JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW

[Bigdoggsteel]

5 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Sorry but I'm fucking fuming at TM for this decision to loan out three centre halves and not bring anyone else in. It's unacceptable, and will definitely bite us in the arse before the season is done.

We needed a new one before this window started. It has been our CLEAR achilles heel, a leaky error-prone defence. Since then, it's only a couple of weeks ago that we were so struck by injury there that we couldn't even field two actual centre halves (was it 0 we fielded? Can't quite recall). And now we loan out all the cover and don't want to get anyone in even on loan? First time I've said this, but are you fucking stupid Tony? His comments even imply that if we signed someone better than our four centre halves (three injury prone converted centre mids and a recently prone and fucking atrocious left back, who is also the only cover at left back) they would still be 5th choice. Maybe he misspoke but Jesus.

I had some bad personal news today so maybe I'm overreacting, but this really wound me up. I can't see any logic in it.

I think it is odd to say he won't sign anyone because we have good young players, because he is after loaning the 2 best young center halves out! If Wharton or Grayson were still here i would say fair enough. 

[tomphil]

Well he's taken responsibility for it so at least we have a gaffer prepared to stick his neck out in public these days however I also feel its got arse bite written all over it so he and those on here who take offence every time he's questioned cannot moan if there is a bit of stick further down the line.

Can fully understand him doing right by Downing and fully understand the player wanting to play but a few knocks or suspensions and he'll be missed and it'll be a square peg in a round hole standing in probably. 

Edited January 24, 2019 by tomphil

[Bigdoggsteel]

Unless there are recall clauses for Wharton and Grayson... there must be 

[Stuart]

2 hours ago, Tom said:

The entire direction seems to have changed this window, I still wonder if we feel stung by the Brereton deal 

I think Mowbray has.

I wouldn’t be racing to give him another wedge to spend. But then I’m not Venkys so who knows.

Part of the problem is that, unless I dreamt it, Mowbray came out previously and said there is money to spend if we need it. Well, we have no central defenders and with money seemingly no object why wouldn’t we go out for cover?

Such a shame Nixon isn’t around to tell us that “something has changed”. Like all of a sudden the phone stopped ringing about Dack...

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, Ewood Ace said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17382796.mowbray-on-whether-rovers-will-add-a-defender-in-January/

"Where do you get someone who’s better than the four (centre backs) we’ve got and someone who would sit as fifth centre half? That is really difficult." 

I find that an incredible comment from Mowbray if he can't find a better alternative to Williams then he'd just as well chuck in now. Rodwell and Mulgrew aren't exactly the most reliable in terms of fitness. Also the fact that we have the worst defence in the entire top half (by some way) suggests we need to improve our defence, so rather than looking for a fifth centre half look for someone who is going to be your number 1 or 2 centre back.

Mowbray whole approach seems to be we have a good group of lads and he's going to back them whatever. He seems to have no interest in improving the team from the team that got promoted, every time he talks about signings he says something along the lines of where are you going to get better than what we have. Well that is his and the scouting departments job to find out and if you keep taking that attitude the club will go backwards as other sides will sign players that improve their team and overtake us. Downing and Palmer gone and no incomings our squad is weaker than it was at the start of the month.

Spot on. To me it doesn't seem as though the owners have snapped the purse strings shut , they spent plenty (eventually) in the summer and I was told money had been made available this window but TM was reluctant to spend it.

imo it all boils down to TM not wanting to upset the players who are already here and the apparent assumption that anyone coming in won't be dislodging the regulars and will only be here as back up.

There's also an article in the LT today with Evans who's basically saying how great it is that the senior players get a large amount of input in regular meetings and get a say in how we play etc.

This all smacks a bit of the inmates running the asylum to me. Might not happen this season but I can't see it ending up in anything other than tears eventually.

Edited January 24, 2019 by RevidgeBlue

[SBlue]

I think Paul Downing would be touched to see that his departure has shattered the recent relative calm and positivity that was on here after our excellent run of results and performances this season.

If you love someone lads, let them know!

Edited January 24, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, philipl said:

Agreed on most of your points. Brereton I keep arguing is a one-off. I really hope he comes good but that potential £7m was for a young marquee signing who wasn't going to blow the wage structure, not anything else.... 

We will know after Saturday's game whether we are good enough to kick on into play-off contention. Record against the top 6 so far is W2 D3 L4 but the losses include the Leeds and Sheff U away farces.  Only two games (derby away and Sheff U home have seen us out classed) and I'd argue we were at least competitive in the other 7 games even though we only won 2.

 Hull the only club showing genuine promotion form- if they have another ten games like the last ten they will be close to an automatic promotion slot.

Not sure I buy into the separate pot as that kind of money could've been spread around several young players i'm more along the lines of it was some of  the extra in income from going up being allowed to be spent. Maybe the surplus of this years budget for the first instalment after all the pay rises etc ?

 I agree there was probably certain criteria but was it laid down or recommended ?   Seems there was a rush to tie that money up in something before it was swallowed up on something else and this signing was a bit of a knee jerk when they became aware he was available.

Edited January 24, 2019 by tomphil

[Stuart]

48 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Sorry but I'm fucking fuming at TM for this decision to loan out three centre halves and not bring anyone else in. It's unacceptable, and will definitely bite us in the arse before the season is done.

We needed a new one before this window started. It has been our CLEAR achilles heel, a leaky error-prone defence. Since then, it's only a couple of weeks ago that we were so struck by injury there that we couldn't even field two actual centre halves (was it 0 we fielded? Can't quite recall). And now we loan out all the cover and don't want to get anyone in even on loan? First time I've said this, but are you fucking stupid Tony? His comments even imply that if we signed someone better than our four centre halves (three injury prone converted centre mids and a recently prone and fucking atrocious left back, who is also the only cover at left back) they would still be 5th choice. Maybe he misspoke but Jesus.

I had some bad personal news today so maybe I'm overreacting, but this really wound me up. I can't see any logic in it.

Hope you’re ok pal.

[ChrisPriceBaldSpot]

37 minutes ago, Stuart said:

I think Mowbray has.

I wouldn’t be racing to give him another wedge to spend. But then I’m not Venkys so who knows.

Part of the problem is that, unless I dreamt it, Mowbray came out previously and said there is money to spend if we need it. Well, we have no central defenders and with money seemingly no object why wouldn’t we go out for cover?

Such a shame Nixon isn’t around to tell us that “something has changed”. Like all of a sudden the phone stopped ringing about Dack...

No central defenders??? Have I missed 4 more outgoings.

God dam this caffeine free January!!! 

[HowieFive0]

41 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

I think Paul Downing would be touched to see that his departure has shattered the recent relative calm and positivity that was on here after our excellent run of results and performances this season.

If you love someone lads, let them know!

Preferably before they leave !

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Spot on. To me it doesn't seem as though the owners have snapped the purse strings shut , they spent plenty (eventually) in the summer and I was told money had been made available this window but TM was reluctant to spend it.

imo it all boils down to TM not wanting to upset the players who are already here and the apparent assumption that anyone coming in won't be dislodging the regulars and will only be here as back up.

There's also an article in the LT today with Evans who's basically saying how great it is that the senior players get a large amount of input in regular meetings and get a say in how we play etc.

This all smacks a bit of the inmates running the asylum to me. Might not happen this season but I can't see it ending up in anything other than tears eventually.

Mowbray is on record as saying he has an "elite player" team that he regularly consults with on team/playing matters.

I commented adversely about a week ago and was politely slated and told it was common practice in sport and business (ok I follow that part) , in sport look no further than Aussie cricket.

Anyway who's in this "elite" group, any ideas.

[Tom Stinny]

Just now, AllRoverAsia said:

Mowbray is on record as saying he has an "elite player" team that he regularly consults with on team/playing matters.

I commented adversely about a week ago and was politely slated and told it was common practice in sport and business (ok I follow that part) , in sport look no further than Aussie cricket.

Anyway who's in this "elite" group, any ideas.

Evans, Mulgrew, Graham and Smallwood along with William's 

[ChrisPriceBaldSpot]

1 minute ago, Tom Stinny said:

Evans, Mulgrew, Graham and Smallwood along with William's 

Bennett and Conway too I would imagine. 

[Ewood Ace]

1 hour ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Unless there are recall clauses for Wharton and Grayson... there must be 

Once the window shuts I believe that you cannot recall a player.

[Bigdoggsteel]

4 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

Once the window shuts I believe that you cannot recall a player.

Yeah? That must be a new rule then is it.

[CraigF]

http://bit.ly/2TjQUOU

Harry Chapman maybe be coming back this month on a long term deal with the possibility of being loaned out until the summer. Be a good bit of business if we could pull it off!

[Fraserkirky]

That was an extremely disappointing interview from Tony, sounds like someone that has blown his wad.

[MarkBRFC71]

So the options for our leaky (at times) central defence are 3 converted midfielders who between them are injury prone, getting on, or struggling a bit at this level, and a supposed left back who I'm still not entirely convinced is a footballer.  Wowzers.

[Ewood Ace]

19 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Yeah? That must be a new rule then is it.

I think it came in this season because there is no loan window now like there used to be. So now a player can only be recalled during a transfer window.

[roversfan99]

35 minutes ago, CraigF said:

http://bit.ly/2TjQUOU

Harry Chapman maybe be coming back this month on a long term deal with the possibility of being loaned out until the summer. Be a good bit of business if we could pull it off!

It would be a senseless move. One indicative of incredibly restricted and predictable scouting and recruitment, bringing back someone riddled with hamstring issues seemingly based on familiarity and sentiment. And assuming he is fit, to loan him out when we are short of wingers and an attacker down with Palmer returning would be equally brain dead.

[DeeCee]

So in summary, we've loaned out 3 players, lost one of the loanees we've had and aren't getting anyone in apart from possibly Chapman.

Jesus H on a bike!

[Stuart]

1 hour ago, ChrisPriceBaldSpot said:

No central defenders??? Have I missed 4 more outgoings.

God dam this caffeine free January!!! 

Mulgrew and Lenihan, and even Rodwell are midfielders. But ignoring that, we now have no back up - which was I meant.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

1 minute ago, DeeCee said:

So in summary, we've loaned out 3 players, lost one of the loanees we've had and aren't getting anyone in apart from possibly Chapman.

Jesus H on a bike!

Yup.  Something doesn't smell right..

[SBlue]

Just now, Stuart said:

Mulgrew and Lenihan, and even Rodwell are midfielders. But ignoring that, we now have no back up - which was I meant.

Really stretching for criticism to condemn Mulgrew and Lenihan as “just converted midfielders” having played 99% of the time at centre half for us.

Edited January 24, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[ChrisPriceBaldSpot]

Just now, Stuart said:

Mulgrew and Lenihan, and even Rodwell are midfielders. But ignoring that, we now have no back up - which was I meant.

If we can't get anybody in January at a price that is right then I am happy to wait until the summer. No point rushing in and signing just anyone as cover. It's all going to be about next season. This season is about stability and laying foundations for a promotion push next year. If we ended up getting promoted this year it would be nothing short of miraculous, but God I would dread next season in the Premier league. We would be whipping boys. Look at Fulham, they have spent 100+ millions and are in dire straits. If we can stick with this squad with perhaps a loan or two coming in this next week and finish mid table, then I think we will have completed our mission. 

I still have faith in TM even if others don't.