[Archived] Goodbye Sam - message to Venkys

[Amo]

That's the gist of it.

When they took over Venksy released a statement saying how they respect the history of the club, they value our traditions bla bla total utter bullcrap.

The fact is they are clueless chicken farmers who don't know what the hell they are doing.

Utter joke.

Sacking a manager is against our tradition?

[BuckyRover]

Sacking a manager is against our tradition?

He is going on my ignore list. He was very much against Sam but now he is against the owners.

As folks have said earlier JW sacked the manager when he took over. So in two takeovers the owners have come in and sacked the manager. It's not a massive shock, just that the timing is slightly suspect.

[Mr. E]

Sacking a manager is against our tradition?

For no good reason whatsoever, yes.

[Blue n White Rover]

Shocked and disgusted by Venkys. I thought they wanted to continue our legacy and tradition?

We do not sack mangers like this unless they are doing bad. Sam wasn't, he got us into a solid league position, and with a bit of money it would certainly have been interesting to see where he would have took us.

Even if the new owners have a good replacement, they need to know that the way Sam was treated was bang out of order.

Not a good start to their ownership!

[K-Hod]

As much as I didn't like the football I am a bit gutted by this decision.

I hope to god we get a good replacement in who will take us forward and pick up where Big Sam left off.

Sam- you kept us up post-Ince when we were looking into the abyss, for that and the 2 wins over Burnley you will always be welcomed back at Ewood Park by myself and (hopefully) most of the Blue and White Army.

[RibbleValleyRover]

We haven't been afraid to get rid of managers in the past when the timing felt right, Ince being a recent example. When you consider where we are in the league and how far we are into the season at this moment in time it doesn't feel right.

I think for a lot of people (myself included) the timing is more questionable than the actual decision to get rid of him.

[Amo]

For no good reason whatsoever, yes.

You're always complaining that the club has zero ambition and has been resigned to the small-time. Now the new owners want to bring in someone who matches their vision and improve our playing style, you're bitching again.

[yeti-dog]

Topman..I thought you'd have cottoned on by now; some of our fans are only happy when wallowing in misery and hysteria.

I thank Sam but look forward with some hope/expectation. If Venky's do have loftier ambitions for our club then sadly Sam isn't your man, he's always been more about labore than arte.

Jol,of all those mentioned so far attracts me. If he could bring a few from Ajax with him all the better,they play football the right way.

Interesting times....

[Balwer]

Big thanks to Sam for all he's done at the club, particularly with limited resources. Although the sacking is unsurprising the timing certainly is, and the manner in which it was done is very disappointing, Sam deserves better.

As to the future I will withhold judgement on Venkys, willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, for now...

[Ste B]

Agreed. Its up to venkys to pull a rabbit out of the hat here, and not a chicken.

[thenodrog]

Support from Nelsen, Roberts and Pedersen.

And a "shocked and disappointed" David Dunn who expressed big concerns about the timing. "We've looked at these next four matches WHU, Stoke, West Brom and Sunderland as games that will make or break our season'.

I know all players try to be diplomatic in these situations but I did sense a certain resistance t o the news from Dunny.

[Bobby G]

Pressure is on the players now. No time to mourn or sulk. Cause it could cost us.

[jim mk2]

The sacking highlights the ruthless nature of modern football and business. Disgraceful way to treat a vastly experienced employee who is respected throughout his profession and who has done nothing wrong to warrant his dismissal.

[BuckyRover]

The sacking highlights the ruthless nature of modern football and business. Disgraceful way to treat a vastly experienced employee who is respected throughout his profession and who has done nothing wrong to warrant his dismissal.

Are you going to blame this on the Conservatives and the Thatcherite policies of the 1980s?

[jim mk2]

Pressure is on the players now. No time to mourn or sulk. Cause it could cost us.

Agree. Will be very interesting to see how the players react on Saturday.

[PAFELL]

The sacking highlights the ruthless nature of modern football and business. Disgraceful way to treat a vastly experienced employee who is respected throughout his profession and who has done nothing wrong to warrant his dismissal.

We all wanted new owners, now we have got them.

Most if us wanted a change of football style, looks like we are going to get it.

Not saying I agree with Sam's sacking. I just have to live with it and see who the new manager is.

[thenodrog]

I would have waited until the end of the season. But I could see the impending problem of him wanting money when he might only be here for another six months.

It's a big gamble but gambles can pay off.

I await the appointment of our new manager.

The next manager might only be here for 6 months too! And if that sounds churlish and bitter just remember the last one didn't even get that far!

Just think any manager of quality even considering the job will know that he has a ruthless, irrational board ignorant of footballing matters to contend with. Who with any kind of reputation is going to fancy that? If there is no one in place to come in then one or two who are on the radar might have second thoughts and we'll have to then end up with dollopers like Brown, Maclaren or MoN.

[jim mk2]

Are you going to blame this on the Conservatives and the Thatcherite policies of the 1980s?

Don't see why Sam should not sue for wrongful dismissal.

[jannerman]

I think the 7-1 to United and the loss to Bolton at the weekend sealed it for the man - espicially the 7-1

Fair play to Sam, and I'll echo everyone elses thanks for saving us from going down, but this sort of thing happens a lot in business, I saw it at a previous company, new owners came in and within a couple of years all existing management had been sidelined, it's how you move your own people in.

Say what you like about Sam he is known for bringing older or forgotten players back and wringing the last drops of talent out of them and then there's the hoofball, but that's probably not what Venkys want, they'll want some worldwide name and some marquee players to sell Rovers to the world....

On 5m a window tho? Going to be a tight few weeks, but I'm sure by then we'll know the direction the club will be heading in and the owners intent.

[Herbie6590]

Don't see why Sam should not sue for wrongful dismissal.

....given that his contract will be paid up he won't be out of pocket...

[tonygreenbank]

Would like to add my thanks to Sam Allardyce for keeping the club in the Premier League 2 seasons ago.

However something resonated with me all day concerning a post from yesterdays game.The poster commented on the fact that Mark Bright on Radio 2 was very scathing about Rovers as a club and the tactics used during the game.

Such comments would be heard presumably on the World Service on the Indian subcontinent.

I doubt that the Venkys would want such negative publicity over their purchase and maybe have acted quickly and decisively to change peoples perceptions of the club.

If they want to do this then they will have to spend an awful lot of money in January and next Summer.

[OscarRaven]

Would like to add my thanks to Sam Allardyce for keeping the club in the Premier League 2 seasons ago.

However something resonated with me all day concerning a post from yesterdays game.The poster commented on the fact that Mark Bright on Radio 2 was very scathing about Rovers as a club and the tactics used during the game.

Such comments would be heard presumably on the World Service on the Indian subcontinent.

I doubt that the Venkys would want such negative publicity over their purchase and maybe have acted quickly and decisively to change peoples perceptions of the club.

If they want to do this then they will have to spend an awful lot of money in January and next Summer.

and sky commented on getting used to that tactic when Robinson punted it long to Roberts. This is about image pure and simple, can't believe we have decided to adopt the Newcastle business model.

No-one can accuse a bar code of lacking ambition, just a disconection with footballing reality! Roll on the glory days.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Firstly a very big thank you to Sam for his efforts since his arrival. Admirable achievements in a relatively short space of time with limited financial backing to say the least.

However, it has got to be said that the style of football, in the main, was dire and, over the months, I have said to my mate, many times, that watching Rovers was like watching paint dry. We're not a Stoke City, we're better than that. Blackpool, West Brom and Bolton have shown that there is a turning tide on that type of football even on restricted budgets. Playing football the right way and staying in the top flight can be done.

Under normal circumstances, Sam would have considered himself very unlucky indeed to have found himself out of work on the back of results to date. However, I think it shows that Venky's have their ear to the ground in gauging fans' reactions to the style of football we are playing and the general level of dissatisfaction amongst a significant proportion of our support. They obviously want us to play a more attractive brand of football and they want to bring in the right man for the job. The money to be spent in January has to be given to the new man. We will not see money banded around like in the Jack Walker era and it cannot be wasted.

There seems to be an air of pessimism around in some quarters. That is understandable when change happens, but I think things are on the move and I think things are moving in the right direction. I look forward to seeing who the new man is.

Once again, a big thank you to Sam and best wishes for the future.

[LeChuck]

You're always complaining that the club has zero ambition and has been resigned to the small-time. Now the new owners want to bring in someone who matches their vision and improve our playing style, you're bitching again.

Sam has never lacked ambition, where did you get that from?

[Kelbo]

Sam Came to Rovers with a brief to save our season, retain our premiership status and take us forward, des[ite lack of funds and selling our better players, he achieved this, irrelevant if we liked his style of football or not, he did the job asked of him without

any funds and for that and on behalf of the Club and supporters, I thank him and wish him all the best, he didnt deserve this and I feel the club have let both the players and supporters down with this diabolical sacking.

Thank you Big Sam