Summer Transfer Window 2019

[SBlue]

Just now, arbitro said:

Aren't Venkys the owners of Blackburn Rovers including Ewood and Brockhall?

I never actually said sell Ewood by the way. My point was that several clubs owners have 'sponsored' the grounds for astronomical fees.

It's all academic really. They don't invest in us.

All this talk about FFP and budgets betray short memories that we are something like -£50m net spend on the squad under these lot. 

Edited July 22, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[roverandout]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Good point. It does seem maybe brave on his behalf to come here knowing that he will be competing with a pretty experienced keeper. Particualrly as he has been a starter pretty much most of the 2 past seasons. I don't think we are going to sign Hart, Carson or Foster, more like a keeper from europe who it will be nip and tuck with Walton for the number 1 jersey. 

 

You need to stop using text speak. We aren't 12 years old. 

What? Using u or Ur? Yes I'm sure those two words are hard to comprehend. K? Ow r u doing with that 

[47er]

12 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

There’s no point arguing. ?

But of course you will!

[rovers11]

I struggle to see the logic in signing Walton on loan and bringing in an experienced GK on a perm. Surely the experienced GK will be the one to start which leaves Walton warming the bench. Walton is a very good young GK, but it’s hard to get excited about a player who won’t be ours longer term. 

Also slightly concerned about the comment that “we'll see what’s left in the budget” after the two signings today. Two GKs and a loan signing in defence will not sort out our defence problems. I’m hoping that’s just a smokescreen to catch other clubs off guard who also may be chasing the same players we are. 

[RoverCanada]

Just now, arbitro said:

Aren't Venkys the owners of Blackburn Rovers including Ewood and Brockhall?

I never actually said sell Ewood by the way. My point was that several clubs owners have 'sponsored' the grounds for astronomical fees.

I honestly don't know the exact accounting/ownership details, but the way it essentially works for Derby, for example, is Mel Morris owns both Derby County FC, and all the assets within that company, and a separate Company A. Derby FC sells Pride Park to Company A, they claim the difference in the sale value and its book value as an 'intangible' profit, and then Company A leases Pride Park back to Derby for an annual fee (hence the deal allows for a large, one-off increase in profits, which helps for the 3-year FFP window, but it actually increases Derby's year-to-year running costs!)

(Derby is a particularly weird structure though as they've got a parent company with a bunch of subsidiaries within it...)

Again, I don't know the detail here, but I'd guess for Rovers it would be Venky's London Limited (under which I believe Ewood Park is included as an asset?) selling Ewood Park to some other company that Venky's owns in the UK, then 'leasing' its use back to the football club for an annual fee. I don't know if Venky's has any other UK-based companies... but I suspect they could make it work somehow (or find an amenable 3rd-party).

This obviously breaches the 'spirit' of FFP to some extent, but it is rather clever!

(Happy to be corrected on any of the above!)

My understanding is Venky's have already maxed out their commercial sponsorship with us. Hence why our commercial income has held study at about £5m/year despite relegation, declining attendance, etc. (While a club like Wigan, for example, saw its commercial income drop to about £1m recently). These things are watched for under FFP, so you can't just plow in £20m and claim it's all commercial sponsorship-related (hence why Man City's at risk at the moment, but there's of course reason to be cynical about how that will wrap up...). It would need to track the going rates for such sponsorship. Perhaps they could juice that up further by sticking a big Venky's sign on Ewood Park and renaming it the Venky's Chicken Coop or whatever... but again, that may not go down well with supporters

Edited July 22, 2019 by RoverCanada

[roverandout]

My feeling about the lack of spending is either 

A. venkys won't give mowbary an acceptable budget whilst expecting some kind of miraculous play off push. Which is totally unrealistic

Or B. Mowbary has been offered a sizable budget but won't accept it as he doesn't want to put his job at risk if his signings flop. 

 

Either way as it stands any talk of promotion push is completely pie in the sky. Maybe things will change between now and the end of the window

[Peteb2014]

Simon Eastwood to return as the other keeper

[JBiz]

Just now, Peteb2014 said:

Simon Eastwood to return as the other keeper

 

[davulsukur]

Just now, Peteb2014 said:

Simon Eastwood to return as the other keeper

Eh? For real?

[rovers11]

Just now, Peteb2014 said:

Simon Eastwood to return as the other keeper

That would make sense. Walton is surely not coming here to sit on the bench; and Eastwood is an experienced, cheap option who won’t mind being a back-up GK. 

[Norbert Rassragr]

Wasn't Eastwood crap?

[Bigdoggsteel]

Have to say I would be very underwhelmed by Walton and Eastwood. 

[Madon]

Just now, Norbert Rassragr said:

Wasn't Eastwood crap?

He had an absolute worldie game vs Boro, infact it is probably the best goalkeeping performance I've ever seen live. Apart from that I remember him being pretty steady away.

[Angry_Pirate]

5 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Happy to loan this lad but Mowbray has a history of not playing loan players or not playing them in their correct position.

Ironically with Adarabioyo, he will almost certainly "play" (if used) in his "best" position (CB). With all the new attacking and midfield signings made, Mowbray knows that the only place where he can now shoehorn Bennett is RB... who we know has to start.

What I wouldn't give for a manager who I actually trusted to play his best players through choice.

[Mattyblue]

Joe Hart, Fraser Forster, Ruddy... to lad from Wigan and Simon Eastwood.

[JBiz]

Just now, Norbert Rassragr said:

Wasn't Eastwood crap?

My overriding memory is Scott Dann berating him and being 3-0 to Birmingham at home.

[JHRover]

46 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

We were told at the last consultation meeting by both Steve Waggott and Mike Cheston that it would be tight with regard to FFP by next summer.

Even more concerning then that we've allowed such substantial transfer funds to be tied up in two players unlikely to feature very much. 

I personally find it incomprehensible that having witnessed what we did last season, particularly from December through to March, that we are sat here 12 days before the season starts with a weaker defence than we had last season.

I find it unacceptable that having sold Raya almost 3 weeks ago with a sale progressing well before that we're still waiting to address that area.

I don't demand big money be spent and dont accept spending money is a risk to the club's future. That depends on how the owners intend to cover it. But I do expect whatever resources we have should be allocated to improve the team immediately and not on long term projects to try and sell on for a big profit down the line.

There are two sides to FFp. Beyond cost cutting and balancing spending there is increasing income. Waggott's failed season ticket policy is a big problem and he appears to have made little progress on that front.

I also don't accept that 'at least it isn't as bad as at Bolton or Bury' is a reason to be positive or grateful. The situation at Bury is very different to that at Rovers and whilst the Bolton one is more similar they are at the extreme end of the scale. Setting our stall on avoiding ending up in their state isn't going to get the club anywhere.

[SBlue]

Just now, Norbert Rassragr said:

Wasn't Eastwood crap?

Done well for Oxford.

I'll never forgive him for not volleying in that equaliser vs Liverpool.

[LDRover]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Joe Hart, Fraser Forster, Ruddy... to lad from Wigan and Simon Eastwood.

Yeah. Shades of Riquelme to Petrovic back in the day

[skous18]

Just now, Biz said:

My overriding memory is Scott Dann berating him and being 3-0 to Birmingham at home.

I remember him missing that golden chance in the injury time to equalize against Liverpool

[Angry_Pirate]

Walton and Simon Eastwood.

This is a joke, no?

If true. Love to hear people saying that selling Raya wasn't a mistake now. 

Raya and Leutwiler over Walton (loan) and Eastwood. No contest.

Tin-Pot Tony.

[Give 'Em the Axe]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Have to say I would be very underwhelmed by Walton and Eastwood. 

Very much so.

[davulsukur]

Just now, Angry_Pirate said:

Ironically with Adarabioyo, he will almost certainly "play" (if used) in his "best" position (CB). With all the new attacking and midfield signings made, Mowbray knows that the only place where he can now shoehorn Bennett is RB... who we know has to start.

What I wouldn't give for a manager who I actually trusted to play his best players through choice.

If he persists with Benno at right back, this lad will be recalled by Xmas.

[Mattyblue]

Fairly obvious, as alluded to by TM, that the sale of Raya was a necessity and nothing to do with ‘wanting experience and a keeper with game management’

£3 million into the budget, and replace him with a lad of the same age on loan and a cheap, back up journeyman.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Mattyblue

[roverandout]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Joe Hart, Fraser Forster, Ruddy... to lad from Wigan and Simon Eastwood.

Mowbary just can't attract decent players. He's a dinosaur of a manager. This season is only going one way and it isn't up