I’d be surprised to see us sell Dack other than if there’s £25m+ on the table AND the player insisting he wants to go...even then it would be suicide as we’d struggle to replace him in Jan. I think the comments of the newly installed Southampton manager are promising. Seems to want to trim the squad ready for his own players. I can see both Reed and Gallagher being available. I agree about being pragmatic. If we lost those two in Jan I’d fear us getting sucked into a relegation battle too.

There’s no exact science but the success of the team is a true barometer of the managers ability to sign the right players. If he gets too many wrong then the team will fail and they will lose games of football. People now suggesting that BB hasn’t played for financial reasons? And yet....I’m wrong to suggest that posters are overreacting over a 19yr Old who hasn’t played too much first team football in his first three months at a club? ??‍♂️???

I see us as a low to mid table championship club in terms of gates, revenue and potential. Therefore In the context of us having just coming up, the fact that that we’re comfortably in that position can be seen as overachieving imo. We are the highest placed promoted team. Survival is usually the barometer in this situation. Next season a mid table finish is what would be expected and so wouldn’t be seen as overachieving. If BIG clubs are the likes of Liverpool, Man United, Everton, Arsenal, Spurs etc then imo we do not fit into the bracket of medium sized. That’s my view... AND It will take a bigger investment from Venkys than Jack Walker (bless this man) to shunt us in among the elite and keep us there. Why? Because we’re a small club with a history of overachieving. In my opinion of course. Anyway, back to transfers ?

I haven’t simply just said to trust Mowbray. Iv offered points around his (BB’s) age, the time he’s been at the club as well as the managers words. You’re right, a message board is about opinions. Mine is that quite a few on here are overreacting about BB.

Yup, there’s literally only me who disagrees with the overreaction mate. ???

Opinions....either way we’re overachieving ??

Jeez lads, we’re within 6pts of the playoffs after being promoted. I really don’t know what you’re trying to prove? You’re clutching at straws if you think people are going to agree with your massive overreaction about Brereton based on us signing Whittingham? I’m extremely confident that the manager and staff know more about football than all of us put together. More importantly we’re massively overachieving as a small club with a fantastic history but no fans. Let’s enjoy it

See this is fan madness. I don’t know a single Rovers fan who wasn’t excited by Whittingham signing. It didn’t work out, that’s life. We also signed a little tubby lad called Bradley Dack? How’d that work out? ??‍♂️???

Crack on then pal. ??

Mate, it’s not that difficult. Have you never known a player signed for the future? It means that after spending a lifetime in the game and thousands of hours coaching footballers our manager and his staff have decided that they don’t want to play a 19yr Old during his first 3 months at the club...ok? I didn’t claim he was raw. Mowbray did.

Hahahahah....you made a great point. That article is everything anyone needs to know about why BB has been used so sparingly. ??

I was agreeing with you!

There’s so much context that can be added to your points though. The article above completely explains why Brereton (aged 19yrs) has been generally overlooked during the THREE MONTHS he’s been with us. Two of the three windows you refer to have been in league one with lower budgets and differing expectations. During those three windows he’s got us promoted and now 6 points off the playoffs in our first season back in the Championship. So, whilst the four young, talented players you referred to have ‘failed’ to establish themselves in the last THREE MONTHS they can’t be too shabby hey? ? What’s available is very much a reason. I’m sorry that it doesn’t wash with you, but it’s the way it is. I don’t get your final point? Do you disagree with me? Do you not believe it to be true? That’s no probs with me mate. But ultimately all Mowbray teams have historically played football. I see no reason why we won’t evolve.

That article basically answers all the questions about BB. He’s 19 and has been at the club for 3 months. He’s soooo highly rated but they don’t feel the time is right. So what?

They can only sign what’s available mate. There’s no quick fix. In relation to Venus - They feel they don’t have the players to play that way. Which is what they’re going to try to change over the next 12 - 18 months

Agree 100% and I think that’s the development they think they can bring out of him. I do know one thing. If I was bringing someone on at 70 minutes to impact a game then I’d choose Chapman over Palmer or Armstrong

I think Brereton will play up top in time Chaddy. But either way you must be able to see how short of firepower we are? Iv lost count of how many games it’s cost us...Millwall, Rotherham, Villa, Ipswich, Swansea (we were on top and should have finished them before the game swung)...the list is endless. The more genuine options you have up there the better imo. Look at how many strikers the top 6 have.

No not specifically mate. Used to have direct route but now I just hear things through conversation. Friend of a friend. But obv my mates know I support Rovers so they tell me if they find out. Not much gets out under the current regime in terms of specific names but they do talk about overall plans. for instance, I found out that Venus is an absolute football purist. He’s the one who drives the “Total football” idea that they are going to try to implement. TM is more pragmatic apparently.

Haha - No, I meant he’s clueless in terms of actually knowing anything. He’s a charlatan. Just scours forums for info and reports it as fact.

Yup.

Haha - Nicko’s clueless. Prob been reading posts in here. Gallagher defo on the radar. I’d take him in a heartbeat ??

Pretty sure Chapman has been fit the last few weeks / months. Sounds like he’s been offered to us for Jan. I think we will take that option on a pragmatic deal to use him off the bench with a view to developing. Completely agree that we need more firepower.

Smallwood’s contract was a reward for last season and some parity on wages but it was only two years. I can’t see him playing much next season and Maybe we’ll get a nominal fee next Christmas. Evans is better than Smallwood and they prob want him to a new contract to be used as a squad player long term. Interesting that they haven’t agreed salary terms yet. You wouldn’t wanna pay big wages for a player you were going to replace... Graham got another year which is standard. Bennett, Arma, Bell, Lenihan, Nyambe and most of the others are under pressure to keep improving or risk being replaced. It’s good, healthy competition. Aside from a striker, which I think is essential, I would expect us to improve every area as and when the opportunities arise.

imo the games we’ve lost or drawn this season have generally been because of a lack of ruthlessness up front. Goals change games and there’s been plenty where we’ve been on top, missed chances and gone on to drop points. The constant whinging about a Brereton is boring. Speaking to a league manager last week who’s friends with Venus they fully expect BB to be the next superstar in terms of impact. But at 19 he simply can’t do what Graham does physically. Even IF BB was flying I’d expect us to sign more goal scorers because every successful team has them in abundance. That doesn’t mean we’re not short in other positions. I fully expect TM to replace the likes of Smallwood, Evans, Williams and Graham in the next couple of windows. All are unable to develop well enough to stay in the team long term. I wouldn’t be surprised if all of them left. I can also see the heat being applied on the likes of Bennett, Bell and Armstrong to improve in order to play more regularly. I still say that this Christmas they’ll be looking at BB completion, Reed on a perm, a mainline striker on loan and Chapman cheap with Palmer returning to Chelsea. But I wouldn’t rule out us strengthening any department in terms of quality if the right player at the right price was available.

Other than the 4 and 3 against Preston and Wigan I haven’t seen a “brittle” defence this season. We’ve had a lot of injuries and yet it’s been relatively solid. He sees Rodwell as a CB and Downing has done well the last two games. He doesn’t need a CB and won’t sign one unless something comes up that he can’t turn away. Which is unlikely in Jan. Always makes me laugh when people say “we can’t afford him” etc. How on earth do you know what we can and can’t afford? We never for one minute thought we had the money for BB. I feel that we are a mainline striker short regardless. I can see us loaning one and if we’re in with a shout of the playoffs by Jan then I can see us buying one. Che Adams? £5m? The Ings thing was more in relation to a new manager and people falling out of favour / being replaced. Austin? I mentioned Chapman because TM had in the recent meeting. Think he’s ours if we want him. I can see us letting Palmer go back and signing Chapman. Lets see how it plays out.