Imo The coach and DOF model might have worked had we appointed a half decent DOF. Unfortunately we appointed a great coach but an absolute duck egg in Broughton who wasted most of the limited money we had and who was instrumental in a couple of monumental deadline day fuck ups. Had we appointed an experienced DOF with a good eye for a player alongside JDT it might just have got us over the line despite the relative lack of backing. As we seem to have bizarrely changed tack completely and swiftly abandoned the model we might never know if it will work here or not.

Trouble is, and very sadly given the timing of the Anniversary, any initiatives like these or flags or the Fans Forum or Rovers Trust even agreeing to sit down with the Club on an amicable basis, legitimise the current actions of the owners, Waggott and Pasha. Fiddling while Rome burns.

He might have known there was a chance that the same thing might happen but if you're told something different upon your appointment and then obviously again in advance of the January transfer window then to an extent you're entitled to rely on it. What happened before he got to the Club is indicative of what might happen but largely irrelevant. He can only judge it on how he himself is treated. I'm sick of this "He knew what he was getting into before he came" narrative.

Have checked and it appears so.

Tbf and Graham and the midfielder who everyone initially rated and raved about whose name escapes me.

It seemed to me that Lambert came in with a very lofty reputation but was a very poor man manager. All went swimmingly for the first five games, after that he seemed to lose the players and it was all downhill after that. From his point of view I think he viewed it purely as a short term stepping stone, if he got us promoted all well and good, looks like a genius, if he didn't, doesn't really affect his reputation and he can quickly switch to another Club rather than having to apply for jobs from a position of having been out of work for a while. I don't doubt he may have been brought in as someone with gravitas to cushion the blow of a Rhodes sale but I doubt he gave two shiny shites about whether any of the money was reinvested or not. Incidentally I was told at the time that Lambert never met or even spoke to the owners, all negotiations etc were handed by Suhail. I thought at the time it was a one off brainwave of his to try and bring in a higher profile manager to try and achieve promotion but knowing what we know know it tends to confirm he's always been the power behind the scenes.

They both need both barrels but agreed.

Yep upon leaving. Didn't want to earn a reputation within the game as a troublemaker I guess.

Yes but by refusing to say anything out of turn in his main job he's perpetuating the myth that all is well to the wider world at large and the majority of the Rovers fan base who either can't be bothered or simply don't want to poke slightly below the surface. Obviously I know why that's the case and on one level you can't blame him but it's really unhelpful.

Anyone reasonably high profile will presumably be subject to an NDA.

Lambert negotiated a get out clause before he even came and couldn't speak highly enough about them when he left. Lambert was only in it for Lambert.

By his own admission no less.

Not surprising. New Mon, would have been another body other than Eustace pressing for new players and might have even known about suitable candidates somewhere within our budget. Far too risky. Edit: We'll appoint someone after the window closes when it's too late and from Waghail's point of view they can't do any damage - until summer at least.

Doubt it. As a Premier League Club we would have been really useful as a global advertising vehicle for their "brand". Since we dropped out of it due to their own mismanagement we've been no real use to them, in fact quite the opposite and their interest has waned accordingly. Apart from after getting promotion from League 1 when it seems they briefly got excited but Mowbray quickly managed to pour cold water over any of that nonsense.

Not for very long.

When the Walker Trust were here I used to regard us as the unwanted train set in the attic. But we had the TV money to keep us competitive then.

Bar Carter the talent pool has all dried up so you'd think the situation will come to a head in summer 2026 when either they'll have to try and sell us or at that poiny at least put enough money in to keep us afloat.

That's way down the list of priorities for me. We've got a great player albeit on loan in the LB position. (Decent) striker Pacy winger (Decent) midfield cover LB cover

To be fair you've probably answered your own question with the second bit.

Thanks for the information unleaded as always. I pass no comment on whether Kargbo is any good or not, personally I'm not keen. That's not the point though - IF the manager and Club think this guy is the player we really need it's insane to think that we would risk letting the entire deal collapse for the sake of 200 k Euros. Similarly with O Brien - despite our alleged interest in him read an article on FLW about a week ago that Hull were prepared to pay half of his 40k p.w. wages which we weren't. So despite claiming to be Interested in these players it's all a bit of a charade really because we're not prepared to pay what the selling Clubs want. In the specific case of Kargbo as well, if there's a Friday deadline, the Preston match goes by the wayside and it's probably too late to do anything else by then. "But we did all we could". Like I say, bit of a charade. Keep the Info coming though please!

Agreed, but what can he say?

I think tbf a decent striker usually costs money. That's why we never get one despite us always claiming it's the primary target. We're still awaiting an Adam Armstrong replacement, let alone a BBD one or a SS one. The other positions could maybe have been filled more cheaply but it seems we couldn't even be arsed doing that. (In reply to JH Rover)

Well - outdone ourselves in January as normal, played ourselves out of playoff contention without even signing anyone who could be considered a candidate for the starting X1.

Disagree, if assurances were made along the lines of "Yes we know what happened with the last manager but lessons have been learnt and you'll be backed" then you're entitled to take that at face value initially.

No-one in their right mind would just walk away from a well paid job. If he is intent on leaving he'll find something else soon enough.