joey_big_nose

We've been pretty good. Main thing is we look fit and organised which is a good reflection on Ismael, and the players under contract/ transfer speculation all seem committed and hard working. Better than I was expecting.

Really impressed with how fit we look. Signs are that Ismael is maybe inclined to go down the ultra attacking JDT route.

Its weird that we have the resources to support a fee and wages to sign McLaughlin but not be able to offer a good enough deal to get any of 6 crucial players to sign?

Yeah if he was even a yard quicker he would be dangerous, but he gets forced inside all the time. His bulking up a couple of seasons ago was a mistake imo as it obviously slowed him down, when he already wasnt quick by Championship standards. Kargbo has pace so maybe has a higher "ceiling" as the pundits like to say.

Does anyone have a view on whether Ismael is signed up to this transfer strategy? I can't see how he can be much of a fan of letting probably six of our best players go (Dolan, Brittain, Bath, Wieman, Tronstad and Travis) and replacing with unproven imports. He doesn't look like a guy who will take it lying down to me. And he has a record of walking away from jobs.... Him not being around by Christmas seems possible to me.

We are victims of the sunk cost fallacy...

Well the money Venky's advance us does appear on the balance sheet as debt... £147.8M and counting. Obviously there is no way we can pay it back. But it is there in black and white (and highlighted in my yellow). https://swissramble.substack.com/p/blackburn-rovers-finances-202324

If we could be owned by a fans group or a consortium including fans I would take that . I can't really see anyone who would buy us and put money in without expecting it back. The number of unconnected owners who come into a Championship club and it works out is pretty minimal. Often turns into a total disaster. While not having wealthy owners would mean we would have to balance the books, we are closer to doing that now anyway. I think I'd prefer supporting a club run by fans with less resources, than gamble on another owner who may not be engaged for the long term. Even with less cash I would imagine an engaged fan owners would prioritise much better (e.g. getting key players to sign contracts...). Fan owned models while not big in the UK do exist - Hearts, Exeter, AFC Wimbledon.

Well we know one of the big factors in JE leaving was the lack of tying down contracts. I am intrigued what exactly we have offered. Unfortunately VI isn't very clear on that. Could be something the Fans Forum ask for some detail on from whoever comes to that (Gestede?).

Have to say I am very surprised by the amounts we are reported to be spending and getting the business done so early. Doesnt make sense with our understanding of our financial situation at all.. . If we had this sort of money we surely would have got one of Dolan, Travis, Tronstad or Brittain tied down? If the numbers are accurate only explanation is we have got a good budget but being very constrained on wage limits. Seems to continue the theme of Rovers surprising us over the last few years.

Ah makes sense, hes not in a good place so lower wages likely.

What I dont get is would a player of his pedigree really be looking for that much less wage than Travis is? Doesn't add up in terms of what our constraints seem to be financially?

Based on last season Id say Travis is far more box to box than Tronstad. Travis was getting forward much more and I think the main reason he had such a good year. Lacks the technical ability on the turn to be a sitter, but quality getting forward and getting stuck in Robbie Savage style.

Yeah... true we have beaten expectations generally over the last five years. We are going next level with the risks now though... ramping up on a lot of players who have no British football experience. I have been having a look around Transfermarkt trying to see if any other champ club has gone down a similar route (i.e. signing lots of lower/small division foreign players) and I haven't really found any. So it could work, or it could not, we really don't know until the season gets going. Tronstad, Ohashi, Geuye all have been very good (well Big Mak less so, but still decent imo), and while Toth has not played that much but has started to look promising, all of which is positive. But I do have the doubts brought about by Telelovic, the Portugeezers etc. And if it worked to bring on loads of lower division players on 50% or less wage than established Championship players, surely many clubs would be doing it? Also a side comment as well... the players aren't stupid. They will look at the new players coming in and they know it is to save money, so for Travis, Brittain etc I am sure it will be another factor for them to look to other clubs who are investing.

Yeah, I would be surprised given his injury record if anyone would seriously invest. If he can get through a whole season uninjured and in good form his value will rebound, but it's definitely low at the moment.

From a financial perspective where we are going makes sense... Only way to make the numbers work is with players coming from leagues where a 5-10k tops a week wage offer is attractive. A question i have is has anyone done that in the Championship? I can't think of one, but my knowledge of other clubs is not the best. Plenty of promoted club have given it a go with League One players, but I cant think of any who have brought over lots of cheap overseas players with no British experience. But its such an obvious thing to do financially presumably someone has? Closest I can come up with is the loan models of clubs like Wolves but that was usually with partnerships with clubs for loans. I guess Brentford 5-6 years ago was maybe something similar? But feel they were probably offering more cash and buying from further up the food chain abroad? A lot resting on the scouts really making good calls.

Really surprised Kaminski has ended up at Charlton? I can only think they have a few bob and could match his Luton contract.

Well we seem to be going all in on the left field signings. Would love to know how the transfer strategy is working behind the scenes. Already up to six with no British league experience before rovers (Tronstad, Ohashi, Gueye, Kargbo, De Neve, Sid - well, hes had a few games at Leicester but not much). Dont think we have had more than one or two non UK experienced players at Rovers since we left the Premier League. Quite like all of Tronstad, Ohashi, Gueye and Kargbo so hopeful the new guys can keep in the same vein or better.

Forshaw was actually pretty decent in the last third of the season. Getting on a bit though, and I wonder if we lost the legs of Tronstad or Travis Forshaws age and lack of pace would be brutally exposed?

Buckley is a good technical player who has never figured out how to impose himself on a game. A real shame as talent wise hes got the ingredients but so easily gets passed by. Three Rovers managers and one at Sheffield Weds now have just not trusted him which speaks volumes. Eustace made him deputy captain to try and show faith but he had probably his worst season for us last year. Theres no real reason to think he can turn it around which is sad to say.

Players identified from far afield. I am a bit confused who is really driving the transfer strategy at Rovers. Is it Adam Owen? And Rudy Gestede? Neither of their job titles (Head of Technical Development, Head of Football Ops) really make it sound like they own transfers....? In trying to figure out what Adam Owen does I had a look at his wiki... crickey he's got around the clubs. Worked at 12 clubs in his post playing career despite only being 44 as everything from assistant, coach, manager. Got clubs promoted in Switzerland etc... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Owen Looking at his pedigree compared to Gestede's I would guess he is the one really driving the transfer strategy? It's obvious that he's written his own wiki page (kind of like a CV really!), but seems he has a lot of very good experience. Anyone know what he is like? Rated / not rated?

Hmmm... While the current squad has declined a bit since 2021 (when Kane, Walker and Stones were in their pomp) - I would say the current squad is substantially better than the one Southgate first ran with in 2018. The raw bones for 2026 are there - Kane still going, Bellingham and Rice are proven talents at CL level, quite a lot of talented attacking players (Palmer, Saka, Gordon, Eze). The three things we need to do are : 1) sort out the central defence (our number one problem). Since the Euros we have been very unsettled. I would just commit to Guehi and Stones as a pair as it worked well, but injuries have disrupted this. 2) Get the "pivot" in central midfield sorted to smooth out our play through the middle (has to be Wharton surely?) and get the best out of the attacking players 3) Find the right setup for Kane up front. I think we need to drop playing a number 10 as Kane wants to do that himself. Need players around him who focus on getting forward, and work their nuts off on and off the ball. I guess my team would be Gordon Kane Saka Bellingham Wharton Rice Lewis-Skelly Guehi Stones Alexander Arnold Pickford I am not happy about the defensive quality of our full backs, but maybe seems our best options above. But I think it is a hard ask for Tuchel to say he i significantly worse off in his squad than Southgate.

Travis has just had a brilliant season... One of the best mids at this level. Also he isnt really a sitting midfielder, hes got a lot better since Tronstad came in to play deeper and Travis became more box to box.

I guess with Wrexham they do have quite good "death spiral" potential... Such is the focus and media frenzy on them that if they struggle could turn very toxic very quickly. I expect them to be fine, but if they do get a run of bad results it could be interesting.

I had no idea you could be paid that sort of money for a 13 year old... Is this a world record fee for a 13 year old or seen before?? Cant be good for a kids mental health to have that sort of money attached to you so so young.