Championship 24/25

[Norbert Rassragr]

Frank Lampard is bumming Wayne Rooney. There's some younger men involved too. Coventry 4-0 Plymouth at half time.

[superniko]

Our fixtures look interesting.

We get the return Leeds and Burnley fixtures out the way straight away.

Then go on a long run of ‘winnable’ fixtures (if there is such a thing in the Championship) until April when we meet Boro, Wednesday, Sunderland, Watford and Sheffield United - all in the battle for Top 6 with us. Hopefully we don’t run out of steam late on like we have in years past!

Edited December 26, 2024 by superniko

[chaddyrovers]

Stoke fans at the end of the game, let's know their feelings know with the loud boos. I do wonder how much more time Narcis Pelach has there? I suspect not much more. Fans on their fans messageboards are angry at him but also their ownership by Coates family and their Sporting Director Walters. 

It's feels like such disorganised mess there. 

If it was my club and I was the owner there, after seeing the results, performances on the pitch and league position. I would make 2 changes, sack the sporting director and the head coach, then I would bring in someone like Ryan Lowe or Tony Mowbray to be next head coach whilst I look for director of football operations to take over that role. 

[Norbert Rassragr]

Stoke really have been poop over the last few seasons, whoever the manager is. They're a career killer just like Manchester United are in the Premier League.

[RevidgeBlue]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Stoke fans at the end of the game, let's know their feelings know with the loud boos. I do wonder how much more time Narcis Pelach has there? I suspect not much more. Fans on their fans messageboards are angry at him but also their ownership by Coates family and their Sporting Director Walters. 

It's feels like such disorganised mess there. 

If it was my club and I was the owner there, after seeing the results, performances on the pitch and league position. I would make 2 changes, sack the sporting director and the head coach, then I would bring in someone like Ryan Lowe or Tony Mowbray to be next head coach whilst I look for director of football operations to take over that role. 

You sign Gallagher and Ennis, you deserve all you get.

What salaried professional could possibly think that was a good idea?

A prime example of the Sporting Director/DOF model not working in quite spectacular fashion.

[Mattyblue]

But Gallagher and Ennis will ‘fit the club’s philosophy and style of play’ (a shit one, presumably).

Edited December 27, 2024 by Mattyblue

[chaddyrovers]

8 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

You sign Gallagher and Ennis, you deserve all you get.

What salaried professional could possibly think that was a good idea?

A prime example of the Sporting Director/DOF model not working in quite spectacular fashion.

Ennis was signed cos Steven Schumacher wanted him. 

During the summer, Walters decided in the summer he would take full control of transfers and decided who they signed. Schumacher's role in transfer was very little. 

Gallagher is a hard-working people but not a goalscorer. 

Stoke since they got relegated, they have gone through head coach after head coach. Spent hundred of millions of transfer fees to nowhere..

Pelach appointment was a disaster choice. 

They need a massive reset there otherwise its will be league 1 football shortly 

[KentExile]

24 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Ennis was signed cos Steven Schumacher wanted him. 

During the summer, Walters decided in the summer he would take full control of transfers and decided who they signed. Schumacher's role in transfer was very little. 

Gallagher is a hard-working people but not a goalscorer. 

Stoke since they got relegated, they have gone through head coach after head coach. Spent hundred of millions of transfer fees to nowhere..

Pelach appointment was a disaster choice. 

They need a massive reset there otherwise its will be league 1 football shortly 

If Stoke were relegated, it would enable them to reset and rebuild without Championship FFP rules in the same way that Ipswich and Birmingham have done.

FFP rules in League one are based on income, not profit and loss, so relegation can be the best option now for any medium or large sized club who have owners who are willing and able to pump money into player purchases

[chaddyrovers]

22 minutes ago, KentExile said:

If Stoke were relegated, it would enable them to reset and rebuild without Championship FFP rules in the same way that Ipswich and Birmingham have done.

FFP rules in League one are based on income, not profit and loss, so relegation can be the best option now for any medium or large sized club who have owners who are willing and able to pump money into player purchases

Yes I am aware of those rules and you rightly pointed this out..

In terms of reset I meant in terms of appointing a new DoF, head coach and head of recruitment. They need to that right firstly. 

Their recruitment in the summer didn't make much sense apart from Cannon and Gallagher. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Ennis was signed cos Steven Schumacher wanted him. 

During the summer, Walters decided in the summer he would take full control of transfers and decided who they signed. Schumacher's role in transfer was very little. 

Gallagher is a hard-working people but not a goalscorer. 

Stoke since they got relegated, they have gone through head coach after head coach. Spent hundred of millions of transfer fees to nowhere..

Pelach appointment was a disaster choice. 

They need a massive reset there otherwise its will be league 1 football shortly 

Yeah, if you want a non scoring , injury prone, centre forward then Gally is your man. I wouldn’t have him back on a free, even if he offered to play for nothing.

[Mattyblue]

Are the FFP-style regs now being changed for Leagues 1 and 2, did I read the other week?

[JHRover]

Stoke manager sacked.

Wonder who next there. Usual names - Robins, Mowbray, Cooper.

No doubt Eustace will be 'linked' or at least the Telegraph will claim he is in the reckoning just to stir it up anyway.

[Norbert Rassragr]

If I was Robins, I'd hold off. Stoke are a mess, and after fighting against the tide with Coventry for god knows how long, why put yourself through that journey again?

When Lampard screws up, as he will, he can walk back into Coventry City again refreshed after a break. It's a job for life here if the fans have anything to do with it.

Mowbray has had a major health scare, so would he want a poisoned chalice like Stoke? Life is too short.

 

[BankEnd Rover]

25 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Stoke manager sacked.

Wonder who next there. Usual names - Robins, Mowbray, Cooper.

No doubt Eustace will be 'linked' or at least the Telegraph will claim he is in the reckoning just to stir it up anyway.

Think they need to look higher than just hiring and sacking managers.

Bizarre what has happened  there over the years. A club with a decent budget but yet to do anything really. 

[chaddyrovers]

48 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Stoke manager sacked.

Wonder who next there. Usual names - Robins, Mowbray, Cooper.

No doubt Eustace will be 'linked' or at least the Telegraph will claim he is in the reckoning just to stir it up anyway.

No surprised there. Surely Jon Walters has to go next? 

Robins reportedly said he wants a longer break. 

I

[Blue blood]

Stoke is an odd one really as others have said. The definition of a poisoned chalice. 

Imo they are rotten, as in broken, to the core. No manager - and they have had some decent ones - has managed to get anything out of them. And that to me speaks volumes. Some of the managers have decent to good pedigree in this division so for them all to fail suggests the problems are much deeper. 

Mind you putting Walters in charge of the football.side of things to me sounds like an utter disaster. 

[PotterLog]

Thought I might pop on to add some insider wisdom about the situation at Stoke but it’s pretty much all been said in the last ten or so posts. You’re all exactly right. Talk about making a sow's ear out of a silk purse 

Edited December 28, 2024 by PotterLog

[roversfan99]

12 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Yeah, if you want a non scoring , injury prone, centre forward then Gally is your man. I wouldn’t have him back on a free, even if he offered to play for nothing.

Gallagher may be average or even below average at Championship level, even when fit. And his injury record renders any discussion meaningless. But he is definitely better than Gueye.

13 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Ennis was signed cos Steven Schumacher wanted him. 

During the summer, Walters decided in the summer he would take full control of transfers and decided who they signed. Schumacher's role in transfer was very little. 

Gallagher is a hard-working people but not a goalscorer. 

Stoke since they got relegated, they have gone through head coach after head coach. Spent hundred of millions of transfer fees to nowhere..

Pelach appointment was a disaster choice. 

They need a massive reset there otherwise its will be league 1 football shortly 

The idea of a director of football picking players without the involvement of the manager who will be the one in charge of actually managing them is ridiculous.

[BRFC4EVA]

7 hours ago, JHRover said:

Stoke manager sacked.

Wonder who next there. Usual names - Robins, Mowbray, Cooper.

No doubt Eustace will be 'linked' or at least the Telegraph will claim he is in the reckoning just to stir it up anyway.

Makes it all the more gutting the 3 points we gifted to them after creating a zillion chances a couple of months ago.

That was their 1 win in last 13 league games..

[chaddyrovers]

50 minutes ago, PotterLog said:

Thought I might pop on to add some insider wisdom about the situation at Stoke but it’s pretty much all been said in the last ten or so posts. You’re all exactly right. Talk about making a sow's ear out of a silk purse 

Should Walters go aswell? 

Who would you like in as his replacement? 

[jim mk2]

46 minutes ago, BRFC4EVA said:

Makes it all the more gutting the 3 points we gifted to them after creating a zillion chances a couple of months ago.

That was their 1 win in last 13 league games..

Good old Rovers. Always willing to help struggling clubs 

[chaddyrovers]

5 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

The idea of a director of football picking players without the involvement of the manager who will be the one in charge of actually managing them is ridiculous.

Used to be common theme in Spanish football once. The president of the club and Sporting director would sign the players rightly or wrongly..

Stoke situation is a desperate one and I think some British head coaches would be very cautious about doing the club. A head coach should be part of recruitment process in signing and selling players

[Penwortham Blue]

I really hope not but I do think that Eustace would be pushing for the Stoke job if they show an interest. It might be a crackpot club but he is an ex club skipper, would have the Coates billions to call upon, a shorter commute and despite all the failures, he would back himself to succeed. And then there is the massive pay rise, to boot ! I think Eustace is a talented manager and would be a disaster to lose him but Stoke, and West Brom, could well be circling 🙈

[Mattyblue]

Problem with this league if you want to keep hold of your manager is that you are only seemingly ever a week away from another sacking.

[BankEnd Rover]

15 minutes ago, Penwortham Blue said:

I really hope not but I do think that Eustace would be pushing for the Stoke job if they show an interest. It might be a crackpot club but he is an ex club skipper, would have the Coates billions to call upon, a shorter commute and despite all the failures, he would back himself to succeed. And then there is the massive pay rise, to boot ! I think Eustace is a talented manager and would be a disaster to lose him but Stoke, and West Brom, could well be circling 🙈

Looking at our current position, I think Eustace stays to see what he can do...If we were milling around mid table I would be worried.