[Archived] Steve Kean

[Jimmy612]

As for whispers coming out, I could have older stuff than Steve Kean's post match soothing balm following the Stoke defeat but EHD, Samba and Robbo are still being talked about.

I'm sure thay are Philip. Anybody who thinks otherwise is just so naive. The situation we are in now presents an unexpected and unmissable window of opportunity for other Prem teams to come in and raid our best players in January. Behind the scenes mischief making will be frenzied. And who do we have in our corner to defend us? Two bob millionaires in India who know nothing other than the number of nuggets a chicken can be made into, unprincipled agents with obvious vested interests and little Steve Who.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I'm sure thay are Philip. Anybody who thinks otherwise is just so naive. The situation we are in now presents an unexpected and unmissable window of opportunity for other Prem teams to come in and raid our best players in January. Behind the scenes mischief making will be frenzied. And who do we have in our corner to defend us? Two bob millionaires in India who know nothing other than the number of nuggets a chicken can be made into, unprincipled agents with obvious vested interests and little Steve Who.

I am not going to argue you are wrong - and I am not defending our new owners. However - if we were still owned by the trust - would we have been able to financially resist decent offers for our better players ?

[Fife Rover]

Debating Big Sam's record is a moot point now. I was pro Sam. I think (still) sacking him was a ridiculous decision but Venkys did. Steve Kean has been given the job and, even though we haven't won yet, I think he is working a minor miracle and I think that will eventually show. Bring in a few much needed players and we'll see what happens then. Have some patience.

I agree with this post; somewhat cautiously but hopefully. The main point being that we should ALL keep an open mind and give the guy a chance to either prove he has it; or to show that he definitely has NOT got it. As things stand right now it is looking gloomy and the players are apparently not playing for him; but that may not be the true situation at all as only time will tell.

So let's just grit our teeth and get behind the new manager and the team and we will see what January and the promised investment brings. It is in fact all we can do for now, and no manager should be condemned after just two matches; even if they were both lost (which they weren't) so for now at least just chill and see what the next month brings.

[DanLad]

ISTR that Hughes lost both his first two matches 4-0? He turned out OK...

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I desperately want Kean to succeed and Rovers to finish top half of the Premier League this season- in other words to end up where we would have done anyway under Allardyce. It is not looking good because if we consider on field balance of play in the last three games, a side which gave Bolton one heck of a fright and came away unlucky to lose from the Rebok has now been given a bit of a footballing lesson at home by West Ham and an absolute thumping at home by Stoke.

An absolute thumping by Stoke - wow we must have watched different matches. We were basically undone by a set piece - after that we were chasing the game. The game had nil-nil written all over it. I am still not convinced that a Sam led team could have beaten both West Ham and Stoke - in both matches we were undone by lapses of concentration in defence - something that has been a shadow over the team for over two seasons (even under Sam playing an ultra defensive line up).

BTW - the team that couldn't defend against Bolton - had Roberts, Jones and Samba in it - players missing for all or most of the subsequent matches.

I don't agree with the owners getting rid of Sam mid-season - but can understand them wanting to get rid of him in the longer term - watching Stoke reminded me of some of the tactics employed by Sam.

[Jimmy612]

I am not going to argue you are wrong - and I am not defending our new owners. However - if we were still owned by the trust - would we have been able to financially resist decent offers for our better players ?

Good question. One that is difficult to answer with any accuracy but I feel any decisions would be made from a different perspective with the long term future of the club to the fore. Whats the difference between trading players and asset stripping david and how many stages are there between the two?

[CrazyIvan]

Gosh we are desperately struggling for arguments tho support Kean if we are trying to say that in terms of salvaging Premier League survival and building with limited resources, the Hughes and Allardyce managerial periods were anything other than incredible successes. League tables and financial statements usually don't lie and read in conjunction with each other point to Hughes and Allardyce both achieving miracles at Ewood.

It seems the indefensible is being supported by the indefensible twaddle.

I desperately want Kean to succeed and Rovers to finish top half of the Premier League this season- in other words to end up where we would have done anyway under Allardyce. It is not looking good because if we consider on field balance of play in the last three games, a side which gave Bolton one heck of a fright and came away unlucky to lose from the Rebok has now been given a bit of a footballing lesson at home by West Ham and an absolute thumping at home by Stoke.

As for whispers coming out, I could have older stuff than Steve Kean's post match soothing balm following the Stoke defeat but EHD, Samba and Robbo are still being talked about.

A footballing lesson by West Ham? A total thumping by Stoke? What ARE you on about? Have you ANYTHING positive to say?

Give Kean a chance before writing him off. Two games in and the man being touted as worse than Ince.

[Bobby G]

Nicko came out to say we are possibly going to take a thrashing today. Doesnt say much about Kean's ability to turn things around even in the eyes of one of his admirers.

Id love for him to succeed PRIMARILY cause I want MY CLUB to get out of the slumps. But looking at him on the touchline, I dont feel confident.

[Jimmy612]

A footballing lesson by West Ham? A total thumping by Stoke? What ARE you on about? Have you ANYTHING positive to say?

Give Kean a chance before writing him off. Two games in and the man being touted as worse than Ince.

Two games in and Ince was being held in esteem around here. We had 4 points from 6.

[CrazyIvan]

Two games in and Ince was being held in esteem around here. We had 4 points from 6.

How long did Ince have before the season started? How long has Kean had?

[Jimmy612]

How long did Ince have before the season started? How long has Kean had?

Ince 2 months and Kean 16 months. Why?

[CrazyIvan]

Ince 2 months and Kean 16 months. Why?

Kean has been manager for 16 months? Wow, have I been asleep!

Come on, you KNOW what I mean. Being a coach is nothing like being manager.

[philipl]

Come on, you KNOW what I mean. Being a coach is nothing like being manager.

You said it.

[Rovers4eva]

Dangerous thing to start talking about Managerial ranking. There probably hasn't been a lower ranking permanent Manager than Steve Kean since the Premier League started.

Les Reed at Charlton??? As best as I can remember he was youth team coach was he not??

[CrazyIvan]

You said it.

Yes I did. Now why won't you give him a chance and see I'd he is good enough rather than writing him off before he's had any kind of chance?

[Jimmy612]

Yes I did. Now why won't you give him a chance and see I'd he is good enough rather than writing him off before he's had any kind of chance?

The difference between intelligence and wisdom is being displayed here I think.

[philipl]

Les Reed at Charlton??? As best as I can remember he was youth team coach was he not??

Good spot! I knew there had been one even more daft than the Kean appointment which is why I asked the question. I couldn't remember who it was and which team it was. all the other underling appointments to permanent positions I can think of stepped up from deputy Manager as far as I can recall.

[tony gale's mic]

PLAYED 16 GAMES IN TWO YEARS £7 MILLION IN FEES OVER TWO YEARS FOR 7 GOALS, IS THAT DECENT VALUE?

That's ridiculous - once you start factoring in wages it changes the parameters completely. The average first teamer wage in this league is probably around 30-40k, so maybe the surplus on top of that can be counted, but including wages to twist your particular argument distorts it completely. You wouldn't do it with good signings - would you say Samba cost Rovers £500k or would you say Samba cost Rovers almost £10 million if you include wages? Every player in this league gets a wage, Viduka was on an excessive wage though so maybe the excess 20k or so could be counted. No worse value than Michael Owen has been for Man United.

PLUS £40k A WEEK THAT IS £4 MILLION IN WAGES TOO, WE ARE DANGEROUSLY HIGH WITH WAGES.

See above.

YOUR GUESSING AGAIN, LOOK AT OUR NEAREST RIVALS AND COMPARE, LARSSON £1 MILLION,FERGUSON £1 MILLION, MACARTHUR £1 MILLION, I COULD GO ON, THEY ARE THERE.

I never said they're not there. But http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfers/5487742/Premier-League-Transfers-Summer-2010.html let's see that. Will Jean Basejour be worth £3.3 million? What about Rafik Halliche at £1.3 million? Poulsen was signed for £5 million by the great Hodgson and is ridiculed by Liverpool fans. Ditto Konchesky at £4 million. James Perch for £1.5 million at Newcastle has been a flop. Angeleri signed for £1.5 million for Sunderland - 27 years old and made his first appearance as a sub at the weekend. Marc Antoine Fortune for £2.5 million? Pablo Barrera for £4 million hasn't exactly been setting the world on fire at West Ham. Mauro Boselli - £6 million, still waiting for his first league goal. Franco di Santo - £2 million, still waiting for his first goal.

McArthur isn't even a regular for Wigan, he's played all of 6 games. He might turn out to be good though. Larsson and Ferguson were both in previous summers - I'm sure I could bring up lists for those summers too and bring up at least as many players who cost a million (and over) who turned out to be failures.

I SAID BEFORE THAT YOU ARE A MASTER OF REVISING HISTORY, DID YOU WATCH BLACKBURN BEFORE SAM? WE HAD FINISHED 15TH IN THE PREVIOUS SEASON AND WERE IN THE BOTTOM 5 WHEN SOUNESS LEFT, LOST THEIR WAY? WE HAD SOLD DUFF, DUNN AND JANSEN WAS GONE TOO, IT WAS THE WORST SQUAD THAT I CAN RECALL IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. HUGHES' LEAGUE FINISHES? 15TH, 6TH, 10TH, 7TH, PLAYING GOOD FOOTBALL AND BUILDING A SQUAD , SAM HAS NOT BUILT A SQUAD, LOOK AT THE PLAYERS!

As I said before, Hughes was a better manager for Rovers than Sam but the gulf isn't that big. Funny you haven't included my point about the league being easier for Hughes at Rovers than it was for Sam. However what Sam achieved at Bolton far outstrips what Hughes achieved at Rovers. You talk about what Hughes inherited, at least it was better than inheriting a mid table Division One side like Sam did, getting them promoted and then achieving better finishes than Hughes did with Rovers. Also Sam did much better with Rovers (taking a side staring relegation in the face and taking them to a safe mid table slot) than Hughes is currently at Fulham (taking a safe mid table team and taking them towards relegation). Sam has achieved much more in his career than Mark Hughes has.

And Hughes had 4 years at Rovers. Sam had two. Of course in four years you're going to build a squad. Hughes made some great signings but had multiple windows in which to spend money, a little bit each January (like when we signed Samba) and £3-5 million each summer which he spent very well. Sam's only really had one summer transfer window where he's had money to spend, so how can you possibly expect him to build a squad in half the time?!

WHY SPEND THAT MONEY ON A CENTRE HALF WHEN WE HAD NELSEN AND SAMBA AND NO LEFT BACK? BAD CHOICES BY SAM WITH A HUGE CHUNK OF HIS SMALL BUDGET.

Because Nelsen is getting on and doesn't have the best injury record, and he can also do a job at left back (though has had a few poor games there). Even many of the most staunch anti Sam people would say Givet has been a successful signing. You are definitely in the minority here.

THE ONLY PLAYER COSTING MONEY THAT WORKS WAS ANELKA- I COULD HAVE TOLD YOU HE WOULD BE A HIT!

Why do you only count the players that cost money? Surely free transfers are to greater credit? And, according to your argument before, don't the wages players recieve count in how much money is spent on them? You've just defeated your own argument there. Okocha, Djorkaeff, Campo, Gary Speed, I could go on...

And Anelka wasn't exactly a hit for Liverpool, failed in La Liga at Real Madrid, didn't set the world on fire back at PSG, he had a good spell at City but only scored 14 goals in 39 games in Turkey...you could have told me with hindsight he would have been a success...but he wouldn't have ended up at Bolton if he was such a nailed on certainty.

KOMPANY- DESCRIBED BY ANDY GRAY AS THE PLAYER OF THE SEASON SO FAR.

WRIGHT PHILLIPS

ZABALETA

JO

BEN HAIM

OUT OF THOSE 5, 4 ARE STILL PART OF THE FIRST TEAM AT CITY- YOU CAN DISCOUNT THE SIGNINGS AFTER THE ABU DHABI GROUP TOOK OVER AS THEY TOOK OVER SIGNING RESPONSIBILITIES, HUGHES MERELY COACHED AT THAT POINT.

SWP has made three appearances for City this season. Not part of the first team. Jo has made 18 league appearances and one league goal for City since Hughes signed him for £18 million. £36 million by Hughes on RSC and Jo combined for 38 league appearances and 4 goals between them. Give me Sam spending just wages on Mark Viduka any day of the week. Jo was also bought before the Abu Dhabi lot took charge when funds weren't quite as free flowing.

Zabaleta and Kompany were good signings though, for sure.

YOUVE JUST NAMED SOME OF THE GREATEST MANAGERS OF ALL TIME. EUROPE IS A BIG PLACE, ROY IS RESPECTED IN ITALY, SWIZZERLAND, SWEDEN, DENMARK, ENGLAND, WHERE IS SAM RESPECTED?

AGAIN YOU HAVE REVISED HISTORY, INTER WERE IN NEED OF AN OVERHAUL, THEY WERE IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE TABLE WHEN ROY TOOK OVER, SPENDING LITTLE MONEY HE TOOK THEM TO 7TH, THEN A UEFA CUP FINAL( ASK MORATTI AND INTER FANS THEY HUGELY RESPECT HIM) TOOK SWIZZERLAND TO EUROS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 30 YEARS, I COULD GO ON, HE IS THE CURRENT LMA MANAGER OF THE MANAGER BY THE BIGGEST EVER MARGIN SINCE IT BEGAN.

No, I named some of the most respected managers in Europe currently. If I was naming some of the greatest managers of all time, I wouldn't have mentioned Wenger and Van Gaal for one, and I would've named the likes of Bob Paisley, Rinus Michels, Matt Busby, Ernst Happel...

Inter had finished 6th the season before Hodgson took over, they spent quite a bit of money, and they'd won the UEFA Cup in both 1990 and 1994. As regards being respected, apparently he was pelted with coins and lighters after they lost the final. Not sure that's really a sign of respect, and I'm not sure if he was that highly respected he would've have ended up coaching the likes of UAE, Viking, FC Copenhagen and the Finnish national team.

Also it's funny you hold Sam's transfer record against him so much when Woy has signed some real flops for Liverpool over the summer and who had an apalling record with money for Rovers. Double standards, surely?

Look at his record, he's had more clubs than Tiger Woods. You talk about building squads with Hughes, Hodgson spent three years at Fulham but before that hadn't spent more than a couple of seasons at any club since Malmo in the 80s.

[CrazyIvan]

The difference between intelligence and wisdom is being displayed here I think.

Right... and you work that out how?

[jim mk2]

I really don't get some fans. We spend almost two seasons moaning about Sam his negative tactics -

You might have moaned but I was one of the many who did not moan who were happy to watch pragmatic, winning football that ensured Rovers' continuing presence in the Premier League.

[bob fleming]

Steve Kean has been given the job and, even though we haven't won yet, I think he is working a minor miracle and I think that will eventually show.

Quality.

What ARE you on about? Have you ANYTHING positive to say?

There is nothing positive to say. Other than all the players are now happy - Kean told us so. And Kean is very well respected within the game - Nicko told us so. Everything else you might think, all your instincts let you down. It's happy days all round at Ewood.

[Mattyblue]

Indeed jim, the less vocal majority were more then content with Sam's work.

And for those that didn't appreciate the job he did, their quote of the day against Stoke was, 'I wasn't a big fan of his football, but he could get results'.

I rest my case.

[CrazyIvan]

I'm going to say this only once, unlike other people who like to repeat everything again and again... Venky's should have kept Big San until the season ended or had someone in to replace him. They didn't. That is truly daft. Instead, they appointed someone who has been offered the managers job at other clubs but turned them down. Why, now, should we support him? How about because he has been given the chance and we need him to do well. He has his own ideas and wants to change the way this team plays. Not like Ince though, that is obvious if you actually watch the games. It hasn't worked yet but Kean has only had a week and a bit to work with the players in icy, snowy conditions. Has he had enough time? No, not even slightly.

Give him a chance. It's not like we have much of a choice us it? The only benefit there is in getting on his back is to our opposition.

[chris]

The difference between intelligence and wisdom is being displayed here I think.

Kean was an intelligent appoitnment?

After what we have been though with Harford and Kidd I personally don't believe that JW approved this appointment.

Kean does deserve time but I am still worried about it.

He looked so nervous and unconfident durring the Stoke game.

Sam always had that dominating presence/ego.

the West Brom game is HUGE, bigger then that MASSIVE

I'm going to say this only once, unlike other people who like to repeat everything again and again... Venky's should have kept Big San until the season ended or had someone in to replace him. They didn't. That is truly daft. Instead, they appointed someone who has been offered the managers job at other clubs but turned them down. Why, now, should we support him? How about because he has been given the chance and we need him to do well. He has his own ideas and wants to change the way this team plays. Not like Ince though, that is obvious if you actually watch the games. It hasn't worked yet but Kean has only had a week and a bit to work with the players in icy, snowy conditions. Has he had enough time? No, not even slightly.

Give him a chance. It's not like we have much of a choice us it? The only benefit there is in getting on his back is to our opposition.

I agree, I'm going to shut up and watch the West Brom game in much detail.

Not impressed so far, but never know.

[tony gale's mic]

I'm going to say this only once, unlike other people who like to repeat everything again and again... Venky's should have kept Big San until the season ended or had someone in to replace him. They didn't. That is truly daft. Instead, they appointed someone who has been offered the managers job at other clubs but turned them down. Why, now, should we support him? How about because he has been given the chance and we need him to do well. He has his own ideas and wants to change the way this team plays. Not like Ince though, that is obvious if you actually watch the games. It hasn't worked yet but Kean has only had a week and a bit to work with the players in icy, snowy conditions. Has he had enough time? No, not even slightly.

Give him a chance. It's not like we have much of a choice us it? The only benefit there is in getting on his back is to our opposition.

I think everyone has watched the games. We have been utterly, utterly inept and have been no better than we were during the Ince days in these two games. This is the first time we've lost at home to a club like Stoke since the Ince days, and we could well have lost against W Ham too.

Of course we're supporting him, we're all Rovers fans. You can still support him and say he looks massively out of his depth. However, there's nothing more than any one of us would like than for him to prove us all wrong, starting off with a win at West Brom today.