Tomphil2

Yep same script but different policy in terms of age and wages. Horrific thing is Brown was way better at ball control and hold up than Gueye although he couldn't score or be as athletic but he was a better all round player. Hoban - McCloughlan similar i'd say. Derek and Ribero different types but overall not much difference defence wise. Akpan - Useless footballer at that level but better in the tackle than Sid. Wes Brown and Gordon Greer i have no words. I suppose a few of this lot can and will develop whereas virtually all that lot were eeking their last paydays here foisted on us by parasitic agents. Doesn't help us in the short to medium term though where we are striking an unwanted resemblance to that team of misfits.

This filling the squad with your own cheap buys and youth is fine if most of them cut the mustard but if they don'y you are stuck with them. If you get relegated they are then mostly worth less than what minimal fees you are paying for them. I suspect should that happen the ones who brought them in will be long gone though with a few years wages and commission in their pockets.

Because when he came he showed some glimpses and plundered a few goals but since then, from the back end of last season he's gone alarmingly backwards. Certainly hasn't looked comfortable at all under this coach and his offside antics are ridiculous for a pro footballer. So i think we've got another big lad in so it's best all round to move Maktar on and get some money back or at least let him get some regular action somewhere. I think if you plonked him in lge 1 or 2 under the right system he'd get a bag full.

I'd stake my last quid that another 2 or 3 years of penny wise pound foolish Suhail in charge things on and off the pitch will be worse than they ever have.

I expect he has very little say in anything other than taking training and taking charge of the matchday team. Nor that he particularly cares.

Add to the first game that's at least another 3k paying customers they've managed to lose over the two games combined. Never mind, the prices rises covered that !

Well we've had Telovic, now Gueye so maybe 3rd time lucky.

Hes been brought in to go along with it, nod at everything they do and play the hand they give him without complaining. That is why he is here that's why he was selected from the jobless pile by whoever controls things at Ewood. At best he is a bang average journeyman coach who comes across every since he set foot in the place as someone who is just going through the motions. Stick is a huge part of the job and he knows this so he'll have to lump it, seven days ago he was praised, today deserves some questions.

Gudjohnsen could be the marquee signing. That means there's a fine chance it'll fall through....

Yup Transition has just replaced the project which replaced the journey which followed on from a 'reset' after a deep audit. The one and only description is Managed Decline which has ebbed and flowed between overnight to death by a thousand cuts over the last 15 years.

Trying to force people to upgrade and just leave the Blues Bar for the peasants. About time it was boycotted.

Yes they all have to work for the loons but JDT blew away that 'nobody would've done better' theory very quickly. Before he was shafted with the budget of course.

Kargbo and Tavares based on all the evidence not just today truly are development players at this level who should be bench fodder at best right now. Speaking of development GUEYE has gone backwards from looking out of his depth with the odd 'surprising' performance to pure shite who cannot still fathom what staying onside is. Piss poor, knew today would be a way bigger test than Hull but even so that non event first half we should have gone in 2 or 3 behind regardless of the non penalty. Talk of the team needing to gel is correct but they knew that when they made so many changes however i fear the heart has been ripped out of it. Plenty huff and puff in the second half when they were happy to sit and wait for the killer strike but never having even remotely tried to replace Szmodics was highlighted again today. Even a poor to average side with a proper striker will take its fair share of points even when being shite.

I'd take a good pay cut to go from Preston to Sunderland to be fair.

And it's such a Blackburn Rovers thing to do, neglect one of if not the most important areas of the squad whilst rebuilding the rest of it.

Diaz would actually suit Eustace's style i think so if he signs hopefully big Ryan punts him into touch early when we meet. Ben will disappear then.

I was never comfortable with his attitude to be honest and that's what i mean by not wanting another like that but i know nowt about this guy to be fair. Of course if they are scoring and their confidence is high then nobody cares about attitude the arrogance is working for you. When it's backs to the wall as it often is and those lesser players around you are having a tough time then the onus is on to step it up and lead by example. The Siggy types, fit or not, don't do that.

I might be in a minority but i don't want to see another Siggy here for the money and to manage his International career. Scandi players are very hit and miss.

Amazing what one good win will do you can guarantee if we'd lost at Hull the mood would be entirely different despite the continued signings. I think personally when you see such a sudden wholesale change at a club overnight then something has drastically changed at the heart of it. You'd have to be from Mars if you didn't suspect some fresh involvement from some new string pullers in head office but to what ends we don't know. Maybe big Barry's son is taking the reigns, maybe the new Indian finance director, maybe Suhail finally getting full control ? Or as is most likely financial pressure to cash in whatever is possible and put back together a cheaper squad that has more potential for quick turnover, which brings me back to the new finance director. Who actually attended a game ! Then we look at Rudy etc and imo they knew they were going to set about a massive turnover this summer and they have brought in some form of Agency or Consultancy to oversee it all. I think he represents that on the surface and would explain why he appeared out of nowhere. He was never shadowing Waggot on work experience he was doing due diligence for wholesale cost cutting and implementing of a new model. Just my opinion of course but what we do know is the agents will be in clover at Ewood again.

You are god damn right he is although even Gibson when he was there seemed to want TM more focused on youth development. However Tony probably never asked for much anyway ...'Steve is a nice man with a nice family, sunk millions into the club, fans are still craving the Ravaneli era' You know the script.

That Aynsley Pears dad was a good keeper perhaps we should........

I remember saying that on here one Saturday morning and it turned into a several hour long row and i think resulted in a ban. I'm in no way a clairvoyant or expert judge but to me it was bleeding obvious how he was operating. Trouble is some thought the nice guy image. the promotion and his principles he always banged on about meant he was above constructive scrutiny and questioning. There were plenty examples but one that sticks out like a boil on the end of a nose was how he let Smallwood sit out his contract sat on his arse in the office at times and refusing to go on loan or play for U23s all because he knew he already had a fresh gig lined up. Then between them him, Venus and Waggot even gave him an extension into the covid period even though he'd previously been told he'd not be picked again. Shocking stuff really and although i do have a lot of respect for him the saint Tony stuff never washed with me. As Rev said, a crafty old goat.

Reminds me of Sir Bobby Robson in many ways aside from actual coaching calibre. Think Sir Bob though had a hard edge which obviously contributed to his success whereas Tony would rather have a cup of tea and bag of revels instead of losing his rag.

We are in danger of being too misty eyed over these academy lads and obviously it's only because we want to see them do well here for our mutual benefit. However a lot of them have been around a while and have stuttered to make the necessary grade one way or another so as long as they get a fee and good add on/sell on, maybe even a buy back, then i'm not too bothered anymore. As long as it opens the door for bringing fresh blood in and isn't just a cashing out exercise.

In regards to the academy perhaps the new remit is sell anyone with any value in them right now with add on's and sell on's attached instead of carrying them here and paying them. Then replace with more promoted youth and a few freebie signings costing even less in wages and try and develop them at that level quicker than normal. They seem to want to create a conveyor belt right throughout the club where every single player on the books is a saleable and potential value increasing asset rather than a depreciating one or stagnant non value item.