JHRover

One definition of asset stripping: "the practice of taking over a company in financial difficulties and selling each of its assets separately at a profit without regard for the company's future" Most of that, other than the take over part, is what has been going on here for the last 3 years.

I wonder who has been telling Nixon that: a) We were desperate to keep him b) We were offering him £22k a week c) We offered to make him captain I suspect all 3 are lies and probably filtered out to the press by Waggott or an underling. Survival in the Championship is worth more than this transfer fee and without him we'd have gone down last season and might well this. Not that anyone upstairs gives a damn about that. £41 million+ in transfer fees in 12 months......disgusting

Just in time for the Court hearing on Tuesday. Who would have thought it. They carry on taking us for fools. I predicted weeks and weeks ago that he'd be gone just before or just after 20th August. Waggott's spiel about it not being a critical date for the club I believe to be a lie. They'll now trouser the £10 million and use it to pay their bills until next year.

Think they've lost 6 on the bounce without scoring a goal going back to last season, albeit some tough fixtures in there. I'd be surprised if they went overseas. They usually stay British. Some solid experienced managers out there - Rowett, Neil, Mowbray, Heckingbottom Maybe a lower league option - Challinor, Evatt, Alexander

I think Travis WAS that guy, up to early last season. In theory absolutely perfect for the role, especially considering he has been with the club since he was a lad, more appearances than anyone else around here, longest standing player etc. Unfortunately the shenanigans of sending him off to Ipswich on loan, him getting a taste of playing for a proper ambitious club, and I suspect efforts this summer behind the scenes to tempt someone to buy him to get some cash and his wages off the books won't have gone unnoticed and will have had a serious impact. I'm not blaming him for that, he's just the latest in a long line of players who have fallen foul of the nonsense that goes on here.

Waggott also snuck that good old 'stability' word into his interview. The inference being that after the chaos and near relegation of last season they'd all be very happy indeed with a season where we do nothing but survive and don't have to be bothered with another managerial / coaching staff change. 'Stability' was a trademark of the Bowyer and Mowbray eras, both of those came after self-inflicted chaos too. Fortunately for those two they had a direct line to India (at least initially) and with that relatively good solid financial backing with which to plod to mid-table finishes every year. I doubt Eustace is going to be afforded such luxury having not been to India and with the owners clearly no longer willing / able to put the money in. So swap 'stability' of mid-table finishes where we were disappointed not to get into the top 6 with 'stability' of hoping to get to 50 points and it's back to the good old days. I suspect there is nothing Waggott would love more this year than to simply scape together enough points to survive, make sure Eustace hangs around so he doesn't have to worry about finding a new manager, and sell Szmodics to make the owners happy, then we can 'go again' next summer on the road to nowhere. Exciting times.

Improve communications? He did an almost identical interview at this point last year. Almost verbatim in parts where he seemingly expects credit for affording the price increase on grass seed and the insulting suggestion that the plebs (fans) don't realise that it costs money behind the scenes to run a football club. Since then I don't recall him communicating with the general fanbase on a single occasion (a handful of Fans Forum/WATR appearances). He stayed silent when the club was crying out for answers, leadership and direction during the chaotic crisis months of December to May. He's been off on holiday, had a few months to let the dust settle and has timed his reappearance to coincide with the new season knowing full well this is the perfect time to capture goodwill and positivity from a large portion of the fanbase. I'm convinced there is more to this COO role for Suhail than meets the eye and I am determined to unearth the truth behind it. It makes absolutely no sense on the surface to suddenly appoint him to this made-up position, they've done so on the quiet (failing to make any announcement other than a passing comment in today's interview). What is it all about? What does this silent shadowy individual bring to the party? How much is he taking out of the club? All very suspect especially when we all know that in practice he sits above them all in the chain of command.

Why can't they use a public forum such as through the Telegraph or Radio Lancashire rather than a cosy, probably significantly edited, interview with in-house media? This is important of course because Yardley isn't going to apply serious pressure. I think we are agreeing on JDT aren't we? He wanted out because he knew this setup was never going to get us anywhere. He realised after 2-3 disastrous transfer windows that the chuckle brothers are the problem and turned the spotlight on them. He was gone soon after. For slippery Steve to turn around 6 months later and claim that JDT was removed by the club because it was some sort of coherent decision to replace JDT is frankly an insult. An English 19 year old being approached by a PL club in mid-season (prices higher in January) who everyone knew was a special talent and was taking the Championship by storm in his first full season? £18 million derisory in my opinion. Palace are laughing their way to the bank, sell him tomorrow they'd get 3-4 times that. I find it horrendous that Waggott is attempting to claim some form of credit for himself and the club for Adam's sale. Whilst the club (academy) and JDT and co. deserve credit for developing him and integrating him I can't abide the thought of Waggott scuttling off to India and claiming credit for that sale.

A 26 minute interview, of course hosted by in-house media team to ensure that all questions are acceptable for Steve. Starts off by reminding everyone that the player he is desperately trying to sell (If we wanted him to stay he would at least be training at Brockhall) who saved our skins at Leicester to avoid us hurtling into the third division. 'We all want to play at the top level' except Steve and his bosses who torpedoed our two only realistic opportunities by derailing us in January 2022 and January 2023. Recognises the need to issue an apology after the chaos of last season yet seems to absolve himself or the Indians of any responsibility for that chaos, instead referring to the 're-structure' of course implicitly blaming what happened on the previous structure and set up including now departed staff. 'A decision was made to change the head coach' - pull the other one. JDT was desperate to get out weeks before eventually doing so. Top half and pushing for play-offs now the aim when last year he was happy to survive - bizarre shift in expectations considering what they've done since last year. Has he broken with tradition and has claimed that Suhail is now Chief Operations Officer? I've seen no reference to this in any club announcement or on the website. A transfer fund there 'on request' from the owners yet we are 24 hours off the start of the season and haven't spent a penny of that fund, using income brought in from selling players... Music to Chaddy ears that when we sell a player we don't get all the cash up front in one payment to play with. Of course no recognition that when we buy a player (rare I know) that we don't pay for them in one hit either. Claims that the Indian restrictions are not causing any problems with the owners funding of the club yet that simply doesn't stack up with what has unfolded over the last couple of years with clear budget cuts and self-funding required. The rest just a total rehash of his interviews from 2,3,4 years ago. Some whinging about costs and the need to increase income (7 years into his tenure) The usual line about spending on routine maintenance e.g. cleaning the stadium being 'investment' - it isn't. Couldn't resist a segment about the Adam Wharton development and eventual sale. Not because there's any embarrassment about the figure we got or the nature of his departure, or any recognition that this money should be coming back into the squad, but I suspect just to attempt to claim some credit for his emergence and vindicate his operation. Everything going swimmingly well and to plan. A man who moves his eyes and tongue so much when answering questions and fidgets in his seat when facing questions I don't find reassuring or trustworthy. A charlatan, a pretender, an imposter, who should and wouldn't be anywhere near running a club of this stature were it not for his popularity with the worst owners in football history and their complete and utter indifference to its performance. It wasn't easy to get through without throwing my laptop out of my window but I managed it, think I'll stay off Facebook and Twitter for a few days as no doubt dozens of acolytes heaping praise on him for his 'honesty' and speaking out and everything being hunky dory.

Is there now any connection between the Club and town centre? Granted a longstanding sponsorship deal with a jewellers in the precinct was a stretch but at least a connection. That's one thing they've been good at, step by step reducing the club's footprint and presence. Driving into Ossy from Church yesterday and there's a huge Accy Stanley /Sky sponsorship board. Times are a changing and Rovers seem quite happy with that.

Can we do a sweepstake as to which company Waggott has found to pay a 'significant sum more' for the Man of the Match sponsorship? Even if they are paying more than Peter Jackson I'm going with some unheard of company that makes its money in gambling/vaping etc. or has only been in existence a few years/months rather than having the immediately recognised name and local footprint of Peter Jackson Personally I'd reward Jackson's loyalty over 35 years by allowing him to keep the sponsorship even if that meant paying slightly less than such a company, particularly as I bet we are now going to face an annual challenge of finding a new sponsor when the new lot realise it isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

I had a look on Rovers TV website last night. The latest videos are 2x brief highlights (goals) from the behind closed doors game against Tranmere and a piece on having the Ewood pitch ready for the new season. Other than a couple of interviews with Eustace, a thing about the pink shirt and Markanday there's nothing since the end of last season No goals, highlights or replays of friendlies against Stockport, Wigan, Morecambe, Nuremberg or Accy Stanley. No recent interviews with players or any coaching staff. No training footage, behind the scenes coverage, build up for the season. Nothing. Beyond abysmal in this day and age.

Agreed. I don't think anyone, Peter Jackson included, would be complaining if the club had secured a new sponsor that was going to make a noticeable difference. We all know under this regime that any increase will be absolutely negligible because they simply haven't got the interest or capability to secure lucrative sponsorship. But the timing of the announcement and tone of the statement clearly suggests this hasn't been handled well at all, and it appears a 35 year old partnership has ended on bad terms. I didn't think the club was in such a luxurious position but given its indifference to losing thousands of longstanding season ticket holders I doubt one sponsor will cause any concern.

70 is no age when you are paid £300k + bonuses a year and can please yourself with your bosses indifferent to performance.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Waggott tried to get the jetwashing done in return for free sponsorship etc. rather than payment. I suspect he is the type who would try every trick in the book to avoid actually paying up. With this embarrassing news and the jetwashing starting in earnest both just a few days before we host Derby, and apparently no news on Rovers TV subscriptions either, it would appear that the Club is only just getting its arse into gear ahead of the new season. What the hell they have been doing since May is anyone's guess.

If I sold my car for £10,000, used £1,000 of that to buy an inferior/older model and banked the remaining £9,000 to use on other things at a later date then I would not claim to have invested in a new vehicle. I would be making cutbacks. Entirely my prerogative of course but I ought not to be credited with investing the money when the vast majority of it will never see the light of day again.

Szmodics hasn't featured in any of the limited media released by the club, be that training footage, interviews or friendlies. It is obvious they are keeping him out of the way, both to avoid risking any injury, make it clear to the player he's not wanted, and to brace the fanbase for the departure. Previous players linked with moves away have been involved and played in games despite interest. Usually it's the old 'he's a Rovers player and until something happens he's involved' line. Kind of contradics the claim that Venkys are hard bargainers and won't be taken advantage of. In this case they've got no choice but to take whatever cash is put on the table.

He was pretty clear after Stockport that he wants plenty more and despite the delusional efforts of the club media bloke interviewing him made it clear that the new signings, especially Weimann,.Batth and McFadzean, are not being signed nor are they to be considered first XI players. They are here to step in from time to time and provide experience behind the scenes. Of course he'll be fed up, I doubt there's many that aren't down there. Doubt he'll walk away from 2 years of wages and an unsackability though

A rare occasion where the club is absolutely desperate to sell him to pocket the money so much so that he is being forced out of pre season and training I don't believe for a second that Szmodics, in view of his efforts of last season, is refusing to play or train. He's top of 'the list' the stooges are working hard on, desperate to offload to help their bosses have to tip the cash in instead. If you own a football club at this level and don't like losing money two solutions: 1) Get promoted to access PL riches 2) Clear off Not acceptable to stay and reduce the club to a size and cost that you are willing to cover.

'Better having someone than no-one' Most of those who departed at the end of last season weren't great (Unlikely to be with our budgets) but at least they were here as options to turn to. Now who do we turn to when the inevitable injuries and suspensions come?

How can we afford new signings if we've just paid someone to power wash the grime off the Blackburn End?

Not Waggott's fault....let's look at Rudy, Park and the other fall guy appointed this summer. That's the game here.

It's happened once - when we signed Kaminski. Other than that struggling to think of another occasion in the last 10 years where we have gone out and signed a proven quality goalkeeper.

Joining any club over Rovers is the more ambitious move.

Just occurred to them that there is a problem and it might be a bit embarrassing when the fans turn up on Friday together with the Sky cameras and see the state of it. So all hands to the pump to make the facade presentable.