Tomphil2

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.

Nixon.

Is that with or without what Akon owes VLL !

I think a lot of people who work or have worked there until recently in both a football and non football capacity would agree. Don't think it's a coincidence either that a more corporate administration soulless approach has set in since that other Rao fella was stuck onto the board of directors.

Disagree there quite strongly as two of them i'm convinced Pears doesn't save, great reflex saves that you probably wouldn't expect bank average keepers to make.

That's why you NEED a good goalkeeper.

He has been honest and told it like it was,, that he wasn't rocking a perfectly comfortable boat floating steadily after he plugged many leaks. So he's basically confirmed he was under no pressure nor expectation from above to do anything else therefore he was doing his job to the best of his ability. Just the same as he had anywhere else and would've done had he stayed at Sunderland or Brum. I doubt very much they'd be in the Prem if he stayed there and at the same time Brum would never have gone to league 1 briefly. He is the ultimate steady Eddie and that comes with both pros and cons. Some Rovers fans though still can't handle the fact he was happy going nowhere and saw no harm in it for a club like us, even when he goes on a podcast confirming it.

We were excellent v Hull once we found a foothold in the game and settled down but lets not forget if it wasn't for Toth we'd have comfortably been a goal or two down.

Bogey side at Ewood and the ultimate blow hot one min blow cold the next min club. A much sterner test than last week and Brum. Rovers 1 Norwich 1

I'm one of their biggest critics also and i haven't seen much to praise Gestede about, quite the opposite but you don't really sign good players by mistake. If they wanted to fill the squad full of shite they would do it would be quite easy and been done before. But your right the main driver is not promotion it is as they've always been trying to put in place, an entire squad who has real potential to increase in value so they can sell them all again. They are using the assets they have in order to do that because we know the Vs don't/can't put actual money in for players. So they are basically having a mass fire sale to fund a new direction and to do it they need half decent signings at least and the mass influx of transfer cash has allowed them to do that. Lets not forget the actual recruitment team in this below Gestede who probably do most of the hard work.

As is airing your dirty laundry in public throwing players under the bus to deflect any stick coming your/the clubs way. They are ALL at fault which just goes to show how toxic and every man for himself it is behind the scenes there now.