Well it's past 10 am, the day after transfer deadline day and not a thing being announced by the club to their supporters, all rather unsatisfactory and poor. As my old boss used to say "if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys", though sadly in Rovers case that is not so, as they are all paid very well. The owners and their representatives, the Board of Directors, club operations, management team, senior football team and all the many and various backroom staff, must be surely embarrassed at the behaviour to their supporters? Or probably not.

A golden ticket indeed, cherish him and remind him of the fine life he has had, whilst also supporting your mother with such an awful condition impacting on your Dad and your family.

Ok I am nearly ready to consider Sunday's events to comment rationally. Headline is that JDT has used up one of his lifelines. Yet happy to move on and gloss over the mismanagement on this occasion, project, bigger picture, ok, ok. Team selection - Mola & Garrett, error of judgement starting them both, possibly brave you could argue, though a resulting failure. There will be consequences, with again some players left out being scarred, which will impact on contracts, renewals and loyalty. Mola quite possibly a talented 21 year old played through every age group of the England ranks, yet not our player and only limited appearances to date for us and playing in the Championship and in any derby game like that. Leaving out a local 25 year old, with vast more experience, along with a track record of performing. Garrett not the right game to give him the necessary further experience for his development, might easily be a knock back for him, especially with whatever role he was asked to play. Scouting & planning - we hear that inordinate levels of these occur in the modern game and within our new set up, this is something which they place a high value upon. Well did anyone watch Sunday's opponents previous match? Now I am not saying we have the same fire power of Sheff United to exploit Burnley's obvious weaknesses, yet surely we might have considered and planned for attacking via set pieces; free kicks, long throws in attacking areas and corners, to threaten them, including a system which might look to obtain such set pieces. Three corners all the game, was the first one in the second half which failed to beat the first man? Inverted wing backs and full backs - if I understand correctly the thinking for inverted defenders is to stop left footed attackers playing on the right wing and right footed attackers playing on the left side. So some bright young data analyst, took a few moments off from playing their FIFA 23, to suggest that Manuel cuts in from the right on his left foot and Zaroury the same but opposite on their left hand side, both being one footed, so let's match up and play our right footed defender on our left, with our left footed defender (more on Hedges at right back later) on our right. Obviously Zaroury's moving the ball onto his left and swinging in a left footed cross which Jason Wilcox would have been proud with, to the middle of the 6 yard box onto Barnes's head, came as a big surprise to our coaching staff. This moment was the game changer, one nil to Burnley, game effectively over, as we have no plan B when we go behind. Square pegs in round holes - I had hoped that with ToMo's departure we might have seen the end of this. The players know their best positions and hopefully the management have an idea also. Now a full back is an important and specialist position, primarily to defend and stop dangerous balls played into the penalty area, shepherd them away from the danger area, defend the attackers stronger foot. Is Hedges a full back? Is Hedges a right footed defender who might prevent a left sided left footed cross into our 6 yard box? No on both points I would suggest. Firstly I would have played a recognised full back in their preferred position. Secondly if you really must invert your full backs (which I would not especially if we are playing with three central defenders), they have got to be comfortable to be able to defend from either foot, Brittain did ok against Manuel, yet Hedges did not, not his fault being asked to play a position and formation in which he is not suited. Squad size - arguably 32 is too many, besides the financial costs, it surely brings with it other problems, squad harmony, management of too many with various options. All not helped with primarily being a very young squad, they get a sniff of first team football and then have expectations. In their short career as professional footballers a balance has to be struck, for themselves both financially personally, though also success or otherwise. Keeping so many happy, involved, motivated, committed is no doubt challenging and with the obvious short comings in the team, there will have to be some movement to get the missing experience and dynamic players playing JDT's ideology. Away form & ball retention style - this surely must be addressed, we cannot continue with the madness of gifting possession in our danger zone. Combined with some truly shockingly poor away performances to date. We need a plan B if we do not score first, we will/have got found out with our style of play. In summary I sympathise somewhat with the players being asked to play either out of their favoured positions, or in a formation they might not be fully used to, or novice young lads lacking the experience of such a match (btw why don't you take one of our brightest prospects along with you to a game to gain some experience rather than leave Adam at home?), combined with an obvious lack of planning in a match which the supporters feel strongly about. So no the players are not effing shit as the dingles whispered to them as they trudged off at full time, unless their chant was directed to our manager and coaches, who on Sunday were guilty as charged. Learn this lesson and do not repeat.

This would be my starting line up too. We need three midfielders in there, plus three that are combative, we need two full backs, or wing backs or half backs, call them what you like, but we need defensive cover out wide, with right footers and left footers on their correct side, without any inverted nonsense. Despite our limited set piece success, I think with this line up, we hopefully might have enough height to cause them problems at corners etc... Ayala heading one? Perhaps even a breakaway Diaz goal on the counter? I am anticipating little ball possession and being encamped in our half, yet our three central defenders and the best goalkeeper in the championship, fingers crossed keeping them at bay. Problem is they have more fingers to cross, so quite possibly two late dingle goals in injury time, 93rd and 101st minutes for a draw? I'd gladly take our first draw of the season at the Dingledome.

I would be concerned if I was the owners and seeing/paying for all these posts, wondering what they all do and is it value for money. I am not averse to DoF, or a Head of Recruitment, or any other back office staff or coaching staff, yet whilst our front facing actual Championship football players are scarce on the ground, is very worrying. Unless that is, they have on their radar (which I think would be sensible) plans afoot to make a mega saving in this corporate set up. From the last accounts the salaries of Rovers' three directors rose by £20,000 to £489,450. Who might these three directors be, when we have 4 current directors registered at Companies House; Cheston, Coar, Ghandi Babu & Waggott, note - Silvester is just the company secretary. I imagine Coar & Babu are not being remunerated, leaving a big wedge for the Finance Director (surely maximum £150k?) and the Managing Director. So hopefully a plan to terminate Waggott is all part of replacing him with these new posts. If not then Venkys are truly having their pants taken down, yet again.

Renewed this morning. Lovely lady in the ticket office offered me the pre Saturday deadline date renewal price, £400 including £1 postage for new card. COYB

As soon as Rovers get round to making any announcement of their stand out manager candidate, I shall then ring the ticket office and offer to pay them by £399 to renew my season ticket for 2022/23. Entirely up to them if they wish to accept this or not, however I will not be renewing at the price of £429.

It will be interesting to see how the roles might be adapted and possibly lead to changes elsewhere at the Rovers. Surely many of the functions of the role as DOF will eradicate or lessen those tasks being performed elsewhere, plus hopefully be a big improvement on those previously. I can think specifically of two, though there might well be others too:- - Chief Scout, has the current incumbent moved on and not been replaced? A saving to be made in this post? - CEO, I assume that many of the roles which this new position of DOF have previously been performed (successful or otherwise, discussed below) by Steve Waggott. So might it be fair to anticipate a reduction in his hours/contract, even that he might indeed be surplus to requirements? Especially when appraising his performance in a number of areas in recent times Season ticket renewals and having his finger on the pulse of the product in one of England's most deprived areas? Contracts; both those dished out to underperformers, but also the worrying and financially bonkers of allowing valuable contracts to be run down, without either obtaining extensions or cashing in by their sale. Transfer window successes - if we were led to believe that money has been available by the owners and they have never rejected any requests, why have we seen such failures in windows under his tenure, none more so than in January 2022 sat 2nd in an automatic promotion spot, knowing that important players would be absent through injury and a boost for promotion might very well have paid dividends, yet underwhelming bits and bob signings were made, offering little help/support. Attempt at selling for residential development our training ground. Manager replacement - quite frankly this has been farcical and more than any of the above highlights his ineptitude and shows him to be not fit for purpose. I could go on with the state of the stadium, the poor corporate offer, the abject communication with his customers. In summary Waggott, very poor, here is your P45.

This just about sums it up.

Hearing a number of Dyche linked rumours from reliable folk, who have connections. MIght just be soundings out, as to whether either parties might be inclined to just talk. I don't know where manager's salary fits in within FFP, heard Dyche was on £5m pa at Bumley, which is way too much for us if a manager's wages forms part of FFP. Plus it's not been Venky's modus operandi to date in going looking to pay big money for management, been more keen to look at cheaper options, with then links with agents? So to me the chances sound remote.

Yes I should shouldn't I, but I won't as I cannot be arsed, as I have a pretty good idea what response this would have...a similar one to mine. It's indicative of the downward spiral we are on I am sad to say and embarrassed as a Rovers supporter.

Just commenting on Rovers matchday corporate hospitality offer, after partaking on Saturday. A few chums, mostly season ticket holders, thought we would indulge and made plans in January to find a date in our diaries, pre death spiral, for a get together in one of the lounges. Jacks Kitchen was full, so we were offered the Legends Lounge in the Darwen End, cost was £96.00 per person, less £19.20 credit for being a season ticket holder. For this you get a ticket in the lounge in the Darwen End behind the goals, a meal consisting of either; a steak and kidney crusted pie with chips and soggy veg; or chicken curry rice and a naan, both options the portion control were not great, nor was the quality, condiments were sparse. If I had spent £10 anywhere else on this meal I would have complained. You receive a free (£6 RRP, do not anybody pay this!) Rovers review glossy nonsense about Rovers, though not a matchday programme as not done anymore. A Team sheet shared on the table just before kick off, though we all knew the line ups from social media at 2pm one hour beforehand. A guess the goal time of first goal competition, that was announced after the match by Kevin Lynch, with two minutes light hearted chat, no legends in the Legends Lounge beside Kevin's typical words. I think that was the entire offer, I cannot recall anything else specifically offered in the price of £96, no starter, desert, coffee, cake, no option to have a bet, the National was on TV directly afterwards. The food queue took a good ten minutes, no cutlery as they'd run out. Only one of the bars was open. apparently struggling for staff, so again massive queues for a drink, the lounge was quite busy with lots of youngsters visiting from the USA, all wanting soft drinks, though we had the chance to queue for an Amstel lager, before this ran out and needed the barrel changing and taking an age, two pints in an hour and a half at £5 a pint was managed. All in all, a far from satisfactory offer from Rovers, very underwhelming and embarrassing, nothing like anything which might be described as anywhere near value for money. Someone above mentioned Stanley and their matchday hospitality, I've had experience of this and it frankly knocks spots off Rovers, for cost and in every other area, they're pleased to welcome you with positive vibes, have a look https://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/commercial/matchday-hospitality/ . I've even had recent experience of Clitheroe FC, which likewise is far superior, no doubt many other local options make Rovers offer an embarrassment, save to say we shall not be repeating this any time soon. We did share our disappointment with the manager who was apologetic and he did offer a round of drinks at 6pm, I felt for him and those staff doing what they could, yet it was just so poor overall and not clouded by a similar inept performance on the pitch.

JB is showing great form and wondering whether he should still be considered a make weight to fill in anywhere else. Specifically at right back/wing back with the possible injury to RN and a lack of JRC or other suitable replacement. So who plays there, Magloire or Pike or even Gally? Or perhaps play Lenihan there, with Van heck, Ayala and Scott playing in the three?

I would suggest that sorting a new contract for ToMo should be very low down the current order of business. Concentrating on contract extensions for existing 1st team players whose contracts expire soon and we might wish to keep hold of, or protect our investment, should be #1. Then #2 should be identifying signings to fill in gaps; those players not extending new contracts; along with obvious short comings in the current team. Right back cover, winger (assuming Gally is hopefully not considered the answer), plus a midfielder. Then of course being aware of replacements following any mega bids for BBD. If deferring ToMo till at the earliest Feb 2022 (though I'd leave it until the end of the season), means we miss out on a massive compensation from Man Utd when they come calling to replace Rangnick, then so be it.

I have noted a number of comments by these analysts who seem to want to come to ToMo's aid by using their laptops to come up with various statistics that might back him up, they also seem to get quite defensive when challenged. It's as if they might be fearing the gravy train might about to be leaving the station. I heard ToMo speak a couple of years ago, when he was giving his thoughts on having twenty or so of these young lads analysing data to help with identifying potential signings. It all sounded fantastic, although at the time I did consider whether this was to be used as a tool in addition to good old fashioned scouting by football folk who knew or understood the game, rather than some pasty slightly chubby kid who had been in his bedroom too long playing FIFA. It seems that these analytics types might have had even more of a say on using technology in other aspects too, looking at possession stats as a yard stick to performance, rather than footballing folk who have played the game lifting their heads out their laptops to see with their own eyes what is actually going on the grass.

A good effort by those getting this information out there and putting a slightly different spin on events surrounding Waggott's Brockhall plans. Sadly it will not be enough for some who have an inability to see past the narrative being peddled, perhaps if they message a few Coventry fans and ask them what they think about those involved in these plans, they may have a differing view? I would also add that if enough people could support the challenge about what is planned, then there would be more chance of successfully repealing it. Say for example if 20,000 or more, local people made a pledge to never buy a house from the development and also any future subsequent sales of the same houses, this would taint the value and prove problematic or less financially viable as a venture.

Sounds like Julia Roberts in the film Notting Hill, I'm just a girl standing in front of a boy. “I’m only trying to build a football team, build a club, with an identity,..." Where are all these missing defenders going to play when they are fit, all those who who would stop us conceding goals from set pieces, where are these stats? Ideally we all need to avoid getting personal or vindictive, we're better than that, yet it's not easy. Perhaps a Steve Waggott Discussion topic might be more relevant? He seems to be avoiding what might be considered his share of any flack. I would have hoped that a comment from him as CEO might be fitting. He might comment perhaps, that the Board/owners have always supported TM whenever he has asked? Few managers in the Championship have received the same level of support.

I don't think that most right minded Rovers supporters take any delight in stating the blindingly obvious, that Tony's game is up. I agree that he sounds like a decent bloke, straight talking and did bring about the much needed stability, yet in football management there is in reality only a certain shelf life, before one becomes stale. Reconstructing teams is possibly one of the greatest challenges to any manager seeking longevity. Even he realises that there is no loyalty in football, those involved it's all about the money first and foremost, it's only us supporters who apply other criteria, like passion. He was able to see that the time was up for, Richie Smallwood, Charlie Mulgrew, Danny Graham, Craig Conway, Dom Samuel, so with a heavy heart he wished them well. So now it's his turn for someone to thank him and wish him well, to leave on the best possible terms, without further tarnishing his accomplishments at Rovers. Loyalty has it's place in engineering a successful team, yet can become cumbersome. I previously questioned whether his coaching team were up to it, yet he must consider that they are, despite the chaotic defending we have witnessed, especially on set pieces, so proposed he might be best to look for help. He is the man at the top, so his actions, or lack of, rest on his shoulders. Sadly he has never got to grips with our defence, he needed a big ugly experienced dominant centre half, yet failed, which I find surprising as that was exactly what he was as a player. Plus in my opinion, it's the easiest thing to accomplish, get it tight at the back and work forwards. We have a multitude of exciting and attacking options, save for the largest and strangest signing in SG. Added to this his various formations which only seem to confuse our players, remember footballers are young lads and not possibly the brightest, so perhaps err on trying to make your instructions fairly easy to follow? Now if Waggott, or whomever, do not act and soon, then regrettably they are culpable and need to be addressed.

Nyambe is our best right back and would not be out of place in any other Championship team. Playing in other Championship teams who are coached to defend properly and in all likelihood would improve Ryan into a PL full back. At times he has been treated poorly by Mowbray, being called out in public by him when possibly he might have been at fault, without similar such treatment to other players, which has been bizarre. None more so than last Friday, when if our manager wishes to call out publicly his players, he should have been questioning how their left back/left wing back was given the freedom of our right hand side to advance from the half way line, unchecked by the player that might reasonably be expected to have been tracking him back. Likewise he might have looked at their second goal (scored yet again from another set piece we conceded from) and questioned the same player who failed to attack the ball allowing their player a relatively unchallenged header at the near post. Yet I fear not as it might be questioned as to what exactly he saw in the player who he signed for £5m and made him our top earning, non scoring, non trapping, non aerial threat, centre forward, whom he continually plays out of position. So I have no hard feelings towards Ryan for not extending his contract, like Raya, who for four years can see that his career might be best served elsewhere. Tiresome and pathetic enduring the ramblings on here of a specific poster who is unwilling to see TM's halo slip.

Used to play Thursday evenings down at Witton astro pitches with Pelle, in the summer he would invite various footballers down for a kick around. Specifically recall, Scott Sellars, Simon Barker and Simon Garner joining in, all three found time to play and rarely gave the ball away, Garner specifically stood out, with how quickly he could turn and get his shots away, a short back lift that generally found the corner of the net.

The focus and probing questions need diverting away from the playing staff and directly onto the coaches. They have failed to address the basics for defending properly, not just defenders but the entire players. Venus and Lowe, what are they doing in training to address our consistently poor defending? Start with defending set pieces, corners, free kicks and balls played into our penalty area, tighten up and be aware of the dangers, who knows we might benefit by occasionally scoring from set pieces too? Though too late in my opinion, they’ve had enough time and failed. It’s such an easy part of the game, to get yourselves organised, any half decent coach can achieve this.

"When we've got everyone available..." Wow just watch us go! Although perhaps in reality those game changers might end up on the bench with two holding midfielders players instead at home, two centre forwards out on the wing and a little striker through the middle. Quite possibly I might now be that dinosaur, that I thought my dad was, when he went on about inside and outside forwards, two wingers whose job was to get to bye-line and knock it back, with three at the back. I recall Harry Chapman standing one up for SG to nod in, seemed a fairly reasonable way to break down your opponents and score. Though also I genuinely do not believe he knows his best starting line up, get's too engrossed in systems and opponents. In my opinion we get better results and performances when he gets forced into a corner and has no alternatives. Sigh.

Enterprise Inns!!

I'd say that most supporters and people in the game, would agree that he is a decent manager, indeed I'd go further and say he is a loyal and decent man too. He can see and talk with passion about the game, emphasize loyalty that is otherwise lacking in football, he is able to sell this viewpoint which can bring on board players and supporters, almost all those who depart have nothing to say other than compliments about the man. I would say that "I think" (as I have no actual evidence to support this claim), that perhaps he is let down by his support staff, coaches, backroom team. If I was Waggott I would be undertaking an impartial review of these rather than ToMo, to asses the entire coaching team's performance and consider what if any additional or replacement help might be needed. Resilience, mental toughness, winning ethos, conversion to succeed, worryingly we keep flirting with building on momentum, only to then see it stutter.