I missed this entirely, but would’ve been keen to join. I don’t use Facebook, but if there’re more updates, do keep us up to speed on here.

Didn’t see too much of him in it, but the follow-up interview with Ismael had the manager with his arm around him talking intently. Any manager arriving at the club would view him as key to what they want to achieve, it’s just a question of getting the maximum out of him. I backed Eustace’s approach of making him feel important but he probably let him off a little too lightly with responsibilities, towards the end. If you can get him motivated and keep him that way, he could become essential in the run-in. He’s still a very talented footballer. A goal from open play would be massive for him.

Find me footage of Adam Wharton running himself out of play in the 92nd minute under no pressure and I’ll be inclined to agree. Rice is really overrated.

Adam Wharton is already better than Declan Rice, for me and his ceiling is far higher. I genuinely believe Wharton should only be going to a team with a realistic shot at winning the Champions League. Spurs, Everton, Newcastle, Arsenal and Man United believe they have a shot at signing him in the summer but he’s better off staying where he is, getting England caps in qualification, going to the World Cup in 2026, sending Kobbie Mainoo some Adam Wharton pyjamas to wear while he watches the games from Manchester and basically having his pick of the major European clubs afterwards. He’d be magic at one of the big two in Spain, he’d do extremely well at Milan and he’d probably suit Citeh extremely well, too (the vertical passes through the lines are an exact match for the runs Haaland makes). He’ll work his way into the starting lineup wherever he ends up quite quickly, his instinctive talent and composure is basically unmatched at his age profile, in England. I’ve never seen him look remotely rushed or pressure by his environment. In terms of playing with England players at his club: why not Bellingham?

At best, I am whelmed. Can’t really judge him on results until - I would say - Cardiff. He’ll be heavily relying on existing coaches for the weekend and Derby will be the first game where he’s had a good look at everyone. Stoke will be a “what are these guys about” match, after which he’ll have an idea of who he can trust and who he can’t. Again - whelmed. It’s a championship football manager, we’re a championship club. It’s not particularly ambitious, it’s not particularly unambitious.

Whoever it is, I’ll back til the end of the season, as we all will. By “back” I mean, support the team they’re managing by watching, giving a shit, heading to the games I’m able to, taking an interest in. But to be clear - whatever happens this season, either of the two “leading candidates” for the job will see us slide down the table. My impression has always been that Wagner needs a budget and not much of a tactician. Kind of a middle manager, really. Ismaël is a charmer who can brute force a response/surge with a combative and direct approach, but isn’t a man manager and doesn’t have a plan B. Throws his toys out with everyone when it starts to fall apart. I hope this is Nixon taking a stab in the dark, but I think he’s going to look extremely stupid after his recent tweets if it is just that and he didn’t need to over-egg the story or the tweets with no source/lead on the story, so he’s probably got the story here. Ironically, his story about the rigidity on salary for the new manager laid the groundwork for this appointment. We’re picking from the people who will accept the salary on offer.

Look, it’s got too much of a specific knowledge/interest in JDT not to be somebody with a working knowledge/perspective on his reign here. It’s genuinely only concerned with his time at Rovers, too. I hope it is his burner account, because it somewhat aligns with my thinking on the club setup and squarely points the finger at Suhail as being the up-fucker. For all the shit that JDT and Gregg caught on here (as managers and DoFs are rightly and justifiably open to receiving) the real issue at that time, before the time and subsequent to it, has always been that fucking anti-talent orange juice salesman. I do believe any normal club setup would’ve enabled those two to at least get us into the playoffs, if not further.

Inclined to agree. Spoken to one of the two mentioned managers’ agents and pulled a tiny little article out of that chat. Cooper earned no playing career money and is likely still on good money from Leicester sacking. No point dropping that for a job that’s less-than-optimal (batshit owners; dogshit board and exec team; zero budget in future). O’Neil will be similar, albeit probably earned good playing career money. I think there are some who earned mega money trying to make their way into or back into English football - therefore less concerned with short-term remuneration - who you could tempt. I think Gerrard would be one, unless the Saudi tax bill thing is the main priority for him (earned £15m/year out there, so very much could be). I imagine Duff is similar. £600k is probably a significant salary upgrade, but I still think he has a bigger motive than just his own personal career. I think being in the League of Ireland is a mission to him.

Soft goal, 3-0, game over. Enjoy what you can of the rest of your days, lads, I’m off for a massive shit.

John Buckley sprints like he’s got a hamstring injury.

Hope that’s the last time we see Forshaw and Hedges start another Rovers game.

He likes “working with the players” which is why he can’t be the manager for another game. This is about winning, not pandering to the inflated egos of mid-to-lower-table championship footballers who you like “working with.” Needed to be bollocking the ones who’d fucked up and hooking them.

He is probably a nice lad around the place and therefore probably a dependable backup, but the idea he is a #1 keeper at a Championshio club and has been for two years is shambolic. Still, his dad is mates with Waggott isn’t he? Probably the first contract renewed since December 2023 as the door slams on Waggott’s massive arsenal, post-retirement.

Pears culpable for both goals. Hedges partially for the first, ref largely for the second. But make no mistake, Hedges had a hand in both. The second was a neat finish, but Pears had a week to prepare himself for the second and got his angle fully wrong, his rushing out didn’t happen at all.

Yep, 100%, very loudly and pointedly towards the directors’ box: Lowe Out.

A lot of players hiding out there, which is a disgrace given where we find ourselves.

Fuck this, Lowe Out.

Free kick with an opportunity to cross into our in-form, 6’5” striker and we roll it square to our ancient midfielder who scored his first goal in 9 years last week.

I expected him to be on the end of Gueye’s cross earlier, which may be a sign you’re right, but he was on the end of them earlier in the season, which makes me think he still has it.

That elicited a big chuckle from me

Niall Ennis with a brace for Blackpool. Comfortable level for him down there.

Think Gueye and Weimann have been good so far, but Dolan so inconsistent and Hedges really only performing to a fair standard, no moments of quality for a long while now.

I like Neal a lot, I think he says a lot without saying anything at all on the more controversial things but that co-commentary with Carter a few weeks back was such a massive misstep from Warren.

Warren Lucy is such a suck-up. I get why he has to be, but he lays it on THICK.

Conservative, which I can forgive as Lowe’s not here to make a statement. Losing away at Swansea is a poor showing. A draw there is a little disappointing. A win is a good result for a caretaker. The front four will chase and press, Gueye’s in good enough form to connect with a cross or a fumble. It’s not very ambitious, but Lowe’s keeping a seat warm. Even with all the caveats above - Forshaw is not someone to be starting ahead of Buckley or JRC.