Again a lot of it plays right into their hands now. I'm not saying they don't want to win games or get as many people in a possible but to me they've waved a white flag now. They've sussed it out and know they aren't capable or driven enough to get a team in the upper end on their budget. They know that only that and low prices will get gates at Ewood up again. So we are firmly in option B where they know the team might struggle and crowds will be low. So make the best of that situation it's far less hassle without expectation and they all still get paid the same. I expect some price rises, tiny crowds and possibly more of the ground roped off. More staff laid off and more cost cutting with ready made excuse after excuse again. Emphasis on reduced income, reduced budget and press trotting out '150 million debt' line time after time. The debt that is only a debt when people seem to want it to be, otherwise it's 'investment' !!! We really might as well have Bob Saxton in charge - i'm sure these lot would have them training down Pleasy again if they could hide behind it.

It's obviously not nice enough for him to want to put his feet up and stay there, sadly.

I think this data stuff these lads produce is based on what Rovers are doing anyway, or along those lines. That's why it often seems to tally up with Mowbrays stuff although at times it does appear like it's done to back him up. In other words i think they are trying to impress him and the club rather than just promote his possession football as successful. It does though act as a beacon for some to hold up in support of the manager. Also a bit of coincidence they do stuff about finishing in midtable with a young team and reduced wage bill. As opposed to getting in some more experience on bigger wages and ending up finishing there anyway. Then hey presto that looks like the direction the club is now taking 😉 A tip off or two there maybe, sadly that scenario rests at the managers door no one else. His poor judgement and couldn't give one attitude plays the biggest part in a good strong squad floundering. Likewise that has now led us to potentially having to cut back and curtail. Evolution it most certainly isn't, no matter how many analysts jump all over it.

This has been a massive issue here all along even under previous Venky induced managers. Now we have one whose been here years and knows exactly how they work. That means they just sigh the cheques, say yay or nay to things via their messenger and will only analyze things once per year in mid summer. Otherwise there's nothing to worry about and if they did remove you it would be out of the blue without prior warning. So just shrug your shoulders and carry on basically doing what you want as long as you run it by the messenger. Even more convenient when you have your pal as a cushion as well. Only reason he isn't saying owt is he'll be on a long awaited break like most of them will. He also knows people are sick of hearing his babble so time to kick back for a few weeks and plan next years pitch to the fans.

He'll have a whole new narrative to spin next season his PR mob will be working on it right now. Fail with all the targets and tools he's asked for the last few years so strip them away. Remove the evidence and go with a bare bones slimmed down version with a target of bettering 15th place. The new journey has just begun and reducing the wage bill will be the new mantra. The wage bill and running costs he and his cronies had spent the last few years bloating again and wasting. Along with wasting the clubs best chances of kicking on in the last decade. Lapdogs will lap it up again, however there is always 12 million worth of elephants in the room to remind us !

Mark Venus would be the only one they had lined up.

Amazing how things can be easily made to look better than they are. You could say we only needed to score ONE to get a point in about a quarter of last seasons games. We didn't manage it though.

I don't, that would be Armstrong AND Elliot gone. Playing the system and style we do where the odd chances that come along absolutely need to be converted just to gain a draw. We tend to need to score at least 3 to win and we very rarely come from behind to win or even snatch tight games late. Literally everything about it is flawed but will he change it ? Doubtful when all he's admitted he's bothered about is possession stats and shoehorning everyone in to aid their development. He needs rabbits out the hat even if we keep AA.

The thing is last time they crunched it down to a couple of million per year it resulted in anyone being worth anything being sold. About 30 million income to pay back a few years running costs, maybe pay down borrowings and reset FFP. Flip side it resulted in relegation though. It's a flawed concept doing it every 4 years, it only worked last time because league 2 was weak and we bounced straight back. Would we put it past these lot to risk that 'journey' again ? No we bloody wouldn't they've got the right crew at the helm who'd brazen it out for sure. If that was the risk they are going to take though it then begs the question are they borrowing or lending over a 4/5 year cycle. Is money somehow paid back with a cherry on top ? Is that why they remain and keep doing what they do ?

They are sold on Tony & Waggos plans because they are preaching cost cutting and growing to sell now. The fact that it will end up in league 1 again is completely lost on the ownership. Because they don't want the hassle of doing anything other than signing off the same budget every year.

I was reading some dialogue between Rovers & Cov fans not long ago. Aside from anything to do with training ground sell offs the stuff they were saying about the football & recruitment side of it was almost identical. Now a season or two ago the similarity with his time at Boro were strikingly relevant. Him and his goonies are turning us from a Boro into a Coventry bit by bit. I am 100% dead set in certainty than if we continue to follow their 'journey' we will be relegated again within the next 2 years. Why alarm bells aren't ringing loud and clear by now across all our fanbase and local media i don't know.

To fix something you first have to recognize it's broken and that is not one of this managers strong points.

Without actually coming out and saying 'nah nah na nah nah - i'm staying and there is fook all you can do about it' to the majority who've had enough of his self serving tripe. The guy himself has pretty much told everybody by his actions and statements that he's going nowhere. The stuff he's been doing with the squad rubber stamps this. I think he'd have to be surgically removed from his Ewood comfort zone. Along with his little group and to the cost of several million quid. So anyone still clinging to anything, which was only ever based on assumption wherever its come from, needs to take the top off the coffee pot and have a good old sniff. Prepare the groundhog instead.

I'd have THB back in a heartbeat to be honest as he should be better equipped now having got games under his belt last season. I get the issue of wanting to play our own first but we are still light on quality in that area. Get Wharton fit and get him competing for a place again with THB and take it from there. Signing a decent CB with some champ experience would be preferable but highly unlikely. Given the finances and it's proved beyond this managers capabilities anyway. If we had a pool of good CH's it would only mean they end up getting rotated anyway. We've seen it before and it's piss boilingly stupid when you are trying to create a solid consistent back line. Good defenders should be able to cope with all shapes and sizes/styles of opposition. That's how good players are made and what does it say to the player when the manager drops him for different opposition ? Hardly a confidence builder or any good for their development.

As far as i reckon they just know they aren't going to get the money bid they want for him. Taking into account Newcastles whopping 40% so the only other option is to try and tempt him to sign another contract. According to the local paper when he signed he was put on c15k pwk and they had to give him 4 years, to balance out he was dropping from 20 grand at Newcastle. So it'll have to be a whopping wage to get him on another contract. He'll probably want a less than massive get out clause as well. These lot paid Rhodes about 40k per week by the end of his time here and they didn't end up making a huge profit on his fee either. Now we might have to sell another good player in order to put that towards a new AA deal. It's a fook up really having to potentially do that when you consider the amount Mowbray has wasted. Especially in recent times on ones who've contributed fack all, Downing springs to mind. Then a fee for Pears etc, i'm very uneasy with all this old pals stuff again. It is NOT in the best interests of the club imo.

Iv'e no doubt he does as TM has been very good to him and for him. We have to accept a lot of them like him and follow his instructions to the letter. He seems very much a players manager, over and above points and results at times by the look and sound of him. He bends over backwards for his favs and treats even the most useless as a nursery project until they get fit and get contracts elsewhere. At the cost of our clubs money.... Also seems the type to freeze out or weed quite quickly out those who don't exactly worship him. There'd be quite a few bottom lips out around the place if he got potted but i think that's exactly what a lot of our players actually need. They need a bit of a culture shock instead of coasting it protected under the managers umbrella of excuses.

According to an ex director employed at that time he was promised cash AND the Rhodes money. That's the only reason he took the job on in the first place so i'm reasonably on board with that theory. He wasn't totally stupid though you are right, hence the escape clause. A complete twohat would just sit on as long a contract as he could wrangle until he got a payoff. hint hint

Rovers have gone from being Venkys baby to being Mowbray & Cos permanent experiment by the looks of it. I often wonder if he or someone he works with have shares in the place such is his teflon coated demeanor and all too apparent indifference to results. We have no semblance to Barnsley or Brentford other than beginning with a B and never will with these lot playing around with it.

I'd certainly flog him for a few million plus add ons before selling Rothwell. A lot of fuss over nothing with that lad imo and i'd prefer a ball winner in the middle of the park for a change, if they could find one.

But maybe getting relegated in the process. Next season could hinge on him.

That means the asking price is too high and they aren't expecting any bids. Well done Vs if true, new manager next please.....

Getting Pears some first team experience isn't a bad idea but where he'll get it who knows. I said when we signed him the longer Mowbray is here the more chance of Pears ending up number 1 is a reality. I'll stand by that, probably next season is my guess. Faint hope that the manager is sorting out a mate before he gets potted though.

They'll never sign anybody who might stand there and look intimidating to the manager or other players. He doesn't want leaders, only followers. As for this Gauld lad i think i'd probably rather sign another highly rated Prem loanee. At least they can be sent back if it doesn't work. Iv'e zero point zero faith in this management doffing out 2 or 3 year contracts to anybody outside of a few we already have.

His idea of soldiers is foot soldiers not the ones you'd always want in the trenches with you. Ones who'll be told what to do to the letter even if they keep losing the battles, not answer back and be happy to be thrown in and out depending on the enemy. Without complaining of course.

Exactly, nice lads, nice slow sideways football, nice training ground banter etc. Nice comfort zone for every one to sit in the middle of the division whilst the gaffer rotates to keep everyone happy. Best job in the division for any bog average yes man.