The Summer Transfer Window (Press Submit)

[Paul Mani]

4 minutes ago, Torgeir said:

You're probably right. Wasn't it Eustace who mentioned they had drawn up a list of 50 or 60 players?

Yes, he confirmed this week. It won’t be us leaking the stories, there’s no benefit to alerting people to our targets.

Likely agents or the players clubs trying to draw out more bidders. Which means the targets are likely accurate…let’s see!

[islander200]

12 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

3.5m? No way Wigan can demand that sort of fee if the player expresses an interest in leaving. Not really what we need anyway....

They demanded and got more for the young center back who went to Hull 

[MarkBRFC]

9 minutes ago, imy9 said:

I’ve just read up on George Hall, he would be a quality addition and has a lot of pace! A proper box to box midfielder.

exciting week ahead…

Frustrating is the word your looking for.

[Torgeir]

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

He likes to play as a number 10 and he isnt that quick from what I have seen.

But he is a talented player and our squad now lacks anyone who you look at and think he could be a potential long term asset with resale value.

But can you see it happening?

Doesn't have bags of pace but can definitely beat his man. Would be a big upgrade on Dolan in any case, and can play across the front. I would prefer to go for someone a bit younger than Dembele considering we're dealing with assets here. Dembele has more tricks up his sleeve and is more proven at this level, but Aasgaard has more room for growth and will easily fetch a good fee if we sell him on.

 

I don't see us spending £3.5m on a League One player, but a deal with add-ons - who knows? If we were going to reinvest a big portion of all the money we have received from player sales the past 12 months, I think we would've made more deals by now.

[Ricky]

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Their manager has been quoted as saying that they will loan him out.

I’d rather buy him as surely they can’t be asking a lot as he’s out of the team completely. There’s an interview where he speaks highly of Eustace for giving him his chance. Looks like the injuries are an issue but if fit could be a good prospect. 

[CambridgeRover]

6 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Yes, he confirmed this week. It won’t be us leaking the stories, there’s no benefit to alerting people to our targets.

Likely agents or the players clubs trying to draw out more bidders. Which means the targets are likely accurate…let’s see!

Don’t think the last part is true. Nixon has been too reliable all of a sudden. Makes more sense he has a connection at the club then suddenly being able to talk to an army of agents 

[Ossydave]

6 minutes ago, islander200 said:

They demanded and got more for the young center back who went to Hull 

Because he literally signed a new contract last year?

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, Ricky said:

I’d rather buy him as surely they can’t be asking a lot as he’s out of the team completely. There’s an interview where he speaks highly of Eustace for giving him his chance. Looks like the injuries are an issue but if fit could be a good prospect. 

Loaning a youngster from a league 1 side would be embarassing.

[BlackburnEnd75]

I don't think Aasgaard is something we need at all. He's too similar to siggurdson and doesn't have that pace we need.

[Torgeir]

9 minutes ago, Ricky said:

Looks like Hall missed pretty much the whole of last season with hamstring injuries. Not featured this season and didnt even make the carabao cup squad when they made 8 changes.

Looks quick and combative. Can cover more ground than Travis and Tronstad, and a good alternative - we don't really need a starter there but someone who can challenge those two. But with injuries to both hamstrings, they might be recurring and not a good sign. Has a fee been mentioned?

[Tugayisgod]

I’m Getting Eusta This

Rich Sharpe

 

To some people, being wrong is something they would never accept, willing to near points of delusion than ever admit their viewpoint could even be slightly off.

I’d like to think I’ve always been pretty consistent in holding my hands up, owning any erroneous results or predictions (of which there have been several), particularly if in the end, there’s a positive outcome.

And I think I’m nearing that point with John Eustace.

I still have reservations over the direction of the club, but at this juncture, those don’t land at the door of the head coach.

Maybe the safe pair of hands I always felt Eustace would be could prove exactly what’s required, rather than my fear that it may hold the team back.

He could well be right man, right time. Maybe I could still be proved right, but with the current landscape the former is the more likely scenario.

Most likely due to the fact I’d been in the privileged position of developing personal relationships, and getting to know the characters of, Rovers’ previous two managers that I had struggled to feel a connection with the new head coach in his early months.

His interviews, the only real opportunity I now had to glean anything about the man at the helm, offered little, and the football felt uninspiring.

The end of last season felt very short-termism, and maybe reflecting on hindsight it had to be that way, but it was akin to previous Rovers regimes where players would come and go in and instant without ever making a lasting impression.

Though this team is starting to feel like Eustace’s, and we’re seeing shoots of positivity.

He’s overseen a start of seven points from a possible nine, ended a 17 month wait for back-to-back home wins, collected three points after conceding first at Ewood for the first time since March 2021, and seen his subs score more goals already than in any of the previous three seasons.

The mood around the team, if not the club, feels settled, though with an acceptance Rovers are still a way off possessing a squad which would expect to be competing at the top end of the division.

If the court hearing wasn’t the pivotal moment many thought it would be, the final days of August will likely be a mood definer, with matters to address in the transfer window, and scores to settle at Turf Moor.

Touching on the former, there’s a real feeling that Rovers are holding fire on pressing the button on certain targets, and I can’t help but feel that’s down to not everyone behind-the-scenes signing from the same song sheet.

It’s hard not to split the five signings so far into three that fit Eustace’s brief of Championship experience (Batth, McFadzean, Weimann) and two that are more of a club model and pushed for by the recruitment team (Gueye, Ohashi).

We’ve seen previously that if the two don’t align it can cause issues, and one side may well have to relent in the coming days if Rovers are to get done the business that’s not only wanted, but required. That’s without discussing finances.

And on the latter, given the ongoing fire sale at Turf Moor, which could see Scott Parker have to sell his luxury touchline jacket to help chip in, could now be a good time to play them? Is there even such a thing?

As for matters on the pitch, things have stayed consistent, 10 players have started all three games thus far, and only 17 used in all (the joint-fewest in the division).

A few players could well extend their starting runs for some time, particularly given the lack of competition in certain areas, and it is that depth which will be of concern to Eustace.

Yet his changes have impacted the game in all three matches, with his trio of subs netting in the opening night win over Derby County, while goals from replacements in the last two matches have rescued three points.

I’m still not sold on the balance of the side from an attacking perspective, with Joe Rankin-Costello and Ryan Hedges on the right and left flanks respectively with Tyrhys Dolan operating centrally, but working out life after Sam Szmodics was never going to be straightforward.

Gueye and Ohashi’s strengths appear to be at opposing end of the attacking attributes scale, so using them as a strike partnership could prove to be a good balance.

There is still plenty to iron out in terms of how the team will look stylistically and personnel wise, but as a collective, they do seem to be working for their head coach.

I was going to offer the caveat that Rovers’ start has been a relatively gentle one, but will stop short of making that point given Rovers’ record against newly-promoted sides.

They have six from six against Derby County and now Oxford, only two fewer than they had picked up from the 12 matches against newly-promoted sides in the previous two seasons.

And ahead of the next game, worth a mention that Eustace picked up seven points out of nine in the three games he managed against recently relegated Premier League sides.

Apologies in advance if my apology ruins everything.

Edited August 25 by Tugayisgod

[islander200]

4 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Because he literally signed a new contract last year?

Aasgard signed a 5 year deal last summer

They will want decent money for him

[M_B]

29 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

There isnt a player at Birmingham that Eustace doesnt rate.

Aasgard is a good talent but not sure he is what we need.

I've no idea why you'd have an aversion to Eustace showing an interest in ex players he knows and trusts. 

[Torgeir]

18 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Their manager has been quoted as saying that they will loan him out.

A loan from League One? Go figure.

[chaddyrovers]

Its going to be interesting 6 days now. Lots of links but that's cos we are asking clubs their prices for players, or agents leak it. 

A new number 1 keeper is a must. Whether its a loan or perm deal, I not over bothered as long as it an quality keeper who is good shot stopper, command his box and good communicate. Out of the 3 keepers we are linked I would have gone for Drommel myself. I hope there is other names on that list. 

 Aasgaard can play any of the 3 positions behind the main striker. He did scored the winner against Rovers in the FA cup tie in 2021 at Wigan. 

Hall would have to be permanent deal for me. Box to box midfielder and what we need. 

Dembele, wouldn't surprise me if he joins now. Nicko mentioned £1m plus add ons. I would make that deal now. 

Still need a left back. 

23 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Rushworth is good enough to be our number 1. The issue is that it is a loan.

Surely its about signing a quality number 1 who will win us points and keep clean sheets more of. 

 

21 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Because especially considering the money brought in, most other clubs would use a chunk of it to buy several players who can improve the team not only in the short but also longer term. As Eustace keeps saying.

lets see who we sign this week

10 hours ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

@chaddyroversi see that nisbet has returned to Scotland after failing to set the division alight, you were a big advocate for us to sign him last year 

I didn't know he moved back to Aberdeen at all. It didn't work out at Millwall but I don't think it was the right team for him to joined. Harris never picked him so a move was on the cards for him I guess. 

32 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Are these players we just want rather than are close to im guessing. A passing interest that nothing will materialise from.

You know how football works by now, clubs will have varied list of targets and it about which player we ideally want but also who is available. Its going to get busy this week 

[Lee0r]

No links to defenders? Can’t fathom it. 

[CambridgeRover]

5 minutes ago, M_B said:

I've no idea why you'd have an aversion to Eustace showing an interest in ex players he knows and trusts. 

Because we have a full salaried recruitment team who seem to be able to hit on new targets such as Ohashi and Gueye who look good for what we paid.

Eustace is the head coach not the manager. If the recruitment team don’t like his ideas the end sorry JE but man up and move on to coaching the team 

 

[BigHoz]

I don’t like being linked with players who can play across the front line, I’d like a RW. LW. Natural position. 

[Mercer]

31 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Their manager has been quoted as saying that they will loan him out.

 

32 minutes ago, Ricky said:

Looks like Hall missed pretty much the whole of last season with hamstring injuries. Not featured this season and didnt even make the carabao cup squad when they made 8 changes.

Seems a cert for us then!

[alexanders]

11 minutes ago, Lee0r said:

No links to defenders? Can’t fathom it. 

We have been quite heavily linked with Liam cooper from Leeds. 

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, alexanders said:

We have been quite heavily linked with Liam cooper from Leeds. 

We was, prior to Batth coming in. Cooper is joining Hull.

[islander200]

2 minutes ago, alexanders said:

We have been quite heavily linked with Liam cooper from Leeds. 

Was that not prior to signing Mcfadz and Batth? 

I've seen reports Cooper is close to a deal with Hull 

[M_B]

9 minutes ago, CambridgeRover said:

Because we have a full salaried recruitment team who seem to be able to hit on new targets such as Ohashi and Gueye who look good for what we paid.

Eustace is the head coach not the manager. If the recruitment team don’t like his ideas the end sorry JE but man up and move on to coaching the team 

 

Did we pay anything for them? Shows what you can get for nowt when you do your homework. 

It's a two way street as far as I'm concerned, yes you have to trust the recruitment team, but if Eustace has previous knowledge of a player he feels can fill a hole, and is the right price, it would be mad to ignore it. 

[BankEnd Rover]

Wigan fans seem to think there maybe a release clause with Aasgard…So could be something in it.

Edited August 25 by BankEnd Rover

[islander200]

3 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Wigan fans seem to think there maybe a release clause with Aasgard…So could be something in it.

Probably is a release clause if he was willing to commit to a 5 year deal with a league one club