JHRover

What is even worse than these underhand attempts to sell off the crown jewels is the fact that there are already, before the club has responded and tried to sell it, many people online saying it is understandable, necessary or a positive. Apparently it is Mowbray's idea. I thought he was manager (hopefully not much longer) of the first team, not running the club so why is he involved in this sort of plan. The only positive to Venkys ownership to date is that they haven't sold off our great infrastructure. Looks like that will change thanks to the Mowbray-Waggott-Venus crew. They weren't enough for Coventry. They aren't good enough for Blackburn Rovers.

Nyambe wasn't just dropped. He was bombed out of the squad altogether. That's my gripe. A manager can pick his preferred XI on form, mistakes, plans but Nyambe if fit has to be in the squad and an option from the bench. There can be no excuse nor justification for that omission. I do not think any other defender - THB, Branthwaite, Lenihan, Ayala, Douglas, Bell - would ever be dropped out of the squad if fit. Mowbray wouldn't dare. He does with Nyambe.

I'm trying to work out how this could be done in any way that improves or maintains the offerings we currently have whilst saving substantially on cost/raising extra funds. I can't. I've been down the academy site many times before. The existing academy building, that used to be the senior training centre, is now relatively dated, and contains changing rooms, a canteen, gym, offices, kitchen. There is a car park, a groundsman's shed and then 4 or 5 full size pitches. I'm struggling to work out where they could build an indoor training centre with full size pitch, along with all the other facilites the senior training centre offers and that are part of modern day football - media suite, recreation space, swimming pool, recovery areas, manager's office, analysis suite. The ST centre building is much newer than the others and offers all these modern facilities . A facility big enough to accommodate all the senior squad and coaching staff, category a academy and staff right the way down to scholars is going to take up quite some space. The only way it could fit is by building over one or more of the existing pitches. Constructing a brand new all in one training centre would cost millions and would also be a planning headache with height and size of the building required down there. I'm not saying it couldn't or wouldn't happen but it isn't going to be straightforward or cheap.

If a trustworthy and transparent owner came in and announced this in an open and honest way i think most would have some faith or trust. When it's this mob and they're doing it this way there can be no trust and no belief it is in the club's interests.

It might not be anything to do with Venus. Then again, its one hell of a coincidence isn't it?

Waggott got the job here, eye-watering salary and all, on the basis he would generate cash and reduce overheads/reliance on Venkys. He has to justify that salary somehow and something like this will more than make up for his pitiful commercial and ticketing efforts over the last 3 years. I dont think Venkys will have set this in motion. They could have done it years ago if they were that bothered. They just don't care. Into the void come all sorts of chancers and agendas.

Two ways they'll sell this to the fans: Developing one site after selling the other will raise money to enable better and more modern facilities to be built (it won't, because they won't pay for better facilities than those already there, they'll do it on the cheap) I doubt there's even room down there to build an indoor centre big enough for the academy and senior squad with parking, ground staff etc. Mowbray will sell it as an important step to 'consolidate' the academy and senior squads with them training together and will help 'link' them more closely (it won't).

Adkins would be Mowbray mark 2. Competent and would keep us up but not good enough to haul us higher. Frustratingly inconsistent with positives but annoyingly optimistic and positive in everything he does. Nice bloke but not ruthless enough.

I can't read it. Those people would see the good side if we demolished Ewood to rent at Turf Moor. These are the fools who Waggott will have wrapped around his little finger.

This one has Waggott's grubby fingers all over it. He's here on the promise of boosting the coffers and cutting dependence on India. He'll have had his sticky eyes on the potential and value of Brockhall since the day he arrived and will see it as a relatively quick and obvious way of bringing in millions in one swoop. I'd rather we hadn't bought Sam Gallagher but hey ho. There will be uproar about this but hiding away in London with retirement in sight he'll be off before there's any trouble.

I wonder is this how they are funding the new Riverside stand and £2 million new pitch (sarcasm).

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-city-plans-unveiled-76-11989164 And just like Noah's ark selling off training grounds for housing development come in pairs....

Hughton is a proper clued up astute manager at this level - everything Mowbray isn't - he will make gradual improvements, building from the back and improve a side year on year. He's doing now what he did at Brighton in his first season - inherited an absolute shambles - he's not ripping up trees or blowing teams away but the signs are there - they are conceding less goals, becoming harder to beat and climbing the table slowly but surely. They won't win awards for nice football or nonsense like box incursions, expected goals or number of passes completed but they will achieve consistency. Next season he'll have them challenging for the top 6, like he did at Brighton and Birmingham. They'll be really hard to beat. We'll still be lolloping around going nowhere and Mowbray will be able to bemoan the Forest spending, resources, quality etc. Good managers continually progress clubs. Average managers reach a level and can't go any further. I expect a narrow defeat but a reasonable performance insofar as we won't be outplayed or humiliated so Mowbray will fall back on excuses, mistakes, fine margins or the referee as the reason for another defeat. By that point it will be 4 straight defeats so the pressure will be getting up to unavoidable levels even for the more deluded around, so expect a draw the following week v Watford and a narrow win v Coventry to keep the show on the road in typical fashion.

The Cowley one excites me more than any other of the names linked. I worry that people like Hughes and Pearson would be over the hill and not really relish or value the opportunity at Rovers, whereas for Cowley we would be the biggest and best job of his career to date. He would value the opportunity and embrace it. I didn't watch his Lincoln side so don't know the details but the stats are incredible even in the Football League and include two promotions, a cup win and reaching the FA Cup QFs as a non league club. I'd be hesitant if he hadn't taken the step into Championship management but he has and was successful in that job - guiding a basket case sinking ship out of relegation trouble. He didn't lose his job due to failing or poor results but because Huddersfield wanted to deploy a 'head coach' structure which he wasn't prepared to work in. Here he would be left to get on with it (assuming Venkys persist with the operation of the club as it is). I like what I read and hear and think it would be an astute move. Available, worked at this level and below, successful everywhere he has been, still very young and up and coming in management. I've also always liked him after dumping Burnley out of the Cup. Sadly I've probably done more analysis in the 4 paragraphs above than Waggott would do from start to finish in a managerial 'search'. I wouldn't expect any better than Nigel Adkins or Tony Pulis, or Venus/Jonno. Pulis is with the right agent and will be after a job after the Wednesday fiasco, Adkins was closely linked after Coyle was axed. Both will throw themselves at the job and will be easy obvious appointments to make.

Depends who comes in. Why wouldn't we get a wealthy owner or brilliant board with a plan? Bournemouth and Southampton were also in League One when taken over.

Someone who spots an opportunity to get to the Premier League and stay there. That's why most Championship clubs have changed ownership in the last decade. They want the money and glory of the PL and getting a Championship club promoted is the way to do it.

They pull the plug and we go into administration. Then administators run the club and seek a buyer. The only circumstances in which we "don't have a club" are if nobody in the world steps forward to buy it. Portsmouth, Leeds, Leicester, Wigan, Bradford, Huddersfield, Bournemouth, Southampton have all been in administration and survived. Anyone other than Bury not done? We do not owe our existence to Venkys and they are not benefiting the club with their presence. Shame because they could with the money they spend but its their choice not to run it properly so no sympathy there. I'm off to buy a house, smash it to pieces and make it derelict but I'm sure the neighbours will thank me for paying my mortgage on time.

We all know how this unfolds from here. Mowbray won't be sacked and plenty will come up with the pointless suggestion of giving him the rest of the season and review at the end. The trouble is that sooner or later we will string 2-3 results together and also expect the traditional dead rubber good run in the final 5 games of the season. Probably win our last 4 games when there's no pressure or expectation and the opposition are on the beach. These results then sway opinion and pull wool over eyes. People think a corner has been turned. Mowbray can point to those results and argue he's delivering. Then it all repeats again with the same patterns and mistakes.

Established Championship club ✅ Recent history of Premier League football ✅ Squad packed with quality, including 2nd highest scorer in the league and a returning Dack ✅ No forced sales ✅ Owner investment and no interference ✅ Fantastic training ground ✅ Cat A academy top of the tree in the country ✅ Most successful club outside the top division by trophies won ✅ Low expectations from both fans and owners ✅ Its a dream job. If we conducted a proper recruitment process they'd be clamoring over each other for a crack at promotion here. Quite frankly its a disgrace that they'd have us believe Mowbray is the best we can hope for.

It was abundantly clear by 60 minutes last night that Bennett was knackered and to be fair to him who can blame him? First start in months, long term injury, playing RWB on a stodgy wet pitch. We had a full 10-15 minutes of alarm bells and warning signs over that far side as Bennett tired and Barnsley began to have more and more of the ball over there, four or five times they targeted that area and broke through, nearly scoring as a result. A blind man could see what was coming. We persist and make no changes and hey presto we go 1-0 down with the goal coming through that area of the pitch. I wonder to myself if Mowbray and his staff are oblivious to these warning signs or if he's so stubborn or entrenched in making a point to people that he sticks with it rather than take preventative action. Even if you don't start Nyambe I really can't think of anyone better to bring on for 20 minutes to replace knackered Benno in that position.

I remember when Coyle was here but before Mowbray arrived there were whispers about Paul Jewell. I remember being at Rotherham January 2017 time in the pub and there was talk he was being lined up to come in. Then when you see the HSH 'selection' it starts to make sense. Honeyman a lifelong Middlesbrough fan. Coincidence? I think not.

You learn a lot about people by how they react when under pressure (even if only limited or perceived) and their conduct during the difficult times. Extreme end of the scale - Kevin Keegan- recognised the way things were going and threw in the towel at Newcastle twice, England and City, passing up millions in potential compensation because he was man enough to accept he was struggling and he wasn't going to hang around and let things deteriorate further. Others let their teams do the talking and fight back with impressive results. Some just refuse to do the decent right thing and hang on for dear life/ a pay off despite the clear signs. This is normally where a board of directors comes in as they take the decision out of the managers hands. Eventually. No such possibility at the good ship Rovers with captain Mowbray and his loyal assistants in tow.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/danny-cowley-sunderland-favourite-manager-19386650.amp Interesting read for anyone who wants to torture themselves hoping for a manager with a plan and ideas.

If Wagott doesn't even have the power to suggest or recommend a change in manager, is he really worthy of being described as a CEO? Just my opinion but I think making/recommending major decisions that directly determine the performance and success of the club, such as a managerial change, is an integral aspect of being "chief executive" of a football club. If he can't even suggest a change as it isnt in his remit or he's afraid of being axed if he does or he's too cosy with his mate to consider it then what is the point in him being here?

On Dunn again. I'm not sure what being a 'legend' has to do with it. What does that qualify him in? He must be good if he is able to watch our weary performances whilst sat in the dugout at Fleetwood.