DutchRover

Hopefully Glen and the Coalition have something up their sleeves, because the 25% cut in wages (in real terms versus inflation) is killing us. The only way we will head on the current model in non-league.

LT reporting the Travis links now, I worry that is the first step by the club before we sell him

I thought Hedges was a right winger? He only moved to the left last season/under Eustace. He's never been fast enough to go outside his man and use left foot, and all his best games have come playing on the right and running diagonal lines. Don't want him to start, but it's not a surprise...

Interesting the Jackson seems to think we are still after Sagnan. There can't be a release clause like we initially thought if the alleged bids from Sunderland are £4 million plus. Even if its just the agent drumming interest we would surely be out the running. I wonder if its the first sign of trouble between Ismael and the board; I'd guess he has a better read on French league players than us and he clearly wants a big strong left footed CB. I fear he will disappointed if this is the case...

Can't say I see Marseille swooping in for De Neve, but could be a useful player just for his pace.

Not saying that, just basing the 11 of the players we currently have in the squad, plus Batth who they said they want to keep (not that I think we will at this stage)

Assuming no signings, perhaps Ismael is aiming for something like: Toth Hyam. Batth, Wharton Brittain, Trav, Tron, Ribeiro Cantwell, Kargbo Ohashi

I suspect that defenders are cheaper than forwards, can imagine a situation where Kargbo and Cantwell play behind Ohashi/Gueye as a 3. Saves us buying more expensive wingers to replace Dolan etc. Worth bearing in mind most of Kargbo's best performances as Cesena actually came playing as a 10 not a winger.

If the links to CBs and de Neve are true, Ismael may be switching to a 3-4-3, in which case Pickering probably plays CB and we need a backup to Ribeiro as wing back

Would be nice if true, and to be fair most of our signings the last few years have come without much rumour.

His attributes seem to be fast and cheap, the latter is presumably the greater draw for Suhail/Gestede. Presumably seen as a back-up for Kargbo on left wing but hardly an inspiring target. As always, should not pass judgement until we see him play (assuming we even sign him that is).

Signings taking some time is perhaps forgivable, but to have not even agreed contracts with the players we retained (Batth, Weimann etc) is unacceptable. The club is just waiting for Eustace and Derby to offer them more so we don't have to pay them, and then the usual excuses will be trotted out. If we wanted to keep them we would have signed the deals, same goes for Trav/Tronstad/Brittain. Instead we are low-balling because Venky's can't/won't give us any money. Frankly, the FA should open an investigation into the mismanagement of the club and the inability of the owners to fund the team. If they were made the go through the buyer process they would fail, and therefore should not be permitted to continue owning the club.

Unless the contract is signed any news of "interest/talks/trying" is utterly meaningless coming from Rovers. Even then we don't have a great track record...

God knows when we sign anyone, but the bigger worry is we haven't even agreed contracts yet.

We're broke and Venky's can't/won't send any money, so we need to sell anyone we can and cut costs just to keep the lights on.

Suhail under the CEO so he has someone else to blame but over CEO with all the decision making power.

Not really a CEO gig if Gestede has complete control over Football and Suhail has control on Finances and Commercial. More of an operations manager position. Low ego = will do whatever Suhail tells you to do.

Utterly predictable mess to start the summer, no first team extensions and no clear activity on transfer front, just "advanced talks" which have not progressed for two weeks. Someone said Suhail was in India, presumably agreeing the budget for the summer as being 2p and Waggot's left over crisps...

Should probably start a thread on how soon Ismael will be pissed off enough with the clowns to leave. The way the transfer window is shaping up it could be before the season...

So predictable, also explains the nominal links to Drameh and Cooney as replacements not back-ups

A good CB can play until they are 40 as long as they stay mostly fit, look at Thiago Silva. Batth should have been given a deal that he would resign instantly and we can build from there, he is/was our best CB. Instead they've undoubtedly low-balled him again while Eustace will have offered a 2-year deal at Derby.

It was certainly the case in the early days with all the Kentaro boys, if it still goes on they do a better job of hiding it now.

Must be, can't see how we could afford him otherwise, the other defender at Saint Etienne, Nade, will be in the same boat you'd think.

I wasn't sure if this was a typo, the use of "However" implies that the interest has not developed rather than that it has.

I was just wondering the same, they may try push out the boat this summer in the hope that fan unrest dies down and Suhail can return to the shadows.