[Archived] Nicko's Thread Part 3

[Alanf]

It makes me chuckle that we have on the one hand a lot of people saying that the shortlist is really poor, then on the other that people like Laudrup wouldn't even consider coming to Blackburn.

Who exactly do we think should be applying for our job?

Exactly, and who exactly are the big name managers who should be gagging to manage our club?

[Alan75]

I'm afraid that camp are not talking to me right now. Something to do with a little bit of old Glasgwegian advice about 'get off your ****ing fat ***** and sort it out ya ****** bam ye.'

Your spell checker isnt working then. Its #### not ***** and it should be " " not ' '

[Hasta]

The biggest problem with the Rovers job, and the reason Shearer didn't take it IMO, is that whoever comes in knows that in all probability they can't take the club any more forward than we already are. We are more likely to go backward and that person will be classed as inferior to Hughes and possibly as a failure.

Maybe that's why the likes of Laudrup probably won't be interested in Rovers. It's a very, very difficult job to do at the moment.

[Eddie]

It's virtually the same shortlist England had a few years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The list of candidates is probably better than last time the Rovers job was available - and we did pretty damn well picking a manager then!

Since then we've improved the squad, league standings and probably finances. The list should be better.

I'll stick to it...one name stands out on the list of realistic targets at the moment and it appears that we aren't making serious attempts to get him.

[Alanf]

The biggest problem with the Rovers job, and the reason Shearer didn't take it IMO, is that whoever comes in knows that in all probability they can't take the club any more forward than we already are. We are more likely to go backward and that person will be classed as inferior to Hughes and possibly as a failure.

Maybe that's why the likes of Laudrup probably won't be interested in Rovers. It's a very, very difficult job to do at the moment.

Very good point.....exactly what i've been thinking for a while....

[spencey7]

We are more likely to go backward and that person will be classed as inferior to Hughes and possibly as a failure.

Best to just hire a proven failure of a manager then...

In all seriousness I do see your point, but the calibre of candidate we've been pursuing is laughable.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Remember, Nicko pointed out that there may have been a disagreement between some members on the board about how much money should be spent on a new manager. (Nicko, feel free to point it out if this wasn't the case, though i do remember you saying something along those lines)

We may well have had 40 applicants, some really top calibre candidates who were not put onto the shortlist due to the amount of money we would be willing to pay.

I find this notion very hard to grasp considering the money we got for Hughes, but at the same time it would not surprise me one bit if we are trying to do this on the cheap. Hence why the likes of Allardyce, McClaren (both out of jobs = reduces the cost) and Ince (Lower division manager= not much to buyout the rest of his contract) are the ones we are seriously looking at.

If it’s a case of money then I will be furious, we should be getting the best man in and using the money we got for Hughes if we need to.

[LeftWinger]

Best to just hire a proven failure of a manager then...

In all seriousness I do see your point, but the calibre of candidate we've been pursuing is laughable.

You're right - we should have gone for Ferguson or Wenger.

[bob fleming]

Huuuuuuuuge News.

I've just got back from Blackburn Tesco and there was NO Danish Salami on display, I asked a nearby assistant who told me "it was all bought by one middle aged man earlier on."

Big Sam?!! He never stops. It's started already.

spencey - (why am I bothering with this) - who do you suggest we go for? These are the people who have allegedly applied for the job - plus a mystery man who is in Europe and isn't worth naming. Perhaps we should tap up Moyes? I'm sure he'd be willing to leave Everton for us. How's about Martin O'Neil at Villa? What about Wenger and his poor season? After all with our spending power I'm sure these guys will be falling over themselves to get to Ewood. Oh hang on, they never applied did they, not only that but do we have the money to buy them out of their current contracts??

Wake up and smell the coffee. Have a think.

[spencey7]

Posted that, on the official board, at the beginning of this saga. However, the latest makes me feel that he may actually be in the frame

Allardyce has been interviewed.

[my_name_is_Earl]

The reason why Rovers consistently get called a small town club is because of the attitude of our own fans. Geographically we are small yes but we finished seventh on merit and we should aim to keep that standard. Having more cash does not necessarily mean that you will be more successful. We should be seen as an attractive proposition yet most of the favourites for the job are washouts...people who have recently FAILED. Now im not saying anyone who fails is necessarily a bad manager but we should be looking for someone who would join us on the back of some success, if nothing else but to excite the fans who were generally gutted to see Hughes go.

I will reiterate once again that I will support whoever comes in due to the fact that I supprt the club before the manager and the manager needs everyone behind them but I do maintain the mantra of aiming high and, If I may speak on behalf of the fans who share similar feelings, our shortlist is disappointing considering our merited success.

[Craigman]

Could JW's comments about appointing someone who would not be the favourite with fans now have something to do with Shearer ? Maybe he has had a u-turn and wants to have a go at managing us and we have agreed to his other committments etc. Nicko could have been sent on a wild goose chase, so nothing is leaked in the media like when he originally turned us down ? Just a thought.

[Hasta]

In all seriousness I do see your point, but the calibre of candidate we've been pursuing is laughable.

In that case then, in your opinion who should we be pursuing that would be interested in coming?

And I open that question up to all.

[hawkiiz]

just please hire Sam already! :!:

[TugaysMarlboro]

Big Sam?!! He never stops. It's started already.

spencey - (why am I bothering with this) - who do you suggest we go for? These are the people who have allegedly applied for the job - plus a mystery man who is in Europe and isn't worth naming. Perhaps we should tap up Moyes? I'm sure he'd be willing to leave Everton for us. How's about Martin O'Neil at Villa? What about Wenger and his poor season? After all with our spending power I'm sure these guys will be falling over themselves to get to Ewood. Oh hang on, they never applied did they, not only that but do we have the money to buy them out of their current contracts??

Wake up and smell the coffee. Have a think.

Or is there significance in the Danish bit? Who knows bob, who knows.

[Alanf]

Best to just hire a proven failure of a manager then...

In all seriousness I do see your point, but the calibre of candidate we've been pursuing is laughable.

Everyone fails. We all fail. It's what you learn from failure that makes us. Recent Rovers managers have all failed at some point, Souness at Liverpool, Dalglish at Newcastle and Celtic, Hughes will probably be deemed to have been a failure at City in the future. Even Fergerson could be deemed a failure with the Scotland world cup finals.

For what it's worth I think the backroom staff are as, if not more important, than the manager.

[RevidgeBlue]

It still seems in reality as though we are down to three (PI, BFS, WWB) unless nicko's "stinker" that JW went to see today comes into the reckoning.

JW seemed to be trying to soften us up for an unpopular appointment by his comments in the LT this morning. That might mean anyone really as all of the runners have their detractors, although I would have thought Ince would be less unpopular than the other two.

In the light of developments so far, I'd be delighted with Ince, he was my first choice after all. He's a born winner and is on a steeply upwards curve in managerial terms.

The other two are "damaged goods" seeking to rebuild their reputations. I wouldn't be too unhappy with Allardyce, I reckon he'd stand his corner with the players, stick up for them at the same time, do his best to boost the club's profile and do a decent job.

McClaren is a different matter entirely. Excellent record as a coach but I'm not really convinced he has done anything worthwhile as a manager given the amount of money Steve Gibson chucked at him. Furthermore I think we'd lose all credibility by appointing him, can't see the players taking him seriously and we'd be a laughing stock within the footballing world.

Got to be Ince. Unless there's a late swoop for a Bilic type on the cards which isn't looking likely.

[JAL]

It still seems in reality as though we are down to three (PI, BFS, WWB) unless nicko's "stinker" that JW went to see today comes into the reckoning.

JW seemed to be trying to soften us up for an unpopular appointment by his comments in the LT this morning. That might mean anyone really as all of the runners have their detractors, although I would have thought Ince would be less unpopular than the other two.

In the light of developments so far, I'd be delighted with Ince, he was my first choice after all. He's a born winner and is on a steeply upwards curve in managerial terms.

The other two are "damaged goods" seeking to rebuild their reputations. I wouldn't be too unhappy with Allardyce, I reckon he'd stand his corner with the players, stick up for them at the same time, do his best to boost the club's profile and do a decent job.

McClaren is a different matter entirely. Excellent record as a coach but I'm not really convinced he has done anything worthwhile as a manager given the amount of money Steve Gibson chucked at him. Furthermore I think we'd lose all credibility by appointing him, can't see the players taking him seriously and we'd be a laughing stock within the footballing world.

Got to be Ince. Unless there's a late swoop for a Bilic type on the cards which isn't looking likely.

If thats our top three then its time to sack the board!

[Antgrad]

In that case then, in your opinion who should we be pursuing that would be interested in coming?

And I open that question up to all.

Exactly my point, Hasta. Who exactly do we think should have applied for our job. Surely anyone we consider worthy enough is already in a good job?

[Hasta]

Exactly my point, Hasta. Who exactly do we think should have applied for our job. Surely anyone we consider worthy enough is already in a good job?

I know.

I asked the question to try to get that point through to people. We're highly unlikely to be able to poach any Premiership managers, all lower league managers would be slaughtered.

We don't know whether the likes of Laudrup or Bilic would even consider managing Rovers, mainly due to the points I made previously. Both could probably wait a few months for what they consider to be a better opportunity to come along somewhere in europe. For all we know Rovers could have approached both of them and been turned down.

Little knowledge could be dangerous. Still, get them sacked eh JAL.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I wonder if the Hughes compensation money has disappeared? A bit like the £10 million or so we were going to use for transfers? Rumours in the press are that whoever comes in will have to sell players to have any money to spend.

It looks like the board are trying to make this next appointment on the cheap, that’s the only reason I can think of why a list of 40 has been whittled down to a list comprising of 2 out of work managers and one that plys his trade in the lower leagues.

Its just speculation of course, but this is what it looks like to me.

[Scotty]

It may not mean anything, but there's just been around £3000 staked on Big Sam on Betfair. It's not been taken yet, but it's sat there if anyone wants to lay him.

[spencey7]

spencey - (why am I bothering with this) - who do you suggest we go for? These are the people who have allegedly applied for the job - plus a mystery man who is in Europe and isn't worth naming. Perhaps we should tap up Moyes? I'm sure he'd be willing to leave Everton for us. How's about Martin O'Neil at Villa? What about Wenger and his poor season? After all with our spending power I'm sure these guys will be falling over themselves to get to Ewood. Oh hang on, they never applied did they, not only that but do we have the money to buy them out of their current contracts??

Ten Cate wants it.

He may not be Ferguson or Wenger, but he's a lot closer than the crowd-kryptonite of BFFS or McClaren.

[RevidgeBlue]

If thats our top three then its time to sack the board!

Realistically, given the current situation with the owners and lack of funding, were we ever going to do any better?

"Right Alan/Sam/Steve/Paul. No pressure, you've just got to get us qualified for the UEFA Cup more often than not. And a Cup semi final every year would be nice as well."

"You've no money to spend though."

My only query is as to whether we should have TRIED to lure some higher profile names even if we got knocked back and then if necessary reverted to the likes of Allardyce and McClaren. It would at least have been a statement of ambition for the players.

[Hasta]

It may not mean anything, but there's just been around £3000 staked on Big Sam on Betfair. It's not been taken yet, but it's sat there if anyone wants to lay him.

I see they've also put another £3,000 up behind it at bigger prices. Someone obviously wants £7,000 on at 7/4

And now it's vanished unmatched. Strange.