BigBar

Yeah there was an element of anger and I would imagine he is angry but also embarrassed. Lots of looking to the floor and looking away, voice was shaky.

That's a lesson though that he shouldn't really need to be learning. Not good enough to say I'll do better in future. Too avoidable for me to see any silver lining.

I thought the opposite. Thought he came across nervous and edgy and had the energy of a man who fucked up. Jittery and voice quivering. Weather he didn't do his part as he should have and was too casual or not knowledgeable enough or allowed people under his management to drag their heals. Eithee way the buck stops with him, lots of vague, non detailed, evasive shite imo. Not impressed at all.

I feel like we have blurred the line between hypothetical and actually real life?😂😂😂

This really has left the sourest of tastes in my mouth, struggled to shake it all day. Fucking shocking. I try tell myself not to be irate but I can't help it. It's like mustering up the courage to ask out the sexiest most coveted woman in the area, she says yeah ok go on then. You can't believe it, you send her all the details on where and when. You get a shower, the fancy shirt, the counterfeit cologne. She's at the chosen location, she's actually going to see it through. You are ready to go, ready to pretend to be whoever she wants you to be, hopefully she falls for it. You walk out the house, stick the keys in the ignition only to release you haven't put any petrol in the car, try to call a mate to bail you out and your phone battery dies. It's all falling apart. You are royally fucked...and not in the way you wanted.

I agree and I wanted him here desperately but I'm not naive enough to think it's Ronaldo level of image rights involved. Should have been a standard transaction end of story.

The statement issued is so worrying. No accountability. It's like they tried to convince us that the O'Brien deal was so complex and alot of technicalities involved that we simply ran out of time and a valiant effort was made. Then it's "oh yeah we fucked up the other deal too but don't pay too much attention to that". I gave them the benefit foolishly but now I reckon it's actually much worse that we think. Unsigned forms, technical issues, missing documents, no terms agreed. It wasnt one slight oversight it was a complete shit show. Just have a vision of utter panic, paper flying everywhere, documents getting cellotaped together, staff asking how to turn the printer on, phones ringing off the hook, WiFi dropping out. Absolute joke.

I know we as fans feel shitted on and rightly so but the biggest victims here and Lewis O'Brien and Ethan Brierley. With O'Brien we have affected his career and as a result of our club he finds himself now exiled at his current club. He trusted us to be professional after he had committed to joining us and we fucked it up. You can't help but think, and rightly so that he would hold a massive grudge against us. What must be going through his head? Ethan Brierley is a young man getting a move to the championship and a great opportunity. No doubt a pay increase, higher level and chance to change his life. Same story, back to league 2 now with egg on his face and you'd imagine completey deflated and down. It's not right all because the staff at our club cannot do some correct paperwork. Disgraceful we are now spreading the Venkys Rovers cancer to other players and clubs. Bad enough we have had to stomach it but now others are getting dragged into their toxic mess. That's what they are, a cancer.

Do it

I agree with Adam Wharton. Start him every game, give him the opportunity and a run in the side. Regarding Travis and Buckley. These aren't some young lads breaking through, Buckley is 23 and Travis is 25! O'Brien is 24 and is head and shoulders above both of them. The notion that these lads are kids is a joke. O' Brien is the level a team with promotion ambitions should be aiming for, not making excuses for the short comings for the players we currently have. The denial needs to stop.

The word is overused at times when maybe it's not warranted. This is truly embarrassing in every sense of the word. Utterly utterly embarrassing.

To get the deal done and in reality the fee is quite low if we did go up we would recoup most if not all of it by either selling or loaning him back, worst case scenario it's 10mil invested to gain 120mil or whatever figure you get these days for promotion.

To add insult to injury it also means that if O Brien did come here and liked it and was available to loan next season that there is zero chance now. So damaging to the club. We would have been in pole position to resign him next season imo.

For everyone saying we needed a striker, yes we could have done with one ideally but I don't think it can be understated just how much Lewis O' Brien would have improved this team. A presence and a bit of tenacity in midfield would improve the whole team, it's the core of any football team. With him in the side, being solid and robust in the middle of the park, the defence is not a problem for me and I have enough faith in Gallagher, Dolan, Dack and BBD to score the goals needed to win games if the rest is functioning as it should be. I would prefer a midfield with Lewis O' Brien in it and the attackers we currently have than a new striker and a midfield of Morton/ Travis/ Garrett/ Buckley.

We shall see, is he the man of integrity many on here seem to think he is or is he happy to take his pay day and be a good boy?

Would have went a long way tbf.

It wouldn't be hard to upgrade our piss poor midfield and the fact that we had an outstanding championship midfielder in their prime that appeared prior to Tuesday that we could never attract within our grasp and we managed to fuck it up because the people overseeing it are a shambles is disgraceful.

What a shit show. Gutted even though it was probably always unlikely after the fuck up. Devastating to be a supporter of such an amtuerly run club. Sickening.

I imagine so but I'm saying even leaked out. Journos normally get the info reagrdless.

Again, trying to be positive I wonder if Forest have got some indication that the O Brien deal will get approved. They are in advanced negotiations with Ayew for the last squad place they have available. Unless they are going to sign him regardless and omit O' Brien completely. Very possible but hoping for a positive outcome.

Surely there should be clearer information. I.e Registration rejected, Rovers now appealing decision. You would imagine it would get out weather it was officially rejected rather than under consideration. SSN saying Rovers are awaiting EFLs approval for what it's worth. I still have hope and I know you can't call it but I imagine if it's cut and dry they would have made their ruling and said no it wasn't submitted in time. Why it takes so long is baffling. Hard to call, if it's a case of the EFL asking for further evidence than maybe it will get the green light?

I actually did think I wonder would some PL pressure help here but highly doubt it. Forest not big enough, maybe if it was City or United that were involved.

I'm all for rules and maybe just because on this occasion it would benefit rovers but if all the evidence is there that the deal was done, most forms completed and submitted and there was an oversight given the complexity of the agreement with having to negotiate the terms of the deal maybe they should approve it and just highlight it for future windows for such deals. Hopefully there is times etc showing that the deal was done and agreed before the deadline. It's not as if the deal was tried to be sneaked through an hour or two after the deadline. Completely understand why they wouldn't approve but hopefully it's viewed as a minor issue rather than major. Find out soon enough.

Forest in talks to bring in free agent Andre Ayew, deal dependent on O' Brien coming here. Source SSN.

You sure??????