Bruce has resigned as Sheffield Wednesday manager and is expected to be named as Newcastle manager later this week. It's another Newcastle managerial appointment that looks destined to end in tears. Newcastle will be Bruce's eleventh job in around twenty years and ten of them years were spent at two clubs (Hull and Birmingham). Wednesday are the third club he has resigned from in less than a year.

Although I felt he had run his course with us I have an admiration for Conway as he could have taken up Mowbrays offer of another year and lived in Easy Street for twelve months. Bolton would be handy for him as he lives on Buckshaw and hopefully he can get a decent deal for himself.

Broadly speaking you are correct and lots of clubs now use one or some of the many sotware programmes available. Accrington use a system for scouting future opponents and have pretty much dispensed with their smallish network of scouts. I'd be disappointed if Rovers weren't buying into technology like this. Of course there is nothing like watching players live but just to get a handle on strengths and weaknesses these systems are informative.

I agree with that. I only saw him post Coyle and I thought he was underwhelming and I have a memory of Mowbray benching him (although I could be wrong). He was immense at Brentford though.

The four year deal probably indicates we are paying for him over the length of his contract (as Madon alluded to recently). On the face of it a decent signing.

Hopefully this isn't stalling the announcement. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11748/11762260/neal-maupay-out-of-brentfords-friendly-against-dynamo-kiev-due-to-uncertainty-over-future

Thanks. No sign of Williams or Bell yet. Williams missed the Austria trip as his wife was expecting but I haven't seen him on any of the photographs from pre season at Brockhall yet. Mysterious. Hopefully playing Hart for 90 minutes isn't a prelude to him starting on August 3rd.

If we are genuinely interested we should get the deal done now. It's been a real source of frustration nearly every window to be strongly linked to good players who would improve us only to miss out. The season starts in three weeks and historically Mowbray has been reluctant to throw new signings in but integrate them into the squad and his way of working and playing. If we haven't signed a centre half by next Saturday I can see us starting with pretty much the back four that was our Achilles Heel last season.

If we are genuinely interested, act quickly and will pay the asking price I don't see why not. But given the dithering we have seen of late (and the report of paying fees over four years) I have my doubts. He was impressive against us twice last season and looks better than what we have.

What a fantastic kit by the way. Nice and simple and a real authenticity about it. No ridiculous sponsor or manufacturers logo emblazoned all over it neither.

Completely agree Jim. He was carved out of granite and looked a mean, proper hard bugger. He would serve several suspensions in a season in the modern game. Physical contact and intimidation were a big part of a centre backs armoury than an McNamee used it better than any player I have ever seen in a Rovers shirt.

Ex Rovers assistant manager John Jensen has been appointed Arsenals Scandinavian chief scout. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/john-jensen-confirms-arsenal-return-17997351

Mowbray should be in there with a cheeky bid for Ayala or Flint. Both meet the criteria of having played for one of his old clubs ☺️

In the modern game that will always be called as a red. At speed, out of control and endangering an opponents (and teammates) safety. I called it in real time and Rovers accepted the three game ban.

It seems your drunken haze affected your memory ?. It was a clear red card and crass stupidity by Smallwood. To remind you they had not long before gone down to ten and I really thought we were on for at least a point. Smallwoods indiscretion handed them the initiative and three quick goals (all from Sharpe) killed us.

Mowbray, like any manager has a budget to work to. Providing he stays within the parameters of that I don't think the owners or CEO would particularly bother. Mowbray will invariably decide who gets sold, signed or gets a new deal. Mowbray has said he is constantly fending off calls from agents at this time of year. He would be their first point of contact and that dialogue would most likely include wages. That's how he knew Bauer's agent thought he was worth £40-50k.

In the Boxing Day match at Leeds Travis wasn't even on the bench.

Mowbray decides who gets new deals. Waggott will negotiate with agents and representatives.

I'm not sure how problems with Rochdale's pitch could have been foreseen although I take your unambitious point.

Mowbray admitted that most of the new contracts were given as rewards for promotion. I just don't see how we were protecting our interests by giving the likes of Smallwood, Evans, Williams and Mulgrews new deals.

We had a really good start to the season hitting the ground running. Form dipped after that but it's far better playing some team better than us rather than some inferior team.

To be honest that was my mind set but Mowbray has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons by saying the door may be open for him.

I heard on Sunday from a Rangers supporting friend that Morelos could be going for £20m and Daniel Sturridge coming in as his replacement on a three year deal. Have you heard anything?

No blame attached to Rovers but already pre season is in disarray. With Bury in such a chaotic state I wonder if that might be in doubt. Good shout Tyrone by the way.

But surely that has to be balanced against the risk of losing top targets for what is tantamount to penny pinching in the bigger picture. This is an area where I fundamentally disagree with Mowbray who believes prices will come down as we get closer to the end of the window. I think the opposite is likely to happen as selling clubs know there is a touch of desperation as evidenced by the late signing of Brereton for silly money.