oneandycrawford

https://eflanalysis.com/opinion/blackburn-rovers-should-explore-the-return-of-former-star-who-departed-the-club-nine-years-ago-for-4m-in-loan-move/ Some people are unbelievable. Has this person no idea of how Duffy left!

Surprised more 'expert' predictions didn't have West Ham down to struggle this season. I have posted I think they are likely to be involved in relegation fight. Sold one of their best attacking players and don't seem to have strengthened much. Potter's half-season last season was piss poor. I know he hadn't had the benefit of a pre-season but not sure how much value that really is - he had half a season to make some improvement but none was apparent.

Genius!

That's a really good point. As a kid I used to play regularly on Saturday mornings. Then back home for dinner and then off to the match - or straight to an away match if that was do'able. That would have been impossible with 12.30 kick-offs and might have meant I never got into the habit of regularly watching Rovers. I ended up being a regular at Ewood for the next 30 years!

Initially I agree that would be the case but the size of the fan bases would surely see significant investment from outside and that, along with the TV money, would surely see them be able to quickly improve? There are a lot of very rich people in the US who are proud of their Scottish roots - Donald Trump for example!!! The reality is they are two big clubs in a very big city that just happen to be in a poor national league.

A couple of good quotes from the Guardian BTL comments: "Of all the people to choose to manage Rangers, a guy who sees football as some kind of modern art installation first and foremost and presided over an EPL implosion like no other was about the last person I'd have picked to manage that club in that environment." Paddy Power tweet of the night: "Some Rangers fans are attempting to beat the traffic by staying in their seats"

That's a great point Tyrone. Players whose careers get cut short due to injury could be fast-tracked?

I get that - they just should be grown up enough to own it when it does / doesn't work instead of blaming the ref! A few years ago I was at a Nat League South game when a player shouted 'our ball' for a throw-in when it clearly wasn't. After he got abuse from the crowd he shouted back with a grin on his face - 'well you've got to try haven't you'. That I can sort of accept 🙂

That City side of the early/mid-70's was a joy to watch. When Rovers were away (and for some European night matches) my Dad took me to Maine Road several times. I can only just remember them but I know they were always exciting. Willie Donachie was a key part of that team - should have won more than they did but came up against great Leeds , Liverpool and Arsenal teams around that time.

Because "he tries to play the right way" - at least according to several of the pundits. The rest of us can see he's just a charlatan...and a complete knob!

Shame the professional players and managers don't recognise that and stop the constant attempts to con them!

Bet he never shows anyone the Rovers social media piss take from when we won 3-0 at Swansea in 2022(?)!

Great points made here. We have several chances to view an incident and there is still disagreement whereas the ref has one look, from one angle, at real time speed and has to make an instant decision. Are they going to get things wrong? Of course they are. We all would in the same circumstances. I know we all give them grief during a game, including me, but that's the instant emotional reaction. After the game maybe we should give them a bit of a break, particularly if they are prepared to say when they called something wrong. With the scrutiny they are now under, plus the outrageous abuse they suffer at the lower levels of football when they are learning, I'm frankly amazed anyone still wants to be a referee.

Depends whether it's Cheadle in Staffs or Gtr Mcr. Although tbh even if it's the one in Staffs that still barely worth calling a town!

To be fair I don't know enough about his early career and why he doesn't seem to have been on the radar as the talent he obviously was by the time he played for Rovers.

I know we all loved Tugay but surely he was not in the same class as Modric and Scholes as an all round player. If he had been he would have played for bigger teams than Rangers and Rovers

He died in February - it was on this message board IIRC.

Mid you the two of you look like someone had mischievously just told you that Venky's were selling up!!

Caught the end of an item on 5Live this morning where Rooney was talking about Birmingham. He claimed the club was in a complete mess when he joined them! Wasn't challenged in the interview but when the presenter (Rick Edwards) came back on he queried that and said something like "I thought they had been doing v well under the previous manager and it was controversial when they brought Rooney in" Love how people can spin their own story on national radio!

Clearly they were nervous about the upcoming final. Or just finally realising that they come form Bolton and can no longer escape that fact!!

And, considering the injury records of our other centre-halves, the fact he stays fit is a big plus. I'm not saying he is the greatest player in the world (!) but reliability is a big factor when you have shallow squad like we currently have.

No disgrace guys - the Bolton lads were brilliant tbf.

Shows what happens when you have to rely on local talent instead of buying it in! Great performance Herbie and Scott.

And then have the sheer nerve to reinvest some of that in new players. Anybody would think there is a model to follow there. Unfortunately our illustrious owners seem to only understand the first part.

Agree. I'm generally a believer in the 'if they're good enough they're old enough' theory but I think centre-halves are an exception. It is the position that is most about reading the game compared with technical ability. That's why players like Batth, Ayala and McFadzean can look so effective at the end of their careers - as long as they have some pace around them. Even if a very young centre-half looks good at a lower level, a step up in divisions can be really tough. Anyone remember the reaction to Gary Pallister when he first when to Man U from Middlesbrough? Or Tony Adams when he first played for Arsenal (although always being at Arsenal was only 17 when first came into the team)?