I've no idea who was pushing Brereton to the owners. Do you ?

In which case he follows all the others who have told Venkys the truth and paid for it with his job - perhaps he thought he might be able to make something of the lad.

He could hardly come out and say it was never his idea and came about because of agents in the background.

If as you say, rightly I think, Mowbray has never rated Brereton does that not point to the signing having been instigated by someone else ?

Well with Kean,Berg,Appleton and Coyle the owners have already managed to come up with someone worse on 4 occasions - so why not a 5th ?

Yes, I know - sadly they are the ones who make the decisions

My thoughts entirely. I didn't know that Mowbray received that advice prior to taking the job, but if that is true it is indicative of how toxic the owners' reputation is in the game and as such a serious deterrent to anyone with a choice as to where they will work. Lambert had much the highest standing in the game of anyone who joined us - and indeed was the only one who went on to good jobs after us - but he was never going to take the job here unless he had a get out if things were like he was warned . Unfortunately they were and wore him down to the extent that he jumped.

If Mowbray goes some people want an unproven coach in Damien Johnson to take over

4 of those 6 posts were replies to posts to myself, 3 of them courteous but the other 1 suggesting nobody should bother to converse with me.

Not much point to a messageboard that only allows one opinion.

I want the club to be run well without micro management from thousands of miles away and without the fear that there is an absurd decision coming just around the corner. I think the manager - whoever it is - is probably hamstrung by policies regarding incoming transfers for any degree of significant fee being limited both in terms of the position of the player and their age whereas the manager's professional judgement should be employed to sign the players thought most likely to get the club in to the Premier League. I hope that in next 5 years - indeed the next 5 minutes - the owners are gone and the club is once again run by people who understand how a football club should be run.

I don't think there's nobody out there better - I think the owners wouldn't identify them/they won't want to take the job/they won't stay for long if they did

I was referring to McCarthy at Ipswich although I do remember people complaining about Allardyce - "hoofball" etc.

Exactly - and I bet there was some poor sod on the Ipswich messageboard telling the others there that they weren't going to get anyone better but they told him to shut up because there were better managers out there.

Weren't the Ipswich fans dancing in the streets when McCarthy got fired ?

The owners have already said no to Warnock once

I realise I wouldn't have the information. I'm forming my opinion on the basis of what I surmise the position to be and how the owners have behaved in the past.

My memory must be failing but please could you name these managers and explain what they have achieved.

I'm expressing an opinion. In fact I am not saying we "can't" improve on Mowbray, just that (1) I would like to know the facts of what offer would actually be on the table for a new manager with regard to finances and control over transfers and (2) having made 7 managerial appointments in 9 years the owners' track record is that Mowbray is as good as they get. I have to guess as to the answer to (1) - as does everyone else - but my guess is that the offer would not be attractive to many of the more established managers. In the circumstances I stick with Mowbray as at least he is keeping us out of trouble.

I think in some respects you are right in that Hill is the sort of manager that probably would be hired. I think if you look back on the various posts there have been on this issue over the last few months the "Mowbray Out" brigade are assuming that a manager with a more convincing track record or potential than Hill would be hired - whereas I think they would be disappointed.

My answer is that "Mowbray Out" is only part of a sentence. To sensibly address the management issue requires information as to the FFP position that the club is in , the funds if any that the owners want to commit and the process for identifying the mysterious "better manager out there" that so many claim to know of. Only then would anyone be able to say with a reasonable degree of confidence that the next manager attracted to the club will be an improvement. In the meantime I will sit back and watch your one man pitch invasion in protest at the manager.

As you are the man with all the answers I nominate you as the first.

Do you have any knowledge as to how the club think we are placed in relation to FFP ?

I assure you I would not blithely dismiss alternatives. My mindset is that the mediocre Mowbray represents with Bowyer and Lambert the highest calibre of managerial performance we have had with Venky's ownership with their other 4 appointments performing worse. Yes, it is depressing. It is not difficult to rattle off names of people who are better but the problem is (1) can the owners do what we can and identify them (2) will those managers be put off by Venky's reputation and (3) is the club facing FFP constraints which would be a serious deterrent to taking the job.

I don't think Brown ever played for them ? He only seemed to be there about a week. Unfortunately he has issues off the field which is a pity as he is a great player.