[Archived] BIG SAM GONE

[47er]

This is the important point. Everything that Venkys have said and done would make perfect sense if there were shedloads of money on the way designed to make us a top 4 team. And I don't mean making us top 4 now!

We would need to buy 3 or 4 quality players now simply to build the platform from which we could move on to a higher level.

There is no evidence that a) that sort of money is available that Venkys even understand its needed to achieve their stated aims or c) that they have access to those sorts of funds anyway!

Until we get some assurances about funding "wait and see what happens' doesn't wash with me. I won't hold my breath!

[RovertheHill]

Deliberately haven't posted until now on this subject. I thought I'd let my thoughts gather and emotions subside and look at it rationally.

I remember when Souness went I was shocked - as much at Newcastle taking him as anything I guess. Even though we were struggling I thought of all the relative success we'd had and it's still some of the best football we've ever played in my opinion (those games against Celtic we were stunning, even though we lost - football, go figure eh). What did concern me at the time was the way in which Souness started blaming luck more and more, and started saying we were lucky to be in that league. Well, maybe we were but that kind of attitude gets in players heads and subconsciously gives them excuses.

The best thing about Hughes when he joined was his instant statement that he expected success. It lifted everybody. Yes we still got beat, but occasionally we even stuffed the big boys. Who can forget being 4-1 up against Utd. When he left, which really wasn't a shock (although it was when it was City not Chelsea) I was against Allardyce becoming the manager. At that time we'd finished in the top half and needed to push on. I didn't believe that Allardyce was the right person to push us on.

Having said that, neither was Paul Ince. I think at the time I wanted Ten Cate. But I tried to give Ince a chance, hanging on much longer than most on this board. And by that time there was only one man for the job of saving us.

Big Sam. And for doing so I will be forever grateful to him. But I never warmed to him. Not because of his big-headed attitude. Not because of the perceived long ball approach - which at home has not always been true. But because he took us back to that old attitude of thinking we were lucky to be in the league. I hate that. Was Allardyce the best manager to manage us with no money - yes. Do I think he was the best to take us forward - no, I probably don't. However, I don't get the timing. If it's going to take months to replace him then why upset the apple cart and sack him now. It's very high risk and I hope it doesn't backfire on us.

For all he's done for us, Sam's record for us is not up there with Hughes and Souness. Now you can argue, rightly, that he's had fewer resources. But it seems we do have a bit more resource now and I guess the owners have the same view I had when Hughes left - Sam's a saviour but not the person to take us forward.

[BPF]

And lets hope we are not one of them!

Bloody hell! You've changed your tune!

Hughesy always supports whoever is 'in charge' at the time. He has evidently made a career out of it

[Gav]

On what basis can you say "most" wanted Sam to be sacked? I don't think so and the current poll we're running says otherwise.

Again you're wrong 47er, and you know what, even if you're right, Allardyce has gone, so lets move on

[deryck guyler's spoon]

I was stunned, angry and extremely worried when I woke up to the news. Now that the dust has settled I think that Gav is right it's time to move on. I feel sorry for Allardyce and feel he was unfairly treated however bellyaching on here wont change owt and Sam will be ok.

I like what Nicko has said about Steve Kean.

[broadsword]

What a mad couple of days. I never imagined this would happen.

Think I need to go back to drinking heavily, only way to cope.

[Kelbo]

Deliberately haven't posted until now on this subject. I thought I'd let my thoughts gather and emotions subside and look at it rationally.

I remember when Souness went I was shocked - as much at Newcastle taking him as anything I guess. Even though we were struggling I thought of all the relative success we'd had and it's still some of the best football we've ever played in my opinion (those games against Celtic we were stunning, even though we lost - football, go figure eh). What did concern me at the time was the way in which Souness started blaming luck more and more, and started saying we were lucky to be in that league. Well, maybe we were but that kind of attitude gets in players heads and subconsciously gives them excuses.

The best thing about Hughes when he joined was his instant statement that he expected success. It lifted everybody. Yes we still got beat, but occasionally we even stuffed the big boys. Who can forget being 4-1 up against Utd. When he left, which really wasn't a shock (although it was when it was City not Chelsea) I was against Allardyce becoming the manager. At that time we'd finished in the top half and needed to push on. I didn't believe that Allardyce was the right person to push us on.

Having said that, neither was Paul Ince. I think at the time I wanted Ten Cate. But I tried to give Ince a chance, hanging on much longer than most on this board. And by that time there was only one man for the job of saving us.

Big Sam. And for doing so I will be forever grateful to him. But I never warmed to him. Not because of his big-headed attitude. Not because of the perceived long ball approach - which at home has not always been true. But because he took us back to that old attitude of thinking we were lucky to be in the league. I hate that. Was Allardyce the best manager to manage us with no money - yes. Do I think he was the best to take us forward - no, I probably don't. However, I don't get the timing. If it's going to take months to replace him then why upset the apple cart and sack him now. It's very high risk and I hope it doesn't backfire on us.

For all he's done for us, Sam's record for us is not up there with Hughes and Souness. Now you can argue, rightly, that he's had fewer resources. But it seems we do have a bit more resource now and I guess the owners have the same view I had when Hughes left - Sam's a saviour but not the person to take us forward.

But to take a club forward you have got to have a plan, a clear vision with a better person to take over, I hate to say this but Venkys are really acting like chickens, Headless ones!

[RovertheHill]

But to take a club forward you have got to have a plan, a clear vision with a better person to take over, I hate to say this but Venkys are really acting like chickens, Headless ones!

Like I said - I don't get the timing. Unless they already have the new guy lined up.

[DE.]

The timing is the one thing about this I really don't get, and nothing in the conflicting and confusing interviews Venky's have given have really presented much of an answer.

The official line is that Sam did not fit in with their "vision" of the club. Fine, he doesn't fit in with most people's vision of the club - stylistically or personally. Does that mean he needed to be sacked ASAP? Absolutely not. Any person or company with a shred of common sense would have left him in charge at least until the summer. Mrs Desai said, quite flippantly, "why delay?". Well, if we slip out of the premier league due to this decision I think that question will be answered.

I have nothing against this Kean bloke, and I'm sure he's a hard worker and sounds like a top fella. Regardless, to place somebody who has never had a managerial post in their life in charge of our team - tasked, by all accounts, with keeping us in the top division in the country and thrust into the job during the busiest and most crucial part of our season - it just madness. Simple as that.

I can appreciate that Venky's didn't want Sam here. However, whilst Mrs Desai says "why delay?" I say "What's the rush?". The chances of anything changing significantly before the summer is slim. Unless we invest heavily on players in January, and there are no indications Venky's have the cash required to make such a substancial investment, then nothing much can change between now and the summer. Surely it would make far more sense to keep Sam on until the summer - give him a little to spend in Jan, but not much - and then say "thank you very much, but we'd like to try something different for the upcoming season". Sure, it'd be a risk, but it'd be far less costly, far less dangerous and far more dignified for them to do that. They'd have from now until the summer to 'research' this 'perfect manager' they seem to be after, and we'd almost certainly be plying our trade in the top flight again next season.

Blackburn as a commodity and as a team will be much less use to Venky's in the Championship, and their decision to rid themselves of a manager who almost everybody believes would comfortably keep us in this division at this point in the season is just abysmal decision making all round and could cost them dearly if it leads to our downfall. If this decision was advised by Kentaro then Venky's needs to look elsewhere for advice - though this is the type of mistake that might prove to be so bad it cannot be fixed in time.

[Torgeir]

Whoa! Who ever thought 11 players kicking a ball around could lead to such complicated and flaky circumstances. I am trying my best to keep up with everything but there seems to be news coming out from Venky's side pretty much constantly. One story contradicts the other, I don't know what to believe any more though I am sure they could do with a crash course in how the British media work.

I guess January will be revealing enough, in the meantime I will give them a chance.

[PAFELL]

We were all embarrassed but on what basis can you say "most" wanted Sam to be sacked? I don't think so and the current poll we're running says otherwise.

I suggest that if a pole had been done on the saturday evening after the man u game, it would have told a completely different story. But that is often the way life is. We were all fuming after that match and whoever had been the manager that day, with a score and performance like that would have come under some stick. So happens it was sam. The anger from supporters afterwards was justified.

But as the days went by people calmed down and had an attitude that basically said, "well we didn't expect to get a result at man u or Sam was hampered due to lack of funding" etc.

Life moves on and so do we all need to do so. It will be good to see Rovers play a different style of football, just hope it is a winning style.

I think Steve Kean will do a good job.

[Mattyblue]

Life moves on and so do we all need to do so. It will be good to see Rovers play a different style of football, just hope it is a winning style.

I think Steve Kean will do a good job.

On what grounds PAFFELL? It is bloody insanity to me. Sacking a manager at the most important part of the season, with no clue if Steve Kean is lined up as the replacement or not or if he's competent as a manager- brainless.

'A different style of football', because it is just that easy? There is more to management than just deciding on a style of play- how about motivation, getting the team playing for each other, how about stability?

[PAFELL]

On what grounds PAFFELL? It is bloody insanity to me. Sacking a manager at the most important part of the season, with no clue if Steve Kean is lined up as the replacement or not or if he's competent as a manager- brainless.

'A different style of football', because it is just that easy? There is more to management than just deciding on a style of play- how about motivation, getting the team playing for each other, how about stability?

Mattyblue. There is no going back. Therefore we have no choice but to move. We all have our own opinions about Sam, his sacking etc. Right or wrong, timing, venky's motives etc - we all can debate it until the cows come home. But it is not going to change things - therefore for the good of the team playing on Saturday we have to move on. We have to support the players on saturday and whoever is in the hot seat. Not saying it is going to be easy, as it will not be. But I am saying it has to be done.

Anyway I cannot post further on this, (you'll be relieved to know) as I am about to get the train to come to Blackburn from the south coast

[47er]

Another reporter who doesn't know what he's talking about!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/dec/15/blackburn-rovers-sam-allardyce-venkys

[yoda]

Another reporter who doesn't know what he's talking about!

http://www.guardian....llardyce-venkys

Are you sure about that?

[47er]

Are you sure about that?

Exclamation mark alert!

[yoda]

Exclamation mark alert!

it was a simple question, you obviously don't have an answer

[Mattyblue]

Think he was being sarcastic!

[47er]

it was a simple question, you obviously don't have an answer

Sorry---my fault. Meaning doesn't always come across like its meant to. Guardian reporter has it dead right in my opinion.

Particularly the last sentence. Anyway you got 2 + off it!

[Gav]

Another reporter who doesn't know what he's talking about!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/dec/15/blackburn-rovers-sam-allardyce-venkys

Blackburn Rovers being darlings of the media like we are, can always rely on reporters to always give us a fair crack of the whip.

I bet MOD are outraged that Sam has been sacked, this despite spending the last 2yrs hammering our style of play.

The media has more faces than Fu Manchu, you should know better 47er.

[47er]

Blackburn Rovers being darlings of the media like we are, can always rely on reporters to always give us a fair crack of the whip.

I bet MOD are outraged that Sam has been sacked, this despite spending the last 2yrs hammering our style of play.

The media has more faces than Fu Manchu, you should know better 47er.

Better than what? I agree with the reporter, what more can I say?

I know I digress but just seen someone in a Rovers shirt at the Gabba! Looked like an old Perspex one.

[yoda]

Sorry---my fault. Meaning doesn't always come across like its meant to. Guardian reporter has it dead right in my opinion.

Particularly the last sentence. Anyway you got 2 + off it!

Yes I know, it is sometimes difficult to express what you mean when you can't see a head wobbling or arms flailing

[Gav]

Better than what? I agree with the reporter, what more can I say?

I know I digress but just seen someone in a Rovers shirt at the Gabba! Looked like an old Perspex one.

I awoke this morning to 5 burnley fans sat behind the bowlers arms but my morning has improved somewhat having seen the same Rovers fans as your good self

[4ever&ever]

Yeah there mates of mine, told one of them I'd seen him on TV and he rand me back, lucky gets.

[True Blue & White]

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/

Watch the video. Do you reckon the third person they interview (Catherine Brooker) is related to Stevie from Malcolm in the Middle?