11 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

And Forshaw x2.

Now the other 2 aren't desperate they are in demand so they'll go where the biggest pay is, naturally.

In demand by one club  wow. 

3 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

The free agents will be ones who'll accept 1 year deals because they are desperate.

 

Like Batth and Weimann did?.🤔

4 hours ago, Ossydave said:

I know he was here before Waggott 🙄 but I'm saying its odd he always survived especially given our turnover in backroom staff. 

It's no surprise, none at all, that you'd think it was completely normal.

Maybe people like Mowbray and JDT actually rated him. 

Johnson and Benson also

37 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Gestede specifically mentioned free agents when he talked about plans this summer. But especially with domestic based ones, I am guessing the financials have proved too much (signing on fees and wages) on our budget.

Maybe we waiting for the player to decide? 

5 hours ago, Ossydave said:

It's always been a bit odd how under multiple managers Lowe has never been  replaced. If he goes now it implies he was either in bed with Waggott or Ismaeel has a bit more sway than previous managers. Pretty sure it's the first option.

Lowe was here well before Waggott turn up here. 

Ismael might not want so many coaching staff members on his team or wants his own staff in

41 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

"Its on him and his agent." You dont seem to acknowledge that theres a chance we simply did not offer a reasonable wage for a player at his level.

That's suit your argument diesn't it. I asked you a very simple question and you couldn't answer it, just waffle on about X and Y. I just don't know why you refused to answer simple answer

He could have renewed when GB was here if he was only 2k as the poster said on the other previous page. 

41 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Also, how can we "rely" on a player who has made only 1 start above the 8th tier, at right back, when he got sent off? As well as 3 or 4 other cameos.

We could hope he will at some stage be ready, but we cant or at least shouldnt just assume that he is ready now.

By all means keep him around and give him a chance here and there where required, but we cant "rely on him yet as we would do so without any evidence.

Back to this, I not going this same arguments about young players with you again. I get it, you don't favour bring youth players through, fine no problem, please ignore my comments on bringing through how young players through and playing them in the first team. I don't see the point if keep going around in circles over this issue every few weeks. 

looking forward to watching it tomorrow

4 hours ago, TurkishDelight said:

If Blackburn is playing a 3-5-2 or a 4-3-3 you need at least 5, maybe 6. Not some players that can play midfield and 3 other positions. You have to have specialists. 

Even if we are playing 4-2-3-1 formation you still need 5 centre midfielder cos injuries and suspensions will happening throughout the season. That's the formation, I expect us to start most games as. Maybe going to 5 at the back in some games towards end of the game to see out the result

3 hours ago, JCRovers said:

Sad if true if Dolan currently has a salary of merely 2K / week given he's a regular starter. Contract situation should've been sorted long time ago as he quickly broke into first team since arriving and has been playing over 1 700 minutes in the Championship for the past four seasons (according to Transfermarkt). 

Like you said, a weekly salary of around 10K / week is more than reasonable given his current status which could've enabled us getting a relatively large fee this summer instead of (probably) having him leave on a free. Club is getting punished for being cheap.

GB tried during his 2 years to get Dolan to sign a new contract so if he is only on 2k a week and he didn't accept GB offer then that is surely on him and his agent. 

I would offer him 15k a week on 4 year contract. 

I don't see him going to PL club. 

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

So, we've just gone from 8 to 5? One of those is a youth player who we can't expect to feature too heavily. 

One is an older player who is probably in the squad more for his experience than anything else (and, again, hopefully won't feature too heavily). 

Even an optimistic view of the non-Travis or Tronstad options would see that we need another central midfielder. 

why can't you rely on Montgomery as a squad player? 

1 hour ago, simongarnerisgod said:

i find it quite alarming that val is bigging forshaw up in the local press🙄,like he`s going to be a regular starter

The LT has picked on Ismael's comments to Rovers website, he speaks about the experience and what he did last season. He will be squad player who will come off the bench alot. 

10 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

How is it a simple question to possibly know what he currently earns, what he was offered, what he wants etc?

All that is clear is that we have failed to offer a number of key players in the last few years sufficient terms to get them to sign new deals, so it goes beyond one or two unreasonable sets of demands or dodgy agents.

Because I asked yourself what you would offer him in terms of salary and length of contract, It was a simple question but one you don't want to answer, instead coming up with excuse after excuse. I give up tbh

You are very quick to complain Rovers haven't offered him good wages or blamed this and that. 

7 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Chaddy, how could I possibly know what he or indeed any player would accept or is even paid?

I dont need to know either. He was offered a deal 18 months ago that he didnt deem satisfactory so didnt sign it and hasnt been offered one since. 

Simple question to answer lets be honest

Just now, DutchRover said:

Forshaw is only 4th/5th choice if we don't flog Travis or Tronstad this summer instead of offering an extension.

In which scenario he's suddenly 3rd choice again and we rely on him.

 

or we sign another midfielder 

27 minutes ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

 

However on this occasion he was specific and stated he wouldn’t offer batth a 2 year deal would happily have him back for one plus an option so it was more a case of length of contract as opposed to their age 

exactly

21 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Yes we've signed a couple of players who allegedly fit the narrative thats been put about - and one who most certainly doesnt.

There's little point discussing signings with you chadster, we could sign literally anyone and you'd be happy with it. If we don't sign anyone that's also always the right decision as well. And you always dismiss any player who signs for another Club as crap.

The most recent case in point is Batth/ Weimann / Forshaw. Because we-ve actually gone and re-signed 33 year old Forshaw you're happy with that but you're seemingly not in favour of re-signing 33 year old Weimann or 34 year old Batth on account of their age.

However in the unlikely event we did persuade either to re-sign I'm sure you'd be delighted again and declare them excellent signings.

Ismael was clearly what he wanted and Gestede outlined in his interview Elliott Jackson what positions we want and what qualities and roles they wanted in. These 2 signings seems to fit that profile of player Ismael and Gestede were talking about. 

Where have I said I am happy with either signings cos I know very little about either so you haven't read what I have said, so stop making shit up

On Batth I was very clear and said I wouldn't be offering him a straight 2 year contract but would offer him a 1 year contract or 1 year contract with an option. Here my comment on Batth and what I would offer him from 9th June 2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂 - Page 84 - Blackburn Rovers Fans Messageboard - BRFCS.com - By Blackburn Rovers fans, for Blackburn Rovers fans.

and I maintain the same stance yesterday https://www.brfcs.com/forums/topic/37711-2025-summer-transfer-thread-😂/page/139/#findComment-2723563

So I don't know what you are going on about cos my opinion as been same throughout. 

On Weimann, I said on the I would offer him a new contract back on 21st March and I also mention offering Batth a new contract  2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂 - Blackburn Rovers Fans Messageboard - BRFCS.com - By Blackburn Rovers fans, for Blackburn Rovers fans.

in the same post(The link provided above) that I wouldn't offer Forshaw a new contract so I'm baffled by your comment that I'm happy with him re-signing, cos when his contract extension was announced you asked me for my opinion on that I gave you this response "no surprise Forshaw has re-sign here. It was clear Ismael wanted him to sign from his comments at the end of the season. Squad player midfielder with experience 4th choice but adding Championship experience to this squad. "

so your entitled post was totally baffling and clearly you haven't read my comments on the points you make above. 

12 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Yes, no surprises for guessing who!

He is basically doing the role now so why not to make him CEO officially was my point

I haven't said it is right choice or move but Pasha is their man. 

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

One that he would accept.

which is what? 

So you are in negotiations with Dolan so what are offering in terms on weekly wage and length of contract? 

I said 2 months ago I would be offering 15k on a four year contract. link provided as proof of what I said https://www.brfcs.com/forums/topic/34597-lets-talk-tyrhys-dolan/page/46/#findComment-2712611

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

He didn't "probably want" a couple more in. He wanted 90% of the business done (realistically or otherwise) by the start of pre season.

We have 2 signings in, so probably about 25% and a hell of a lot of uncertainty.

He would have expected Batth and Weimann to sign, or at least hope. So we have 2 in, those 2 and Dolan and the expected loanees all departed, and crucially huge question marks over the future of 4 key players with still none tied down or even with offers in front of him.

He also will publicly endorse every single signing we make.

Yes I am very aware and know what he said but we have 2 in and Forshaw. You didn't think we would get any in for pre season which we have. Yes we need a number of more signings in but we need others out aswell. 

Ismael wanted Forshaw to re sign here given his performances last season and what he offers off the field which we don't see. He is 4/5th choice and someone who will mainly come off the bench in certain situation. 

25 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Why, do you think VI will be pleased with the transfer activity thus far?

What a silly comment.

Wel, why don't you asked Ismael then but given his comments on Forshaw shows why we sign him on for another 12 months. 

Ismael wanted pace wide and box to box midfielder which we have signed. Probably wanted another couple in but we got 2 in who matched what he wanted in terms of profile of player for those positions

15 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Erm, ok.

So we can conclude that the primary reason why we are looking in lesser foreign leagues (often at the bottom of) is for financial reasons. And the reason that we aren't extended contracts is again financially driven.

Don't get why Dolan is any different. Had we stuck a reasonable contract offer in front of him, he likely would have signed it. It clearly wasn't a reasonable one.

I never said the reason we haven't renew any contracts was financially driven did I? We don't know. 

GB tried with Dolan and he was changing at the times but we did offer him a new contract. What is reasonable contract offer for Dolan, what terms would you offer him and length of contract? 

You are looking Overseas cos the market is one where you can get a championship standard players for good wages and fee just like we don't for many years under a range of different managers. Listened to the Andy Watson with Elliott Jackson, what a great insight and why plenty of clubs do look overseas now

8 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Oh dear, looks like we are sliding back into the bad old days again.

Whether it is right or wrong about the wage cap makes no difference. Whether we have a £10k a week self imposed wage cap or don't, makes no practical difference. Either way we are incapable of keeping our best players due to our approach to contracts. I don't care if we are going around offering £50k a week, if players don't sign the damn thing its the same end result - failure and assets leaving to go to rivals. 

The point is that whatever we are doing isn't working. Hence in the space of 4 years a complete and total exodus of just about every player with value or who could command a deal elsewhere, leaving us with unknowns, academy grads and cheap signings like Forshaw. Truly pathetic. 

Nobody knows what Derby are offering Batth. Maybe it is 2 years, maybe not. You seem to have acquired inside knowledge that they are giving him 2 years and seem to have decided that it is ridiculous for us to have done the same. 

Again, doesn't really matter. What matters is that he is a good player, a leader, was outstanding for us last season, we were a better team with him in the side, and ultimately whatever the cause of it he's deciding to walk away from us after less than a year, walk away from regular game time with us and potentially the captaincy once we've offloaded the incumbent, to join another club. That tells me that what we are offering isn't good enough. Our choice. 

You're rewriting history on Eustace. He left because this club is a shambolic joke, that bungled last summer so much so that he threatened to resign despite only joining in February. A club that trousered almost all of the Adam Wharton and Szmodics cash and left him scratching around for cheap signings to rebuild despite keeping us up. A club that mucked around the easy signings of McFadzean and Batth despite the manager wanting both and from that moment on had his eyes on moving elsewhere. A club that introduced a rookie work experience director of football over the top of Eustace who I'd say has forgotten more about the Championship than Gestede will ever know. 

A club that changes 'project' every year, not because it is trying to get somewhere but because it can't retain staff because they quickly realise it is a lie and doomed to fail because the owners down aren't fit for purpose. 

People like you who reset every summer and forget about all the above and invent narratives to make you feel better about the state of play at Ewood play right into the regime's grubby hands. 

Rovers don't want to explore the overseas market any more than they did 10 years ago. It is just the way we have chosen to go because by choosing to slash costs it is inevitable that we have to go to the bargain basement to find signings. Their choice. If Eustace had been a good boy, shut up and got on with it and stayed put they'd be doing something totally different now. 

There's no plan. It is just fake and a con job.

 

We are in talks with our key players and lets see what happens then, as I said I think Dolan decide to test the free agency 18 months ago. 

I said my opinion on Eustace and why I think one of important reason was Transfers and how much say he had in transfers. At Derby He has more say in transfers and who they want where at Rovers his role was a head coach who decide from a 3-5 players shortlist who we sign. I have moved on from Eustace era here. I look forward to this summer and who we sign but also what changes Tactically and style Ismael will bring in during pre season. 

I stand by my Batth's comments and no I wouldn't offered him a 2 year contract. We been burned in the past with Ayala who injuring record wasn't good and Mulgrew who legs went very quickly. A one year contract was right for Batth and Weimann at they aged. 

I don't see what the major problem is exploring and signing players we want this summer especially when you want pace wide and more athleticism in the team. Rovers started this 2 years ago under GB and JDT with Tronstad, Wahlstead and Sigurdsson signings and we continue this last summer with signings like Ohashi, Toth and Gueye. 10 years we didn't the explore the European market and stay in the domestic market. Plenty of good standard Championship players out there in the European market

Yes I am looking forward to this season and seeing how we play, what the team looks and I will be at the first friendly supporting my Rovers team. 

3 hours ago, Ricceh said:

Do you think this is a problem? I think it's a massive problem.

Like I said it not how the club should be run. The CEO should be running the club with everyone reporting to him and the board. 

3 hours ago, BankEnd Rover said:

A poster who broke the news about Tavares has said there's nothing in the Bain story.

BrfcPrivy (@BrfcP7414) / X

4 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

And why do we want to "explore overseas?" Cheaper wages.

You can players from overseas for less wages and less transfer free. We have made plenty of good signings from overseas and yes we have some poor ones just like the domestic market. 

We need to be looking in all market even Australia and USA. 

4 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

I very much doubt that Eustace's only grievance was transfers. 

Yes of course, probably things we will never know about but I do think that transfer and who has the major say is a important one

4 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Im not convinced there is a self imposed wage cap but I am pretty sure that its an unwillingness to offer competitive wages (throw in some general incompetence at all levels) that means that basically all of our key players have 0 or 1 year left and dont seem close to anything new.

If Batth has sign a straight 2 year contract there then fair enough cos I stand by I wouldn't have done. 1 year contract will club option or something fair enough but not a straight 2 year contract. 

We should have been in talks with Travis, Tronstad and Brittain during this past season so Rovers have no defence to be honest. 

Dolan, I feel he knows about 18 months he wanted to see out of contract and move on a free transfer. 

7 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

Both Waggot and Mowbray mentioned the Barnsley model a few years ago when ironically at the time they'd challenged the play offs under Ismael.

They had the all in one first team and academy complex i think on one site and were quite advanced with their tech and coaching at the time.  Focusing on academy products and scouring the lower leagues with the aim of most of their first team being made up of produced players rather than bought ones.

No idea what's going on there now but their model has only been successful in creating a low budget, low expense top 10 league 1 club.

Thanks for response Tompill2

6 hours ago, JHRover said:

Those players got their deals years ago, Cantwell the only recent exception.

Reports not long ago suggested Eustace was set to resign last summer and it was only the club relaxing it's ridiculous approach and signing Cantwell, Batth and Weimann that persuaded him to stay.

So the wage cap thing makes complete sense, it explains the inability and unwillingness to sort out new contracts for our best players because we are choosing to let them go due to our own wage policies.

Our choice. Not FFP, not COVID, not the weather, not a player wanting PL football, not a project, not a player wanting to go and live down South.

Just plain old fashioned cost cuts. Eventually that catches up with everyone and will do here very soon.

Absolutely ridiculous the reaction from some online to the two foreign signings whilst we see the cornerstones of last season's relative success depart, again due to our failings and policies nothing more.

It was these policies and refusal to sort out the contracts that led Eustace to jump ship mid season at the first opportunity, an unprecedented step that the head in sand gang have managed to erase from their consciousness.

This is project 4 since 2022. We had Mowbray's project, we had the Broughton and JDT project, we had the Eustace and Park project and now it's the Gestede and Ismael project. This time next year it will be another one. They're winging it from one year to the next masquerading as a professional outfit.

and what happens if the wage cap rumour is wrong? 

I wouldn't have been offering Batth a straight 2 year contract if that what Derby have offered him to sign there. 

Eustace jumped ship cos he wanted more say and mostly full control of transfers which he now as Derby I would guess hence when you look at his signings they are former players of his from previous clubs or experience championship players like Morris. That's is how he wants his squad. Rovers want to explore the overseas like we done the last 2 summers windows with some signings which have worked out and we are looking at continue with the plan from Gestede, Owen and Ismael.

4 hours ago, Ricceh said:

Chaddy, do you genuinely think the CEO of a club has little to no say in decision making? If that was the case, clubs wouldn't ever hire them.

I'm happy to defend your point of view of a lot of matters where you get crap for it here, especially in relation to people judging players before they have kicked a ball, but please don't make things up to sugarcoat a potentially incredibly bad decision by the club.

I think the next CEO from the job advert is just chief administrative role with no involvement or say in the commercial side or the Football side of the club. 

Yes the CEO should run the club for the owner or the Owner as CEO run the club is how a club should be run. I have previously mentioned how I would run Rovers if I was the owner and it wouldn't be the way it is now,  

5 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

What a healthy setup. Suhail with the power and this cretin just doing the admin for him.

Why they just don't appoint Suhail as CEO and appoint a Deputy CEO under him to do the administrative role surely would be better for them

When I read the job advert for the CEO which was for the role here and its genuine, I posted it was Chief Administrator role with little say in the commercial side of the club or Football side of the club, Which Suhail fills one and Gestede/Owen fill the other. I said it like the club have been split into 3 different companies with 3 different heads running them

4 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Lol.

"All good. Nothing to see here."

Who says all good, nothing to see here? 

Do I think Martin Bain would be awful or bad appointment or even good appointment, tbh I have mixed feelings on him. 

On the Sunderland, the blame has to be on the owner Ellis Short who cut all funding to the club and refuse to put another penny into the club. Bain made 2 appointments which on the face of it should have ok/good appointment but neither backed by the owner. People mentioned asset stripping but if the owner has stop funding and the club has only the money it gets in to spend that what you can only spend. Some of the other things like comments about Rodwell or other things show him in a poor light but you honestly do think that happens at most football clubs if that situation. The pool incident was poor from him. 

He stand up for Rangers minority stakeholders against the sale of the club to Craig Whyte and He was proved right. Rangers crashed and burned after the sale went through.

At Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bain was the CEO during their domestic treble win and Champions League qualification. He also negotiated a record financial TV package for the club. 

5 hours ago, Tomphil2 said:

But they don't really want a CEO do they that role is already filled just not in name.

They want a Chief Administrator really who is only in charge of certain non football things, more like another 'Head of Heads'.

So it's probably irrelevant who they appoint now.

Said that as soon as I read the job advert cos no have say in commercial or football side of the club

4 hours ago, Tomphil2 said:

The guy at Sunderland employed Grayson and allowed him to sign Steele from us AND pay money.

I don't care where Steele is now he was rubbish at the time and poor for them as well in league 1.

This fella as their CEO presided over possibly the worst era in their modern history but once he'd gone they started climbing back. He'll fit the mould well here as they continue managed decline under the Barnsley model gearing us for league 1.

What the Barnsley model please?