bluebruce

Umm..we pretty much always have at least one, usually more like 2 or 3, games against opposition of about that level. Even when we were in the Prem we would play some teams of a lower level. Usually we have one or two 'prestige' friendlies against higher or similar level opposition (like the Celtic one) and the rest are weaker. Is this your first time paying attention to a preseason friendly programme?

Ye gods, that's the last thing they should do! A first team coach can do a lot less damage than a DOF. I'm certain the Assistant will be someone else. No point bringing in a new manager then letting a DOF from the old guard interfere with his vision for the club.

Hmm I dunno, we finished 8th in the league, 8th best away supporters...the correlation must be causation, the supporters are to blame! 1st or 2nd best away fans next year and we are golden!

I don't want Grayson these days (have in the past), but his record shows he is average at worst. Talk of Dunn is just pointless nostalgia, I never buy into that. They need to be good enough or they can sling their hook.

Wow, I didn't know that! Has he stopped doing it, and what sort of stuff was he retweeting? Agreed he is a sycophant, didn't he come out in support of Kean?

Clumsy bastard. I hope nobody got hurt.

He has literally never gotten a side relegated, but has saved clubs in relegation fights when he arrived, at least twice, so I'm not sure where you draw that conclusion.

Should be to your everlasting pride, to convert a grown man to the Rovers! And you better be kidding about going to the Etihad...

Just over 11 weeks I make it.

Yep, and then more Venkys bumbling and a string of inadequate managerial appointments fucked us right back into 'basketcase' territory.

Surely a poster like you knows better than this? The Armstrong money is already gone into the black hole to cover losses. Similar awaits most of the Brereton money if we do sell him. The report the other day was that we want 15 million for him and that only a small portion will be available for reinvestment. I'm not even sure it's being 'trousered', that's one for the accountants to opine on, but we really don't make a lot of money and have had consistently huge losses for a decade.

Absolutely - finishing in 2nd in the Prem is unacceptable, I expect us to win it like in 1995 😉

Goodbye Tony, good luck in future. Things I'd like to thank him for: Bringing stability Promotion from League One Never seriously involving us in a relegation fight since then Some good signings The short-lived but great feeling of having been in 2nd and making me dare (foolishly) to think we might actually do this Being a man who clearly loves the game and happily talks at length about it, even if he sometimes talks himself into cul-de-sacs (gives us stuff to talk about if nothing else!) Bringing youth through - occasionally didn't do this enough, but can't deny that not many managers would have introduced this many U23s, or watch most of their games as he does Things I definitely don't thank him for: Bizarre tactical decisions - round pegs in square holes, taking forever to realise when something or someone wasn't working, playing favourites and seemingly ostracising others, etc Antagonising the fans with sly remarks, and being petulant when questioned Sticking around way past his time despite saying he would resign if he was a burden Horrendous second half of the season collapses, including pissing away our best chance of promotion since Venkys Some poor signings, including an obsession with ex-Boro players and signing his mate's shit son Misallocating his budgets in strengthening the wrong areas of the squad (no defenders for ages even when he said they were coming, spending 7 million, most of our budget, on a future project striker, collecting excessive amounts of players in one area of the pitch whilst neglecting others, etc) Not bringing youth players out for dead rubber games on the scale it should be done Being complicit in the blatant lies about the training ground plans, and being far less honest than is constantly made out An abysmal attitude, at times, on the touchline and in pressers, that made it look like he didn't give a fuck Relying too much on loanees even whilst saying we needed to build for the longer term Extremely premature cup exits, every time Overall, just not being good enough to take us to that next level (adding to this, blaming resources for it when teams like Barnsley and Luton have made the playoffs ahead of us and don't have a shining academy or our budget, and having made remarks that he turns down extra funds)

Possibly, but Allardyce got enough Prem jobs, for a very long span of time, playing dour stuff.

And I'd say this board represents the more demanding side of the fanbase, on the whole. So the masses on FB etc will lap up whatever turd they're fed.

Especially since we probably won't sort our manager out until August.

Funny, because you were basically the one suggesting a stat (goals) can tell us everything we need to know. Or if you weren't suggesting that, your post didn't have any meaning. Also I had already used the word 'stats' in the post you quoted first, in precisely the same sort of context, and it didn't lose your interest then.

Well, I'd take him as an assistant manager. Not a fan of giving assistants their first taste of management other than in a caretaker capacity.

Obviously. But no single stat tells you the whole story of a player's contribution towards teams scoring or stopping lots of goals. Someone who scores a lot might be very well supplied by the other players around him and struggle when he goes somewhere else. A keeper with tons of clean sheets probably has a very solid defence in front of him and maybe a very good DM, and might struggle when moving to a club where that doesn't apply. Some areas of the pitch, like a DM, can be central to a team's whole game but won't be scoring or creating many goals generally. If what happens in the game didn't matter unless it involved goals, there wouldn't be any point in crunching tackles or raking passes, running with the ball, and everyone would just sit around waiting to score or stop goals. And as a result, there wouldn't be any.

Oh I just assumed you meant because he might give some of the players and the CEO a twatting.

Rothwell was an inconsistent player for much of his time here, but to say he 'isn't a loss' is being in denial. A promoted, much wealthier side with a larger and more talented midfield want him, but he isn't even a loss for us? Nah not having that. He's capable of things most other players aren't, in particular he can run with the ball and stretch play superbly, putting teams on the back foot. It's not all about goals and assists stats. A better manager may also get more out of him.

For the 5 games a season he is available for selection.

That's not a bad list, tbf, if the bullshitmeister is actually right for a change. And pending who the surprise names are of course...better not be Judan Ali or something

If a man can fall out with Delia he will probably fall out with Venkys too...or is that the one benefit of absent owners, they're not there for people to fall out with?

Whether you rate Dolan or not (and you're wrong) you have to admit we got a good deal there. Young player with room to improve, pace, able to compete at this level when on form...for free, and tiny wages. You tend to know the Preston youth setup pretty well, any on the released list that you do rate?