Its not about carrying negativity though. The point is I dont think its a realistic expectation to totally wipe clean and forget any opinion we hold about the manager. Doesnt mean it seaps into booing him and chanting him out or anything silly. You could say the same about players, we have opinions on players. You dont go into a new season without an opinion on players good or bad because its a new season thus a clean slate.

My point is more that I dont really understand how you are able to totally withhold any judgement until next season, its not a point about his ability/inability. You have just mentioned areas of doubt so you have already yourself started to make judgements about him as the games tick by, which is natural. So even if its subconscious, you will be carrying over an opinion so it wont be a clean slate. It woudnt make me feel better at all. There is no if he stays, they wont pay him up even if we went down. What would be a good finish next season? Impossible to say, assuming we stay up we have to see what happens in the summer. If Szmodics goes and the owners continue to slash budgets etc, then I think we will likely go down next season. Either way, my personal opinion of Eustace so far even allowing for the obvious difficulties is certainly more negative than positive, naturally. I dont have confidence in him as it stands to get us moving in the right direction, however he is small fry compared to the main issue which is always Venkys. I will go into next season with an opinion on Eustace and major doubts but not ones that are impossible to turn around.

Symptomatic of the owners.

Out of interest, do you have any doubts or concerns about Eustace and his capability to be our manager? You always mention about a clean slate. But if you have concerns they might resurface should we start next season poorly in a way say a new manager with an actual clean slate couldnt.

Even if clubs agree to subsidise season ticket prices, which is a nice idea but will not happen. The number of games that Sky will be showing and allowed to be showed by the EFL is a disgrace. And even with cheaper tickets, season tickets will become less and less appealing when such disregard is shown by Sky and the EFL to match going fans making it impossible for many to attend so many fixtures when in the past, most would be 3pm on Saturday and only a fraction would be moved at the inconvience of the supporter. Football is nothing without fans? Dont make me laugh.

I think Tomasson became more popular as time went on. I actually thought he got most stick when we was up at the top prior to the World Cup.

It is indeed down to personal perception, I never got the narrative that Mowbray was loved and Tomasson was never taken to myself, but we all talk to different people, sit in different areas and read different things. On Sky/EFL they are both complicit and responsible in planning to move an even more stupid number of games from 3pm Saturday. That will drive people away I suspect but I doubt those 2 parties care about fans.

Obviously he has no faith beyond the first 11. As with every position, the budget cuts have left us with absolutely no depth.

Signed lots of quality at Birmingham as reflected by their league position. Ollie Burke? Dreadful player. Absolutely no chance of us geting Johansson. Id be amazed if we dont stick with the 2 clowns signed on deals for the forseeable. Even more amazed if we spent a million on a keeper that is actually good.

I dont get why anyone would be such a staunch advocat of Sky. Obviously in conjunction with the EFL, at the cost of the match going fan who is not seen as a priority by either party. Both are only interested in money and have stopped even pretending otherwise. Living in a dream world if people think that extra revenue will subsidise tickets, and even if it did a bit, it will make it impossible to get to games when so many are being moved regardless of price. Football is nothing without fans? Well actually the EFL and Sky couldnt give a shit about us.

Rotherham will be top half minimum, probably promotion contenders, and theyve got less than half the points we do. Regardless of league, we need to gut the squad and sign a large number, not promote the youth team. Im no expert on the under 21s but i dont think a few of your names are regulars. Your plan is cutting standards even below Venkys which is quite impressive!

I am 100% sure that the above squad ends in League 2.

I think ideas of him going on a run are beyond fanciful. He has always looked well out of his depth, another symptom of the owners cutting budgets beyond reasonable levels.

There is no evidence, just the feeling I have got. To be honest, only 2 wins and 0 at home are hardly going to breed popularity. You might have a totally different perception.

The TV deal is a sickener for all clubs. Sky will put absolutely no thought towards the fans, moving more games here there and everywhere. It will affect crowds up and down the country, showing furthermore that when Sky said during Covid that football is nothing without fans, it was a blatant lie from their side. Throw in the disconnect currently between the fans and the club and the shoddy way its being run with owners as bad as youll find in the EFL, and budget cuts galore. With a poor team under an unpopular manager and a pitiful home record this season, season ticket sales will dive. The only way to keep them respectable is a significant drop in price. I expect at best a freeze.

Ive no idea where this idea that hes a good player just not being utilised in his best position comes from when that supposed best position is one hes never played in.

That video definitely does not show all of his errors!

That team would struggle in League 1. JRC is one of the few players that might be of interest to Championship clubs should we go down, unless they would give him a miss due to his injuries.

Wasn't there a game last season that you missed out of fear?

He usually gets 8 or 9 goals a season at this level, that obviously isnt the case the season not helped by missing so many games injured, but put him in League 2 and safe to say he would likely stand out. He is much more effective than the likes of Telalovic, Ennis and Hirst were with us having no money. Hes bang average and he will never be a natural goalscorer but he has proven over a number of years at this level that he is a bang average striker in the Championship.

Eustace often plays with a back 3 (well 5) and still O'Riordan cant make the bench.

Markanday and especially Telalovic would struggle in league 1.

Isnt the rule that it has to be 10 yards from the goal line, so it would be taken from there? As you say though, unsure if similar to if a defender does it, an unintentional slice that goes back to the keeper isnt a backpass, but not as straightforward if its the keeper himself that does it. So not sure on that.

Dismissing any thoughts of reinvesting as fantasy land stuff. We can get worse, simply because of the cuts. Telalovic, Ennis and Hirst have all been worse in the last 2 years. Thats the standard we are working with. I have always said that Gallagher simply is not very good at anticipating chances. Thats the main reason why his goal tally is never going to be near the top of the league, he doesnt have that instinct and never will be. Offers other things but is simply not a natural goalscorer. That being said, under Eustace he like every other attacker is hindered more than ever. There is absolutely no sign of an attacking game plan. He often spends much of the game wide and the tactic of centre backs whacking it aimlessly in the channels just has him running after the ball with the defender naturally ahead of him. He wins throw ins and the odd corner which is all he can really do in that situation but its just not going to lead to him doing anything constructive.

The blame should always go back to India. The players arent very good, surrounded by other players who arent very good, managed by someone who seems out of his depth. That same manager though is hindered by poor players. Broughton's transfer record is poor but he is working with buttons. And Waggott's a failure in many ways but seemingly just working to the owners commands. All of these issues are just symptoms of the real problem. The same problen that has existed for is it 13 long years? In the last 2 seasons, we have overperformed with some very good work from Tomasson and Mowbray. But not enough players led to the season imploding. More cuts at a more aggressive rate and this season has been in the post for years.