Massively agree. Still expect us to sign a couple of important players on loan after the season starts

Way I see it, if we are signing up and comers, young projects to fit round a nucleus of a squad - the likes of Rothwell are sensible options. I have said it before, I’d be more worried if we started chucking 30/40k at some aging premier league player. 2 or 3 more of a similar ilk, adding value and potential to the main group, supported by the youth coming through and supplemented by a couple of season long loans once the actual transfer closes in August, sensible business.

You’ve gone and done it... I’m excited. A midfielder with technique, both feet and head up... Its Carlos Villanueva all over again...

Said in his interview it had been going on since January... I do remember the link but can’t recall from whom.

If he has ambition then it’s a logical step if DJ ain’t going anywhere.

Young? yes value? Less risk in a free/lower league wage match so probably but the proof is in the pudding. Position we need? Yes, an option for Evans/Smallwood Potential? Yes, rated and ex prem youth. All around looks sensible to me. Also a fantastic first name...

Maybe he just wants to move on? I mean, why is everything some sort of conspiracy or problem?

He’s one of the best players in the world at the moment, the beauty of the World Cup, it puts club football aside. For me at least. Ofcourse it’s good news for any neutral to watch a game with the best players. On reflection, he’s not made much difference first half though, but both teams have had poor final ball or cross.

Some of the worse refereeing I’ve ever seen.

I think he just said what he’d like, infact the more I think about it, the more I’m thinking the initial comment was Waggott. Ill investigate later

I don’t think he’s disagreeing with you mate, I just think he’s pointing out how much of an exaggeration it is to be up in arms because we haven’t managed to sort more business out early. Id have to find the original article with the exact quote - doesn’t he say he’s “like to get everything done” which is not a statement of intent, it’s just wishful thinking in reality - Id like to take Olivia Atwood out for a Sunday lunch but I doubt I’d be criticised much if it never happened. BDS and Dof95 are right, there is no need for such exaggeration. To suggest we are on our way back down because we have signed anyone yet is absolute garbage.

I ain’t, I pointed out scenarios they may differ in usefulness, I said I’d expect Craig on the fringes if Armstrong and Chapman signed.

A sensible 1 year deal, some performance enhancements and a potential step up to coach down the line - good sense imo. I think experienced players generally are more organised without the ball, it’s just natural with accrued game time, on top of the natural differences in marking ability. Conway certainly wouldn’t need pointing around like Harry did in those scenarios. Craig also works fair hard, so whilst we agree his legs might be on the wane, the effort and intention isn’t. He’s a good backup and pragmatic option, especially if we can’t get the bodies in we might want. On top of his positive impact on the dressing room. None of that’s clever, it’s just common sense. Which says more about you if it’s ungraspable!

Flippancy does you know favours in this debate OG, and if you think releasing Craig without a single wideman on the books is a good idea, I dread to think how you’d manage a football team.

Late goals? I doubt he’d be on the park after 60/70 minutes. Besides, if you read the initial post in full you’d see that I reckon he’d be on the fringes for most games anyway.

Another one who watches a lot of football but never learns anything. Example; 41 minutes into WBA vs Rovers at the Hawthorns, after a succession of corners, an unmarked player taps in after a scramble. Is it because; A. The less experienced/organised younger winger left his man B. Craig Conway was on the pitch to help keep it tight and defend the flanks for 60/70 minutes... C. Jason Lowe.

When I saw Conway, I saw in aging but experienced winger in a physical league. Quite a few performances that echoed the team early doors - poor, but generally decent. Made one or two key contributions though, so dreadful for me is way too far - and since we currently operate with two widemen, with only CC on the books, I think a realistic backup contract for a good influence is basic squad management. If it turns out we’ve a tiny pot to piss in, and he is first 11 choice on the basis we sign nobody else for both positions he plays, (reminding a few he covers both left and right) I’ll be equally disappointed. I anticipate we will sign a few atrackers though, to support DG and Dack. I’d prefer two out and out wide forwards as opposed to strikers shunted out wide, but adding Armstrong and Chapman would instantly put Craig on the fringes again, and I’m hoping we add a few more than that.

Away against teams that are very recently relegated, chock full of internationals and will likely see lots of the ball? I think someone like Craig is preferable to Chapman in those scenarios personally. Especially for the first 60/70 minutes. Its not scratching around, it’s common sense.

Compare, not compete - as in their turnover will fall into a higher grade. Sponsors, corporate - and I don’t think they’ve the same noose of debt hung around their necks. Their average is around 20, which is way above our 16/17 one. If anything - I think Cardiff are a good example of what can be achieved without spending that much at this level. I don’t think it’s a bad idea for Waggott/Mowbray to speak pragmatically about spending either, it certainly doesn’t help to say “we’ve a 50m warchest”... might appease fans, show some ambition but also puts a 0 on the end of every deal and contract. We disagree on what we’d want the owners to do though, I honestly would prefer them to simply cover costs and stump up a modest investment every 12 months. Not start putting money in their advisors pockets again!

Cardiff employed one of the most successful league managers of the modern era to get them promoted. That required a decent backing but nothing ridiculous or expensive, easily contributed too when your a city club, which reaps the benefit of better attendances, corporate and sponsors. Yes, I agree I wish we’d gone for him and not Coyle. Which of those clubs have spent 20m on players by the way? I know Wolves/Villa/Derby/Fulham have chucked a few quid at it, but Cardiff, forest and Leeds? I might be wrong but aren’t Villa in serious financial trouble for doing what you are advocating upon relegation and not succeeding? I personally would prefer the owners to shut up, cover costs and eventually slink off to be replaced by someone less likely to be criminally negligent. Id be more worried if they started interfering or throwing wedges of cash towards agents again. It’s not at all romantic to want a club that’s run properly again. As @Joar said, those great players I mentioned cost peanuts. We had a club that was run properly whilst still a sensible budget. That would be my top target.

Character, experience and professionalism are three of the characteristics we’ve especially lacked since we watched Emerton, Nelsen, Salgado, Ooojer, et al walk away without ceremony - to be so disappointed in keeping an aging but obvious good influence... Questionsble. Or maybe it’s more along the lines of you’ve no real grasp of what it takes to have a successful squad!

Nobody is banging on about it incessantly, bar you JHR. There’s plenty of evidence of sanctions if you’re willing to actually accept them, whether you think they make a difference or not. Transfer embargo’s, fines and future legal battles. You speak as if this is clear cut - I honestly don’t know if QPR et al will eventually be fined, but I do know they must’ve racked up a fair few million already in legal costs. If QPR lose their appeal, the precedent is set. Also, why do you want Venkys to invest more anyway? Seriously? I’d rather the club washed its own face, ran itself, without the need for long term funding. That’s the only way out for these owners imo, they’ve lost enough already. There is nothing positive or ambitious about putting our entire turnover into one transfer fee and bring back murphy and best “esque” wages. If it goes wrong again, do I think the current custodians would accept another 100m of debt? I personally feel lucky that they haven’t carved up the physical assets already, throwing more money down that well would surely cause chaos if it’s unsuccessful. We aren’t comparable to Big city clubs like Nottingham, Leeds, Cardiff either - the difference in basic turnover needs to be pointed out. That’s not about FFP, it’s just absolute fact- leeds average 30k + fans - can’t you see why that might make a difference the wages we can pay?

What have you done with the real JHR?

I can understand why you are saying this but neither of those can speak to clubs at the minute - Dack has 3 years left and Darragh - 12 months. The two we’ve renewed had opportunity to talk to others and would’ve been free to walk on the 30th of June. Hence why I feel it’s obvious they needed sorting first.

why not say exactly what you mean?