January Transfer Deadline Day 2022

[Mike E]

8 hours ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

Okay - secret knowledge not for the masses.

To be fair, I'd say it's obvious that something good has happened behind the scenes simply for the fact that the longest period between a legit transfer break (verifiable source) and the signing being announced by the club this window was 36hrs or so, which implies that leaks from the club have all but stopped until a player has at least verbally agreed to come.

[RoverInverness]

8 hours ago, riverholmes said:

Mowbray's West Brom promoted side were relegated the next year, in 2008/09, bottom of the league - albeit, only three points of safety. He stayed, in the job, I think, but then, Celtic came calling that summer. Barring a miracle, a club like Rovers would not survive in the Premier League and, more likely, would be relegated by Christmas, moreoreless, given the huge inflation that has occurred in the top division as, now, a full-on playground for oligarchs. 

We're really trying to get promoted for the money and to try to get into that pack of parachute payment clubs. It's depressing and somewhat masochistic for us fans but the game has become terribly unequa, unfair and, frankly, dull, in creating a predictable procession based on wealth.

On a different point, an aspect of the transfer window that I find notable is that Mowbray has given a clear indication of his backing for Bradley Johnson and Aynsley Pears. As far as I can tell, Johnson remains third choice CM and will be on the bench every game - possibly as a fourth choice CB, as well. And, Pears, will remain No.2, despite his high frequency of errors.

We still have a sizeable squad of players, with purchases and loanees possibly not making it into the matchday squad. Consider that our subs bench, if everyone is fit, will likely be: Pears, Gallagher, Hedges, Dolan, Johnson, Ayala and Zeefuik. This means that Giles, Rankin-Costello, Davenport and Edun could miss out (as well as Dack and Poveda, if they make it back but they aren't in consideration currently). Garrett would probably next in line after the seniors.

Johnson will have a big say in our latter half of the season, possibly, in a number of roles. I would hope Pears isn't but it's possible. Whilst the numbers might be there, to an extent, the quality on the bench in centre midfield and the goalkeeping department remains questionable. For our sake, we must also hope Ayala stays fit and Hedges is effective as a forward, despite having come from mid-table in the SPL. We have limited options if not, as we have sent Carter, Butterworth, Chapman, McBride and Burns on loan, so won't have much else to turn to, except the U18s.

Very good post indeed - and your first two paragraphs in particular are spot on.

The mistakes of the past decade have created an ultimately unsustainable level of debt. Unsustainable, that is, unless we spend at least the odd season every ten years or so in the oligarchs playground.

One season in there wipes the debt and then gives us parachute payments to start to rebuild as a genuine top championship/yo-yo club. Any thoughts of going up and recreating Souness’s or Dalgish’s years are fanciful. We don’t have the worst manager in the world, but a football genius miracle worker he most definitely ain’t.

[Torgeir]

6 hours ago, booth said:

And the mounting debt?

It was from a 'pure fan' perspective only. I understand there's a bigger picture here, and what it would mean for us financially to win promotion.

 

 

[Mattyblue]

Giles isn’t here to not even make the bench!

[LeftWinger]

11 hours ago, Tugay Et Labore said:

I find it quite astonishing that TM has managed to get us out of league one and fighting for automatic promotion to the premier league whilst barely having a net spend on transfers. 

 

 

He did also take us into League One though - I know Coyle was mainly to blame, but he had more than enough time to keep us up (even though Coyle did leave us with a pretty horrible team).

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, LeftWinger said:

He did also take us into League One though - I know Coyle was mainly to blame, but he had more than enough time to keep us up (even though Coyle did leave us with a pretty horrible team).

We were incredibly unlucky to go down with that points tally.

[USABlue]

I have not seen anything to confirm us signing Giles, have we? NM seen it.

Edited February 2, 2022 by USABlue

[booth]

1 minute ago, USABlue said:

I have not seen anything to confirm us signing Giles, have we?

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.com/sport/football/60208272.amp

[Mattyblue]

It’s on the BBC, the LT, LancsLive and the Rovers website… where else could you possibly look for Rovers news? 😁

[Sparks Rover]

1 hour ago, USABlue said:

I have not seen anything to confirm us signing Giles, have we? NM seen it.

🤣 he had his photo taken in Rovers shirt...

[FortressEwood]

2 hours ago, Mellor Rover said:

We were incredibly unlucky to go down with that points tally.

And the PPG stats he achieved would have had us around top ten over a season. He was not to blame for the relegation and brought us back up at the first attempt.

Here we are now 2nd in the Championship. He's a good manager.

[47er]

2 hours ago, Mellor Rover said:

We were incredibly unlucky to go down with that points tally.

I blame Huddersfield not Mowbray for that one and I wish them the worst luck in the world.

[RoverDom]

21 minutes ago, FortressEwood said:

And the PPG stats he achieved would have had us around top ten over a season. He was not to blame for the relegation and brought us back up at the first attempt.

Here we are now 2nd in the Championship. He's a good manager.

Good start, weird dodgy middle, good currently. 

If he gets us up give him a new contract 

[Admiral Nelsen]

28 minutes ago, 47er said:

I blame Huddersfield not Mowbray for that one and I wish them the worst luck in the world.

 

I blame Coyle almost entirely (and I suppose those responsible for appointing him). The after that I blame Shane Duffy and Anthony Stokes. 

I know some disagree, but I don't really blame Huddersfield at all. We had 46 games to get to the level needed, and I think managers' concerns has got to be on the club that pays them. Put it this way, if we go into the final game having secured third spot but with no chance of coming second, I'd be pretty furious with Mowbray if any of our key players got injured when they needn't have played. 

[bluebruce]

6 hours ago, Mike E said:

To be fair, I'd say it's obvious that something good has happened behind the scenes simply for the fact that the longest period between a legit transfer break (verifiable source) and the signing being announced by the club this window was 36hrs or so, which implies that leaks from the club have all but stopped until a player has at least verbally agreed to come.

Hedges was known about since what, December? In terms of being an option for January or the summer anyway. And I think known about since the summer initially (although that was as a first attempt to buy him outright).

[had.e.nuff]

4 hours ago, USABlue said:

I have not seen anything to confirm us signing Giles, have we? NM seen it.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2022/february/01/gallery--giles--journey-/

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, bluebruce said:

Hedges was known about since what, December? In terms of being an option for January or the summer anyway. And I think known about since the summer initially (although that was as a first attempt to buy him outright).

Yes, but I'm talking about the news he was actually signing. Even this time last week, Hedges was only known as a pre-contract for the summer.

[neophox]

Valerien Ismael available...knew allot of us wanted him before he joined the baggies. Sacked today by the Baggies and Mowbray now 2nd favourite for the job.

[Mike E]

Errr...Lenihan to the NY Red Bulls?

https://twitter.com/SportsPeteO/status/1488922146428628999?t=UkOR2XdP9Kd_ZfFYshsB3Q&s=19

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Mike E

[islander200]

25 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Errr...Lenihan to the NY Red Bulls?

https://twitter.com/SportsPeteO/status/1488922146428628999?t=UkOR2XdP9Kd_ZfFYshsB3Q&s=19

 

Presumably a similar stance will be taken as with Rothwell not for sale 

Hope so anyway 

[Mike E]

3 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Presumably a similar stance will be taken as with Rothwell not for sale 

Hope so anyway 

If only we'd brought in a suitably capable centre back. Phil Jones maybe 😉

[Paul Mellelieu]

19 hours ago, darrenrover said:

Not really Paul but proof is in the pudding and all that.....but you knew that anyway.

Please put your fishing rod away because you'll get extremely fed up waiting for a bite.

Well, I can't spot too much change other than I described. 

[islander200]

6 minutes ago, Mike E said:

If only we'd brought in a suitably capable centre back. Phil Jones maybe 😉

Ha ha yeah.Il be honest years back when Jones said his worst moment in football was losing to us he lost all my respect.

Lets hope the lads who have done so well for us so far can stay fit and if not Ayala will step in and perform.

[slowmo]

Happy we now have Zeefuik and Giles as wb options,  hopefully an upgrade and add something offensively. 

If you're playing a system with wb's , surely they need to be good ones.

If we have luck with injuries 2nd is doable 

[darrenrover]

1 hour ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

Well, I can't spot too much change other than I described. 

Aye, ok!