[Archived] Saving Blackburn Rovers

[mogster]

If only Venkys had been warned what a mistake they were making at the time.

Oh, wait a minute - EVERY RESPECTED FOOTBALLER, EX-FOOTBALLER, MANAGER, JOUNALIST, PUNDIT AND FAN FROM WHICHEVER CLUB YOU CARE TO MENTION who were asked about it thought that sacking Sam Allardyce (and not replacing him with an experienced manager) was an error and the Venky trio didn't have enough knowledge of football.

We all feared the worst but hoped for the best (apart from Vinjay who has blind faith in anyone who isn't the Trust). I still stand by my thoughts just after the sacking which I placed on the 'Your thoughts on recent events' thread. It warned that they had better have a good plan including manager, chairman and backroom staff. I also said they needed to be advised well and employ a press officer to do ALL the talking (although John Williams was rather good at that). We have gone backwards in all respects and time doesn't seem to be healing the situation.

Imagine one of us buying an Irish Hurling team. Would you go straight in and sack the manager without a thought for the fans or the 125 year history that hurling can boast, believing the propaganda spouted by a young couch, who you are so impressed with you want to make him manager, without checking out any facts - like what has previously happened when such a promotion has been made and has it EVER been succesful. I would head for as many experts as possible and take a cross section of advice and make my decisions based on that.

I'm 41 now so that's about 34 years supporting Rovers. Because of the cheap season tickets I have recently been bringing my family. This was not so good under Paul Ince but with the excellent home record under Sam, match days were good days out. Our season tickets run out in the summer when, for the first time ever I will be reserving judgement on renewal. If by then this doesn't look like being a well run and structured football club - this will be my last season actively supporting Rovers. I can't belive I'm saying this but I can't condone what is happening! They'll always be in my heart.

Until a couple of months ago I had thought a 'self destruct' button was something reserved for Science Fiction and Newcastle United but it seems it does exist - and for some weird, inexplicable, devastating reason our new owners pressed it!

[John]

We are slowly dying.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

and we weren't under the trust??

If anything, we're looking more alive than ever.

We've got owners who have ambitions and goals. The last owners of Rovers didn't want anything to do with us.

Give them a chance. They've only been in charge for 3 months.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I feel passionately about THIS TOWNS famous old club.Right here,right now I feel helpless as a fan to do anything regarding our precarious position both on and off the field.We have owners who seem so far detached from Ewood and reality that they might as well be living on Mars.

We had a stable manager in Allardyce sacked for no apparent reason and a well respected Chairman shamefully pushed out the door after years of hard work.I'm sorry but I cant help how I feel right now.......I'm boiling.With the help of the much loved Jack Walker we have had to fight to be were we are today,a well respected and historical club fighting the City behemoths but ALWAYS giving a good account of ourselves.We can sadly feel this ebbing away at present.

After admitting you know little about football just who the hell has advised you that the above sackings were for the good of the club? WHO!

LIONS LED BY DONKEYS.

[Kelbo]

Knee jerk reaction....I always expected us to lose at Villa awat, with or without big Sam.

The next 2 games are key - minimum 3 points needed, 4 would be good, 6 excellent.

Still not worried and people need to SUPPORT thier club, NOT abandon it!

Hughsey, I love your optimism, however for you to carry on defending this lot is a joke or you have been brainwashed, may I suggest a good shrink in Harley Street?

[trs]

!

I hope that BPF can persuade our owners to read that lot - they would get the message !

I would hope they read Bob Flemings earlier post. As always,an exellent post.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I don't think it's a case of defending them, it's a case of giving them a chance to prove that they can do a good job. They can't change the club overnight, it takes time.

[Mercer]

I'm 41 now so that's about 34 years supporting Rovers. Because of the cheap season tickets I have recently been bringing my family. This was not so good under Paul Ince but with the excellent home record under Sam, match days were good days out. Our season tickets run out in the summer when, for the first time ever I will be reserving judgement on renewal. If by then this doesn't look like being a well run and structured football club - this will be my last season actively supporting Rovers. I can't belive I'm saying this but I can't condone what is happening! They'll always be in my heart.

Mogster - a very good post.

I think the paragraph about your support is one that I find very disturbing because it's exactly how I and many, many people I know feel.

IMO, the Raos have lost the supporters in spirit and very soon, it seems that they might be losing them at the gate. The slippery slope to ruin is becoming even more treacherous.

[Kelbo]

and we weren't under the trust??

If anything, we're looking more alive than ever.

We've got owners who have ambitions and goals. The last owners of Rovers didn't want anything to do with us.

Give them a chance. They've only been in charge for 3 months.

You can have the name of the Harley Street shrink as well

I cant believe you cant see what is happening, was evident from day one, Now is action time or it will be too late!!

[ABBEY]

right ,I cant keep my mouth shut any longer .lol.

If its true and the venky people read this board(doubt it tho) then heres my view...am I glad sam as gone yes and did i agree with the timing no.

1.Why sack the manager with NO plan? if someone had been lined up with experience then it could be justified.

2.Why appoint a coach as manager for a few games? change it to a few months? change it to the end of the season? change it to a full time job?

3 why make knobheads of yourselves and our club by banding the argetinian drug cheating freak?

4.why make knobheads of yourselves and our club by banding ronaldinho about?

5.why make knobheads of yourselves and our club by banding riquelme about?

6 why make knobheads of yourselves and our club by banding kaka (probly paper talk ,who knows how these people think)

7 why make knobheads of yourselves and our club by banding marquee signings are coming and then sign people who are not going to play?

8 why make knobheads of yourselves and our club by only attending every once in a while and then when you do turn up in bling expect the hollybollywood treatment?

9 why did mrs d not go on the pitch when she came to her FIRST(first ever game ,now this is annoying the tits off me ) game instead of going on the screen? i know deliaha was drunk but at least the lets be having you was passion!!!

10. Get someone who knows our traditions and belifs of rovers and a knowledge of our history to run the CLUB ,instaed of parasite football agents!!!!!!

11.Do you honestly believe mrs d and bazza that we can make champions league without spending 150 million?ish.

12 Get a manager in!!!!!

13 and most of all take barries pc and xbox off him and throw his chuffing fifa 01 and champ manager in the bin.

14. if what was written on here that you lot read this board and you cant believe the lack of respect for you,i will give you a clue love,IT HAS TO BE EARNED!!!!!!!!!!

15. HAVE SOME DIALOGUE WITH FANS AS WELL!!!!

[bobsterbrfc]

BRING BACK BIG SAM

[Tim Southampton Rover]

You can have the name of the Harley Street shrink as well

I cant believe you cant see what is happening, was evident from day one, Now is action time or it will be too late!!

I've already got the Harley Street number on speed dial

I'm not pleased with how the club dumped Big Sam and the way they treated John Williams (which lacked so much respect for the great guy) but it's their club and they've got ambitions and I am keen to see what they will do.

We've had an exciting transfer window, something we haven't had for a LONG time and I hated the way we played under Big Sam so I am looking forward to seeing a better style of football.

I wanted to see change within the club, I didn't like how the club was being run under the old trust because there was no hope on bettering ourselves with the amount of money coming into other clubs and for 2 or so years nobody wanted to take a chance with Rovers. Venky's have come in with new ideas and I look forward to seeing how it develops.

I can only hope it works. Nobody wants anything bad to happen to this club.

[thenodrog]

I can't work Venkys out... being a family run biz I thought they would have a better start than this, having it splashed in the .edia that they are billionaires then spending what we normally do in a transfer window just goes to show how much they are willing to spend...

Ever heard the phrase "rags to riches and back again in three generations"? Happens a lot.

[martonrover]

Dear Mrs Desai,

I am sure you and your Brothers have the best of intentions for Blackburn Rovers.

For this reason you need to act quickly and bring in an experienced manager, otherwise all the plans you have for the Club will become irrelevant as it is likely to be relegated.

The choice of manager is absolutely crucial to a football club and appointing a suitably experienced manager has to be the top priority.

Thank you.

[thenodrog]

We are slowly dying.

I don't think it's a case of defending them, it's a case of giving them a chance to prove that they can do a good job. They can't change the club overnight, it takes time.

Top half finish last season, top half position this season and on course for 46-48 points this year. Apart from the wage bill and a few hundred goons on the Blackburn End nothing needed changing Tim.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I was basing my point on their plans for us to become a team challenging for European football.

[whalleyrover]

If Steve Kean is appearing live at Radio Lancashire on Tuesday at 19.00hrs, why don't fans demonstrate outside. This may get the message to Venkys that we care about the future of our club. It is time Venkys and Anderson faced the fans and explained their plans.

[PAFELL]

sending emails or doing a petition won't do anything.

maybe if nobody but away fans turned up at home games then maybe that would do something...

I can't work Venkys out... being a family run biz I thought they would have a better start than this, having it splashed in the .edia that they are billionaires then spending what we normally do in a transfer window just goes to show how much they are willing to spend...

I don't see what Venkys agenda is, are they using us to show what a mockery English football really is? the way Venkys are behaving really fits in with football anyway, nobody can be trusted....

Voting with your feet will only damage the CLUB and not the owners. No matter who the owners of the club are, the CLUB still needs the income from supporters. Not attending matches will do nothing to Venky's or any other owner.

Shouting "VENKY'S OUT" could also have a detrimentle effect on the club - because there is nobody else interested in buying Rovers. Of course if anybody knows of any other person / group interested in buying the club, who has the funds and commitment and the interest, THEN that would be different. Sadly that is not the situation. Even the Walker family wouldn't consider coming back.

That leaves us one choice for all Rovers supporters, we have to try to work with Venky's. we have to suppress our anger and channel it into helping the owners and therefore helping the club.

BPF is right as painful as we feel, we have to reason with the owners.

Rovers need a chairman, if JW wouldn't return then Tom Finn would be good.

Rovers need an experienced premiership manager. BUT who - we on this site couldn't agree on who to bring in. Some would say bring Sam back and others would disagree. So a list would be compiled of Martin O'neil, Souness etc etc

Rovers need their supporters to get behind the club and the team we have to be their 12th man. Players will always make mistakes. But instead of cursing them etc, we need to get behind them in the hope we can help them to play better.

Throwing teddies out of prams, shouting at the radio or tv, kicking the poor dog does no good at all. We have to have positive action and reasonable debate to present to the owners. For one reason only, not the owners, agents, players, but for Blackburn Rovers Football Club.

[tashor]

Saving Blackburn Rovers - can we do anything?

Up to now most of the answers here have focussed on what has gone wrong.

Before being labelled as a Roverscaust denier I would like to declare that I have no sympathy for the Gallusdomesticidal owners of the club.

Certainly it appears the Trust gave us the worst hospital pass ever. Sacking Allardyce?? - I would've preferred to still have him in 5 years time - at least me and mine would still be probably watching top flight hoofball then.......

Back to the question - unless any of you have a time machine then it is too late to be talking about what went wrong.

As the personofirishorigin said - "You know, sor, if I was supporting Blackburn Rovers I wouldn't start from here at all."

BUT WE ARE HERE

The only choice available to our owners is to back or sack the manager. Can we influence that decision - maybe - but at what cost to the club.

Who is available to replace Kean? If Allardyce has been sounded out and would return, and, even more unlikely the Venkys would eat chicken pie and have him back then I would agree with the premise of this thread and back a movement to rapidly hound Kean out of Rovers and let the prodigal one return.

Bloody big IF though......

Otherwise all we can REALLY do is support OUR club as pointed out by a few brave but bruised previous posters. To them and others that I hope will join us I say -

"If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you............

.........Yours is Ewood and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!"

In trying to be positive I note you can still get 6 to 1 on us going down - go on - fill yer boots......

If we beat Blackpool then I think we will stay up - lose and we are closer to oblivion....

Please leave the bloodletting recriminations until the summer......

How many of us are going to Man up??

[broadsword]

I saw us at 8's to go down.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Mrs Desai

It is with sadness that I and many other supporters feel the need to contact you regarding the perilous position of our club.

You have come in with a vision - one that many fans appreciate, targetting European football with entertaining football. Had you purchased the club four years ago, I firmly believe you would have achieved this - and with a modest budget too.

Back then we had a side managed by a young and highly respected manager that had guided an international side to its best run of results for decades. He was a top striker in his day and respected globally for his achiebements with Man United and Barcelona.

We had a side that boasted good players and a great work ethic. We were one or two signings away from being a genuine top 6 team. £10 -£12 million spent back then would have set the club up for success. Regretfuly the investment was never forthcoming. Instead we started to disband the side and purchase players of lesser quality. Sadly, the manager departed, to a club with more aspirations.

In purchasing our club you inherited a footballing squad that has been chronically underfunded for the last 3-4 years and even under Mr Allardyce's steady hands, would struggle to stay out of the bottom 3, never mind bottom 6. Forget what Kentaro have advised you - it will cost £30 million or more just to turn this current squad into a mid-table team and only then with a capable manager.

The removal of Mr Allardyce based on your footballing ideas was ill advised. This summer would have made much more sense. However, everyone thought you would then install a high profile and capable manager to implement the change in footballing philosophy. Instead we have a young, inexperienced manager who is clearly out of his depth. The Premiership is one of the most cut throat businesses in the world, if you are not good enough, you are found out vey quickly.

The transfer window has proved to be nothing short of disastrous. Roque Santa Cruz, as expected, has proved innefectual due to injuries. That was obviously going to be the case. Jermaine Jones is just another average midfielder. The two promising players that got everyone excited haven't even made the bench a month later. Yet we were told my Mr Kean that any signings would have to improve the existing first team.

You yourself talked of Mr Allardyce making to many poor transfer decions, saying you need to be right 9/10 times.

Purely on a footballing basis - Mr Kean cannot be allowed to continue. Yesterday, following our shambolic defeat at Aston Villa, Mr Kean indicated he was hoping for a 0-0 draw - against a side that was below us in the league. This is hardly the philosophy of a manager who intends to 'push us into Europe' with 'entertaining and attacking foootball'. This follows the Newcastle game at Ewood, which you will hae witnessed yourself. We managed one shot on goal and were completely outplayed! I have never witnessed such an innefectual performance at Ewood - again, it was against a team only slightly above us in the league.

This cannot be allowed to continue. We have seen it before, when we were last relegated.

Yesterday, for the first time this season; fans, commentators, news reporters, respected footballing people, jouranlists and tv presenters all started talking about Blackburn Rovers and the possibility of RELEGATION. It is not scaremongering but the view of people who have witnessed poorly performing teams over many, many seasons. We are heading only one way at this present time.

I beg you therefore to look at the management situation at Rovers. Swallow your pride and remove Kean from his post. Appoint the best manager you can find and allow them to manage without any restrictions from Kentaro/SEM who seem to be like a cancerous growth in the stomach of BRFC.

Then and only then can we look forwad to a mutually successful future for both BRFC and Venkys.

kind regards

S Brown

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

On current form (1 point per game), we would just about stay up. I think we need 8 points, maybe a few more. I am positive we can achieve this, but we need some big performances against Blackpool and getting a point or three out of any away games could be pivotal.

I have a feeling we'll pick up a surprise result or two, and hopefully beat the likes of Blackpool and Birmingham. I don't want it to go to the last day, Wolves will outfight us.

The situation is concerning but not yet hysterical. We just need to stop the rot.

I think we'll scrape through it.

[thenodrog]

Mrs Desai

It is with sadness that I and many other supporters feel the need to contact you regarding the perilous position of our club.

You have come in with a vision - one that many fans appreciate, targetting European football with entertaining football. Had you purchased the club four years ago, I firmly believe you would have achieved this - and with a modest budget too.

Back then we had a side managed by a young and highly respected manager that had guided an international side to its best run of results for decades. He was a top striker in his day and respected globally for his achiebements with Man United and Barcelona.

We had a side that boasted good players and a great work ethic. We were one or two signings away from being a genuine top 6 team. £10 -£12 million spent back then would have set the club up for success. Regretfuly the investment was never forthcoming. Instead we started to disband the side and purchase players of lesser quality. Sadly, the manager departed, to a club with more aspirations.

In purchasing our club you inherited a footballing squad that has been chronically underfunded for the last 3-4 years and even under Mr Allardyce's steady hands, would struggle to stay out of the bottom 3, never mind bottom 6. Forget what Kentaro have advised you - it will cost £30 million or more just to turn this current squad into a mid-table team and only then with a capable manager.

The removal of Mr Allardyce based on your footballing ideas was ill advised. This summer would have made much more sense. However, everyone thought you would then install a high profile and capable manager to implement the change in footballing philosophy. Instead we have a young, inexperienced manager who is clearly out of his depth. The Premiership is one of the most cut throat businesses in the world, if you are not good enough, you are found out vey quickly.

The transfer window has proved to be nothing short of disastrous. Roque Santa Cruz, as expected, has proved innefectual due to injuries. That was obviously going to be the case. Jermaine Jones is just another average midfielder. The two promising players that got everyone excited haven't even made the bench a month later. Yet we were told my Mr Kean that any signings would have to improve the existing first team.

You yourself talked of Mr Allardyce making to many poor transfer decions, saying you need to be right 9/10 times.

Purely on a footballing basis - Mr Kean cannot be allowed to continue. Yesterday, following our shambolic defeat at Aston Villa, Mr Kean indicated he was hoping for a 0-0 draw - against a side that was below us in the league. This is hardly the philosophy of a manager who intends to 'push us into Europe' with 'entertaining and attacking foootball'. This follows the Newcastle game at Ewood, which you will hae witnessed yourself. We managed one shot on goal and were completely outplayed! I have never witnessed such an innefectual performance at Ewood - again, it was against a team only slightly above us in the league.

This cannot be allowed to continue. We have seen it before, when we were last relegated.

Yesterday, for the first time this season; fans, commentators, news reporters, respected footballing people, jouranlists and tv presenters all started talking about Blackburn Rovers and the possibility of RELEGATION. It is not scaremongering but the view of people who have witnessed poorly performing teams over many, many seasons. We are heading only one way at this present time.

I beg you therefore to look at the management situation at Rovers. Swallow your pride and remove Kean from his post. Appoint the best manager you can find and allow them to manage without any restrictions from Kentaro/SEM who seem to be like a cancerous growth in the stomach of BRFC.

Then and only then can we look forwad to a mutually successful future for both BRFC and Venkys.

kind regards

S Brown

Have you done a complete U turn there or am I mistaken?

[Roversider]

Can we do anything to help the Rovers at the moment? I think there are a few things we could do:

1. Wait until the season is over before letting the negativity flow onto the pitch.

2. Avoid booing our own players during a game.

3. Remember we support the Rovers, not the opposition and raise our voices to help the team in Blue and White.

4. Recognise that changing the manager now is not a good idea, like it or not we need to stick with Kean for now.

5. If you can't do the above consider staying away from Ewood, clubs in trouble need every bit of positivity as possible.

[mjs]

They can't change the club overnight, it takes time.

Well they have managed to do it so far, but unfortunately in the wrong direction.