[Archived] Entertainment or Result Is All That Matters?

[rebelmswar]

Looking at the table these days is exciting like when your index finger bursts through the toilet paper when wiping sort of way.

[onlyonejackwalker]

Looking at the table these days is exciting like when your index finger bursts through the toilet paper when wiping sort of way.

A bit too much information there Rebel as that has never happened to me...

Anyone still wanting entertaining at all costs, or have people realised that winning is far more important?

[Gav]

Its an interesting debate and one that has more than our set of fans debating.

I was listening to a phone in yesterday, and the amount of Man City fans calling in saying they’re interested in seeing decent football first, and then success second, far outweighed the ones calling for a top 4 finish this season.

Now I’m aware they’re on a different level to us these days, but ultimately fans want to be entertained, I firmly believe that, because eventually mid table mediocrity will wear thin for most and people, and they’ll decide to spend their hard earned pennies elsewhere, especially if the season ticket prices and higher than ours.

[den]

Its an interesting debate and one that has more than our set of fans debating.

I was listening to a phone in yesterday, and the amount of Man City fans calling in saying they’re interested in seeing decent football first, and then success second, far outweighed the ones calling for a top 4 finish this season.

Interesting though Gav, that they were ringing in after they got battered by Liverpool. Sometimes you don't realise exactly what it is that you want.

I went to the pub with a Man City fanatic to watch the Liverpool game. All through the game his concern was that Mancini didn't pick his best side and he certainly isn't happy about Mancini's approach to some games [squad rotation and all that]. Never did it enter his head that he would be happy with playing attractive passing football. All he wanted was for the manager to put together a side capable of winning that game, whichever way that was.

[jim mk2]

mid table mediocrity will wear thin for most and people, and they'll decide to spend their hard earned pennies elsewhere, .

Top-ten finishes "wore thin" for Charlton supporters a few years ago who forced out Alan Curbishley and look where they are now. The parallels with Rovers and Charlton are uncanny. I can assure you many Rovers fans will be spending their hard-earned pennies elsewhere if we are relegated and I can also assure that you will not be watching Barcelona-style football in the Championship. I suggest you stay at home and watch TV if you want "entertainment" - the rest of us will be supporting the team and hoping and praying for a win. Your inability to see the bigger picture in all this does you no credit.

[Gav]

Interesting though Gav, that they were ringing in after they got battered by Liverpool. Sometimes you don't realise exactly what it is that you want.

I went to the pub with a Man City fanatic to watch the Liverpool game. All through the game his concern was that Mancini didn't pick his best side and he certainly isn't happy about Mancini's approach to some games [squad rotation and all that]. Never did it enter his head that he would be happy with playing attractive passing football. All he wanted was for the manager to put together a side capable of winning that game, whichever way that was.

Yes take that on-board Den, losing brings the whingers out no doubt about that. Some couldn’t understand the introduction of ‘defensive midfielder De Jong’ when 3-0 down, and we think our manager makes bad decisions!

[Gav]

Top-ten finishes "wore thin" for Charlton supporters a few years ago who forced out Alan Curbishley and look where they are now. The parallels with Rovers and Charlton are uncanny. I can assure you many Rovers fans will be spending their hard-earned pennies elsewhere if we are relegated and I can also assure that you will not be watching Barcelona-style football in the Championship. I suggest you stay at home and watch TV if you want "entertainment" - the rest of us will be supporting the team and hoping and praying for a win. Your inability to see the bigger picture in all this does you no credit.

I was going to reply, but I've finished going round in circles, so I'll not bother

[ABBEY]

Top-ten finishes "wore thin" for Charlton supporters a few years ago who forced out Alan Curbishley and look where they are now. The parallels with Rovers and Charlton are uncanny. I can assure you many Rovers fans will be spending their hard-earned pennies elsewhere if we are relegated and I can also assure that you will not be watching Barcelona-style football in the Championship. I suggest you stay at home and watch TV if you want "entertainment" - the rest of us will be supporting the team and hoping and praying for a win. Your inability to see the bigger picture in all this does you no credit.

jhc give it a chuffing rest ,just cos your old doesnt mean other people cant have opinions different to your ffs. The modern day player is on 10s of thousands of pounds a week and are amongst the "elite","talented" "top hundred" players in the country. Surley they can adapt to playing football ,f me the most basic skill is dribbling and passing the footy ffs. If they cant pass a ball and are only able to lump the fecker up the pitch then thats a bad "talent"(scout or coach)skill that ALL football is these days.

We have players from all around the world in our team surly someone somwhere in the world didnt teach these players to simply boot the ball as hard and high as they can when they where kids? surly the PREM players can and should be able to adept to ANY situation the team finds itself in?

If not why dont we just go down plessy or any sunday pub league and sign a 6ft 11 giant and a player who can kick it hard and high,because we dont need anyone with any sort of skill because there is noone in our country that CAN play footy.

Did the likes of mgp,brett jr grow up in a hoofworld?

theres a time for fotty,theres a time for launching and there is a time for both ...AND IF THE PLAYERS WHO EARN MILLIONS OF POUNDS CANT ADJUST THEN FK EM OFF !!!!

I was going to reply, but I've finished going round in circles, so I'll not bother

DONE IT FOR YOU PAL LOL

[jim mk2]

I was going to reply, but I've finished going round in circles, so I'll not bother

The message will be repeated until you show some semblance of understanding. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be happening.

[Mattyblue]

PLEASE LOCK THE THREAD.

[Jimmy612]

jhc give it a chuffing rest ,just cos your old doesnt mean other people cant have opinions different to your ffs. The modern day player is on 10s of thousands of pounds a week and are amongst the "elite","talented" "top hundred" players in the country. Surley they can adapt to playing football ,f me the most basic skill is dribbling and passing the footy ffs. If they cant pass a ball and are only able to lump the fecker up the pitch then thats a bad "talent"(scout or coach)skill that ALL football is these days.

We have players from all around the world in our team surly someone somwhere in the world didnt teach these players to simply boot the ball as hard and high as they can when they where kids? surly the PREM players can and should be able to adept to ANY situation the team finds itself in?

If not why dont we just go down plessy or any sunday pub league and sign a 6ft 11 giant and a player who can kick it hard and high,because we dont need anyone with any sort of skill because there is noone in our country that CAN play footy.

Did the likes of mgp,brett jr grow up in a hoofworld?

theres a time for fotty,theres a time for launching and there is a time for both ...AND IF THE PLAYERS WHO EARN MILLIONS OF POUNDS CANT ADJUST THEN FK EM OFF !!!!

What you appear to miss Abbey, and this is a point that has been made a for a very long time, is that there is quite a common theme throughout all of the relegation teams with no money. They play ###### football.

We have all said it before, if you can name a team that has stopped in the PL without spending any money, and at the same time passing it around and playing lovely football I would love some examples?

You underestimate how difficult it is when you inheret a shocking squad, and in two years are expected to have made them into a team that plays lovely attacking football, whilst finishing in a decent position in the league every season. Can you not see how much Sam did with BRFC just to have them comfortable in the Premier League?

And with regard to your 'just fk em off' technique, do you not think Allardyce tried to do that throughout the summer, with Emerton, Grella, Roberts? Its not easy to sell players who are not good enough.

I was going to reply, but I've finished going round in circles, so I'll not bother

Perhaps you could come up with an argument that makes sense and then prove us all wrong?

[Gav]

The message will be repeated until you show some semblance of understanding. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be happening.

You carry on Jim, it won't change my opinion, I'm made of sterner stuff than that.

If you and the rest of lynch mob stopped and thought for a minute, you’d probably realise that we do see the comparisons with Charlton, we do see that Allardyce would have done a better job than Kean, but still I for one wanted him out, that my friend speaks volumes.

Yes I know, I'm stupid etc etc

[Jimmy612]

You carry on Jim, it won't change my opinion, I'm made of sterner stuff than that.

If you and the rest of lynch mob stopped and thought for a minute, you’d probably realise that we do see the comparisons with Charlton, we do see that Allardyce would have done a better job than Kean, but still I for one wanted him out, that my friend speaks volumes.

Yes I know, I'm stupid etc etc

What frustrates me Gav is that throughout this whole messy time, you appear to have failed to see the catastrophic consequences that could occur should we go down.

I know you come up with your argument that the days of 3rd division football were far more enjoyable than the days under Sam in the PL but is that really what you want for BRFC? For us to be unable to compete at a top level anymore, just because for 90 minutes a week you couldn't sit there and accept that as a small town team with no money, it wasn't always going to be perfect football?

I could accept it because I appreciated what Allardyce had walked into, and that he had done so so well with our club, and that the majority of the time I would be walking out of Ewood happy with the result.

[jim mk2]

Yes I know, I'm stupid etc etc

Well, I'm glad you said it because none of your arguments makes any sense to those of us worried about the club's future.

[Gav]

What frustrates me Gav is that throughout this whole messy time, you appear to have failed to see the catastrophic consequences that could occur should we go down.

I understand people feel passionately about the football club and its future, but I tend not to get wound up about things I can’t control. So my philosophy is if we go down we’ll hopefully come back stronger, some on here are clutching for the noose, that’s just stupid for me, because you just don’t know whats going to happen further down the line.

[A cup of beans]

What frustrates me Gav is that throughout this whole messy time, you appear to have failed to see the catastrophic consequences that could occur should we go down.

I know you come up with your argument that the days of 3rd division football were far more enjoyable than the days under Sam

watching rovers in the 2nd division 80's and early 90's was far more entertaining, exciting and enjoyable for me as was the souness promotion season.

give me that over watching the seasons when we had big sam any day!

you say

"I would be walking out of Ewood happy with the result."

maybe so, but in his entire reign, only a handful of home performances under sam were truly exciting... but thats about it.

watching rovers under him became a chore. mainly cos i lost faith and respect for the man and got fed up of travelling up and down the country to away games seeing no entertainment or points.

although our current decline is filled uncertainty... i find myself looking foward to going to ewood and away games far more than i did under sam.

every game is vital and filled with drama etc...

[Gav]

watching rovers in the 2nd division 80's and early 90's was far more entertaining, exciting and enjoyable for me as was the souness promotion season.

give me that over watching the seasons when we had big sam any day!

you say

"I would be walking out of Ewood happy with the result."

maybe so, but in his entire reign, only a handful of home performances under sam were truly exciting... but thats about it.

watching rovers under him became a chore. mainly cos i lost faith and respect for the man and got fed up of travelling up and down the country to away games seeing no entertainment or points.

although our current decline is filled uncertainty... i find myself looking foward to going to ewood and away games far more than i did under sam.

every game is vital and filled with drama etc...

We saw some dire stuff under Hughes a few years back, but every time we went out to play we had a go and the entertainment was there. The again we had better players I guess, the current crop are poor, very poor in some cases.

[A cup of beans]

We saw some dire stuff under Hughes a few years back, but every time we went out to play we had a go and the entertainment was there. The again we had better players I guess, the current crop are poor, very poor in some cases.

very very poor. lot of players who've been here too long and continue in the comfort zone. its obvious the current squad needs a big revamp, which will either need huge amounts of money or terrific scouting.

[Mattyblue]

'Every game is vital'.

I agree, we should aim to go down and back up at least every 5 years, you know to keep the punters interested.

[John]

We saw some dire stuff under Hughes a few years back, but every time we went out to play we had a go and the entertainment was there. The again we had better players I guess, the current crop are poor, very poor in some cases.

Had some real quality back then, players who were comfortable on the ball and technically good – Tugay, Bellamy, Bentley and a different Santa Cruz/Benni Mac too.

Even MGP scored the odd nice goal too.

[onlyonejackwalker]

watching rovers in the 2nd division 80's and early 90's was far more entertaining, exciting and enjoyable for me as was the souness promotion season. give me that over watching the seasons when we had big sam any day!

you say

"I would be walking out of Ewood happy with the result."

maybe so, but in his entire reign, only a handful of home performances under sam were truly exciting... but thats about it. watching rovers under him became a chore. mainly cos i lost faith and respect for the man and got fed up of travelling up and down the country to away games seeing no entertainment or points.

although our current decline is filled uncertainty... i find myself looking foward to going to ewood and away games far more than i did under sam. every game is vital and filled with drama etc...

I think you have rose tinted spectacles on. In some seasons in the 80's we did well and almost got promoted. In others the season was over before Xmas. Hardly suprising the 90's were more exciting is it when we were one of the wealthiest clubs in the land.

Impossible to compare that period with a period of sustained zero investment.

With regards to your other comments;

How strange. I am the absolute complete opposite. I find games now to be extremely boring and tedious, with very low expectations. Most do when the team is struggling this badly.

Suprise, suprise the current manager is meeting my expectations each and every game of few goals scored, goals conceded, poor technique and ability displayed, the failure to string passes together, the inability to create and score chances, defensive frailty, poor team selections, poor substitutions, lack of points gained, deleterious impacts on league placings and stupid comments after games pretending that the fans are blind.

The games are only nerve racking because we are in freefall and desperate for points. Claiming this as a selling point is like I say strange and criticising the previous manager for not getting embroiled in relegation difficulties stranger still.

We saw some dire stuff under Hughes a few years back, but every time we went out to play we had a go and the entertainment was there. The again we had better players I guess, the current crop are poor, very poor in some cases.

You are quite right about many games under both Souness in his last year and Hughes, in that they were very boring. One season we were shocking at home under Hughes, it was my son's first ever season ticket and he got very poor value. That same season we were excellent away however, which was fine for me as an away traveller to games, but not great for our home support.

I am confused by this always had a go comment. Did you go to Cardiff for the Arsenal cup game? 3-0 down before I had finished my coffee. Did you go to Birmingham away in what was a massive game at the end of the season for us? They scored 4.

Unless of course you mean that when getting hammered under SA we simply gave up, but when getting hammered under others we always 'gave it a go' and were just unfortunate, or not skilled enough.

[A cup of beans]

'Every game is vital'.

I agree, we should aim to go down and back up at least every 5 years, you know to keep the punters interested.

you know i wasnt saying that..

but having watched rovers since 1983, i can safely say that the football and entertainment under big sam was by far the worst... IN MY OPINION.

[Gav]

I am confused by this always had a go comment. Did you go to Cardiff for the Arsenal cup game? 3-0 down before I had finished my coffee. Did you go to Birmingham away in what was a massive game at the end of the season for us? They scored 4.

Unless of course you mean that when getting hammered under SA we simply gave up, but when getting hammered under others we always 'gave it a go' and were just unfortunate, or not skilled enough.

Not wanting to go over old ground, but under the last manager we didn’t bother away from home, go 1-0 down and that was that. Under Hughes the players ran and tried until the last second of the last minute, you came away from games feeling we’d had a go, didn’t happen under the last manager, but its old ground now.

I went in the cup against Arsenal, beaten by the better team, but the player tried; Brum away was a disgrace though, the only time a Hughes team didn’t show up for me.

[Mattyblue]

Was it buggery zac, major cup semi final, top half finishes in the top flight, a team full of internationals, average crowds of 25000.

If someone had said that would be not good enough in the future to me in 1991 when we nearly went down to the third division I'd have been inspecting your hip flask!

Unbelievably spoilt supporters.

[A cup of beans]

football and entertainment under big sam was by far the worst... IN MY OPINION.

the clubs status/ division/ crowds have nothing to do with my statements.