January transfer window 2020

[Prelude]

27 minutes ago, DE. said:

Three transfer windows in a row now (imo at least) where we've failed to strengthen where we need to strengthen and allowed the club to stagnate. 

Not only have we failed to bring in anybody in to boost the squad, but we've also failed to shift any deadwood. Not good at all.

At the very least we need to completely overhaul the transfer process and ideally take Mowbray and Venus out of it as they have proven to be incapable. Bring in a proper DoF and let them handle things. If Mowbray doesn't like it then tough shit, he knows where the door is. 

We did get rid of Gladwin at least

[Pedro]

25 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Right. We see at 11pm. I said 7 to 9 signings. We see then..

I'm off out for Dinner

"One large slice of humble pie, coming up." ?

[Fraserkirky]

I am sharpening my pitchfork 

[Bigdoggsteel]

3 minutes ago, DE. said:

I'm more concerned about next season in all honesty. We'll finish somewhere around mid-table this season which some will see as a success if it's an improvement on last season, but it feels like we have a lot to do in the summer and with Mowbray and Venus at the helm again for recruitment I'm really concerned. They are not the right people for this job. If only we had proactive owners with a finger on the pulse. Three successive transfer window failures would surely not be seen as acceptable.

Maybe there will be a miracle this season,but I know the dreams of that can disappear quickly. 

Ya, next season will be even tougher. Something about this year feels a little lite quality wise. 

If we don't go up,it's going to be tough. We definitely will need to replace a few just to stand still. Dack will be back in September(hopefully) ,probably October more realistically. I don't want us to be where we need him to save us. I want him to come into a winning team.

[davulsukur]

18 minutes ago, DE. said:

At the very least Brereton needed to get out on loan. The lad is regressing here at a rate of knots and I don't see that changing over the next six months. We've completely failed him by not finding him somewhere to play regularly, imo.

Smallwood should have gone as well but I appreciate that may have been difficult given he doesn't seem that keen to go. Probably knows he won't get anything close to this kind of contract again. Samuel not good enough even as a sub for me, should have been moved on if at all possible. No point having him and Brereton here wasting away.

To me it feels like we have a very dysfunctional transfer policy with people in charge who aren't doing anywhere close to a good job. I would argue that since we were promoted from League 1 our business has been mostly abysmal. Some decent loan signings here or there but few if any proper success stories as far as permanent transfers go. Downing and maybe Rothwell at a stretch. Can't remember if Arma was signed before we were promoted but was brought in on loan assumedly with a view to sign in L1 so I'd still count him essentially as pre-promotion transfer business.

I have no faith in Mowbray and Venus anymore as far as transfer dealings as concerned. Making no comment on the footballing side of things, but they shouldn't be heading our recruitment going forward. We need better if we're going to seriously progress.

The other frustration is that Mowbray used to talk about building a squad over many transfer windows and yet come the summer, we will still need a fairly sizable overhaul of players.

I agree, those 2 shouldn't be handling recruitment at all.

[Commondore]

With Rothwell out for a month I don't see Brereton leaving. 

[roversfan99]

10 minutes ago, Amo said:

People seem shocked we didn’t sign anyone?  Some of us knew this entire thread was a massive waste of time.

The whole transfer window fabricated excitement is a bit sick inducing if we are being honest. Jim White and his tie, the Lancashire Telegraph running a whole day of regurgitated titbits in a live commentary, people stalking footballers social media, clubs uploading cryptic videos about players that are already obviously joining rather than just announcing them, supposed ITK's getting their kicks releasing "information" without naming the player and getting people worked up into a frenzy.

As you say, it never looked remotely likely that we would sign anyone.

[Angry_Pirate]

The first person to write "give Mowbray the summer window" should be banned and/or committed to the asylum.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Rich must be on the board. Hi Rich. 

The only club in the league not to make a signing. Is that right?

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, Angry_Pirate said:

The first person to write "give Mowbray the summer window" should be banned and/or committed to the asylum.

Something more going on here. If he made the decision not to sign more, fair enough, but I don't know 

[DE.]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Maybe there will be a miracle this season,but I know the dreams of that can disappear quickly. 

Ya, next season will be even tougher. Something about this year feels a little lite quality wise. 

If we don't go up,it's going to be tough. We definitely will need to replace a few just to stand still. Dack will be back in September(hopefully) ,probably October more realistically. I don't want us to be where we need him to save us. I want him to come into a winning team.

Dack is out for 12 months I believe, so we're probably looking at closer to a November/December return for him unfortunately. We're likely to play half of next season without Dack as well as the rest of this one. That's a scary thought.

Just now, Commondore said:

With Rothwell out for a month I don't see Brereton leaving. 

Brereton doesn't even play Rothwell's position naturally so this really shouldn't be a consideration. It is because of square peg round hole syndrome but we've already seen Brereton is not effective at all playing Rothwell's role. Gallagher too, although I would guess he's now nailed on to start there in Rothwell's absence.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

14 minutes ago, Amo said:

People seem shocked we didn’t sign anyone?  Some of us knew this entire thread was a massive waste of time.

Surely we all knew nothing would happen? Anyone that genuinely believed we'd sign anyone give your head a wobble. A loan perhaps but even that was a stretch after "I can't negotiate" gate. 

Tony Mowbray and every other clown in a position of power at Rovers is the level we operate at. Blackburn Rovers 2020.

[Wegerleswiggle]

I really can't understand why we didn't even enquire about Maddison! Surely he is the type of player we need!!!

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

The whole transfer window fabricated excitement is a bit sick inducing if we are being honest. Jim White and his tie, the Lancashire Telegraph running a whole day of regurgitated titbits in a live commentary, people stalking footballers social media, clubs uploading cryptic videos about players that are already obviously joining rather than just announcing them, supposed ITK's getting their kicks releasing "information" without naming the player and getting people worked up into a frenzy.

As you say, it never looked remotely likely that we would sign anyone.

Nailed it 

[DE.]

2 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Rich must be on the board. Hi Rich. 

The only club in the league not to make a signing. Is that right?

It's becoming obvious that this is a mounting problem. Wonder if Sharpe will have the guts or permission to ask TM about this, or whether it'll be glossed over as per usual? 

[Parsonblue]

16 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Exactly. Having us on. I'd have a lot more respect for Waggott and Mowbray if they just admitted there's no cash and signings were dependent upon outgoings and generosity from other clubs on loans.

Instead they persist with this charade of pretending there's money but there is some elaborate principled process to go through whilst hiding behind Ffp rules.

The realists on here knew what would happen this window because we recognise how these things go. It is almost step by step identical to last January when we were in the same position. We then didn't win again for about 2 months.

 

I think they have said that they wanted to stay within the Ffp regulations and that breaking them wasn't an option.  Personally, I think that is the right decision at the moment.  The whole Ffp situation needs to be looked at because it clearly isn't working.  It was meant to stop clubs going to the wall but Bury have gone, Bolton are destined for League Two and Macclesfield, Southend and a number of others are surviving on a wing and a prayer.  At the other end of the scale it favours those clubs coming out of the Premier League because they have two or three years to get back knowing they have the financial advantage over a number of the clubs in the Championship like Rovers.  

Looking at the financial statement released last month, it's clear that our wage bill is already unsustainable.  Once Dack and Evans were injured - the best hope of a sale ended and with Mulgrew coming back I think it was clear from what Mowbray has said on a number of occasions that the likelihood of a signing was remote.

The one plus is that there is now no option but to blood one or two of the youngsters if we get hit by more injuries and suspensions.  We are spending £3 million plus a year on the youth set up so hopefully it will start to pay dividends.  It was always Jack's dream for the Academy to help the club become self-sustaining but I'm not sure how realistic that is.  Nonetheless, we have some very promising young players who are of an age when they need to step up if they are going to make it.

 

 

 

 

[Mashed Potatoes]

Just now, CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber said:

Surely we all knew nothing would happen? Anyone that genuinely believed we'd sign anyone give your head a wobble. A loan perhaps but even that was a stretch after "I can't negotiate" gate. 

Tony Mowbray and every other clown in a position of power at Rovers is the level we operate at. Blackburn Rovers 2020.

And yet despite that there are people on here who think the likes of Hughton and Pulis can hardly wait to get in through the door to take over as manager. They never learn.

[briansol]

The upside is that the youngsters like Rankin-Costello will get plenty of chances

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 minutes ago, DE. said:

Dack is out for 12 months I believe, so we're probably looking at closer to a November/December return for him unfortunately. We're likely to play half of next season without Dack as well as the rest of this one. That's a scary thought.

Brereton doesn't even play Rothwell's position naturally so this really shouldn't be a consideration. It is because of square peg round hole syndrome but we've already seen Brereton is not effective at all playing Rothwell's role. Gallagher too, although I would guess he's now nailed on to start there in Rothwell's absence.

There's no guarantee that Dack will reach the heights he has previously. That's not a good injury.

[Commondore]

8 minutes ago, DE. said:

Brereton doesn't even play Rothwell's position naturally so this really shouldn't be a consideration. It is because of square peg round hole syndrome but we've already seen Brereton is not effective at all playing Rothwell's role. Gallagher too, although I would guess he's now nailed on to start there in Rothwell's absence.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but Mowbray clearly signed him to play in that weird striker on the wing-role he likes to employ. We're much more likely to see him there than as the lone striker. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Commondore

[Mashed Potatoes]

Just now, Parsonblue said:

I think they have said that they wanted to stay within the Ffp regulations and that breaking them wasn't an option.  Personally, I think that is the right decision at the moment.  The whole Ffp situation needs to be looked at because it clearly isn't working.  It was meant to stop clubs going to the wall but Bury have gone, Bolton are destined for League Two and Macclesfield, Southend and a number of others are surviving on a wing and a prayer.  At the other end of the scale it favours those clubs coming out of the Premier League because they have two or three years to get back knowing they have the financial advantage over a number of the clubs in the Championship like Rovers.  

Looking at the financial statement released last month, it's clear that our wage bill is already unsustainable.  Once Dack and Evans were injured - the best hope of a sale ended and with Mulgrew coming back I think it was clear from what Mowbray has said on a number of occasions that the likelihood of a signing was remote.

The one plus is that there is now no option but to blood one or two of the youngsters if we get hit by more injuries and suspensions.  We are spending £3 million plus a year on the youth set up so hopefully it will start to pay dividends.  It was always Jack's dream for the Academy to help the club become self-sustaining but I'm not sure how realistic that is.  Nonetheless, we have some very promising young players who are of an age when they need to step up if they are going to make it.

 

 

 

 

A voice of sanity at last.

[Dave574]

The Atsu-deal has been of for a while with Newcastle confident a club would take his wages. But clubs seems to be doing a Rovers and refusing to pay the whole salary. Rovers have come with an offer of what they can offer and it's all up to Newcastle.

The only thing thats weird is that this offer seem to be exactly the same offer Newcastle turned down a few weeks ago. So it appears that Rovers have offer the max of what the can right away.

As an option they could offer loan with option to buy, but Mowbray will prefer to wait because of the price.

Edited January 31, 2020 by Dave574

[Commondore]

Just now, briansol said:

The upside is that the youngsters like Rankin-Costello will get plenty of chances

And everyone who goes on about how Chapman is our salvation will be put to the test...

[DE.]

Just now, Commondore said:

I'm not saying you're wrong, but Mowbray clearly signed him to play him in that weird stringer on the wing-role he likes to squeeze in. We're much more likely to see him there than as the lone striker. 

Sadly you're right, although I still don't think we'll see much of Brereton anyway. Most likely it'll be Gallagher directly replacing Rothwell, with Arma or Graham taking the striker position. This is problematic in of itself as Gallagher can't really play that position well either. Very few of the strikers Mowbray have signed can, which begs the question of why he keeps doing it.

[Pedro]

5 minutes ago, DE. said:

Dack is out for 12 months I believe, so we're probably looking at closer to a November/December return for him unfortunately. We're likely to play half of next season without Dack as well as the rest of this one. That's a scary thought.

Brereton doesn't even play Rothwell's position naturally so this really shouldn't be a consideration. It is because of square peg round hole syndrome but we've already seen Brereton is not effective at all playing Rothwell's role. Gallagher too, although I would guess he's now nailed on to start there in Rothwell's absence.

Come on, you know it - Bennett out of position is a Mowbray shoe in.