The clock is ticking. We look incompetent. As said above we should have had a shortlist of 3-5 managers, already sounded out when it appeared Eustice was off and had then in the building over the next 1-3 days. Our rep in the football world is fragile. A bit of conviction would have at least given the appearance of some level of competence. Here we are dragging our feet though. I'm unsure an appointment will be made in February. It amazes me how thick Waggott can be. Truly playing with fire here. He's been lucky we've won two on the bounce, but one or two losses and the fans will turn and begin asking what the fuck is going on. Every day that passes I'm more convinced it will either be Lowe or somebody very underwhelming.

I'm sure Waggott would love nothing better than to leave Lowe in charge. 500k banked plus the savings on Eustice's wages. I feel there is an element of dragging their heels to see if he can pull another win or two out the bag, and allow the calls for him to grow. We need a manager asap: 1. Lowe has done a faultless job thus far, but he has been very open that we've been playing to the tactical setup installed by Eustice. As time goes on, without reinforcement the muscle memory of the system begins to fade. 2. Lowe has done the right thing with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it approach", but the time we will really need a leader is when things go wrong. He's not faced that test as a manager. Ever. Given his lack of experience the liklihood is we'd regret the decision if he were left in charge. 3. The situation has been covered that we're an attractive short-term job. Long-term, not so much. If we leave Lowe in charge and don't win promotion, we've missed an opportunity. The job will not be attractive in the summer. It also leads to another summer of uncertainty, no forward planning and being once again stuck in reaction mode. This is especially critical if anybody at the club ever decides to lift a finger and try to negotiate contract renewals. Of course, all this could just be me theorising and the reality is, Waggott and co don't know what they're doing/are lazy with zero sense of urgency. It's utterly ridiculous that the main interview process is yet to begin!

With the amount of games Dolan has played for us, I think people forget just how young he is. If he was playing like he currently is having only made the first team within the past year, people would be more optimistic about his potential. He does have a ceiling. His lack of pace dictates much of that. But the consistency he is criticised for not having is rare for a player of his age. Given time, I think it'll come. Unfortunately it probably won't be with us.

I voted for O'Neil, simply because I think Duffer would quickly turn into JDT mk2 in his interviews. I was torn in doing so though, because of all the managers linked, Duff is the one I'd be most excited for. And, even though it was clear JDT was heading for a parting of ways with the club for some time, I actually loved the way he conducted himself. Single handedly trying to change the mindset of the club. Now I'm typing this, I almost want to change my vote. Duffer would galvanise, has half an eye on the longer term, I have faith he'd be his own man, is a club legend. It all gives me very few concerns around his lack of top level experience. The only thing is, I'm sure he was quoted as being very happy in Ireland for the time being.

Looking back at the petty statement we released, expressing the disappointment Eustice was leaving at such a crucial point in the season, Waggott and co aren't exactly walking the walk. If their actions matched their words, there would 100% be a new manager installed by now. They would have been at the game at the weekend, ready to hit the ground running this week. Even if they are appointed by the Swansea game, all we're doing is making the new incumbents job more difficult. There is a rush to appoint a new manager. Waggott is bloody useless.

Huge game today. The off pitch shenanigans galvanised us midweek, but without a manager that togetherness will be fragile. The longer we can keep it going the more attractive the job begins to look.

It's all very, very quiet! Considering they've known Eustice wanted out for a while and that the approach was made last Friday you'd expect a bit more in the way of concrete rumours. Either the hierarchy are moving at a glacial pace, or they are doing an outstanding job, keeping things under wraps. I know which one my money is on!

Of the names mentioned I wouldn't be opposed to either Gary O'Neil or Gerrard. O'Neil had always impressed me, any time I heard him speak, and I felt he'd done a good job wherever he'd been until the wheels fell off this year when there were huge mitigating circumstances. As for Gerrard, I don't think he's got the tactical ability to manage a Premier League club where there is a requirement to play an attractive brand of football. However, I do think he can galvanise us, keep us solid and continue on the good foundations Eustice built. Someone mentioned Travis, and the fact he is a scouser, could see us aligning leadership in the dugout and on the pitch. The intangible perk is we've seen national media shining a bit more of a light on the chaos of the club since Eustice left. A big name like Gerrard could keep the spotlight somewhat on us, which wouldn't be a bad thing.

Still buzzing after this fellas performance last night!

Always thought he had something about him. His performances at the start of the season were decent and couldn't have been a complete fluke. Last night however, was one of the best individual performances I've seen of a player in a Rovers shirt for years. Absolutely unplayable, not only up top, but in our own box as well. In addition he was a complete leader on the pitch. Second half it was like we had prime Drogba on the pitch. Such a likeable bloke too.

I don't think Duffer would end up tainted by Venkys as I don't think he'd last more than a few months.

It feels as though there will be a complete lack of leadership in the dugout tonight, regardless of who's standing there with their hands in their pockets. In my opinion any chance of a result rests with Lewis Travis. As the captain and leader, he can either help galvanise the team or be distracted by what's going on off the pitch. I hope he gets the lads playing for personal pride, and for the fans. We need him right now. Tactically, the squad are fairly well drilled. Get their heads in the right place and we stand a chance. As Eustice once said, no excuses 😉

Which is why the club statement makes your blood boil. It's a ploy as old as time itself. Divide and conquer. The only glimmer of hope I have is that those in the boardroom feel they still need to employ these tactics, suggesting they think their positions aren't completely bulletproof. Waggott panicked when JDT left, with meeting the fans. At least this season the threat of relegation isn't there. As we drop away from the playoffs I have some hope that a tipping point will be hit and the entire stadium will turn and it won't just be for one game. We do need to stay angry and not just accept defeat. It's hard to see an end to their reign, but a united fanbase, no season ticket sales etc. These things might make the owners wake up. Personally I liked WATR statement. Especially the part about Pasha. He should be advising the owners to sell the club. He controls all information in and out of India. We need to use him to achieve the bigger picture, rather than him leaving the club. He'd just be replaced by somebody else, equally as incompetent. As for Waggott. He's a wanker.

I noticed this. He's trying to cut out Pasha. JDT outed him just before leaving and now JE is playing his hand. The only way he'll stay is if he is given a direct audience with the owners. He knows the deal here. Unfortunately it won't happen. The only way it will, is if by some miracle that interview is seen by the Venkys and that initiate contact. It's also further evidence that Waggott and Pasha are feathering their own nests. They control all information going in and out of India and it's a power they refuse to relinquish, since it has them both on a cushy number. They know the first thing JE will do is throw them under the bus.

It is utterly atrocious the way he's been treated by Glasner and Palace this season. They saw poor form at the beginning due to them asking him to play through injury, which has ended up crocking him until February. Feels as though it was selfish from Glasner being worried about his job when he couldn't buy a win. But it's literally insane on the clubs part that nobody put their foot down and instructed him to go for surgery.

We are either confident of offloading him to a club who's window is still open or it's a move to try and force him out. Even a loan to another club with us paying a percentage of his wages will be beneficial for all parties at this point. Surely he'll want to get some minutes under his belt and show some form, considering he'll be on the lookout for a new contract in the summer.

At the end of the day, the players look knackered. QPR harried and pressed us off the park. All stems from a wafer thin squad, the inevitable injury crisis that comes with an inability to properly rotate the starting 11 and the hierarchies plan to not properly recruit until deadline day. We won't stop feeling the effects of that decision until late Feb/early March at the earliest. Not doing the basics and individual mistakes happen when we've no control of the game and tiredness sets in.

I'd rather he say he was eager to get his head down, work hard and give his all in chasing down a top 6 finish. It's just an interview and he'll be judged on the pitch, but when someone says they like the banter, doing tricks and having fun, but they don't like the weather it makes me a bit concerned. Especially when said player hasn't played a competitive minute for 9 months.

Sorry... a 2.5 year contract. If the fee is £1m he's our 2nd most expensive signing since the summer of 2023. What the eff is that contract all about?

Cissoko was brilliant when we played Plymouth earlier in the season. First half anyway. Slightly anonymous in the second. If it were a permanent deal I'd be delighted. On loan, had this deal been done at the beginning of the month I'd have been pleased.

The thing I'm least looking forward to is when the window slams shut, we've brought in a couple of no-marks / super cheap kids on loan and we hear Waggott crooning about how we've supported the manager. I'd almost rather us bring nobody in. It'd be a shot in the arm for all the Venky apologists. Even if we pulled a couple of big signings out the hat, it does feel too late after the January we've endured.

I don't think there are many clubs where a decent chunk of the fanbase accept the excuse "it's really hard". I'm sick to death of the club spinning the "January is a difficult month to make signings" line.

To be honest this is probably the main reason we're looking at Kargbo. He's both the quick winger and striker rolled into one. Efficiency (cheap).

Will Kargbo even be any better than Sigurðsson? Not that I rate Sigurðsson, but he's out of contract at the end of the season. Whether he particularly wants to be here or not, it's in his best interests to put some effort in to strengthen his hand for a good contract elsewhere. Kargbo really strikes me as a signing for the sake of it. Waggott can say we supported the manager. He's looking to spin than narrative on the cheap, however its pointless if he's poor quality. Waggots problem is Kargbo is turning out to be more expensive than anticipated. The clubs problems are endless.

Given the high turnover of our recruitment team, there's every chance he was scouted by Greg's lot at the same time as Telalovic.