1 hour ago, windymiller7 said:

Unusually, we're actually getting a bit of coverage on SSN,  they've a reporter at Brockhall ready for JE's first press conference & looks like they'll be covering it at 1430 for those able to watch.

Also today's presenter is Emma Paton which is good enough reason alone for tuning in! 😉

Anywhere to watch this? 

Really hope he becomes our version of Sean Dyche. That's the thread of hope I'm clinging on to. Makes us hard to beat and well drilled. 

Reality is he's probably the next Micheal Appleton. 

Good look John. 

Just now, joey_big_nose said:

There's no way we could offer Allardyce what he would want in terms of financially, backroom, etc. Total non starter.

You still pick up the phone just in case. 

In the position we're in, if Sam Allardyce says yes... YOU PICK UP THE FECKIN PHONE. 

On the topic of this thread...

I think the perfect theme would be...

LOVE Rovers | HATE Venkys

Can't be any clearer than that. 

Plus the chant is already there. 

5 minutes ago, MB Rover said:

Difference is; all of those players’ transfer funds were reinvested. Coventry have spent nearly £25million this season. Boro have spent circa £10million.

That's a very fair point and a reason why I'll protest against them, however like I said, there are no guarantees those signings will perform, Ellis Simms for e.g. You get the best out of what you have and I maintain it was the injuries that killed it for us all. 

8 minutes ago, Groundhog said:

Great post Neal 👏

I for one am getting tired of this pound-shop Pep disease that's filtering through the lower leagues. I love watching it when it works, but how many times does it work realistically, and fans want to hope that they can trust the management team to change it to suit the game in front of them happening at that minute, not on the training pitch. Everyone else can see it, why can't they, and it just breeds frustration, and that's why fans boo.

I suppose the main concern is that these clubs want to play like this to develop players who can be selected by the Prem clubs to slot into their system, at the expense of the current club's plight. No one wants a right back who just hoofs it 30 yards. Thing is, I'm enjoying Luton, as they mix it up and show everyone else how it could be. I have a lot of admiration for them. 

Best game I've watched so far this season was Everton v Brighton 1-1. The contrast in styles was great to watch, Brighton trying to play total football and Everton playing long low, long high, cross field, through midfield, out front the back... Brighton didn't know what to do and it was a perfect display from Dyche to the rest of us that there are other ways and methods to play in the modern game. I think this Guardiola way has generally made some of these modern managers a bit lazier in their approach that if their players don't win or perform that it's down to the fact that they don't have the ability to do it... Rather than getting the best out of what they have and playing to their strengths and setting them up in a way the opposition won't like. Which requires more time, studying and planning. Total football is great to watch when you win but murdering teams and being comfortably beaten is not fun to watch.

32 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Blimey, there's some dewy-eyed romantic view of the Tomasson era on here when the reality is he's left the club in the middle of a relegation fight after a calamitous sequence of results. Ambition and optimism and a good personality are fine qualities but a coach also has to know to organise a defence properly and set up a team not to give away soft goals. Tomasson was a busted flush IMO, canny Championship managers had him and Rovers worked out in the second half of last season

 

 

I was about to post something similar Jim but you've put it perfectly there. 

I think all of us appreciated hearing someone within the club talk about ambition for once, that's why people are mainly upset about this one. The reality though is 10 wins in 40 and the goals against column doesn't lie. He didn't get the best out of what he had and threw away countless points. We did sell key players but so have other teams (Hamer, Gyokeres, Scott, Akpom for e.g.)

Whilst I appreciated his willingness to put the owners and Maggot to the sword, his job was to win games and pick up points. He started with a pragmatic & measured approach with sprinklings of excellent football which I think really suited us. Eventually he ended up with a crazy fantasy football ideology without the budget and players to pull it off and without the dignity to take it on the chin and switch tactics. 

That isn't necessarily a criticism of just him but many other clubs outside of the top 8 of the prem who are trying to play the guardiola way, without the budget. In the championship you must get the best out of what you have and in the end... He didn't. With that said, as much as he wants to point at the finger at the lack of signings, it was the injuries that hurt him more. Those are proven championship players and you have no guarantees new signings will perform to the standards he wanted. 

It's a failed project unfortunately. No one is wrong in this instance for feeling the way they do, missed opportunity or relieved he's gone. We can all see the positives and negatives for ourselves. 

1 hour ago, booth said:

When he was backed (and not even that well, January was a shit-show) we finished just outside of the play offs.

When he hasn't been, we're heading towards L1.

A garbage record will happen under most managers in that situation. I'd be surprised if it doesn't happen under Eustace. Too much has been taken out of the club and not put back.

I don't disagree with you either but I'd say it's not the lack of transfers that hurt but rather the injuries we picked up. I loved some of the football we played but that goals against column tells a story. 

Putting the ownership/management to one side for a second. 

JDT 10 wins in 40 is a garbage record and would be sacked anywhere else.

Christ, I was at the forefront of most protests back in the day. Mad to think a decade and more I'm having to do it all again. I need to try and summon up the fight I used to have back then, these f*ckers have ground me down over the years. I protested at the training ground, outside the ground, inside the ground, at other grounds, with other fans, fought with our own fans, stewards, interviewed Paul Hunt (remember him?), did protests with other clubs against the F.A. I remember when everyone had given up I was stood outside Bloomfield road for a pre season friendly, on my own with banners whilst our own fans gave me shit... it takes it out of you.

It made no difference but it needs to be done. You can't let them stand on your neck. 

If the manager doesn't want to be here, which he obviously doesn't if he's offering to walk.... Then he should leave. What's the point? 

Moran is poor, never going to make it at Brighton, have no idea what his position is. Certainly can't rely on him in CM. Tronstad is trying to do it all himself, we look easy to play through because Moran offers us nothing in defence. 

We rely need JRC in the middle, he's done well at full back but could do with his leadership, runs and physicality in there. 

Who's playing in centre midfield there? There's only Tronstadt who's an out and out recognised CM. 

1 hour ago, Atko's Engine said:

I feel that the bad defence thing only applies to the last 10 weeks, which coincides with Wahlstedt deputising for the injured Pears. If a defence, which has itself suffered from injuries caysing the need for regular rotation, has a young, inexperienced and nervous keeper behind it then it's likely only going to go one way...

Seems strange to say given the problems Pears has had in his tenure, but had Pears not got injured & Wahlstedt not been thrown into the deep end so soon after his arrival, we'd probably only be 4 or 5 points off 6th place...

I agree. Always thought Pears was ok. He's made some mistakes of course and there are better keepers out there but he can still develop. 

Tbh, I know he's had injuries this season but he hasn't got the best out of them. His substitutions have always been poor and his game management from winning positions are even worse. 

As much as I like the guy I think he's getting a lot of leniency because of his character and ambition but the goals against column doesn't lie and I don't think we've got a bad defence. 

At this point it's starting to seem like it's him doing us a favour and he doesn't want the opportunity any more then he should leave and allow someone to come in  who wants it. 

I'm coming at this purely as an assessment of his performance this season. Don't get me wrong, I think he could likely move on to bigger and better things and whilst we are under Venkys we'll continue on downwards trajectory.

That aside it's still possible for a manager to come in and easily sort out our defensive issues and move us up the table. 

55 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

A failing business that's preparing for either a takeover or administration either stops spending completely or cuts right back to the bare minimum. We can only dream its the former. The 'plan' based on those transfers is clearly not one for the future, it's one that gets us through to May (with a bit of luck avoiding relegation).

One thing that's keeping spirits up this morning is the tiny bit of hope that they've shelved the singings in case they lose the court case and then plan to leave. 

HE WAS AT COVENTRY WITH WAGGOT!!!

YOU COULDN'T MKE IT UP!

🤣😂🤣😂

John f*cking Fleck 🤣

After being knocked back for everyone on their list, did Jon and Broughton just go "FFS, go on then Maggot, you pick one"

Going to bed laughing. 

Wank. 

Absolutely lacking pace in transition... Signs 37 year old centre half and awkward centre forward.

Idiots.  

Our transfer policy is embarrassing. This Liverpool kid strikes me as a similar one to Ayari, recon they've laoned him to us for free. 

Just now, Rover8T4 said:

Can't fault a try before you buy. Makes me think another cash purchase is on its way 

Not a chance. 

As much as I judge them for being absolutely tight as f*ck, I actually agree with loan to buy in most cases. Especially some lad from the MLS for 2.5 million.