I don't know where this 'hysteria' around TMs words has come from ? That's because there wasn't any most fans just expected a good go and improvement on last season with an outside stab at it with a bit of luck. If he's put pressure on himself with the owners it's his own fault but there's been zero high expectations amongst regulars who've watched the last few seasons. The home crowds reflect that i'm afraid not many were buying into it. This MB and others alike have been awash with We Need New Defenders comments more than any talk of top 6 all summer. Fact is its been poor for a side with 12th place aspirations not top 6 !!!

Unless either of those journos have a direct line to Pune they are just surmising with stock answers because they haven't heard anything different. If a journo phoned Ewood for info they'd like speak to Waggot or shadowman speaking on behalf of the owners. What do we think they'd say ? The shield Waggot will put round Mowbray will be akin to Agnew round Kean.

I guess it just shows how fed up some are with the constant mixed up stuff he turns out, please remember some people pay a lot of money to sit through that shite. They are entitled to their opinions and whilst i might not totally agree -how many points are available from the next 10 and how many do you think we'll get ? That's the most important factor.

12 quid for two pies and two pints doesn't sound that bad by todays standards.

I was on about that with someone and he just said i think he was being stubborn. He's been scrutinised for knee jerk reactions and changing things around to quickly and too many times in games. Maybe even by his senior pros so the dummy might have come out and he's just sat back and let them get on with it. Either way it's a bit pathetic if that's the case but a sure sign of lost grip.

Iv'e no idea why football is trying to phase that out in favour of wide mids, wide strikers etc. Crap to watch and usually doesn't suit the players they try and play there because basically they are either strikers or bog standard ten a penny midfielders.

Don't be silly.

Give Gallagher the right service playing him in the right position he'll plunder a few. But mobile athletic forward who can't play like Graham nor lurk and poach like Rhodes so get the the frigging ball and crosses in front of him ! Give him something to attack and use the attributes he has, a bit of old school thinking needed, as well as at least one winger.

Oh yeah it could easily go the other way iv'e no doubts but i actually have more faith in the team itself than the manager. It is better than what it shows so i think we'll give someone a hiding at some point every now and then. Might have to wait a while though!

They'd already started selling players from under GB and i suspect he wasn't happy about it and voiced his concerns so i think that signed his own P45. The poor results just gave them the excuse and what happened with Lambert who sussed them out quickly kind of backs that up. Trouble is here they've given TM a nice juicy contract and the keys to the club which he has filled with his pals no doubt on similar. Look at what they are doing with Venus he's doing 2 or 3 jobs now but i doubt it's for the price of one. They aren't daft this lot it looked like they got their fingers in all sorts of pies at Coventry under a similar set up.

This pattern was set last winter so it's no surprise and i think it will be the pattern all season. The odd win/lose/draw in between just keeping our heads up before the usual late season rally eases the tension. Changes MUST be made in summer.

Bedding in.....

It does what it says on the tin and peoples opinions are built on nearly 3 years not 3 months of this season. You face exactly the same potential problems changing manager at Xmas, after the next window as you would do now. More so because there might be a few available now that won't be then.

Just like his bosses/partners turning up in a fleet of Limos on live tv when the hysteria against them was at a peak he probably had no idea what all the fuss was about. Or he just don't give a toss....

He'd decided to earmark the majority of his budget on the pursuit of Downing and Gallagher imo meaning there wasn't much room left to do other than loans in defence. Another series of old pals acts.along with Derrick telling his manager he was now a centre half !

Suhail, aside from the ownership he's the one constant in the director/manager/coaches and players revolving door along with many odd signings and sales and all the rest. Lets just think about that for a moment and wonder what he actually does for his wages and who his pals are ?

If Bauer had the right agent he'd have been in the door i think that's a given big contract or no big contract. Something still stinks around here and whilst i don't think it's corruption i think it is just the easy option, old pals act type stuff. Either way it still holds you back and dumps crap on you you'd be better off not bothering with.

Mowbray has one of the best jobs in football outside the Prem at the min. From the moment promotion was sealed from lge 1 the job was his to lose for as long as he wants it. We know they won't 'select' a good replacement we have to rely on them getting lucky but as for all this 'Who will come ?' utter nonsense and always has been. What it might take from a good candidate is a certain set of assurances backed up in writing, that's where we'd probably fall down.

It's ok saying about him doing the honourable thing like he did at Coventry but i'd assume he was on peanuts there compared to here. 2.5 or 5 years left depending on what you believe is a hell of a lot to walk away from. As always it is down to the ownership or if he has had enough then his reps to approach them for some mutual agreement terms. You never know they might send another Shebby or Senior to make his life uncomfortable and give him a little nudge. Then again he's just angled his mate Venus into that position hasn't he ? They've got the inside of the club nicely tucked up that's probably why he's so blaze' about it all.

First half yesterday and most of the first half v Hudds they did everything right. Second halves they did everything wrong, at Brum they just did nothing. So not sure it's a question of chucking kids in to me it is still down to lacking key players in key areas who basically run the team, leaders in other words. Whenever we go on the back foot the team is all over the shop because there are too many changes game by game and they don't cover for each other or gel as a unit. A well drilled side that doesn't happen but a team of individuals especially the back line it'll happen over and over again.....and it is. Still no doubt they've a few days off now so they can sulk or more likely plan their next jolly ups for the next Int break holidays !!!!!

Absolutely knew it wouldn't even if we'd been tanked 3 nil because it's grim acceptance most expected defeat. Not many regulars will have been surprised at the manner of it either. But this is Rovers fans and you know well enough we are serious slow burners but when it blows it tends to blow all of a sudden quite spectacularly. Then there is no way back Mowbray and his crew should thank their lucky stars they have at the moment one of the most patient ( referred to by greats like Dalglish, Souness & even Hodgson ) and passive fanbases in England in the stands. Boro for all the mutual love in would have torn a strip off him before now as would a good few others.

Nah he's just no bottle his team is a reflection of that Tony doesn't want anything to shake him out of his comfort zone so him getting any stick off fans is too risky to be seen in India. Tell you one thing though i couldn't see him putting up with much pelters if he did get it.

One of the main reasons we keep folding is the spine of the team is non existent and after several years here this manager has never created one. Constant swapping on changing already weak defence and centre mid berths mean there is absolutely no platform for the rest of the team who might be actually doing their jobs. Loaned in keeper straight off the books of a friendly agent who looks like Steele mk2, loaned in kid in centre of defence alongside recently converted manager fav and in the middle perm any 2 from 6 on a match by match basis. Yes we've injuries but it wouldn't make much difference Lenihen is no great shakes lets be honest i doubt he'd have made much difference today. This manager is thick as pigswill.

Pack your bags, created the weakest team in this league mentally and tactically out thought when it mattered yet again, a constant of his tenure at this level. The last 12 months barring the dead rubber revival at the end of last season has been that of a relegation side. Another 12 months here he'll relegate this club again despite a top ten budget and probably spending about 20 million. Enough is enough no more of the hard luck stories.

The thing is with a tombola every now and then you pull out a good prize. Tony's been winging it for a good while now so lets hope the prize gods shine on his sorry ass today. Then he can spend the next month referring back to it as we revert to type ! Come on Rovers.