Tony Mowbray Discussion

[G Somerset Rover]

26 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

coyle did the simple thing,played gallagher as proper c/f and got crosses and service to him,nothing complicated,don`t want to praise him but it`s an illustration on why you should put players in their proper positions and make them aware of their jobs

He shouldn't be playing RW end of, but he doesn't have a strikers instinct. He's never on the end of crosses - even Samuel showed him up on that yesterday (albeit with woeful finishing). 

[chaddyrovers]

17 hours ago, Mercer said:

For how long and why?

Would you ever sack him and under what circumstances?

hows long is a piece of string Mercer with 1st question

If we was lower than last season place finish next season after a number of games 

16 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Reasons?

I think we have improve from last season to this season. He has improved players like Nyambe, Lenihan, Travis and Armstrong into key players for our club and the future. He is bringing through players like Rankin Costello from our academy so I am pleased we are bringing through more and more of these players. His signings of Downing and Adarabioyo have been very good additions. Plus we have invested time and money into this European scouting Network so we have to give him time to make it work. Plus without Dack for half the season and us being so close this season means that with next season with a few good additions including an experience 1st choice keeper, partner for Lenihan and 1st choice left back I feel we can make the playoffs. With FFP rules and from what we can see in the accounts there does appear to be very little room for manoeuvre unless these FFP rules are change or relaxed for a season or 2.. Plus isn't our wage budget around mid table to lower half of the league.  

Yes Mowbray does have his faults and no one can deny this but I am believe that there is more positives than negatives about Mowbray's time at the club. 

Yes people will disagree with my point of view and that's fine by me. Everyone has their opinion on the type of manager or possible manager names they would like to see and the style of play they would like to see us play to progress us forward but I am happy with Mowbray to remain manager for next season. 

[chaddyrovers]

17 hours ago, Ewood Ace said:

Is it just me who hasn't got a cue what a false 9 actually is. It seems to me like another example of Mowbray over complicating things. Just stick a a centre forward through the middle, it's not rocket science.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/what-is-a-false-nine-football-tactics-explained

Firmino at Liverpool is a false 9 striker. 

I have seen Messi or Fabregas play the false 9 role under Pep at Barcelona or Sterling has at City. Also Spain national played a false 9 during their successful time at national level 

[rigger]

2 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/what-is-a-false-nine-football-tactics-explained

Firmino at Liverpool is a false 9 striker. 

I have seen Messi or Fabregas play the false 9 role under Pep at Barcelona or Sterling has at City. Also Spain national played a false 9 during their successful time at national level 

Well if they can play that tactic, it should be no problem for the Rovers . But what I think Ewood ace meant is that a deep center forward is still a center forward the position doesn’t have to be given a separate name.

Edited July 1, 2020 by rigger

[JacknOry]

3 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/what-is-a-false-nine-football-tactics-explained

Firmino at Liverpool is a false 9 striker. 

I have seen Messi or Fabregas play the false 9 role under Pep at Barcelona or Sterling has at City. Also Spain national played a false 9 during their successful time at national level 

All magnificent players playing with other magnificent players. Our players are not good enough to make that system work. he has tried it with Dack numerous times, Holtby now and while they are both good players, the rest of the team does not have the nous to play it.

Would love to see Liverpool, Barca or Man City pull it off with SG and BB on the wings.

Edited July 1, 2020 by JacknOry

[Exiled_Rover]

21 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

hows long is a piece of string Mercer with 1st question

If we was lower than last season place finish next season after a number of games 

I think we have improve from last season to this season. He has improved players like Nyambe, Lenihan, Travis and Armstrong into key players for our club and the future. He is bringing through players like Rankin Costello from our academy so I am pleased we are bringing through more and more of these players. His signings of Downing and Adarabioyo have been very good additions. Plus we have invested time and money into this European scouting Network so we have to give him time to make it work. Plus without Dack for half the season and us being so close this season means that with next season with a few good additions including an experience 1st choice keeper, partner for Lenihan and 1st choice left back I feel we can make the playoffs. With FFP rules and from what we can see in the accounts there does appear to be very little room for manoeuvre unless these FFP rules are change or relaxed for a season or 2.. Plus isn't our wage budget around mid table to lower half of the league.  

Yes Mowbray does have his faults and no one can deny this but I am believe that there is more positives than negatives about Mowbray's time at the club. 

Yes people will disagree with my point of view and that's fine by me. Everyone has their opinion on the type of manager or possible manager names they would like to see and the style of play they would like to see us play to progress us forward but I am happy with Mowbray to remain manager for next season. 

On the flip side, he's spunked £12m on two non-entities who he tries to shoe-horn into the squad (when he's not isolating one of them), completely unbalancing the side. This has also completely shafted us with FFP.

He also has a L1 footballer as our Captain and fits him into the starting XI any way he can. 

Is the club in a better state than when he took over? Undoubtedly. Has he taken the club as far as he can? Almost certainly.

Edited July 1, 2020 by Exiled_Rover

[chaddyrovers]

1 minute ago, Exiled_Rover said:

On the flip side, he's spunked £12m on two non-entities who he tries to shoe-horn into the squad (when he's not isolating one of them), completely unbalancing the side. This has also completely shafted us with FFP.

He also has a L1 footballer as our Captain and fits him into the starting XI any way he can. 

Is the club in a better state than when he took over? Undoubtedly. Has he taken the club as far as he can? Almost certainly.

Like I said Mowbray has his faults. I have posted my thoughts on the Brereton and Gallagher signings over the past months and years. I did think Brereton signing was a good signing at the time from what I seen of the player at that time. Now if both signings have fired us to promotion then he would be hailed as a hero and masterclass Mowbray. Other teams have wasted money on Strikers over the last year but only hindsight time you this. 

Why are so many people obsess who the captain is. Cos tbh it doesn't matter in all honest

Yes the club is in much better state when he took over and no I disagree he has taken the club as far as he can. 

[JacknOry]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Like I said Mowbray has his faults. I have posted my thoughts on the Brereton and Gallagher signings over the past months and years. I did think Brereton signing was a good signing at the time from what I seen of the player at that time. Now if both signings have fired us to promotion then he would be hailed as a hero and masterclass Mowbray. Other teams have wasted money on Strikers over the last year but only hindsight time you this. 

Why are so many people obsess who the captain is. Cos tbh it doesn't matter in all honest

Yes the club is in much better state when he took over and no I disagree he has taken the club as far as he can. 

it matters cos your captain should be someone who is one of the first names on the teamsheet (if not the first). Gives him another ready made excuse to slot Benno in somewhere. 

[Stuart]

9 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

Mowbray's contract lasts until 2022.  With the club reluctant to refund season ticket holders, due to the financial situation, I doubt much thought will be given to paying off Mowbray and his staff anytime soon.  

The events at Wigan show just how precarious the situation is for many clubs - Rovers included - due to the virus.  I've no doubt that Mowbray will, at the very least, be given next season to try to break into the top six.  With finances so stretched I'm not sure how he - or indeed anyone who took his place - will be able to rebuild the squad in the way that it needs.  Personally, I like Mowbray and think, on the whole, he has done a decent job since he arrived.  Like all managers he has made mistakes. Some of the tactics can seem strange - still no idea was a false 9 is - unless it's another way of describing Gallagher or Brereton in terms of non-scoring forwards. Those two have been huge disappoints and costly mistakes.   A bit like Bob Saxton before him, he's been loyal to players and, like Saxton, that may ultimately cost him.  But, due to the financial situation I suspect he will see out his contract unless he decides otherwise.

Not buying that. Extending deals for non-playing players, who aren’t up to standard, undermines the pauper approach.

[roversfan99]

18 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

hows long is a piece of string Mercer with 1st question

If we was lower than last season place finish next season after a number of games 

I think we have improve from last season to this season. He has improved players like Nyambe, Lenihan, Travis and Armstrong into key players for our club and the future. He is bringing through players like Rankin Costello from our academy so I am pleased we are bringing through more and more of these players. His signings of Downing and Adarabioyo have been very good additions. Plus we have invested time and money into this European scouting Network so we have to give him time to make it work. Plus without Dack for half the season and us being so close this season means that with next season with a few good additions including an experience 1st choice keeper, partner for Lenihan and 1st choice left back I feel we can make the playoffs. With FFP rules and from what we can see in the accounts there does appear to be very little room for manoeuvre unless these FFP rules are change or relaxed for a season or 2.. Plus isn't our wage budget around mid table to lower half of the league.  

Yes Mowbray does have his faults and no one can deny this but I am believe that there is more positives than negatives about Mowbray's time at the club. 

Yes people will disagree with my point of view and that's fine by me. Everyone has their opinion on the type of manager or possible manager names they would like to see and the style of play they would like to see us play to progress us forward but I am happy with Mowbray to remain manager for next season. 

1. The concept of progress and improvement now does somewhat hang in the balance. We are 4 points behind last seasons points tally, with 6 difficult games to go including the top 2, Cardiff and Milwall. If we was to finish on the same or even less points than last season, would that cause any doubts as to whether youd want him to stay?

2. You regularly mention this European scouting network. Firstly I feel that you are under delusions of grandeur in terms of it all clicking into place and our summer will just be first of all a normal one considering the pandemic (example A being Wigan) and also that we are going to go and sign numerous players from the continent to improve us. But presuming that it is all systems go, why does that have to stop with Mowbray? The scouting network surely doesnt stop in his head.

3. You mention his signings which are a mixed bag but in terms of progress, it doesnt look good. Firstly, obviously we have lost Raya, with his faults sure, signed a goalkeeper no better who this summer has gone. So this summer to last summer, we are down an asset. We spent that money and a bit more on possibly our biggest owner who is absolute shite and a total liability on our wage bill. We cant get rid and hes of no use. Throw in Johnson, another high earning non contributor and weve got 2 big earning failures and of course a hole instead of an asset in goal. Holtby is a good addition for another season who has mainly been used wrongly, Adarabioyo has been good but will go back and leave a hole, and Downing again has been a good signing might get another year but even post lockdown his influence is waning. Are we even in a better position compared to last summer in terms of this seasons recruitment? Not sure we are at all.

4. The 4 you mentioned are all key, but is Rankin Costello a symbol of success on Mowbrays behalf? An assist for a fifth goal at Sheffield Wednesday his sole contribution to date. Buckley has only really had one good game. Chapman has been totally wasted. Davenport has also rotted away and the less said about Brereton the better. Not sure that area really is a qualified success either.

5. You are constantly defending the club for its policy (inconsistently applied in Bell's case) of dithering and waiting regarding budgets. Do you agree that with any lingering play off hopes now gone, the budget should be agreed NOW between our incompetent owners and the manager to ensure that we can be proactive?

 

[phili]

42 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

I think we have improve from last season to this season. He has improved players like Nyambe, Lenihan, Travis and Armstrong into key players for our club and the future. He is bringing through players like Rankin Costello from our academy so I am pleased we are bringing through more and more of these players. His signings of Downing and Adarabioyo have been very good additions. Plus we have invested time and money into this European scouting Network so we have to give him time to make it work. Plus without Dack for half the season and us being so close this season means that with next season with a few good additions including an experience 1st choice keeper, partner for Lenihan and 1st choice left back I feel we can make the playoffs. With FFP rules and from what we can see in the accounts there does appear to be very little room for manoeuvre unless these FFP rules are change or relaxed for a season or 2.. Plus isn't our wage budget around mid table to lower half of the league.  

 

Have Nyambe, Lenihan and Travis improved under Tony's coaching though? I am not that sure, Travis is certainly no where near the player he should be. His natural box to box game seems to have been coached out of him and we will end up selling him for a lot less than we could have done.

The whole point of coaching should be to improve the value of the player both financially and to the benefit of the team and our set up is a long way from doing that.

[roversfan99]

Just now, phili said:

Have Nyambe, Lenihan and Travis improved under Tony's coaching though? I am not that sure, Travis is certainly no where near the player he should be. His natural box to box game seems to have been coached out of him and we will end up selling him for a lot less than we could have done.

The whole point of coaching should be to improve the value of the player both financially and to the benefit of the team and our set up is a long way from doing that.

To be fair to Mowbray, I dont think its fair to give him anything but praise regarding Travis. He has consistently and quite rightly played him since he broke through and often with Evans to allow Travis to break forward.

Nyambe is an interesting one. He has come on leaps and bounds this season but hes still far from the complete player and there was a long while when Bennett was shoehorned in over him which cant have helped.

[phili]

Also what is the point of our European Scouting Network with FFP hanging over us? 

If FFP is still being implemented next season and to comply we need to reduce our losses by around £8-10m, so talk of a transfer budget and increased wages is pretty far fetched.. We all know we need 5-6 new players in the summer to stay still never mind progress and I don't know how that can be achieved.

The Covid crisis will most probably mean our season ticket sales, whenever they go on sale, will be down to around 4,000. So another £2m of lost revenue from these need to be found as well.

[AllRoverAsia]

3 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

This is round 200 of the same Mowbray discussion.

It's pretty clear that he is a decent man, a manager who players like, and a person who holds some integrity.

It's also clear that results under him, in the Championship anyway, are like a roller coaster. 5 or 6 games of promotion form is followed by a massive dip where relegation looks imminent.

This is who he is. He won't get fired, nor will he leave. He'll finish between 8th and 10th, then say the right things this summer.

Well at least he had success at the 'relegation looks imminent' tactic. That worked well for him, came back as a God who saved us from L1.

[Elvis Biro]

At last I've finally got the Tony M masterplan! No scintilla of a clue as to player recruitment/tactics/team selection/corporate structure or any of that shit? Compliant,dozy faraway owners who don't give a toss and will continue to bankroll you, seemingly endlessly? Then just wait for all the the teams above you to go into administration! It might take a while, but hey, we've got plenty of that, and I think those dozy arseholes in Pune will welcome a long term, well thought out plan.

 

I'm 67 years old, I've been watching and supporting the Rovers since the late fifties. And I'm bloody depressed.

[AllRoverAsia]

 

 

 

 

️

3

Just now, Elvis Biro said:

At last I've finally got the Tony M masterplan! No scintilla of a clue as to player recruitment/tactics/team selection/corporate structure or any of that shit? Compliant,dozy faraway owners who don't give a toss and will continue to bankroll you, seemingly endlessly? Then just wait for all the the teams above you to go into administration! It might take a while, but hey, we've got plenty of that, and I think those dozy arseholes in Pune will welcome a long term, well thought out plan.

 

I'm 67 years old, I've been watching and supporting the Rovers since the late fifties. And I'm bloody depressed.

I'm 68 and this shower of shit have ruined a decade of my life BUT I got to see Bryan Douglas grace Ewood Park so feck them all, Mowbray, Waffott included. 

[Elvis Biro]

Amen to that. I went to The testimonial matches of Clayton and Douglas.

[Claytons Left Boot]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/what-is-a-false-nine-football-tactics-explained

Firmino at Liverpool is a false 9 striker. 

I have seen Messi or Fabregas play the false 9 role under Pep at Barcelona or Sterling has at City. Also Spain national played a false 9 during their successful time at national level 

As well as playing a false 9, we also play a false 1 in the nets, a false 3 at left back, a false 7 on the right wing and any number of other false numbers wherever the square pegs are being pushed into round holes. Even Mr Mowbray could be deemed a false manager..

[simongarnerisgod]

4 minutes ago, Elvis Biro said:

Amen to that. I went to The testimonial matches of Clayton and Douglas.

mowbray would have said to douglas "you`re to flighty and play to far up the pitch,forget all that attacking stuff,similarly to clayton "sorry ronnie,you`re not developed enough to play in the first team, and you don`t listen to me enough"

[Mercer]

52 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Like I said Mowbray has his faults. I have posted my thoughts on the Brereton and Gallagher signings over the past months and years. I did think Brereton signing was a good signing at the time from what I seen of the player at that time. Now if both signings have fired us to promotion then he would be hailed as a hero and masterclass Mowbray. Other teams have wasted money on Strikers over the last year but only hindsight time you this.  and if my aunt had a d!ck she'd be my uncle !!!

Why are so many people obsess who the captain is. Cos tbh it doesn't matter in all honest  Absolute b0ll0cks  - ask Dalglish, Ferguson and Wenger how important Sherwood, Keane and Adams were!!!!!

Yes the club is in much better state when he took over and no I disagree he has taken the club as far as he can. 

 

[Blue blood]

40 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

hows long is a piece of string Mercer with 1st question

If we was lower than last season place finish next season after a number of games 

I think we have improve from last season to this season. He has improved players like Nyambe, Lenihan, Travis and Armstrong into key players for our club and the future. He is bringing through players like Rankin Costello from our academy so I am pleased we are bringing through more and more of these players. His signings of Downing and Adarabioyo have been very good additions. Plus we have invested time and money into this European scouting Network so we have to give him time to make it work. Plus without Dack for half the season and us being so close this season means that with next season with a few good additions including an experience 1st choice keeper, partner for Lenihan and 1st choice left back I feel we can make the playoffs. With FFP rules and from what we can see in the accounts there does appear to be very little room for manoeuvre unless these FFP rules are change or relaxed for a season or 2.. Plus isn't our wage budget around mid table to lower half of the league.  

 Yes Mowbray does have his faults and no one can deny this but I am believe that there is more positives than negatives about Mowbray's time at the club. 

Yes people will disagree with my point of view and that's fine by me. Everyone has their opinion on the type of manager or possible manager names they would like to see and the style of play they would like to see us play to progress us forward but I am happy with Mowbray to remain manager for next season. 

Just to say Chaddy I this is one of your best posts as you give reasons for your thoughts and I can see the logic and evidence of some of them. As I've said before, just because you have an opinion doesn't make it correct or valid (for example I could think the moon is made of cheese, which isn't an opinion that should be taken seriously.) In this case however, I think you do name some very valid strengths of TM, showing he's not a complete duffer. 

Do these outweigh the negatives - I massively disagree on that. I think the spunking of the budget (more of that in the next post) would be a huge negative. Overall I don't think his record in the transfer window is very good, but will admit from this when he gets it right he gets it very right. Sadly that's not often the case. His constant playing players out of position is another. And keeping players playing long into badly performing runs is a third issue. Given the first has huge implications for us and the second and third are so basic and shouldn't be happening, for me it's a taken us as far as he can. No good manager would make such basic regular mistakes which are massively hurting us, and the loss of £12 mill plus in resources is something we cannot afford.     

7 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Like I said Mowbray has his faults. I have posted my thoughts on the Brereton and Gallagher signings over the past months and years. I did think Brereton signing was a good signing at the time from what I seen of the player at that time. Now if both signings have fired us to promotion then he would be hailed as a hero and masterclass Mowbray. Other teams have wasted money on Strikers over the last year but only hindsight time you this. 

Why are so many people obsess who the captain is. Cos tbh it doesn't matter in all honest

Yes the club is in much better state when he took over and no I disagree he has taken the club as far as he can. 

I'm a bit less convinced with this one mind. I get there is an element of hindsight but there was some evidence at the time. Certainly the fees paid represented an outlay that only should have been spent on proven talent, and as you yourself have said, you'd have spent the Gally money on a keeper and couple of defenders (which I agree with.) None of that is hindsight. We all knew what sort of quality that sort of money should bring in. We all knew the defence needed more strengthening. And we all knew what type of player Gally was like. I honestly think Samuel is the best of the three strikers he has brought (excluding Armstrong.) At least he gets into positions even if he fluffs them. and Samuel isn't that good but for ten and twelve times the amount Samuel cost, you have to be getting much better and we didn't The risk was huge and it has come back to haunt us. Plus even if it was pure hindsight (and I'd say it's not as scouting, common sense and previous experience should mitigate this) the fact is it hasn't worked out and the blame for that rests on TM. Basically I think he could and should have known better on both signings. Buying players isn't a lottery, it's educated speculation. If we go down the we can only know with hindsight route, then we can't credit him with the signings of Dack or Armstrong either. So do think he has to take the blame on this one. No ducking, diving or excuses. He mucked up. 

Captain does matter on two levels. Firstly they lead by example and a good captain can make a big difference to team attitude and moral. Secondly you have to play your captain, so if your captain is a player who shouldn't be playing, and you play him anyway because he is captain, you are weakening the team. So it does matter, because it affects the quality of your first 11. In Bennett's case he shouldn't be first choice at right back or right mid, and definitely shouldn't be playing at all at left back which is suicidal. So yeah, the captain makes a difference. To think we've gone from the likes of Flitty and Nelson to Bennett.It's a hell of a comedown. (And I don't mean we're at a lower level, I mean as in the role and character the captain has in the team.) 

A much better state then when he came. I'd agree better, but not on the much. Bare in mind as well that this really is a tallest dwarf competition - we'd had years of Venkys pulling the plug, and living solely off frees, selling our best talent and replacing them for peanuts. We'd also had a clueless manager with not even a shoestring for a budget, and had languished under his ministrations. So yeah, 6 windows and 12 million plus in fees later, it's no wonder we are in a better position.

That said we're not in that much of a better position. We go into next season with no keeper and half a defence. We have 4 non scoring forwards .Our best two players when he arrived - Mulgrew and Graham are both aging and haven't been adequately replaced, whilst the likes of Johnson and Downing are also getting on and will need replacing. (Johnson doubly as he is so poor at times.) We need at least 5 players next year just to stand still, let alone improve. We still don't know our best formation, our style or best 11 three years after he has joined. For me that isn't much progress, that's a mess.

Interesting we compare vs Coyle, which is no comparison at all, but how does this team and squad compare to the Bowyer one pre FFP. Rhodes and Gestede are streets ahead of our current strikers, with King as another tasty option. Out wide the creativity, flair and supply of Conway and Marshall, as well as Cairney gave us loads of attacking options. We also had Hanley and Duffy as centre backs. Did we have Olsson at left back too. Sure there were a few duff ones, a favourite shoehorned into the side even at full back and a terrible keeper. Doesn't seem that dissimilar to now. But the first 11. I;d say it was better then, or that fewer pieces of the puzzle were needed. 

 

[Bigdoggsteel]

4 hours ago, Parsonblue said:

Mowbray's contract lasts until 2022.  With the club reluctant to refund season ticket holders, due to the financial situation, I doubt much thought will be given to paying off Mowbray and his staff anytime soon.  

The events at Wigan show just how precarious the situation is for many clubs - Rovers included - due to the virus.  I've no doubt that Mowbray will, at the very least, be given next season to try to break into the top six.  With finances so stretched I'm not sure how he - or indeed anyone who took his place - will be able to rebuild the squad in the way that it needs.  Personally, I like Mowbray and think, on the whole, he has done a decent job since he arrived.  Like all managers he has made mistakes. Some of the tactics can seem strange - still no idea was a false 9 is - unless it's another way of describing Gallagher or Brereton in terms of non-scoring forwards. Those two have been huge disappoints and costly mistakes.   A bit like Bob Saxton before him, he's been loyal to players and, like Saxton, that may ultimately cost him.  But, due to the financial situation I suspect he will see out his contract unless he decides otherwise.

Ya, you're probably on the money there 

[davulsukur]

As we are now know which division we will be in next season, we should be planning for next season now. We are desperately short in some areas of the pitch, thanks to Mowbray and it's a huge concern that we are likely going to need to sign some key players for pretty much nothing, assuming we have no budget at all due to Covid and FFP.

I can't see us doing anything but going backwards next season. If Mowbray remains stubborn in his use of Gallagher/Brereton with this inside forward rubbish, we could be in serious trouble.

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

1. The concept of progress and improvement now does somewhat hang in the balance. We are 4 points behind last seasons points tally, with 6 difficult games to go including the top 2, Cardiff and Milwall. If we was to finish on the same or even less points than last season, would that cause any doubts as to whether youd want him to stay?

2. You regularly mention this European scouting network. Firstly I feel that you are under delusions of grandeur in terms of it all clicking into place and our summer will just be first of all a normal one considering the pandemic (example A being Wigan) and also that we are going to go and sign numerous players from the continent to improve us. But presuming that it is all systems go, why does that have to stop with Mowbray? The scouting network surely doesnt stop in his head.

3. You mention his signings which are a mixed bag but in terms of progress, it doesnt look good. Firstly, obviously we have lost Raya, with his faults sure, signed a goalkeeper no better who this summer has gone. So this summer to last summer, we are down an asset. We spent that money and a bit more on possibly our biggest owner who is absolute shite and a total liability on our wage bill. We cant get rid and hes of no use. Throw in Johnson, another high earning non contributor and weve got 2 big earning failures and of course a hole instead of an asset in goal. Holtby is a good addition for another season who has mainly been used wrongly, Adarabioyo has been good but will go back and leave a hole, and Downing again has been a good signing might get another year but even post lockdown his influence is waning. Are we even in a better position compared to last summer in terms of this seasons recruitment? Not sure we are at all.

4. The 4 you mentioned are all key, but is Rankin Costello a symbol of success on Mowbrays behalf? An assist for a fifth goal at Sheffield Wednesday his sole contribution to date. Buckley has only really had one good game. Chapman has been totally wasted. Davenport has also rotted away and the less said about Brereton the better. Not sure that area really is a qualified success either.

5. You are constantly defending the club for its policy (inconsistently applied in Bell's case) of dithering and waiting regarding budgets. Do you agree that with any lingering play off hopes now gone, the budget should be agreed NOW between our incompetent owners and the manager to ensure that we can be proactive?

 

so on to your points. 

1. yes 6 games to go with 4 games against top half which statically we do better against. 

2. Different managers use and want different things from the scouting department. Not every manager will want signings from Europe or from the leagues we have scouted. Some managers will want to bring in their own scouts or head of recruitment. 

3. We all know what want on with us trying to get a replacement in for Raya who wanted out from Rovers. Mowbray has said he is going to try to bring Adarabioyo back to Rovers if he can next season. Downing will deffo get another 12 months and right so. His influence is waning since Lockdown. really? He had a good game against Bristol City, Poor at Wigan and Okay yesterday. On Summer signings, I have said what we need in terms of recruiting signings this next transfer window which is around 6 signings without losing any key players. 

4. Rankin Costello and Buckley are a symbol of Mowbray and the staff at Brockhall working and developing these academy players. Chapman and Davenport arent from our Academy which was my original point. We have Hayden Carter, Lewis Thompson, Jack Vale, etc who are exciting prospects coming through our Academy setup and hopefully into the 1st team

5. 6 games to go and still Cardiff, WBA, Leeds and Millwall to play so we have a chance. Might not be a great chance but still a chance. Mowbray has said he has different transfer targets lists depending on the budget plus as I have highlighted to yourself several times which you overlook every single time we have no restart date, no decision on FFP rules being relax like UEFA have done, possible salary cap coming in, The latest Coronavirus situation 

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, Blue blood said:

Just to say Chaddy I this is one of your best posts as you give reasons for your thoughts and I can see the logic and evidence of some of them. As I've said before, just because you have an opinion doesn't make it correct or valid (for example I could think the moon is made of cheese, which isn't an opinion that should be taken seriously.) In this case however, I think you do name some very valid strengths of TM, showing he's not a complete duffer. 

Thanks

1 hour ago, Blue blood said:

I'm a bit less convinced with this one mind. I get there is an element of hindsight but there was some evidence at the time. Certainly the fees paid represented an outlay that only should have been spent on proven talent, and as you yourself have said, you'd have spent the Gally money on a keeper and couple of defenders (which I agree with.) None of that is hindsight. We all knew what sort of quality that sort of money should bring in. We all knew the defence needed more strengthening. And we all knew what type of player Gally was like.

Yes I did as I felt a good centre back partner for Lenihan was a must. Plus an experience keeper. 

My hindsight point about Gallagher was he could have been success if he had score goals like before. not about what the priorities where last summer which was keeper, Left back and centre back. we got all 3 but Walton has been overall poor, Adarabioyo has been good and Cunningham got injured early doors. 

1 hour ago, Blue blood said:

A much better state then when he came. I'd agree better, but not on the much.

We had no assets at the club when he came into the club we do now 

1 hour ago, Blue blood said:

That said we're not in that much of a better position. We go into next season with no keeper and half a defence. We have 4 non scoring forwards .Our best two players when he arrived - Mulgrew and Graham are both aging and haven't been adequately replaced, whilst the likes of Johnson and Downing are also getting on and will need replacing. (Johnson doubly as he is so poor at times.) We need at least 5 players next year just to stand still, let alone improve. We still don't know our best formation, our style or best 11 three years after he has joined. For me that isn't much progress, that's a mess.

Mulgrew has to go this summer. I think he might go loan to SPL club or overseas possibly. 

I would give Downing and Graham a new 12 months Johnson, Evans and Bennett have 12 months left on their contract So they will be gone in 12 months time, and we have Buckley, Davenport coming through. 

I have said we need 6 signings this summer and the return of Dack and we can challenge for the playoffs. 

I have always been fan of us having 2 or 3 different formations so we can have plan B or C.