, another 15 years and you'll get the hang of this!" they'd chuckle in India.

However, the Goal, the Mission for the season is never defined. Ask most supporters come August every year and their expectations are that the club will do all it can to be promoted. What an assumption to make. One that I make myself I hasten to add. I mean if they want any chance of getting their money back the only way to do so is through promotion to the Premier League isn’t it? Everyone knows that don't they? It's obvious isn't it?

You wouldn’t know. I don’t feel a burning desire to get there do you?

There are plenty of Rudy's out there, we've had a revolving door fitted for them, but Suhail has to go. Why on earth he is still here now is a complete mystery. If you judge him on my goals and what I’d like to see Blackburn Rovers achieve every year for the last 15, he’s a walking failure. A loser. And after this last transfer window I'd suggest he's going to fail again.

You’ve really got to wonder what the owners see in him after 15 years.

He’s their human shield. In those terms he’s been quite successful.

[G Somerset Rover]

4 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

Don’t underestimate how aligned things are behind the scenes right now.

There is very little point trying to differentiate between Suhail and Gestede - they are both very much on the same page. They are extremely close, holiday together, socialise etc. They might have different roles and responsibilities, but they are working towards the same goal. Same applies to the senior people still employed and recently promoted at Ewood.

I was told just after Eustace left that Rudy had decided that there was no need to pay more than 10k per week in wages and that would be the policy this summer, and Suhail was right behind it. Waggott was trying to push back on this - going as far as calling it a “suicidal strategy”, look how that worked out for him.

Nobody in the “senior management team” is remotely interested in doing anything that might rock the apple cart. Everyone who did has gone… Waggott, Fraser Read, Eustace, LOADS more whose names aren’t so well known but were frustrated/bullied out of the door.

I have absolutely no reason to doubt @glen9mullan’s info on what’s happening on the playing side, and I’ve got plenty of first hand accounts to suggest it’s just as toxic on the off pitch side of things.

This whole charade simply has to hit the skids at some point. Fingers crossed it's sooner rather than later with their financial issues deepening. Bring it on I say.

[lraC]

4 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

The latter 2 not sure about Ismael.

I think Ismael is Muslim too, bit not 100%.

[Tricky]

2 minutes ago, alexanders said:

See this window as a 8/10 - Club operation wise 

5/10 - performance wise 

On the running of the club (I know results are the only that matter) there has been a big overhaul. Lots of players who we cherish, had connection with the fans, academy lads and solid player leaving the club is not good at all. 
In-depth though: 

* "old players" - Hyam turning 30 in December and Trav 28 in a month (is in his peak)

* Some didnt perform well enough to build our future on: JRC, Markanday, Buckley

* Some injury prone: Harry Leonard and

* Some didnt want to sign a new contract so we had to cash in: Brittain and to some extent both Hyam and Trav. 

* One who didnt want to sign and wanted to go to Barcelona to try a new life. 

This lays a good economic foundation of turning the playing staff, who havent been able to reach the playoffs yet, upside down in an effort to reach the playoffs. 

We have reduced the wage bill significantly (hopefully) and brought in new players with potential for sales value, just like we did with Hyam and Brittain.  Both deemed relatively successes, but not able to push us to playoffs. 

We have replaced the aforementioned players with: 

5 players aged 23

3 players aged 24

and 2 players aged 28. 

In addition we have kept the promising Igor Tyjon and starting to mould Montgomery into a role in the first team. 

Its a lot of uncertainty around the team. Some of the signings I think look extrmely promising and our First XI of 

Toth

Alebiosu - Carter - McLoughlin - Ribeiro

  Tronstad - Tavares

Hedges - Cantwell - Miro 

Ohashi 

 

We have Wharton, Hickman, Gueye, Gudjohnson, Henriksson, Kargbo, Tyjon, Pickering, Miller

 

I am not so sure we look so much weaker than last season. 

 

 

 

 

 

finally some rational thinking and optimism 

its a transition and project we have to get behind regardless

[Salgados Hair]

'Is water wet?' Neil will be asking the questions presumably. 😏