bluebruce

Jesus christ, Forshaw played in 16 games for us last season? No wonder we didn't get over the line.

I agree. I wouldn't rule out that they're waiting for the Baradji deal to be settled so they have an idea of what's left in the budget. If they can't get him at a price they're ok with they might end up going for a pricier or cheaper alternative. Probably the latter knowing this lot.

Then I've misremembered a little, sorry. As he posted a little after, he has rebuffed your offers to bet with him and repeatedly said he won't be doing anything like that. Outcome being the same, it won't be happening. I think I've seen him say he doesn't drink? And that's probably what I mixed it up with.

I don't know why you say this sort of thing to Chaddy when he has repeatedly told you he doesn't gamble at all. Or is that precisely why you make these offers?

Fair enough Chaddy, thanks for clarifying. It has come across that way at times. It might be worth considering your tone a little bit before replying

Interesting that Mafoumbi (who also had his name spelled wrong) only makes the bench in a u21 side weakened by having quite a few players off with the first team.

You and RF99 have had back and forth for years. You always disagree on nearly everything but you spend a lot of time talking with each other. You both spend more time talking to each other than anyone else. You're basically frenemies. Anyway, I'm saying all of this to ask you - why has your tone to RF99 become more hostile and rude recently? I mean, you have become moreso in general to be perfectly honest, but I'm really curious why you seem to have changed from respectfully disagreeing with him to acting like he's an idiot. He is in no way an idiot btw. He also doesn't seem to be aggressive towards you, his comments are pretty much always measured. (This isn't because of this post in particular btw, you've been much ruder to him in others)

Cantwell? He may be gifted but at this stage that's a strong claim. Wasn't even one of our top 4 players last season.

Now that's a reel I like the look of. Strength, technique, dribbling, quite quick, good vision. Bit of exciting flair in there too. Loves a back heel and knows how to use it. If he's also top scorer in the Conference League as stated, I think we can file this under 'I wish'.

Score?

For some.

It's nothing to a club like Chelsea. Sure I heard the other day they've spent something like 2 billion in the last few years!. If they signed 20 kids like this it would still be a drop in the ocean, and if one turns into a superstar it's an absolute bargain.

13 I believe. But still.

Has the kid gone to Chelsea though? I heard all the strong rumours, and then suddenly it went silent. If he has fair enough but last I heard it wasn't sealed. Dolan, there is disagreement on whether we do get anything for that, Wilsden showed the FIFA ruling that suggests we won't get anything. Edit - just looked up the wonderkid to Chelsea, the Sun did an article on 30th June saying it was done, and the fee was 700k not 1 mill. But they also said it hadn't been formally announced (and that academy signings rarely are). Still not sure how we got that fee for him, with the previous record being 175k and as far as I knew you don't have to pay those fees for 13 year olds you can just take them with minor training compo.

Although with Gueye it really depends how long he spends in form. He has shown that when in form he can be a menace for defences and score goals. He just wasn't in form enough last season. If he can sustain it, and part of that is motivation from the coaches and himself, you can't rule it out. It isn't something I would necessarily bank on though. But I'm hoping if he plays enough he will manage double figures this season.

Even Tyjon says he isn't quick.

Or maybe he knew they were likely going well before we all found out.

In the making, that doesn't really suggest he is going to push us into the top 6 now. I'm expecting him to be no more than a useful squad player this season, maybe becoming a starter by the last month or two if he develops well or injuries open a space.

You stand by all your points that have been proven wrong. Interesting approach.

I don't want to keep him for a season then sell him in a pre arranged deal (I think that's what you're suggesting). Odds are he makes a lot of mistakes this season as he develops and all we would do is develop them for him for no extra money.

I hope by cold we mean got dog's abuse shouted at him.

Why do people always have to assume there's an agenda behind a post? I'm not dressing it up as a good deal, I'm just pointing out that it was a better deal than we were going to get if we just let him leave before signing the contract, which was the contention of your post. Obviously we got rimmed. He didn't 'not play on his improved deal', he made 14 appearances that season. So he filled a squad role. I doubt he would have been paid all that much for 12 months. Even 5k a week (more than I imagine he was on) only comes to 250k for the season, making it still better than letting him go for the compo.

If they decide it's not more preferable. They may wish to be raised at one club, not farmed around for a few years and never have settled development, or used as a body for a youth team. Especially at a young age, gallivanting around the country away from family may not be what they want. Whether we think it makes sense or not isn't important, players have their own personalities and aims. Higgins is also a Rovers fan. Also, Phillips and Wharton signed on at stages they could have gone elsewhere. They left later, but they did stick around with interest. Eze also signed a new deal with massive Italian clubs lurking.

Tbh as much as he did great work to get to that point, I don't see that going in against most Championship keepers very often. The goalkeeping was weak.

We learned it at the time (well, via rumour). Yes we would have been entitled to compo anyway, but not as good as we got (2.5 million with as much again in potential add ons I believe...I think we would have got about 1 mill without). It was frustrating, but it's better than how Finneran did us. What matters is we don't let it happen again with Tyjon and Higgins.