[Archived] Rovers V Coventry Fa Cup (replay) Preview

[thenodrog]

A look back to the morning of the 11th May 2008, and who would have envisaged the shambles nine months later....

On the morning of the 11th May 2008, many Rovers fans were feeling optimistic about our trip to St Andrews - knowing that a win against a demoralised Birmingham City team struggling near the bottom of the table would have given Rovers a great chance of finishing 6th and qualifying for Europe.

A win against Birmingham would have meant that Aston Villa neeeded to beat West Ham away to pip us for 6th place. (Villa hadn't beaten West Ham away at Upton Park since 1996 and as it happened they would draw 2-2 with the Hammers on the day that we played Birmingham.)

You'd like to think that the Rovers players would have been fully prepared and up for the fight and battle against Birmingham, with so much potentially at stake. As it happened the Rovers players disgraced themselves in a rotten performance at St Andrews, losing 4-1. I'm afraid it's been pretty much downhill ever since.

But just imagine for a moment, if on the morning of that massively important match against Birmingham, I had posted a piece on this website to say:

"We'll lose this match 4-1 with a disgusting performance from the players. Some of them simply won't turn up for it or look bothered. In the summer Mark Hughes will walk out on us to take over from the sacked Sven at Manchester City and Rovers will replace Hughes with a manager from League Two, who doesn't even have a 'B' licence to his name, let alone the full UEFA 'Pro' licence. This new manager from League Two will choose as his right-hand man a Liverpudlian chap with no Premiership experience, who was sacked by Tranmere and Chester."

If I had gone on to say:

"Our new manager from League Two will be a despised and arrogant individual who previously slated Blackburn Rovers when he was a player. The new manager will sell David Bentley without buying a replacement for him on the right-wing and he will also sell Brad Friedel. Next season Rovers will be involved in a massive relegation battle and although the disastrous manager from League Two will be sacked by Christmas, his replacement will be unable to get us out of the bottom three by late February."

If I had gone on:

"The new boss at Rovers who replaces the diabolical manager from League Two will be somebody who was strongly criticised in the final report of the Stevens inquiry, where concerns were expressed at the conflict of interest that existed between the manager's son and himself. Despite huge weaknesses in the Rovers squad becoming apparent to everybody by January 2009 - with Rovers becoming knee-deep in a relegation battle and crying out for new players, particularly in midfield, the one major signing that our new manager will make in this area will be a player who has dragged the game of football into the gutter by spitting in people's faces and later threatens to stab a team-mate at Sunderland."

If I had gone on to say:

"Under the new boss at Ewood, who will replace the disastrous manager from League Two, we will struggle to beat non-League Blyth Spartans in a totally embarrassing performance in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup and Rovers will once again be humiliated in the FA Cup against Coventry for the second season in a row. The new manager will claim that he wants to do well in the FA Cup, while at the same time fielding a team of reserve players, demonstrating both how little he views the competition and also the huge weaknesses in the Rovers squad."

Well if I had posted all that on the morning of the 11th May 2008, I suspect the universal reaction from people on here would have been: "You are completely mad and totally bonkers. You are a lunatic. John Williams would never in a million years appoint a manager from League Two with no coaching qualifications and a right-hand man alongside him with no Premiership experience."

People would have said: "Rovers would never sell David Bentley without at least having a replacement lined up for him first. We're not that stupid and daft. You're not seriously suggesting we'll be humiliated again in the FA Cup against Coventry next season as well. There's no way that Rovers will go from being a club pushing for the top six to a team in the bottom three just a year later. You're forgetting that we've got one of the best chairman in the league in John Williams. Our board would never allow a huge shambles like the one you've predicted to happen."

Well I'm afraid, ladies and gentlemen, that this all has happened - and although some of us did warn that a lack of investment in the January 2008 transfer window was a big mistake which could haunt us in the future, I bet there's hardly anybody reading this website who would have believed that such a big nightmare could have unfolded back on the morning of the 11th May 2008, when we were just one game away from a potential place in Europe.

How has it all gone so dreadfully wrong? In simplistic terms, enormous mistakes have been made both on and off the pitch. Some shockingly bad decisions have resulted in the dreadful mess we find ourselves in now. A lack of investment, together with a lack of basic common sense when appointing a manager from League Two last summer have been major factors. Not that Big Sam is the Messiah with the magic wand either. I'm afraid that as we've seen tonight at the Ricoh arena, Mr Allardyce has deficiencies too in terms of tactics and team selection.

This season is turning into a complete and utter nightmare. Unfortuately it's not a nightmare that I'm going to wake up from....

So whats gone wrong with Spurs then?

Good points though Chris. In the Prem no one can ever relax.

You'd have got good odds on most of that happening. As Greavesey used to say..."It's a funny old game Saint."

The common theme underpinning all our subsequent problems is the lack of investment in the squad by the owners since probably around the time Duff was sold.

Call me gormless but I still cannot quite equate the term 'investment' with forever subsidising a Prem league club Simon. I think we need to use a completely different term in our case.

[philipl]

Answering Rev

Just that on the evening three days before our vital game in hand, Fulham will be at Craven Cottage hopefully giving it absolutely everything to try to make the semi-finals by beating Man U whereas now Rovers have a full week after the Everton game to prepare for that Fulham match.

I think this could make quite a difference.

Incidentally, Sam sounds so upset with the fringe players' collective inability to make a case for first team football when given the chance. I suspect we've seen the last of some of them tonight.

[RevidgeBlue]

Call me gormless but I still cannot quite equate the term 'investment' with forever subsidising a Prem league club Simon. I think we need to use a completely different term in our case.

It's an "investment" if you can buy a player and watch him thrive and his value increase Gordon.

Something Hughes did quite well.

[thenodrog]

Coventry are nothing special yet the had a desire and hunger that was seriously lacking in Rovers.

Alternatively...........

"Blackburn Rovers are nothing special yet the had a desire and hunger that was seriously lacking in Coventry".

Could easily have been written by a Coventry fan 20 odd years ago after we knocked em out of the cup at Ewood!

I guess what goes around, comes around eh Jal?

[RevidgeBlue]

Incidentally, Sam sounds so upset with the fringe players' collective inability to make a case for first team football when given the chance. I suspect we've seen the last of some of them tonight.

Sadly possibly only on the pitch as opposed to at the Club.

How many (or few) are out of contract this summer?

[thenodrog]

It's an "investment" if you can buy a player and watch him thrive and his value increase Gordon.

Something Hughes did quite well.

If you care to take your memory back 18 months and recall Simon that when I suggested rewarding 'Hughes and Partners Inc' by bonus's attached to profit in order to make it well nigh impossible for him to leave I was scoffed at by many and some more than others. It's quite possible that if that had come to fruition that aesf might not have felt the need to write his last post .......... btw Are you still up Philip?

Sadly possibly only on the pitch as opposed to at the Club.

How many (or few) are out of contract this summer?

Something else that I have commented on in the past too..... Long contracts for top players only. Squad players / less leading lights should on 12 months only but with huge 'play and win' bonuses. I've a feeling that if he is given time and control that SA will see this sort of thing through.... He did at Notlob.

[RoversFanUSA]

Well I just now (11.30pm) heard that we've been knocked out of the FA cup. I was a bit disapponted when I first heard the news but when I reliazed who BFS had fielded I actully smiled.

I have to say that I never like to hear Rovers lost but seeing where BFS's cards lay I see now what he's doing. I have to agree whole heartly. We need to consentrate 100% on staying up right now and can't afford any injurys right now. Well done sir and a tip of my hat to u.

Well im REALLY tired (if I can't tell by my post). Night everyone..

[Hughesy]

Sadly possibly only on the pitch as opposed to at the Club.

How many (or few) are out of contract this summer?

Brown, Mokeona, Tugay free agents.

Villanueva & Simpson on loan.

So potentially 5 of that team could soon disappear.

I think the reaction by some on here is abit over the top. Yes we lost, yes it shouldnt happen, but at least it wasnt our first choice 11. Sunday and Wednesday are the key games. We need to take 4 points, ideally 6 from those 2. Anything less and its time to really start worrying.

[DP]

Brown, Mokeona, Tugay free agents.

Villanueva & Simpson on loan.

So potentially 5 of that team could soon disappear.

I think the reaction by some on here is abit over the top. Yes we lost, yes it shouldnt happen, but at least it wasnt our first choice 11. Sunday and Wednesday are the key games. We need to take 4 points, ideally 6 from those 2. Anything less and its time to really start worrying.

A valid point Hughsey but that team last night had plenty of first team experience. A chance to impress the new boss... prove him wrong. Hardly grasped the opportunity with both hands did they?

[Parsonblue]

I am no glory hunter - having supported the club for 48 years - but for me last night's performance was totally unacceptable. I support the team week in and week out, home and away, never miss a match and spend a hell of lot of money in the process and today I felt that the fans who were at the match were badly let down by the players.

This was not a RESERVE team. Clearly many people don't go and watch the reserves because tonight I didn't see the likes of Hodge, Winnard, Marrow, Gunning, Marshall etc at Coventry - because they were at Morecambe playing for the RESERVES. This was a team made up of FIRST TEAM SQUAD players who are on FIRST TEAM SQUAD WAGES. Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts are supposed to be two of our top three strikers and their performances tonight were awful. The same can be of Roque when he came on. Once again, he looked to be in 'I really don't want to be here' mode. These three players are supposed to be the strikers who will keep us in the Premiership but tonight they looked disinterested and completely ineffective against Championship defenders.

I thought Coventry were a good side but really when I looked at our starting line-up I would expect better than we got. I don't object to Coventry being more skilful than ourselves but I do object to the fact that were the exception of Samba, Tugay and Mokoena too many of our players were not prepared to run about for 90 minutes.

It's easy to say that we are concentrating on the League. Nobody wants to see us relegated. However, winning matches is good for morale. This abject performance didn't improve the morale of the supporters who were there. I suspect that many who were at Coventry are the same fans that the club will expect to turn up and cheer them at Hull, Fulham, Arsenal and the other away games when it will be vital to battle for points. But what encouragement did tonight give for those fans to part with their hard earned cash?

I think tonight showed that if we do go down there will be no coming back. On a night that we needed battlers we bottled it and in the process a club that is financially desperate for cash lost out on the money that a televised game against Chelsea would bring. Somehow I don't think John Williams will be too pleased with this shambolic performance.

[thenodrog]

This was not a RESERVE team.

Yes it was PB it's simply that in the modern world they don't play for the reserves for some reason. It's a 3rd team made up of youth and apprentices that does that.

You say

"This was a team made up of FIRST TEAM SQUAD players who are on FIRST TEAM SQUAD WAGES. Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts are supposed to be two of our top three strikers and their performances tonight were awful. The same can be of Roque when he came on. Once again, he looked to be in 'I really don't want to be here' mode. These three players are supposed to be the strikers who will keep us in the Premiership but tonight they looked disinterested and completely ineffective against Championship defenders."

Lets dig a little deeper there. Does anybody know what extra remuneration over and above their contracts is offered to these modern day football mercenary to perform well in the FA Cup? No incentive = no show it appears. BUT just how do you incentivise or motivate someone who is already dripping with personal wealth? Blackburn and it's people holds no affinity for these guys, thats not peculiar to us especially it's just as it is throughout all the top divisions in Europe.

[eddiewac]

Well seens as we rested players for the next two games, we better get some points on the board otherwise whats the point

[Majiball]

Lets dig a little deeper there. Does anybody know what extra remuneration over and above their contracts is offered to these modern day football mercenary to perform well in the FA Cup? No incentive = no show it appears. BUT just how do you incentivise or motivate someone who is already dripping with personal wealth? Blackburn and it's people holds no affinity for these guys, thats not peculiar to us especially it's just as it is throughout all the top divisions in Europe.

Intrinsic or extrinsic motivation, surely that should be part of the profiling system for our new signings/players. Our players had motivation issues under Hughes as well, its a long standing problem. Hopefully the new head doctor can sort them out and Quickly.

[roversmum]

Can't argue with that, Eddiewac.

[Parsonblue]

Lets dig a little deeper there. Does anybody know what extra remuneration over and above their contracts is offered to these modern day football mercenary to perform well in the FA Cup? No incentive = no show it appears. BUT just how do you incentivise or motivate someone who is already dripping with personal wealth? Blackburn and it's people holds no affinity for these guys, thats not peculiar to us especially it's just as it is throughout all the top divisions in Europe.

And that's why the club shouldn't be surprised when season ticket sales continue to fall. People are beginning to see through the sham that is the Premiership. High wages but no loyalty to the club or supporters. Where finishing fourth bottom brings far more reward - in terms of finance - than winning the FA Cup or League Cup. Where qualification for the UEFA Cup is seen as a hindrance to finishing fourth bottom in the Premiership. Indeed, where finishing at least fourth bottom in the Premiership is the main aim of the majority of clubs before a ball is kicked at the start of the season. Premiership survival is now king in terms of finance and that is what is becoming a turn off for many supporters.

However, it's a Catch-22 because the way the game is now funded relegation can result in complete disaster for clubs - just look at Leeds, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Charlton, Southampton etc.

Ultimately, results and performances like last night are inevitable for smaller clubs like the Rovers while the Premiership continues to be funded as it is at present. Sadly, at the moment, fourth bottom in the Premiership is success for the Rovers.

[Mr Maureen]

Yes it was PB it's simply that in the modern world they don't play for the reserves for some reason. It's a 3rd team made up of youth and apprentices that does that.

You say

"This was a team made up of FIRST TEAM SQUAD players who are on FIRST TEAM SQUAD WAGES. Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts are supposed to be two of our top three strikers and their performances tonight were awful. The same can be of Roque when he came on. Once again, he looked to be in 'I really don't want to be here' mode. These three players are supposed to be the strikers who will keep us in the Premiership but tonight they looked disinterested and completely ineffective against Championship defenders."

Lets dig a little deeper there. Does anybody know what extra remuneration over and above their contracts is offered to these modern day football mercenary to perform well in the FA Cup? No incentive = no show it appears. BUT just how do you incentivise or motivate someone who is already dripping with personal wealth? Blackburn and it's people holds no affinity for these guys, thats not peculiar to us especially it's just as it is throughout all the top divisions in Europe.

[/quote

Roque Santa Cruz "loves Blackburn Rovers" well that was his claim when he was on the verge of leaving.

[jim mk2]

Well seens as we rested players for the next two games, we better get some points on the board otherwise whats the point

Good post : send it again after we have lost away to Hull on Sunday.

[den]

TBH, I do find all this a bit over the top. Yes, we should have beaten Coventry over two games, but come on guys, Allardyce fielded a midfield of Carlos, Moko, Tugay and Treacy.

That's the supposed heartbeat of the team. God willing, that wont ever be our midfield in the Prem. Sam knew we would struggle there, and that would have a big bearing on the whole team performance, but wasn't willing to start with anyone else in order to protect the remains of an injury ravaged midfield for Sunday. I for one, don't blame him.

[RovertheHill]

Have I woken up and come on the wrong site? Drog and Den trying to get everyone looking on the bright side

We do need some perspective here. The problem is that arguably our starting midfield is four of Emerton, Reid, Dunn, Grella and Pedersen. Reid certainly didn't look himself after the first serious injury - the chances are that he won't be after this current one. Emo has two main strengths - pace and athleticism. I hope his injury doesn't affect the pace but chances are it will. Dunn and Grella I rate - but can they string 4 or 5 matches together? So we have to face facts - and those facts are that during the run-in our midfield will have one or more of Warnock, Andrews, Mokoena and Treacy featuring regularly. If we do stay up we need to address that in the summer and it's gonna cost big money.In the meantime, given the weakness in there, I suspect Sam will play five in midfield to avoid getting overrun like we were last night. It's going to be touch and go I think

[brightonrover]

TBH, I do find all this a bit over the top.

Well, yes and no. If we're not likely to win/not bothered about winning a cup then, with football finance as it is, we might as well not bother at all.

We and clubs like us (i.e.87/88 of the 92) are never going to win the league, probably won't ever challenge for a CL place and, with teams like Villa, City and Spurs getting tens of millions to spend, quite possibly won't see the UEFA Cup spots again.

This means that the ONLY chance of getting ANY success lies in the League and FA Cups. But, if we're not going to take these seriously, why bother at all?

It will leave us scrambling around the bottom part of the Premiership at best and if we've not got the cups to look forward to, what's the point?

I'll support the Rovers come what may but why should any of us be surprised at dwindling gates if this is the future of football for 'smaller' clubs.

[den]

Have I woken up and come on the wrong site? Drog and Den trying to get everyone looking on the bright side

I'm even going to get my ticket for Sunday, later today. Mike, Warren - you going?

[Ozz]

I don't blame him Den. But I am not happy about it. I understand that the supporters will want different things from Rovers, but having seen us win the league, the League Cup, compete in Europe regularly and beat the best there is in this league, the one thing left for me is to win the FA cup.

We will sooner or later succumb to relegation, there seems no doubt about that the way things are moving at Ewood/Jersey, this year was our last chance to really go on and win the trophy that has eluded us since 1928. For me winning the FA cup and going down would not have been a disaster. I know not all will agree with me, but fans over a certain age probably will.

Think about this-we were four wins away from winning the Cup, with Coventry then Chelsea at home making up the first two. Pot luck decides the other two. If you gave us the same scenario but the prize at stake was the league title, would we go for it? Of course we would. It just seems crazy to spurn a chance like that to me.

I understand why Sam chose that team, but am very disappointed about both the thinking behind it, and the apparent lack of endeavour shown by those selected.

Lastly, by getting beat by an average lower league side at this point in the season must be a huge blow to confidence for the team and the supporters. Not too sure how either party can pick them selves up from this now, and for the first time think we really are up crick sheet, with relegation the most likely outcome come May.

Really gutted now.

[roversmum]

Roberts in ruck

[Parsonblue]

Roberts in ruck

Pity he and Benni didn't show the same fight on the pitch!

[den]

Yep, Ozzie, I can see both sides.

To add something to your viewpoint, John Williams always says that BRFC only exists to win football games - we aren't responsible to anyone other than the owners. So last night was another chance to win a football game that mattered to the fans. The only thing I can add, is that I suspect the blame for last night's team selection, that's aimed at Sam, should probably be directed elsewhere.