arbitro

We are fast becoming a crèche for Premier League clubs. Didn't the woman Venky mention 'leasing players' in her opening gambit when they darkened our door. We are a football club built on sand.

From a personal perspective I have found some of Mowbrays football awful to watch but in truth that could apply to a few of managers I have seen over the decades but the key words are some of his football.

Does anybody know who exactly is responsible for the extortionate pricing and poor service? I would have thought pricing and staffing was down to Sodexho.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/breaking-premier-league-statement-clubs-24830195 The PL has issued a statement that the clubs will not release players for international duty where their countries are playing in a red list country. I wonder how this might effect us if Brereton is called up by Chile.

I think Waggott is perfectly capable of recommending a new contract for his mucker. That would probably mean that he can continue creaming the club for £300k a year.

I sincerely hope so (I would have personally got rid of him a few years ago) but would anybody be surprised if we found out he'd been offered a new deal? Surviving that awful run last season was remarkable and lowering expectations this sense might be enough for our inept owners (ably assisted and advised by Waggott) to offer him a new deal. Nothing at all surprises me about Rovers after enduring these wretches for a decade.

That's pretty much how I see it. If he isn't getting a new deal then why would he give a toss about what shape we will be in for next season. He doesn't want a relegation on his CV and he could use that to bluff his way into one last payday from another club.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2021/august/On-This-Day-Happy-Birthday-Tugay-/ Happy birthday to a real Rovers legend. The maestro.

I don't think any of us do apart from making assumptions. What I do know is that we could lose millions of pounds worth of players soon and there doesn't seem to be much concern by our management. With Mowbray being out of contract at the end of the season and potentially not here I am starting to wonder if he is as concerned we are.

There isn't but isn't it fair to assume it's down to the money we are offering when you read what Mowbray has said. The truth is nobody knows but joining the dogs indicates it's financial.

This coming Saturday sees us travel to the North East to face a Middlesbrough team who currently sit in twelfth position on five points. As they are managed by Warnock (or Colin to some) we know exactly what to expect, it will full on and physical. Warnock and his team of Blackwell and Jepson have a reputation and their teams play on the edges of the Laws of the Game and have frequently crossed the line. However they have some dangerous players who can cause problems. Historically we have a decent record on Teeside with 22 wins and 16 draws out of a total of 63 games in which we have scored 76 goals. They moved from Ayresome Park to their current ground in 1995 and the first goal to be scored at the Riverside Stadium has played for both clubs (no prize for a correct answer). The Riverside, although rarely full these days can be quite intimidating (although not as intimidating as Ayresome Park) and getting a result is always sweeter in front of a patrisan crowd. There are some notable players who played for Rovers and Boro. Here are some cryptic clues to some of them. He was very talented. A dull colour and cooked meat. Little glade. A moose like animal and almost a type of glue. His sister had a fast car. The Specials had a message for him. A Greek island. Superman, the man of ....... Middlesbrough has played a part in my life so I like going there. Any SMC Old Boys will remember the Thorpe Cup which was a triangular tournament played between St Marys Colleges in Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Hull. I played at Middlesbrough and was put up by a family called Egremont. We went to the pictures on the Friday night and I wore my Rovers scarf. Needless to say we got chased round the town by some local skinheads. I later worked for ICI who had many plants on Teeside and did some cross site learning with other buyers. Getting to know one really well we established we were the same age, went to SMC and played football for the school. It transpired that he played in the Thorpe Cup match and reckoned he scored. I was in goal and swore I'd kept a clean sheet. He was best mates with one of the Egremont brothers whose house I stayed at. I will meet my friend on Saturday for a catch up before wishing each other all the worst for a couple of hours. Back to the game I would settle for a draw now but a win would be terrific.

If we can't offer Nyambe what he is worth yet pay a loan fee and a percentage of the wages of Clarkson then it is. It's feasible that neither will be here next season but I would certainly prefer to spend on our own assets. Mowbray has talked about the money situation and offered excuses why we have none to spend get he is prepared to spend money on players who absolutely won't play a part after this season.

I don't see it that way. Our players are our assets and we stand to lose millions by not offering them what they are worth or even the going rate for mid table Championship. Mowbray admits money will be a factor, even if we do offer contracts to all of them. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19498097.mowbray-offers-bleak-contract-outlook-blackburn-rovers/

We will soon have many key players out of contract and Mowbray admits cash is the stumbling block. Therefore it makes little sense to me to spend money on other teams players when we can't offer our own assets more. Somehow our priorities are all wrong.

It does - that's why I said the market we are in. I honestly can't see us signing anybody who fits the criteria laid out.

Won't work permit and visa issues prevent a signing from Europe in the market we will be in? https://www.90min.com/posts/how-footballers-qualify-uk-work-permits-brexit

I had an idea for a twenty (or something) game season ticket for shift workers and schoolchildren who can't always get to night matches. You buy the seat and use it for any twenty games and give the club seven days notice if you can't go and they can then sell the seat. Anything over the twenty games have to be paid for but perhaps some concession on the price.

I think I am right in saying that stadium maintenance and improvement doesn't have an effect on P&S. Our owners who allegedly never refuse anything should be approached and affirm the statement that the woman Rao made when they bought us. It was something about respecting Jack's legacy.........

Little being the operative word. He is under 5'5" which ordinarily wouldn't be a problem but in my view we have too many small players. Looking at West Brom on Saturday and reading lots of comments it's fair to say that their physicality will be a huge asset to them this season and could be the main factor in promotion.

Has there been any explanation from the club as to why the big screen doesn't seem to work? There is no graphics with line ups or replays of goals and near misses.

I too am unconvinced by Pickering. He seems willing to get forward but it's some of his defending that worries me. In the four league matches far I don't think I've seen him block a cross. There was one yesterday when he was tight to the West Brom player over by the corner. For me it's relatively easy to get a block in in that situation but he didn't and a dangerous cross came in. It's early yet but given the propensity of his predecessors to allow crosses to come in it appears that our coaches don't see an issue with it.

I can't stand Waggott but why would he lie about that? Saying the deal is done, even by his standards is pretty concrete to me.

That's how I read it. Not a Northern or Midlands club and accompanied by his parents.

Waggott was rumoured to have been in one of the lounges yesterday telling people that a loan deal is done for a 'number 10' who flew into Manchester on Friday with his parents to have a look around. Two clues are there in that he flew and with his parents. He said it was to be announced on Monday. He also said a left back is coming in next week on loan.

If it's the one I'm thinking of Dolan actually dropped into our penalty area and Brereton stayed up. Mowbray told them to swap positions. At that stage of the game both or even a third player should have stayed up.