Roverthechimp

Contracts might be between legal entitities and not an employer/employee relationship. Terminating early may have penalty clauses - minimum buying out the contract but could be more if one party is not in agreement (ie our owners)

Funny that the Emirates FA Cup badge was still red…

Eustace might want to bring him permanently but either Rovers or Brum (or both) weren’t willing to do that.

Theoretical: would anyone pay ALL of BBDs current salary for a loan? (I’m guessing that is what will be required and would probably be 25-30k a week)

Back heel to Beck or Brittain - he’s a creator not a scorer… 😉

Are we chasing playoffs? For real - are the owners and management genuinely looking to aid a promotion push? IMO: no. Why: I have absolutely no idea but as you say - any of our rivals would be looking at more ambitious targets and using every possible means to help the cause (not least after the sales we have made)

Made me chuckle and I get your point but anyone that improves what we have available for selection for games is sort of the point.

Both more reliable players than the current options in our squad - do you disagree or is it you that doesn’t know anything about Sanderson and Forshaw? TLDR: would you prefer our current options or are you suggesting that the signings are promotion caliber???

Buckley, Garrett or Forshaw? McFaedz, O’Riordan or Sanderson? Personally i think the signings improve the squad/options when injuries kick in but it signals that our ambitions are top 12 and not top 6

Suspect the loan fees are somewhat lower for our current targets than Elliot, Van Hecke, Tosin osv.

Suggests McFaedz might be moved on or back 5 on radar… I also wonder if o’riordan will be sold as we seem to have been the wrong move for him. Short version: Sanderson as backup is upgrade (pacewise) from McFaedz. Probably available for perm in summer as well if JE still here/wants him. Forshaw: absolutely no idea

I genuinely believe that the number of points accrued means that the “leadership” won’t invest a penny. Promotion isn’t the aim - avoiding relegation is and it is not unthinkable that the current squad (injuries included) can scrape enough points together to make it over the line. Bakers wage and possibly selling a low value player will cover a loan or short term contract for a player that is not a guaranteed starter…

Quote from JE on rovers website: We’re a work in progress, we’re fighting, we’re scrapping and the 22,000 Rovers fans who came to support us today can see that we’re trying to do the right things. Wonder who gave him that number - the Loons in Pune will be impressed with Waggots work at bringing back the fans

Sorry if i missed it earlier in the thread but was Eustace saying to Parker at the end?? seemed pretty agitated

Contract ate the computer and dog couldn’t work the back up fax machine. Waggot was offsite on an important event (bowling night) whilst Gestede was in Belgium trying to scrounge a plane ticket for a 32 year old striker whose never scored… But we will appeal and try to get the deal for O’Brien reinstated Edit: forgot to mention the 5 year extension for O’Riordan before loaning him out to Bamber Bridge

A big question is if he will be allowed to quit or if he would need to pay to leave. Not sure if WBA would be willing to cover that additional expense and the pissing about that the Vs would do (unless he mentions Suhail in a presser to speed things up…)

When you are resorting to Harry Leonard and John Buckley to transform a game against your historical rivals who are known for being strong and physical then the head coach must be almost as pissed off as we are…

It is on Viaplay if you know a subscriber (should also be on in most sports bars if you can to one and tell them to switch from skiing and hockey repeats… 😉

Worth keeping in case Tron, Baker and JRC are out/knackered? Low wages and I think he could the job better than Buckley but I might be being unfair…

When are Wharton and Carter expected to be “back”? Can’t see signing a CB being priority if they are back next season whilst we still have mcfadz on the books. Dolan I like but I think he feels undervalued and will get more money (if not game time) elsewhere Buckley - taxi please Striker needed, winger (or modern equivalent) and a left back are next on the list. Will we sign anyone other than loans - no because we are already achieving the requirements (ie staying in championship) edit: Leonard needs to play regularly for someone and possibly work on adapting his game to the modern game as my feeling has always been “poacher” in terms of skillset

No Leonard on bench

Hope you are right but we live in interesting times - any opportunity to bring in a fee and cut costs will surely be looked at by those entrusted with making sure we keep paying our bills. As for Travis/Tron: I think any team seriously looking at promotion might consider them a worthwhile option (even at a few million) to see out the season in case of injuries. Irony alert would be if we received an offer for Pears...

On Eustace - I felt like he didn't read the room on his appointment but will hold my hands up and say that he is a far better manager and coach than I thought. Also seems to have found a way to have good morale within the club whilst now being able to communicate to fans that he is aware of the bigger issue (without making it a distraction) On January: my biggest fear is that we will lose Beck back to Liverpool and maybe even accept an offer for one of our better players (Trav, Tron or Cantwell).

I like him, think he contributes a lot to the team ethos, is useful on the ball (at times), get in the right places for the opportunities and can actually win a header/flick on from a goal kick. Fortunately we, so far, aren't relying on him to bang in 20 goals because his finishing is absolutely dreadful but he genuinely does cause problems for defenders creating chances for others. Without his "charisma/cheerleading" i'd be way more critical but every time he has come on with 10 to go to see the game out then we have achieved that objective. If, on the other hand, we needed a goal with 10 to go then i would still consider him an option. Not to actually score himself but in some way to create the opportunity for someone else to score...

Wasn’t there something about toll roads when scouting players that got mentioned earlier this year as well that pissed off the scouting dept? Maybe he was informed that as part of rovers drive towards environmental sustainability that his bike (2nd hand) was being delivered next week…