Hold on a minute... you're taking the super optimistic route?! I'm very shocked, not like you mate!

The wrong date that was originally in the thread title had me thinking the match was tonight... When I woke up, still thinking it was tonight, that feeling of dread (with a hint of betrayal) set in... knowing that i'd likely end up in a bad mood after another predictable loss. I watch every game, whether at Ewood or on TV, and it’s usually one of the highlights of my week - but lately, it’s just different. I’m relieved to find the match is actually tomorrow. Would much rather spend my evening on the PS5... This is where i’m at now - I just feel like that spark is going.

Not a chance our bunch of bottle jobs get anything here. Playoffs are 100% gone. 2-0 Stoke, Gallagher and Moran to score.

Can't imagine it sits well with the lower earners in the Rovers squad; grafting their asses off during training and matches, whilst knowing that the fat little used car salesman Waggott, who's actively destroying the Club, is earning more than them.

Balaji: Good news, I just got off the phone to Suhail - he said another team ummm, FC Crystals, want to buy someone called Andy Wharton from us. Listen to this; he's only 20, from the Academy... and they're offering £18m! Madame Desai: £18m?! Wow seems a lot for a player, he must be good yes? Balaji: Hahaha no! I just searched him on Googles, and guess what? He doesn't even score loads of goals... he's rubbish! Madame Desai: He doesn't even score loads of goals? Ha, yes very rubbish. Quick accept the money - go tell Suhail! Balaji: Already told him. Suhail says we don't have to send money from my party fund to the Club now... get Akon on the phone, i'm throwing another! Madame Desai: Another party? You just had one this weekend! Whatever... *Venkatesh walks in eating a pakora* Balaji: Hey Venkatesh, you hear that about Alex Wharton? £18m to Crystals? Venkatesh: No, is this about the uh Football Team we own.. Blackburns? Balaji: Yes about the Blackburns.. Venkatesh: Oh okay! Wow £18m, does he score loads of goals? Balaji: *smirking* no... he's rubbish hahahaha! Venkatesh: Nice hahaha, Venky's 1 Crystals 0.

These caught my attention when I was at the Norwich game the other day, they look like they have actual shit on them - embarrassing. The transparent panels on the roof of the Blackburn End also looked very murky from where I was sat... doesn't look like these have been cleaned recently.

"The amount of additional funding required will be dependent on the net proceeds of any player trading" At any other Club this would actually be perfectly reasonable, and inline with the Brentford model; - Snap up a player with high potential (or bring them through the Academy). - Use and improve them, then sell them on for a big profit. - Reinvest a good chunk of that on replacement(s). - Use the difference towards bills for the Club. - Rinse and repeat. Would have absolutely no problem with that... it'd work wonders for the Club, the playing squad, and the owners. However, this is the Venky's we're dealing with - they use practically every penny from player sales towards the bills, and reinvest absolutely shag all... considering how successful they've been in the world of business, they're fucking idiots.

I agree - hence why I also put this bit which was deleted from your quote... However, we have a team capable of getting bummed 3-0 by a horribly out of form Swansea. This is the difference, I can see us getting maybe 6 points, if we're being generous.

I'm 95% confident that we will not win this game... a late Derby winner wouldn't be surprising in the slightest. Genuinely dreading this one.

Updated "race to 70 points" table; Side note, i'm also absolutely sick of Coventry with their annual mid-season playoff charge, after being shite for the first half of the season. Anyway, the next 4 games are vital; Derby (a) - 24th Stoke (a) - 19th Cardiff (h) - 20th Portsmouth (a) - 17th You look at that, and think that a team aiming for playoffs should be getting 12 points from those games... I think Sunderland and Coventry would. However, we have a team capable of getting bummed 3-0 by a horribly out of form Swansea. This is the difference, I can see us getting maybe 6 points, if we're being generous. Hopefully the return of Tronstad and Ohashi, plus the addition of our new Gaffer, can make up the difference. In an ideal world, we win all 4 of those... this would put us on 64 points, needing only 6 points from our remaining 7 matches (0.86 PPG) to hit 70 points. Playoffs would be very much on the cards. Come on lads, please!

After that "performance" against Swansea, this just seems like a nailed-on loss to me... Would be very happy to be proven wrong, however.

Looks like BetVictor aren't taking bets on it anymore, they've been removed from here: https://www.oddschecker.com/football/football-specials/blackburn/next-permanent-manager Could it suggest that it's wrapped up at this point? Probably not, but I really hope so! Personally i'm ready for this chapter to end - get the new gaffer down Brockhall with the lads pronto, big game this weekend.

Aware that i'm in the minority here, but i'll be happy with Valerian Ismael. Wouldn't have been my first choice... but then again, Eustace wouldn't have been at the time we hired him either. Ismael will no doubt be eager to prove himself. I can see him having a brilliant impact on the mentality of the group, and expect the more physical players to thrive under him - he's a good fit for the Club at this stage. At this level - it's incredibly common for both managers and players to have some negatives on their CV, if they didn't then they'd quite simply be operating at a higher level.

Every time I regain a little bit of hope, this lot remind me just how shit they can be. Sorry but a team capable of a ‘performance’ like that, does not make the playoffs. Not a chance.

I called it, unfortunately. Could be more than 3 at this rate.

Ah! Apologies for the assumption there, no disrespect intended 🙏

Not your type pal?

Could be an advantage if we make the playoffs... maybe he can convince opposing managers to throw the game, by threatening to nail their wives if they don't?

Definitely a shagger, hopefully he fancies a bit of Lancashire's finest!

Nixon says 6 will be interviewed for the job, i'd guess that'll be the likes of... - Gary O'Neil - Richie Wellens - Valerian Ismael - Raphael Wicky - Rob Edwards - Aitor Karanka I'm not a betting man, but would stick a cheeky few quid on one of those becoming our new head coach... whichever is the cheapest, probably!

Would be very happy with Valerian Ismael. Had a fantastic managerial record before his season at Watford. He also favours the formation we currently play, but a bit more attacking... perfect! Regarding his stint at Watford, it wasn't great, sure... but there are others who've done even worse there and over a shorter period of time - such as Chris Wilder and Rob Edwards. All experienced gaffers at this level will have blips on their records - if they didn't, they'd be managing at a higher level. Ismael has excelled way more than he has failed as a manager, bring him in.

We have a chance to do some serious damage up until the start of April, we don't play a single team who are near or above us, closest being Norwich who we're 7 points clear of. Fixtures until April, and their current positions at the time of writing... Swansea City (a) - 17th Norwich City (h) - 12th Derby County (a) - 22nd Stoke City (a) - 19th Cardiff City (h) - 20th Portsmouth (a) - 18th There's the argument that a bunch of those sides are in a relegation scrap and will be busting their guts for results etc... but the reality is that these teams are down there for a reason, they're not very good - and we should be beating them. We have an opportunity to go on a brilliant run here, and should be targeting at least 4 wins from those games - it gets harder after that!

Let's say that 70 points is actually what will get you playoffs this season... I've copied the league table, and added the amount of points and PPG each team would require from their remaining matches, to reach 70 points; Barring some sort of record low playoff threshold, i'd say that those teams needing at least 2.00 PPG could be out of the playoff race already. 2.00 PPG is automatic promotion form, very unlikely unless you're one of the current top 4. One could even go as far as saying that those needing at least 1.9 PPG could be out of the race... A place in the playoffs is ours to lose at this point, hope the lads can keep it up!