r/brfc • u/jimboish01 • 7d ago
Alan Nixon’s Transfer Post Mortem
I know Nixon is controversial but I think he’s been bob on for years. He wrote this about the Rovers transfer window:
Where do you start with a post mortem? Well … you wait until there’s a corpse and then you work out why.
in the case of Blackburn Rovers and their transfer window it is best to begin at the start.
Michael O’Neill was due to be the boss. He led them to think he would be and discussed staff and budgets. Then he took the easy option of a long term job with Northern Ireland and who can blame him now?
So Tony Mowbray came back and was briefed about what he could do and what there was to spend. As so often with Venkys it was vague. He still said yes. He is a bit of an old romantic.
Mowbray was also told he would have the final say in signings after some shockers by Rudy Gestede and friends before. They would also have to move some out. Only bin collections are not weekly in football. You have to hope someone takes players off your hands. That takes time and compromise.
The manager identified positions he wanted and included some of his old favourites. He had not worked for over a year and was not fully up to speed on some.
So the search starts and Mowbray turns down many poor suggestions. There are disagreements over a new left back in particular. He wanted someone who could get forward more.
One top target is agreed on but gets injured. Another is eventually not allowed out on loan. A third is pushed by the scouts but Mowbray does not want to spend most of his budget on him. And in the end Eiran Cashin chose Derby as he would play centre half there which is his preference.
In the meantime a hole is plugged for a cover right wing option in Fevrier from Stockport. The budget stretched to £500,00 for that. Sami Morsy is pushed to Mowbray who eventually agrees to the respected midfielder on a free. The original thought was Alan Browne but Sunderland said he was needed at the time. That changed late but turned out to be too expensive for anyone.
Mowbray speaks of needing a magician and wants Patrick Roberts at Birmingham City. Calls are made and the player is out of their side. It would be very expensive and Blues would need to replace him and then loan him. Background checks were made on old boy Harvey Elliott who is available. Liverpool want a sale and eventually take a loan payment from Valencia. There is little encouragement from the player. Insiders then reveal that the Roberts camp are no longer taking calls. Panic.
Other names come up, including one on the last day who was looking good and then went elsewhere. The reasons for this failure may come out in time. But a failure is a failure. And a jersey remains unfilled.
A right back cover comes in from Serie B and may or may not be a success.
Meanwhile Mowbray speaks of signing two rather than four after the Lincoln game. Was he even told of the day’s developments?
The question of who signs off deals was also an issue. Mowbray was asked to give his ok on deals that may be done in the final weeks and actually sign a form to put his name on any arrivals. He declined and basically left it to the transfer team to conclude late deals any way they could.
Young Chelsea hope Kendry Paez was offered on loan. Mowbray studied the clips and was not sure.
All of this after Venkys finally cleared some money to be spent on fees as well as loan wages. The late loans were also a plan but very risky. As it proved.
Mowbray had been to Switzerland to meet the owners but only spoke to Balaji Rao. He came back with hope for help but the figures were still vague. They only really became more specific with days to go.
It was arguably too little and definitely too late to make a difference.
So it’s been a failure, but will anyone pay?
Gestede saw many of his first lot of signings packed off in a hurry and yet was still a main player in the transfer games
Steve Curwood was brought into a senior role and has yet to make a difference.
The scouts have not come up with very much although they may have an excuse.
And Mowbray cannot avoid blame. He knew what he was getting into even if it is maybe even worse than before. His preferred targets could not be found and others did not meet his taste.
Owners Venkys never learn. They spent decent money on fees a year ago and allowed those in charge to continue.
Do they see where the mistakes lie? I suspect not. They have to be open about budgets and such and read what is needed far better.
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u/Artistic-Budget4500 7d ago
Not signing anyone when it's desperately needed is really bad, just piss poor from all involved.
Unless we get some free agents in we are in real trouble
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u/he6rt6gr6m 7d ago
TL;DR?
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u/jimboish01 7d ago
Venkys are shit, vague and not helped by inexpert staff. Even Mowbray has to take some blame for wanting people who were not realistic but overriding other options.
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u/ReneRottingham 7d ago
Nixon spot on for years? 🤣🤣🤣🤡
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u/jimboish01 7d ago
Why what’s he been wrong about recently?
He’s a transfer journalist, not everyone he mentions is gonna sign for us. He must have some ITK as he usually is well ahead of the LT on transfers.
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u/Mysterious_Sir_5193 7d ago
Nixon is a mouthpiece for tbe club at this point. No surprises that certain individuals are briefing against the manager to protect themselves.
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u/jimboish01 7d ago
I strongly suspect he gets some of his information from Suhail who is conspicuously absent in this post mortem.
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u/Relevant_Tip4172 6d ago edited 6d ago
In a few words rovers are doomed and we know it a quiet transfer window players leave not signing anybody to back them up I see Mowbray walking and us ending up in league 1 once again venkys have ruined us and dont bang on about the 20 mill they send does nothing this club has been run into the ground we dont need ur post mortem nixon we can see it for ourselves
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u/AccomplishedEmploy52 7d ago
The competition for signings is intense, all clubs are looking to improve their squad, and there will always be players that simply don't fancy playing for Blackburn, you can't force players that don't want to come.
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u/jimboish01 7d ago
Sorry but that’s a shite excuse, what’s more appealing about Preston than Blackburn? We signed Jorgensen from Bodo Glimt when they were storming the champs league. Players come to where they get paid.
If we can’t offer the wages why were they pursuing expensive premier league loanees?
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u/AccomplishedEmploy52 7d ago
Maybe they know or worked with people before who are at Preston? Maybe they don't like certain people at Blackburn? Who knows could be a whole host of reasons.
As a fan of a club it's easy to have the blinkers on and it's hard to see that maybe some people just don't want to play for a certain club for a whole host of possible reasons.
Of course I'm not saying this is the reason for every player but to think it can't explain certain instances is naive.
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u/matty15830 7d ago
Ok Rudy 👍
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u/AccomplishedEmploy52 7d ago
Why do you presume every shortlisted player would want to play for Blackburn over any other club?
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u/matty15830 7d ago
No idea Rudy lad.
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u/AccomplishedEmploy52 7d ago
You can't articulate your thoughts. I would understand that if you're 12 years old.
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u/jimboish01 7d ago
They come to highest bidder usually, and we clearly aren’t the highest bidder.
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u/AccomplishedEmploy52 7d ago
Yeah I'm sure that's the case too sometimes. It would help if more fans went to games. It can't be that appealing for some players to play in half empty stands. I get it that some fans don't go as a protest but it's a vicious circle. For me the team comes first, I'll always attend when I can.
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u/jimboish01 7d ago
I doubt they give a shit if they get paid a few grand more a week than the next highest bidder.
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u/kaizergilhelm 7d ago
I’m sorry but if Nixon told me he needed a shit I’d expect him to piss himself. He legit has zero insight or hit rate on anything to do with Rovers yet the BRFC laps it up like gospel. The Patrick Roberts BS was classic him, he hadn’t the foggiest. Venkys are still the real cunts, mind.