Of course, this thread is very early I would say. We definitely could do better without Mowbray but 8th is not the embarassingly low bar that some people make out.

Very true on managers not telling the whole truth but a journalist has got a "no contact reply" from Rotherham. Regarding any poster on here, I don't think there are any ITK posters personally any more. Advice ranges from me to take with a shaker full of salt to some who you can just laugh off. Not that a forum is or should be defined on ITK info.

Who do you think is better than us? Do you have faith in the club getting a suitable manager to improve us immediately and also to get recruitment right?

Warne yet another example of paper talk, Knutsen a lazy link too. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/20196427.rotherham-united-boss-paul-warne-addresses-blackburn-rovers-speculation/ Warne isnt on the table, cant be sure that Ainsworth is aside from idle gossip. Still unsure on the Deila and Broughton link either?

Why would he leave play off finalists Huddersfield to come here? Hardly as if left back is the biggest concern anyway.

No point getting too fixated on interviews. What people say seems to really matter to most people now but weve heard numerous people talk about plans etc and have seen people get excited over the last 12 years, and even some people are getting frustrated at calls for patience. Its a gathering of generic soundbites, nothing too much to be concluded either way from what he says.

My issue/questions werent in relation to his opinion. I feel like (as he often does) he was not directly addressing either the points I queried nor the general topic. Predictions surely implies that it is what we think will happen. I dont doubt nor disagree with the idea that we shouldnt be happy to tread water, nor that we shouldnt have ambitions. Same question to you. Why do you think we will finish in the play offs?

You arent really reading my post. I am not talking about what the aims and aspirations should be, obviously we shouldnt hope to tread water. The thread relates to this one upcoming season. Do you have faith that we will appoint a good manager factoring in Venkys history, Waggott leading the search and key targets going elsewhere? Does keeping the coaching staff not hint at doing things on the cheap? Do you think its fair to fear the worst regarding investment after what happened to the Armstrong money? Do you see those kids all making a major impact in a top 6 Championship side within 12 months? Seems unfounded to me. Do you not see the departees as major blows?

It has nothing to do with what I am aiming for or indeed what I am settling for. Obviously we should be aiming high but this is a (very premature) prediction thread, what we THINK will happen and what to EXPECT, not what we WANT or indeed what we should STRIVE for. As it stands, I am weighing up what I see before me, using assumptions and historical evidence. We still don't have a manager, optimal candidates have gone elsewhere, and I have no faith in us appointing a really good one under Venkys. Our main goalscorer who scored such a large proportion of our goals and without whom we looked impotent is set to go, based on last summer, its hard to reasonably expect a decent chunk of that to be reinvested. We have also lost the likes of Van Hecke, Rothwell and to a lesser extent Khadra. I would suggest it is unlikely that either Lenihan and Nyambe will stay, certainly not both, hence why they are still to sign a new deal. If they do, great, but I personally don't expect it. So to replace so many key players on a budget will be so, so difficult. I am not seeing a lot of constructive reasons for optimism. I do think that the general standard of league is really poor so I expect us to keep our heads above water regardless though, but reasons to expect an IMPROVEMENT on last season? Not seeing many.

The thread would be totally silent if the rules had to be stuck to so rigidly.

Based on what? Especially considering that we were unable to get either of the 2 managers you wanted.

As if he has one! And even if he does, its an irrelevance that cannot be proven.

We also played the first half of the season in top 2 form, equally as irrelevant to the point that the only form that matters is over 46 games and ours was the 8th best. We can easily downgrade on Mowbray, as much as he needed to go to progress. It isn't sustainable unless the owners regularly allow a % to be reinvested. They didn't last summer, will they with the Brereton funds? It has to be consistent and regular which isn't the case with the idiots that own us. What makes either "the dream ticket" out of interest? Purely based on obvious potential links to the new DOF or based on their individual CV's? I don't get why a recommendation from a mate is enough to convince you over the merits over a potential manager either, even someone as distinguished as Ancelotti. I am sure that Ferguson highly recommended Kidd back in the day, means nothing in a different role.

I have no doubt that regardless of his track record and his love for being cryptic, that many of the usual blood thirsty suspects instantly replied asking for more information! Im also sure that there is zero chance of Dyche unfortunately.

I think he worked at Anderlecht with Kompany before mental health issues stopped him. Might be wrong.

Will it be Duncan Ferguson?

Its surely just people getting value not only for their money but going to the time of going to Ewood every week. Not everyone should or will feel obliged to attend regardless, and of course no one knows how any new manager would do, we could appoint a real no hoper who surprises us all or equally a big name who fails. But you can make a reasonable guess a lot of the time as to how you expect the season MIGHT go. Totally get the point about believing rumours and I havent got excited/angry about any potential "appointment" as no one seems to know. Around where sorry?

Where is this from?

Did you not say that you once met him or indeed know him in general, and if so, could that positive impression not be clouding your view on him? He has done a good job at Wycombe, something that I have not doubted. I just don't see how him and Warne can incite such different reactions, putting aside where Ainsworth is from. You call him a winner but isn't he fairly comparable to Warne to an extent? You mention the Derby sob story but Wycombe were also very lucky that the play offs the season before were decided on points per game when they were 8th, even so, they got promoted through the play offs which is all that matters. Warne has managed to get promoted 3 times, again with not the biggest budget, neither Warne nor Ainsworth could keep them up. Style of football isn't a primary consideration to me, obviously the main question would be whether he (or indeed anyone) has the flexibility to adjust tactics to suit the players we have here. But it is all about results and from where I see it, neither is notably superior to the other. The issue is that you seem to be looking down on those who are holding off. I have already renewed to reiterate my position so this isn't a personal defence. But you are speaking as if people are threatening to support another team should they be underwhelmed by the managerial appointment, not merely that people would be unwilling to definitely spend such a large sum and give up such a large proportion of their free time when they feel like they are having the piss taken out of them. You say that you don't like the superfan narrative but go on to imply that you and Birdy are superior because you go regardless. Many people don't seem to fathom that not every single person has the same desire to go and watch every game, some insist on being there and somewhat plan around it, others might go if circumstances suit, if they have nothing else on, if the prices are low, if we are doing well, whatever it is. You and I might consider it "in the blood" but it isn't to the same degree for everyone. Ainsworth wouldn't do it for free.

Over a friendly perhaps but surely common sense could come into play and only the play offs could have been played now and most teams could have been sent on holiday. The players dont seem arsed about it after a long, hard season and they aren't robots and do need to rest.

Hard to be overly optimistic at this stage with the managerial search dragging on, and the better names going elsewhere. I would agree that Brereton will go and we will see next to nothing reinvested again, so will be reliant on loans and frees. Nyambe and Lenihan I can see being fixed up elsewhere by the time a manager is finally appointed. There is a lot of shit in this league, notably Reading who have seen many key players leave and face a season of Paul Ince, and Birmingham who are in crisis. I can see us avoiding a true dogfight.

There seems to be a disparity between the reaction towards Warne and Ainsworth, both seem somewhat justifiably highly rated, neither would really excite me at all but I do wonder if the latter gets comparatively superior reactions simply because of this whole Rovers fan narrative? Neither have done jobs that are easily comparable to what their job would be here. Warne has had Rotherham continuously bouncing between League 1 and the Championship religiously. Both him and Ainsworth have fought against clubs with bigger budgets and have found the Championship a step too far with those small budgets, but both thrive in League 1, Warne more so. Of course not, ultimately Mowbray was a run of the mill manager and we were middle of the road under him, his time had come to a natural end. Waggott I have been very critical of regarding his illogical ticket pricing structures etc, I would be happy to see him replaced 100%. But my point was that merely replacing Waggott wouldn't solve the problem alone, the common denominator across the last 12 years has been in India. Inconsistent budgets without an overall plan, big delays, third party involvement, a lack of delegation, poor communication seemingly within the club. (the whole wait until the summer and come to India charade, Mowbray being totally in the dark about his future) Anyone who applies (was it 60 reported applicants) wants the job surely.

Waggott is not what is wrong with the club or the reason that it is so haphazard. Hes just an incompetent employee, surely any bad feeling should be directed towards Pune.

Literally as in it was alledged because people had become understandably fed up after our bad run and couldnt even credit him for changes made to win. You have said "this week" for about 3 weeks running so lets hope you are right this time. It really isnt. Mowbray is middle of the road, can do better but not based on a "anything but Mowbray" mentality.