Signings confirmed

[Ryaldinhio]

If and when they go and we get a fee, I am sure this will be used to reinvest in the squad. Remember though that we budget for a loss each season, ie Terry gives us c£2m a season. So when we ‘break even’ this means that Terry is not having to fork out more than the c£2m a season. Ideally we need to be getting to the point where we break even without Terry giving us that amount each season. That can only really come from player sales and that will not always mean a fee can be fully reinvested.

We have history of playing Santa Clause where player departures are concerned. We need to be more ruthless in approach to our recruitment and contracts . If we value players they should given contracts worthy of our reliance on them and discourage clubs from poaching ie Olowu (Free) May (unbelievable £5k) Watters (Free) etc . Surely if were compete at any level and invest for the future and our recruitment based on potential . Big squads are fine but if your only ending up loaning them out and replacing them other clubs loans I can’t see where progress is made play them from the bench  . To much De Ja Vu seasons on the reliance on transfer January windows  to repair or salvage what should have been avoidable  by the due diligence being carried out of players before signing . Build a strong 14-15 and use Loans should Supplement the squad but not build the first team around them .

Surely you can see this is where the argument falls down?

Dont want a big squad but then lamenting the fact matters was released and Alfie May left when he wasn't fancied by the manager so wasn't going to play?

Olowu has gone to a club with bigger ambition and presumably a higher budget , dont want to go down that route again.

IF we trim this large squad and let players like Faulkner, Flint etc go then people will be calling the club a pig to a dog in a few years when they make it.

Arguably Bailey and Mols should be our highest paid players but thats all within the restraints of the money available.

Personally I have no issue with the club selling our best players if that is re-invested. That is what most successful lower league clubs do, and have to do, to survive.

What I would not be happy about would be Bailey leaving for £2m and the club 'breaking even' so TB doesn't have to put anything in the pot. We have learnt for the last 5yrs that being self sustainable does not work and money is needed for investment in the squad, whether that is from sales or from TB.

[i_ateallthepies]

Surely you can see this is where the argument falls down?

Dont want a big squad but then lamenting the fact matters was released and Alfie May left when he wasn't fancied by the manager so wasn't going to play?

Olowu has gone to a club with bigger ambition and presumably a higher budget , dont want to go down that route again.

IF we trim this large squad and let players like Faulkner, Flint etc go then people will be calling the club a pig to a dog in a few years when they make it.

Arguably Bailey and Mols should be our highest paid players but thats all within the restraints of the money available.

Personally I have no issue with the club selling our best players if that is re-invested. That is what most successful lower league clubs do, and have to do, to survive.

What I would not be happy about would be Bailey leaving for £2m and the club 'breaking even' so TB doesn't have to put anything in the pot. We have learnt for the last 5yrs that being self sustainable does not work and money is needed for investment in the squad, whether that is from sales or from TB.

But to do that you have to have a steady supply of home-grown talent coming through or else a functioning and competent recruitment team which it would appear we don't have.

[Ryaldinhio]

Surely you can see this is where the argument falls down?

Dont want a big squad but then lamenting the fact matters was released and Alfie May left when he wasn't fancied by the manager so wasn't going to play?

Olowu has gone to a club with bigger ambition and presumably a higher budget , dont want to go down that route again.

IF we trim this large squad and let players like Faulkner, Flint etc go then people will be calling the club a pig to a dog in a few years when they make it.

Arguably Bailey and Mols should be our highest paid players but thats all within the restraints of the money available.

Personally I have no issue with the club selling our best players if that is re-invested. That is what most successful lower league clubs do, and have to do, to survive.

What I would not be happy about would be Bailey leaving for £2m and the club 'breaking even' so TB doesn't have to put anything in the pot. We have learnt for the last 5yrs that being self sustainable does not work and money is needed for investment in the squad, whether that is from sales or from TB.

But to do that you have to have a steady supply of home-grown talent coming through or else a functioning and competent recruitment team which it would appear we don't have.

Totally agree we should be developing our home grown through, both for our benefit on the pitch, keeping wages available to spend at the top end of the team and for sell on value.

IMO Bobby should be part of the squad and should have been for last 2yrs. I understand its a balance of giving them enough game time but certainly first half of season we could have given him plenty games in the various cups etc see how he fared. Then possibly loan out in Jan if needed.

[Chris Black come back]

McCann saying two deals done. One to be loaned out and one to likely play vs Luton. Should be announced tomorrow with any luck.

[redrover10]

The player going out on loan is his son bayley

[DonnyOsmond]

Nepo baby

[ncRover]

If the other one is Darren Robinson from Derby then on paper that is two for the future not one.
Neither have consistently played at level close to League One before.

[scawsby steve]

If there isn't a striker coming, get ready for Accrington next season.

Missed chances cost us big time today.

[Petche]

If there isn't a striker coming, get ready for Accrington next season.

Missed chances cost us big time today.

AGAIN!!!

[ncRover]

I wonder if Joe Taylor could be on our list.

Huddersfield fans think he may possibly be on the move. Apparently didn’t get on the pitch even when winning 5-0 and out of favour.
I think Grant has managed him before.

Seen him on highlights before and he looks electric.

But looking at his record it seems the way to get the best out of him is in a front 2, which we don’t play.

And at Lincoln, James Collins is out for the season so they’ll want another forward in. Taylor will also have a better working relationship with Skubala because he got the best out of him, whereas McCann barely played him at Posh. And they are 2nd in the league.

Millenic Alli is barely getting a look in at Luton and is exactly the kind of quick, goal scoring left winger our system needs. Ex-Halifax player, played with Jack Senior.

Been a big fan of Alli since his Halifax days. Agreed he'd be good for us. Middleton looked completely disinterested yesterday.

The two we’ve discussed in the thread have been on the move.

Joe Taylor has gone to Wigan, who I think normally play two strikers. As I mentioned that will suit him. Plays us next week.

Millenic Alli has gone on loan to Portsmouth in the championship, which you don’t see very often. Couldn’t get a game at Luton. Evidently was out of our league.

[StocksArmy]

Do find it a bit frustrating that we haven’t been able to bring in a centre half heading into the weekends game. Understand it’s not the easiest market but I don’t get the feel (after GMs interview today) like we have been proactive enough in what is clearly a key area. Still under halfway through the window but unless he starts to play Bailey at CB we could easily be left with a bit of a mountain to climb.

[Nudga]

Do find it a bit frustrating that we haven’t been able to bring in a centre half heading into the weekends game. Understand it’s not the easiest market but I don’t get the feel (after GMs interview today) like we have been proactive enough in what is clearly a key area. Still under halfway through the window but unless he starts to play Bailey at CB we could easily be left with a bit of a mountain to climb.

His preferred targets may have gone elsewhere or weren't keen on joining us.

[roversdude]

Or he could just not want to tell everyone (Grant has done that before)

[Padge_DRFC]

We're playing 2 at the back 5 up front going forward

[Nudga]

We're playing 2 at the back 5 up front going forward

Prime 1996 Kevin Keegan.

[Bentley Bullet]

Perhaps we should return to the old WM (3-2-2-3) formation. It hasn't harmed teams like Man City, Arsenal, or Liverpool!

[ForsolongaRover]

But to do that you have to have a steady supply of home-grown talent coming through or else a functioning and competent recruitment team which it would appear we don't have.
[/quote]

Exactly, and with an Academy in competition with 5 SY clubs which have fairly consistently been in higher divisions we will always be at a disadvantage at the initial academy recruitment stage.

Coupled with that, we are ultra cautious with our own youngsters yet almost reckless in giving starts to anyone who comes from a PL Academy. I wonder if in judging such loanees we bear in mind that whole teams of U21s from the PL rarely survive the early stages in the Trophy where they are only up against lower league second strings! Rovers record in obtains value for such unproven “talent” has been pretty dreadful since McCann came back and the club seems altogether far too cautious to give our own youngsters similar opportunities and indeed the challenge that it offers. Why can’t Faulkner and Flint be given the numerous chances that Olusanya, Ajayi and the half-hearted version of Crew been gifted? They have been a dead loss, their legacy has been defensive errors and the few scoring chances offered badly missed.

It is also ludicrous to imagine that we have any players or will be able to recruit any players to fill the spaces left by Bailey and Molyneux if they were to go in this window. I don’t think they’ll go before June, so hope remains, but not after this season which will put huge pressure on the recruiters who have seemingly undersold the club and underbid the competition.