5 hours ago, JHRover said:

I do wonder about some of these figures and whether they are being inflated portray the owners in a positive light. 

1) the £3 million going into the academy I understand isnt a voluntary donation. It is a requirement of Category A academies. If it isnt spent the academy is downgraded. 

2) I find it hard to believe that analysis booths and software for scouts has cost millions of pounds. We could build a new training ground for that sort of money.

 

Or buy a bloody centre half!

or will it be the David Rays suite??

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

Sharpe reckons that Ipswich keeper is off to Milwall so isn't happening.

And Bormuth said to have been looked at by Barnsley last year and not convinced he’s better than league one standard !!

what the hell are we playing at ???

we might as well have kept Paul Downing!!

Just now, DE. said:

Not for us, Bialkowski is a very poor keeper - hence Milwall being the only team interested. 

Ipswich keeper with a foreign sounding name - as European as Mowbray and his scouts can get !!!

2 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

Sid the long-serving scout is finding it hard in the digital age.

He's asked for an upgrade on his company Sierra. 

And we must have the only scouts in England with no passports 

2 hours ago, m1st said:

Hopefully, that'll open the door to a big, preferably ugly, experienced centre-half - not bothered if he's Croatian, German or whatever nationality - who will be ready-made to replace Mulgrew in the back four.

Aye and bizarrely M1st I bet they are both on a lot less money than the City kid.

bonkers

Just now, bluebruce said:

Current Crotian international is probably stretching the definition a little bit. Looks like he played 77 minutes for them in a game back in 2017, and got on for a single minute in June two games back. Didn't make the squad for any of the games in between the debut and second cap. Stayed on the bench for the last game. Technically, yes, current international, but still. Breaking in now, I guess.

Possibly mate yes but if he’d got 50 caps he’d probably be £25million .

lots of Europa games and captain of his club suggested bags of experience and know how . I paid little attention to it at the time but having had the stuff posted by Swanson I actually think this player could be a hell of a catch for us st the money .

wonder if Rich Sharpe has heard it?

Just now, bluebruce said:

Ugly bastard. Perfect! Won't be afraid to shove his face in front of a foot or get punched for being a git. Might be hoping for it, to accidentally improve his face!

28, which I tend to regard as a CB's typical peak. Couple of Croatia caps, captain of his side, who finished 3rd in the Croatian league. Hardy lot those Eastern Europeans. Tall enough without being a giant, at 6 ft 1 and a half according to Wiki. Shorter than Mulgrew but unlikely to be worse in the air. Profile sounds alright to me.

Have to admit Bruce those were exactly my thoughts when I saw that pic from Swanson . Proper kick his granny type , Jim  Branagan esque.... bloody ideal !! 

Just now, Tormund said:

Sounds good mate if true. Must be so many gems out there for small fees.

It just seems crazy that you could get a current Croatian international centre half for less than £2million when you look at some of the nonsense deals that go on . That’s a team with the likes of modric , rakatic etc so he’s not going to be crap . 

Just now, Tormund said:

Seems so easy doesn’t it. Don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. 

If it’s true then maybe they have done and fair play in that case . I’m just trying to find out if Skoric ever played against Middlesbrough !!!!

Just now, Tormund said:

Sounds good mate if true. Must be so many gems out there for small fees.

I know - why don’t our scouting dept ever come up with any though?

Just now, Swanson said:

This guy? https://www.transfermarkt.com/mile-skoric/profil/spieler/71594

Bloody hell wish Mowbray was that quick !!

yes I think that looks right from what they guy said . Apparently a no nonsense leader - Rangers played them in Europa league recently(?) and we’re keen on him . 

Thats about as far as it went before it was my round !!

6 hours ago, Tormund said:

An overseas signing, who’d have thought it!

6ft3 and quick, just what we need.

A guy who’s lad plays in the academy was saying in Hare &Hounds at lunchtime that we are in for Croatian international centre back called Skoric captain of Osijek. He said it will happen after this weeks Europa league game v CSKA Sofia and for £1.5m

didnt think much of it at the time but may be we’ve moved on from the city lad 

no idea how strong this is but just passing on what was said  

1 hour ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Deals not announced today due to communication issues with India to get the final green light to complete. Therein lies the problem with absent owners. Photographer requested for tomorrow so they must be hopefull of concluding one or two . Still a bit of a shambles to be honest 

Green light from India for  2 bloody loans????!!! there in a nutshell my friends is why we don't stand a chance under these morons whatever spin gets put on it from Ewood. So much for them trusting Mowbray and Waggott . FFS

4 hours ago, Mercer said:

Look, Coyle didn't deliver at Rovers but by and large, much of last season's team and promising Academy youngsters were all here when Mowbray arrived.

Mowbray has given us Dack with Rothwell also showing much promise.  Other than that, his player trading, IMO, is p1ss poor - £7+million spunked away on Brereton, Raya sold only to see Walton and possibly Eastwood to come in to replace, add an array of over 30's in Downing, Johnson and possibly Adam and it's stuff that doesn't get my pulse racing.

Youre right Merc and no way defending Coyle but Venkys also took both centre halves away from him late in the window and give him no chance to get replacements . I'm not sure in the 2 1/2 years since that Mowbray has progressed that aspect of the team. In fact the 68 we shipped last season under a conservative manager  is arguably worse than any of his predecessors. The point is that he's had 2 plus years to sort our defence and appears not to know how to even begin the task. Clueless . 

4 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I think it is going to take a bid around 5 or 6 million pounds to get at least. If we cant get him Then I would look at Kyle Bartley at WBA 

I admire your optimism Chaddy but shopping at B&M for a keeper having had to sell the previous one to finance the Gallagher deal doesn't cry out to me that we have £6m left to spend  but then again ………...the Brereton surprise last year !!!!!

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Rovers have bids in for players Matty. I have no names just that we have bids in. Source wont say any more. 

I'm pleased that there is no leaks from us. Its good then we can hopefully get our targets in. 

Mowbray said yesterday we wanted a centre back for money in if you look carefully at his words. I hope that is big money buy like Cooper from Millwall. Think he is just what we need next to Lenihan. 

 

I hope you are right with Cooper, Chaddy but somehow we know now that any bids we make are probably £1-£2million at best. I cant see Millwall falling over themselves to accept that kind of money for one of their best players at this late stage. To me, if that was going to get done then it would have happened by now. But what do I know ????

Just now, unsall said:

Have you seen our debt, well over 100 mil, they invest every month just to keep us going, have  you been keeping up with Bolton, must be heartbreaking for their fans, not sure what you mean saying they don’t invest, doesn’t matter how much people hate the owners, the truth is we need them more than they need us, sometimes it’s better the devil you know.

Unsall, they invest every month to deal with the abject mess they started 10 years ago . Its completely self inflicted. So yes , if they up sticks and go we could be in a terrible mess but  this is all their own doing and for which not only will they get no credit from me but I will hate them with a passion as long as I live.   

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Q-1 How much negativity can you fit in a response to the news Travis has signed a new long-term deal? 

Answer- See  above 

The positivity will come from seeing him as one of the first names on the team sheet as he should be. 

Anyway, Glad you're enjoying the great things going on at present. Enjoy.

Just now, Biz said:

Holy smokes, that chestnut has surely been debunked by now.

 

It would have been if anyone was convinced that TM sees Travis as a starter when everybody is available. He should be but you still get the feeling TM doesn't see him as a ''safe'' option and will defer to his tried and tested

Just now, Biz said:

 

scattergun contracts eh!

Progress we would never have known about had Smallwood not got sent off at Sheff Utd. Trav would have been on loan at Fleetwood or somewhere daft. 

That said I think he's a player and its the right decision. But Tony , FFS don't try and use this as a distraction to a crap transfer window   

Just now, arbitro said:

I described our transfer policy as scattergun recently and was rounded on by some who disagreed. I don't see any planning in our business so far and now there is a hint of desperation. There doesn't appear to have been any scouting of any of our signings so far. Mowbray's brave new world is in danger of falling off a cliff.

I honestly think something has gone massively awry at Rovers in the last few months.

Bang on Arbitro. If we had to raise funds to support our plans then selling Raya was probably about the best feasible option. We wouldn't get the cash for the ones we all know aren't good enough and we wouldn't want to lose those that would command decent money. So Brereton looks more ridiculous by the hour at £7m. Add to that we have topped up the wage bill with Downing which also looks mystifying if things are tight.

None of what we have signed or any we have been linked with reflect well on our scouting system let alone our European ''enhancements''. So far ,a combination of known to TM from previous clubs/played here before/played well in a game against a TM team in the past/live on the same estate in the North east !!   

If that's our level and our budget then that's what it is but from April onwards we have simply been fed absolute rubbish by him and Waggott so much so that they cant remember what's been said earlier and constantly contradict and back track on themselves. All this same budget/defenders are coming/need to stop conceding 68 goals/get them in early nonsense is exactly that.....nonsense. 

Even if we sign a couple of top notchers now (extremely unlikely) then this window could never be described as anything other than haphazard and certainly not planned .No way Walton was our top GK target. So yes, something appears to have gone decidedly wrong down Ewood way.

I stand by my harsh words of last week, I think Mowbray is not very bright. He is as safe a pair of hands as exist in this murky world but tactically crap, not brave enough and too loyal to guys who don't give him any trouble but who fundamentally aren't up to the job.

Ladies and gents we might flatter to deceive at points in the season but overall we ain't going anywhere with this bloke in charge.        

Just now, Pedro said:

Walton is a better keeper with a better record.  Raya frustrated the hell out of me. His basic kicking, flapping about and rash decision making put us under so much pressure. I wish him well but I'm glad he's not our problem anymore and my heart will benefit from it.

Pedro , you do know that Wigan dropped Walton last year after a series of high profile cock ups that were down to him?  Not sure this is a material upgrade tbh and certainly not what folk expected when throwing names around like Forster, Hart, Adrian, etc. Lets hope there is better to come in the GK dept but I have my doubts that this fella would be coming to warm our bench.

Just now, Kamy100 said:

There is an agreed amount that TM and Waggott were happy to work with, they have then further supplemented that with the sale of Raya.  

I much prefer this approach where we are spending what we can realistically afford rather than the uncontrolled spending of the past.

Don't disagree Kamy but whilst we all know transfers don't necessarily happen in the preferred order for many reasons , overloading midfield and striking dept (where apparently nobody will play down the middle!!) looks flawed. If we had a tough big back four who could kick and scratch ie just out and out defenders then those in front of them will often create something somewhere . The problem we have had for a long time and at this minute still looks the case , is that we concede soft goals and can often implode and ship a few goals in a few minutes in games.

This is what most on here have identified for ever and why £7m on Brereton looks so odd in that context. £7m spent on proper defenders and GK would in my opinion have given us a pretty decent foundation to start looking upwards in the Championship .You could probably have got 4 proper ones for that money . As it stands, its gone on  a player whose attributes aren't clear , nor is his favoured position and very likely he wont be a regular starter.

That in the eyes of many is  a very muddled, ill thought out transfer policy when the funds have to be carefully watched.  Basically it all looks a bit of a mess less than 2 weeks to the big kick off. 

45 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

Sounds good doesn't it

At the minute nobody playing down the middle looks like we will be playing minus a keeper and central defenders. Bloody hell Mowbray's got a degree in bullsh1t and the contradictions coming from him in the last 6 months have been truly mind blowing.  

Just now, blackburnravers.com said:

conceded 21 at home, 48 away

48 goals away from home , many comical / horrendous . He made a big thing of it having to stop in May and here we are without defensive reinforcements less than 3 weeks before the season. Truly baffling knowing that 10k Rovers fans have seen it plain as day and expected corrective action last Jan . They might come , lets bloody hope so. Ones that have to be ready to go on August 3rd!