JHRover

Personally I wouldn't go near Hughes unless he brought with him Bowen and Neidzwicki who are now at Wimbledon. He'd be better than many of the names linked but I think his best days are behind him.

No, but I'd draw the line at having the p1ss taken out of me whilst expecting me to pay top end prices for the privilege. I think we can safely say that is the case here and there's much more to this than merely picking a manager that might not be everyone's choice

Yep. I don't see certainty or clarity. I see a bloke who deep down would want to stay but there has clearly been some sort of break down in communications or relations and together with his contract situation he has no choice. I'm bracing myself for a new contract. I think after his relative tantrum announcing he's off that word will have got back to India and they'll offer him cash to stay. There are only two potential positives to this. One is if it avoids Woodgate, Adkins, Johnson or Venus then its better the devil you know. The other is it might force them to cough up a reasonable budget to help him rebuild the squad. Shame I won't be there to see it.

Surprising efficiency here for a club that is usually last minute on these things. Decent looking fixture nonetheless

Suppose we'll just have to wait until Sunday for the latest 'update' from Nixon. Sunday = Rovers rumour day. Coincidentally that is the day his stuff appears in The Sun and we all need to click on their website or buy a copy to see what he has to say. Nothing happens between Monday and Saturday but then we all need to queue up and buy The Sun to read his latest theories.

I am fascinated by Rich Sharpe's references to Woodgate in his article. I find it bizarre that he would go out of his way to make specific reference to Woodgate, dedicating far more space in his article to him than others of far greater calibre such as Farke. He admits that he is at long odds and that he doesnt even know if Woodgate would be interested, but that he looks better value than those at shorter odds. Why? Where has this come from? Someone must have dropped his name in as a contender for Sharpe to publish this. Sharpe does not do this unless someone has primed him for it.

Maybe the meeting was Mowbray telling Waggott what needs to go in his interview and long awaited press release, asking him what he is and isn't allowed to say ahead of his eventual sit down with Rich Sharpe. Maybe Waggott is waiting for direction and instructions from the lowly manager to tell him what needs to happen next.

I'd rather keep Mowbray or have the return of Bowyer or Lambert than Woodgate or similar. At least the above have shown they can keep our heads above water as a minimum which Woodgate wouldn't do.

I'll believe it when I see pen to paper and an announcement. Until then I'll take these stories with a large pinch of salt, as it wouldn't surprise me if this is just a bone thrown to the supporters who want to know what the hell is happening and it is season ticket renewal time.

Since the only people running the club for the last 5 years were Middlesbrough based Mowbray and his mates and a clueless biscuit salesman who thought Owen Coyle was a better option than Neil Warnock.

Rich Sharpe won't nail his colours to a mast or give the nod to a name unless it is one he has heard or has been primed for. The fact that there are the Boro connections to go with it screams a Venky appointment.

Woodgate is one that would tick several boxes. The usual ones being available, cheap, keen to get back into it and would be grateful for a chance at the job. There will also be some baseless assumption that he would 'work with' 'young' players which they seem obsessed with. Then there's the Teesside Middlesbrough connection - would lead me to conclude Mowbray had recommended him or pushed for him. Would work with those already here including Venus no doubt. Presumably Middlesbrough fan Honeyman is also a big fan of his? No matter that he's as dull as dishwater and failed miserably at Middlesbrough before Warnock came in and did a rescue act. Who cares about little things like that?

A while ago I suggested that the reason Lenihan, Rothwell and Nyambe were leaving was because the Club and owners had done nothing to keep them. That the situation had been allowed to drift by silent owners and that whatever offers were put to them, if any, were derisory. I was shot down for that suggestion, accused of creating conspiracy theories and that because Mowbray and Waggott had said that 'improved' offers had been made to these players that we should believe them and that it was actually money motivated players and their agents that were the only issues here. And now we see our manager publicly admitting that he has had absolutely no communication from the owners or their representative on his future, his contract and that he hasn't spoken properly to the owners for a long time, save for a 'best of luck' message from Balaji recently. I'm afraid Mowbray's comments this week, and the continuing silence from the Club, only support my 'conspiracy theory' that the owners have turned the phone and taps off and have left the club to drift over the last couple of seasons. That is the reason key players are out of contract and our manager seems to be off, not because they've told him this or they want to make a change, but because it is just silence.

The club has had plenty of national credit for its steps in 'integration' with things such as the Eid on the pitch the other day. Waggott found time in his busy schedule to turn up for that, meet everyone and give interviews and his thoughts on how great it was and how we are the first Club to do such a thing. Well done, pats on the back. Yet he's stayed absolutely silent for months on the far greater issue of the Club's future direction and management situation, even leaving Mowbray to deal with those questions himself between the Preston and Bournemouth games. It is completely unacceptable. He is the CEO of the Football Club. It is his job to provide answers to important questions, clarity as to what is happening and show leadership. He has certainly failed on those fronts. Good work has been done but this pales into insignificance when unwilling or unable to do the most important things. Time to resign.

And if we look into League One it is a similar story. Rotherham, Sheff Wed and Wycombe went down last year = in the top 6 this. Wigan big spenders and were in the Championship recently. Sunderland big spenders and in the Championship recently. Once upon a time you'd get a few small clubs coming through - when we were in League One Shrewsbury and Scunthorpe mounted an automatic promotion push.

Looking forward to hearing Waggott's side of the story, not that I believe a word he says. But until then whilst the silence continues I'll maintain he and the Club he 'directs' have behaved disgracefully so far.

The ball is in their court. I'm in no rush to renew and will happily pay £30 more if it means waiting to see who turns up. I'm past the point of this nonsense. I almost didn't renew last year. Covid has taught me I can do other things if needed.

Mark Robins has signed a new deal at Coventry. So there's the only remotely decent HSH option off the list, not that he was ever going to leave a secure job there to come here.

Completely agree with this. He's their man. He was one of the small number of names that got mentioned in February 2017 before Mowbray turned up here. There is clearly a policy here of employing managers who have a PL promotion on their CV - Lambert, Coyle, Warnock (almost), Mowbray Most importantly Adkins would do the job how they want it - he would work with Lowe and Benson and limit his coaching demands to being able to appoint his old mate Crosby (similar to Mowbray with Venus). He has that uber positive attitude and mentality which borders on nonsensical at times but would go down well in the Pune bungalow in the annual summit meeting.

Lambert's departure was announced well before the end of the season finale. So much so that at Rotherham for his final game many fans were singing "Paul Lambert, We want you to stay". Infact just about any reasonable, professional, competent Club would by now have released some form of statement about the manager's future rather than leaving him to deal with it and the media alone. The coward Waggott can hide away and hope this all blows over but I know what he is - masquerading as a CEO when he probably can't even order a bag of grass seed without Indian approval.

If correct that doesn't bode well. There is very little, if anything, in common between any of those people, suggesting that there is little by way of a plan here. Farke has an outstanding record at this level and could get a move to any Championship club - should be given the job if interested and the others binned off Ainsworth has been at Wycombe Wanderers all his career and whilst he has done very well with them in the lower divisions by all reports plays a very different style of football and recruitment and is very much a manager rather than head coach as Farke was at Norwich. Cocu is more similar to Farke in the head coach and style department but has had a mediocre record since leaving PSV, but nevertheless is a big name in European football. Johnson is a head coach sort from Bristol and Sunderland but his record is no better than Mowbray's and he's a streaky manager who would often get Bristol to the top 6 then collapse and was sacked at Sunderland this season so not sure why he's suitable here. Warburton has just left QPR for similar issues to what we've had under Mowbray although he's an experienced operator with a decent reputation at this level. Unsworth is a relatively young coach with no experience as a full time senior manager. There is very little, if anything, in common between those 6. Just about as wide and varied group of people as can possibly be drawn up. Just imagine having options including Farke or Dyche and then appointing Unsworth or Lee Johnson. Christ.

Di Matteo has managed in this league and won promotion from it so I don't understand your first paragraph. I understand that being out of management for that length of time is a concern but I don't think it should be a deal breaker. I don't think Ainsworth is any more a risk than Manning. Both are similar. I think, looking at Mannings background with the City Group, that he has a big future in the game and will quite quickly be approached by bigger clubs higher up the divisions. It seems QPR are already on the case. I am deeply concerned by people suggesting or prioritising Ainsworth purely on his Blackburn connections. I think that is foolish and lazy. I think both are significant risks neither of which I would personally take at this time but yes, if it was a case of picking one from League One it would be Manning.

i agree entirely with this but would add the point that sooner or later Mowbray is going to leave and we are going to have to face this risk. If i was putting money on it and there was a market for such things I would be going with a similar thing to what happened when Lambert left. Cheap desperate appointment, extremely limited funds for new players and a season long relegation battle. I desperately hope I am wrong on that and that they for once show some ambition and have learned but I just can't see it given the silence from the owners and boardroom and business we've done over the last 18 months. It is quite clear to me funding has been cut right back. So yes, quite easily we could be here this time next year thinking top half Championship and complaining about Mowbray's tactics and substitutions were the good old days. But we are going to have to tackle this possibility at some point.. I don't accept that allowing Mowbray to continue indefinitely just out of fear of his replacement being worse is an acceptable position to take. At least as we are we have to hope that with a summer ahead and time to address this that it is the best time to make a change, rather than Mowbray walking away or being sacked mid season. The bloke looks worn down by it all and if there's any basis to his 'family man' routine he could easily pack in at any time, or get an offer from elsewhere he fancies taking.

Wycombe play attractive football? I thought they had a reputation for being very direct and physical set piece specialists? I admit I don't know much about them and it doesn't bother me if it is successful. I'm more bothered by the fact that he's never been tested at a club with pressure or expectations. He's been able to do his thing at Wycombe, a small steady club, coming here would be a complete change in every respect and a risk I don't think is worth taking.

I still have deep concerns here. I don't doubt that somewhere along the chain of command there is a desire to resolve this quickly. To not want to would be an act of self-destruction given the short summer and work that has to be done. There can be no excuse for not moving quickly with this. Mowbray's contract situation has been known to all since it was signed, this isn't something forced upon us by a rival club coming in or a results determined departure. I also don't doubt that managers such as Farke, Stam, Di Matteo and many others will have an interest in coming here. Provided the sums add up its a no brainer for an out of work coach who will get a Championship job at best. But who is doing the interviewing, how much are we able to offer, how quickly can we get an appointment done, and whether these decent options will set around waiting for us to get our act together is another story. There's a good reason Kean, Bowyer and Mowbray travelled to India every summer, which is why they survived years, whilst Berg, Appleton, Lambert and Coyle didn't go to India and lasted months. If this is being run by non-India forces I am worried it won't get done or if it does it just won't last.