Anti-rovers Setiment

[colin]

Heres yet more proof, a "Neutral" match report from teamtalk. Muppets.

Match report

I rather like that first line

Blackburn's obsession with keeping clean sheets continued with a goalless draw at home to Manchester City

Delete "obsession with" and replace with "brilliance at" and it might be closer to the truth.

[FourLaneBlue]

The really daft thing about this thread is that some of the links are to websites that usually no Roverite would ever likely read.

People are actually trawling the net trying to find examples of insults about the club just so they can act all shocked and aggrieved.

If you don't like negative opinions about us then don't read them! Oh and certainly don't go searching for them!

As for Brian Reade - most of what he said is true, we have been boring to watch this season and the attendances are falling through the floor. Some of the stuff said about Rovers recently has been unfair but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater and deny it all. Rovers fans have been saying much the same thing.

We are at an interesting stage for our club. We are safe now but what is the next stage? Sparky...it's over to you...

[Paul Mellelieu]

Reade is wide of the mark. To link the attendance at Cardiff with Hughes' tactics doesn't make any sense. The attendances at Ewood are due to a number of factors, but as both Everton and Bolton have shown, you can play the defensive game, and if you are near the top of the table the crowds will turn up.

[trawdenblue]

The really daft thing about this thread is that some of the links are to websites that usually no Roverite would ever likely read.

People are actually trawling the net trying to find examples of insults about the club just so they can act all shocked and aggrieved. 

If you don't like negative opinions about us then don't read them! Oh and certainly don't go searching for them! 

As for Brian Reade - most of what he said is true, we have been boring to watch this season and the attendances are falling through the floor. Some of the stuff said about Rovers recently has been unfair but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater and deny it all. Rovers fans have been saying much the same thing.

We are at an interesting stage for our club. We are safe now but what is the next stage? Sparky...it's over to you...

Hitting, Nail and Head - are three words that spring to mind.

Spot on!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Reade is wide of the mark.  To link the attendance at Cardiff with Hughes' tactics doesn't make any sense.  The attendances at Ewood are due to a number of factors, but as both Everton and Bolton have shown, you can play the defensive game, and if you are near the top of the table the crowds will turn up.

You're spot on Paul McGarry.What is creasing most Rovers fans is the totally false accusation that Hughes team tactics and style of play is the main factor for our supposed 'low crowds'.To me this could be potentially damaging to Hughes good work so far and dare I say position as manager.....some people are thick enough to believe what they read.

We all know that there are many different factors contributing to the fall in attendance and we have done that one to death many times over!

Edited April 24, 2005 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[vyeo]

Those who claim Palace are little more than a long ball team whose reliance on Johnson is overbearing were proved wrong on this balmy afternoon at Selhurst Park. They lack quality to pass teams off the park, that much was obvious, but it doesn't stop them trying and they have not resorted to Blackburn-style violent tactics in their hour of need either.

now this is really getting atrocious. almost every article is having a go at us.

full article here: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=331616&cc=4716

[philipl]

I like our new hard boy image.

Was down the Britannia Bar in Gzira watching the Mancs play Souness Pansies and started getting some stick for supporting the Rovers.

All I had to say was "we will kick you" and the bar fell silent.

[greggyk]

i agree. I think its quite funny now being labled the bully boys.

[roversmum]

I glanced at the Mail on Sunday whilst in Asda this morning, nasty piece by their columist ?Collins? saying stuff about Hughesy. I can't find it online but would quite like to reply . Has anyone seen it?

[americanrover]

full article here: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=331616&cc=4716

soccernet copies off of other websites. dont expect original thinking

[bob fleming]

I glanced at the Mail on Sunday whilst in Asda this morning, nasty piece by their columist ?Collins? saying stuff about Hughesy.  I can't find it online but would quite like to reply  .  Has anyone seen it?

Yep. I read it RM.

Here are some snippets from Patrick Collins article, I'm sure he won't mind me quoting them...

"Football was bitterly divided by the FA's contentious decision to exonerate Andy Todd for the blow which felled van Persie" See everyone, he was guilty after all - Patrick Collins says so.

"Crystal Palace became the latest team to walk off Ewood Park vowing vengence on the odious Savage" Ah yes, Savage, everyone know's he's a bad man, after all he left Birmingham City.

Palace's players wouldn't hurt anyone - hang on a minute! Two bookings for them on Saturday BTW, including that young Routledge (aged seven and a half). Benitez not happy with their tactics! Funny that. Funny that Benitez didn't complain when we played them.

Hughes held a meeting last Monday Collins tells us. " Hughes: "I arranged a squad meeting on Monday and just told the players to keep doing what they've been doing" he declared. It would be risible were it not so depressing" I'm guessing that Hughes told his players to continue working hard and keep closing teams down, keep making the tackles. Collins seems to be under the impression that Hughes has asked them to carry knives.

And finally, Gordon Strachan's article, to which there is a link on here... "It was left to Gordon Strachan, a former manager of debatable distinction, to make the cosy case for his erstwhile colleagues. "There's been a lot of talk about thuggery creeping back into the English game", he wrote. "I don't go along with that. There's a big difference between setting out to kick or intimidate people and pressing the ball or making tackles" - It is too easy to dismiss that as an expression of the bleedin' obvious. Much better to ask him which category suits Blackburn Rovers." Nice one.

I could go on, you get the picture. So the FA were wrong, Hughes is wrong, Peter Reid (who Collins also has "a dig" at) is wrong, and Strachan is wrong. Patrick Collins, who I don't believe has ever played the game, but instead is "Sports Columnist of the Year" (maybe that's just in the Mail on Sunday?) is correct. Of course. Silly football people.

I, like the vast majority of you I suspect, can't be bothered e-mailing these clowns to complain. What's the point? Like they give a damn about Blackburn Rovers? Boycott the paper? - I can hear them now "Ooooh Blackburn Rovers fans won't buy our paper anymore - what's that gonna be, a loss of £73.12 a week! Haw haw haw!"

Best just to ignore them I say. Some other victim will be along soon enough. In the meantime likes get behind our team and kick our way into the top half of the Premier League.

[Mike Graham]

who gives a monkeys...don't let the barstewards get you down.

[jim mk2]

Patrick Collins, who I don't believe has ever played the game,

Old chestnut.

Just because he didn't "play the game" (professionally ?) doesn't mean he knows less about it or is not entitled to have opinions.

After all, this place is stuffed with football "experts".

[Alan75]

To quote David Dunn.

Do you read supporters internet web sites, and if so have you ever read the fans message board on this site ? (www.brfcs.com)

Yes, once or twice, but most don’t have any idea about football so I don’t anymore.

[roversmum]

Thanks, Alan.

Yes, I noticed that Routledge had got a card - the poor innocent little soul who Dowie was so incensed about receiving similar treatment from our players! If he can't take it he shouldn't be in the team, and his age hasn't stopped him giving it! Funny also that Benitez complained about their tactics and five of his players got booked! Still, they're not nasty old Rovers, are they?

You're right of course. Best let them get on with it and ignore them.

Sparky won't be impressed though, will all add fuel to the fire. Can't wait until next season to see what he manages to pull out of the hat.

Come on the Rovers!

Edited April 25, 2005 by roversmum

[bob fleming]

Preston Blue - don't worry, they're not doing.

Jim - Well you would say that wouldn't you?

Alan - Not that old chestnut again He did say "most" though didn't he? So that means there must be one or two on here who know what they're on about. Your guess is as good as mine.

[jim mk2]

Jim - Well you would say that wouldn't you?

I'm not defending what he said - only his right to say it.

[broadsword]

Wonderful journalism.

Don't worry about the truth, just spout a load of cack and get people to buy it.

For goodness' sakes whatever you do, don't indulge in balanced, measured, informative reportage - that's a cardinal sin of journalism. Pander to the perceived prejudices of your readership and insult their intelligence.

Well done. Splendid.

[Randall]

You got one thing right mate.

[RovertheHill]

Patrick Collins, who I don't believe has ever played the game,

Old chestnut.

Just because he didn't "play the game" (professionally ?) doesn't mean he knows less about it or is not entitled to have opinions.

After all, this place is stuffed with football "experts".

Absolutely he is entitled to his opinions but two things strike me. One, sports journalism is one of the few places where a level of expertise or experience in the subject matter is not a pre-requisite to professionally commenting or analysing it. Secondly, this is lazy journalism. It's easy, fills copy and requires little or no thought or research.

And then difference between us and them is that we don't do this "professionally" (or perhaps we are more similar than we think...!)

[americanrover]

this just on sky. i bet a lot of other places would not even think of carrying this article though.

The former Wales boss has triggered a major upturn in form for Rovers since arriving at Ewood Park, adding vital grit to the side.

However, after all but staving off the threat of relegation, Hughes is now keen to look to the future - hinting at new arrivals in the summer.

"The primary target for every club other than those towards the top of the division is to reach 40 points," said Hughes after a 0-0 draw against Manchester City, "and we have done that with a month to spare.

"No one would have predicted that in November.

"If we can get a few new faces in during the summer, we'll look to be more entertaining, and take a few more risks next season."

as you can see hughesey feels the futures bright enough that we could start to make friends with pundits.

[tonygreenbank]

Patrick Collins was just as bad last week. We got the same treatment this week probably because so many fans e-mailed him after his appalling article re Cardiff that he didnt put his e-mail address at the end. He did try to appease the fans by calling us a "grand old club" who couldnt sell our tickets because of the team`s poor performances but couldnt stand the thought that Todd had got off when he alone knew he was guilty. He is a frustrated news reporter who instead of comenting on world events has to settle for the sporting world and thinks he is infallible. The man is self-opinionated and few people escape his scorn.

[Paul Mellelieu]

More crap in today's Guardian if anyone can be bothered to find the link. Lower sixthform fare.

Saw Collins nbefore the game at Cardiff, another complete and utter berk.

[Radagast]

Thanks, Alan.

Yes, I noticed that Routledge had got a card - the poor innocent little soul who Dowie was so incensed about receiving similar treatment from our players! If he can't take it he shouldn't be in the team, and his age hasn't stopped him giving it! Funny also that Benitez complained about their tactics and five of his players got booked! Still, they're not nasty old Rovers, are they?

I actually though Dowie was sound as the proverbial pound (as always) about the incident. Refused to be drawn on it by a journo obviously drooling over the prospect of more anti-Rovers press.

[James No. 7]

"Football was bitterly divided by the FA's contentious decision to exonerate Andy Todd for the blow which felled van Persie" See everyone, he was guilty after all - Patrick Collins says so.

You see that sort of rubbish in the media all of the time: displaying a total contempt of due process and appointing themselves judge, jury, and executioner; not just in opinion pieces, but in news as well.

I thought Andy Todd may have felled Van Persie purposely as well (but hardly in a malicious manner ... just a minor bump), but he has been found "not guilty" via the authoritative process and we should all (i.e. the media's "moral agents") accept the decision and let the matter rest.