And was on loan…! 😂

He has a point that the money we’ve got “backing us” potentially should afford some creative “accounting” or finding foreign sponsors to get round the rules. Hasn’t stopped a few teams over the last few years skirting it - Watford, Leicester, Bournemouth etc

Do you realise that breaking the rules makes it easier to slide into league one? Points deductions, court battles, embargo’s? Sheffield Wednesday / Derby failed to circumvent the rules, where others have successfully got round it. Didn’t we have an embargo after Lambert left - hence selling Duffy? Didn’t that prevent or limit wages / transfer then?

Or… and I’m not trying to dismiss this point… or be facetious…. it’s because we’ve just sold a striker? Id put down our seemingly topsy turvy investment in the overall squad down to inadequate scouting, bad decisions from management and the right players being available / wanting to come. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the owners only really take passing interest when it’s a “striker” ie key player. Also the investment across the squad, with loans preferred in certain areas seemingly - perhaps it’s impacted by what was available from the academy either now or down the line. Off the top of my head, we’ve not seemingly had many attackers come through - where as our last 5 academy years have given us plenty of defenders / midfielders. TM regularly talks about “polishing up” to sell on, If I was theorising - perhaps every player that’s coming through has an “expected sale value” attached hence why you’d not spend too much on the centre-back position with Wharton, Carter and Magliore all potentially ready or not far off.

As I’ve said plenty of times, SW / TM haven’t been good enough. You don’t need me to tell you that do you? As I’ve said plenty of times we aren’t owned by “normal” invested, thoughtful professionals who care about their money As I’ve said plenty of times, out transfer business has been hit and miss. Latching on to hits isn’t ignoring anything. Simply dismissing good signings is however Less extreme in reactions; doesn’t mean I’m happy with our current scenario, it means when someone says an OTT, I’ll thought out and extreme comment like; “this is the worst football I’ve seen for 50 years” I just remind them that they’re talking guff and point them to the facts. Don’t like it? Don’t read it.

I might change my darts name to “The Remorseless Optimist” it’s got a ring to it.

“Everything is fine” campaign is literally hilarious. Can see that in “the thick of it” style comedy, bit of post disaster slogan politics… Reality of my actual opinion is probably best summed up as less “extreme”. I can’t remember the beginning of the quoting now but I do recall it being about Raya leaving. I just think being fair that’s an area of the pitch that they’ve justified the decision- even if people manage to froth at the mouth due to Pears being A) raw as fuck and from Boro. In terms of “everything ludicrous rationally explained” that’s never difficult. Generally people who fail either don’t care, don’t try hard enough or aren’t good enough (or a mix of the lot) Whats the opposite of that? Irrationally Explained? Gladly put Mr opposites pants on with that argument.

Just on the (sounds familiar) part - I think signing Etuhu, Murphy, A bucket full of Portuguese nobody’s, Edinho Junior et al and then big cash and wages on Best and Rhodes, probably signing away 50/60m in cash just in contracts (most paid off)… In the history of Blackburn rovers, there’s nothing that sounds as familiar to that abject criminality of sewing up parachute payments. Let’s be honest with history if we’re relying on it

Without googling interviews the basic thing I remember was being benched for Leutwiler, Spanish coach at Brentford, more chance of promotion. Sickening really but this is one of the scenarios where (I agree with @Exiled_Rover) that we ended up with a better player for a fraction of the fee we received.

Imagine comparing a transfer who was a very good replacement for someone who wanted to leave, in the last 3 years, to a good transfer in 1992…. Im not sure how to respond without utter disbelief tbf

Not sure I agree wholly with the “one step back two steps forward” part but I certainly agree wholeheartedly that their inept ownership of the club has led to huge problems. They’ve literally wasted nearly 200m because of it. Sustained investment to cover up their own bad business decisions, now impacted the turnover to the point we’re borderline breaking 3 year FFP rules in 18 months.

Imagine what Andy Holt could’ve done with 150m invested in Stanley over ten years.

Sorry my eyes 👀 haven’t stopped rolling round and round in their sockets from when I saw you said they spend nothing https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19428098.blackburn-rovers-latest-accounts-reveal-22m-loss/

5 times worse Walton? Sounds a bit OTT. Also Raya wanted to leave - I don’t think this was something they’d planned for. Certainly wasn’t a patch on either Kammy or Raya. Should’ve been quicker but in the end it’s worked out well. Oh wait, sorry I mean everything’s terrible. 😆

😂 touché

Arguably correct however what is a players worth in context if we spent 30% of the fee we recouped on his replacement who’s now possibly worth more? I agree that we are far more Birmingham than Brentford but they’re example and standard was a top class, modern, consistently evolving approach. We’re bang average (with a huge benefactor)

Yea 1 gone, sold for 5 times more than we paid for his replacement (who’s arguably better) That doesn’t mean I think they’re shrewd operators either, but they haven’t got everything wrong. When Big Ben, Kaminski, Nyambe and Rothwell et al leave on a free I’ll grab the pitchfork and join you, but I just don’t think it’s the most likely outcome. Of course, they’re not all going to stay. Some might feel they can earn more elsewhere, others might be frustrated with position / playing time - however the idea that they’ll all leave for free, to me (at least) seems like classic doom mongering!

Shh facts aren’t as important as theories 😉

If anyone fancies something transfer related that might cheer you up (as opposed for the “how quick to worst case scenario” chat); 1 year on from signing someone I’d never heard of, for a nominal fee. Proven to be some of the best business the clubs done in years. (Cue - “he’ll be going on a free then “)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58250280 Inks not even dry. I mean, I know it’s not exactly going into a season with the confidence and expectations we should be, but why make things up, and assume things will be always worse case scenario?

Danny G called it 4-4-open

Just throwing money at something isn’t looking after it. Especially if you’re simply adding another 10000 shares. We where rudderless after Williams left, and Waggott is like trying turn the Titanic with a teaspoon.

What can we say - each to their own but I don’t buy the reactive OTT stuff aimed at TM. I think Waggott has steadily shown he is inept, but when it comes to Rovers problems. I only ever seen The Rao’s as the reason. The buck stops in India. They don’t value their money, or ensure it’s used correctly. Until they start doing so, we will more Birmingham than Brentford

I disagree with lots of this, particularly don't like the tone of it either. Like 1- he inherited a struggling squad, rebuilt it for league one, then had some good/bad since. I mean he brought (had him at cov, and he’s also from the north east - two things constantly brought out as negatives) a player who’s probably covered his entire transfer fee outlay in 4 years. Could’ve been Brentford level - but to say it’s horrendous - bit stupid really. 2. The owners are responsible for hiring Waggott, regardless of TMs recommendations. Their abject laziness is responsible for that, even if I agree somewhat on the training ground bollox 3. The bold part is so short sighted / minded. I can give you two managers within 20 years who’ve put up a lot worse than Tony’s inconsistent Rovers - and Brian Kidd had probably a top 5 wage bill, and most to spend to get us back up. Kean though. I mean I know some of us have burnt that entire episode out of our minds but he sew our future up with stupid wages, and the most badly organised footballers I’ve ever seen. 5 is again giving no benefit of the doubt or expecting immediate results based on your own ridiculous expectations. Shoe horn in a “it’s his mate” and there we are. Tonys done well in patches, average in the transfer window and ultimately failed to move us forward. Suggesting he’s the worst manager in 50 years is exactly the type of over the top comment that gets football fans pigeon holed as “over reactive, over expectant and utterly foolish!”

Absolutely- I think it’s not that surprising though - he’s always had the raw materials but you know as well as I know what confidence does. Currently 5 out of 6 in the Blackburn darts / dominos league and it’s crazy how easy those doubles fly in when you’re on a roll 😆