Yes, Setien. He's not won much over his career, not that it matters. I'd finish at least second in La Liga if I managed Barcelona such is the talent available. However, Messi doesn't have long left. Suarez either, and he's currently out injured. Pochettino reckons that he'll never take the Barcelona job on account of him playing for and managing neighbours Espanyol. Cynical me wonders if that is true, as it's alleged that he'd lose his multi million £ pay out from Spurs if he took another job within 12 months. My money is him going to Man U when they finally wake up and realise what all of us already know; Solskjaer isn't up to it.

I am sorry if the sentence caused you offence. It was meant to illustrate a point. I intended no malice.

You may be correct but that was not my point. I wasn't commenting on the cushiness of Waggott's position. He will always someone who gets a lot of grief either due to his association with Mowbray in getting the job, the actions he performs in the course of his work (flag, weird ticket pricing etc.), or having to provide cover for Venkys.

It's admirable that you have so much faith in BRFC. You've shown it on here for years. If Rovers issued a statement saying that the earth was flat you'd be on here agreeing with it within 5 minutes. Your blind faith is clouding your judgment. It's no conspiracy to suggest that Waggott got the gig in some part due to Mowbray. They worked together previously and it would seem that they got along. It happens across football. Roy Hodgson has Ray Lewington. Solskjaer brought back Mike Phelan. Moyes took ex-Rover Mick Rathbone to Everton with him. Was Paul Senior a mate of someone on staff at Ewood during his short yet odd tenure? Unfortunately Rovers in its present guise is not a normal institution so questions are going to be asked about every decision made. Waggott is on a loser as long as Venkys own the club. His hands will always be tied. Mowbray will keep the club plodding along, albeit with diminishing returns especially if he wastes transfer budgets on dross who can't play and have no sell on value.

What has happened to Italian football? Ashley Young to Inter Milan Football Italia on Channel 4 was a staple of my youth. They used to have the best players around. Now what? Scraping around for Man U has beens.

Rhian Brewster has gone on loan to Swansea from Liverpool. On paper that is a very good signing. He has bags of potential. If he finds his scoring boots I expect Swansea to be up there at the end of the season.

My Norwegian isn't what it was but it looks like he's still going at 38. I thought that Shebby said that his legs had gone. He was a fit lad when he was at Rovers.

It's an odd one. They changed it to its present guise a few years ago. Prior to the change it was first team to score. The team who won the toss usually went 30 yards then kicked a field goal. The university game does give both teams a go, and they start much further up the pitch. Those games can go on for a long time as teams score touchdown after touchdown. The Bills lost again. They have an awful playoff record. The Patriots are out too. They were beaten at home by Tennessee. Lots of paper talk today of Brady leaving as his contract is up. They were my pick to win it, and were looking good until star man Antonio Brown got fired. After he left they had nobody to throw it to.

He needs to hit the weights. He looked technically decent, but is built like a schoolboy.

I had the "pleasure" of watching that tripe today. Is that the usual fayre served up these days? Those hoping for the playoffs are deluded. The squad isn't good enough. I saw a lot of what I read on here. Keeper is crap. Can't defend. Lightweight midfield, and strikers who can't score.

From Rovers Prem years backwards Boxing Day home games used to be nailed on for a win. I think that the trepidation is warranted though. I watched about half an hour of the Wigan game. It was poor. It should be an easy win. Let's hope for one.

I have a couple. I'm a bit rusty on the years though. Wigan away on NYE 2005 ish. Pederson and Reid with wonder goals. Liverpool at home on Boxing day 2009 - I may be way off on this one though - it was a full house, the last Ewood has seen?

In years to come looking at the above list should give clues as to the disaster and dodginess that unfolded when Venky bought the club. Not one of the Portuguese players were up to it. Did Vukcevic want to become a monk at one point? This is a lost decade for me. I have no real idea of what went on. The worst player I actually saw live was Chris Brown. He was horrific.

I don't watch much Europa League but the Champs League group stage is usually a foregone conclusion. There maybe one surprise every year. Ajax last. RB Salzburg came close, and if Inter Milan had anyone but Lukaku up front they'd have probably gone through at the expense of Dortmund. I'll watch games as they are on but the excitement is in the knockout stages. Last year will be hard to beat. There were some fantastic games.

Here is the draw for the last 16; Borussia Dortmund vs. Paris Saint-Germain Real Madrid vs. Manchester City Atalanta vs. Valencia Atletico Madrid vs. Liverpool Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich Lyon vs. Juventus Tottenham vs. RB Leipzig Napoli vs. Barcelona

Any of our Irish members have comments on this; Irish FA going broke Ireland has long outsourced the development of its national team to England and to a lesser extent Scotland. Now the home front is struggling.

This season's group stage is now over. Here are the knock out round qualifiers; Group winners: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Liverpool, Man City, Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig, Valencia Runners-up: Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Lyon, Napoli, Real Madrid, Spurs Permutations for English teams; CHELSEA; Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig LIVERPOOL; Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Lyon, Real Madrid MANCHESTER CITY; Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Lyon, Napoli, Real Madrid TOTTENHAM; Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig, Valencia

I thought that it was interesting. Not living locally I miss out on stories that are out there but don't make it to press. There were mentions on here about Coyle's Krispy Kreme fascination, now I have another source. I thought it was funny that Coyle always played 5-a-side because he wanted to score and went bananas if he didn't get decent service. No wonder he's a failure. Getting Burnley up was pure luck. I did go down a bit of a rabbit hole with those podcasts. I watched a bit of Matt Kilgallon's. He said that 2014-15 Rovers team he played in under Bowyer should have been promoted as the squad was talented enough. I also looked up Chris Brown's Wikipedia. He stole a living from football. A striker with almost 400 appearances and less than 70 goals, a paintball incident, and a sex tape. He seems like he's grown up though.

Barring injuries he should stick with the team that is winning. History points toward a disappointing performance but let's hope for a good result.

Both this season and last Rovers have a negative goal difference. Also both this year and last every team above has a positive one. I'd call that terrible. There's no way a side is getting promoted shipping the amount of goals that Rovers do. It's been a problem for Mowbray since day 1 as has conceding late goals. I'd love for the recent upturn to stick but I fear for reverting to type.

Good graphic. Not much has changed in 12 months. Rovers goal difference is still terrible.

I did know then. I didn't know George Burley was that way inclined.

I don't. What I do know from a PNE supporting mate of mine is that Davies should be nowhere near a football club. As to Mowbray I think that he'll be here as long as he wants to be. If he does go who knows who Venkys will bring in. Probably not the next Mourinho. There are concerns about him. He hasn't figured out how to set up a defence which is weird for an ex defender. His teams don't seem fit enough, which is down to his staff. Do these warrant potting him? I'd say no. Yet as a club Rovers are a bit zombie like thanks to Venkys. This site always leans toward the pessimistic. The majority wanted Allardyce gone so it's no surprise that the knives are out for Mowbray.

Add in the extra participants too. Euro 2020 has 24 teams, up from 16. Prior to Euro 96 there were only 8 finalists. It used to be harder than to win than the World Cup.

Montenegro are a poor poor side. However, England have some real attacking options. If Stones can find his form, Gomez gets a regular run for Liverpool after Christmas, maybe even if Tomori keeps on playing like he is at the mo England will be more solid at the back.