Blue blood

With Pearson I worry his combustible nature combined with our owners would mean that it would be a disaster waiting to happen, even if he is a good manager (which I think he is). On the flip side with our owners absent maybe it could be a good fit. He can't argue with someone who isn't there, surely?

Brilliant post and a much more concise and eloquent summary of the situation than I managed. That's the £150 million pound question isn't it. My view, from all I have read and having spoke with a number of Indian friends, is saving face/hiding the skeletons in the closet from being viewed. There's no more plausible explanation for them both continuing to fund us and prevent administration whilst at the same time not doing anything to do with the club properly. Problem is with this is that it means we are stuck with them for a very, very long time.

Hope all goes well for your son and their partner. Can't say I disagree with a single thing in your post - a well thought out process of recovery imo. The problem is for me that Venkys seem utterly Incapable of point 2. There is no vision, strategy, nous. Heck even getting basics right like the timeliness of budget setting would be a huge step in the right direction. Until that happens the plan really won't work. They hasn't been any indication in the last 10 years that they will get this right, so I am not optimistic. With that in mind we're trapped in a Venkys nightmare, as agree with point 1 and would add Venkys aren't interested in selling to grey knights ejthrr. So we are dependent on them, with no way out and very little hope for better. It's a horrible place for us to be in.

@Gav won't quote whole post but I think you are doing a number of managers there a disservice. Wycombe has already been highlighted - bit surprised given how much you say we can't compete financially, that you haven't factored this in for them. The two I would disagree with are Boro and Barnsley. Boro have seen a bigger jump in 1 year with Warnock then TM has managed in three. What does that say for TMs ability? Also the Barnsley chap with very limited resources (again why isn't this factored in for other clubs?) has got them as a comfortable mid table side. Quite an achievement imo.

Always willing to listen to another Rovers fans views 🙂 And yes it is much nicer looking at matches and the club now than under Kean etc. My big issue is that the previous bad times have, I think, influenced us so much that we think that these current times are good, when they are in many ways still a painful shambles. Operarionally I think it's still amature hour. Likewise comparing to Burnley or Bolton is of limited use. Is that the bar and what we should be aiming to be above? Again it may be better but not by much and isn't good. That's Venkys legacy - accepting poor situations because it isn't rubbish. Is our best chance under Venkys run well? Honestly I don't see them pumping in the money. I could be wrong but I thought stadium/pitch stuff didn't count to the FFP costs and Ewoods looking grim. We haven't spent any transfer fee on a defender in 3 years. And operationally they definitely aren't running us well. Zero accountability for the manager, his mate as boss, managers all coming from the same agency, delayed decisions from Pune. Venkys don't give us much of a chance because they aren't really chucking money at it, but much more crucially are operationally horrific. It's like fighting with our hands tied behind our backs at times with them, so not sure it's our best shot or a good shot at all. The last 2 years is an interesting arbitrary place to put the line in the sand (why there?) but even so. Delayed decisions from Pune especially with regards to contracts seems to still be prevalent, a mate as the managers boss still exists, still no dosh spent on defenders. It still to me doesn't seem like any lessons have been learned. Then there's the fact TM is still here. We are never going to get promoted with him, it's Groundhog Day as we never quite make playoffs and always choke when we are near if. That alone might get a decent owner questioning a need for change. So yeah, still not impressed by Venkys ownership. I don't think I am unrealistic in expectations for Rovers. I'm not asking for the world or even (though I hope for it) promotion. But a bit of professionalism and competence would revolutionise how I see the club. Sadly I can't see that in our owners of whom the only defence seems to be it's not as crap as before.

It's Venkys flagilation not Rovers. And as to how to get rid of the debt two thoughts: 1) It's tricky and shows how badly Venkys have screwed us. 2) The simple - but not easy answer - is to get promotion. Which raises the question and we being run in a manner that supports or hampers us from this objective? I'd suggest there's more of the latter. When Venkys start running us properly - not better than before because that bar is so low- there'll be more room to discuss forgive and forget.

The problem with this analogy is it suggests the surgeon does something positive in saving your life and you are back in the same situation as before the surgeon. Maybe add the difference being after the surgery you can't walk and are addicted to the morphine the surgeon provides. That would start to illustrate the crap we are still in because of Venkys current running of the club and previous actions.

We have the mental resilience of a wet paper hankie. Am convinced had this bean a meaningless end of season game we would have got back into it and got at least a point. TM massively to blame for overcomplicating formations and personnel, as well as instilling a 'bottle it' mentality. Nature of the championship is we will get another few cracks at breaking into playoffs, everyone is that inconsistent. Nature of our team under TM is that we won't take advantage of them. Still at least we aren't facing relegation. The endless drift continues.

I blame the glass ceiling...

Really could do with a win here. Results are going our way. Stoke-Reading 0-0, Bournemouth aren't beating the shambles that is Brum, Bristol City losing. As good as we can hope for so we really need to do our bit. Come on Rovers.

Yeah that's what gets me. Aside from the momentum of errors (likes the rest of your post too btw) even the drawing a line in the sand argument is weak because it clearly isn't the case. Putting things right would mean we are back as a midtable Premiership team relatively debt free. Nowhere near that. Or if we say put things right is doing stuff right from now on (which isn't the same thing but let's run with it) then that's still not the case. An unsackable manager with his mate as his boss, no transfer fees on defence since promotion, all managers coming from an agency, decisions from Pune taking ages. It's still no way to run a club. It's like praising an inmate for dealing drugs instead of murdering people. It's still a crap situation.

On the flip side Bournemouth should be one of the favourites for promotion. Good squad, in the top 6 already, a few excuses like no transfer window to hide behind. To me it looks like a quick win job for him - get them promoted and see what comes up. Certainly an easier gig than doing decently with Palace.

Huge test today of our mental fortitude and bottle. Winnable but not easy, promotion teams get results in these kind of games. Will our lot? I'm not sure. Also it's a tad worrying I am more relaxed with two loan kids in the defence than Ayala and Williams...

A few Championship musings. It's a tough title race. Norwich could be out of the automatic places if Brentford and Swansea both win games in hands. A bit like last season it feels like 2 from 3 for automatic places, which did not end well for Brentford. History to repeat itself? Despite that not too worried for Norwich (well worried isn't the right word, that's reserved for us) as all teams will have a wobble during the season, it's the nature of the championship. Added to which the other two teams have to win their games in hand so not a cause for dispair. Plus Norwich know what's needed to get the job done. That said I hope whoever gets third is so demotivated and crushed by missing out we steamroller them in the playoffs (I can dream.) Entertaining for the neutral this 3 way automatic tussle though. Bournemouth have got Woodgate in interim charge. Talk about out of the fire and into the frying pan. May get some manager sacked kind of bounce you see but it's not going to help Bournemouth at all having a rookie manager, and a poor one at that, at the helm. Need an appointment there asap. Perhaps Bournemouth are having Woodgate as caretaker to ensure that fans are happy if Lampard takes the role. One way to make Lampard look a good catch I suppose.

Missed this originally. Interesting appointment - tons of success at that level makes it seem like a good appointment and he would have been my favourite for the Rovers job a few times (including before and after Coyle.) However his last couple of roles haven't been great making you wonder if he's not moved on with the times and is past his sell by date. Will be interesting to see whether that's the case.

Am with you on this. He did the same as every other Derby manager with that expensive squad - playoffs and not promoted. Hardly ground breaking. Chelsea he didn't do great at either despite a lot of money. So really not sure what managerial achievement qualifies him to be a favourite for this role. Also given Bournemouth have been struggling with a rookie manager appointing another seems even more daft imo.

We here this quite a bit and to be honest neophox I'm a tad baffled by it on a couple of levels. Firstly there's the massive issue of putting the pre League 1 stuff to bed. I mean they took a solid Premiership club, relatively debt free, got us relegated twice, let agents and chancers of players suck us dry, have one of the worst managers ever (Coyle) and the most appalling excuse for a human being in Lean to be manager too. We've now got a huge debt, lost half our fan base and are a mid-table Championship side that are dependent on their largess. That's horrific. Should they be given any kind of second chance in light of that? I'm not convinced. Then there's the idea of us being well run now. Again I don't think that's the case. In comparison to before, maybe, but that's not well run, it's badly run as oppose to suicidality run. The pitch is terrible, the stadium is run down. The fan base hasn't been re-established. We have picked the last three managers all from the same agency, and the current one seems bullet proof and immune from scrutiny by them. He's been on runs that would see any other manager sacked and even managed to appoint his mate as his boss. We haven't spent a permanent fee on a defender since League 1 and contracts seem to be allowed to be run down. That's not being run well in my book. Comparing to Bolton and Wigan the only reason why we are different is Venkys have stayed - but even that isn't too laudable given how badly we are currently run. For starters the threat hangs over us should they go, and the alternative is that they run us badly and we get nowhere. It's not a great comparison because when the only alternative to make an owner look good is administration, you know the owner is pretty terrible. It'd be like me asking a girl out and saying well at least I'm not a murderer. It's damning with faint praise at best. . .

Three wages. JRC is a talent and versatile. Other three I agree with though.

Watford lost last night. Norwich drew again. Bournemouth losing (albeit a way to go.) Shows there is nothing a competent team and manager should fear in this division. Yes no easy games but equally all games are ones you feel you could get something from. Also Bournemouth and Watford's squads show the huge difference a quality manager makes. Both very good squads on paper but both quite beatable too. It's the hope that kills you...

Caught up on Rumble. Goldberg Vs Drew was better than k thought it would be which was a bonus. That said I'm not a fan of 2 move matches. They are boring and repetitive. That said they did the best of a bad job and inoffensive is a compliment in this case. Banks - Carmella solid. Their match at TLC, which I thought was good, was better. Women's Rumble I really liked. Decent to good all the way through bar the 24/7 nonsense (which was totally unnecessary) and the right final 3 made a good ending. All three were credible challengers, all three came out looking good and it was a mild and pleasing surprise Belair won. Personally having seen her work in NXT I think Belair deserves a shot at the title and a title run. She was really popular in NXT, had some good matches and has a surprising mix of speed and strength that is impressive. Glad she has got the spotlight as I felt she could have had more of it in NXT. Think she will rise to the role. Reigns Owens terrible ending. It ruined the credibility of wrestling when the referee has to stop counting like that. Wonder what they would have done had fans been in the arena? (Remember Razor won the IC title when Jarrett couldn't climb a ladder in time to keep things realistic.) As it was the said botch might have well have just plastered all over the screen wrestling is fake as it destroyed all credibility and drama. The rest of the match I thought was also overdone (there were too many big, nay huge, false finishes) but actually had me watching and curious in a "how far over the top will they go?" kind of way. Male Rumble - very good until the finish . Lots of rivalries were picked up on in the Rumble which is as it should be, a few people really got to shine (Priest and Riddle) and a good mix of contenders and surprise entrants. Good storytelling. And then we got to the final 4 or 5. When Christian and Strowman are two of them it lessens the drama as you know neither has a chance. Orton's run in not working was a bonus and nice switch on the usual formula, but even so Edge winning? He's one of my favourites but he totally didn't need the win. WWE struggle to raise stars as it is. The Rumble is one of the few places left they can do it well. To blow such a shot on Edge seems so shortsighted and wasteful, especially in light of what the Rumble did for Drew last year. Perhaps if the final 4 had been better if would have helped but the two things combined really left an unsatisfactory taste. Shame as up to then it was going really well. So an ok PPV for me. The Rumbles are worth watching but the ending of the men's tips it more towards meh than great. At least there was no Fiend theatrics making things worse.

Didn't realise about him being RB cover as well. Bit revolutionary having a defender as cover for the right back position, wonder if it will catch on? Personally quite reassured by that as hopefully means won't see Buckley or Bennet there anytime soon. Not a big fan of loans and would much have preferred a permenant championship defender but given our sticky tape approach to the defence it's a solid and much needed signing.

I keep coming back to thinking about Bauer. On a free he was well within budget even if his wages were higher than ideal. Good at this level. Would have been around longer than Tosin and more dependable than Ayala. Sure injuries can and do happen but the likelihood is we'd have been better served than by a (very good) loan and a crock. Appreciate its hypothetical but the likelihood of Warton and Bauer getting long term injuries for us is low (appreciate they both do now, but I think the point stands - a competent and fit CB would have been better for us the last 2 seasons)

The poor chap. It's also a big advantage for a manager not selling any players. Also he's had umpteen windows to get it right and we are still struggling

Think it's great we are getting in someone rather than relying on crocks bit likewise wish we had a longer term approach than the sticky plaster loan solution. If we could loan someone with an option to buy longer term I think that would benefit us more. Even if they have less potential than a premier League loan the longevity and continuity I feel would benefit us more (assuming they are still decent.)

Can't argue with much of your logic although why Goldberg needs to be kept strong or used in matches at all is beyond me. Also am not enthused about a Mix win either. Should be nowhere near the title picture even with the east access of the MITB briefcase. However it is what it is and if comes down to how badly they will mess it up. Goldberg's matches can't be made any worse with interference. Rollins/Reigns I could get on board with. Would like a longer build up than a month or two but it would still be solid. Rollins is great and would make Reigns look like a monster. Hopefully with Rollins as face they actually do some background into making him face rather than ignoring most of his 2020 run. Would still prefer a break out star to win but this could still work.