JHRover

Behold a club that reinvests following sales. What happened when we brought in 30 million from sales?

I was being sarcastic. The narrative now seems to be that the very idea of criticism or not being guaranteed number one has led to Raya wanting to move, as though Brentford will promise him such things. It's all nonsense. We're skint and have decided to take the money.

Luckily for Raya he's gone to a club where he is guaranteed to play every game and there are no other goalkeepers who can challenge for a place. He's also been given a promise by their manager that he won't ever be criticised or dropped if he plays poorly.

I reckon Barnsley will surprise a few and build themselves up to be a force in the Championship. A bit like Brentford they'll lose a couple of quality players every year but recruit very well and through a combination of good scouting and good coaching will overachieve.

All the indications to date are of no money or extremely limited funds unless money is brought in through sale(s) first. Not only in the business done to date but also reading between the lines of Mowbray's comments post-India trip. The about turn in his comments from the bold ambitions of May to the backtracking and down-scaling of expectations is concerning. We haven't spent a penny as yet, there's no serious evidence of bids even being made, most of the players we've been linked with are free agents. The only contracted player that we've seemingly been after is Sam Gallagher and Nixon now appears to be suggesting that we're still undecided on whether to compete with Wigan for his signature. That might or might not happen but we're talking a similar cost to what we've received for Raya. The rest are cases of Mowbray looking at trialists and no doubt waiting until the deadline approaches for prices to drop and for the Premier League loans to come up for grabs. A proactive, well planned and organised club and recruitment department would not be going through the window as we have done so far. A proactive club has a list of targets within a budget and works through those. See Brentford for an example. What we are doing is very much reactive. Having a look at over the hill trialists to see if they can 'do a job' for 12 months without incurring a transfer fee. Waiting to see which prices drop or which players are allowed out on loan. Hoping and waiting to see what happens. All this talk last summer of a 2-3 year building plan, recruitment being organised, multi-window building - doesn't stack up with what we've seen and heard in the last few weeks. It's following a similar pattern to all previous summer windows to be honest, and the only hope is that like in previous years as the weeks tick by India then drops extra cash into the mixer as has happened closer to deadline day in the past. I certainly can't believe Mowbray would want things to be like this.

And got relegated to League Two with Bradford last season.

I'm not opposed in the slightest to replacing Evans but I'm not comfortable with it being Adam or Butterfield doing it. Both appear to be on their last legs. There is a need for the manager to 'have a look' at them which is never convincing. By all means replace but doing it by handing out a 1 year deal to a 30 odd year old doesn't sit comfortably with me. At least Evan's is only 28 and has some value in his contract.

So Raya's replacement is going to be either a loan or free agent, and we aren't looking like spending money on any defenders. As expected

Inconvenient facts which suggest Waggott's 'policies' perhaps aren't as successful as he would like to think. Up the prices go whilst alienating season ticket holders and putting them on sale at the last minute only going to end one way.

Mysteriously the money from selling Raya (3 million?) will enable Mowbray to go out and make signings yet there's no mention of the money left over from January which Mowbray decided not to spend and no mention of funds Venkys were providing before sales. Personally my belief is they're having us on and there isn't any money. Mowbray has allowed Raya to go so he can raise a few quid to reinvest and other than that it's free agents and loans. I look forward to being proven wrong.

Quite obvious that Dann would be too expensive. One hell of a gamble to go after people out of our financial range in the hope they drop demands down to our level.

Mowbray also seems to be suggesting that the funds generated will enable him to strengthen in multiple areas. Presumably then whatever funds were available before selling Raya weren't sufficient.

Apparently, and I haven't heard his interview, Mowbray has said that Raya wanted to leave. That might be an attempt to pacify unhappy fans with the old 'the player wanted out, there was nothing more we could do' tale but if it is true that our first choice GK pushed for a move to Brentford I'd like Mowbray to explain more - why is it that a player who has been here since a young age, playing every week in the Championship, actively wants to move to a league rival? Money? Better coaches elsewhere? More confidence in Brentford's prospects than ours? Whatever it is it doesn't reflect well on Rovers. Unless it is just Mowbray trying to cover all bases by 'blaming' the player thereby protecting himself from criticism if/when this move doesn't work out for Rovers.

Sounds like Mowbray has confirmed that wont be happening.

Well the club better have a replacement lined up. Selling Raya not a disgrace but doing so without a replacement coming or expecting to give Leutwiler and Fisher the chance is a disgrace. Expect the old 3 million in and 500k out with the difference disappearing to keep the Indians happy.

It is a weaker defence because we've lost players and havent signed any, yet. It's simple. It isn't as strong because two backup options have gone. It isn't stronger because they haven't been replaced with better, yet. So it is weaker. If the season started tomorrow we have the same defence as last year but without the same backup. Weaker.

The Goalkeeping position is unusual. I don't think it was our downfall last season but I do think with a reasonable amount of cash we could improve on Raya. I've no problem letting him go IF we quickly bring in an experienced alternative. If we start trying to give Leutwiler a chance heads should roll. Far more important and urgent that we addressed defence and midfield. It is critical that we sign a quality CB who is going to play and not someone to make up the numbers as 'backup'. We need more goals from midfield and less reliance on Graham and Dack so hopefully Johnson and Downing can help but still think we need more.

With Terry McPhillips quitting Blackpool yesterday I'd like to see him come back to coach the u23s.

How the League can't have decided on a punishment yet is beyond me. Fixtures long since announced and season fast approaching, long since the crime was committed. I half wonder if the League are hoping everyone forgets about it. Let's remember that they broke the rules twice. Firstly by not playing the game when it should have been played, calling it off at short notice to Brentfords detriment, and secondly by failing to rearrange the fixture when directed to do so by the League. Two separate offences should be two sanctions but expect they'll try and cobble it into one and let Bolton off lightly as they have throughout.

Likelihood is that unless upwards progress continues Mowbray will be out of a job before he needs to worry about rebuilding after these players have gone. He needs to do what he can to try and get us up asap. If we don't go up there's a fair chance Venkys will sell anyone of value like they did last time Bowyers project didn't work out.

If Raya is going for 3 million then Darlow at 4 million is a good deal.

Rodwell has gone as his contract expired in June and he hasn't signed a new one yet. I don't think he's been involved in pre season. Whether you think Rodwell and Downing were good or useless or somewhere in between the reality is they were both called upon last season, albeit to a limited degree, and now they have gone and so far havent been replaced. That means we are weaker. Two less CB options to what was already a weak defence. An urgent need to add a couple of defenders.

Worst defence in the league weaker through the loss of Downing and Rodwell and still being coached by the same staff. If Mowbray doesn't address that soon he needs help. Darlow would be an excellent addition in my opinion but without structural changes to the defence it may well be pointless.

I'd much prefer Fraser Forster to Joe Hart. Hart strikes me as someone who has lost the plot and spending the last 12 months with that lot wont have helped. Nor should we be doing any direct business with them. They will probably be delighted if we take him off their hands. Avoid please.

Monk has left under a cloud and strange circumstances from all 4 of his jobs when at the time results weren't particularly bad. Maybe he's the modern Billy Davies who despite good results at all his clubs seems to never last anywhere and falls out with people.