Mercer

I feel desperately sorry for O'Brien. Let's just hope it's a small administrative oversight and our appeal is successful. At least it would soften the blow on what has been a very disappointing window. As an absolute minimum, I think Rovers need to review their transfer window planning, strategy and execution. Lessons must be learnt

Forest wouldn't care about any future contract between Rovers and O'Brien should he have become a permanent Rovers' player on promotion to PL - their only concern would have been the £10million fee and that being covered in the loan/transfer agreement. Should Rovers have known about it - yes, should O'Brien have known about it, possibly not as that's what his representatives/advisors are paid to do. Think it's important to recognise/understand the distinction between where a club has an OPTION to buy following a loan period and where a club is CONTRACTUALLY BOUND to buy following a loan period. If you think about what O'Brien would earn as a PL player with Rovers, you are probably looking at a a financial commitment for Rovers approaching £20million (fee and wages) - Broughton and Waggott needed some smart legals involved.

Damage to his career from rotting in the 'reserves' and outside Forest's 25 man PL squad when he could have been playing competitive Championship football with a potential gateway back to the PL.

Just how feckin naive are they at Rovers? I flagged in an earlier post that terms would have had to be agreed with O'Brien to take effect if the conditionality of the contract was realised. If they weren't, it's likely the contract was null and void in any event. This could leave O'Brien in the lurch and it is not beyond the realms of possibility he will seek financial compensation from Rovers for such or even pursue a damage claim on the back of Rovers' alleged negligence.

An appeal will only be accepted on the strongest of grounds. To do otherwise would just open the floodgates both now and in the future. Clubs know what the rules are - there can be no excuses. I rather think the appeal is more about arse saving for one or more at Rovers.

With a potential commitment for £10million down the line you would also want your legal eagles all over the paperwork. Again, at the very least, Broughton would surely have grasped there would be a variation/addendum to the usual contract governing a loan. Furthermore, terms would have had to be agreed with O'Brien to take effect if the conditionality of the contract was realised.

The buck stops with the boss! You delegate only to those who you have complete confidence in regarding their efficiency on matters like this - even then, you carefully monitor and oversee. There can be no excuses.

Think we are just a laughing stock. God knows what the rest of football thinks about us.

Think you are right. Seems to me someone has dropped a real bollock here and we are stuffed. Unbelievable that Rovers seemed to be up against the clock to get the O'Brien paperwork filed by 11.00pm - not as though they were rushed off their feet. Any important contractual agreement should be reviewed several times by at least two pairs of eyes as mistakes can be made and sometimes they are right in your face and you can still 'not see it'. Bottom line is there are simply no excuses.

Usually get my grammar right - apologies, yesterday was a long old day one way or the other and didn't hit the sack until well, well into the early hours of today.

Haven't seen or heard anything from the Forest end to indicate deal done pending EFL ratification. Given the number of transfer deals they seem to SUCCESSFULLY manage (must be 40+ over two windows), gives added grounds for thinking it aint happened.

Difficult to believe the EFL are taking so long to ratify. Think they will have had staff working through the night. So many deals were done and confirmed so close to the wire. Longer it goes on then the more unlikely it has happened.

Not done according to local Nottingham rag: https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/transfer-news/nottingham-forest-january-transfer-deals-8096689

With business transactions you get the feckin deal over the line come what may. There are no excuses for failure.

Almost beyond belief. Think heads need to roll starting with Broughton's. Made my views on him quite clear - way, way out of his depth. A disastrous window. JDT will be fuming.

If he's half as good as the blonde bomber was he'll feckin do!

Think he might be heading for the University Of Bolton Stadium.

They aren't all done at Brockhall now especially when time is of the essence and transport links are key! Also keeps things under wraps away from Brockhall.

A decent striker added to that and I'll send Broughton a case of red.

I'll settle for a couple of bottles of nice red thank you.

Mere words for the gullible, naive and happy clappers.

A club bereft of ambition. It's absolutely hopeless. Said time and time again, we need hungry management fired with burning ambition and a can do attitude. All this 'journey' and 'project' nonsense is, IMO, an absolute crock of sh1te which the 'happy clappers' will naively swallow. IMO, JDT and Broughton have shown their true colours - they are not up to the job.. I think it's an absolute disgrace and an insult to the fans and their intelligence. Increasingly more and more will vote with their feet.

I beg to differ - I have no reason to doubt the source who works for the club. I am also told the local Liverpool rag also reported the discussions and Sam was on Moshiri's list of options - maybe if you trawl through the local rag you will find a story.

Aye, Rovers have also been in talks with several players and none of them signed! That's football!

Biggest cost for any football club is player related so why would you have an all encompassing strategic review and exclude that huge element of cost?!