Exactly, he's been happy to allow one to be paid thousands per week for no other reason for the past 12 months plus. Even to the point he might keep him around when there's a chance to get rid. Jobs for the boys is on another level down there.

If you pay big money for strikers with no real scoring pedigree then you can't express any surprise whatsoever when they don't take chances. You spend a few hundred grand if you want to gamble on those types, like he did with Samuel. Then when they don't offer anything you cut them loose with no big regrets, like he doesn't do with Samuel. If you want goal scorers you really need to find one's that know where the net is regularly whatever level they are at.

Every now and again it does work that's why it keeps getting repeated.

What we've always needed under this lot is a CEO or similar with Rovers at heart or who understands it and its fans at least. Also one who knows football. Then when you have an ok gaffer like Mowbray there is someone there independent of the owners and him and his staff. That way pressure can be applied when needed and even an arm round the shoulder or shield when things aren't, up to a point of course. The way it is he has his own people in office around him then there's the owners man and all the lot including the ownership are probably connected to the same agents. It will never ever be a recipe for success no matter how much money is chucked at it.

Now if there was pressure on him today we'd have seen a completely different attitude from him and the players would have come out fighting tooth and nail. I'd stake my house we'd have won that if there were vultures circling. As it is it was an impressive return to action last week with some bold thinking. Today was very much take the foot off the gas and lets just set out not to lose, never works with our lot we are either on it or we aren't. How much of that comes from him i'm not sure but you'd have thought he'd have fathomed a way around it by now. Main issue is we don't go down fighting we a goal behind and if we don't hit back within a few mins it's game over.

If he's making the bench then it's fair to assume he's available to come on which blows the contract theory. If not then why is he on the bench at all ? Again it's fair to assume there'll be a bench bonus so more brass wasted if so.

We've touched on his good points but for his recurring weak spots look no further than today. The whole set of things that hold us back were clearly on display yet again.

Didn't take long for the real Tony Mowbray Rovers to return. All those fawning over Samuel put away your sympathetic thoughts just because of his injury. Far too much old pals stuff at Ewood under this manager. Time to move him and several others on they aren't up to it and are far too comfortable.

Conceding after a substitution yet again.....

Bennett will cost us something today.

If it came to a choice between the two on who to keep just as cover i'd probably choose Williams to be honest. Can cover 2 positions and if push comes to shove is probably the better one at left back, the ideal squaddie.

Lack of actual competitive football just stopping dead mid season will no doubt throw up all sorts of niggles now. They can run and cycle and kick a ball around in their gardens all they want but you can't replace competitive training ground action. Not like a normal summer off then ease back in so I understand there'll be a need to rotate a few.

He's ok going forward but defensively he's just another Adam Henley. Just can't get to grips with the basics and never seems to improve. He's been here a while now yet most just want him as back up. Others don't even want that. Kind of says it all really.

5 million pound marquee signing that's why.

The by now infamous 'lists'... A list - Cream of the crop that everybody else is after but there's no chance we'll pay for. B list - A few curved balls we'll be monitoring then get told at a later date we apparently we just missed out on. C list - The standard go to list or aka Tony's address book and friendly agents clients lists. Either on a free or overpaid for, list A in other words !

Exactly what iv'e been getting at and whilst i'm not saying he doesn't want a good budget i think it'd suit him and his crew if we could just carry on as we are with the minimum of fuss or change.

I'm sure he'd love promotion it would be a great way to sign off his long career. Just don't think he's under any pressure to go out on a limb to try and get it. Seems more of a we'll just keep plodding on and if it happens it happens if not, shrug the shoulders.

Iv'e said this a dozen times but Tony Mowbray has one of the best jobs in football and he knows it. If you know how to play these owners you're secure never mind all this basket case behind the scenes rollox. They want the least fuss possible and this regime provides it in spades just wait till the sales start they'll be building a statue of him at Pune towers ?

They'd be grateful for the double your money 3 years contracts he might bestow on them though ?

They are a team who nearly always out bullies us for some reason, maybe they just get more fired up for it than us. Sick of the number of times we've been rolled over there down the years by them being stronger in the tackles etc. Maybe them having no fans behind them in this will help us.

I can think of a list of successful managers who wouldn't do it like that but first and foremost Mowbray is a players man. However there is a real danger that the situation extends itself and 'keeping morale up' ends in fresh deals for those he's keeping around. There is youth in the squad to cover positions so an opportunity to cut deadwood and save that money should betaken when it presents itself. Those few names mentioned are very unlikely to play any part this is a similar to the Gladwin situation without the injury. Looking after the boys but that's the way he works so that's the way it is. Be very prepared though for a name on a free to pop up who might freshen the squad up a bit in summer only for us to be told there's no spare change in the pot to do it !

I think there's been a policy of throwing around some decent names and registering an interest knowing it's highly unlikely we'll get them. Creates the scenario that we are actively chasing good targets whilst providing a bit of cloak and dagger to line up something else that might not be as interesting. Also keeps your name in the hat should one of the big targets suddenly become available cheaper or drop his wage demands - then we might become genuinely interested. I think the Bauer farce kind of showed this up - sniffing around him for ages, finally becomes available so try and land him as cheap back up. He says no so tell everyone his wage demands are ridiculous whilst in reality you've now decided to put your money elsewhere. Then he signs for modest paying direct competition and blows your illusion out the water. If there's a decent money deal to be done it'll always be done via one of the usual friends via friends route here imo.

I doubt Alex Neil hands out those kind of guarantees but telling a player i see you as a starter as long as you are fit and earning that spot isn't really giving him an automatic comfort zone. Telling him i'm signing you as back up ( to an about to be converted left back ) or an ageing international who was dropped at the end of the previous season for poor form, isn't exactly selling the move. Bauer been a good signing at North End and they are on a par with us at present and he's theirs.

I want to remain loyal to these lads who've got us promoted, some of them have now done it twice - TM We can lease players - Mrs D It's the future iv'e tasted it.

Nice lad, good to have around the place, helps with the bibs and cones. Worth keeping around on 5-10 grand a week till he gets fixed up surely ? After all it's not their money ?