Mowbray’s Future

[Ewood Ace]

1 hour ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Mowbray needs to make improvements but it's ultimately up to Venkys. Will they open their wallet to buy what is needed for a promotion push?

The wallet was open in January when we were just outside the play offs, it was the manager's decision not spend. There are plenty of criticisms that can be aimed at the owners during their time here however one criticism that I don't think can be made is that they have not backed Mowbray over the course of this season. Multiple new and no doubt improved contracts to players, a new contract for Mowbray, over £10 Million on transfer and money that the manager chose not to spend in the winter. A  good manager at this level would have had a side in and around the top 6 with the money that Mowbray has been given this season.

[Blue blood]

Not sure I buy the "we've got mid table/survival  and consolidation was what we were aiming for so all's good" argument. 

Let's say you hire me to drive you to the airport. The first half of the journey is great, and I even know a few shortcuts so we're getting there quicker than you had hoped. But then half way through I suddenly have a few near misses with other cars, almost cause collisions, run a couple of red lights, and don't use my mirrors. No harm happens, but it's hairy. Not only that after the first near miss I acknowledge I need to watch the traffic better, pay more attention, and check my mirrors, but then continue to do none of that, and the journey continues into chaos, but fortunately no damage. Oh, and I have glasses to help me see the road better, but I only put them on when I'm struggling. You're telling me you'd get in the car with me again after that? What confidence would you have for me to get you safely back from the airport when you need a ride home? 

Which is why TM must go. Not because this season we're not where we should be but because of the manner of it. The 4 points out of 30. The blind stupidity of only having 3 injury prone centre backs on the books. The exclusion of Rothwell, and to a lesser extent Chapman, the continuation of favourites in the side regardless of how well they play, The only having 3 genuine goal threats in the team. The awful interviews of absolute horse manure (like Mulgrew's hamstring went because I shouted at him being my favourite). Wasting £7 million on Bereton, Not signing players who fit a system, I ask on what basis can there be confidence that TM is going to do better next season? Give him a transfer window to sort it out? He's not sorting out the little things he can adjust week to week. He's not adjusted anything in the last 2 transfer windows. 

 The only argument with any validity as I see it to TM staying is they'll get someone worse and that's a genuine fear and possibility imo. But let's not confuse that with TM being a good manager. A decent bloke possibly, though his comments of late have got me wobbling a bit on that. A good manager - not a chance. 

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I agree with you. He trusted his team to have the ability to be able to perform a higher level. For the most part he's right. Playoffs were pie in the sky talk. Fulham signed a new team who couldn't gel and have promptly been relegated.

Upheaval for upheaval's sake is never good for a football club, especially as one as mental as Rovers.

Mowbray needs to make improvements but it's ultimately up to Venkys. Will they open their wallet to buy what is needed for a promotion push?

Bit about Fulham is a good point in regards to expecting a raft of wholesale changes in summer then the excuse after the first ten games will be we need time to gel it's a new team. Then it'll be Christmas then next season etc etc.

Although them trying it in the Prem is futile they did get up after some decent spending and with parachutes and a seasons Prem money are now in a good place to recoup some and sort themselves out to go again.  Needs managing and running right of course but if they end up with a team not good enough for the Prem at the min but to0 good for the Champ it might not be as daft as it sounds.

Us making a load of changes will probably mean paying players off again then bringing in ones that don't cost much and who probably aren't much better just maybe a bit fresher and personally I don't trust someone like TM to do this nor do I trust the people Vs deal with judging by some of the overpaid injury prone under achievers that constantly find their way onto Rovers books when no one else will give them similar terms !!

Mowbray confuses things enough and I could definitely see us in the bottom 3 after 10 games going off what we've seen since Jan, hard luck stories every week don't wash with me we aren't a side who's spent the past 3 years in league 1 and become acclimatised to that we were very much a Champ team/set up and squad who should never have ended up in league 1.

If they added a few good players in key positions to this squad and put as much faith in vibrant youth and a good keeper then I've enough faith in him to think we could have a decent season though.

[DE.]

5 hours ago, Blue blood said:

A decent bloke possibly, though his comments of late have got me wobbling a bit on that. A good manager - not a chance. 

I agree with all of your post - but as far as his comments are concerned I don't think they are meant maliciously. I think he's made a lot of inadvisable and even stupid remarks (the stuff about Raya was unnecessary, as well as his comments on Rothwell and as you mentioned, the Mulgrew ridiculousness) but much of it is down to a combination of naivety and muddled thinking. I'm not sure TM can see the wood for the trees at the moment. A lot of the things he highlights are minor issues in terms of why we are where we are and the problems the team faces. At the open chat he did with the supporters he was far more candid and on the ball, but for whatever reason when he's talking to the press he comes out with a lot of questionable quotes. Perhaps some are aimed at the owners and their advisers - it wouldn't be the first time a manager of ours has used the press as a partial conduit to them, although Mowbray's supposed good relationship with Venky's should negate the need for those kind of tactics (and I'm also not sure what point he'd be making to them with a lot of his comments anyway).

[oldjamfan1]

20 hours ago, Blue blood said:

Not sure I buy the "we've got mid table/survival  and consolidation was what we were aiming for so all's good" argument. 

Let's say you hire me to drive you to the airport. The first half of the journey is great, and I even know a few shortcuts so we're getting there quicker than you had hoped. But then half way through I suddenly have a few near misses with other cars, almost cause collisions, run a couple of red lights, and don't use my mirrors. No harm happens, but it's hairy. Not only that after the first near miss I acknowledge I need to watch the traffic better, pay more attention, and check my mirrors, but then continue to do none of that, and the journey continues into chaos, but fortunately no damage. Oh, and I have glasses to help me see the road better, but I only put them on when I'm struggling. You're telling me you'd get in the car with me again after that? What confidence would you have for me to get you safely back from the airport when you need a ride home? 

Which is why TM must go. Not because this season we're not where we should be but because of the manner of it. The 4 points out of 30. The blind stupidity of only having 3 injury prone centre backs on the books. The exclusion of Rothwell, and to a lesser extent Chapman, the continuation of favourites in the side regardless of how well they play, The only having 3 genuine goal threats in the team. The awful interviews of absolute horse manure (like Mulgrew's hamstring went because I shouted at him being my favourite). Wasting £7 million on Bereton, Not signing players who fit a system, I ask on what basis can there be confidence that TM is going to do better next season? Give him a transfer window to sort it out? He's not sorting out the little things he can adjust week to week. He's not adjusted anything in the last 2 transfer windows. 

 The only argument with any validity as I see it to TM staying is they'll get someone worse and that's a genuine fear and possibility imo. But let's not confuse that with TM being a good manager. A decent bloke possibly, though his comments of late have got me wobbling a bit on that. A good manager - not a chance. 

Excellent post and a cracking analogy in the airport driving tale!