January Transfer Window.

[bluebruce]

8 minutes ago, rigger said:

But I may die the day after tomorrow

Or you may live another 20 years.

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, Tugayisgod said:

Maybe the new head of European scouting will turn up a gem. ?? Luke Griffin from Hibs apparently ?

 

@JoeH Any tidbits for us?

[rigger]

13 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Or you may live another 20 years.

I doubt that, and if I do, I will run out of money, so my forward planning is limited to a trip to Thailand in three weeks.

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

I doubt that, and if I do, I will run out of money, so my forward planning is limited to a trip to Thailand in three weeks.

You'll probably run out of money because of your terrible forward planning through your life 😉

I don't want the club to run out of money, whilst I'm alive or after. I don't believe that supporting Rovers is about instant gratification for myself. If I did, I would have stopped supporting a long time ago. I love the club and want what's best for it in the long term, simple as that for me.

Edited November 4, 2022 by bluebruce

[rigger]

16 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

You'll probably run out of money because of your terrible forward planning through your life 😉

I don't want the club to run out of money, whilst I'm alive or after. I don't believe that supporting Rovers is about instant gratification for myself. If I did, I would have stopped supporting a long time ago. I love the club and want what's best for it in the long term, simple as that for me.

Are you an insurance salesman ? I don't see how you can comment on my financial situation, when you don't know me from Adam.

[chaddyrovers]

On 03/11/2022 at 19:29, JoeH said:

Viktor Gyökeres please Gregg. Admired him for a while now and certainly didn't taint my view of him when we played them midweek. Hit them whilst they're down. Only 18 months left on his deal. Be a much better way to spend £4m.

He is a very good striker and should be on the shortlist to replace BBD if we do sell. Ross Stewart from Sunderland is another player I hope we are looking at. 

On 03/11/2022 at 19:33, roversfan99 said:

I'd be flabbergasted if we spent £4m in January, would love to be wrong. Although I think Gyokeres would cost more and most likely would fancy something a bit bigger, as much as he would be a good signing. Same with Semenyo, unobtainable I would guess.

I wouldn't expect more than 2 signings in January. Rovers spent more in the summer than you thought we would. 

8 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Only other position I'd maybe go for is backup GK as we know Pears is absolutely awful. Finding a good backup GK very difficult though.

I think Joe Hilton our 3rd choice keeper might be worth a shot over Pears, But JDT seems to think Pears is the better back up keeper. 

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

Garrett is perhaps the most obvious one but we shouldn't avoid signing what I would deem to be a necessary more experienced option, we could either keep him to compete with (minus the loanee) a 25, 23 and 18 year old, or let him have a loan spell and regular football in League 1.

I would Garrett here and playing here. He has shown he is ready to play his part in the squad. 

[JacknOry]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

I doubt that, and if I do, I will run out of money, so my forward planning is limited to a trip to Thailand in three weeks.

nice, whereabouts?, got mates over there

[JacknOry]

Just now, JacknOry said:

nice, whereabouts?, got mates over there

SEO, Freelancing, digital marketing, all that BS, but they nutcases.

[J*B]

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

@JoeH Any tidbits for us?

Well Mike he’s got fantastic xG for someone who plays in the half space. Plenty of key entries P90s and is successful in NPGs. PPDA isn’t great but with those pre-assists does it really matter? Lots of xAs and positional data to rely on here. 

[Upside Down]

2 minutes ago, J*B said:

Well Mike he’s got fantastic xG for someone who plays in the half space. Plenty of key entries P90s and is successful in NPGs. PPDA isn’t great but with those pre-assists does it really matter? Lots of xAs and positional data to rely on here. 

This is what I think of as a P90.

 

[bluebruce]

38 minutes ago, rigger said:

Are you an insurance salesman ? I don't see how you can comment on my financial situation, when you don't know me from Adam.

Think you've taken the post a bit more seriously than it was intended.

[rigger]

28 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

nice, whereabouts?, got mates over there

Patong beach.

[tomphil]

If only we had a striker like Lucas Jao in the squad we'd have an extra dimension and imo we would have been in the play offs last season.

[Upside Down]

Get a decent striker and a midfield battler with experience we should at least be there this year.

[Exiled_Rover]

2 minutes ago, Upside Down said:

Get a decent striker and a midfield battler with experience we should at least be there this year.

Striker, yes. Battler, no. We need someone who can pass in midfield - you're not going to find a better battler at this level than Travis (or Garrett by the looks of him!).

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Mike E said:

@JoeH Any tidbits for us?

Great guy, but I would say that, he's a mate. Not going to cause a stir on here by bigging him up too much, could easily just be viewed as nepotism. But he's got a good eye for the game and is set for a long career in football. Spent many games with him and a few car journey's. Gets the club and is excited for the challenge.

Edited November 4, 2022 by JoeH
I can't spell when I post late at night.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, J*B said:

Well Mike he’s got fantastic xG for someone who plays in the half space. Plenty of key entries P90s and is successful in NPGs. PPDA isn’t great but with those pre-assists does it really matter? Lots of xAs and positional data to rely on here. 

🤷‍♂️

[Guest]

3 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Not sure how qualified a very young looking bloke from Hibs would be to head up our European scouting. I wouldn't imagine they have a great European network. Sounds a bit odd, will wait for an official announcement before I believe it.

Age ≠ Quality

Ben Brereton Díaz is a hell of a lot better than Chris Brown.

Lots of European scouting in Scotland as the GBE rules are much more relaxed. Rovers have a young backroom staff and they're trying new things, Luke's a great scout and I don't think his age matters too much. Very well connected guy.

 

[rigger]

49 minutes ago, JoeH said:

Age ≠ Quality

Ben Brereton Díaz is a hell of a lot better than Chris Brown.

Lots of European scouting in Scotland as the GBE rules are much more relaxed. Rovers have a young backroom staff and they're trying new things, Luke's a great scout and I don't think his age matters too much. Very well connected guy.

 

To me , it doesn't matter if a person is well connected, it matters if they are any good at their job.

[Upside Down]

1 hour ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Striker, yes. Battler, no. We need someone who can pass in midfield - you're not going to find a better battler at this level than Travis (or Garrett by the looks of him!).

Fair do's that is right. But we need someone who can pull the team through by the scruff of the neck when we concede a goal.

I suppose that's more what I had in mind. 

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, JoeH said:

Age ≠ Quality

Ben Brereton Díaz is a hell of a lot better than Chris Brown.

Lots of European scouting in Scotland as the GBE rules are much more relaxed. Rovers have a young backroom staff and they're trying new things, Luke's a great scout and I don't think his age matters too much. Very well connected guy.

 

I don't think using footballers as your example makes for a good comparison, since they're done when they get too old. For two seasons, the young Brereton wasn't any better for us than Chris Brown had been anyway. But my point wasn't that he can't be good because he looks young, I was alluding to a probable lack of experience (relatively) and established network of connections, things which take time to develop. If he's a great scout, seems more like he should be employed as a scout. I feel as though Head of European Scouting requires a wide knowledge of European football, an ability to manage a whole scouting team, and various other skills and knowledge that are more likely to be acquired with time. To be clear, I'm in no way ruling out that he may still have all of those things. Just that my scepticism that he does is increased. I feel that 'very well connected guy' by Hibs standards and by Rovers standards are, or at least should be, two different things.

I didn't realise their rules are more relaxed. Frankly I think that's a fucking farce. We left the EU as one nation, there shouldn't be less disadvantages for Scottish football than there are for English football. But that suggests he will have more difficulty finding players in Europe here than he did there. Not only because the rules are tighter but because we need better players than Hibs do.

Did he find any players for Hibs that would walk into our team? Genuine question. And did he lead the European team there or was he rank and file?

Edited November 5, 2022 by bluebruce

[Sparks Rover]

18 minutes ago, rigger said:

To me , it doesn't matter if a person is well connected, it matters if they are any good at their job.

Looking at his background looks to have been over promoted.  Doesn't stay in his jobs for long.  I'll give it 6 months

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

To me , it doesn't matter if a person is well connected, it matters if they are any good at their job.

Be fair, in scouting networking matters a LOT in order to determine what a player earns, where they're willing to move, and why.

Ability is only part of the equation, you have to scout the person too. Something Clough and Fergie, and Ancelotti now, prided themselves on.

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, bluebruce said:

I don't think using footballers as your example makes for a good comparison, since they're done when they get too old. For two seasons, the young Brereton wasn't any better for us than Chris Brown had been anyway. But my point wasn't that he can't be good because he looks young, I was alluding to a probable lack of experience (relatively) and established network of connections, things which take time to develop. If he's a great scout, seems more like he should be employed as a scout. I feel as though Head of European Scouting requires a wide knowledge of European football, an ability to manage a whole scouting team, and various other skills and knowledge that are more likely to be acquired with time. To be clear, I'm in no way ruling out that he may still have all of those things. Just that my scepticism that he does is increased. I feel that 'very well connected guy' by Hibs standards and by Rovers standards are, or at least should be, two different things.

I didn't realise their rules are more relaxed. Frankly I think that's a fucking farce. We left the EU as one nation, there shouldn't be less disadvantages for Scottish football than there are for English football. But that suggests he will have more difficulty finding players in Europe here than he did there. Not only because the rules are tighter but because we need better players than Hibs do.

Did he find any players for Hibs that would walk into our team? Genuine question. And did he lead the European team there or was he rank and file?

I do remember us pursuing John McGinn from Hibs and he's at Villa now. There was another Mc but cant recall his name as it was funny spelling.

[roverandout]

3 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Striker, yes. Battler, no. We need someone who can pass in midfield - you're not going to find a better battler at this level than Travis (or Garrett by the looks of him!).

Can  Wharton not pass a ball better than anyone in this league?