CSA96

Even Will Still, we were waiting on RC Lens and the appointment was only confirmed after Lens put a club statement out saying they'd signed a financial agreement with Saints to release Still from his contract

There's a few points on which you could argue Carrick makes a lot of sense: + Has experience of this division and English football + Took over Boro when they were in the shit mid-season and turned it around, led them to the playoffs + He has coached Azaz and Archer before and got a tune out of them, both performed to a high level with him + He's out of work, available immediately and won't cost us compensation + He has the playing career/medals to deal with any of our petty fuckers who want to question him + Has a good network within the game, seems well-respected, has worked with younger players/loanees etc + He'll play the system that suits the players, he prefers a 4-2-3-1 I think at this stage from the names I would consider realistic options, he is probably my favourite So it won't be him

8 min interview by Adam Blackmore with Leo Scienza: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0mczrwq?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile Can't remember a player sounding this fired up, especially in a pre-match interview

Sorry, but it's only a Beta in name It's more like an Alpha, a product in the middle of its development cycle rather than approaching the finessing and full launch stages. I'm waiting and I'll take the plunge once it seems to have its issues ironed out, but I'd be surprised if that happens very quickly I have a couple of friends who are former SI employees, one a QA analyst, and they have several people they know still working on FM. I've seen a few messages and even people inside the building don't feel like the game is anywhere close to their regular standards and is littered with issues that make it tough to enjoy

Yep, definitely feels like they've repositioned the game as being for console/tablet users and away from its roots. It's lost some of its immersiveness and the new UI is hard to grapple with and particularly intuitive. Clearly they've been put under huge pressure to launch because even for a Beta, the game is an unfinished project right now, a fair old way from being finished to usual standards

To be fair, first one was a cross that caught McCarthy out and found its way inside his post because his reaction speeds are slower than mine, and the second was a cross into the midriff of Bragg, who pushed the ball down into the path of two Blackburn forwards about 5yds from goal But Stephens was largely anonymous after coming on and certainly didn't have the stabilising/enforcing impact that the manager was speaking about post-match when he was asked why he thought to make that sub

Not saying he's who I want, mainly because he isn't, but we've shown interest in Steven Gerrard on more than one occasion and he remains out of work... perhaps if it's a Spors pick he might not go down that path again, but if he's off and not involved, then perhaps that's one to watch

The only conclusion I can draw is that within the industry they must be regarded as good operators working for shit owners/people who don't know what they're doing with the club they own

Inclined to say this is more bad news for the club. You simply cannot keep chopping and changing the directors and managers at the rate we've done in recent years. No wonder the team is all over the place and the squad seems to always be a bit of a hotch-potch mess

It's almost 2026 and we're still rolling out Alex McCarthy as our #1...

I'd go to 4-2-3-1 as I think the key to getting out of this rut is going to be getting Scienza, Fellows and Azaz on the pitch and in the final third at the same time. I hear the criticism of Azaz and some of it is pretty fair, but he has proven it with Boro and with Plymouth and has back to back double-digit seasons for goals and assists. We need to find a way to get him going and that's on the coach We've committed £15m on him and don't have any other No. 10s in the squad, so he needs to bed in and find his feet quickly So I'd go for... McCarthy Roerslev Stephens Wood Manning Charles Downes/Jander Fellows Azaz Scienza Armstrong - Reasoning... Defence: get your experienced heads in there, take Edwards out of the firing line now and keep Quarshie watching. THB can play instead of Stephens if you prefer but I think Jack gives you more leadership and personality (yes, I know...) Midfield: I like Jander but his slack passing has cost us about three times now? Flynn is experienced and a bit more 'streetwise' in the Championship. Wouldn't drop Shea Charles, so it's up to you if you want Jander or Downes here Forwards: Archer is a dead weight so sack him off, get Fellows and Scienza where they should be (out wide and running at the full backs) and put Arma up top because he's the only striker worth anything if the ball comes to his feet in the box or 1v1 (even if he can't lead the line well and it's not his best role) Find a way to become more transitional when we're attacking. Get the ball into Azaz early and try and get Scienza, Fellows, Armstrong running into channels and beyond the defensive line That's all I've got but it's what I'd do at this stage

If we did sack him, I'd go for Tony Mowbray Heaps of experience. Didn't work out at WBA back end of last season, granted, and missed the playoffs, but prior to that he was on a run of four straight 'hits' in the past decade I would say... Coventry, Blackburn, Sunderland, Birmingham all improved with him and missed him once he was gone He is also liked and well-respected by fans of seemingly all of his former clubs and used to working with younger players, developing people and inheriting situations that need stabilising The counter to that would be that his most recent job didn't go well in this division and he's been getting over a health scare with his cancer diagnosis. Then there is the fact that his brother Darren was sacked by Johannes Spors and would probably have a few words for his older brother on Sport Republic...

Yeah I'm not sure I would yet but it's rapidly heading there. Which is what was said at the top end of the post

He was invited by Fleming as his guest

I just despise the hire and fire culture of modern football. Ange getting 39 days was just mental too. What was the point in hiring him, for example? Derby was what, game 8? Still too soon to sack a manager when we were 4pts off the playoff spots at that stage. But know what you mean

Neil Warnock's got his feet up

I don't want to lose too much time to tonight's game but going to share some thoughts I expressed on X and slam them together here... Have to say that we are quickly arriving at sacking territory for Will Still, unfortunately. I say unfortunately because he has been left high and dry by continuous stupidity from players and yet another fluffed transfer window by Sport Republic. He's not been great but I really do sympathise with the conditions There's no way of dressing it up, two wins from 11 games when you're managing a relegated PL side that just spent £50m on new players in the window is nowhere near good enough. But the sheer amount of maddening individual mistakes has been staggering And then you have the summer window. We are 4yrs into Sport Republic's ownership and still rolling out Bazunu and McCarthy as GK options. Needed a proper centre forward for years, yet punted £7m on Damion Downs - who looks dreadful - and Ross Stewart who can't stay fit 4 wins in 49 league games over 17 months. Presided over two relegations - one a huge, season-long humiliation - and continuously failed in windows despite committing funds. Only one decent managerial hire to their name (Martin in 2023) - SR have surely run out of road once and for all? There is now a run of four games: Blackburn away, Preston home, QPR away, Sheff Wed away before another international break from Nov 9. If he can't win 2/3 of those games and oversee an upturn in performances AND results (wins, not draws) then he will need to go I put a large share of what's happening on the players but players and squads are not sacked mid-season (nice thought...), but coaches are. Who they'd go for next I have absolutely no idea and I almost don't want to think what sort of hire they might make next, should it come to that

Since it looks like we'll be staying in this division for at least another year at this rate, I would be looking to sign Nathan Wood down to a new contract as a priority

So what's your solution if all three of the three available strikers shouldn't be considered?