and that's why, with that type of manager, you put a clever coach next to him! Busby had Murphy, Shankly had Paisley, Clough had Taylor, Kenny (who said he couldn't put on a session) had Harford.

Over the years, I've been fortunate enough to have opportunity to see a number of managers and coaches put on sessions at different clubs. The good ones stand out a mile with their passion, positivity, know-how and communication. You mention pre match warm ups - one of the best with the ball I ever saw at Ewood was when McClaren was Fergie's number 2 at United. It really fizzed and those lads were really buzzing - sadly, they were too much for Rovers that day.

IMO, Mowbray thinks he's a Pep but in reality, he's a managerial dinosaurian who is well past his sell by date. Think it's compounded by, IMO, the dire quality of his staff (Venus, Lowe & Benson) - I've watched these guys on match days and concluded the lights are on but there's no one at home!

Precisely what Mowbray has failed to do!

Really!? After three and a half years of Mowbray, we are nothing more than a mid table Championship team going backwards with an unbalanced squad with gaping holes in key areas. If Mowbray's building our club then God help us if he gets it wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We need a shake up. He's a personality with a drawer full of medals and caps. Doesn't suffer fools. Think he's now more mature. As I said, would need a clever coach next to him like Kenny had Harford.

Truth be told, I think there's only Coyle who's managed to get a tune out of Gallagher in his misfiring career.

I'd go for Keane with a clever coach to back him up. Keane looks and is absolutely menacing and, IMO, our 'holiday club' would sh1t themselves!

Just 6 points from our last 8 league games. 5 games to go and I can't see us taking more than 4 points (Reading & Luton) from those games - think there's a risk we'll lose the lot. So that would be anything in the range of 6 to 10 points from our closing 13 games. A shocking statistic underlining we aren't progressing and the need for managerial change.

Then bet on the opposition. Proved very profitable for me this week!

Mixed day. Positives: pub, BBQ, won £120 this week backing against Rovers (Barnsley / Leeds), a quality red for tonight's film. Negatives: watched the wretched match IMO, anyone who still thinks Mowbray should remain Rovers' manager should book themselves an appointment at their nearest Priory Clinic. Almost lost for words. Leeds didn't really need to get out out of first gear - if they'd been really at it, we could have lost by 5 or 6. IMO, Walton, Bennett, Johnson, Holtby, Rothwell, Gallagher, Samuel should all feck off along with Waggott, Mowbray, Venus, Lowe and Benson. Again, IMO, we are not progressing as a football club - we are going backwards quickly. I think we have huge, huge, problems and have next to nothing to show for Mowbray's three and half year tenure. Travis badly caught in possession for Leeds' first goal - never a foul Walton badly positioned for Leeds 2nd goal Walton a complete joke for Leeds' third goal Doubt Gallagher could hit a cow's arse with a banjo. Who on earth was the lead commentator - IMO, based on some of his observations and comments, he's a joke who knows very, very little about football. IMO, Walton should not play for Rovers again and Mowbray should be sacked tonight should the self purported man of integrity not resign. I really think we are a complete and utter shambles as a football team. Are we really a better team than we were under Kean or Coyle. Those are the depths I sadly think we've plummeted to.

I hope you are right Chaddy. Sadly, none of us know what is around the corner. Enjoy each day as if it were your last!

IMO, doing nothing and treading water, at best, is not an option. Tennyson was right: "Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." I think we need to replace Mowbray. A risk yes, all managerial appointments are a risk but we simply can't remain on the road to nowhere.

Mowbray in today's LT: "We’re a long way from where I want us to be" “We can all be disappointed but are we moving in the right direction? I hope so" Think it gets worse by the day! Three and a half years in situ and we are a "long way" from where he wants us to be. Sounds like Mowbray himself doesn't know - "are we are moving in the right direction?" So depressing in the middle of summer on a day when it's p1ssing down. IMO, he simply has to go or the landscape will be unchanged, at best, in another three and a half years!

Doing fine thanks - a bit of work here and there, caning the bookies and drinking too much wine!!!! Hope all is good with you.

Is that the best you can offer Gav...............................................

It's about enthusiasm, alertness, motivation. You needn't be one of the best coaches in the world but at least you can look a bit interested!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think there's more life on Mars than on our management / coaching bench!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chaddy dear boy, I was comparing the body language, enthusiasm and mental altertness of Pep with, IMO, a moribund Mowbray. I think it's pretty obvious why our players don't seem fired-up for many of our games. As for wage bill, Sheff U and Chris Wilder did pretty well on very limited resources. Face up to it lad, we have, IMO, a manager taking us nowhere and I hate every minute of being on the road to nowhere.

Likewise - table booked already! How the 'simple' things in life are taken for granted and sorely missed.

Interesting watching City / Liverpool match and Pep. He simply fizzes and it must transmit to the players. Compare to, IMO, the moribund state of Mowbray, Venus and Lowe (does this guy ever, ever move !?!?).

He's not worth even 1% (£10k) of that IMO.

Who do I support!?! A Rover for almost 60 years, home, away and Europe. What about you? Certainly don't 'enjoy' Rovers losing but if they do and I can make a bob or two then what is wrong with that? Backing against Rovers is not hoping they lose but rather sadly recognising, IMO, that we are a poor football team managed by a very, very poor manager. Loved the halcyon days of Kenny when I backed Rovers virtually every match and made some damn good money. Shame I can't do that now.

IMO, not a snowball's chance in hell of Rovers avoiding defeat here. I think Leeds are everything we are not - fast, effervescent, playing good and attractive attacking football and they have a game plan!!! Won almost £50 when the 'mighty' Barnsley embarrassed us so ploughed that and another £50 on to Leeds at 7/10. I honestly think backing a Leeds' win is as near to a betting certainty as you can get - fill your boots and then enjoy Saturday night!

It's b0ll0cks. Bottom line is very simple - if you are good enough, you are old enough. Ability is relative to the level you are at. We've seen Phil Jones, Damien Duff, David Dunn etc all thrown in at the deep end and thrive. On a bigger stage you've seen Mbappe playing in a World Cup Final at 19 and Alexander-Arnold playing in a Champions League Final at 19. To remind you, ability is relative to the level you are at - and on that score, where are our 18, 19 year old lads good enough to play in our Championship 1st team. Buckley, Butterworth, Carter, Rankin-Costello and Thompson etc are all going on 21 and if they were going to be 'big players' for us then they would have hammered down regular starting spots in our 1st team now. I think it's a combination of two things - Mowbray's overly cautious approach and the fact the lads aren't really good enough. I think Mowbray refers to youngsters, even 'kids', like Lenihan at 26, Nyambe and Travis both at 22. There are players at their ages who have more internationaL caps than those three have 1st team appearances!!!

Spot on. Mowbray is most unlikely to say anything untoward about any player to a fan at one of these events. This 'man of integrity' really does get me because, IMO, it is not justified based on what I have seen / heard from Mowbray. Actions speak louder than words and no more so than what DID NOT happen following Mowbray's words in Blues last Feb.