raaaarggghhh shiver me timbers! Agree though.

old git - plus a lucky one !

Thats Chaddy for you...one week he doesnt want 31-year olds, the next (cos we linked to one) we are judging the player.

Just because Lee Bowyer said we bid - does not mean we have. We could have of course but you cannot just go on the word of a manager that has a CB running down the last 12-months of his contract who obviously wants to get as much money for him as possible. As someone above posted, it is not uncommon for managers to make claims that certain bids have been made so that they can up the price of players. So no, it is not a fact Chaddy, it is a rumour at this stage until TM comes out and confirms that he bid 300k for Bauer.

Nerves starting to kick in - have not been so excited for an England match in decades!

He had it all.

Ronaldo, one of the greatest players of all time, looks after himself like no other athlete on the planet and would still walk into practically any lineup in the world at 33 - hence why clubs are still willing to pay 88 million for him despite his age. Shirts sales alone will probably recoup alot of that. Can you say the same about Glenn Johnson? if there was still 'life in him yet' - surely a premier league team would have snapped him up as he is out on contract. They haven't and now he is scrapping around looking for one last contract at whatever club he can find that will take him. Not saying its a completely bad shout and dont want to tarnish all older players with the same brush but we have been stung on these types of signings countless times over the years.

Winger primarily but can play number 10 too, great assist stats for last season - a big reason why Marriot got so many goals.

2 million for a league 1 CB with 12-months left on his contract is far too much. That said, 300k is a bit on the low side too.

Mbappe and Griezman would be a lot for our back three to handle as well.

So France was the big nation I predicted to flop this year (they are actually the only one NOT to ha-ha). If we were to choose between them and Belgium for a final (should we make it of course) who would it be? I personally would have to go for us against Belgium again (1st teams this time though).

Keep telling that to myself too. Not sure why people are discounting teams relegated from the PL, they are shopping the same pond as the rest of us now and Maddison would be a class signing at this level.

Well, they might have had structured bonuses the better they managed to do. Not every club will reward players with a bonus for avoiding relegation but in this case it is quite obvious it was their minimum target having just got promoted and they barely managed to put a squad together. They only just managed to stay up too.

I have done a few dirty jobs in my rovers kits over the years ; )

Yes it is. They had just been promoted so I guess this was their target.

As much as I dislike Nixon - did he really start this whole Ellison rumor off? As far as I saw it, it was somebody else asking him if there was anything in it and he replied 'thats a new one, good player though' or something along those lines. These other links are coming from shite websites like 72 or whatever that are linking him purely on a rumor lol. I will say though, those saying he only got 12 goals in L1, as a 'lone' striker, is that really a bad return compared to Graham with 14 in a promotion team? Bit younger too, bit of pace. Not saying he is ideal but perspective and all that.

I think on paper overall - we shade it. But, as others have said, where they are strongest is possibly where we are the weakest. That said I think Henderson has had a great WC. We either have to back him up with Dier or someone else (which i dont agree with) or just go for it and hope that sterling finally has his 'shooting' (perhaps add a scope to that tattoo) boots on, Kane gets some chances and we capitalise on set-pieces.

How many did your right cheek get?

Agree with this...if we change our setup to accommodate them it puts them in the driving seat in my opinion. They should be worried about us. Dier alongside Henderson makes us look labored.

Think we have what it takes to beat Croatia. Imagine getting to a final? Luck, easy draw, major teams not performing - could not care less, a final is a final and that is all that will be remembered.

Which is what I said..isnt it?

Yeah but he is hardly waxing lyrical about the kid - keeping his cards close to his chest I reckon. Making everything sound 'meh' rather than directly upping any fee for Chapman by declaring how bad he wants him.

Some are saying it is just Ben Amos and a bonus payment only, which would be odd for a whole team to strike for one player that was out on loan last season. Others are saying it was two players who have not received a wage for June and that the whole squad has not been paid their bonuses for last season. I think the latter sounds more plausible in forcing the team to strike and apparently similar happened last season. All being told, all does not seem well in their camp.

We hold all the cards with Chapman tbh. He has a year left on his contract, Boro are obviously not sure whether to offer him another one. There would be little point for them sending him on loan to us for a season as he would just walk for free in a years time. It is probably us that would prefer a loan but I just do not see Boro doing it as it makes no sense to them. They will want a fee now so if thats the case...give them a nominal take it or leave it figure. Lower financial risk for us. The kid obviously loved it here and forged some great relationships - so I would imagine its how much TM wants it rather than the player.

I don't think you can blame the players - it would seem that this is hardly the first time it has happened under this new ownership. How many of us would accept not being paid on time from our employment? Yes they earn a lot of money but this is irrelevant, we all have mortgages and bills to pay and all expect our contracted monies to come to us when they should. The gist of the statement from the players is that it is more the fact that players are not being paid and nothing is even being said to them from the club about it. Punished? Now that is laughable, punishing players for not fulfilling their contractual duties when you have not fulfilled yours by paying them their salary?