Spoke with a Bradford fan at the weekend and it seems that all his weaknesses from Rovers remain. Rotating the team when it doesn't need to be, (remember Brown for Gestede?) Giving the opposition too much respect. Centre mids who can't / won't cross the half way line. A centre mid who is in the team regardless of being dire. Defensive post match interviews. That Bradford fans are so fed up despite being in the playoffs shows he really isn't going down well in Bradford whatsoever.

Don't disagree on Ince and yep typo for TM. Am sure you were advocating to give Coyle more time and TM has been on runs worse than Ince and yet is still a firm favourite. Just seems a bit inconsistent. Shearer has very little managerial experience and would be even riskier than Ince. Can't see how that could be a good move. I'd have gone Laudrup too.

Absolutely. Couldn't agree more. Its a damning indictment that when Mulgrew left we somehow didn't improve as we didn't replace him! That said my reservations are twofold. Firstly the enforced nature means that there is a lot to do before we can even tackle issues such as squad depth and quality. 2 replacements in defence and we are still paper thin even if the quality has improved. A better striker thank Graham is great but bar Armstrong the rest of them are still pretty duff. We've a hell of a lot of work to do - and we struggle to do much in the transfer window anyway - before we tackle the squad depth issues. Will we even get all of this done is a big worry leaving us even more stretched. Secondly I've little confidence we will improve on these players. We knew Raya was going for ages yet his replacement is worse. We've tried twice to replace Graham at great expense and failed. Given at best TM has a 50:50 transfer success record that is a rather scary prospect of us not improving the squad. So yeah for me 6 needed changes is a terrifying prospect. It could be an opportunity for a new man though.

Yet Coyle and RM get loads of time from you and you regularly say managers should get the season/longer. Double standards perhaps? Ince was a disaster but had 2 prior successes on his managerial record. Can't remember the last manager who had 2 previous successes being appointed under Venkys. Perhaps Lambert multiple promotions with Norwich. Aside from that where's the multiple successes? (My point is not that Ince is good. Quite the opposite. But if there's duff managers with a couple of successes under their belts it makes you wonder why we shop in the one hit wonder manager brigade at best.)

I wouldn't disagree with any of that and would add in a second keeper and another striker if Bereton goes on loan. My main thrust was that these are 6 players who have to be replaced regardless of ability levels, as they are either a) not here or b) might as well not be as they physically cannot do what is required to do that role. Forget improvements needed (of which there are a lot) the first problem is we have half a dozen places where by absence or physical limitations the players can't do what is needed. Don't get me wrong Bell is useless but he is physically able to actually play left back. An exceptional manager may even get him to be ok (although that's a stretch and warrants the manager of the year award.) However contrast this with physical limitations and the manager can't get a player's legs back. So before we do any improvements imo there are six enforced changes on us...

What astounds me is given the huge job we need to do in the summer - and that's just to stand still - you would have thought the club would have tried to do something towards it, even if it is the more peripheral stuff due to budget constraints. In the summer we will need: A new (and hopefully decent) first choice keeper. A new left back to trace Cunningham. 2 Centre halves to replace Tosin (loan returned) and Mulgrew (if it is devatable if he is any use this season there'll be no doubt next year) Johnson is getting on a bit and not pulling up trees anyhow. Once his legs fully go we have someone making Smallwood look good. From what I've seen this isn't far off. Graham - legs are going can't see him lasting another season. So that's 6 players who need replacing before improvements, upgrades or any outgoing activity. We're really fortunate Downing has turned out so well and can last another season otherwise that's 7 who would need replacing. We're coming to a log jam of a paper thin squad (to mix metaphors) and don't seem to be doing anything to sort it.

Totally agree. Said it before and will say it again. A big reason we won't get promoted is the easier games where we are comfortable favourites we struggle with. From Plymouth at home with their 4th choice keeper (I think) to Wigan without a win in an insane number of away games (and without a win in any for quite a while) throw in some expectation and we crumble. TM seriously struggles and cannot handle being favourites. Its no wonder he tanked at Celtic with this as an Achilles heel.

This. First he was dropped for Caddis and then Bennett and only when both proved inept over a lengthy run of games that Nayambe was included. Being dropped after every mistake and being called out publically can't help either (especially when it was a different standard for other players.) Along with Lenihen he has bags of potential to be a very good player at this level but the manager seems to be doing all he can to stunt it.

You know the opposition has had a bad day at the office when Gally scores. Whenever the crowd seems to turn TM digs out a result and what a result it was. There's still a ton of issues, not least Gally on the wing, but nevertheless this is still an excellent result. It shows again why we're mid table - hard to see in our barren runs. Holtby is a quality player, we aren't a bad team and showed it today. The goal will do Gally's confidence the world of good and the manner of the win is much needed for the belief of the team. A 1-0 scraped victory Vs 10 men would have been far less encouraging. Good to see the goals shared around as with little.transfer funds we need everyone to up their game if we are to cover for Dack, especially if funds are limited. Still don't rate TM or our chances next year but an excellent result and am a happy chap tonight.

You didn't answer again. That's why people get frustrated - you evade answering questions you dont like the answer to. Yes or no has TM done a good job in the transfer market? Yes or no has he assembled a good squad? Simple questions and everything you say suggests he has done a bad job but won't admit it for some reason.

You were right. What I asked is what that says about TM and his managerial qualities that he didn't do any of the things you said we should do or needed. I didn't ask who you'd sign or who you prefer I asked what it says about the manager's quality when he does the utter opposite of what you, I and any sensible minded fan would do transfer wise and when you think we need an entire new defence? So i'll try one last time in case you misunderstood the question: - we spend £12 mill on strikers you (and I) wouldn't have signed - you think we need(ed) a new RB, 2 CB and lb of which there has been little improvement on. (Again would agree we need defensive reinforcements.) So what does the fact that TM does the opposite of all this say about his ability as a manager in the transfer market and his ability to assemble a squad.

Yes but what does it say about the quality of the manager that you think we need a whole new defence and wouldn't have signed either of his big money striker signings? What does that say about the manager's abilities and competence?

Another excellent piece. Thanks.

If this were the case it's a bit devious and disloyal to a club that stood by him and helped his career no end, but I wouldn't be that unhappy (or unhappy at all) as we had got him off the books.

Whenever I think I have seen it all Rovers throw in another curve ball. Very worrying if TM didn't want or ask for him back, as we have to have him as no one else can have or take him! One way or another if unwanted it's a drain on our resources. As it is maybe Mulgrew is the replacement for Cunningham? IE Williams moves to left back again. Or maybe as a squad player with Evans our for a while and most of our defenders getting injured. Or perhaps it will allow TM to play 3 at the back having another centre half in the squad. Who knows? What is certain that as part of a back 4 Mulgrew is defensive suicide and we badly need his goals and set pieces. Could be an interesting drama to follow.

So the only defence is, getting rid of him will make us unattractive to good managers because of the financial situation/FFP. That is some endorsement. "Yes he's crap but getting rid of him will render us unable to get someone better in." Given he's done so poorly with tactics and transfers and perhaps most pertenently changing the team and playing players out of position - the most easy and obvious thing to do - I would suggest that actually a huge amount of managers (who've had a couple of years in the game, not the try it and leave types) are better than TM. Name me some names who have been suggested who aren't better than TM. I reckon a fair few of them actually will be better.

More like Patrick Valery's coming back to the club.

It might be a bit more than 6 months (the article might not have said but the impression I got was they were soon.) Either way I think the principle and issues remains the same. From my understanding of Spanish football very often presidents use promises to get elected. Such as I will sign this player or get this manager so I would suggest the new chap who is close to Xavi will be promising Xavi as manager.

Also bare in mind who would take the job knowing that in 6 months there is likely a presidential change with the president bringing in Xavi as manager. It really is a caretaker role in all but name. Still seems a stupid way to do things mind.

From what I read, they approached Xavi, Xavi said yes and changed his mind because he wanted to work with the other barca presidential candidate. So in all likelihood the current chap is a place holder until the next presidential elections. If the other chap gets in Xavi comes as manager. If the same bloke remains president then who knows what will happen (Xavi may still come, they look for an alternative guy). But the threat is that the current guy could be gone after the next elections so they needed some random chap to fill in. Let's be honest though anyone could fill in at Barca.

That will be interesting and ominous. I wonder how much power the EFL have - after all Bolton got away with their suspender point deduction. And as Sheff Wed are showing, even if you can't avoid it you can postpone it until you are where you want to be/in a better place.

Some good points there. With Gally we would be very lucky to get £5 million back for him, even if the market continues to inflate. Agree the stick him on the wing thing is really hindering him (and ultimately is even more likely to see us not recover our money.) Whatever way you look at it - and I too think there might be a player in there - I feel we're a long way off from seeing any return on that investment, or even a break even. Put it this way I doubt either of us are confident/optimistic rather than hopeful Gally works out. And as for Bereton.... I think I was mainly thinking of Downing and Johnson tbh. That 2 key signings were at the twilight of their careers struck me as a bit odd at the time, and in light of our FFP situation very risky. Credit to TM for Downing as it has worked out brilliantly, but Johnson hasn't. I guess it's a mix of Johnson not massively improving the team and hindering FFP and the summer seeing us sign 2 players on big wages at the end of the career. Whittinhham was a fair while ago but falls into that category, but was more a case of what are we doing signing expensive players with no resale value on the cusp of FFP. Buckley is a good example of not being ready but I wonder about others. Warton should either be ready by now or gone for example, or JRC seems to be very promising. I think in part there's a thought if FFP was looming so badly we could have been more proactive in getting our youth ready for the team or be a bit more ruthless in getting rid of some. I think my main gripe is it seems we we have somehow sleepwalked into FFP again.

Well if this is the case our transfer strategy has been well and truly utterly stupid. Gally and Bereton. £12 million down the drain. Not only are they not contributing much on the pitch they're hindering things off it as well. Why are we signing players at the twilight of their careers? Whilst this has worked well with Downing, Johnson is no better than what we have but on a good wage with no resale value. If we had such challenges why is there so much deadwood in the squad we don't seem to be actively trying to shift? Why are more of the academy players not involved as squad players or if not good enough moved on? I get it is easier said than done but we don't seem to be operating in a way to prepare for it. But, I've done it again - worrying about FFP when any good owner shows it can be avoided, ignored or deferred. There's been a boat load of shenanigans for clubs to avoid it but our lot are either too lazy, too incompetent or both (my pick) to avoid it.

For all those saying we won't get better there's an article on BBC football (I can't copy the link) saying Warnock is tempted by one last job to get over the 1500 league games milestone. But of course there's no one better out there than TM. As for where the goals will come from, funny TM isn't talking about Gally and Bereton.

More chance than us getting promoted under TM. Btw the point was there has been, is, and always will be better options than TM at any point in time. PS you can't say there's no one better than when one is suggested change the argument to will he work for us.