I wonder if refunds will be on offer for those unwilling to comply?

I can never understand why people shoot down the idea of being able judge players based on what they see. "Don't write them off," "get behind the lads" etc. You do not need "links to coaches" or "to watch them train everyday" to comment on player performances in games, they are right there in front of you. And if you do share more extreme, definitive views that don't come to fruition, so what, its a bloody internet forum, does it matter?

Call me naive but I doubt that Waggott would outright lie about offering new deals. For me the issue falls with how much we have offered these players, something I suppose we will never know but having been told that we have offered as much as we can, how difficult the pandemic is in India and various lines about our wage budget needing to be slashed, I suspect that they have not been offered competitive amounts. But the amount we can offer these falls on the owners if indeed it is down to money rather than Waggott in that case. Bang on about the training ground trick AND Armstrong sale though, both in different accounting periods too. Many keen to delude themselves in thinking that Venkys are doing everything possible to support us.

I don't think that registration is a concern. Don't we have Magloire in there as well who could easily be ditched, and I doubt we are going to sign 3 or 4 to begin with.

I know it is a naive viewpoint but viewers abroad should NEVER be prioritised and games should never be moved for overseas TV, affecting match going fans in the process. I suspect that my attendance may depend on when the game is played, if the game is changed day then it may be much more difficult for me, and perhaps to a lesser extent if it is moved to earlier or later in the day. The schedule of the third round last time fans could attend was farcical. But ultimately none of the authorities give a shit about the match going fan anymore so I suspect that it will be moved for the mass amount of viewers about to tune in around the globe to watch a much changed Wigan side play a much changed Rovers side.

Venkys are clearly going through one of their typical particular disinterested phases, you can tell as to the dysfunctional, ignorant way in which they run a football club from things such as if Brereton does go, Mowbray hasn't the foggiest whether he would get any of the money, so the silence from India is actively impeding any ability to plan forward. The line repeatedly trotted out is the struggles of the pandemic in India, it seems that they are unwilling to invest at the moment which ties in to what you say about the Armstrong money vanishing. FFP has only been mentioned on here, the training ground trick prevented any embargo in the year ended June 2021, Armstrong's sale is in June 2022 so in theory, surely there is a bit of wiggle room if as defendants of Venkys like to claim, that FFP is the sole issue. We wanted Maja apparently although on loan, is there going to be any permanent additions in January? The idea that Venkys have spent heavily has always been a bit disingenuous to me, I don't think that merely covering losses through issuing of share capital can be deemed as spending heavily, you could perhaps point to the signings of Brereton and Gallagher maybe but its hardly masses of money especially when you factor in that the Armstrong (and Raya) sales basically cover all of that. You are correct on the issue of new contracts, being so strict on a self imposed wage ceiling is somewhat of a short term approach that long term will see assets leave for a fraction of their cost if not for nothing at all. But equally, a club with a shred of ambition wouldn't encourage a fire sale whilst 4th in the league.

Lets hope they dont move all of the games to random times like they did last time, they should think of the fans but never do.

There is an opportunity there for a top 6 finish and we are going to strive for that by considering bids for our key players to let them go mid season!

Hoping we get an interesting game, not based from getting a bit of TV money, but I would like either one of the big teams or one of the lowest ones with a new interesting ground away from home. I am sure that we will be typically inundated with comments suggesting that people dont care if we lose or that we should play the under 23s which I won't understand. Might be a bit of scope for rotation but I find attitudes towards the FA cup third round to be very strange.

Any update on these?

What are the specific conditions, out of interest?

Even then, I suspect that it wont be down to Waggott. There shouldnt be this void of silence between the owners and the running of the football club whereby decisions can not be made by the manager without the full information of the consequences. Unfortunately Venkys have always worked this way showing utter contempt to a club they claim to love and I dont see that changing any time soon.

“If Brereton goes, the first question in my mind is how much of the money are we getting? Or are we not seeing any of it?” Evidence of the absolute negligence that will always be hindering us under Venkys. The manager should know if and when a player is sold, how much of the money would then be available. Venkys just make it up as they go along and leave the manager forever in the dark, always have done and always will do. Venkys out!

If Mowbray pulled off the unlikely feat of promotion which would be a mightily impressive overachievement, there is no way that he should be replaced.

Funny that this thread was made to question whether at the tender age of 22 that Wharton had passed the point of being up to it here. Brilliant since coming back.

Why wouldnt it be announced? Social media is just a platform for the same textbook soundbites anyway but there is no suggestion that any of them have ever been unhappy or actively seeking a new club, but it seems that we dont have the money to get them to stay.

Ive never understood this idea of holding off signing players in case we change manager at the end of the season. Recruitment should be an ongoing aim to improve the squad whenever possible.

Owners unwilling to pay 2m for a new pitch due to the pandemic. I suspect we may pay for that with the pitch likely to only get worse over winter. Picture is blurry but from the May fans forum.

The owners reneged on their offer to re-do the pitch in the summer, how that could even remotely be put down to Waggott is beyond me. And also shows up the idea that Venkys will invest as much as they can amidst FFP rules as if I am not mistaken, infrastructure expenditure is exempt.

Im not sure that the Dack bid amounted to anything more than gossip that I have seen.

I dont think Rankin Costello is anything special even before you consider that hes made of glass. Poor defensively and I think its a bit of a myth that he is a huge upgrade going forward, ive not seen much to suggest that so far. Hes ok but he isnt a first 11 player for me.

Nyambe is not suited to being a wing back, no. Definitely better as a right back, his main asset is his power and his one on one defending which even as a wing back is still important. That being said, even though that is the case and putting aside any question marks over the back 3/5. Nyambe would still start at wing back every game as he is definitely better than Rankin Costello, obviously as a full back but I would say even as a wing back, and that assumes that Rankin Costello is ever fit enough to play. We are a poorer side without Nyambe, 100%. He has somewhat improved going forward in the last year or so, not really with his end product, but I think that his assist for Gallagher v Swansea in the last home game before lockdown was his first ever, or at least one of. He got a few assists last season through using his brain to isolate full backs, and then get further forward and pulling the ball back rather than crossing from deep like Alexander Arnold or James for example may do.

The thing with Nyambe is that he is a very good one on one defender yet everyone seems more focused on how good full backs are going forward. Nyambe does offer a threat going forward albeit a bit of a compromised one as he knows that his final ball is poor so it is often through facing defenders up almost like a winger and pulling the ball back. I have no doubt that when we goes, that any replacement will not be equal to him.

Do you have a name or is it just an oversimplified assumption?

Definitely an article having looked on here and at the LT first.