roversfan99

Still no joined up thinking or any thought put into what is best for the here and now. Broughton seems to have only extended this with talk of targets for minutes for academy graduates and blocking pathways. The primary focus has to be the here and now, you can't dismiss what we need now in case it reduces the minutes for younger players, if they are good enough now they will stay a part of it, with loans an option if they aren't ready. It's all about value but it is all undermined anyway when our owners insist on players leaving for free.

Reiterating the poverty line.

I hope Ayala is fit, but if not, surely Phillips starts over Carter based on last week.

They should judge as they go and stick with/sack Potter based on results, like any sane club.

£2m is a lot of money on someone with personal and injury issues who has done nothing in a couple of years, at a club whose owners negligence has caused them to already live closer than necessarily towards FFP.

Forest Green are away at Bolton on the 24th. A draw would presumably move our game.

FFP mentioned again, something we have lost any flexibility with due to the overruling of the owners to allow assets to run their deals down.

I have a very strange viewpoint where manager need to warrant more time, not just be given it unconditionally. And that isnt specific to Potter, he may turn things round. We gave Kean loads of time, similar example to Arteta. Time doesnt automatically lead to improvement. You also cant continue regardless of results to try and justify the outlay, miss out on the top 4 and they will lose far more than £20m.

So essentially he stays for a pre determined and lengthy amount of time regardless of results. I dont get why managers still warrant time and patience regardless of results. Coyle should have been given 2 years because he had massive budget cuts to deal with, ignore how bad the results are. Surely?

It isnt just a staffing issue though. That might somewhat explain the inability to open the bottle bars and reduce queues at any individual till, to an extent. But there is no pre pouring of drinks and that never seems to be considered.

Out of interest, would Potter get an extra 18 months regardless of results? If they finished 10th this season and you was the owner, would he continue? If he finished 12th? Surely no sane owner would give any manager such a specific and lengthy period of time regardless of results.

Literally (intentionally or otherwise) paraphrasing the response Waggott gave in the fans forum minutes.

There shouldn't be a thought about blocking pathways considering that we should be trying to improve considering we are 3rd. If we sign someone for the here and now, which we should, by all means loan one of our current midfielders out. The question is if the rumour is true, whether Kilkenny is of the calibre and experience that we need? Unconvinced.

How do you know?

I have seen Kilkenny a few times when at Bournemouth and he was a tidy little player in front of the defence. We do need a midfielder desperately and I don't have a problem using the loan market in January because the focus has to be on the next few months. That being said, it would be a rather underwhelming signing if true, a young lad who has barely kicked a ball all season. I would want a real signing of quality with a bit more experience, Pearson/O'Brien/Barlaser or similar. I expect sadly a lack of needed help as we saw last January in a good position. I wonder if one of the current crop will be loaned out?

Pears is a bit crap but Fisher is not really an improvement, he is shit. Lost his spot to a keeper in Benda who himself isn't great.

I don't think that you can recall a loanee outside of the transfer window.

We shouldn't loan out Markanday, he should be pushing for a start here.

No real conversation about the woeful service and queues on the concourse but at least Savio got to ask about player postcards again.

Im sure that Rich Sharpe (no one knows for sure, not taking it as gospel) had Szmodics as £1.7m, Hyam as £1.5m and Brittain at £900k so I am also interested.

He hasnt spoke as if he is desperate for promotion this season, any different to predecessors, but they all tow the party line I guess.

I suspect that the reaction on here will be plenty of criticism if anyone comes and shows as little as Hirst. And rightly so.

Szmodics cost £1.7m according to Rich Sharpe, but even then, different situations. Szmodics didn't have 6 months on his deal and he was an important player for his team, not one that had been in such poor form for such a long period that he couldn't make a 20 man squad at the weekend. Is he creative in the final third? No goal and no assist in 2 years. Thankfully, another rumour that can be put in the pile of "absolute bollocks." We need a central striker mainly in attacking positions.

Cantwell is not what we need. Would want to play from the left and isnt particularly fast. Plus hes not done anything for a while to justify his early promise. 2m is a lot of money to spend on him too.

I suppose we don't know if Rothwell had a one off season, I would suspect that it is development into a more consistent and intelligent player with age but being out of the team at Bournemouth means that it is difficult to know. Rothwell is only half a year older than Szmodics so that first season came when the former was not at his peak like Szmodics should be. I don't think the recruitment has been any better than it was under Mowbray's time, one of six signings can be categorised as outstanding, the other 2 IMO range from good starter to average squad filler that you mention but they don't plug gaps effectively if they spend half of the time injured, Szmodics had numerous injuries prior to joining too. Then you have 2 total failures and a third loanee who has consistently played and I would categorize as ok. I don't think that Broughton has done much to impress really, an average window in slightly difficult circumstances. Judgement will come starting now really. I said recently that I don't necessarily even think that many players have shown massive individual improvement under Tomasson, but I am naturally more impressed by him because acknowledging the numerous horror shows and the inability to come back in games or attack with much effectiveness, we have been built on a base of clean sheets and with a level of organisation that has us in a very healthy position in third.