[Archived] Nickos Thread

[AndyC]

Just remember last season was one (if not THE) most dismal seasons we have ever had in terms of entertaining football and exitement at Ewood.

Most of the games at home at least were charachterised by lack of chances, no attacking flair and some of the worst matches I had seen at Ewood in 35 years.

Yes we attained a very creditable finishing position, but let's not think that everything was hunky-dory before Hughes left.

If you look at some of the threads after the games you will see some of the discontent aired.

I am uncertain as to how things will go this season as well as many others, just as I was before Hughes left.

So Hughes/Bowen may well have had "modern" training methods, but it didn't produce much decent football did it?

Amen to that.

[thecomebackid]

Don't think you are going to get any replies to the questions you are asking our inhouse journo for a while, reading the above.

Of all the days!

... Nicko has to choose today to finally book himself in to rehab'?

[gbax]

Spot on!

Scrappy football last season and managed to grind out results. Spurs away, Newcastle away, Sunderland home and the list can continue. New manager will mean new techniques. You have to also remeber most the players came to Rovers because of Sparky and now he has gone they are finding it hard to come to terms with the new regime. People might say a mark of a good team is getting points when they play bad BUT the fact is that we played scrappy football all season only a few performances seemed convincing other than that a season to forget.

Good post. Looking back to our home games last season I remember some dire football, especially the first 45 mins of each game we were very poor.

[Bazrakats]

who cares what the mail writes half of it is rubbish anyways. The love to stir in evry part of the paper wait till the season starts and well see how things go. No point streesing yet. Wait till were twentith at xmas then stress .

[Jonnolad]

Good post. Looking back to our home games last season I remember some dire football, especially the first 45 mins of each game we were very poor.

We were good in the first 45 of the Reading game I remember. That's the only one I remember being that way though.

[JamieUK]

I'd rather play scrappy football and get results than play exciting football and get beat 4-2. I'd take another 7th place finish and crap football in an instant.

[DingleBaiter]

i know absolutely nothing of this lad judge ... can anyone enlighten me ? def/mid/for ? right /l left?

Current Academy player of year. Originally a centre mid, then drifted out to right mid and latter half last season had a rich vein of form for Reserves, playing up front, in da hole etc. Last reserve game at Ewood either scored or assisted all goals I think. Very busy player, very keen and confident. MH had him in squad for Pompey (a) back end last season, and spent bit of time training with first team.

As with all the young uns, it's important not to expect too much as we tend to do in this country and jump to conclusions, or call them the next whoever. He's a handy player to have around if only for his workrate, confidence and enthusiasm - however he's not being pitched as out and out winger in case someone makes that link.

BTW - back to the post ref Samba's agent, note - as always - it's the usual 'modern jackass'-type comment. Samba's agent - which one of the several? Trustees being responsible for direction? Think again - one of the Ts maybe, but the direction of the club is the responsibility of the board. There's more Ts NOT involved in direction @ Ewood than the one that is. So you'd listen & repeat a football agent's comments; not exactly a bastion of trustworthiness are they?

With your tangential allusion to substantiate your facts/opinion, there's a job @ the Mail for you methinks!

[Parsonblue]

Just remember last season was one (if not THE) most dismal seasons we have ever had in terms of entertaining football and exitement at Ewood.

Most of the games at home at least were charachterised by lack of chances, no attacking flair and some of the worst matches I had seen at Ewood in 35 years.

Yes we attained a very creditable finishing position, but let's not think that everything was hunky-dory before Hughes left.

If you look at some of the threads after the games you will see some of the discontent aired.

I am uncertain as to how things will go this season as well as many others, just as I was before Hughes left.

So Hughes/Bowen may well have had "modern" training methods, but it didn't produce much decent football did it?

They kept us competitive in the Premier League and finished 7th in one of the toughest Leagues in Europe. Personally, if I had a choice I would rather play tight football that achieves something rather than the exciting, free-flowing football that I witnessed at Wolves on Saturday. Still there were plenty of goals to applaud - just a pity that we conceded four out of the six goals scored.

[imy9]

Ince has been manager for less than a month, the players are Hughes' players and have been trained by him for FOUR years.

We will see an Ince team (if given the chance) at around christmas when the staff have had a decent chance to work with the players before and after competitive games, when the players are bought by Ince (currently ONE of his signings has played in a pre season friendly).

I have got every confidence in the man and these stories have done little to dampen my enthusiasm for next year.

I find it weird that people would rather see crap football being played and finish 7th, than what attractive football and say 10th! I know which one I would take. Hughes did an excellent job but last year you could see that he could not take us any further and the players had lost their edge, vision, they were getting complacent.

As people have rightly said, modern does not mean attractive football.

Out of interest how many clubs in the league employ a defensive coach and have the number of Sports Scientists that we have, is this not modern?

[Jonnolad]

Ince has been manager for less than a month, the players are Hughes' players and have been trained by him for FOUR years.

We will see an Ince team (if given the chance) at around christmas when the staff have had a decent chance to work with the players before and after competitive games, when the players are bought by Ince (currently ONE of his signings has played in a pre season friendly).

I have got every confidence in the man and these stories have done little to dampen my enthusiasm for next year.

I find it weird that people would rather see crap football being played and finish 7th, than what attractive football and say 10th! I know which one I would take. Hughes did an excellent job but last year you could see that he could not take us any further and the players had lost their edge, vision, they were getting complacent.

As people have rightly said, modern does not mean attractive football.

Out of interest how many clubs in the league employ a defensive coach and have the number of Sports Scientists that we have, is this not modern?

I'm hoping we see something before Christmas, but in the main I agree with you there.

This story about Ince being no good may have come from mainly one source - Bentley. The same bloke who hasn't mentioned one word of thanks to Rovers since leaving.

I personally don't like to see former players booed when they come to Ewood but that lad is making me seriously question that my stance.

[almuncle]

Ince has been manager for less than a month, the players are Hughes' players and have been trained by him for FOUR years.

We will see an Ince team (if given the chance) at around christmas when the staff have had a decent chance to work with the players before and after competitive games, when the players are bought by Ince (currently ONE of his signings has played in a pre season friendly).

I have got every confidence in the man and these stories have done little to dampen my enthusiasm for next year.

I find it weird that people would rather see crap football being played and finish 7th, than what attractive football and say 10th!

.

I think most of us are worried about crap football and finishing 17th! But I agree with the jist of what you say.

[imy9]

Bentley is the modern day footballer. The issue I have is that he is not as good as he clearly thinks he is and will soon find out at Spurs.

We created him, moulded him, nurtured him and what thanks did we get, not ONE mention of the club, not ONE nice comment about us.

He will cost Spurs £17 million pounds, is he better than Arshavin? He is not fit to lace the boys boots, so lets be thankful there was a club stupid enough to fork out that money for a player who at international level cannot replace a 33 Yr old who is playing in America...

[Roar of the Rover]

Bentley is the modern day footballer. The issue I have is that he is not as good as he clearly thinks he is and will soon find out at Spurs.

We created him, moulded him, nurtured him and what thanks did we get, not ONE mention of the club, not ONE nice comment about us.

Arsenal created him. We just gave him a chance to prove that he has got it in him to perform week in week out, which he clearly proved he could. Not good enough to be in the top4 but going to Spurs could prove to be very very costly.

[Plastic Head]

They kept us competitive in the Premier League and finished 7th in one of the toughest Leagues in Europe. Personally, if I had a choice I would rather play tight football that achieves something rather than the exciting, free-flowing football that I witnessed at Wolves on Saturday. Still there were plenty of goals to applaud - just a pity that we conceded four out of the six goals scored.

The worst pre-season I remember was in the summer of 1994.

What happened next???

Take no notice of these games they mean nothing.

[mark1875]

firstly i read a post a few pages back that described the club as "in turmoil" i think this is very much over the top. the season hasnt started yet and the wolves game is going to be no indication of the direction of ince's regime whatsoever - give the lad a chance eh

and secondly those who are panicking about a potential "disaster" (not my phrase!) of nelson not being back for the everton game should read this

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=140082

[almuncle]

I think you'll find Mr and Mrs Bentley were involved somewhere too

[gbax]

The worst pre-season I remember was in the summer of 1994.

What happened next???

Take no notice of these games they mean nothing.

You beat me to it. The whole national press had it in for us that pre season. We couldn't win and conceded plenty of goals. Away fans were singing 'what a waste of money' about Sutton and other buys!

Now with the internet we have even more doom and gloom Rovers fans who knee-jerk at the slightest noise or uninformed gossip from a reliable source at Brookhall. If everyone knew someone on the inside (as is often claimed on here - excluding Nicko) with daming info about Rovers they'd need a bigger car park.

[BlueMG]

firstly i read a post a few pages back that described the club as "in turmoil" i think this is very much over the top. the season hasnt started yet and the wolves game is going to be no indication of the direction of ince's regime whatsoever - give the lad a chance eh

and secondly those who are panicking about a potential "disaster" (not my phrase!) of nelson not being back for the everton game should read this

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=140082

I have to agree that this is completely over the top. The pre-season games need to be looked at as what they are. Try outs for the manager to assess his new players and trialists/potential loans.

As for the lack of signings and the big money spending, Ince is biding his time. He hasn't been at the top level long enough to know where the quality should be sourced (effectively).

I'd be more than happy if the loans and new signings we already have, do a job and see us through to the January transfer window. I'm confident that the squad we have in place will deliver and allow Ince to find his feet and go after EXACTLY what he wants after Christmas.

If we get a result at Goodison and turn over Hull, he will be well on the way to settling the team and the fans down. Then the real work can begin.

[briansol]

A lot of good points being made.

I'll join the queue rather watching entertaining attacking football finishing 10 than the season served up last year. For all the modern training and scientific approaches used by Hughes, I find it strange that so many of our players were not able to perform on match day. Benni, MGP, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock (first part) were all off form for most of the season. Stale tactics, same subs at the same time every game and persisting with players off form was a signature of Hughes management last season.

Let's give Ince a chance to give us the attacking football he likes. He's inexperienced and will probably need time to adjust training and coaching staff, being a former player at modern clubs like United, Liverpool and Inter Milan I'm sure he can adress the training issues as he learns. He'll also need to learn how to handle the tranfer market, and is probably wise to take a cautious approach with trials and loans, because the club cannot afford to waste lots on another Grabbi.

What I expect from him is getting the players to perform in matches. Being the an enforcer, a winner and a leader he should be able to produce results, which is the thing that matters.

Some other positive signs are giving youth a chance, making sure Derbyshire is in his plans and making Dunn vice captain.

[gbax]

A lot of good points being made.

I'll join the queue rather watching entertaining attacking football finishing 10 than the season served up last year. For all the modern training and scientific approaches used by Hughes, I find it strange that so many of our players were not able to perform on match day. Benni, MGP, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock (first part) were all off form for most of the season. Stale tactics, same subs at the same time every game and persisting with players off form was a signature of Hughes management last season.

Let's give Ince a chance to give us the attacking football he likes. He's inexperienced and will probably need time to adjust training and coaching staff, being a former player at modern clubs like United, Liverpool and Inter Milan I'm sure he can adress the training issues as he learns. He'll also need to learn how to handle the tranfer market, and is probably wise to take a cautious approach with trials and loans, because the club cannot afford to waste lots on another Grabbi.

What I expect from him is getting the players to perform in matches. Being the an enforcer, a winner and a leader he should be able to produce results, which is the thing that matters.

Some other positive signs are giving youth a chance, making sure Derbyshire is in his plans and making Dunn vice captain.

Thank goodness. Two grounded posts in a row! Wow this site is improving!

Lets wait and see, and then cast judgement.

[neophox]

I don't know why we should get Pennant. One player that would definately replace Bentley is Sebastian Larsson at Birmingham!! Come on rovers, put in a bid. He and Simpson would be class on the right wing. Young and hungry.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Current Academy player of year. Originally a centre mid, then drifted out to right mid and latter half last season had a rich vein of form for Reserves, playing up front, in da hole etc. Last reserve game at Ewood either scored or assisted all goals I think. Very busy player, very keen and confident. MH had him in squad for Pompey (a) back end last season, and spent bit of time training with first team.

As with all the young uns, it's important not to expect too much as we tend to do in this country and jump to conclusions, or call them the next whoever. He's a handy player to have around if only for his workrate, confidence and enthusiasm - however he's not being pitched as out and out winger in case someone makes that link.

Couldn't agree more - reminds me of Scholes a bit

From the little I have seen of him I have been impressed - tenacious and looks to go forward rather than backwards - reminds me of a certain young Scholes without the ginger. Neat and good at passing and can certainly cross a ball and find a man.

IMO certainly deserves to be given a chance .. but hey that's only my opinion

Parsons blue probably has more to comment on him

[donis1410]

These last few posts are just what we have needed on this site and it is about time too. I beleive that there have been too many people getting on Ince's back straight off, would they have done this to shearer if he had arrived (with no management experience)?????? I have liked to see the way in which Ince has tried to make us a more attacking a potent team but the guy needs time, to bring in the players to play the system and to settle all new and old players into one gelled unit. The problems we had against wolves were pretty much the problems we had last season at the back, set pieces and stupid challenges. I am also very much a fan of him giving youth a chance in these games which in all honesty, apart from peter and derbs didn't really happen much under Hughes. I respect hughes for the job he done in his four years but at the end of the season it was clear he could take us no further and we had to part our ways. So lets just get behind the TEAM we support and that includes all players, coaches and staff because if we as fans don't beleive in Blackburn Rovers then how can they??????

[Veevs]

Yep lets give him a chance.. people run on about us loosing to Blackpool when one of our competitors looses 2-0 to chicago fire with near enough his first team.. hell even ManU drew to the Kaiser cheifs..

I will personally be one reserving judgment until christmas.. so far his transfer deals have cost us peanuts.. so why bother panicing.. PI is the new boss unless you really feel you can personally change that please please shut your whinging and back the team you are supposed to be supporting..

And yes not all players like being told what to do.. boot camp systems make fit players.. I seem to remember quite a few players whinging about certain fitness setups until they where doing well for it..

[Eddie]

I know that I was someone who defended the right to go off topic in this thread, but I really do feel that at this point (following a few pages of Ince related discussion), that posts could now be made on the Ince thread unless there is a new development from nicko.