Devon Rover

We are not a club that does this. Anyone (I know you have just said "if") thinking selling Wharton gives us a chance to strengthen hasn't been paying attention. The apparent court non-decision means this will be our bill-paying money. And we lose our only creative central midfielder.

Meaning money transfer not approved, yet?? Meaning sales needed urgently? (Wharton)

I agree with you on the case study. But I very much doubt Rovers have much meeting agenda item time, over in Pune.

Hi Den I definitely wouldn't 'prefer' that option, out of the two. But I'm trying to be realistic about the likelihood of each option and I would be amazed (and delighted) if Venky's ever put the club up for sale without being forced to do so. I really think our only hope of a change of ownership is for that decision being taken out of their hands. Do you see any reason to think Venky's are likely to voluntarily put the club up for sale, and what would that be based on?

19th January. I'm super-excited from this intentional build-up to the big reveal of Travis' upgrade replacement, the long awaited actual striker, and the rest of the "dream transfer window" recruits. Good times in the delusional alternative universe of VenkyRovers World.

Some people are very gullible. Luton had an average attendance of something like 10,000 last year. Not much spent on transfers. But they were and are very well run (post a takeover when the club was at it's lowest ebb). This is why we need change. It is the ownership and leadership of our club that is to blame and not the fans (albeit we don't all help the situation, all the time!)

Much more like: It would highlight their own incompetence in not finding out about something "in the public domain" and actually, you know, reporting it. journalistic incompetence or 'hush money' from the club/owners? I really don't see an alternative explanation.

Chief rats being Venkys. Any chance you are referring to something about them - or is this, more likely, in relation to player/coach departures?

This is quite the understatement 🙂☹️

Literally, our only hope for our club seems to lie in the hands of the Indian authorities investigating Venkys. I just don't see the point of anything else going on involving the club right now, including the matches.

God help us. This looked likely from the moment the line up was announced. Venkys obviously remain to blame for where we are, of course. But JDT's selections and (total lack of) defensive coaching is contributing massively to this week after week of pain. He can't be immune from criticism for the repeated awful calls in selection and tactics. If he can't improve the defence then whats the point of us bothering turning up?

I don't understand this? Carter has played centre back most of the season.

It's really bleak, isn't it? Club dying and I tune in each game to watch the latest depressing instalment. It's January 13th. No meaningful replacements for those pushed out the door/recalled. A decent LB brought in on loan but unable to get a game when our (mediocre) LB is out. Still no striker. It's almost as if Venkys aren't going to make this a "Dream", or even the absolutely essential basics, transfer window needed. Who'd have thought?

That would be a serious surprise. I think it looks a terrible line up consisting mainly of a mix of out-of-position selections and league one quality with a good smattering of 'out of form' to set us up for a pasting. Brittain at left back and Carter at right back is enough to suggest West Brom are going to have a field-day here.

🙂 Only his own. What a life.

That surely has to be as credible as the source's surname suggests.

With Travis popped out for a bit/forever, Garrett is surely the main (only?) backup to the central two at the moment. We really are down to the bare bones. Before even contemplating a loan for Garrett, and an optimistic assumption of 'someone better lined up', I'd first be keen to see who the optimistic assumption of an upgrade on Travis is going to be. Spoiler: Each of the above will almost certainly be young, cheap loans from premier league teams that are not able to compete physically in the Championship. In which case, what is the bloody point of loaning out our own youngsters? (Except saving any and every penny).

Firstly, good result today. Another defensive horror show. Secondly, have I missed something? Waggott is explicitly dissing his DoF "colleague" to members of the public, now?!?!

There you go, Chaddy. Replacement for Travis sorted, nice and quickly. Fucking brilliant.

Not sure I could be any more underwhelmed by a signing, nor utterly deflated by watching this car-crash of a club. Still can't find a way to break the ties I have to it. But more young loan signings in, as our experienced players leave, will definitely help.

I look forward to that, Chaddy. But I won't hold my breath. Let's just add replacing the Travis CM option to the list including improved full backs, goalkeeper, and an actual striker, shall we? This is quite clearly systematic downgrading and cheapening of our playing squad. It only ends badly. I kind of envy your relentless optimism, but not really.

I think it is clear that isn't the suggestion. An option would be changing the team's formation and/or style to better suit the players you have available, rather than dogmatically sticking to a style that doesn't suit what you have at your disposal. Letting go of your experienced players reduces your ability to do that. It is a perfectly reasonable challenge that should be made, with no manager/coach being above that challenge or constructive question. Sometimes all of us have to accept we are wrong and change our approach, in life. That is ok. And much better than stubbornly continuing with something that isn't working.

Other than as a symptom of a need for desperate reduction in the wage bill, this doesn't make much sense to me, at all. This is the club captain, who it could be argued would add something to our currently overrun central midfield. If he isn't seen as an option for the first team, then why loan not sell? Why loan, at all? It can only be either 'cut costs at every opportunity', or Travis has asked to leave and this is the only viable option at the moment. In the first scenario, I can't see a replacement brought in. In the second, it would surely only be a loan, and unlikely to be a better option than Travis, so we downgrade (again). Odd. Very odd.

I agree and, to support the point you are making, this scenario would obviously have a significant impact on many of those laid off, which would be very sad. However, as you say, I can only see this as being the eventual outcome, anyway, after some period of ongoing uncertainty about wages being paid, etc. A court decision to keep these 'survival payments' being made will essentially be a licence for Venkys to continue their stranglehold and the painfully slow killing of our club.

When this lad's work permit comes through, though, he's going to be better than Ronaldinho. PS How hard is it to spell 'Delhi' correctly twice in one article, LT??