Are they walking into it willingly though ? It looked suspiciously like they did last time, even Shaw warned it was coming 6 months earlier. Nobody did anything though then once it was upon us it triggered the start of the sales. Taps off, cost cutting, unable to re-invest allegedly, Owen Coyle, Tony Mowbray, relegation. All the hallmarks are here again but like last time those in the middle of it all still draw their wages and bonuses.

And a keeper we probably didn't need. And extend players contracts we weren't even going to use last season. And carry players till they are fit to go and further their careers elsewhere. Oh and Stuart Downing.

That's where a quick sale of the training ground land would've pulled them out the do do.

Echoes of the Mahonney thing here as well, don't forget that started a long time before Bournemouth stepped in. Something i mentioned a while back that getting compen and add ons for these lads might appeal when money is tight. Cheaper than doffing out pay rises.

Everything points to it.

The root and branch that a few heard about in an alleged reset is happening as i predicted. Mowbray & Waggot are the conductors of it not the casualties. A pruning back of everything to their level of capability after wasting the last few years. Covid gives them the shield they all need, they are preparing the ground for low gates and even lower income imo. The just keep our heads above water in this league model is the new target. If they miss that one as well we really are fooked.

I have a really bad feeling ...

It's the latest convenient excuse - 'Oh we didn't really connect with the last one, the recruitment was all wrong for what we're trying to do here' 'Now if we bring in so and so that'll be the missing piece for us next season, top 6 here we come Mrs'

It's currently sitting in the void between Blackburn and Pune and being orbited and held back by a team of excuse makers.

Yes there's a clear pattern.

I'd wager he's already got a pal lined up for that gig, this is just going through the motions stuff. Would be interesting if the owners pick someone and give them 90% control on transfers. Doubt that'd go down very well with the Coventrio. More likely to be another appointment that strengthens Mowbrays hand though.

They'd have to do that it's pretty much standard practice these days, unless they are selling it for a quid but keeping the debt for repayment. Davies wrote off 100 million or similar at Bolton before he sold because basically it's money you will never ever recoup.

We've had a couple of versions of Buccles here that's for sure. Play dumb, shrug the shoulders, pass the responsibility and cock ups written off as just incompetence.

At least 3 years ago maybe more i posted something on here that had come from a chance conversation. Guy who told me knows next to nothing about Rovers but found himself talking to a guy who said he worked for a firm who did some work at Rovers ( PR i think it was 😏) Anyway it went along the lines of someone wanted to buy one of the brothers shares because they'd had enough. The problem was the head V, whoever it is, Madame presumably was having non of it. This person wanted to invest heavily to try for promotion. That was the gist of it and the only reason i gave it any air time was the lad who told me wouldn't bother making anything up and wouldn't know some of the stuff he relayed unless he'd been told it. It's possibly a similar thing to this and seems to pop up every few years. When it comes after a bad season and where now people are demanding big changes i think i'd write it off as just a stealthy PR stunt. The Luca Toni / Ray Wilkins regular rumours probably had more legs. Expect the usual back of a fag packet statement late summer that the owners are not looking to sell, remain in it for the long term. And are committed to returning the club to the Prem. Bullshit all around basically.

I doubt we'd ever have gone down under Mowbray or even Coyle had the club - whoever that actually is - not sold Cairney / Hanley and even Duffy. That was the crux of it along with Rudy and Rhodes of course but they were inevitable. Sadly though despite them not being perfect you just cannot replace two 24 year old international defenders with a young converted mid, an injury prone loan, a 36 yr old and a 37 yr old whose legs went 4 years before. That's what Coyle did although Mulgrew came in as well he struggled to adjust until we dropped into lge 1. Coyle was only here 5 mins and did enough damage to last a long time and talked a decades worth of shit. Mowbray to his credit cleared that damage up and often talked sense in his own humble way. However for the past 12 months at least he's been firmly in self preservation mode and has veered from outright nonsense to weekly contradictions. Basically he's been in say anything mode for a long time now. Anyone who can't see that doesn't want to. Coyle was an outright con job whose somehow winged his way through the last decade. I think there is more substance to Mowbray he's steady to Coyles erratic but he breached his capability ceiling here 2 years ago. It's also become clear he's a very crafty operator off the pitch in terms of making his words cover his failings. Once you've been sussed you've been sussed it's very rare that gets turned around. That's another reason he needs to be gone before crowds come back.

Stuart Downings wages for the last few seasons would probably have paid for a new pitch. That's where we are at with this lot though, expect more wages to find their way to some ex Boro/Coventry in the near future. Clampits the lot of them.

Ah but all that points to him being a bit of a snowflake, no doubt a nice lad. Right up you know whose street, 10 mins here, 15 mins there and not a peep of complaint.

Well you know what it's based on don't you ? I'd be surprised if you don't. Just the same last summer then a raft of what looked like good signings lead to a serious shift in glass levels. Still managed by Mowbray though so perhaps most have learned it's a bit pointless expecting anything other than what we've seen the last few years.

I think it is, it's a double edged sword. Knackered without it but it's of no real use when it's being wasted on an old pals act. I'm sure it said on that Sunderland documentary that part of their problem under that Yank was too much generosity and not enough attention. They all knew cheques would get signed, so they all just kept their heads down and bobbled along drawing their wages whilst the club floundered but nobody upstairs did anything to alter it.

She was a wonderful human, she'll need to learn the way we play though.

I think that's very much the situation here and they've just weeded out the biggest earners first.

Only when they stop paying for the debt they and their incompetent employees run up will most finally wake up. Then we'll be in Bolton territory and a few will delight in saying i told you so. Rovers cyber fan base is as strange as Vs themselves.

He's basically wasted the last couple of years budget on a failed experiment of transition to possession, then stats based possession football. We've regressed as a consequence and don't even look the solid upper mid table outfit we were a few seasons ago. Now it's going to have to be reset again and dumbed down even more whilst the 'identity' he's been trying to stamp on them will have to change again. The fella is 100% taking the piss and has been for a long while, he'll do and say anything to stay in his wages and look after his pals. There's been enough from this dysfuntcional ownership for a more organized driven manager to establish us within at least touching distance of the top 6. Only this dysfunctional ownership though would ignore the obvious and keep rewarding under achieving.

That's the problem though when you are the gaffers love child it was the same with Lowe. They'll keep trying to fit you in somewhere just because you are good to have around. If Bennett was used properly, not regularly, just properly in his real positions he'd probably still serve a purpose. I agree the time is right to cut him loose but we are going to be very light on any experience next season. Mowbray/Venus/Lowe/Benson and a bag full of kids being rotated weekly is relegation guaranteed imo.

I think for half a million + per year most of us would make that sacrifice or use our wallet to arrange something more suitable. This sob story writer could afford a bloody helicopter shuttle ride if he wanted. Lets face it he in't kipping in his car when he isn't home. My mate drives an artic for Asda and sleeps in his cab 3 night per week for a fraction of Mowbrays salary or lifestyle. Does he moan and cry about it ? Well yes he does but only when he's had a few pints, then he just gets on with it. He doesn't go into the Asda news saying how hard his life is and how he's missing his kids growing up ! For nearly 2 years now Mowbray has worn the look and talked the talk of someone who's ready for an easier life. Then he must wake up and think hang on, i'm at Venky Rovers i already have it.