Opinions should always have the potential for change btw, nobody is right all the time. Refusing to change an opinion doesn't make you right, it just makes you stubborn. The reason I drew up the hypothetical is to see what you value more - the nationality of the coach, or success for the national team. If you're saying that the nationality of the coach is more important, then we don't need to do the hypothetical. But it's not a very sensible stance to take IMO. I just want a trophy after all this time without one. As long as we aren't cheating I don't care how we get it. Side note, an English manager has never won the Premier League. Which of course has been the top tier of English football since 1992. No English manager has won the English top tier for over 32 years. Think about that. Our managers just aren't very good. Even Scottish managers have won it, Ferguson and Dalglish off the top of my head. Btw the English managers you suggested, I'd take Howe who I think is a good manager. No interest in the others.

You're right, stats don't lie (well they do a bit and there's a whole saying about it, but that's another story). One very good season in League Two, one awful season in League Two. At 26 that's the peak of his career so far. Not enough to suggest he's a steady bet for this level.

2 goals in 45 games the season before suggests he only just found out where it is.

They sure did. Had not just a competent CEO but an excellent one, rapidly undermined him so he resigned, appointed bog standard ones they undermined and fired when they stood up to Venkys, and finally settled on an absolutely bungling one that doesn't ever question them and publicly fellates their failings whenever possible.

So, let's do a hypothetical. If there was a manager who wanted to manage England, had a terrific track record at international football, and was almost certain to deliver success, but he was foreign...you'd still want an English manager instead?

I've not been able to watch the games (very unfortunately timed work commitments) but this post is making me wonder if some of the players are struggling with the immense pressure that has haunted previous attempts by highly talented England squads to win something. Bellingham, Rice, Kane and Foden are all coming off superb individual seasons and we shouldn't be saying these sorts of things about them. If pressure is part of the problem, it's crying out for none other than Adam Wharton smack bang in the middle of the engine room. Despite his tender years he seems almost immune to pressure and always plays like he's relaxed yet focussed even when stepping up to a new level. That sort of calming presence could work wonders.

It takes until there's enough season ticket sales.

I'm sure I saw a post on here recently saying Cov brought in 37 million from sales and spent 35 million. Not sure how accurate that was, or whether it includes potential add ons etc. But I'd be very pleasantly shocked if we spent even half of our recent and pending income on fees. It shouldn't be too much to ask, but under these cunts it is.

There seem to be a hundred Dembeles in the game. Which one is this?

Spot on. These are not the moves of a remotely ambitious club, and no remotely ambitious fan should be happy with them. But then that's exactly the problem.

A regular for a side who got relegated, although I don't personally assume we are in for him just because he's out of contract and played for Eustace. But don't forget the nearly 33 year old who lasted 15 minutes for us and is probably quite well paid. I'd bet money on McFadzean becoming a liability for us inside 6 months. He did well last season but he is frankly, old for a footballer and his legs can and almost certainly will go at any time. I'm ok with signing him on, but it should be no more than a 6 month deal with a 6 month extension option. If that's not enough security for him, tough.

Good signing for them if he stays fit. Good luck Sam, we'll never know what could have been.

That news is also old.

Isn't that news a week or two old? Talk about milking a minor story.

You don't need to tell someone when it's their opinion btw. They know, because it's their opinion.

I think I'd rather it went under the radar than got attention. Whilst clubs were surely already looking at the likes of Finneran and Tyjon, the Wharton success has probably made them feel more like they can't afford to miss the chance of a bargain. (Sorry, I know you were trying to find positives!)

I don't remember Hyam making a dozen goal-costing mistakes against Bristol. Were a whole bunch of those disallowed or something?

Sammy could stay and we'd still be very likely to go down. Or he could leave and we could replace him with a 25 goal striker and still be very likely to go down. Keeper should be (but won't be) just as much of a priority as striker. You don't care about goalkeepers because it's a criminally underrated position. It's not exciting. But it can absolutely win or cost you points.

The first part of that statement is precisely why it was strange.

Long term loan deals (anything over 3 months) always seem to expire end of June. I think it might be how they have to work, ie part of the rules.

I'm guessing it wasn't serious since I can't find anything about it online.

Then why did they invest a bit when we went down to help us get out of that league last time? Why did they then spend nearly 14 million on strikers when we came back up? Why was the plan to sell Brockhall shelved? Why have they bothered funding losses of nearly 20 million a year? Why haven't they just sold the club then it costs nothing to run? In fact they won't even entertain bidders. The theory that Venkys want us relegated has never made sense. They're utterly inept, disconnected, stubborn, probably corrupt but at the very least empowering people who are, and arrogant. But there doesn't exist a plausible reason to intentionally relegate us other than spite towards the fans, and if that was the case there are cheaper, quicker and easier ways to pull it off, as bad as things have been.

In fairness, for now it's just shadowing to make him ready for that sort of work. There's no indication the work will start with us. But of course, we know how nepotism and cheap salaries work at this club, so it's a potential risk that it could happen. Hopefully he buggers off to get started at Kidderminster or something instead.

Meanwhile, we're still trying to figure out what our new Technical Director does, and replace half our scouts. Let alone the budget approval from Pune.