Jimmy612

Think we’ve done well there considering the last few days. Everyone looking focussed and working hard for each other. We’ve got a bit of pace and quality on the bench and I think we’ll get chances as WBA start to open up a bit. Fans will be on to them if they carry on like that for another 10-15mins.

He speaks very well doesn't he. Impressive interview that.

The hilarious irony of the likes of Rev and Chaddy wanting Allardyce.... Unbelievable. EDIT: Sorry, Chaddy, perhaps you were commenting on Warnock further up. Out of interest, would you take Allardyce? I think he may have blocked me anyway so he probably won't see this.

How do you know that?

I said earlier, I bet he breaks the new managerial appointment before anyone else. And by the way, in stark contrast Elliott Jackson (LET) has really gone for the jugular of the owners and in particular the board, not just in his LET article but also on his podcast with Ryan Hildred. It feels like the LET have just thought 'bollocks to Rovers, they never communicate with us anyway'. If you're reading, Elliott, congratulations and do keep up the good work!

Not gonna happen. Those conversations will have all been done with JEs representatives in the last week or so.

Please tell me you’re joking Chaddy.

Today is more or less the anniversary of us all thinking exactly the same after JDTs departure. They managed to convince Eustace to take it and he was higher calibre than my extremely meagre expectations. Outside looking in we’re now in a far stronger position in the league with potential to make the top 6 in 3 months time. If I was in the Rovers boardroom I’d probably be looking at punching above our weight with someone on a 3-month contract and a promotion bonus. If it doesn’t work out there’s an easy, amicable departure and you’ve had a head start on the actual longer term replacement. If we somehow manage to scramble up, the world’s your oyster.

You’ve been predicting our impending demise for approx 10 years now, probably even longer. At some stage you will probably be right. But, I don’t share your view on just duds wanting the Rovers job. We’re in the playoffs with less than a third of the season to go, and no-one from 5th down can string a decent run together. I bet there’s loads of managers who would fancy their chances at getting us in the playoffs… after that, and apologies for such a cliche, it is a complete lottery. Rob Edwards at Luton is quite comparable. Rovers won’t be short of suitors, they never are. And I would imagine a 4-month contract and an easy get out in the summer could suit a few higher profile / usually pie in the sky applicants down to the ground. Wouldn’t be shocked if we’re pleasantly surprised, like we were with Lambert, JDT and Eustace. The difficulties may come in May, when we’ve missed out on the playoffs, all the loans and stop gaps have cleared off, the short term manager has done a bunk and we’re lift with yet another enormous rebuild on a rudderless ship. Not to mention clubs will be alerted to the fact that our core players all have a year left on their contracts and start putting miserly bids in.

Almost 100%. I imagine he’s already verbally agreed a salary, length of contract and has had assurances relating to next seasons plans. He’s as good as gone, and Rovers certainly won’t stand in his way when there’s a bit of compensation due. Waggott and Suhail can happily record an unforeseen windfall and begin to peruse lists of out of work managers. Another gut wrenching day for the fans of this once proud club. Pathetic.

I can’t think of a more damning indictment of modern day BRFC, than our manager deciding 22nd placed Derby are a better bet than 7th placed Rovers with 3 months of the season left. In many ways I would be amazed if Eustace decided to go now, but it would be a hell of an indicator that he truly doesn’t believe we can stay in the race. Even if we slid down to mid table mediocrity in the coming months I’d still expect 75% of champ clubs to at least have him on a shortlist in the summer. This really is a free hit for him. If he’s decided that a relegation battle is favourable then god knows what really is going on behind the scenes at our club.

Is he? I don't remember him for Forest but he played approx. 25 games in both seasons when they finished 7th and 17th respectively before he was released... He was released by Legia Warsaw after 3 seasons, and has played 15 times for Braga who are prepared to let him leave on loan after 6 months.... He's probably adequate backup for Beck as a short term option, but I can't pretend to be excited by his arrival.

Would you sign a new contract if you were Eustace? Or those players for that matter? At least 50% of them could walk into a championship club, likely on more money than they are on now. They might enjoy playing for Rovers, but their agents won’t let them sign any old rubbish that we offer knowing that we’re one of the lowest payers in the division. Lenihan, Rothwell, BBD, Nyambe, probably others… There will be other clubs that have the same issue, Preston for example couldn’t keep hold of Browne. But the fact that the owners have accelerated our plight and appear to have no interest in improving the situation makes it so fucking galling.

I actually made a bit of a case for Telalovic last June (post below). I said at the time that I felt like I'd seen flashes of a useful player there in his interchanges and general play, but his confidence looked shot to bits, and he missed one or two great opportunities. The Stoke game just after Eustace's arrival was probably his poorest cameo when we were serverley under the cosh and he gave the all away 2 or 3 times... after that he rarely appeared again - Eustace probably didn't trust him. It'll be interesting to see how his career progresses.

100%. I’m sure someone said on here that he denied it, but I’m not having it. He’s always prattling on about how wonderful the RV is, and the speech/writing is him to a tee.

TBF, Szmodics is 5ft 6 according to most sources.... Oh, and Bellamy too. And Dickov... and Speedie

Anyone know whether the case was deferred again, or has there actually been a conclusion this time?

Just moving away from matters on the pitch, what a travesty the atmosphere is at Ewood these days. The last 12 years of constant decline has just completely sucked the life out of the fanbase, not just the obvious drop in attendances, but the complete lethargy and hopelessness that everyone feels. The most excited the Blackburn end got was to fairly inexplicably boo Phillips and chant 'one greedy bastard'. The state our club is in, I'd have fucked off too, and not bothered to sign the senior contract to which he had absolutely no obligation. The less said about the Yuki song the better. How have we ended up with another variation of Hey Baby 🤮 Such a shame, and once again it lands squarely at the feet of the owners. They don't deserve the few thousand that do still bother to turn up.

We were talking about him in the pub before the game last night. How is he doing for the U23s? Has anyone had the opportunity to go and watch him?

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/24095744.tomasson-reveals-offered-leave-blackburn-last-summer/

As it stands the squad is undeniably weaker than last season. Over £40m incoming, and (being very generous) £1.5m outgoing, not to mention more of our top earners off the books. Whilst Ohashi and Gueye look like they will be useful additions, it's a huge risk to expect them to play a full season and score, say 15-20 each. Unless we see some substantial investment in the next two weeks (I'm talking £5m - 7m minimum), then the owners should hang their heads in shame. Successful clubs sell players at the right time before re-investing a portion of that income to ensure that their club is 1. competitive in the league, and 2. have saleable assets in 12 - 24 months' time. I expect us to stagnate and tread water, plugging the remaining gaps with cheap punts, old has-beens and loans. Whilst I acknowledge and am initially impressed by the signings of Ohashi and Gueye, they needed to be additions to an already depleted squad, not replacements for anyone who left this summer, let alone our talisman. We need 5 more, and a minimum of 3 should be cash purchases who improve our squad and have potential to be the next double figure sale. Anything else is inexcusable.

Dembele just been hooked at half time by Birmingham. The Twitter comments are less than complimentary about him.

It'll be amazing just how many fans swallow that right up and repeat it verbatim when defending the clubs appalling transfer activity in the last 18 months. I'm really intrigued as to whether BBC Lancs and Elliott Jackson have been invited for an interview... both have said on record that the request went in. If they haven't already done an interview with him, then they now have a copy of his pre-rehearsed script to pick apart and make any interview uncomfortable. As I said last night, these cosy interviews are akin to Putin speaking to Russian State TV. Never challenged, never disputed, never probed - just singing off a hymn sheet in the hope that the gullible masses will lap it up.

But surely you understand that simply gives Waggott and Co a completely free ride? Zero accountability, just a controlled platform for them to peddle their unchallenged version of events.

As soon as I realised the interview was an inside job I knew it was going to be entirely toothless. Not to trivialise a truly horrendous and barbaric situation, but it’s a little bit like watching Putin address the nation on Russian State TV. All this guff about the owners never refusing a transfer, what a load of shite. We already know they scuppered the Batth one last season, not to mention the very fishy O’Brien and Maguire fiascos. I wonder if Jackson and the BBC will get a go like last season? Perhaps Andy Bayes might be able to probe him a bit further on some of the drivel he’s coming out with.