not for me. Signing a Luton striker is a sign of ambition now Yes we do but they also defend. Not sure a Maja would do that. I don't see Dolan or Khadra as small, flighty winger types either and if we had to play both for a game or 2 then so be it. It will be interesting to see who this mystery striker loan is

cos the county 4 day game is played on poor wickets that suits medium pacey swing bowlers and over in a couple of days. plus when these games take place that spinners don't play much part in the game

are we talking coaching setup Gav or players into the test squad/starting line up?

I was given an opinion on football. I was trying to neutral on this and discuss footballing issues on the forum Of course I would enjoy Burnley going down and Rovers replacing them in the PL.

Both played a good enjoying watching style plus win most games. Do Burnley? Did you enjoy watching us Allardyce compare to Hughes or Souness tenure here?

I don't see or expect us to paying that sort of cash for a striker at this minute. Is this striker to play the same way our current forwards? Never mention a big lump but a number 9 striker is someone who leads the line like Solanke or Maja do. Maja isn't the type of striker to play the role we asked our 2 forwards to do. I can understand about mixing it up but I would do that with our current squad by switch formations to 4-3-3 and playing Brereton or Gallagher in the 9 role and Brereton(if he not playing the striker role) or Khadra on the left with Dolan or Markanday on the right Its not his crossing ability but his final ball or final decision that Nyambe need to improve if he going to be wing back. Full back is similar different but I do think Nyambe would be very decent/good as right centre back in a back 3 also.

for me, Even Dike isn't good enough to make them get playoffs

Why is the answer every time go overseas for a coach who knows nothing about our county players and game and ignore our coaches who know the county players and game. Yes Duncan Fletcher was from Zimbabwe but was coaching at Glamorgan and knew the county game and the players playing in it. Could also pick players with the technique for test game like Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, etc. Also why do England not have the require standard of being test head coach like Alec Stewart or Mark Robinson? Also do Australia or New Zealand appoint overseas coach? Test Cricket bring in the real cash in the English game and a successful test team means more money for the county game. Play twenty20 games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with 4 day county championship games played starting on Monday and Tuesday. I never watched it myself. Not really big fan of twnety20 cricket even unless England or Lancashire are playing. here are 3 opening batters of which 2 of them, I would taking on the West Indies in James Bracey, Alex Lees and Rob Yates. With one of them starting the first test as opening partner with Zak Crawley. Ben Foakes would be my Wicketkeeper batsman at 7. I would take Sadiq Mahmood and Matt Parkinson aswell in my squad for that tour. So a touring party for the West Indies test tour Root(C), Stokes(VC), Crawley, Lees, Yates, Pope, Bairstow, Billings(WK), Foakes(WK), Broad, Robinson, Wood, Mahmood, Woakes, Anderson, Parkinson, Leach Cos they played on much better all round cricket pitches where you need to play well to score runs, offer bowlers pace and bounce then spin later on day 3, 4 and 5

Also why are bring in overseas coaches the right idea and what makes them so much better than own coaches or any understand of county game? Also Jim, are they any players England didn't pick for the Ashes you would have done? Also a simple question Tell me your starting 11 for the next test match in the West Indies?

The county championship is played on poor pitches, poor weather and conditions suits medium pacey swing bowlers. Every players has different technique and there is no perfect correct technique. You are micro management it. Also why are bring in overseas coaches the right idea and what makes them so much better than own coaches or any understand of county game? Also Jim, are they any players England didn't pick for the Ashes you would have done? Also a simple question Tell me your starting 11 for the next test match in the West Indies?

But you aren't the one watching it each and every game are you like Burnley fans have under Dyche which has been the same style and way of playing without evolving like some managers do for 10 years now? Managers and the same style has a shelf life. But thats one game we played like that, But we played some very entertaining football against Birmingham only 4 games ago. PLus we have only played this style this season and Mowbray has adapted his style twice during his time here

So who would you appoint then as Benitez since you are dismissing Rooney and Ferguson as replacement for Benitez? why?

How much would he cost now to sign? 5 million plus? Can I ask do think we need a number 9 type striker signing in this window? does this mean slightly changing formation or how we play the front line? Also why are suggesting that Markanday might not make the step up to playing regular football in the championship?

exactly, Run massively financial wrong. Reading are massive overpaid not just players but non playing staff like I believe one of Reading kit man is on 56k and Physio on 190k plus https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8262315/Physios-191-000-kit-men-56-000-Crazy-wages-dont-add-EFL-clubs-brink.html

don't listen to the radio for Stewart but clearly you have heard on there. Stewart and Atherton know the county game and what it takes to be successful on Test cricket. They faced some of the best bowlers in test cricket in Glenn McGrath, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose and Allan Donald. Jim, you mention love affair but your answer every time is to ignore/dismiss England coaches and coaches/people with County Championship experience in favour of bringing in overseas coaches/people who know zero about the county game and our players at that level. Same old Jim, the answer is to always employed overseas people

most of the greatest players don't have what people would say in a the best technique like like Smith, Pointing, Tendulkar Kallis, Kohli Cook, Root, Williamson and Lara. But they had or having very successful test career in terms of runs. Cook is correct on Crawley's technique

good for the bookmakers tho. Where were Rovers promotion odds with them before the season started. I just don't see WBA staying in the playoffs. thats my opinion

Jim's answer lets bring in overseas coaches again. Same as England football time did and went nowhere. We need people who understand the county game and can improve players like Duncan Fletcher and Andy Flower who knew the county game despite being from Zimbabwe. Thorpe was in the England coaching set up during Trevor Bayliss time in charge of England. didn't want him out then did you? Stewart is highly respect and knows the county game and the international game. Did Cook or Strauss have the perfect technique but both have successful international careers didn't there? or Atherton and Stewart? anyway Jim, I have my view and you have yours. We won't agree as we very rare do but we have agree to disagree over this

from what I read it appears that Root will remain as captain and get his wish that ECB takes Four day championship more serious. ECB' Tom Harrison says Test Cricket is more important than one day or twenty20 games. So where do we go now? I think its time we look to bring in people like Paul Farbrace, Angus Fraser Alec Stewart and Mike Atherton within the England cricket team in various roles I discussed in previous posts plus splitting the test head coach and one day/twenty20 head coach now. But I deffo wouldn't be bringing in Gary Kirsten or any overseas coach as some have suggested. I would be looking to replace Malan at 3 with Pope. Plus we need to find an opener to partner Crawley. Bowling wise, we have a good decent pace attack and Anderson is good as he always.

Lenihan was my man of the match

Plus he signed a new improve contract recently