Tomphil2

It seems the ones earmarked for development to sell are getting long contract but the caveat to this is no doubt their starting point wages here are low by British standards. At least there's a few here now beyond next summer though !

Next resheduling.

You stole my post i was just about to say that. He did turn into a bit of an arse those last 2 years but before that i think he was just fence sitting as they all do because he had no real idea what was going on. I get the impression from outside that this Suhail character plays lord almighty not to be questioned, don't ask him he'll ask you if he wants to speak to you type thing. I think Mowbray was probably as frustrated as anyone else but rather stupidly he started having digs at fans and reporters. He was the one though always fronting questions on behalf of the whole club whilst his CEO rarely spoke and the guy really running the show hid away. For half a million quid a year though anybody would probably just toe the line but some of the stuff he came out with was certainly a bit twatish and definitely soured what should arguably have been a decent legacy here.

The club is a vassal state to a far off lands set of accountants.

And a leg if we finish 6th ?

Yeah so just rebuilding a team for a new head coach. I think we need to differentiate here what we mean by 'plan' as in a club plan to reset, invest and aim for something over a 3 year period versus a head coach just planning his team for the next 12 months after being handed half a squad due to exits. There is one but there certainly isn't the other, who would bet against another coach doing the same thing here by next summer ?

That's exactly what it is and India isn't bothered as long as the hassle to them is limited to a couple of meetings per year and costs are kept to the bottom line. The malaise we had under Bowyer and a lot of TM's tenure backs this up where doing just enough was enough but that isn't ambitious enough for young head coaches hence the problems once they see how the club works. It's a complete gravy train though for a couple of directors and no doubt some advisers/agents.

Not defending Gestede as he was all over the shop in some of those interviews but perhaps he meant he'd been told look you've got 3.5 million to spend this summer regardless of who is sold or not. Wishful thinking obviously but we know the BS that flies around inside Rovers and the promises that are made to new gaffers etc plus they know there'd be future sales to plug that gap. IMO what we are seeing now is what we've always seen in terms of some backing for a new coach/manager that will all but disappear after this summer again and the well will be dry for Ismael even if he stays 3 years so he better make the most of it now. Invest a bit, grow a new squad, sell, pay down the overdraft, rinse and repeat.

That's not a long term plan is it it's just replacing players that are leaving which any and every club has to do unless they fill the spots with youth players. Clubs tend to work to 3 year plans not wing it summer to summer like these lot do.

Plan here ? It's about time you held your hand up and admitted the ONLY plan here is we have to sell players and let players who want better contracts go in order to pay the bills. That's it there is no other plan than that it's about keeping the lights on. The same can't be said of Derby who no doubt sold Eustace a project of building year on year for promotion and that's why he went there.

That's what managers do that's why they are called managers not head coaches. Do you see them selling their best players to pay their bills and fishing around for cheaper replacements to develop or do you see them putting in place a strong squad for this season then trying to add quality to take them to the next level ? Meanwhile here - so far - 4 of last seasons best players have left and nobody has signed a contract extension. Precisely what he knew was going to happen.

So they'll bring in some more he's laying a good platform for this season and they'll build on that how many times have we heard from a new manager or coach that they'll need 3/4/5 windows to 'build' their team. What i don't see them doing is selling their best players, do you ?

It's clear to all now why he went there. Long term ambition being put into practise.

I do remember Mowbray saying something along the lines of the owners are dealing with their own problems in India when being questioned on their lack of involvement. I think that might have been pre covid or maybe just after but i thought at the time he was just covering himself and swerving questions but we also had Waggot saying things like we have to help them sometimes and that was way back. Seems they may have known all wasn't well way before it became public.

And that's exactly what i mean i think they decided years ago to reduce funding when their profit margins were reduced so without any court case i still think we'd have been down a similar path. It was evident when they let Mowbray go and switched to the DoF / Head Coach model in order to maximise academy involvement in the first team and source cheap foreign players via Broughton. The money exchange tax hike probably partly prompted that and then of course they were hit with all the court shit prompting another emergency cut, although maybe they knew that was coming anyway.

I think the truth of the matter is the owners decided a good few years ago, before this farce, that they were reducing funding but this reared up out of nowhere. Hence there's never really appeared to be much rush to resolve it or bite the bullet and adhere to the conditions that were set out.

All things considered finishing 7th this season and keeping the play offs alive until the death would be a monumental effort as it was last season to be honest. Yes we should always be aiming for that and season on season they should be building on the previous season, strengthening the weak areas and maintaining or even trying to better the strong areas. However we all know that NEVER happens under this lot, never has, never will they have no desire for it. You should always build from a position of strength it's the only way now for a club like us but this ownership and those running the club always find reason or cause reason for good work to be ruined and start a new journey project chapter (i think we are up to now) It's almost as if borrowings need reducing and people lust for commissions. But whatever i'd rip someones arm out the socket to finish 7th this coming season although i'm pretty sure all arms are safe for now.

So no doubt the next one is after the window shuts in Feb !

As far as iv'e seen all our CB's or the 3 we have left before newbies are all lacking in pace and all more suited to a deep lying well protected counter attacking style. Van Hecke on loan was probably the last guy who could cover ground on his own outside the box and he was obviously a bit raw.

No contribution from the wide open style of play then ?

Well they are going to have to sort something soon because Blackburn Rovers has just sold virtually the last decent saleable asset it has left.

When he has to take responsibility for the defence he tends to flap so unless the new lad is that type it could be a bit ropey.

This posing with a bunch of roses like the front page of a porn mag is grim. The guy looks more stoked to be here than anybody since ..er ..Brittain when he signed !

Not after 85 mins..... 😎

Well be was better than Martin Dahlin in blue and white put it that way.