Thursday deadline.

[Bigdoggsteel]

2 hours ago, Stuart said:

So £60k-plus per week for influence?

If they stay fit I’d certainly want Mulgrew and Graham. It’s a gamble though. The Championship is a hard hard season.

So is League 1, arguably more physical. 

[roversfan99]

2 hours ago, Stuart said:

So £60k-plus per week for influence?

If they stay fit I’d certainly want Mulgrew and Graham. It’s a gamble though. The Championship is a hard hard season.

But neither have shown obvious signs of physical decline, quite the opposite towards the end of the season.

Edited April 27, 2018 by roversfan99

[benhben]

Key things we need for me after watching us through the season are:

• A goal scoring striker to support Graham.
• A high energy centre midfielder
• A natural wide player with pace. 

Players to release/Sell: Caddis, Evans, Samuel, 

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

So is League 1, arguably more physical. 

The gulf in quality is huge though and combine the two - physical (which the champ certainly is) and quality and that's where it becomes very very tough.

Mulgrew imo struggled quite a bit in the championship at times but that could well have been just the transition at a late stage in his career, never doubting his quality on the ball though.

Graham has Championship pedigree he'll score if given chances but will need smart game management by TM, both could have a bit of an Indian summer though if the adrenaline and momentum keeps going.

[Bigdoggsteel]

I don't think we will sell him, but I reckon we will get a number of serious offers(7-10 million) for Dack. He is absolutely irreplaceable and crucial to anything being built at the club, Mowbray hit the jackpot there. 

 

[DE.]

1 hour ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I don't think we will sell him, but I reckon we will get a number of serious offers(7-10 million) for Dack. He is absolutely irreplaceable and crucial to anything being built at the club, Mowbray hit the jackpot there. 

Getting him for £750k was pretty ridiculous as well, considering Gills were apparently turning down bids of £2m for him previously. Strange that they allowed his contract to run down to the last year if the intention was ultimately to sell him anyway.

[OJRovers]

3 hours ago, benhben said:

Key things we need for me after watching us through the season are:

• A goal scoring striker to support Graham.
• A high energy centre midfielder
• A natural wide player with pace. 

Players to release/Sell: Caddis, Evans, Samuel, 

Agree 100%.

We also need to replace or keep Armstrong and Payne.

Cover at right back would also be good.

 

[Stuart]

4 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

But neither have shown obvious signs of physical decline, quite the opposite towards the end of the season.

I guess you didn’t see Charlie hopping and then sat down holding his knee just before he was taken off in the last game.

Trust me, I hope you are right. It’s a gamble though.

[Stuart]

4 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

So is League 1, arguably more physical. 

League One teams and players are far inferior to the likes of Mulgrew. Individual class has been the difference in most games.

[Bigdoggsteel]

5 minutes ago, Stuart said:

League One teams and players are far inferior to the likes of Mulgrew. Individual class has been the difference in most games.

Ya,true ,he has looked different class, been a few yards ahead in his head, no doubt. I suppose we will also be defending more next year.

Still he got through this season very well and maybe his first year with us was just unlucky injury wise. 

I think we need back up for him, but I definitely want him here next season captaining the team, even if his game time is more managed

Edited April 27, 2018 by Bigdoggsteel

[DE.]

For the record, this was our squad for the first game of the 2016-17 season:

Steele

Lowe 
Duffy
Ward
Henley

Feeney
Lenihan
Akpan
Bennett
Marshall

Graham

Subs:

Raya
Greer
Byrne
Stokes
Hendrie
Guthrie
Conway
 

Excluding players who are still at the club, is there literally a single player on that list that anybody on here (excluding Jim picking Lowe) would want to bring back? You could make an argument for Duffy but after his "accidental" own goals against Cardiff I never want to see him in our shirt again. Marshall maybe the only other, but he has issues with mentality which make him a risky regular first team choice.

Essentially I think we're already in a much better place now than we were at the beginning of the 16/17 season, despite being a division lower. We need improvements, but give me this team any day of the week over what we had in 16/17. 

[roversfan99]

12 minutes ago, Stuart said:

I guess you didn’t see Charlie hopping and then sat down holding his knee just before he was taken off in the last game.

Trust me, I hope you are right. It’s a gamble though.

I saw him v both Peterborough and Doncaster looking like hed been through the wars towards the end. But thats all part of being a centre back, his physicality is actually a side of his game that is at times underestimated in my opinion.

You touched on the fact that contrary belief, I do agree that it will be more demanding and more difficult in the Championship, in terms of ability. 

I just think that you cant argue with the number of games hes played this season and theres nothing to suggest hes about to hit any sort of sharp decline based on recent history.

@DE. as you touched on, Marshall I would go as far as saying hed walk into our team, hes been superb for Millwall and key to their promotion push. All hatred aside Duffy would walk in to our team, a consistent Premier League defender. So much crap in that side aside from them.

[DE.]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

@DE. as you touched on, Marshall I would go as far as saying hed walk into our team, hes been superb for Millwall and key to their promotion push. All hatred aside Duffy would walk in to our team, a consistent Premier League defender. So much crap in that side aside from them.

As far is pure talent is concerned I agree re: Duffy, but he became a toxic presence by the end and for that reason I'd say no thanks. Those own goals alone should make him persona-non-grata at Ewood forevermore.

Marshall I probably wouldn't say no to, but I'd want somebody else around to challenge him as I wouldn't fully trust him.

[Bigdoggsteel]

12 minutes ago, DE. said:

For the record, this was our squad for the first game of the 2016-17 season:

Steele

Lowe 
Duffy
Ward
Henley

Feeney
Lenihan
Akpan
Bennett
Marshall

Graham

Subs:

Raya
Greer
Byrne
Stokes
Hendrie
Guthrie
Conway
 

Excluding players who are still at the club, is there literally a single player on that list that anybody on here (excluding Jim picking Lowe) would want to bring back? You could make an argument for Duffy but after his "accidental" own goals against Cardiff I never want to see him in our shirt again. Marshall maybe the only other, but he has issues with mentality which make him a risky regular first team choice.

Essentially I think we're already in a much better place now than we were at the beginning of the 16/17 season, despite being a division lower. We need improvements, but give me this team any day of the week over what we had in 16/17. 

Awful squad. Of those that left, Duffy and Marshall aside none of them would get a look in now.

Credit to Mowbray for what he has done squad wise. I am genuinely excited about next season 

[had.e.nuff]

Have I missed something about Conner Mahoney ,TM mentioned something about a meeting about him in one of his press conferences I am assuming it is regarding the compensation figure , I still think he would have been better off staying would probably have played most of the games this season instead of the 6 games he played.

[Stuart]

Probably Marshall and that’s it.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, had.e.nuff said:

Have I missed something about Conner Mahoney ,TM mentioned something about a meeting about him in one of his press conferences I am assuming it is regarding the compensation figure , I still think he would have been better off staying would probably have played most of the games this season instead of the 6 games he played.

No doubt he would have bee better off staying. Would have played most games and got assists and goals. Would probably have cemented a starting place for next year too. 

Terrible move on his part. Another who though the grass would be greener. 

[Admiral Nelsen]

In retrospect, a bad move for Mahoney, but easy to see how it could've worked out differently.

I remember thinking this time last year that the way the Club was going, I wouldn't have blamed anyone from wanting out to further their career at a normal, functioning football club. 

Obviously a totally different feeling 152 months later, but can't blame Connor for not predicting that (I certainly didn't!)

[Stuart]

Just now, Admiral Nelsen said:

In retrospect, a bad move for Mahoney, but easy to see how it could've worked out differently.

I remember thinking this time last year that the way the Club was going, I wouldn't have blamed anyone from wanting out to further their career at a normal, functioning football club. 

Obviously a totally different feeling 152 months later, but can't blame Connor for not predicting that (I certainly didn't!)

Wow, time flies! ?

I don’t blame Conor for going following how he was treated after Lambert was replaced with Coyle.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Toys out of the pram. Bigger players who have achieved far more in their careers decided to put their reputations on the line and stay and fight for the club, Mahoney didn't fancy it. We didn't need him anyway. Arguably he isn't good enough for where we are aiming to be next season anyway.  Has proven nothing in his career so far 

[AJW]

 I think a new left back is required  , I am not a fan of Williams and from what I've seen I don't think Bell is the answer either , And although I would like to sign Chapman Payne and Armstrong permanently, I still think a natural left footer to play wide left is needed 

[DE.]

Just now, AJW said:

 I think a new left back is required  , I am not a fan of Williams and from what I've seen I don't think Bell is the answer either , And although I would like to sign Chapman Payne and Armstrong permanently, I still think a natural left footer to play wide left is needed 

I'm with you on Williams. I don't think he's first team calibre at Championship level, but I wouldn't be opposed to keeping him as a versatile CB/LB back up. No idea about Bell as we've seen so little of him so far.

[roversfan99]

Even in arguably our weakest position, Mahoney wouldnt have gotten into our team. Absence makes the heart grow fonder with Rovers former players at times I feel. Easy to forget he ended the last season out of the 18.

[chaddyrovers]

8 hours ago, Stuart said:

So £60k-plus per week for influence?

If they stay fit I’d certainly want Mulgrew and Graham. It’s a gamble though. The Championship is a hard hard season.

Mulgrew and Graham will be playing next season here but I can see your point. we do need to find a target man striker cos Graham isn't going to be playing 3 games a week anymore

55 minutes ago, had.e.nuff said:

Have I missed something about Conner Mahoney ,TM mentioned something about a meeting about him in one of his press conferences I am assuming it is regarding the compensation figure , I still think he would have been better off staying would probably have played most of the games this season instead of the 6 games he played.

Mahoney should have stayed here instead of going to Bournemouth and never playing there. 

[roversfan99]

Would he have played much here though? 

Feel like a lot of the excitement comes from him being a local lad. When in fact he did very little and seemed to drift further and further from the team.