No, I'm not laughing 😠😡 VENKYRAOs and WAGGOTTS CHUCK OFF!!

Not worried in the least, because we all know that if the fee is anything more than two milk bottle tops and a snog behind the bike shed, these arseholes won't sanction it. So, as far as I'm concerned the fee could be... One hundred billion dollars...

Someone should post a picture of the champagne corks littering Nuttall street.

How Blackburn Rovers’ Duncan McGuire deal fell apart twice By Tom Bogert and Oliver Kay 3h ago Duncan McGuire rushed through JFK airport to make his connecting flight, even as the reason he was taking it seemed to be falling apart. The Orlando City striker, a recent USMNT debutant, had been the subject of transfer interest all winter long from the EFL Championship – England’s second tier, just below the Premier League. Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday were among the interested clubs, but Blackburn had finally come to terms with Orlando around 48 hours before the Feb. 1 transfer deadline. The deal was advanced enough that McGuire was permitted to say his goodbyes to his teammates and depart Orlando’s preseason training camp in Mexico, heading to Manchester with a stop in New York City. But as McGuire sat on that first flight, Blackburn Rovers’ management team was told by the club’s owners in India that they would have to pull out of the deal. The finances, they said, simply weren’t there. It would be the first of two times McGuire’s attempted winter move to Blackburn would be called off. The second came on Tuesday, when the club announced that the striker’s move had been rejected by the English Football League (EFL) due to late transmission of transfer documents. Tuesday’s announcement extends one of the most bizarre sagas of the transfer window, and one that could have a direct impact on the USMNT’s chances at the 2024 Olympics. “All of the necessary paperwork had been completed prior to 10 p.m. on Thursday February 1st,” Blackburn said in a statement, “however due to an administrative error, the the forms were not processed in the prescribed times.” The club added that it is appealing the decision, with the EFL board set to consider the case and bring it to a conclusion on Thursday, Feb. 8. If that appeal fails, Blackburn said McGuire will stay in the UK until the process concludes, and would be allowed to return to Orlando City for the start of the MLS season if the appeal is denied. The club says if that happens, it will extend a pre-contract agreement to McGuire to join the club in the summer. “Detailed discussions with legal representatives and the relevant football authorities have taken place over the last few days to try and reach an urgent resolution on the matter,” the Blackburn statement reads. In fact, discussions among relevant football figures have been ongoing for many days before today’s announcement – a drawn-out deadline-day tale with a young player’s career hanging in the balance. Days before the deadline, with the player yet to land at JFK and Blackburn in the middle of this deal’s first collapse, McGuire was up in the air in more ways than one as Blackburn executives apologized to Orlando City sporting director Luiz Muzzi, technical director Ricardo Moreira and McGuire’s agent Chris Megaloudis. As that unfolded, Megaloudis had a little time and a little hunger to kill before his own connecting flight on his way to meet McGuire in England. He stopped in to P.F. Chang’s, a popular Asian cuisine chain, which accompanies its meals with the traditional fortune cookie. Hoping for some bit of good news from somewhere, Megaloudis opened it. It didn’t say “Duncan McGuire Will Move To Blackburn” as he hoped, but it did say “a small act will bring happiness to the family”. There was happiness, but not for long. This account of the saga is according to multiple sources on both sides of the Atlantic who were either briefed on or directly involved with negotiations. The sources were granted anonymity to protect their relationships within the game. McGuire experienced quite the whirlwind 72 hours before the Feb. 1 transfer deadline – especially considering the player’s whirlwind rise, from collegiate soccer for Creighton University in Nebraska to the U.S. national team in the space of a year. A first-round draft pick by Orlando City, McGuire came in with modest expectations but greatly exceeded them, beating out Austrian international Ercan Kara to be his team’s starting striker and scoring 15 goals in all competitions in his first professional season. He made his USMNT debut in a January friendly against Slovenia, and should be in contention to play with the U.S. at the Olympics this summer. Orlando City did not want to lose McGuire this winter. After all, he was on perhaps the most team-friendly contract in MLS: A paltry $77,360 guaranteed, according to the most recent figures released by the MLS Players’ Association. To put that salary in context: McGuire scored 13 league goals in 2023. The next six players behind him on the league scoring charts each make at least $2 million in guaranteed compensation, according to those same MLSPA figures. Naturally, McGuire’s representation wanted a new contract, but McGuire and Orlando were not especially close to a deal as the club opened negotiations. Blackburn had tracked McGuire during his breakout season in MLS, and saw him as a long-term target rather than a panic buy. Early in the January window, Blackburn made its first forays for McGuire – two loan offers that Orlando rejected. The English side didn’t have the money upfront for a loan or permanent transfer (first payment of a transfer fee or loan fee), which was integral for Orlando so they could have increased freedom to bring in a replacement for McGuire. Sheffield Wednesday had a few offers declined, too, as they looked at McGuire to save their season from relegation. Upon learning of these rejected offers, McGuire visited Muzzi, telling the Orlando sporting director he wanted to go, and he wanted to go now. There was no guarantee another offer would arrive in the summer. He wanted to bet on himself. For Blackburn, circumstances were changing. The club had initially offered a loan deal due to a lack of cash, but Crystal Palace’s interest in Blackburn midfielder Adam Wharton grew serious and a deal was getting closer. Blackburn wanted to use that money to get McGuire. In the days before the close of the transfer window, Wharton’s deal to Crystal Palace for £22 million ($27.8 million) was nearly done. Blackburn returned to Orlando with an offer for a permanent transfer. Negotiations between Blackburn and Orlando intensified to the point where a deal had finally been verbally agreed late Tuesday night U.S. time (early Wednesday U.K. time), with just enough hours left before the deadline for McGuire to travel to England. The sides agreed on an initial fee of just under $4 million (around £3 million) plus add-ons that could see the deal rise north of $6 million (around £5 million). Orlando would retain a sell-on clause, another crucial negotiating point. Wednesday morning, Orlando authorized McGuire to depart the team’s preseason camp in Cancun. He did. Blackburn had booked and paid for his flight. McGuire stepped on board, took off, and things changed yet again: Venky’s, the Indian firm that owns Blackburn, called chief executive Steve Waggott, director of football Gregg Broughton and coach John Dahl Tomasson, telling the group that there was no money to do the deal. Disappointed and apologetic, Broughton called Muzzi and Megaloudis just as McGuire was nearing New York City. The deal, McGuire’s future, Blackburn’s relegation fight and Orlando’s offseason plans all laid in the balance. There were 30 hours until the transfer window closed. As McGuire rushed to catch his flight to Manchester, Muzzi told Megaloudis that the club would welcome the forward back. Orlando tried to contact McGuire directly to tell him to come back as well, but he proved to be unreachable. If McGuire returned to preseason camp, there was no way he could travel to England in time to complete any move. If he didn’t get on that flight to Manchester, it was over. McGuire landed in England on Wednesday evening, with about 24 hours until the window closing. By that point, Sheffield Wednesday had re-opened talks with Orlando. Several other Championship clubs, including Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town, also expressed interest in making a deal happen, sources say. Ultimately, though, Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn were the only serious bidders. Megaloudis assumed that Sheffield Wednesday was the most likely destination, so he eventually settled with McGuire at the Mercure Sheffield Kenwood Hall & Spa hotel in Sheffield on Wednesday evening. McGuire was spotted by a reporter in the lobby on Thursday morning, a mere 13 hours before the window closed. A deal still had not been finalized. He sat in a chair in the lobby – a purple one, like the primary color of Orlando City. At this sleek, relaxing hotel and spa, it was difficult to take even momentary breaks from reality. In addition to being a trying time for McGuire, the episode has intensified the focus on Blackburn’s ownership: Venky’s, an Indian poultry and pharmaceutical conglomerate, which had assets seized as part of an Indian government clampdown on investment overseas. Since the turbulence that followed Venky’s’ acquisition of the club in 2010, when they were in the Premier League, Blackburn had found a measure of stability, with investment having helped the club through the difficult years since their relegation from the top flight. However, there are now serious doubts about whether Venky’s, under growing pressure from the Indian government over the past 12 months, can keep funding Blackburn. Last week Blackburn issued a statement insisting that legal proceedings in India “will not impact the day-to-day funding of the club in any way”, adding, “The owners have given assurance to the board and executive of BRFC that they will continue to fully support the club, as they have done since they acquired the club in 2010.” This year, though, Blackburn was struggling to complete deals, even as the sporting staff scrambled to continue pursuing McGuire and other deadline-day targets. One of them, Slovenian international center back David Brekalo, just so happened to be on the verge of a move to Orlando when Blackburn swooped in, creating another messy situation between the two clubs. Orlando City, for its part, certainly wasn’t thrilled to learn Blackburn was trying to hijack the deal, which would have worked in Wednesday’s favor. The Athletic reported on Thursday that Orlando was finalizing a deal to sign Brekalo. Blackburn ultimately signed center back Billy Koumetio on loan from Liverpool on deadline day. Thankfully for Blackburn, funds were coming in – Palace’s deal to sign Wharton was about to get done. Once again, the club’s circumstances had changed. Meanwhile, that picture of McGuire at the hotel in Sheffield made rounds on X, previously known as Twitter. Wednesday fans recognized McGuire, showed up and started asking for autographs. McGuire signed a few, though his future was far from decided. With time ticking and nothing quite set with Wednesday, Megaloudis called Broughton, and asked if Blackburn could come back to the table now that the deal for Wharton was done. It was the first communication between all parties since the previous deal was scrapped. Broughton said they were still interested in a loan. It was a question of whether they could make an offer that would tempt Orlando back to the table. Orlando remained open-minded, if surprised. Blackburn said it could only do a loan, and Orlando said it would only sanction the deal if it included a sizable loan fee and a purchase option higher than the previously agreed deal. After a bit of haggling, Blackburn agreed to pay a $700,000 loan fee (£550,000) with a purchase option near $7 million (around £5.5 million). The purchase option included another $2.5 million add-ons (£2 million), and Orlando would still retain a sell-on percentage. The on-again/off-again hassle had, in effect, netted Orlando a few million more in transfer and loan fees. Yet still, the deal wasn’t done, and Wednesday remained in the picture. Eventually, both Blackburn and Wednesday sent cars to McGuire and Megaloudis’ hotel, hoping theirs would be the one to take the forward to his medical. A decision would come soon and time running out, plans needed to be set. Broughton sent data points to Megaloudis about why Blackburn was a better home for McGuire than Wednesday. They showed that the club created more scoring chances than Wednesday, more clear shots per 90, and far more open play expected goals. And most important of all: Blackburn was eight points clear of relegation, with Wednesday five points below the relegation line. Muzzi ultimately accepted Blackburn’s offer. They called a taxi, spurning both club-sent cars, and began the two-hour drive to Ewood Park. As they traveled across the Peak District, the final agreements were hammered out and contracts drawn up. They arrived around five hours before the window closed for the medical and final steps. Blackburn reimbursed Megaloudis for the cab, offered the contract, and with 100 minutes to go before the deadline, all parties had signed. McGuire was Blackburn’s newest player. The clubs announced at 11 p.m. UK / 6 p.m. ET – The exact time the transfer window shut (or so they thought). The next morning, one Premier League owner told Megaloudis the fact that McGuire got on the plane changed his life. So, too, could Thursday’s EFL board meeting.

It isn't showing up when I search for it on FaceBook

No no no no no no no!!! THEY are a disgrace. VENKYRAOs OUT! FATWAGGOT OUT!

Yes, you are quite right - I've just latched on to an idea put out there by a much brighter contributor to these forums than me. I agree we need to adopt a siege mentality in order to repel the pseudo imperialist occupation by the faceless cowards of Pune and their proxies. No doubt in my mind that we are at war, for the future of our club. I am confident that we will, ultimately, win. But the bitter pill we have to endure in the interim is sooooo hard to swallow, and almost impossible to digest. Philosophy 1 VenkyRaos 0 VENKYRAOs OUT!

Aye and the Rao rabble will also have one eye (the dicks) on the value of a player who has led the scoring charts in the division for much of the season to date. Sammie has added some value to his potential fee, there is no doubt and there will be no shortage of suitors looking to bring his prowess and workrate to their club. Having said that, a relegation doesn't look good on a player's cv either, so perhaps it is time for player power to start influencing what is happening on the pitch, and for the back line and midfield to grow a pair of big hairy balls and sort that shit out so that we aren't such a powder puff liability with even the most mincemeat attacks. If we don't do something, the game against the barcodes in the FA cup could be a very prominent embarrassment for us all.. just saying 😞 VENKY CONG OUT! RAO RABBLE OUT! Steven Waggott OUT! SORTTHEFOOKINDEFENCEOUTANDPLAYLIKEYOUWANTTOWIN IN!!

Lie down with dawgs, and get up with fleas.

We can but hope. JDT is perhaps the one positive we can talked from the chaos raging around us at the moment. He clearly feels passion for football, came here with a vision for what he wanted to achieve and how that would be done. It is to his credit that he calls out the cretins who seem to have forgotten the basis on which he was recruited, and for his continuing service to the club. Yes he has flaws, but how much of that is down to being asked to go into the ring with hands tied behind his back? I know that the likes of the City manager, Klopp and Co would have struggled under the constraints and reducing /changing resources imposed on JDT. CRETINS Out!! RAOs OUT! VENKY CONG OUT!!

The only notice they ever took of the fans was the day that snowball injured their pride, and the boos dented their egos. Since then it has been one long ordeal both sides, except that they have only money in the game, not passion nor pride, like us. RAOs OUT! VENKY CONG OUT!

Please can I have your babies 😘

MHSP is a better set up, and probably has more spent on it annually on maintenance than Ewood Park at the moment. Venkys don't do 'upgrades' 😞

If it takes getting personal with these eejits to get them to pack up and leave us to rebuild our way back to some kind of decent standing again, then I'm all for it. Definitely worth having a Rao about that one. RAOs OUT!

An eloquent summary.

No, you sign a NDA when you leave a job - these days they are called 'Settlement Agreements' and their use is intended to protect employers from facing claims for unfair dismissal after they have paid someone to leave unexpectedly. Should JDT be offered a package to walk away, payment will be dependent on him signing a Settlement Agreement (also known as a gagging clause).

ROFL..... Sounds like the kind of cynical knife-twisting behaviour of a psychopath. Surely that would be beyond incompetence and in the realm of deliberate malfeasance?

Well it doesn't seem like 'Dead Man Walking' from his demeanour. Time will tell, tick tock, tick tock. That big unit with the beard and braids is our new loanee Billy Koumetio I presume. Shades of a certain Mr Samba in the way he carries himself, which I hope can translate into a similar presence on the pitch. Imagine that! We'd all be forgetting the deckchairs on the Titanic over a ruddy press conference, wouldn't we 🙂 Once again, it is the hope that kills you! JDT IN!

Actually that is a fair point, and one that I'd not considered up to now. It seems a little odd though that the cretins who have deliberately caused him to be in such a difficult situation should suddenly spout a conscience 'for his protection'. More likely they fear the truth that he is quite capable of speaking, which would mean the cockroaches were brought into daylight. A simple verbal warning from the employer and a reminder that bringing 'the club ' (ha ha) into disrepute may constitute gross professional misconduct (i.e. a potentially sackable offence) would have been the action of a normal organisation. The fact that they chose a more dramatic alternative simply increases the pressure on the situation, and leaves no-one in any doubt that there is a serious situation in the making behind the scenes at Rovers. Disgraceful and shambolic. Not fit to be associated with the club. Ridiculous. Pathetic. Everything that is wrong with the game. FAT STINKING LYING CONNIVING DELUDED THIEVING CHEATING WAGGOT OUT! JDT - Speak your mind and hold your head high. You, sir, have done nothing wrong.

Lol. 0-2 behind at Ewood against 'inferior' opposition, any week of the year.

There is nothing to stop that happening, at the UK end.

Deluded bastards

JDT comes across as a principled and intelligent human being, and not someone who is willing to be run roughshod over for the sake of someone else's ego. Whatever has gone on, or is still going on behind closed doors at the club, it doesn't sound like the kind of environment that someone with his values would ever be comfortable with - they say one thing, then do completely the other, So, for me, if he goes, it is further proof that my club is infested with narrow minded, conniving, untrustworthy cheats and liars, all out for themselves and what they can make from a fast declining brand, before it dies on its arse. None of them would be fit to lick dogshit off Jack Walkers shoes. The laughable thing is that under JDT's stewardship, Rovers could have been right in the mix last season (one signing away from the playoffs and on a positive roll). This season the decline seems to have set in round about the time when there was a sea change in messages coming from India about the overall financial position. My guess is that JDT saw the writing on the wall some time ago, and yet clung on perhaps on the promise of 'jam tomorrow' from the FWaggot. We now know that there was never going to be jam. Just leftovers and offal from other peoples' tables. I'd like to think JDT would see out the season, but then again, I'd like to feel like supporting Rovers meant something again too. The wankers have drained the club, and like a whole load of things in the UK these days, its just an empty husk and a front for money making for a hidden few.. Fuck Em. Talk of another manager coming in on the JDT thread is an insult to the man. Some of you arseholes will no doubt jizz yourselves over the prospect of yet another face in the dugout - even that complete cretin above engaging in onanism over a return for the Gurning Chump. As Wild Irish Rover I saw fantastic times at this club. As WIR Revisited I saw the turning of the tide. As Shirley Crabtree Wrestler I shared your pain as the cancer in the club took hold. As Old Codger I am appalled at the depths to which the spirit of our once proud club is being dragged. All I want is my Blackburn Rovers to be a club I can be proud of, and to which I feel I belong. The cretins don't get that. They never will. VENKYS OUT!

I'd imagine JDT has spent the day assessing the outcome of the exercise in futility that was our transfer window activity. After careful consideration of the incoming players, and assessment of the impact of the outgoing ones, he'll have more than likely come to the same conclusions as anyone else with any brain cells, which is that once again the 'recruitment branch' of the club have failed to deliver what he, as the coaching branch, can see as plain as day - that they have failed to deliver what was needed, what was asked for and (presumably) what was promised. As a result, I'd wager he had a face on like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle each and every time either the baldy smiley guy, or the fat overpaid waste of space came anywhere near him. The fat one, being a sensitive type, would have asked him what was up. To which JDT, probably incandescent with rage, said, "Your stupid fucking game, that's what's up." Fatboy notslim will have shat himself that more scorn and scandal might be visited upon the sorry arses of those who pay his brown-nosed stipend, So he will have consulted the dark arsehole in the corner who is connected to the absent ones, who will have said in no uncertain terms, "put a fooking muzzle on your girlfriend or your head is going down the shitter, again." The upshot being, JDT forbidden to utter anything at all to the press and the press, being the bunch of spineless gobshites they are, calling their planted pratty friends in to put a few lines onto the Lancashire rag in support of the faceless cowardly bastards from Pune, rather than championing the righteous indignation felt by JDT. VENKYS OUT! FWAGGOT OUT! JDT To the Microphone!

Anyone with an ounce of grey matter can see that JDT is a man of integrity who has been sold a pup in order to bring (and keep) him to the club. Anyone who can't is a buffoon and a cnut.