[Archived] The Dawn Of A New Era

[Majiball]

Maradona to the rescue?

Well he certainly knows how to stay 'up'.

[chaddyrovers]

I wasn't.

If Venky's did boot Kean, I'd take Souey as interim boss for the rest of the season. Then Venky's have the off-season to evaluate where they went wrong and who they really need.

Jol, Bilic. Good names. I'd throw Klinsmann in there as well.

I wouldn't mind Knilsmann as manager but is he not happy in America or could the owners get him to come.

but my choice would be Jol 1st then Bilic 2nd choice

[Mercer]

I might be wrong but, IMO, I suspect that very soon we will hardly have a pot to p1ss in !

So we will then be looking at the 'cheap and nasties'.

Anyone for Brian Laws, Steve Cotterill etc

[chaddyrovers]

Mike Newell as manager with Tim Flowers as number 2

[Billy Castell]

I might be wrong but, IMO, I suspect that very soon we will hardly have a pot to p1ss in !

So we will then be looking at the 'cheap and nasties'.

Anyone for Brian Laws, Steve Cotterill etc

I'm assuming you're alluding to relegation. Here are my choices:

Now/avoid relegation:

1. Jol

2. Billic

3. Rjikaard

4. O'Neill

If relegated:

1. Brendan Rodgers

2. Paul Lambert

3. Simon Grayson

4. Gus Poyet

[Kelbo]

Mike Newell as manager with Tim Flowers as number 2

I am sure Jerome Anderson would be ecstatic with Mike Newell

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Venkys are seemingly backed into a corner at the moment. They need to get their next move right especially if we lose at Fulham.

From a PR point of view they shoud sack Kean and get Anderson out of the equasion. They could then lay the blame for all the recent cock ups (sacking Allardyce at the wrong time, JW leaving, appointing Kean, dubious signings/marqee signings at the door of Kentaro/SEM - on the basis that they were the football experts. If they can manage to attract a proven manager, avoid relegation and give him a decent kitty in the summmer then I'm sure they would get alot of people back on side.

Shallow, but the Venky best chance of turning this situation round as it's unlikely to happen on the pitch.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I'm assuming you're alluding to relegation. Here are my choices:

Now/avoid relegation:

1. Jol

2. Billic

3. Rjikaard

4. O'Neill

If relegated:

1. Brendan Rodgers

2. Paul Lambert

3. Simon Grayson

4. Gus Poyet

If we do go down, and I'm mentally preparing myself for this eventuality, why would either Grayson or Lambert want to come to Ewood ?

[J*B]

If we do go down, and I'm mentally preparing myself for this eventuality, why would either Grayson or Lambert want to come to Ewood ?

Realisation has kicked in on just how bad things may get :/.

[Steve Moss]

What would people think if the following (hypothetical) scenario happened?

1) Venkys admit they've made mistakes based on advice they've been given

2) they sack their current advisors

3) they sack the manager

Too little too late? Or would you cut them some slack?

100% cut them some slack.

In fact rally round- they are our owners and it is our club.

They have clearly achieved remarkable things outside of the fantasy world of football- we need that drive and vision which is the best of what they can give us. Instead we seem to be getting the result of advice that most people can see has other agendas affecting it.

Philip has got it exactly right, in my opinion. The owners are new to this game. They're also clearly competent business people. They're just not football people, yet.

I'm assuming you're alluding to relegation. Here are my choices:

Now/avoid relegation:

1. Jol

2. Billic

3. Rjikaard

4. O'Neill

I agree as to 1-3 but not 4.

[Iceman]

To be honest, out of the lot, O'Neill would be the best option. Players like Hoilett and Olsson would benefit from his style ie quick wing play. He also provides PL experience, and he is somebody who could rally the team.

[John]

Any news on a chairman being appointed?

[Iceman]

Any news on a chairman being appointed?

Its no time for jokes John

[John]

The way Venky’s are acting, and the decisions they have made so far, you would have to seriously question whether they have our best interests at heart – the root of the problem however, IMO, is that they are being advised/guided by a complete moron.

[broadsword]

Haunting words:

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/8437524.Former_Blackburn_Rovers_manager_in_takeover_warning/

[John]

Why Blackburn's slide has exposed the folly of the club's deluded owners

The two most important people at the club when they took over - Sam Allardyce and John Williams - were stupidly discarded and what's left is a rudderless club, drifting towards the Championship.

Their folly in rushing into appointing former first-team coach Kean as permanent boss on a two-and-a-half year contract has been exposed and the Scot is struggling to halt their decline.

[AggyBlue]

Their folly in rushing into appointing former first-team coach Kean as permanent boss on a two-and-a-half year contract has been exposed and the Scot is struggling to halt their decline.

Was he given the job knowing he would be out of his depth.

[Mattyblue]

No, but as a club we have been here before too many times.

Why on Earth was JW ignored at every turn? Why listen to bloody agents ahead of an accomplished PL chairman? Why would seemingly competent business people make such rash decisions?

I'm just aghast.

[Paul]

This isn't really the right thread but here we go...................

I believe the Raos had absolutely no idea what they were buying other than the idea of a PL club providing world-wide publicity. They admit to having no football knowledge and with that must go any depth of understanding of what a football club, especially one like Rovers, is about. I suspect the whole concept of what you, I and thousands of others get from being Rovers fans simply does not compute, for a European who doesn't enjoy football it's hard, for people from India I suspect it's nigh on impossible.

Having arrived and made some disastrous decisions, which may may have turned the players against the new management, and certainly now has the vast majority of the support against their regime, it would seem a reasonable decision to get out as soon as possible. Privately acknowledge the enormous error of judgement in purchasing the club, cash in and leave.

Others can comment on this better than me but in my opinion the situation is this:

Venky's paid +/- £23m for the club

Debt etc appears to have been moved to another company (Venky's London?)

The current spending, compensation, increased wages is being funded from the new Barclays mortgage

The grand plan of achieving 5-7th with "leased players" has failed utterly

Come the end of the season there is the opportunity to, in my opinion:

Sell the valued players and repay the debt in Venky's London - we don't know how much this is (£23m plus the original club debt anyone?)

Pay off the mortgage via the TV money it is secured against

Put the club in administration

OR

Shut the club down, somehow retain ownership of the ground and Brockhall and sell them off when the time is right to take back the initial purchase

Walk away

My financial knowledge is far to skimpy to be able to work all of this out but, in my experience, people do not go into these deals without having previously planned an emergency exit strategy.

If I was in this position I would want out as fast as possible.

It seems to me the failure to dismiss Kean could be a cost saving measure - his salary plus whatever the new man would demand.

The other big pointer for me is this; the owners have a rapidly failing business on their hands, the product is proving to be very poor, the customers are enormously unhappy with the service they are receiving. In this situation I would expect daily hands-on management to steady the ship and make every improvement possible.

I posted this earlier in the Steve Kean Should Go Thread, which wasn't really the right place but it answered a question. There are people asking about what happened over the weekend and why those "in the know" won't post the information. I know nothing other than the media items and posts on here about the weekend events, I want to be absolutely clear about that. But if people want to discuss and understand what Rovers face, in my view, the above is reasonable speculation based on what we know.

There is only one recognised member of the senior management remaining at the club - Tom Finn. I truely feel for him.

There does not appear to be any direct management from the owners.

Our TV rights for the remainder of this season have been used as security on a new mortgage which I presume is to cover at best the cashflow position as a result of transfers, loans, resignations, dismissals, etc. At worst there was no money to cover these expenses and it had to be borrowed. Previously the club only secured borrowings against physical assets not against future income. The difference is vast.

It would be very interesting to understand if parachute payments are viewed as part of the 2010/11 earnings or as part of 2011/12 earnings.

Last year, to June 2010, Rovers lost what I believe to be "several millions," for the current year (June 2011) could well be added £20-25m. Add to that the debt which we were told would be repaid as part of the Venky's and the club could be £40-45m in debt (£16m original debt + £5m loss June 2010 (guess) + £25m to June 2011 (reasonable estimate) = £46m).

The club does not have this money. Do the Rao family?

If we are relegated it would not surprise me to see the club put in administration and potentially shut down by this action.

So for those asking the question, there is my opinion.

Need some light at the end of the tunnel? I'm still clinging to a belief we can beat Blackpool, Birmingham and Bolton - I think that is enough. I also believe (and know) there are extremely well connected people who are ST holders at Ewood. I would not be surprised if an attempt was made to buy the club but I think we have to be prepared for this not happening until we are relegated, simply the cost of buying a club in administration would be far less than the cost today.

Do I think the club will die? No. I firmly believe we can come through this, in what shape or form that will be I couldn't speculate but I do believe Blackburn Rovers will continue.

[Mercer]

I think that Paul's two posts, unfortunately, reflect the stark reality of where we are.

IMO, the speed with which we are heading towards the abyss is just so scary.

It's an absolute disgrace for our once proud and illustrious club.

[thenodrog]

Was he given the job knowing he would be out of his depth.

No Balaji was.

[Kelbo]

I posted this earlier in the Steve Kean Should Go Thread, which wasn't really the right place but it answered a question. There are people asking about what happened over the weekend and why those "in the know" won't post the information. I know nothing other than the media items and posts on here about the weekend events, I want to be absolutely clear about that. But if people want to discuss and understand what Rovers face, in my view, the above is reasonable speculation based on what we know.

There is only one recognised member of the senior management remaining at the club - Tom Finn. I truely feel for him.

There does not appear to be any direct management from the owners.

Our TV rights for the remainder of this season have been used as security on a new mortgage which I presume is to cover at best the cashflow position as a result of transfers, loans, resignations, dismissals, etc. At worst there was no money to cover these expenses and it had to be borrowed. Previously the club only secured borrowings against physical assets not against future income. The difference is vast.

It would be very interesting to understand if parachute payments are viewed as part of the 2010/11 earnings or as part of 2011/12 earnings.

Last year, to June 2010, Rovers lost what I believe to be "several millions," for the current year (June 2011) could well be added £20-25m. Add to that the debt which we were told would be repaid as part of the Venky's and the club could be £40-45m in debt (£16m original debt + £5m loss June 2010 (guess) + £25m to June 2011 (reasonable estimate) = £46m).

The club does not have this money. Do the Rao family?

If we are relegated it would not surprise me to see the club put in administration and potentially shut down by this action.

So for those asking the question, there is my opinion.

Need some light at the end of the tunnel? I'm still clinging to a belief we can beat Blackpool, Birmingham and Bolton - I think that is enough. I also believe (and know) there are extremely well connected people who are ST holders at Ewood. I would not be surprised if an attempt was made to buy the club but I think we have to be prepared for this not happening until we are relegated, simply the cost of buying a club in administration would be far less than the cost today.

Do I think the club will die? No. I firmly believe we can come through this, in what shape or form that will be I couldn't speculate but I do believe Blackburn Rovers will continue.

And that is exactly as I see things too, we will come through it, albeit a championship side at best but at least Kean and the Chicken Farmers will have gone and hopefully Anderson can whistle for his money too, he's the rogue here, fleeced the club dry!!

[Olveres]

Hughes walked, Ince came in, a total experiment. Williams saw we were in trouble and got rid, brought in Big Sam.

Venkys come in, Big Sam gone (and Big Sam alluded prior to any takeover he knew he would be living on borrowed time), another experiment begins, here's hoping but logic dictates otherwise...

[Billy Castell]

Thanks for nowt Venky's. You have reduced a once proud club to a laughing stock, and a poor one at that.

[Majiball]

We are top of the league