And yet you supported Ince, who wasn't able to keep hold of players such as Friedel and Bentley. Once a player makes it his mission to leave, he'll leave. This can't be attributed to Sam's management skills.

I haven't been Allardyce's biggest sympathiser recently, but he doesn't carry any blame here. Benni has displayed a complete lack of professionalism, not just for Rovers, but even his own WC hopes as well.

It's foolish for McCarthy, because he runs the risk of severing all ties, which won't do his WC prospects a whole lot of good.

McCarthy was already unsettled.

Whatever grievances you have with Sam, you can't hold him responsible for Benni's bad attitude. He has the best facilities to whip himself into shape, but lacks the motivation (even in WC year!) There's no excusing that, whether he's our best striker or not. I wouldn't give two monkeys about starting at 7am (on my tod), plenty of working class people do that for less than £30k a week...

McCarthy is an important player to us, in that he's the best finisher at the club and tries to link the midfield to attack. However, he's conducted himself unprofessionally, and if he really wants to make his WC dream come true he would lose weight and get on with training (be it 7am call ins or not).

I can't see where I suggested that?

You would expect Benni to be Sam's ideal player. He's managed to revive the careers of several big-name players who have fallen from grace, however Benni has been in and out of the side and looks to be on his way. Just goes to show, you have to judge each case on its own merits.

McCarthy can finish and has that bit of magic that Roberts is bereft. Roberts is only good for battering tired legs in the last 10-20 minutes.

Comparing goalkeepers and outfield players? Apples & oranges, Theno.

The same Ray Mathias who thought Warnock & Grella could be the best Premiership midfield partnership?

McCarthy is the best finisher at the club. Even when he was out of sorts last season he still managed 10 goals in 18 starts. The problem concerns Sam's inflexible attitude towards his formation. Why are Dunn & McCarthy mutually exclusive options?

That's pushing it, don't you think?

And (Champ Manager legend) Kim Kallstrom. Why he'd swap Lyon for our struggles, I don't know.

Can't stand ITV's ludicrously biased commentary... Don't they understand that some viewers are neutral? "We are Football United." Yeah, right.

Lead balloon? Madness to offload McCarthy. Unfortunately he just doesn't fit into Sam's inflexible formation, which is a mighty disappointment. People say he's lazy, but the same is levied at Dimitar Berbatov. I think 'casual' is a better way to describe. Their talent and composure is still invaluable when the moment comes.

I said it once and I'll say it again: If we're really going to scrape the odd chance here or there, I'd rather McCarthy was on the receiving end than Jason Roberts. I don't care if the latter runs himself in the ground, we achieve bugger all for it.

Does anyone know where I could find the Season Review for our League-Cup winning season? I'd love to turn back the clock and experience it again.

Does anyone ever remember Wayne Gill? I remember watching him play for us at a League Cup game at Pompey and wondering who on earth he was - 'That's not Lee Carsley, is it?' I think he only played another game or so before he disappeared.

Just proves he's a crock and wasn't feigning injury for Rovers.

He scored a late consolation goal in a 2-1 defeat to Leeds: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footbal...ppy-582290.html

Good luck to Zurab, but yeah he's surplus to requirements now.

He does NOT look 24!

For all intents and purposes, he was Robson's assistant on the football side as well.