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Uncouth Garb - The BRFCS Store
Everything posted by tomphil
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Genuinely think this is a very good move we've all moaned about one thing or another quite rightly in a lot of instances but they do appear to be taking seriously the development of our own players and building a pathway to the first team. Hopefully it is being done for the right reasons and hopefully he gets some real input into it all.
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Not sure how those 3 names are relevant to the likes of Charlie Adam but one thing is for sure by the time they've hypothetically paid wages of short term deals for Downing, Adam, Whittingham and whoever else over a season or two they could've bought a bit of younger quality instead.
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Your expectations for the coming Season...
tomphil replied to SIMON GARNERS 194's topic in Blackburn Rovers Fans Messageboard
Fully fit the guy couldn't make much of an impact on league 1 although he fell victim to the right wing striker curse and did have a few decent shifts up top just before he got injured to be fair. As for goals he's a poor finisher and always has been I think the best that could happen is turn him into a big grafter he has the size and mobility to cause problems for certain defences like that but not sure he'll have that work rate attitude week in week out. Best option for all would be get fit and move him out on a long loan but as we know he'll be trumpeted like a new signing, one of these that gets better in the length of his absence. -
Tony loves an experiment but it would be nice if he loved a solid settled set of defenders and keeper instead. The more options this managers has the more he'll muck it about.
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I wish people wouldn't harp back on about Cowans and Moran etc great as they were it says it all when we have to delve back that far to find examples of over age signings that have worked well. Plus they and several others and the club were on different levels to what we are now and it was different times. Rarely works these days guys in the past needed to keep earning because they hadn't earned the million or more even average joes earn today so they had to keep grafting. These days in most cases they just find it hard to walk away from another 10 thousand per week contract despite what they may have in the bank the money is just too good to walk away from. Adam has rarely been fit wherever he's been so he isn't going to turn into Gordan Cowans now is he. I'm amazed people can't see what might be happening here again, leave the duds alone Rovers !
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Par for the course in the Venky era, a busted flush and one from a tame agent. If you chuck in the one already signed from the gaffers black book you might well ask 'What' scouting system.
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Around 5 mill was shelled out last season before wages of the 10 mill you mention so a similar budget might see the second stage payments taking another c5 mill which will leave zero to invest. This is what I think has happened whilst maybe Mowbray and co were hoping for an extended budget to allow more spends they've got a similar one and been told they've already tied up the headroom in it with what is owed on AA & BB. Downing S is taking up Conway & Downing wage space so I think so far that's where we are at so it's sell to raise some funds, remember he's been hinting at this for ages, or move some spare earners out which is something Mr Loyalty isn't keen to do.
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I think it's more severe reluctance to sort out the back line rather than inability surely he isn't that naïve. Nyambe = Good prospect, our own so future sale profit, young so can be messed about to accommodate Bennett when there is nowhere else to start him. Lenihen = Similar to above, developing into a decent defender, future resale profit Mulgrew = Seems to run the dressing room Bell = Mowbray signing to much fanfare and a fee, future sell on profit IF it works out (unlikely) but will get the Samuel treatment because Tony bought him so he'll keep faith & keep him involved good or bad. Williams = Can play 2 positions, didn't cost much, rewarded contractually well meaning he'll stay involved, outside chance of sell on profit, Firm TM fav. I'd suggest looking at it like that is why he'll not alter it unless or until he has to, That's his defence so it's on his head.
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Charlie Adam ! Keeping fit ? Surely you've got to be fit first !!!! Barrel well and truly being scraped now although it's probably just Nixon muck stirring but we know how Mowbray likes to be seen as generous uncle Tony to these types. Is there a TM connection ? Be very worried if there is. Spearing and Delfonso will be back for trails again soon.... It's ok though the usual suspects will find the positives if we go on that kind of recruitment drive ?
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As for downing S signing I bet there was little if any planning for that they most likely just heard he'd become available and he had the right contacts, Mowbray liked him decided he could find a use for him, it was doable if he got the ok for the wages so they went for it. Whether it was at the expense of pursuing other targets for more urgent needs who knows yet but what a fecker if it was !
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Whilst I'd welcome the Gallagher signing on the right deal in the absence of nothing else happening and I think we could stand a Raya sale for good money IF there is a proper replacement my god going into the season without any defensive reinforcements would be bonkers. Downing not replaced (yet), long term target who most expected to come in as a first team player/challenger/back up or whatever missed then prospect of maybe Raya sold an the Canadian standing in won't be covered up by getting in the other Downing and Gallagher. It would see a weak defensive pool even weaker, crazy crazy stuff so if that's the thinking i'll have little sympathy for the dogs abuse that will follow a bad start to the season. If someone like Coyle pulled that there'd be many questions asked so I hope Tony has his eye on a good keeper and at least 1 defender right to the point he has them primed and ready to come.
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Your expectations for the coming Season...
tomphil replied to SIMON GARNERS 194's topic in Blackburn Rovers Fans Messageboard
Well predictions may change depending on what surprises may lay in store during the rest of the window but as we are right now or even allowing for minor changes 15th to 11th. Probably a slight improvement on last season but pretty similar overall, good runs, bad runs and probably a lot more draws. Upper midtable budget, lower half crowds, little urgent ambition, middle of the road manager, tougher league year on year = we'll finish reflecting that every season whilst it's like that barring a one off miracle or disaster. -
Lets just remind ourselves Gallagher is under a Rovers friendly agent so along with being here once before he gets purposely linked in every window probably to try and drum up interest and a good deal for Saints loan or otherwise. I quite like him but would prefer a loan to buy or very reasonable fee and wages of about half those quoted which would make it a good deal for us. However I worry on that score especially when you look at the Brereton deal and the my first point - the agent.
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The European scouting network will take time to set up and deliver results so I wouldn't be expecting too much of that nor would you want them running around bringing in players via that straight away just to try and justify it. There is some gems out there but there is also a lot of real rubbish who'll never suit the English Championship or settle in Blackburn. Besides I think a lot of it is just the usual window dressing.
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Sam liked to take responsibility for his defence and coach them himself I believe and boy did they get put through their paces until they knew the drills blindfolded. Of course the argument there is it fell down with whoever was coaching further up the park but then again he wanted the whole side defending so there probably wasn't much to do for his other assistants. Agree on Lowe & Benson and the like but it just comes down to penny pinching for me they were installed under times of austerity but now we seem to be signing players on big wages just to offer input into the youngsters instead of revamping the coaching set up. All does appear to be getting very comfy at Ewood now again I think, easy going manager, owners providing a decent budget but convinced into not expecting much in return for no demands for big signings and promise of youngsters to sell further down the line. As for Lowe he just seems a box ticking pen and clipboard man doing as he's told, every club has one I just hope we don't ever end up in a situation he has to step into the vacant managers shoes..........
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The Ryan Nyambe Appreciation Thread
tomphil replied to blueboy3333's topic in Blackburn Rovers Fans Messageboard
He is and I think it's a great tournament at a good time for him however it will give TM his excuse to shoehorn Bennett in from the seasons start. He also could be another who gets cashed in on unexpectedly...... -
I don't mind Raya lad is still young and only one championship season under his belt learning on the job after previous people with zero wisdom left him on our bench at a vital stage of his development instead of getting him games somewhere. I feel we and he have paid a price for that and whilst he might come good how long do we wait around if we want instant improvement, it's such a key position next season here he'll be under the spotlight from the word go because of what happened last. So if he has to look around the squad to raise money but not sell one of his main men then maybe it's a wise move but only as you say IF they get something in steadier.
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If Mowbrays cashes in on Raya to get a bit of spends and has a decent keeper lined up maybe free or loan to replace him I don't think that is too bad at all. A crafty way to free up some funds without really making us weaker, the kind of wheeler dealing a savvy manager would do.
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No they certainly don't invest in defenders although I think that Dann figure skews it a bit that was a bogus figure chucked out to pacify Brum fans according to the Red Top handbag carrier who was well in the circle at the time. Cost around half that in total and got back about what we paid. Now they won't spend sod all on defence and my thought is that's where future profit lies in the shape of Raya, Nyambe and Lenihen. Bell was probably signed with similar intent but that hasn't worked out yet.
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As it stands if we go into the season as we are maybe along with a few more underwhelming back up signings again I think we'll actually do enough to finish a place or two below last season. Don't think we'll go down he's enough about him as has the squad to comfortably avoid that barring a bad set of injuries however second season syndrome without considerably strengthening or even freshening I can't see any better than last season. People need to remember it's the manager and club that beat their chests and make bold talk in regards to where they want to be, they state things in public in regards to signings, pushing on and ultimate ambition over x number of windows. Doesn't matter whether he said those words yesterday or 3 weeks ago it's a clearly another climb down and doesn't come across well and doesn't set a tone of ambition. We know the window is far from finished but we've also been around enough to know it looks like he's giving clear pointers to not expect much of what he promised in regards to improving key areas.
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He's probably just terrified of upsetting the pecking order as going out signing a couple of decently rated defenders opens up a whole can of worms he doesn't want to be faced with. He's a players man that's why he's so popular and he's nothing if not cautious.
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I'm no defender of the owners & co but I think if he went to them and said I like this defender he's on a free he's rated at about 2 million so he'll want a big signing on fee and decent wages equivalent to that over 3 or 4 yrs. I believe he's worth it though and after I've given him 50+ games he'll be worth more then they'd back him. He swung the Armstrong signing them jumped in both feet on Brereton and they backed him, I think the real issue is he's tied all the spare money up in the next payments for those 2 and spunked the rest on Downings contract. So now he's been told sell to buy if you want something decent so he's back to keeping faith with those he also lavished contract extensions on. In short a dilemma of his own making so lets hope they have the late window rush of blood again and he uses it a bit more wisely this time, can't see it either way though.
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If his words in todays LT aren't an about turn I don't know what is, he's dug himself a hole now and he's trying to wiggle out of it after ballsing up his no 1 defensive target in favour of chasing another ex Boro guy. We really are going to be seeing a different style of football next season if he thinks he's going to try and tighten that defence up enough to be successful. He'll have to be very pragmatic I think and they'll still ship set piece goals. What the hell is wrong with this guy ?
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But when we keep signing midfielders added to the abundance we have you know they aren't going to cement a regular place good or not i'm afraid. More excuses to rotate when being terrified of different opposition styles and less chance of developing our own style. Let's also not forget the managers obsession with strikers on the wings adding to the congestion/confusion. Get some bloody defenders and strikers in loan or not and forget squad buffing midfielders.
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If the appointment of Coyle didn't confirm relegation in itself that above just about rubber stamped it, what an amateur outfit we'd become.