Why not, Tony has? ”The owners have to tell me”

It’s about time the media put to bed this myth that Mowbray plays an attractive possession-based way. Trouble is, the pundits don’t watch us and only look at the stats.

This will be Mowbray’s second time. Last time he following up with one win and five defeats in six. Just because he could. And nobody cares.

Starting to feel really sad for Dack.

It’s about time OPTA stopped publishing possession and touches-in-the-box stats. Meaningless twaddle that managers like Mowbray use as an excuse.

Thank goodness that’s over. Longest 90 minutes ever.

There was an easy pass on to the player in the right back position. The one who was facing play and could have launched it forward and away from danger. Young lad made the wrong choice.

When you look at “nice man” Mowbray and you look at people like Warnock and McCarthy, you know Venkys either aren’t serious about promotion or have real trust issues and simply put up with people they like. They have no football acumen whatsoever. Just think if Venkys has trusted John Williams instead of the “like a family member”...

I posted a long post earlier in the thread about this.

Not strictly true.

You obviously aren’t in the loop...

His top 10 finishes were with a squad that he had no clue how to get the best out of. That squad under achieved, and the similarities with Mowbray are stark. As for your question, are you looking for something more sophisticated than money? Lambert wasn’t a bad manager for Rovers. But I expect we’ll have to agree to disagree there too. Glen Mullan deserves more credit for our success at that time than Bowyer...

Not a chance. He didn’t do a fantastic job at all. I can only assume you didn’t read my post. Gary was the beneficiary not the benefactor.

That’s my take on it too. If this goes ahead, I’d suggest that (whoever follows Waggott) will be facing life with a Cat 1 academy and PL2 games at Leyland will be replaced with friendlies on site. Depressing stuff - let’s hope I’m wrong!

What is Bowyer’s legacy? There isn’t one. St Gary gets far more credit than he deserves. The boardroom squabbles that blighted and undermined Berg and Appleton had vanished. Gary was credited with bringing ‘stability’ when in reality he benefited from it. Until the latter stages of his time he was able to recruit and keep his best players. He had Jordan Rhodes handed to him on a platter and those goals kept us up. If anything Bowyer’s lack of nouse cost us our best and last chance of the play-offs. He couldn’t even see what a player he had in Josh King (and to a lesser extent Alan Judge - twice!). Lambert brought in Bennett and Graham and changed the ethos at the club from one of pals and an open house to one of professionalism - focusing on fitness. He could have done a lot more had the Rhodes money been given to him to spend. Rightly his instincts which led to a contract walk away clause proved prescient and off he went - to both his and our detriment. Coyle was a complete failure - despite the “give him a chance FFS” brigade - so least said the better but even he brought in Charlie Mulgrew - our L1 saviour. Mowbray signed Dack after he fell out with Gillingham following a court case he was involved in and ultimately sealed our L1 squad. He then stuck with that same L1 squad for the best part of 18 months seemingly believing in loyalty above ability. His legacy with be as bad as Bowyer’s as the next manager is likely to need a complete overhaul. Much like Mowbray himself will if he survives yet another Summer. Does anyone think he can rebuild this team with another window? I don’t.

The irony of Mowbray’s barbs aimed at fans is that he has no idea how good he has it. Further irony is that despite Mowbray throwing air punches at fans in general is that some people just double- and triple-down in their support for him. Blackburn Rovers existed before Mowbray and will exist afterwards (what it will look like if the current malaise is allowed to continue though I don’t know). People should not put the individual before the club when it comes to any player or manager. They are just one in a long series of mercenaries whose only desire is to make as much money as possible while extending their childhood dreams for a few more years. The fans are the ones who will be here long after all of them. Again, how many depends on how long mediocrity and apathy are allowed to rule. This kind of situation doesn’t seem to happen at other clubs. Not ones that haven’t collapsed in the process.

Welcome to life in 2021.

-6 at a guess.

I’ve been trying to find a clear list of requirements for Cat 1. The best I’ve found is at... https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/201819/efl-youth-development-charter-players-and-parents-guide-2018-19--e-book4.pdf P.66 ...from which I’ve pasted the text below. Section 295.2 states that the Academy must have facilities available for the exclusive use of its Academy “at all times” “when it requires to access them” (weasel words?) Sections 297b and 302 state that the floodlight requirement will be waived if planning permission cannot be obtained. So it sounds like there could be ways around the issues people have put forward but it smacks of doing this on the cheap which will not be good long term. My biggest problem with all of the is that I don’t trust the motives of any of the people involved. Fans have been treated with nothing but contempt under the current board, with lowering of standards/costs and increasing of prices, allowing the stadium and pitch to rot while blaming everyone and everything else for their failures. This will be another failure - at least as far as the club and fans are concerned. But there will be a lot of money made by a small number of people. .... 295 Each Club which operates an Academy shall ensure that: 295.1 it provides as a minimum the facilities and accommodation set out in Rules 297 to 308; and 295.2 if it operates a Category 1 Academy, such facilities and accommodation are available for the exclusive use of its Academy at all times when it requires access to them in order to comply with these Rules. 296 Save where otherwise indicated, or with the permission of the Board, the facilities and accommodation set out in Rules 297 to 308 shall be provided at the Club’s principal venue for the coaching and education of Academy Players. 297 Grass pitches Category 1 a) A sufficient number of grass pitches of the appropriate sizes (as required by the Rules relating to Games Programmes and with goals sized as required by the Rules relating to Games Programmes) to enable the Club to play all its matches in the Games Programmes and fulfil its commitments under these Rules as regards coaching. b) One floodlit grass pitch enclosed with perimeter fencing and with designated areas for spectator attendance (save that if a Club is unable to obtain planning permission for floodlighting then the requirement for floodlighting shall be waived); c) A designated area (on grass) for the coaching of goalkeepers. Categories 2 and 3 a) A sufficient number of grass pitches of the appropriate sizes (as required by the Rules relating to Games Programmes and with goals sized as required by the Rules relating to Games Programmes) to enable the Club to play all its matches in the Games Programmes and fulfil its commitments under these Rules as regards coaching. b) A designated area for the coaching of goalkeepers. Category 4 a) A sufficient number of grass pitches of the appropriate sizes (as required by the Rules relating to Games Programmes and with goals sized as required by the Rules relating to Games Programmes) to enable the Club to play all its matches in the Games Programmes and fulfil its commitments under these Rules as regards coaching. b) A designated area (on grass) for the coaching of goalkeepers. 298 Each Club shall take all reasonable steps to maintain each grass pitch used by its Academy at all times when such pitches are required by the Academy for matches or coaching. 299 The League shall inspect the Academy grass pitches of each Club which operates a Category 1 or Category 2 Academy at least twice a year, and of each Club which operates a Category 3 Academy from time to time. 300 Each Club shall take such steps as the Board may require if the Board is not satisfied that a pitch is being maintained to an adequate standard. 301 Without prejudice to the generality of Rule 298, each Club shall ensure that the quality of its pitches used for matches in the Games Programmes is not adversely affected by coaching taking place on them. 302 Artificial Surface pitch Categories 1 and 2 One floodlit outdoor Artificial Surface pitch (save that if a Club is unable to obtain planning permission for floodlighting then the requirement for floodlighting shall be waived). It is recommended (and mandatory with effect from 1 July 2016) that this pitch measures 105 metres in length and 68 metres in breadth, unless otherwise permitted by the League. Categories 3 and 4 Access to one floodlight outdoor Artificial Surface pitch (which need not be at the principal venue). 303 Indoor area for training and the playing of matches Note: ideally a Club’s indoor facility should be located at its principal venue for the coaching of Academy Players and any new facility must be located at the principal venue. It is accepted, however, that a number of Clubs have existing indoor facilities which are located elsewhere, or that it may be impossible for a Club’s indoor facility to be located at its principal venue for planning reasons. In such cases, where the Board is satisfied that the Club’s indoor facility may be located other than at its principal venue, there shall also be a requirement that the Rules relating to the maximum travel time from an Academy Player’s residence to the coaching venue are complied with. Categories 1 and 2 One indoor Artificial Surface pitch measuring a minimum of 60 yards by 40 yards which shall be owned by the Club (or alternatively the Club must have a legally enforceable agreement with the owner of the facility for its use by the Club, expiring not earlier than the end of the current Season) and which shall be for the exclusive use of the Academy at all times. (Note: an indoor pitch which complies with the size requirements set out in Regulation 13 is recommended). Categories 3 and 4 Access to one indoor pitch measuring 60 yards by 40 yards during the months of November to April. Alternatively, the pitch may measure 30 yards by 20 yards but if so the Club shall only be permitted to coach the following maximum numbers of Academy Players at any one time: - Age groups Under 9 to Under 14 inclusive: 15 in each age group - Age groups Under 15 and Under 16 inclusive: 18 in each age group - Age groups Under 17 to Under 21 inclusive: 12 in each age group

I hope somebody at the club is reading this thread. The current situation has driven us to this!

What on earth is an “oven bottom” - in and of itself? It’s missing a prefix.

Spot on.

Goodbye Cat 1. Goodbye Academy. Goodbye Jack Walker’s absolutely respected legacy. And, for a club of our non-ambition, goodbye Championship. If only there were some way to generate the necessary income either through billionaire owners (no FFP worries here) or promotion (no chance the current set up). But, no, we must sell up.

This is one of my worries. They get so far down the line with these changes and then blame some red tape for the loss of Cat 1. “We’ve done everything we can “.

This debate is better than the football! I always laugh when people say “it can’t be a teacake they have currants in them!” “That’s a currant teacake!”