It’s been quite the week to be an England supporter, some early success, new emerging talent coming to the fore and ending with a fond farewell to a man whose commitment to the national team’s cause has never been in doubt. So farewell then Jimmy Anderson, we will at this point forgive your Burnley origins!
Now onto the football...
It seems a tad incongruous to be writing about football in mid-July but with the Euros overlapping with the start of the traditional pre-season friendly schedule, it really does feel like football never really went away – perhaps that’s why it couldn’t come home!
We will never know whether the inclusion of the Wilpshire Pirlo would have made any difference to the eventual outcome, but it did generate a wry smile when the pundits bemoaned England’s lack of a natural holding midfielder who could be comfortable on the ball, at keeping possession and receiving and moving it on the half turn.
Lamine Yamal was rightly lauded for his contributions at the tender ages of 16 (and then for the final, 17) – if only we had taken the plunge in a group game with Adam Wharton (20). There’s always next time but you can’t help but lament these opportunities slipping away.
Some wags on the socials (OK, me...) remarked that watching England stumble through the Euros, ultimately serving up crushing disappointment at the final hurdle was valuable pre-season practice for being a Rovers supporter.
It’s a bit of a Björk tribute zone at Ewood right now – it truly is oh-so quiet. The matchday squad that finished last season has lost the loan players; Chrisene, Ayari, Moran & Koumetio. We’ve moved on a couple of players that were struggling to make a positive impact; Wahlstedt & Telalovic and the contract of Kyle McFadzean has expired. That leaves just 13 remaining from the squad that saved our bacon at Leicester on the final day.
Rumours continue to swirl regarding the future of Sammie Szmodics and to be completely fair, if ever a player earned a crack at the big time, then Sam is that player. It’s hard to see him being around in September as things stand.
Add to the player turnover, the many backroom and coaching changes and it’s not difficult to see why player recruitment has been somewhat sluggish as the new faces take up their new positions and seek to exert influence.
All of that of course, plus the continuing doubt over the owner's willingness/ability* [*delete where applicable] to fund the club to the levels experienced in previous seasons. The mood music emanating from Ewood is solemn. It’s not quite funereal just yet, but even the most rabid Rovers enthusiast must acknowledge that all appears far from rosy presently.
There’s plenty of time left in the window to redeem the position but as each activity-less day passes (Jack Barrett notwithstanding), the Indian court case looms ever larger on 20th August and the friendlies are ticked off, your sympathies must go out to John Eustace who seems to be required to produce alchemy from the base metals he has been given.
A final word on a lighter issue, but one very close to my heart – kits! The new home shirt is a belter. Whilst marketed as a 1994/95 tribute in truth it owes more of its styling cues to the 1992/94 shirt. Either way, it deserves to fly off the shelves, especially with a less controversial sponsor on the front. The vibrant third kit also gains my seal of approval. I have always had a soft spot for Palermo - as their heritage has them originally with a blue & white halved badge and for a short while, a shirt of similar design) – but their pink shirts set a high benchmark which the Rovers effort matches. The away shirt is not released officially as I write but another 94/95 tribute thick red pinstripes on black is clearly a winner.
One wag on the socials (not me this time...) suggested that these might prove to be the nicest shirts Rovers have ever been relegated whilst wearing..!
Panic not just now fellow Roverites – there’s plenty of time for that after the window closes, once we know what resources we have at our disposal.
I suggest enjoying the remainder of the summer whilst you can, take in some cricket to soothe the fevered brow and ensure match fitness for August. It will be here soon enough..!
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