Olowu leaving?

[scawsby steve]

Can see Bailey becoming a permanent CB if Oluwu leaves

No

Why?

[wing commander]

Tbh I don't think you can read anything into it until he either signs for us or someone else, you can't really believe anything said really. For example my misses nephew plays pro football and he's out of contract and has told his club he won't be staying as he's moving back down south..Yet they put him in there release list as in negotiation for a new deal..

[oggycompton]

News coming in the next couple of days

[mushRTID]

News coming in the next couple of days

Got a very bad feeling about this.

[Ryaldinhio]

News coming in the next couple of days

Is there some foundation to this pal or just assumption now they are back from their Ibiza party?

If they are announcing in next couple of days it feels like they knew before the end of the season but didn't want to somber the mood?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

News coming in the next couple of days

Is there some foundation to this pal or just assumption now they are back from their Ibiza party?

If they are announcing in next couple of days it feels like they knew before the end of the season but didn't want to somber the mood?

Works both ways, as it did with Mols last season.

[Ryaldinhio]

News coming in the next couple of days

Is there some foundation to this pal or just assumption now they are back from their Ibiza party?

If they are announcing in next couple of days it feels like they knew before the end of the season but didn't want to somber the mood?

Works both ways, as it did with Mols last season.

Yeah, Mols took a while longer though awaiting his return from jollies from memory. Hopefully Olowu is signing and they had to wait for him coming back to do the videos and interviews!!!

[grayx]

Can see Bailey becoming a permanent CB if Oluwu leaves

No

Why?

Whilst Bailey has been first class playing as a CB we desperately need his quality in midfield. I’d say its easier to find quality CB’s than midfielders.

[Pancho Regan]

Can see Bailey becoming a permanent CB if Oluwu leaves

No

Why?

Whilst Bailey has been first class playing as a CB we desperately need his quality in midfield. I’d say its easier to find quality CB’s than midfielders.

It's an interesting debate this one, and I'm in two minds about it.

Thinking back to earlier in the season, we sometimes shipped goals far too easily and looked shaky and unstable at the back on occasions.
The two games against Chesterfield and the away defeat at Newport come to mind.

But in the last few games of the season when Owen played at CB, I felt he brought a calmness and a sense of control to the defence which we hadn't always seen previously.
Of course he is then missed in midfield, and occasionally in attack, but there is a strong case to be argued that he adds even more value to the team as a CB.

Whatever the answer, Owen's versatility is a nice problem to have. 

[selby]

 Pancho the problem was down the left, not Olowu who's pace covered a lot.

[Plumbster]

I think it partly depends on who is in midfield. Bailey and Broadbent together imo leaves too much gap to the number 10 and the front three, and I don’t think it was a coincidence that, with Owen at the back and Crew in the middle, we were a lot more fluid and Clifton looked a lot better.  I think there is a strong case that Owen is at least as good a central defender as he is midfield, especially as we climb the leagues.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I think it partly depends on who is in midfield. Bailey and Broadbent together imo leaves too much gap to the number 10 and the front three, and I don’t think it was a coincidence that, with Owen at the back and Crew in the middle, we were a lot more fluid and Clifton looked a lot better.  I think there is a strong case that Owen is at least as good a central defender as he is midfield, especially as we climb the leagues.

You make a very fair assessment. I don't think Bailey technically is as good a midfielder as others plus, as you say, alot comes down to positioning and linking play. Certainly in the first half of the season, he would go wandering, leaving Broadbent isolated at times. He was probably trying to create overloads further up the pitch, where he could make late runs etc, but quite often our play was breaking down and we were left exposed.

In the second half of the season, paricularly around March we seemed to gell better with Broadbent, Bailey, Clifton linking better plus Crew and Kelly when called upon. Sterry also added to the forward threat too.

Crew is probably a better midfielder technically than Bailey but, Bailey has that X Factor where he adds more as a leader bonding the team together.

As a centre half, he reads the game well and as you say, is a calming influence. Whoever, he came up against, he didn't get overwhelmed so if McCann was to continue playing him there, who would argue? The good news is he, can do both and adjust in games at the drop of a hat so tactically it should give us some advantage.

We're fortunate that he's played every game for two seasons. That luck might run out at anytime, so McCann has to try to get the right blend without him. Without someone like Crew, that makes it more difficult unless McCann thinks Westbrooke can fill that void.

[keyser_soze]

Must admit I never want to see Bailey in defence, as I see him being a key playmaker, but he’s been instrumental there in the run-in this season. And I seem to remember the winning streak at the end of last year he spent some time at CB too?

[sf9944]

It’s a really tough one and I believe the main thing is to accommodate Bailey somewhere in the team. I think he’d add value in nearly every position personally.

He was incredibly good at CB at the end of the season. So good that I’d be inclined on balance to leave him there, especially as he’d probably improve as a CB with more experience.

We are so lucky, in so many ways to have Owen Bailey!

[colincramb]

My honest gut feeling on this (and it’s just a feeling, not based on any info) is that’s he’s off and that this was communicated to the club so time back - regardless of the league we were going to be in. I’d imagine if he’s off, it will be a club closer to home.

Again, it’s just a gut feeling. But as I’ve said before, I’d be very surprised if he’s still here for pre-season.

[roversdude]

I thought he would be leaving after the extended interview with Hoden, seemed to be a lot of what about when you leave etc, hope I read it wrong and he stays as I’ve been a big advocate of Joseph

[Mustapha-Dump]

My gut feeling and it’s nothing more than that is that he could be waiting on a certain London team, managed by a certain man who brought him to the club to see how they get on in the play offs. Again I’m only assuming but the appeal of moving closer to home might be appealing to him, but any offers may be subject to how they finish. Championship centre back he is certainly not

[colincramb]

Confirmed now he’s leaving

[jmt23]

Gone, good luck Joe.

I am very sceptical about the timing of the injury but it’s what they all do now.

[ravenrover]

Orient perhaps?

[Ldr]

Time for Bobby Selby to step up?

[rtid88]

I think we have been incredibly patient with him, great in periods but on the whole inconsistent. We move on and I trust Grant to bring in someone better.

[ravenrover]

Which manager ended up signing him?

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Which manager ended up signing him?

Sept 21. Richie?

[Barmby Rover]

Good luck and farewell Jo, you did a great job at Rovers, hope you find a good place to further your career in the future.

[ncRover]

My money is on Luton

[NickDRFC]

Goodby and good luck. Took him a long time to find his feet but there was always promise there and he fulfilled it with an exceptional campaign this season. Hope he goes on to have a great career except for the odd stinker every time he plays us.

[Ryaldinhio]

News coming in the next couple of days

Is there some foundation to this pal or just assumption now they are back from their Ibiza party?

If they are announcing in next couple of days it feels like they knew before the end of the season but didn't want to somber the mood?

Works both ways, as it did with Mols last season.

GMs interview - Joe sat down with him before the end of the season to tell him.

[ChrisBx]

Not a huge surprise but a shame nonetheless. Good luck to him.

[dknward2]

Be disappointed if he goes to say Barnsley or another localish side anyone in championship or local to his family then fair enough.

Best of luck Joe except when you play against us