ScottishRed

Was thinking about just that the other day. Obviously a lot of changes in the squads will happen to whoever comes down, I suspect, especially at Forest. I really don’t see them staying up, I actually expected Cooper to be gone after the United game but I doubt he will last much longer, which would be a stupid decision assuming they do go down. I hear that things financially are not all well at Leeds so lots of changes in personnel there I suspect. I think Everton are in deep trouble and if they do come down I suspect they would stroll the league next year with a manager who knows how to get promoted. Southampton are down, my guess just now, of course it may change , is that Forest and Everton will be joining them.

From the very little I have read the potential new owners would appear to be ‘challenging’. That is not defending Cooper. I fear for their future.

They use LJ’s tombola machine.

Crazy way to run a football club.

Kalas’s latest injury, if as bad as Nige suggested, could not come at a worse time for him or us. If he is going to leave he would want to be in the shop window and also prove his fitness, and given how short we are at CB he would be selected if fit. If he wants to stay, albeit on reduced terms, he does need to prove his fitness. I would like him to stay but only if he is going to be able to contribute, big couple of months coming up for him and us.

I agree, I think there is a player in there but maybe not suited to the Championship. I am most certainly not ITK but I suspect a lack of game time and a desire to go back to France by him and his family are the key reasons he is going to move on. The value of the contract may have played a part but, and I am no expert on French football finances,I doubt he will be getting much bigger offers from any French club that take a fancy to him. Shame it hasn’t worked out for both parties, I wish him all the best.

That is dreadful timing for Boro fans, as usual the TV companies could not give a toss about supporters.

Danny Dyer - as described by Kevin Bridges “ the pricks *****”. He has a point.

I am certain that the three clubs you mentioned could offer a significant pay rise but I doubt he would be of interest to any of them who are all on the up and will be shopping in a different store! If he were to stay in England his market may be existing Championship sides that have PP’s. Even then I would imagine he would be looking at lower wages, if there was an interest, but they could offer more than we can.

It’s a fair comment but the landscape has changed hugely regarding wages. He is certainly going to struggle to get anything close to what we reportedly pay him now, certainly not in this division, unless it’s a PP club, and I can’t see that happening. I suspect he would have to move abroad to maximize his salary e.g. Middle East. I truly hope he stays, always rated him and his commitment.

Sorry, not having a go but what would you expect him to say? ‘ Yeah, lets get these remaining games out of the way and we can then go on holiday’!

As I have said earlier I think a loan back is highly unlikely. Why would a club fork out £25m and then let him stay with the selling club? I can understand why it happens when there are work permit issues - such as Chelsea are currently experiencing- but obviously that is not an issue here. The players wishes also have to be considered, if you move on to another club you would want the opportunity to get familiar with your new surroundings and push on to try and at least get in the match day squad if not the starting 11. From our point of view I can see the attractions in theory but surely better to move forward with players that are going to be here longer term. Nige is also not keen on loans that in effect develop players for another club. I accept this is slightly different but the principle is the same.

I think it highly unlikely Nige will become DoF. As he has previously mentioned he doesn’t enjoy dealing with agents and that aspect of the game. I suspect once his time as manager comes to an end, which is hopefully a few years away, he will be done with football. The links to newspaper interviews posted yesterday highlight that as he approaches 60 he did not expect to be still a manager. I get the impression that he has lots of different interests, not least his grandchildren and will be looking to spend more time on family things. Dont misunderstand I get the feeling that he is still fired up by the challenge here and has a desire to be the one that unlocks our potential.

Whilst always hopeful I think we have to be realistic. Anything can happen in a game of football but, in my opinion when they are on it, Man City are one of, if not the, best team in the world right now. They have not been at their best this season and have lost more games and conceded more goals but are still an outstanding side,much better than the Man Utd team in 2017, whilst I feel that we are weaker than we were back then. I hope for an entertaining game where we do ourselves justice and should we lose which is probable, we dust ourselves down and focus on the weekend. Tomorrow is a great occasion and one we should savor, whilst hoping that just maybe, just maybe.

I think the idea of a loan back is utter fantasy. If any club is prepared to pay £25m+ for a player they will want to keep him in the building.Even if he is not starting he would certainly make the bench and equally importantly they would be looking to install patterns of play etc on a daily basis in training. I think it is hugely unlikely, not impossible, but unlikely he will be here come August always assuming our valuation is met. As for SL’s comments about a new contract being on the table,that is likely to be about the club trying to protect his value, in no way will it be remotely comparable to what will be on offer to the lad in the summer.

Can’t comment on the Argentinian league as I don’t follow it. Regarding the SPL, although the quality is improving, the standard is very low. There are a number of reasons for this, not least the size of the country and the lack of finances in the game up there. One interesting statistic that I saw last week and I am not saying this is correct, is that attendances through the 4 leagues in Scotland are , per capita, one of the highest in Europe, which I did find surprising.

We are approaching the stage of the season where clubs that are at risk of relegation can be unexpectedly difficult opponents. I don’t think any of them are in a position as yet where survival is impossible. Every game in this league is difficult.

He has a second home in Devon - I gleaned this from an interview in the Sunday Times some months before he joined us. The interview focused not only on his career but his love of the outdoors. I think his family home is in Sheffield.

I suspect the later. Apparently his listening figures were the highest of any radio presenter in Europe! Crazy decision by a radio station that has utterly lost its way. I accept that radio is dying out and that the younger generation do not listen to it but for an oldie like me it is still my favorite medium. I actually prefer listening to a game on R5L than watching on Sky.

Just read that. He seems that he simply loved the game, as many of us do, and would watch any game, which I have huge respect for. Appears to have been a lovely man. RIP to an iconic commentator.

Playing really well this season, pleased for him. Thought previously he blow a bit hot and cold but is much more consistent. Have zero interest in Manchester United even though my eldest supports them thanks to Sky TV ! ( we are very much his ‘second’ club). I gave him my ticket for the cup semi against us as he had never seem them live, went with his younger brother, now sadly passed, who was a massive BCFC supporter. Apparently their train journey home was one that my youngest thoroughly enjoyed ?

Always thought this would be a tricky game. Wigan certainly benefited from the new manager ‘bouce’ so far being 3 games unbeaten now. I thought we were a bit flat but we didn’t lose and continue our run which is obviously good news. On to Wearside and hopefully 3 points.

Beale appeared to have something going there but since he left the wheels have come off. That may have happened anyway as I thought they were over achieving but they did look good early on.

Wigan have come very quickly from a squad of players that expected to be relegated to a side that now have bit of belief but also will feel that on Wednesday evening they have nothing to lose so will give it a right go. I have followed Maloney’s coaching career with interest as a fellow Scot, he was the assistant manager of Belgium for a good few years and whilst he was sacked by Hibs after a very short period there, I think he knows his stuff. He was also a Wigan player so I suspect the club matters to him. As we all know football has a nasty habit of giving you a kick in the bullocks when you least expect it, I think it’s going to be a tough game and our attitude needs to be spot on.

Interested to see which direction they take now. Firefighter e.g . Allerdyce Big name that needs a job e.g. Gerrard Foreign coach with growing reputation, although that could be a big risk given where we are in the season and their understandable desire to avoid relegation. On the face of it they are not that an attractive proposition right now but no doubt there will be lots of applicants.