How much do we think the delay in appointing a manager has contributed to losing Lenihan?

It would be a statement of intent...to violate FFP and be sanctioned. Couldn't see him going for less than 5 million, which would still leave us with worse CB options than last season now DL is gone. And we still have half the rest of a squad to rebuild. The new manager isn't even appointed and should have a say in how the budget is distributed. Better to accept the budget is going to be minimal until BBD is sold, rather than kid ourselves it can be high and get upset when it isn't.

Christ almighty. Some serious denial here, or at least inability to judge a CB. Talking about relying on Ayala is sheer delusion though, guy can barely stay fit. We have signed him after he left Boro, they've signed Lenihan after he left us. I know who is getting the better deal there.

However you slice it, if he is, we'll just have to roll with it. Heard he's a bit flaky though.

The mould at the back of the toilet I always forget to clean can probably make that claim too.

Within 12 minutes you have ignored your own advice and got fixated on an interview's soundbites. Warne didn't dismiss the link, and even if he had, it's just an interview and some soundbites for the Rotherham fans.

I'm also wary of the 'journey' because we've heard it for so long. But from someone who could actually deliver, I don't mind a 3-year wait for promotion. It's whether he and the new manager can deliver that or not that's the big question, and whether we can remain financially viable for that long (which with the right player trading, we could). Honestly, I think promotion this coming season is a pipe dream almost no matter who we bring in. There is too much work to be done on the squad and staff, too little money, and too much dysfunction at the club. I think 2023/24 is the soonest promotion might become realistic. But you never know I guess. There is usually a team you wouldn't expect to be up there who cracks the top 6 or comes close, a la Barnsley and Luton.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/20196427.rotherham-united-boss-paul-warne-addresses-blackburn-rovers-speculation/ The LT painting this as Warne 'pouring cold water' on the speculation, but when you actually read the comments they're exactly the sort of non-commital comments you normally get from an in-work manager. Doesn't actually quote him anywhere as saying it isn't happening or he wouldn't be interested. Although one quote does make me think he hasn't been approached, unless he is being disingenuous: “It is nice to think we are included in people's conversations, but I presume that's all it is.”

Is he wrong?

True. How are you with chickens, Chaddy?

Maybe it's the fans he got utterly pissed with in bars that like him.

No worries, it was just a joke Chaddy, I couldn't help myself. I wasn't really doubting your football CV 😉

But then that leads us to ask who is kjtell Knutsen? Since we were talking about Kjetil Knutsen. And who is Kjetill Flatnose?

You're very confident Chaddy. I didn't think you had much of a CV in the footballing world.

So basically yes, aside from Farke you've gone with whoever you thought the club might appoint.

He does, he was fired by Asane. He also seemingly didn't last long at a club called Fyllingsdallen, though I can't find why. He is also 7 years older than Deila and has only just come to prominence.

I could be wrong but I think the Scandi leagues are now very difficult to get players from with the points system. Probably talking pretty well known players from the top sides there, and/or internationals. The bargain bin there will be harder to utilise than years gone by, when I agree it was under-utilised.

The 6-1 dismantling of Roma aside, I'm not seeing much about that which is more impressive than Deila's record in Norway. He also took a relegation threatened side and made them champions. Albeit Knutsen did it a bit faster and won it the season after, whereas Deila finished 2nd the next year before leaving. Stromsgodset have a bigger stadium than Glint, but still much smaller than the big boys over there. Knutsen's achievement does seem a bit bigger, as he did it faster, followed up on it a bit better the next season, and with a slightly smaller club, but there's not orders of magnitude difference in it as far as I can see, mostly it's just more recent. Deila went on to two more clubs in two different countries and won titles and cups there too (albeit not that hard in Celtic's case), showing he probably isn't a one hit wonder. I'm mentioning all of this because there seems to be much excitement at the thought of Knutsen but Deila got a mixed response. I'm probably missing something though.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/20194519.blackburn-rovers-announce-gregg-broughton-new-director-football/ Not someone that was mentioned I believe.

Well that's an interesting article. Thing is, if I believed him, I'd say I could understand where he was coming from at the time. Givet, as he is clearly referring to, should never have been refusing to play and let an injured teammate take career-risking injections to play instead of him. Nobody should be throwing cricket balls at the manager no matter how much we hate them. It would all make his words at the time far more understandable (although fans not resorting to violence had every right to throw vitriol at that snake). But, I don't believe him. For one thing, if a cricket ball was thrown at Keane and nearly hit him, I'm 90% sure I'd have heard about it before now. Not the sort of thing everyone except Bradley Orr misses. Not the sort of thing Kean wouldn't mention, or the club wouldn't mention. Not the sort of thing the press would have ignored whilst they were busy villifying our fans and bumming the charlatan. It would have been rocket fuel for them. The only conclusion I can draw is he has made it up several years after the event because it helps his narrative. The man he came out in support of was a fraud and a liar, who antagonised fans. Orr tied his colours to that mast, and that doesn't reflect well on his character either. Nor does his covid violation, where he kept running his business illegally whilst the country was on lockdown. I feel like I remember him being caught in a lie, or at least some arrogant entitled comments, during that. He tried to quote the magna carta or something too, adding evidence he may be delusional. I could believe that Givet acted selfishly, he had a bit of form for it. I can buy that the players downed tools, they were shit although who would be inspired under him? Kean could have walked away if he had lost the dressing room, but no he hung around it like a wet steaming shit on the towels, condemning our great club to certain relegation. Agents ruin football, so I could also believe the part about them telling clients that it would be easier to get them a move after relegation. But because I absolutely don't believe the cricket ball shit, or Orr in general, I can't consider the other things true without verification from other sources.

Win percentages for managers are not a sensible method of figuring out how good they are. That said, the best two spells there are either very brief (Brodd, 4th tier in Norway I believe too) or when managing the only side who had a remotely realistic chance of winning their league at the time (Celtic), so it's extra unhelpful. I'm not familiar with the guy, but looking through his Wiki to get an overview of his career, it seems he did a stellar job with Stromsgodset, taking them from relegation-threatened in his first two seasons (2008-2010), to cup winners in 2010 and champions of Norway in 2013. I don't know much about that club to know how much of an achievement that was, except that it was their first time as national champions in 43 years. So a pretty good start to his career, albeit a couple of years before success came. Off to Celtic for two years, a side who had no peers at the time in a poor league, where he won the title both seasons and the Scottish League Cup once. Hard to judge his time there without being a regular SPL watcher due to the disparity between clubs, but despite the two titles he stepped down end of the second season, to go back to the Norweigan league for some reason, which can only be seen as a backwards step. Presumably because of things like his poor performance in Europe, and losing a domestic semi-final to Rangers in his second season. Didn't excel at Valerenga, finishing 8th and then 6th in a 16-club league that he had previously conquered with Stromsgodset. Then went to New York City FC (not to be confused with New York Redbulls) in Jan 2020. Think the season became disrupted by covid later, but no real success there until winning the MLS Cup in 2021. I don't understand the MLS structure very well, but apparently that makes them the winners of the whole MLS, as they have a playoff after the season. It was the first MLS championship won by a New York club, and it looks like it was after a season in which he oversaw quite a lot of ins and outs, which could bode well here. In terms of other recruitment objectives we seem to have...has worked with a Sporting Director before, at Stromsgodset if nowhere else. Hasn't managed in England. Presumably compensation required. Overall I think his CV reads as 'we could do better', but there's also a solid chance we won't.

So, he's off his tits then. That may help in dealing with our lunatic owners.

It's kind of crazy to leave it til now to start speaking to people in work. Those will take longer to finalise due to clubs needing to give permission and agree compo.

I think an early sale for good money for BBD is the ideal outcome. Getting nothing for him next summer isn't an acceptable result. We also need the money for a rebuild, and it's not much good to us if it only comes in with a day left of the window.

I haven't misunderstood your comment. I was pointing out how little sense your comments made, because they were only relevant if they were still players.