Are there any clubs to which you don't have a couple of mates who support and are right behind the latest managerial decision?!

A lot of the initial conversation will just be what people want to hear, can cause exciting but why you should never get carried away. On looking internally, the newly appointed director of football and manager aren't going to come out and say that the squad is massively lacking in quality and needs a clean sweep for example! That's just a standard line to keep people happy. Also the word "healthy" is so subjective. Last summer we sold a player for £15m and signed one for a couple of hundred grand. Spending one or two million for example is very healthy compared to that.

I don't doubt that FFP in general limits what clubs can spend. What I don't get is the assumption that if it ceased to exist, that anyone can say with any certainty that Venkys would invest more as a result. Even when people at the club (manager, CEO, whatever) have mentioned the recent withholding of funding, the excuse has always been the pandemic/a tough economy in India. Never the ready made excuse of FFP. Seems like a very reasonable signing at that level, unless MK Dons still play possession obsessed tactics. Even at his age he will be better than many of the bog standard central midfielders in that league. His performance v QPR at home was very impressive. Glad he has left mind but find it strange that you have such extreme and opposite views on him and Davenport when ultimately neither warranted a regular place here but the former definitely did a lot more when he did play.

How do you fit Eriksen and Fernandes in the same team, and who scores the goals if and when Ronaldo goes? Not to mention players like McTominay, Fred, Dalot, Maguire etc and lazy, stroppy players with little end product like Sancho and Rashford. Going to take a while to sort that mess I suppose. Hopefully they don't manage it at all!

I know but he was initially linked when Bielsa was in charge. Seems that half of Europe "wants" him so maybe his agent is trying to get him out ASAP.

I haven't seen any links personally and even then, if he ever has been linked in the past, it was possibly the lazy Bielsa/Chile link. Would be a surprise to me.

I am not sure that Armstrong, Rothwell, Lenihan and Nyambe "deserved to go," more that we could no longer afford to keep any of them. But I digress.

I find the potential signing of Eriksen by United to be a bit peculiar. From the players perspective I can only presume that a 3 year deal on good money is the best financial package for his last big move. From a footballing perspective, will he and Fernandes fit together in the same team, especially considering the other numerous flaws in the team? As good as Eriksen is.

Leeds are reportedly closing in on signing a winger from Feyenoord presumably to replace Raphinha, they also have Bamford back fit ahead of the new season. I can't see why they would go for Brereton. 5-6m would be less than half of the Brereton potential proceeds so that would be somewhat sensible reinvestment without Tomasson being "backed" necessarily.

The article in the LT that suggested potential new signings early this week did not suggest that this Bosnian was likely to be one of them: https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/20247477.blackburn-rovers-make-transfer-progress-ahead-first-friendly/ "while Sheffield United are thought to be leading the race for his signature." I personally certainly have not got my hopes up regarding any imminent signings and would be pleasantly surprised if any come in this week, the article was very vague and seemed based more on hope than expectation. But thought I would mention that I don't suspect that Ahmedhodzic was one of the potentials earmarked in the LT.

My point was that I don't understand how anyone has come to the conclusion that FFP is stopping Venkys from spending more, ie that they have an active desire to spend more. I particularly found the £50m quote funny, albeit I appreciate it was tongue in cheek. My point did not in anyway provoke a post mortem over transfer dealings made in previous summers, at this present moment as illustrated by @Miller11 the wage bill will be massively, massively reduced at this present moment.

Absolutely not the suggestion I made and I suspect you are well aware of that.

But at least we aren't Bury/Derby as we keep hearing!

Ha! Why is the assumption always that it is FFP that is stopping Venkys from spending any more?

Brereton likely wont stay no but he wi be sold as the second player in successive summers to generate a considerable profit of double/triple the initial investment. That could have been more had the owners not interfered regarding Rothwell. What is left at the moment is a bit of a mixed bag. 3 key players left on frees, 2 because we seemingly cant compete with the better teams in this league financially and the third because the owners blocked a sale in January. Kaminski, the unfortunate Dack, Pickering and Dolan were all signed for small fees/nothing. Wharton, Buckley, Travis and seemingly Carter after successful loans have all really developed well in the last few years and Markanday and Hedges seem like reasonable potential additions again for peanuts, certainly neither can be reasonably judged as "pony" yet. Hopefully Tomasson can take what is left (both in terms of talent and financial potential to allow reinvestment should the owners allow which is unclear) at the moment and really take it to the next step. Certainly a lot more to play with than Mowbray inherited. You would think that such is your hatred of Mowbray that you wouldnt continue to place so much focus on such a terrible time you have spent supporting Rovers. The hyperbole from said poster is designed to protect the owners at all costs, making out an average manager out to be "the worst pound for pound manager in the clubs history" and an admittedly seemingly fairly incompetent CEO out to be 2 scourges of the club that the committed owners could do nothing about. What the agenda is is unclear. Perhaps a feeling that he cannot hold his hands up having previously claimed that big changes are afoot?

If as reported that the Bosnian has chosen to go elsewhere, then perhaps its a further indication that we arent capable of competing financially with top half Championship sides, especially off the back of Lenihan etc leaving to seek pastures new. As ever, I will judge everyone involved based on what does happen rather than what they tried to make happen. Lets hope the alleged money doesnt vanish after a rumoured transfer like it has many times before. We dont even know if we bid for this fella and indeed how much that was but it is irrelevant now.

Not only does the quality dip but it becomes less and less competitive with each passing year. Teams at the top with all the money from parachute payments etc dominate (Fulham winning 7 nil 3 times shows that) and teams with points deductions are becoming normal.

I definitely see them regressing under the poor management of Appleton. Not a bad suggestion.

We shouldnt play a back 3 nor can we play without Dack. Kaminski Carter Ayala Wharton Pickering Buckley Travis Hedges Dack Markanday Brereton As it stands.

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Will they have been able to or indeed have tried to do so much 11 v 11 work so soon into pre season to the point where individuals are appearing like a "fish out of water?" Who has said this? I also think on Dack that the sentence "hes not going to press" seems a little conclusive. It implies that he is unwilling, physically the question is how much he has lost compared to before his injuries as although the tactics were totally different, he could press even if it isnt his number 1 strength. I instantly think of a goal he scored at home to Wigan right at the end in which he chased a dodgy backpass down. Youd also have to weigh up whether youd prefer a Buckley/Dolan who can perhaps press better but will likely score a third of the goals that Dack does.

They seemingly have already gone.

If he chooses them I imagine it will be financial though. They have a higher wage bill.

Im sure the main factor is money. Id rather earn 20k a week than 10k a week. As much as either would be nice at the moment!

Sheffield United have apparently today gone to Portugal.