JHRover

I've been told and would fully expect that Waggott is on some sort of performance related pay or bonus system. That would make sense - the more money he saves/delivers the more he takes home. It would explain his attempts to hit his targets - running cash competitions to hit his magical season ticket target. Now if he delivers this project, which brings in millions in extra cash and also saves substantial amounts every year on running costs, I think it is entirely plausible that he will get some sort of reward for doing so. In fact I'd be absolutely amazed if he was overseeing a project of this nature through to delivery and not doing. As above, it isn't illegal or dodgy, but the project itself isn't in the club's long term interests, I'm sure of that.

Waggott will already be well equipped on the excuse front as he has been for everything else he's overseen. My prediction is that it will be the ever increasing and tough requirements set by the Premier League aimed at favouring the big clubs. There's probably some truth in that but you don't risk things by halving your facilities and limiting capacity forever.

Putting buses on to South Ribble was on the 'agenda' a couple of years ago when Waggott turned up. Quite rightly it was asked why Rovers do nothing whilst PNE put buses on into an area that is just as much Rovers or even more so. His answer was that he would 'look into it'. To my knowledge nothing happened. He's also looking into a £2 million new pitch. Doubt that will happen. He expects us to believe he can deliver a multi million pound new training ground. He's a bullsh!tter of the highest order and the club has regressed under him. Long term the damage could be enormous. We've chucked away 25 years of advantage and success over neighbours through laziness and corner cutting and now Accy Stanley are doing more than us in our own back yard.

I was saying earlier that Mowbray thinks he is being clever with the Brentford aspirations yet in practice we are now in year 5 of his project and to still be hoping to copy fecking Brentford says it all about his journey and how it has gone.

Not when there's a training ground to develop...that's the only opportunity on the horizon in our boardroom

There will be one or two Championship clubs on the lookout now after he has become available. Probably means that some failing managers face the axe more quickly with a good option waiting in the wings. Not here though. We just get to watch others benefit a la Cardiff and Middlesbrough

Just think. Wilder and Knill in before the summer and a reasonable pot of money = massive optimism. Mowbray and Venus here for another year = isn't worth thinking about.

The cynical side of me suspects this scheme has been on Waggott's agenda from the day he turned up, possibly even before he arrived, possibly might even be the reason he came, and the last few years of positive spin, 'stability' and hard work at developing trust and ingratiation with people has been with eyes on this project. Of course I'm just a conspiracy theorist but I'm sick of inadequate board members and managers dragging us down to their level. I wish Waggott would go back to Southend and trying to fit bedsits onto Roots Hall and leave our Premier League facilities well alone.

A one way National Express ticket to Teesside would be even cheaper and more beneficial.

If the owners had anything about them and Mowbray came trotting along with his Brentford comparisons the first thing they'd do would be to ask him why we're trying to copy a club that hasn't got promoted. Surely the aim is to get promoted asap? Or not? Again we see that the owners don't really want promotion, they're willing and able to sink in £15 million a year no sweat especially if they can be persuaded that it is leading to assets on the books. I'm not even sure that is essential to them but it sounds nice and is a back up for a mid table manager to convince people there's more at stake than just points and wins. If Venkys did take all this seriously then half the squad wouldn't be out of contract in a couple of months and we wouldn't have a defence built on loans. Mowbray another one taking advantage of the vacuum. He's here to stay folks and Armstrong is the golden goose that will save his skin. Speaking of Armstrong isn't it amazing that after 3.5 years of exemplary fitness he's suddenly out of action for weeks on end whilst the manager openly invites interest. Anyone would think there's more going on here than meets the eye.

Under a different manager I'd agree. Under Mowbray no. We won't get close to £20 million in this climate unless someone gets desperate. 1 year remaining on his deal will see us down towards £10 million. Still enough for Mowbray to get serious brownie points in India and secure his position for another year.

https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2021/03/09/photo-gallery-la-galaxy-continue-full-preseason-training?utm_source=social_share&utm_medium=share_button&utm_campaign=social_share_button A medical miracle? Del out for the season at Rovers yet able to pass a medical and train for LA Galaxy

I'm just curious as to who these assets are other than AA. He's the big feather in Mowbray's cap and yet we aren't in the Brentford boat with him because he's only got one year to run and so we will have to sell him this summer, even at a lesser price than he is worth. Brentford get their stars on 4 year deals before they sell. Who else is worth more now than 12-18 months ago? Dolan has happened more by accident but even then he's not worth big money. Dack no. He's having us on, again, and its just annoying nobody picks up on it and challenges him.

I've seen today's headline from Mowbray about Brentford. I dont think I can read it but I know what he's going to say. He's in full on self protection mode. Looks like operation sell Armstrong is in full swing.

Why would we follow Bury? Would Wigan and Bolton not be more appropriate?

Or the club could not refuse refunds, holding people's money without their consent, put prices up during a pandemic and selling off prime property. I'll 'pull together' when they start treating people properly.

How about we keep what we have? IF there are issues with outdated facilities or pitches (unlikely) then spend some money improving them. I very much doubt that this is the case. The last time I visited the facilities remained excellent and better than most in the top 2 divisions. Waggott reckons Venkys might need to top up the funding gap to get this project delivered. So surely they could chuck in the same amount to refurbish the existing facilities which would be much quicker and easier than building a new centre. I suppose it comes down to trust. I don't trust Waggott and that is based on his track record. I've seen no improvement at the club during his 3 years and actually attendances have fallen and facilities deteriorated further on his watch. The trouble we have here is that is is non reversible process. Once its sold and permission granted its gone. The club shrinks, assets diminish. Gone. Even the way they have done this increases concerns. The secretive moves behind the scenes. The hasty statement released to try and put a positive spin on it after the news was out. The absolute nonsense about a new 'coaching structure' or outdated facilities. Its all bunkum. I suspect this is concocted by Waggott and supported by Mowbray and Venus. Venkys could stop it but likely will fall for the same drivel as many of our fans already have. Obviously Venkys will like the sound of saving more money with one site and probably support the new 'coaching structure' led to believe it will improve our fortunes or academy performance. I believe their involvement will end at that. I don't believe that they will pour in millions more to build new facilities. The rest will be left to Waggott and his associates. He seems to spend a lot of his time dealing with property and construction projects and did at Southend, Gillingham and Coventry too. Brockhall will be the biggest and juiciest of the lot. Imagine going from Roots Hall and Priestfield to Brockhall. Its the big time.

Has Waggott shed any light yet on this new 'coaching structure' that keeps being mentioned and why the existing facilities prevent that being implemented right now? I wonder if it will be similar to Waggott's new management structure that he made a fuss about but which changed nothing? I'm convinced he doesn't actually believe what he comes out with and its just hot air to try and impress people.

The sale of Phil Jones has probably covered the net cost of our academy over the last 10 years. Of course there have been a few additional expenses beyond the basic running costs such as the new floodlights and classrooms but in the scheme of things we aren't talking mega money here. In our squad at present we have Lenihan, Nyambe, Buckley, JRC, Travis and Wharton when fit all featuring with regularity in the first team. Even if we ignore their transfer values (which combined ought to eclipse the academy running costs over the last 5 years) and just focus on their roles in our Championship squad - that alone should make the owners and management desperate to ensure the academy is protected and is able to prosper moving forward. Nothing at all should be done that might jeopardize that status. I've heard what Waggott has said about protecting the academy but I just don't believe it is likely to happen on a site that size and with those restrictions - is it really all worth it so Mowbray can keep an eye on the u18s training and they can have breakfast together in the canteen?

I honestly don't know. Half of me thinks Mowbray will just cart on with more of the B.S over the summer and the other half thinks things are drawing to a close and that surely a combination of the owners getting fed up, diminishing returns on the pitch and Mowbray clearly feeling some heat will see a parting of the ways. It seems a corner has been turned again on the 'death spiral' with 4 points, should have been 6, from two tricky fixtures along with much improved performances. This is standard Mowbray management. The pressure will lift just as even the most positive were getting restless and enough is done to keep us away from trouble. Keep that up for another 2-3 games and we will limp along to safety in mid-table. Probably hit another 2-3 game winning run in April to see us through to 60 points zone by season end. No doubt a few excellent performances along the way from the younger players or prospects will further 'vindicate' his management whilst Nyambe exits stage left, which encapsulates why the whole 'project youth' thing is actually a bit of a sham when our biggest asset of the last 3-4 years is on his way. Assuming we limp through to the end of the season without dropping lower than 16th or 17th I think the pressure on him will ease and a legion of fans on Facebook etc. will be more than happy to support 'the journey (though probably not enough to actually spend money enduring it next season) It seems some people are now at a stage where this season will be seen as a success or acceptable regardless of position or points simply because we have a few good young players stepping up. I still think this season has been a massive missed opportunity, one we may not get again for some time if the Venky fire sale begins, and if there's an ounce of ambition here in the summer we need to be preparing for a post-Mowbray era. I think Mowbray knows he's cocked the season up, expects to be on his way or at least under serious pressure, hence his comments, but actually the way things will probably pan out is that Venkys will be happy to keep their man in place to run it for them (that's when they get around to checking what league we are in next season some time in the summer)

Did you miss Cardiff, Hull, Brighton, Palace, Bournemouth, Leicester, Brentford, Sheff Wed, Sheff Utd, Ipswich, Huddersfield, Wolves, Leeds and now Barnsley and Reading who have all finished in the top 6/got promoted in the last 10 years not one of whom was in receipt of parachute income? We have owners with financial resources greater than Norwich, Watford, Brentford and Swansea's owners combined. Shouldn't that count for something?

Good performance, disappointing we couldn't take the 3 points but this is a familiar feeling. We can play and we can cause the better teams problems but making the dominance count and having the discipline to keep it out at the other end are constant issues. Chuck in a familiar hard luck blame the ref story. End of the day these are the games promotion chasing sides need to win and mid table sides don't Cringeworthy levels of pro-Swansea talk doing the rounds. There's no reason we can't be them other than management. They're a crafty side that's for sure. 5-10 yards on every throw and free kick, know when and where to foul and go down.

Forgive me if I've missed it but has there been a suggestion that the swimming pool won't be built in the new facility? I appreciate what Waggott is saying about one site being intrinsically linked to the other. Sadly i think that once the path is clear on the housing front everything else will become secondary Having a site ripe for development that has cleared all the planning hurdles will not be left to gather dust just because we have difficulties on the bottom site. It will either be goodbye to Cat A academy and condense what we can onto the bottom site or find somewhere cheaper like Whitebirk and sell the lot at Brockhall

Tonight's 'Virtual Match Sponsor' is 'Rovers Select' - our in house competition. Last week it was the Community Trust. Anyone worrying about revenues and book balancing would be better getting some sponsors on board rather than simply promoting the clubs own brands. No external cash coming in. My local amateur cricket club manages to find 20 odd match sponsors a season to raise funds. Why can't Rovers?

We're a Championship club and have billionaire owners. So we don't have to do anything. Why haven't any other clubs built housing estates on their training grounds or downsized? Our requirements now are just as great if not greater than they were in the 90s. Yes we are currently in a lower division but we still have a squad of players and an academy that have requirements. They don't drop off or increase with Championship/PL status. Billy Barr and his excelling squad will be out of jobs if this plan gets off the ground. It's goodbye Category A academy. I suppose it comes down to whether you trust a bloke like Waggott. I wouldn't give him a tenner to go and buy me fish and chips and be confident of getting either back. I keep on coming back to the first point I made. If the academy and senior training centre can so easily be accommodated on one site when why did Jack Walker bother with the expense and hassle of two sites? If we need to cut costs how about sacking off Steve Waggott and saving £300,000 per year?