JHRover

I think we are giving the owners an enormous slice of the benefit of the doubt if we say they are invested in some sort of project, have targets and are monitoring Mowbray's progress and have expectations he has to deliver on. Reading between the lines the only pressure Mowbray is under is from himself and the fans and perceived pressure from upstairs which probably never manifests itself into anything but rumours. Personally I think it is clear Venkys like him and that's all there is to it. As long as they continue to like him and trust him then he will be safe. I think they would sit back and allow relegation before making a change or at least let things get to a point of no return like when Coyle was here. I doubt they knew we were playing last night and probably won't even think about Rovers until Mowbray next makes the effort to fly to their house and force them to talk about things. At least this time around we've actually got a manager who can be trusted in place although anyone hoping that there is some sort of conventional structure here and a review after results I think are wrong.

Bad result for the 'pride of Lancashire' on Lancashire Day. Against a Yorkshire club too....

They are trying to ensure the game passes with minimal publicity. There's been no mention of it at Ewood before, during or after the Barnsley and Brentford games. Then they wonder why nobody turns up. They'll be quick to report on it if we win but for now they'll be praying that only a couple of hundred turn up. 1pm on a Friday, no publicity and tickets required to get in - all to try and put people off going. Congratulations because I think they've managed it with me and no doubt many others who would have been there if it wasnt in the middle of a working day.

Feel much better tonight after a good win and good performance. Despite the win on Saturday there was a lot to be concerned about. Tonight was a dramatic turnaround with what I feel was the best team performance of the season. A huge effort from all the team. Could have been more comfortable but we defended well. Thought the referee was a disgrace. I'm not getting into the managerial debate as one swallow does not make a summer. He got it right tonight and deserves credit. The key is to find a way to build on this rather than go back to the dreariness of the season so far. Points up for grabs in games v struggling Stoke and Derby.

I'm not after superman. Just someone who can progress the team and make a few decent signings.

He's not going to resign unless his position becomes untenable.

We can't unearth players from overseas and can't look past Darwen for our fanbase. Chances of finding a decent foreign manager remote.

Those German managers were coaching Borussia Dortmund B having learned their trade under Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel. To all intents and purposes they were already head coaches before joining Huddersfield/Norwich. They also joined Huddersfield/Norwich as head coaches with structures of support assembled around them. Johnson would have none of that and managing our u23s is different to managing Borussia Dortmund B. Smith did a steady job at Walsall in the lower leagues for a good 4 years before getting a shot at Brentford in the Championship. Not sure how he is comparable to Johnson. If Johnson joined Fleetwood and did a good job for 4 years then fine. The fact is that the majority of promoted coaches at this level don't achieve anything and end up out the door after a short period. I've already named half a dozen. Most clubs have improved after those promoted coaches have moved on.

Yet Mowbray has spent more than Brentford have in the last 3 transfer windows and squandered fortunes whilst Brentford have followed a well laid plan . He has such admiration for their players and style, yet offloaded Raya on them claiming he was a liability for us.

I don't comment on style of play as it doesn't interest me. I've regularly held them up as an example of a well run club who are very good at what they do. There's a difference between me on here admiring/respecting the way they do business and then our manager and club website going with 'we can beat the bees' as though we are not worthy and are facing the challenge of a lifetime.

'We believe we can beat the Bees' is not the sort of headline I want to see on the club website before a game. We are playing Brentford, and whilst recent performances suggest we will struggle against anyone you might think we were playing Barcelona or Bayern Munich rather than a midtable 2nd division side to whom Mowbray sold our keeper because he was a liability.

Bournemouth were bankrupt, deducted points and facing relegation to the Conference when Howe got the job. He's done brilliantly but the circumstances completely different. He grew with the club, had no pressure or expectation on his shoulders and built it exactly how he wanted it. Smith at Walsall another case of a small club with small expectations in the 3rd and 4th divisions. Let's focus on the Championship and big clubs which is more relevant to our position. I can name Redfern, Wassall, Bowyer, Moore, Adams, Ramsey, Gray - none of them massively successful. Bowyer was the best here. Why not get him back?

Venkys don't sack managers lightly. Kean was safe and secure and was able to determine his own departure date whilst Singh got a lot of the media attention and flak for it. Berg and Appleton weren't Venky appointments, didn't get chance to get their feet under the table and were removed by Singh/Agnew. Bowyer was safe for over 2 years until someone decided that Pasha was going to take a hands on involvement in the operation and he got shut of Bowyer. Lambert walked of his own accord. Coyle lasted months and months through relegation form and it was only after mysterious Senior arrived that he was fired. The head honchos in India don't get their hands dirty with such things. I doubt they even know where we are in the table and none of the minions are going to risk their own positions in suggesting the manager should be sacked.

Coaches promoted to the top job from within don't work. It's one of the oldest rules in football yet still clubs fall foul of it through sentimentality and wanting to make a point. When was the last time a manager who had previously been a coach/reserve manager led his team to success at this level? Warburton at Brentford did it in the division below but took over a good side on the up with momentum. Incredible how people still fall for it and then wonder what went wrong when it doesn't work out.

I just don't think we look like a team. We look about as far away from being a well drilled, coherent outfit as you can imagine. People have been singing Barnsley's praises since Saturday for how decent they appeared despite being bottom of the league, but I think that is because whilst they are young, inexperienced and short on quality in some areas they are a team. Their signings have a role to play and know their jobs and they are used to playing with each other. That's why they looked alright. They might not be strong but they have been brought there with a job in mind. That's why we are such a mess from back to front, because our side appears to have no coherency, no organisation, no structure. Our transfers appear to have no specific role to play or if they do don't get enough opportunity to do it, others are shoehorned into various positions, we assemble our defence on who is fit and available and who can play there when needed. A complete mess. People moan about Allardyce but his teams knew their jobs inside out back to front and there was a plan behind everything. We are a million miles off and I think the manager is to blame and knows it. He did the same at Celtic and Middlesbrough by the sounds of things.

I think Waggott left Coventry some time before Mowbray. In fact there was only a relatively short overlap when they were there together but clearly enough to strike up a decent working relationship. Mowbray walked away in late 2016 then Venus stepped into the breach as caretaker manager but their fans didn't want him and Russell Slade took over. I suspect if Mowbray went then Waggott would cart on doing what he does in his limited capacity as CEO until such a stage as he didn't fancy doing it anymore. As for Venus i suspect he'd carry on as long as he was given the chance to but if the new manager was allowed to appoint his own staff, like any manager should be allowed to do, then he would have to make way, as would Lowe and Benson. Its all part of the job.

True, the issue with conceding too many goals was going on way back to early last season. Remembering Bristol and Swansea away. But despite those issues we were in a decent position to strike and kick on and address those issues from a healthy place in late January. To fail to do so was a massive error and insane when looking at the Brereton and Gallagher fees in the summers.

I feel that January was the turning point for Mowbray and the club. In late January we were on a good run, reasonably well placed just outside the play-offs, well positioned to kick on, still with a winning habit in mind. The first half of the season had been pretty decent with solid home form and we'd got through a tough December run of games. Then in January we did nothing to strengthen and build. We barely stood still and weakened our thin defence. Where the blame lies for that isnt clear. Did Mowbray decide to not act or was he prevented from doing so? Either way, momentum was lost, poor form set in and other than a short run at the end of the season in dead rubbers it has been pretty woeful since then.

I thought it was a better showing from Rovers than in the last 3 or 4 games but not great. An inexperienced side. Uneventful first half, we started the second well but they recovered well to going behind. Thought Benfica looked a decent side at times and a step ahead of us. Unfortunate to lose it so late on which ends our involvement in the competition

Patrick Cryne is dead. Before dying he sold Barnsley to Chien Lee and co. They were the ones who found Stendel and appointed him although not exactly find of the century given he was manager of Hanover for a couple of seasons. Just took a bit of imagination. For a club that prefers to look within and doesn't go beyond the North of England for new signings that is an unusual concept admittedly.

Precisely. All well and good expecting Mowbray to walk but we are back at square one - manager has too much power and not enough handle on the situation upstairs. My impression is that the whole operation would be thrown into chaos if Mowbray suddenly didn't turn up for work. I feel Mowbray may walk in the not too distant future. He isn't a mercenary and strikes me as a bloke who at his age would quite enjoy spending some quality time with his family. The issue comes back to the inadequate structure at the club and its ability to deal with adverse situations. Venkys are used to their managers being grateful and hanging on for dear life/big payoff. If Mowbray walks that will take them by surprise. The obvious, easy, cheap route will be to ask Venus or Johnson to take the reigns whilst confusion and inertia sets in. Hope they do a steady job and then their permanent appointments can be rubber stamped with minimal outrage from the terraces. So predictable it is boring. The only time we've bucked this old routine was with Lambert and they got burned with his outspoken approach.

15th, 22nd, 4th, 13th, 9th, 3rd, 17th Those are Wycombe's final League finishing positions since Ainsworth became their manager in 2012. Have they had less money than Accy Stanley? Because Coleman's record is just as good if not better.

Jokanovic doing nicely for himself in Qatar. Wagner is Schalke manager.

Is he allowed? Have to assume having shelled out £14 million Venkys will want to see Brereton, Gallagher and Armstrong at least maintaining some sort of value, whereas Graham at his age will have very little from a financial perspective.

Davies' agent went public that he wanted the job before Coyle got it. So I'm not sure he'd be against the idea although not sure if he's bothered about management now or what his situation is. As I say strange that a manager with his record has been unemployed for 5 years. Why would you be against Di Matteo? Ex promotion and Champions League/FA Cup winner. Think Karanka is less likely than most. He fell out with people at Middlesbrough and has always spent heavily. Can't see us paying compo for anyone so forget luring Malmo's manager here.