14 minutes ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

...other than the fact you assured us they had no pot to piss in, had to cut £10m from the wage bill and sell one or two of our top assets.

You can't even get your factual arguments correct!

I said, IMO, between £15 and £20 million had to be 'saved' by net transfer receipts and cuts to wages.

Going back to your point, you wheel and deal.

Problem with that?

This is dire stuff, IMO.

Some six weeks since our season ended and just nine days to go to the new season.

I don't think Waggott and Mowbray can have any excuse for their failure to bring in any first team players other than the Genk goalie.

They've had months to plan, review all options, draw up contingency plans  and execute whatever they landed upon.

It's b0ll0cks about Venky's and the budget stuff.  If Waggott and Mowbray felt their hands were tied then they should have been honest and told the fans what the score was and then they should have done the honourable thing and walked, called a lawyer and sued for constructive dismissal.

IMO, Waggott and Mowbray can feck off.

When they rip up their contracts  and work for significantly less money demonstrating 'we are in it together' then I might take a bit more notice.

IMO, vacuous incompetents.

30 minutes ago, OnePhilT said:

Connor McBride?

Why, why, why why?

The lad looks like a good meal would kill him!!!

Has played 16 games in Scotland's fourth tier and wait for it, has just one goal to his name!

Where does that leave likes of Butterworth and Vale.

IMO, more nonsensical business.

It's so sad to see.

I think it's shocking management all round.

A perspective - Smallwood off the wage bill 12 months ago (instead of, IMO, Mowbray's sentimentality) would have more than funded a new pitch!

Scandalous.

21 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

You won’t hear anything from me. I’ve nothing to be triumphant about. I haven’t nailed my colours to us utilising the European network or spending money or negotiating tough deals. I speak up when I see unfair criticism...

However, as I’ve said. Those who HAVE stated we “don’t have a pot to piss in”, those who’ve sneered at the European scouting network set up by Mowbray and those who claim he cannot attract the right type of players (lemon drizzle blah blah) may feel a little...silly? Perhaps? ??‍♂️??

Are you Mowbray's PR man?

“don’t have a pot to piss in” - let's see if any of our 'big players' have left when the window closes or what our net trading spend is!.

"European network" - I think it's fair to to say Genk wanted rid and more than likely, the lad's agent has done his job in sounding out clubs known to be looking for a goalie or two!  You would question the remit of our "European network" if they are actively scouting first team players in the better leagues who are playing European club football - rather like me telling the missus to 'scout' the local Porsche dealer for her next car (nice to have but out of our reach and therefore wasting her time!).

Suggest you wait for the fat lady to sing before you extol your perceived virtues of club and manager.

6 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I wouldnt be reading too much into today game as it still pre season in reality. 2 more games against PL team before our season starts. 

Players are never going to be fully ready for competitive game after 2 pre season and 2 weeks of training. 

Arsenal did pretty well against the Champions after less than a handful of sessions!

It's worrying we have so many gaps to fill.

As a minimum, another goalie, two centre backs, a left back, a midfielder and a striker.

Let's be honest, two of Mowbray's mainstays (Lenihan and Evans) are likely to be missing through injury for at least 25 games per season (between them) if history is anything to go by. I'd be surprised if the stats over recent seasons don't show Evans missing one in two on average and Lenihan one in three or four on average.

In midfield, Johnson, IMO, is clearly not the answer, Davenport isn't, IMO, up to it and it therefore leaves Travis terribly exposed.

As for strikers, does anyone really think Brereton and Gallagher are going to become prolific overnight.  Armstrong can't do it all by himself and, IMO, Butterworth wont cut it whilst I think Vale is our best hope.

So much for Mowbray's evolution and solid slow build.  Sadly, IMO, he hasn't even got the foundations in place.

Just over five weeks since our season ended at Luton and just two weeks until we start again!

So far, we've just one signing to show for all our recruitment planning and a new Euro scouting set-up.

It doesn't look good.

On paper, new goalie sounds half decent although there do seem to be some questions about his ability on crosses and even his temperament.  I'm happy to give the lad a chance and think he will be a big upgrade on Walton.

As for Kipre, hope he still comes and I believe he would prove to be a very good signing.  IMO, a far better defender than Lenihan.  However, it does beg the question as to why we've taken so long to make our move for the lad and could it not have been done and dusted at least two weeks ago before any other clubs got alerted.

See there's a bit more stuff on Twitter about the alleged Armstrong bid and it seems not from the 'phantom' journos!  See Sharpe hasn't responded to the latest stuff (despite being asked) and you do therefore wonder if a bid is in and been accepted.

44 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

44 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

exactly, This is one of the problems with Modern day football. I highlighted John Egan and John O'Connell of football who drop down a level or 2 to play regular 1st team football and now look at the pair now playing regular premier league level football.  

Come on Chaddy, stop being naive.

You are insinuating Kipre is all about money and will be content to sit on the bench.

It's a wonderful opportunity for the lad to stake a claim at WBA to become a regular PL player and earn some big money.  Why on earth should he not do it after he's shown he's a very capable Championship defender.  If you are saying this lad isn't good enough for the PL then, IMO, Lenihan certainly isn't - I'd take Kipre over Lenihan every day of the week, he's a 'real' defender. 

28 minutes ago, TruRover said:

Rich Sharpe saying on Twitter that the deal for Kipre hasn’t progressed as quickly as rovers would of liked but that they were still trying for it, says the club hasn’t given up hope of getting it done despite prem interest.

Big problem for Rovers.

Every club looking for a decent centre back for less than £1million knows where this is one!

If you are Kipre, you bide your time as he knows there will be other opportunities should Rovers get fed up of waiting and go for someone else.

Pity as would be a good vfm signing as a player who's only likely to get better. 

2 minutes ago, benhben said:

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11706/12057091/eberechi-eze-crystal-palace-sign-forward-from-qpr

Palace sign QPR forward for £20m. He scored 14 goals for QPR last year in 46 games. Not sure of his age but surely Armstrong would be morth more than £10m going off that..

I do worry about Roy splashing the cash - who will forget Christian Dailly and Nathan Blake!

23 minutes ago, unsall said:

Still think Wharton will end up back at Northampton for another season,or even half a season, to get games in.

If we can get in a couple of experienced c/backs in and have Carter, Magloire Grayson as back up we should be ok, and get Mulgrew and Williams off the wage bill.

Think Wharton is head and shoulders over the other three who, IMO, will never cut it at Championship level (even as back up). 

4 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

We didn’t sell them mate, their contracts ran out and we didn’t want to renew.

i can see why you’re worried at this particular moment but the noises coming from the manager and Sharpe who isn’t bullish unless he’s very confident seem to indicate that the keeper is done and defenders are (finally) coming! The defenders we’ve been linked to are all upgrades on what we have.

imo we need a first choice keeper and a cb by weekend and before start of the season at least. The reserve keeper, 3rd cb, lb and CM can come any time before the window closes to help us get the best deals.

Having dealt with administrators over the years, if Kipre doesn’t move you’ll get him for peanuts in that last week...

The trouble is, there'll then be a number of monkeys fighting for the peanuts!

1 minute ago, Elvis Biro said:

Lionel Messi has just become available on a 'free'. Is he the sort of prospect we should be looking at?

Think it would take too long for Mowbray to 'bed him in' and for Messi to understand what we are trying to do.

With Smallwood gone, who could he learn off?

1 hour ago, bboy said:

Sound bites can be amazing

https://mobile.twitter.com/bbclancssport/status/1124022855061184515?lang=en

 

Jokes aside right comments but fool me once...

 

Very reminiscent of what he said in Blues in Feb 2019.

IMO, a bullsh1tter.  

Sadly, I think many are taken in by Mowbray including Pune.

1 hour ago, RTM08 said:

That Basel goal is still my favourite goal that I've seen live. The chest, the touch, the casual stroll forwards before just floating it into the top corner.

*chef's kiss*

It makes me sad to think that I'll likely never see a player of that calibre again at the club.

A master!

Should be shown every day at Brockhall - if those 10 strikes  don't inspire, nothing will.

3 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Looks can be deceiving sometimes he might be a right hard little git.

Can be as hard as nails but if a puff of wind can blow you over.................

2 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

Far from clueless about goalkeeping since I used to play that positions during my school years. Always enjoyed playing that position. 

my criticism was abit OTT but he needs to be playing regular first team football and he has been on 2 loans last season and never played. He needs regular football. Would you not agree with? 

I think Hilton is far better keeper than Fisher will ever be. But Hilton is another thats need 1st team regular for a season aswell. 

I have seen the error our new keeper has made last season and I thought what a dumbass but I have seen a lot of clips of good saves, good distribution and catching the ball. 

Why don't you drop Mowbray your CV.

I would think you'd be no worse than the kid Benson as goalie coach and you could also augment the scouting staff.

After a couple of years Chaddy, you might be ready for DOF.

1 hour ago, simongarnerisgod said:

Blackburn. Ready to snap up young striker Connor McBride. Leaving Celtic. Scottish youth cap.

not sure about this one,celtic are not in the habit of releasing good players and to cap it all apparently he`s a big lad who is physical,mowbray will no doubt see him as a left winger,with gallagher on the right we`ll have two big centre forwards playing wide?,all part of the mowbray tactical masterplan i kid you not

Pictures I've seen suggest to me a good meal would kill him!!!

2 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

Sound. Like I’ve said, I’ll sway to the opinions of people who do this for a living.  ??

Sadly, IMO, they are not very good what they do for a living!!!

2 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

Thanks for your opinion pal. But I think I’ll go with the opinions of people who’ve been in the game all their life, the ones who work with him every day and those working for Premier League clubs who watch him regularly and are hugely impressed with him. ??

and they still sign, IMO, sh1te like Brereton and Gallagher to name but two!!!

Many on here would back their judgement against Mowbray, Venus and Lowe and quite rightly so.

Buckley reminds me a bit of a David Helliwell who came through Rovers' youth / reserves in late sixties and made about a dozen first team appearances.  Technically, a very gifted footballer but extremely light in build (think he was nicknamed 'Spiderman').  He simply wasn't strong enough and drifted off into the lower leagues and had a few seasons at Workington if I recall correctly.

Was talking to a friend only yesterday about Buckley and mentioned the Helliwell comparison and he seemed to recall Helliwell very sadly died some 20 years ago at an early age.

Some older posters will remember Helliwell.