Thursday deadline.

[lraC]

6 minutes ago, JHRover said:

I'm still not entirely comfortable with it being the manager of the team who has to fly around the world to 'humbly' request funding from the owners to improve the squad following promotion.

It goes without saying that investment of some sort is required if we are to survive, even if that is just additional wages to bring in loans and free agents along Championship lines rather than League One.

Things are done in reverse at this club. It isn't really the manager's place in a club these days to go cap in hand to try to persuade the owners to invest money. The owners and their advisors should already have a budget and plan moving forward, this plan should remain regardless of who the manager is or how 'humble' he is in his meetings with them.

I do worry that perhaps our entire short to medium term future hinges on how Mowbray comes across in his meetings with them. If he impresses them and they like what he says then some money should be made available but if they aren't convinced then we're knackered.

Venkys should have a plan and a target and they should work to that with the manager, an employee, tasked with delivering targets from that. Nothing wrong with face to face meetings with the manager but it seems each year he doesn't have the foggiest idea until he gets to sit down and talk to them.

Their recent statement could have mentioned something about their plans, unless it wasn't really them, who made it.

[Mercer]

10 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

The current squad:-

Keepers- Raya Luetwiler Fisher

Defenders- Nyambe Caddis Lenihan Mulgrew Downing Williams Bell

Midfielders- Bennett Smallwood Travis Evans(would sell if we got a decent offer) Conway(when he signed a new contract) Gladwin Dack

Strikers- Graham (when he signed a new contract) Samuel Nuttall

 

20 players there.  IMV:

• Should be okay - 5 players
• Might have something to offer but jury very much out - 10 players
• Bin - spent forces / liabilities with nothing to offer - 5 players

To the 'might have something to offer but jury very much out'  I would add Tomlinson and Wharton, however, they are both 20 and approaching 21 and they need to be given a chance in our first team to show if they have it or not (not 15 minutes here or there or in some Mickey Mouse competition).  What I've seen of them, they have a chance but they need opportunity - this is one of the things that does my head in with Mowbray. 

So there we have it.  A minimum of six quality additions or we are in trouble.

Edited May 15, 2018 by Mercer

[Mercer]

16 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

He was inured for most of the season

 

and another reason why he should go.  We need players out on the grass not lying in the treatment room.

[Bigdoggsteel]

7 minutes ago, Mercer said:

and another reason why he should go.  We need players out on the grass not lying in the treatment room.

So we should have sold Shearer after the 93/94 season? Lenihan after he missed most of last season? Any player who gets injured? 

Edited May 15, 2018 by Bigdoggsteel

[Mercer]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

So we should have sold Shearer after the 93/94 season? Or any player who gets injured? 

Come on, you know what I mean!

Some players are injury prone and you know their game time is limited.  Some players never seem to get injured or play through the pain barrier.

As players get older, they tend to pick up more injuries and take longer to come back.

We need players who we can rely on being fit and available for most of the season.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, Mercer said:

Come on, you know what I mean!

Some players are injury prone and you know their game time is limited.  Some players never seem to get injured or play through the pain barrier.

As players get older, they tend to pick up more injuries and take longer to come back.

We need players who we can rely on being fit and available for most of the season.

We don't know Whittingham is injury prone. Prior to last season he played more games than not every season. 

You are just being ageist

[USABlue]

19 hours ago, Mercer said:

Having watched Fulham and Derby, we are light years away from competing at the top end of the Championship.

Said for some time, we need some quality additions - a minimum of 6 to make us competitive.

Conway needs shipping out - we can't afford to be topping up players' pensions.

We face a huge challenge just to stay up.  Is Mogga the man?  Likes of Jokanovic and Rowett are different class.

 

Do you think our squad now is better than the one that got relegated?

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

30 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

We don't know Whittingham is injury prone. Prior to last season he played more games than not every season. 

You are just being ageist

Age matters in football. That's why Dougie isn't still running rings around opposing full backs.

[USABlue]

4 hours ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

Think the frustration with Evans comes from how we know he has the ability to be more influential. On the face of it can run all day, defend and is decent enough going forward, and yet you never come away from the game thinking he really left his mark on the game. You could well be right about the level of criticism though, even though I'm probably as guilty as anyone. I think there's something similar with Williams too.

In any case, two in midfield sounds about right, assuming our budget stretches. If not, then pace and numbers up front & out wide has to be the priority for me.

 

 

I just don't feel Evans is commited to the shirt enough to justify his wages here.

[Stuart]

7 hours ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

So long as it is on loan, that makes a lot of sense

Can’t see him playing for us ever again.

Shame, he looked a good ‘un.

[RV Blue]

2 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I wouldn't be so quick to dump Whittingham either. The guy only started 5 games last season due to injury.

No, he started 5 games (mainly) because he was shite.

[RV Blue]

For the record, Whittingham missed 13 games out of 46 through injury, the rest he either started, came off the bench or stayed on the bench.

[Raya4espania]

We need..

1 Goalkeeper to challenge Raya.

1 centre back.

1 right back to challenge nyambe.

1 midfield upgrade on Smallwood(who struggled at championship level previously)

1 centre forward to challenge graham.

Of course, its possible some of these are already at the club within our u23s.

That's how I see it though.(this is assuming Payne and Armstrong return next season on loan again)

 

Edited May 15, 2018 by Raya4espania

[J*B]

Just now, Raya4espania said:

We need..

1 Goalkeeper to challenge Raya.

1 centre back.

1 right back to challenge nyambe.

1 midfield upgrade on Smallwood(who struggled at championship level previously)

1 centre forward to challenge graham.

Of course, its possible some of these are already at the club within our u23s.

That's how I see it though.(this is assuming Payne and Armstrong return next season on loan again)

 

The one thing we desperately need more than anything else - wingers with pace x2.

[Raya4espania]

I don't think mowbray utilises wingers greatly, certainly not two at the same time. He may have one as an option off the bench, like he did with the boro kid.

[gumboots]

On 13/05/2018 at 13:04, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

 

Edited May 15, 2018 by gumboots
I can't get rid of the stupid quote

[gumboots]

Just now, J*B said:

The one thing we desperately need more than anything else - wingers with pace x2.

I think we need some bigger players. One thing that always strikes me is that other teams have guys who look scary. We dont

[Lie_still_Rover]

We had Duffy and Hanley, two big scary lads and were pretty dreadful. I'd watch more mobile sides and wish we were like them. I get your point though, I like that Sonny Bradley, he'd be a good shout for us.

[roversfan99]

Just now, Lie_still_Rover said:

We had Duffy and Hanley, two big scary lads and were pretty dreadful. I'd watch more mobile sides and wish we were like them. I get your point though, I like that Sonny Bradley, he'd be a good shout for us.

Dreadful? They both got big money moves to better teams...

[Lie_still_Rover]

Sorry, that's a typo- was supposed to say,  "We were" - as in collectively as an 11.. Having 2 Big lumps at the back didn't make too much difference.  Saying that, we sold both of them and got relegated.. Duffy has gone onto bigger and better things and Hanley has been playing a level above us..  You're probably right,  we could do with an ugly centre half..  

[Fraserkirky]

That Sacko boy from Leeds any good? Heard he is on his way out at Elland Rd, big pacy right winger.

[Bigdoggsteel]

38 minutes ago, RV Blue said:

For the record, Whittingham missed 13 games out of 46 through injury, the rest he either started, came off the bench or stayed on the bench.

That doesn't sound right. Was he not out from like November to late Feb or even March? Add in the time needed to get match fit then 

Edited May 15, 2018 by Bigdoggsteel

[Bigdoggsteel]

10 minutes ago, Lie_still_Rover said:

We had Duffy and Hanley, two big scary lads and were pretty dreadful. I'd watch more mobile sides and wish we were like them. I get your point though, I like that Sonny Bradley, he'd be a good shout for us.

Duffy would start for pretty much every team in the championship, Hanley a fair few. 

Edited May 15, 2018 by Bigdoggsteel

[roversfan99]

6 minutes ago, Lie_still_Rover said:

Sorry, that's a typo- was supposed to say,  "We were" - as in collectively as an 11.. Having 2 Big lumps at the back didn't make too much difference.  Saying that, we sold both of them and got relegated.. Duffy has gone onto bigger and better things and Hanley has been playing a level above us..  You're probably right,  we could do with an ugly centre half..  

The point was more in regards to what I thought was dismissive of Hanley and Duffy as individual players, didnt realise there was a typo! I dont really get the clamour for an ugly centre back, I think Mulgrew and Lenihan make a very good partnership.

[Raya4espania]

Didn't like Duffy, his attitude was poor. It will raise its ugly head at Brighton if a bigger pay day elsewhere becomes an option.