'Hello is it me you're looking for' Is probably on Balaji's voice mail when anyone from Blackburn calls in a transfer window !

Can't argue with that but even TM isn't immune to having to sell ST's although i'm sure he expected to deliver a few biggish ones when he said that. He probably should have said excited by those he has targeted and hopes he can get them in. Then again he may have been Venky'd. Personally I think it might be down to the same old chestnut the phone going off mid summer for vacation time after they've set the guidelines but can't be contacted to give the final ok despite having Waggot now in the house. A flurry of late activity would be my guess....

Aye but if you were hatching a plan to rebuild over a few years in a budget which might only allow one perm signing per season over 500k but for whatever reason had a bit of movement in wages for loans you might be inclined to start from the back. Strikers and attackers cost big money and wages with defenders of maybe equal ability in their own position costing less yet if you can pay wages for a season there are good attacking options to loan in. Not saying it's right and personally i'd invest 2 million plus on a decent striker because if it works out goals are invaluable BUT it's the way this lot do things. Happy to write off decent wages over a season on loans probably because it comes in the annual budget they've set so it comes off the clubs overdraft etc and can be balanced by getting rid of a few or paid down every few years with sales. They seem less inclined to put in lump sums in one go to purchase players imo Top and bottom of it I suppose is you can buy a good defender for a million quid who might grow in value and serve you well for a few years. For half a million you can loan in a good attacker for a season whose goals might give you a nice finishing position but to buy him would cost 6 million and 25k per week over 4 years. Looking at it from a gaffers point of view that's where he's at I reckon.

750 to 1 mill should get a good defender who can maybe add some steel to the composure of Mulgrew and the youth of Lenihen, might even allow a decent version of the dreaded 3 at the back ? Sadly similar money would probably only get a Samuel type forward in but a good loan fee might get a decent striker so I can see where he might be going on this. All about consolidation next season whilst the rebuilding continues, build from the back as they always say. Something a lot of previous management never got to grips with !

It is now allegedly although the football squad wage bill and overall wage bill probably don't tally very well but they never have under Vs but that's a different argument. I'm just saying that income v outgoing is able to be balanced and still be successful if it's done correctly although that means doing it bit by bit. Not sure if the dingles income was still boosted by parachutes then ? It maybe was but we are rebuilding now after getting a load of mess weighing it down off the books.. again allegedly, oh and a raft of big money sales with no re-investment until last summer. No one can argue I don't think that theirs is the model we need to follow, they still had a lot of helping hands from their directors which gave them an advantage over others at times despite what they might say but then they most certainly took it back with interest once they got to the promised land. Fair enough from owners that as long as they don't take the piss and bleed it dry.

So in the season QPR spent 75 million on wages in the Championship Burnley's income was c20 million and their wages c21 million. It can be done,

Used to get hammered by the southern soft arse journo's as well - loved it !

Too right all that was replaced by petulance, arrogance, and bottlers with a nice sprinkle of snowflakes despite some being decent players in GBs time. Nice to see some true grit coming back over the last 12 months long may it continue. Don't want to be Blackeye Rovers but you can't beat a bit of bully-ing on the grass now and again ?

I think if the League did start throwing the book at these clubs and some of these flaky foreign owners they themselves would be seen as putting those clubs out of business or causing them to fall out of their leagues. We know they always have to be seen as blameless so no wonder they are watering down punishments and making it up as they go along. They are making money in fines out of it all anyway ! FFP a total farce in more ways than one.

Something I noticed last season he's a good engine on him despite appearances.

Does it not just mean they are converting outstanding loans to share capitol therefore in effect writing it off ? I seem to remember Vs doing that with about 3 million when we exited embargo.

Agreed. It's obvious now they aren't going to sign players to go straight in the side it'll be very much as you were which a lot suspected and no marquee signings so back up or add ons need to be similar to last season only perhaps better, like the Chelsea lad for instance. I'd still push the boat out for a striker with some genuine threat whether loan or not and the rugged centre half we've been crying out for for years to back up Lenihen/Mulgrew. Evans will be in and out again especially around his international commitments so pray Whittingham has a bit left in the tank !

Despite our genuine concerns when you look at the line up Rovers started with it is a championship line up although we'd obviously like it to be stronger and more refined but it is a championship team on paper not league 1 about to try and punch above it's weight. Going to need some more very good back up signings to support it and a fair wind in terms of injuries etc but one of the main things is getting the tactics which suit it right. That was missing early last season which maybe made the team look worse than it was and also factor in a bit of a negative relegation bounce whereas this year it should be the opposite. Get the tactics right and we'll be ok I think, a good start is vital this season. As for the kit it's like anything else to do with fashion it's all about personal taste, a lot don't like it let's not pretend otherwise. Most probably think it's ok or it'll grow on them and some favour it, 'stunning' however is not really a description to sit alongside that kit ?

Evans is after a new deal he knows he'll never get what he's got at Rovers in terms of money and understanding management anywhere else. Hopefully TM will make him earn it all season and we might finally get something back out of him on a regular basis.

Has he actually signed yet ? Belter if he has/does, just what's needed to bolt onto this team. I'll be a tad excited if we can bag a striker as well although it seems he might be packing the midfield instead.

Season can't come soon enough now on the back of that, definitely a bounce from promotion evident as well as a team looking the fittest and most organised it has at this stage for about 8 years. A proper experienced manager delivers a proper pre season with players who want to do it for a change.

A thorough tax investigation into all his dealings in the last ten years might be an idea. Wonder if he's pulled similar strokes in places like Portugal or Bruni by any chance ?

More irony in the fact that the way they do things goes directly against the self sufficient model because they keep racking up the loses themselves, funny that. Anyway echo some of the sentiments on TM although the longer it goes on the more I see the time he'll come out with 'These lads deserve a chance so we'll go with what we have and see what January brings'

I think he's a family friend or something that's the only explanation.

One of those two, the one from the sunshine, is a Venky drumbanger and always has been he was running around other clubs and media outlets on twitter last season trying to make out they were the best owners in the football league I kid you not. He's a loon.

Why is this Nixon crap continually posted it's becoming like the Sky ticker on here it's painful the guy is clearly winging it to a whole host of clubs fans. Some clearly hang on his nipple and always will but fir the rest of us who know our arses from our elbows there's no need for it.

I'd be astonished nah totally utterly amazed if he went in there asking for 20 million it's a sure way to get fook all out of this lot and at the same time put your head on the block. If this has come from where I think it might have it seems to be the stock answer afforded to every manager meeting with Venkys from that source.

I think all those 3 will have a successful season there this time around I've a feeling Norwich might just suit them all at the min.

The FUP was probably created by suits who've a remit to fill the Prem and the top end Champ competing for the Prem places yearly with big city types who look good on TV with full grounds despite daft kick off times and prices. Created to prevent the very thing Jack did with us and others followed. One or two have bucked the trend and will be safe if they can stay in the Prem or invest parachutes wisely but they'll gradually phase it out and soon it's a big boys parade only.

Isn't the budget THE budget overall for everything not just a recruitment budget to spend ..........