At this stage, Rooney is about as good as we can hope for. Based on his brief experience with Derby, I’d be ok with this…

By the same token, we finished 2nd, based on the first half of the season?

Not a chance Pardew could have turned the club around from where we were, when TM took over. Not just on the pitch, but the whole club. We didn't even have scouts and the whole place was in turmoil - we were heading for MUCH worse than League 1.

Keeping on the existing coaching setup smells of panic, with the players due back in next week and no manager in sight. Their options were to let them leave at the end of their contracts and hope a new manager is in place before pre-season starts, or keep these lot on and have the safety of some coaches being present when the players turn up. I doubt there's some weird conspiracy to keep the likes of a young goalkeeping coach on the payroll.

Hugely disappointed. Crap, arrogant and well past his best, which is why he’s been managing obscure teams abroad. He’s horrible and I don’t think I could bring myself to go to matches with this human fart in charge.

I don't know too much about Deila, to be perfectly honest, but his managerial career to date holds up (minus a couple of years at Valerenga). Apparently plays high tempo attacking football, ideally for more than half a season...

I’m amazed that anyone still reads the shit he puts out. He blocked me on Twatter last year for proving why he was wrong on a number of his ‘stories’. Clearly doesn’t appreciate the truth. The truth doesn’t sell red top rags.

Couldn’t agree more - he’s an obnoxious little shit. He can’t stand still; he’s either got some mental issues or he’s doing half a kilo of Columbia’s finest, pre-game. I’d be ok with Ainsworth at this point. Different voice to TM, has lots of experience and is the kind of optimistic, positive personality that I think some of the young lads we have need. The fact he’s a local boy and would get us up for the derbies is a nice bonus. Should we do better? Absolutely. But could we do worse? I think we all know the answer to that one.

Big Sam would be an excellent choice given the situation we’re in and would get the best out of the squad we have - clearly it won’t happen. Ref coaching, it’s odd that we’re tying the existing coaching setup down before appointing a new manager, but find the attitudes towards Benson in particular odd. I know a couple of people who’ve worked closely with him and they only have very positive things to say about his methods and sessions (working with the GKs), so not sure why he gets such a bad rap on here? And as a final point, I find it slightly worrying how much seems to be leaking from Waggott’s direction. Even the most recent one, a call with Ancelotti. Given only him and Carlo know the content of the call - and it’s fair to suggest that Ancelotti doesn’t have much to gain from leaking a call with Blackburn Rovers - is Waggott directly giving the red top gossip mongers direct information? And should we be expecting a bit more discretion and class from our CEO if this is indeed the case…?

To be fair, he may not have wanted to relocate his family to another country. The commute to East Lancs is considerably less grief than Madrid. One thing I do like the idea of Ferguson for is the touchline battle with Kompany when we beat the Dingles a couple of times this coming season...

That is somewhat encouraging - Ancelotti has forgotten more about football than any of us on here will ever learn. If he's willing to send a couple of Madrid kids / squad players on loan to us as well, I could warm to the idea...

Agreed. Especially in light of absolute horror shows like Pardew and inexperienced names like Ferguson/Carrick. Imagine Ainsworth when we’re coming up against the Dingles…

I’m genuinely gobsmacked why any Rovers fan would consider Pardew as anything other than a Kean-level disaster. Horrible man, horrendous manager.

Not just that, he's Kean-level arrogant and there's a reason why he's been fishing around random European leagues and not being employed in the UK (because he's shit). Newcastle fans despised him and couldn't wait to get shut of his Cockney wide-boy ways. He's just not a Rovers manager and I can't see anything but disaster if he lands here. If Farke is definitely off the table, which if the staffing position is anything to go by, he most likely is, I'd much rather go for younger and 'on the up' candidates like Ainsworth.

This. Honestly think a Pardew appointment would be the final straw for a LOT of fans.

From the sound of things, I suspect League 2 teams will be run a lot more efficiently than we are. Embarrassing.

Highly doubt this, but in any event we will be looking to move Brereton on this summer. Although the new manager won't get the majority to play with (real life isn't FM), it will certainly bolster the budget for summer recruitment.

Pardew would be a huge disaster. Arrogance is bad enough, but combined with incompetence is unforgivable. Would honestly take pretty much anyone over him. Let’s hope Glen is proven right after all and Monday brings us good news 🇩🇪

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/duncan-ferguson-everton-24107540?fbclid=IwAR1OVvGNiPgakcGE3hsLcThdzgbZivddZHMDHmTclf6OebxYJUD0LliibhI Ferguson confirming that there's been no contact, never mind an interview. Despite some quarters claiming that he was about to take over. Just goes to show that none of us know what's actually going on...

I'm holding onto the hope that Glen's input is the correct one and the rest is paper and/or agent talk. Only way to find out is to hold tight and wait to see what happens next week...

Brereton will be playing in the Prem within a few years. Possibly even internationally (with Chile). Chapman will be nowhere near that. A few stepovers and goals in League 1 won’t change that.

Hopefully so - and I’m assuming it’s the case. Just strange to see from a player of Trav’s ilk.

I think this summer is the minimum term, dependant on how the season pans out. We know that Venky’s will never pot him, but I think he’ll walk if we don’t finish top 6 this season. And I’m very much TM in, he’s done a massive job here. Don’t lose sight of the state of the club when he joined, compared to where we are now (not just league positions).

Good 3 points, however poor the game was. Every good team has to win ugly sometimes, it’s actually the sign of a good side. On Trav, I like him and I like what he brings. But my complaint since his return from injury, is that when he loses possession, he stands gesturing and complaining rather than biting ankles to get it back. Hopefully fitness related, but it’s not what you expect to see from him.

Hardly. Nothing to do with 'the game', it's about one club's financial mismanagement.