What makes it worse is that the rub up to the Rumble and WM is a) the time for your best storylines, with a fitting climax at WM and b) is made somewhat easier by the presence of these two events. Hard to disagree with any of your analysis on Raw. What makes it even more painful is Ricochet and Riddle were super over on NXT and were utter stars in the making. Ricochet can do stuff no one else can, whilst Riddle also had a unique character and look. Both destroyed on the main roster. As for Retribution - a good idea horrifically executed. Hurt Business likewise. The best breakups happen when a ton of history is thrown away (The Shield for example) whereas this is the most rushed storyline ever. Vince has done wonders for wrestling but he's firmly on the downward slope now. Also - last rant - Goldberg in a main event at the Rumble. Aside from him being terrible these days it's a bit of a kicker to need to rely on him in the main event scene. Smacks of desperation and cluelessness.

Hard to disagree but uniting the fan base, a familiarity with the club, just as much success as TM all suggests he would be worth investigating as an option. Most of all he has had success here and whilst he has struggled elsewhere perhaps this club is a sweet spot, so to speak, which gets the best out of him as a manager. Worry is though it's a bit different these days at Ewood.

Unless we get a few adverse results in the next fixturea in which case the postponement will have disrupted momentum and our plans. "It is what it is but the postponement didn't help our momentum."

Absolutely! Credit where it is due. This is the first time I can think of where TMs training has stopped the opposition from scoring. It's a novel approach but his most successful one to date.

Really? I mean it doesn't seem to have done Norwich too badly. Or Stoke or Boro. Or jumping up a league many other teams from Spurs to Leicester. 2020 wasn't too shabby for Liverpool. I'm not sure why all these restrictions etc make it hard to judge us and hard for us to perform yet other teams have coped with it. Well clearly you are bothered as I am losing track of the why won't you accept my opinion posts. And I'll even answer that question for you -AN OPINION IS NOT UNCHALLENGEABLE, NOR DOES IT AUTOMATICALLY HAVE MERIT. Let me give a few examples. Let's say I think Shearer was a crap player. Should that opinion stand? It's got zero evidence to back it up, quite the contrary, so why should it be accepted? Also it's a bit of a moral danger to just accept/allow any opinion. Let's say - and to stress I really don't think this is the case - I think that black players are all rubbish. Now we've not only got zero evidence we'd have also strayed into racism. Again should this be allowed to fall back on why don't you accept my opinion? (Again to be clear I do NOT think that is the case.) Should such an opinion be inviolate? People aren't accepting your opinion because they profoundly disagree and think it is contrary to the evidence. And whilst a message board is a place of oppinions it is also a place where the weaknesses of said arguments will be highlighted. Such as, your assertion 2020 is unfair to use, as for many clubs in the same circumstances it was a good year.

My take is: Season 1 huge ask, didn't achieve it but enough positives and change to keep on. Season 2 promoted and achieved what was needed. Not an excellent job given our budget some dicey transfers and first few months in League 1 but a good job nevertheless. Season 3 achieved target of mid table. On paper a good job. In practice the latter half of the season include that horrible winless run, with his basic errors and blowing the budget really take the shine off and alarm bells ringing. With high standards for these reasons he should have gone at the end of this season but I can see the argument that he deserved another chance. I thought the errors outweighed the pros albeit the finish was acceptable Season 4 lost the plot. No keepers at the end of the season (and arguably during it), no long term defensive solutions, more money blown, more bizarre decisions, no realistic/serious play off challenge. Combined with last season momentum has to swing towards getting rid. Season 5: Same issues from basic errors, total stagnation. Further away from playoffs than last year. Poor defensive recruitment. Has to go. Anywhere else would have been potted at the end of the last 2 seasons and during this one, of which only after the first season back in the championship would he have any sort of case to argue contrary to sacking Only at Rovers with no accountability does he ride out the last two seasons and half of this one. Incidentally like Souness I think once the errors start to come (second half of our first championship return season) then it's a downhill slope from there and it's hard to recover from. The trick is to stop the rot before it becomes rot. And whereas it may be debatable when that point was we have definitely past it. Got to get rid.

Yeah I think a fairer comparison with the two managers is that they have turned their clubs round in a fraction of the time which is an uncomfortable fact for TM. That said neither gig was easy although of the 3 TM arguably had it the hardest. Boro were strong candidates for relegation under the clueless Woodgate so I still think that was a heck of an achievement. TM on balance did inherit a slightly harder situation, but I don't think the situations are vastly dissimilar (squads decimated by cutbacks and an utterly clueless manager.) So I think it's probably a fair comparison albeit not an exact like for like as our situation and the points total required that season was harder. As comparisons go I think it's fairly reasonable and doesn't reflect well on TM. Similarly with Stoke it's not an exact replica of the situation as he had more time. However Stoke had been a rotten club with many managers experienced and young and up and coming failing there. they had had years of problems so again it wasn't an easy situation. This one is less comparable though as a transfer window and the number of games is significantly different. I guess the point is whilst not like for like, is that a) both achieved what was needed and above expectations last season (contrast with TMs plodding on) and b) in less than half the time have their clubs challenging for promotion. Both aspects to me show that they are miles better managers than TM.

None of that is irrelevant actually. And whilst I would agree TM had a tough gig trying to save us from relegation the uncomfortable fact is O'Neill and Warnock have turned their clubs round in a fraction of the time TM has. Also (and it seems by your own post you thought similarly) Boro were in a horrific mess when Warnock took over. I'm also a tad bemused how Warnock is a has been whilst TM is the man for us. In the past few years off the top of my head he has saved Boro from relegation and got them at the right end of the table, got promoted with Cardiff and saved Rotherham from relegation (one of his best achievements imo). Even before you factor in his other work his record is far superior to TMs.

Again, not trying to shoot you down but profoundly disagree! How are we guaranteed our money back/a justified fee with Bereton? I agree it's certainly possible given his age but it's far from certain. For starters look at how many other players his age haven't made it from similar positions. Look at his form since he has come back. Look at his performances for the first two years. Your basing the optimism on a small window of form. And fwiw I think that window of form whilst good, looked better than it was as it came after two years of utter ineptness. Contrast his performance levels with other forwards who have gone for £6-7 million in the championship, and you see he has a way to go before we are guaranteed our money back. Hang on a sec, I think there's a few issues here. Firstly we really shouldn't be spending money on young lads who take a few seasons to develop. Yes, they should have potential to improve, (perhaps this is what you meant) but to say they need to be able to contribute immediately. We can't afford to have players we have to wait 2 years plus to contribute. As for bringing leaders in, as I have said before, leaders can be younger or any age. One example under Hughes we had a whole team full of leaders, costing different levels of money to bring in, and at a range of ages. I don't see why we have to bring leaders in on loan or why players on a free can't necessarily have this quality. It sounds to me like made up excuses as to why TM doesn't have any leaders in the dressing room. This so called attractive football you talk about is football snobbery. You get a football style that suits your circumstances - players/budget etc. To say this attractive football is better and more successful is a complete myth because we aren't improving! We're in a worse position than last season when we were "hoofing it up to Graham." This nice football is not seeing us dominate the championship. If anything we have regressed. Do you genuinely think we are going to dominate the championship this season - given we haven't (or have only once) beaten a team above us and are firmly midtable? Again, there's zero evidence for such an assertion. Equally to the point that this attacking football is more successful is, to put it bluntly horse manure. You mention Wolves and Leeds, but look how many clubs Warnock has got promoted with a different style? Also the idea that straight back down happens if you play this "rubbish" football is news to every club Big Sam has kept up, Burnley, and a tad surprising to Norwich and their "nice" brand of football. It really is a myth that there's only one way to be successful playing football. It's simply not true. Also the idea you wouldn't want to go up playing rubbish football, that you would put style ahead of success - man we really disagree about the point of football. Surely winning is more important than fitting than playing eye catching football. And this is before we even consider the reality of what is possible with the resources that we have. I'm not even arguing the issue as to whether our football currently is attractive! The reason for the dodgy defence and injuries is in part due to the chap you are championing! He's the one who has assembled a defence of crocks. He's the one who can't organise a defence. He'#s the one who is on record saying we are building from attack rather than defense. The problems you highlight are because of said manager. Also what has been built? A mid-table team is hardly a huge revolution. And after three years being still a mid-table team, the achievement pales even more. And that's not even considering his half a season evaluation and League 1 chance to start the rebuild! As what has been built it's pretty minimal imo, and certainly no more than the mid-Bowyer tenure. As for Venkys hiring yes men, and boy do I hate Venkys, the idea that the only options are TM or an incompetent also isn't true. There are other options as well. Add in the fact that TM is hardly a rebel with regards to Venkys whatsoever, so I don't buy that the only way is TM or a stooge of Venkys. We don't look likely to go up so I can't see Armstrong signing. We don't look like we will improve - in fact the last three seasons show mid-table is where we will be, so how can you be so sure that things will improve encouraging the players to sign? On that even if said improvement - of which there is little evidence for - happens, what makes you think the selfish lot that are footballers won't look for a better deal? It's an optimism not born out of reality. Agree about the deadweights though! There seems to be some shifted goal posts here. I've never said that we have the dosh to attract top players. But to suggest we can only build a club on loans is a terrible idea. Also those aren't the only two options either - free transfers, buying shrewdly for small fees, as well as utilising the loan market and what you have are all part of creating a good team. Let's not rewrite history and say TM hasn't been able to buy players and can solely has to rely on loans. That's not the case evidenced by the transfers over the last few years. Also whilst they may not allow them to any random club, i think there's a fair few they would have leant them to. Hard to say it was TM or bust - either for or against - with regards to loans without knowing more. Yeah Coyle and Lambert weren't good. But that's not the only alternative. And even then it's not like TM is streets ahead of them even if he's better. It looks as though he has run his course, and three years into the championship later we're not vastly better off. I think his time is up. As for best interests - eh, his comments, appointing his mate as his boss, and the Boro charity fund all make me doubt that this is the case.

This is a spectacular list of excuses whilst glossing over mistakes. Priced out of moves and forced for loans? Bereton's fee alone would have paid for McGynn, Pickering and Kipre's fees. I get there are wages too, but then loan players have a big wedge of wages as well. I'm not quite sure up to this season that we are the paupers you suggest. Or taking another example Bauer was no way more expensive than Tosin. Not saying he's better but actually owning a solid championship player would have benefitted us more long term. As for Downing we brought him in because we needed experienced heads. Again this is damning with faint praise as if TM has assembled a squad with no leadership skills that he needs to bring a free agent in - well that says a lot about his squad building abilities and not in a positive way! Also players under 33 can be leaders too which again supports the idea that TM can't assemble a squad. It's not only available in a 33+ year old. Moving on ignoring that fact we blew 12 million - and if you think a couple of goals in an admittedly much improved Bereton warrants a fee of £6-7 million I fear you will be disappointed - you want a team that can sustain itself in the Prem. Given we don't even look likely of making playoffs under TM I'm not sure how this is a reason for keeping him. And whilst we would all prefer to stay there comfortably surely a yo-yo club is much better than being a mid championship outfit? And as for needing to impose ourselves playing football a certain way to stay in the league is sadly news to our 5 fingered neighbors. The inference from all that is we need to keep TM because he plays a certain way that will get and keep us up. History and the present shows that a) such a stylistic need is not true (Warnock with promotion, Big Sam keeping teams up) and that b) TM couldn't get us anywhere near promotion much less keep us there. It's a poor argument. Your optimism on the team is also a tad ambitious. Suggesting players will stay if we get near promotion? Everyone knows how the majority of footballers are massively disloyal. That's wishful thinking which goes against what's been seen over and over at our club and many others. To think those players will do well and still be here in a year or two just doesn't correlate with every championship team that we have seen. Another damning with faint praise is the can't rely on Johnson. That's been vintage TM for the last 2 years! As for the top 8 finish I feel that's a tad arbitrary as a cut off point. Is 9th and 2 points off worse than 8th and 10 points off? Also there's a heck of a difference between making a late surge up the table when it doesn't matter and genuinely be in the running for playoffs. Again you state keeping TM will help us attract players? What evidence is there for this? You even say he has wasted money and hasn't been able to afford targets (although I disagree with this point.) So by your own arguments it's hardly like he is a master recruiter. Not trying to have a go. Apologies if it comes across this way. I just don't see any evidence backing up your optimism.

Thanks for highlighting this (I think?!?) Would totally have assumed a 7.45 KO. Nah mate you are imagining things. Defence doesn't really matter - just ask our footballing genius TM. It must be pure coincidence... This is what annoys me. Every game even against the so called bigger teams it's possible to get something from. Can't compete is utter bull when anyone can beat anyone in this league. A bit more nous in the dugout and combined with our pitch proving a leveller and there is no way we should be worried about facing anyone. Not an easy game at all, but not a David v Goliath battle either. Agree on score and verdict. We've fallen so far when not losing to Swansea at home is an achievement.

Thanks for the article. It's an interesting career as a manager. Does excellently in his first two roles but then it is very hit and miss after that. (Interestingly another ex manure player did excellently in his first 2 managerial roles but was horrific for us...) The Stoke, Southampton and QPR roles were all pretty poor albeit Stoke was perhaps ok for a while. I do wonder if the game has passed him by. That said I'd still take him over TM on the basis of what he had done previously with us.

Although in fairness Johnson doesn't have the engine to get in the box, Ayala is always injured, Gally is stuck out wide on the touchline and Lenihen is babysitting a midfielder in centre defence. Agree it's a shocking stat btw. Just doing a TM and throwing in a load of excuses that actually highlight other failings.

That's the most negative I have heard fan comments in/under a LT article during TMs reign. I use the word negative in the loosest sense of the word but it must be bad when even fans on LT think we aren't playing well. Think no fans in the ground is probably helping TM now.

Change his name to Kean or Coyle with the comments he comes out with there would be absolute uproar.

It's also a terrible excuse. As in they are doing nothing that theoretically we couldn't do. As it is if we can't compete with any club because we are a basket case we might as well all pack it in. Which doesn't seem too bad an idea compared with TMs glacial revolution.

It's the only possible argument that has any credence whatsoever as to why TM should stay, but I would like it if said argument was accompanied by the acknowledgement that TM is pretty poor. As it is the arguments gets weaker every day as TM continues with error after error, and with absolutely shocking comments, lowering the bar so even the said agency has comparable.candidtates.

Talk about groundhog day. Rovers get an uninspiring result leaving us all pretty dissatisfied. When it comes to leaving fans dissatisfied Rovers aren't half consistent at that. Shame we aren't in any other way. Chaddy labours under the delusion that opinions are inviolate and have merit regardless of what they are. (If I say Shearer or Friedel were rubbish and why won't people accept my opinion the falacy of unchallengeable opinions is highlighted.) Rovers are rooted firmly in mid table. We aren't going up regardless of what we do, we aren't going down likewise. Also we aren't going to rebuild or develop as the glacial development so far indicates. So what on earth is there to be interested in? TM needs potting or we could lose even more fans this season.

That's exactly it. (Not the good job part he had done a decent job at best imo) but the point of infrastructure and the like is to improve the team and see success on the pitch. That clearly isn't happening therefore the intangibles are pretty pointless. Mind you am not sure what the intangibles are. The scouting network has one huge plus in Kaminski. The rest of the time they are stuck at Boro. His intangibles haven't told him the basic premise of build from the back and have a settled team - both of which can be found in the the most basic of introduction to football books. As for the game. Meh. Didn't watch but sounds like it was another dull one. And more significantly and depressing - it doesn't matter. A draw - we don't go up not down this season so what does it matter? Boring times from a man who has run out of ideas.

Think those are the best 11 players available. Question is will the formation help or hinder them? The right formation could be pretty exciting with Travis and Johnson offering a fair whack of protection and Dack and Armstrong as threatening as anyone in the league. Will be interesting to see if it plays out this way...

Ah right, that makes sense! Apologies I misread your post. Yeah JRC is better than both those options although I think I prefer him a bit further forward myself.

It's not? I get we are talking about back up but to suggest either are adequate back up at rb is very low standards indeed. I get Nayambe is our RB and the reserve won't be as good. However there are still certain levels that they need to reach. And neither of them do as both are liabilities at rb.

Yes. I mean this is the most ludicrous of all the promotion's he has done. Factor in he's such a well known name having played so much football and people will be flocking to get his name and number... Given the amount of stupid initiatives of late I wonder if Waggot has a target for increased sales or amount of engagement with fans he needs to hit soon? I appreciate that would involve a target and more accountability than usual but it seems odd to me there's so many crappy incentives at this time.

Yep, can't think of one where it has succeeded. The guy is so ignorant about football it's untrue. How can he have played and managed in the game and make the errors and assumptions that he does? It also irks in the article he complains about defensive injuries when so many of them are crocks.

For those who CBA reading the article it can be summarised as "don't worry Venkys the squad has been unlucky and is going to do better this next half of the season." Most telling thing for me is building from an attacking base not a defensive base (his words). Which manager has success doing that? From Liverpool getting success when they got in the top class CB and GK through to every premier League winning team - they are all built on a defensive base. His lack of footballing basics is terrifying.