Really don't understand why more clubs don't explore the German market, you could get Anthony Ujah at a snip and his scoring record over the years has been outstanding. Huddersfield and Brighton have bought from the Bundesliga recently and those signings have been great. The last time we explored that market we signed Santa Cruz and Samba, Bowyer was keen on Sandro Wagner who now plays for Bayern. There are hard working professionals with the right attitudes to be found over there at competitive prices, even more so in the Bundesliga 2.

The best thing that has happened to our club in a long, long, long, long time. I trust every word he says. And whether things come off or not the honest intention is there for all to see.

Posted just after people were retweeting a Mowbray interview where he mentioned speaking to several Prem clubs recruitment depts. about possible loans ? Nicko the Fake.

Glass houses and all that, Mercer. Incidentally, can any threats of wagers/charitable donations/people showing off that they can spare £100 (however you want to interpret it) be done via PM? Many thanks.

You can shove Joe Garner where the sun don't shine. Apart from that a very decent list.

We didn't have a pot to p!ss in according to him yesterday?

In Mercer's defence I'd much rather have £100 in a charities pocket than listen to him and Chaddy bang on about who is right and who is wrong. Mercer has all the right in the world to post here but is persistently hounded by Chaddy.

Let it go and move forward. The past is the past and is what it is. The time has come to move on.

I wouldn’t bother, he was making the same bet a couple of weeks ago on here but offering £4m to the winners charity of choice. It’ll be ten bob and 10 bensons this time next week.

What a top bloke. He says the right things and on the pitch he has got it right so far. Genuienly excited to see who we sign and how the team shapes up this summer. Imo without any recruits our squad would finish 15th or higher, so with some decent signings and a little luck, top 10 is doable.

Whoever pays the highest wage and signing on fee is the better option to a footballer with no emotional ties. Especially at this level

Has HITC sport ever got anything right? Thought it was fake news central myself.

That's the way it needs to go with him he just isn't a finisher but if he can develop himself into a hardworking target man type he can play a part and probably pinch a few goals. He still young enough to develop into something a bit different he just needs the right attitude and coaching. Good on him if he's buying into it.

Good indeed. I'm not writing Samuel off just yet. I doubt that he'll leave just 12 months into his contract and with so few other attacking options. If he can just get a bit mentally tougher then there's a useful squad player in there imo.

Absolutely right tomphil. Abramovich bought the Chelsea to protect himself from Putin in case they fell out and to clean up his money from his shady business interests. He must be worried that his high profile and living abroad may not be enough after the Litvenyenko and Scripal poisonings and probably should chuck a bung to the Kremlin.

Sounds to me like they’ve offered him exactly what he wanted. That they may even have intimated the possibility of heavier investment which he declined in favour of more organic growth. Mercer and Jal have to be on the wind up. After the season we’ve just had and the positive vibe around the club I genuinely don’t know where they find this constant pessimism. There’s nothing reasonable or logical about the negativity imo. Now i I can relax....

And that comment confirms your wum status.

Jesus lower your expectations man. We are a championship club with limited resources. Be realistic.

Don't think Chaddy said much wrong there JAL. Grabban it has been reported is on fortunes, there's no chance we'd afford his wages. Unsure on McNair though so can't say much on him. Armstrong did enough to earn a perm deal, provided it won't cost us to much. Sacko and the Scunthorpe lad are pacy and would give us something different so cut the guy a bit of slack? By all means call him out when he says something ridiculous but there's no need to be such an arse when he's not said anything wrong there. Grow up Dingle.

In the Premier League, Raheem Sterling got 18 goals and 15 assists last season (23 and 17 in all competitions), and Dele Alli 9 goals and 11 assists (14 and 17 in all competitions). As much as you disregard statistics and admittedly they can be manipulated, for 2 young players, neither of whom are strikers, they both show a level of consistency far surpassing what you are implying.

At least twice.

Some good names there. Don't think we've got a cat in hells chance of signing Grabban though. Noises that Tony's been making about not signing players on massive wages, I expect that he'd be one. Paddy McNair would be decent but not sure what sort of money he'd be on. Right age, and not easy to look good in a team that is absolutely tanking.

For me this season he has been coached by Guardiola to be in the right positions at the right times, ie within 8-10 yards of goal. Pep knows he can coach a team to put the ball in these areas on a regular basis, and Sterling has benefited from it massively. It's a wise choice all things considered as he's not the best passer, crosser or dribbler yet has the pace and agility to get into these positions so the technically better players can find him.

Glad to hear we are impoverished. Helps with the transfer negotiations...

The interview with Mowbray was just about as positive as it could be. Mowbray clearly conducting the interview remotely, sounds like he's away on holiday with his family, but also sounded very excited about things. Short of announcing exact figures of money available he can't go any further than he has. Sounds like one or two of the Venky bunch have got carried away with the success of last season which Mowbray has tapered by bringing things back to a steady building job. That's fine so long as the Indians understand that it might take several years of spending and losing millions before we're ready to do anything and even then there's no guarantee of success and they don't start selling everyone as soon as they get bored.

Actually, I think he played a blinder in the first part.

I think he is getting backed, but is keeping his cards close to his chest.

I've always said it was an echo chamber in here.

Could be the end of June.

If this isn't Gordon I don't know what is .... ?

While a lot of players instagram stories are them on holidays, Samuel has been posting a lot of himself in the gym pumping iron. If he bulks up and puts on some muscle, it will definitely help his game. Good to see

Only JAL could think the nearest player we have to World Class should be on the bench.

Mercer im up for your 100 pound charity bet i bet you Dack will start the season at Rovers...i think the rest should take up this bet too

Point taken. I'll shut up.

Tbf he explains why he favours organic growth. The group trusts him and works for him. He knows the sum of the parts has to outweigh the individuals in order for Rovers to succeed. He said he didn’t want to be disloyal to them and in the circumstances, I agree... i absolutely trust TM. Anyone who actually knows anything about The Venkys knows they are not frightened to pay the bill. In the past, this nature has been abused and they have been naive. Now they have a manager who genuinely has the clubs best interest at heart. No attempts to feather his own nest and no political persuasion. They’re right to trust TM imo.

It's how id manage it. Sterling. Don't ask me for an opinion if you think I talk shyte.

His team can't do anything in the Prem yet he's scored 25+ goals for the last what, 3 years for them? The only striker we have who even comes close to Kane is Vardy. Would love to see both start but as an impact sub Vardy is a good option. You talk some shite you mate. Big wind up merchant and I bite everytime!

I could be cynical in that a manager would favour an 'organic growth' as that keeps immediate pressure off him.

The actual full interview itself is very positive: https://audioboom.com/posts/6868591-rovers-head-coach-tony-mowbray-is-back-from-india-following-a-meeting-with-the-club-owners-venkys Sounds like there’s budget to do a reasonable amount (within reason) to me. Nicko making up some guff once again by the sound of it.

Maybe Jal and Mercer could go and prop up a bar somewhere, give us all a break.

No. You would imagine.

Is it just me that when managers talk about "if the right players come along", pictures the 'Generation Game' and a conveyor belt full of mainly crap players going past the manager as he is waiting for something worthwhile: Jason Lowe - Cuddly Toy - Elliot Ward - Hammock - Stephen Warnock - Microwave Oven - Hakeem Adelakun, STOP.

Which club bigger or better than Rovers is going to offer him a job? Mowbray was damn lucky to be appointed at Ewood after his mixed career record and abysmal end to his time at Coventry. I wasn't alone in thinking he didn't deserve the Rovers job. He should be glad he's successfully rehabilitated his reputation at Ewood.

The problem with Pardew is not that he is not young, its that hes proven to be shit.

I really dislike the "we must know everything now" era that we now appear to live in. How on earth did folk go on before the days of message boards/social media etc? Time will tell what Mowbray does/doesn't have to spend, once we get into June the window will start going crazy no doubt. Let's all go out, enjoy the sunshine, watch some of the world cup and meet up here on 1st July to see what has happened, no?

Just to put this into a different context, Abramovitch is owed 1.5 billion quid by Chelsea! That's what he lent them interest free, repayable at short notice. I don't suppose he will seek it back but who would want that hanging over their club? Football has been ruined. most clubs are at the mercy of some individual these days. Compare the German League. I know which i prefer.

Sorting deals out for the likes of Lenihan is just as important as bringing in new blood. If he walks away on a free in a year's time then the powers that be need shooting (again).

23 Years ago, we were crowned Premier League Champions on an unforgettable day at Anfield. Much like today the sun was shining. The day was full of twists, turns and drama but in the end we prevailed. Winning the league was down to having a brilliant manager, fantastic group of players but most of all having a benefactor who dared to dream and take on the established order. Thank you Uncle Jack for taking us all on an amazing journey. You will forever be our number one fan. View full article