[Archived] Steve Kean

[tony gale's mic]

Yada yada..if my aunty had bo**ox she'd be my uncle. 8 points is 8 points whichever way you might try to spin it and frankly, I don't care if 6 of those were against the one-legged,midget all star 11!We got the points and that's all that matters...no-one will remember who they were against,it's all about what the final league table says.

Get a grip man.

And the final league table says we finished perilously close to relegation.

We improved, yes.

Kean still needs to go.

[Gav]

Out of those 8 points, 3 came against a team with the worst away record in the league and 3 came at another struggling team - though the first half performance deserves a special mention. One of those points was away to the worst team in the league The Man United display was probably the most impressive but again they won as many away games this season as Blackpool.

Stats stats and more stats.

Under Kean:

Beat Liverpool at home

Drew with Man Utd at home

Drew with Arsenal Away

Lost to City but dominated the game

These against top sides, very impressive woldnt you agree?

[yeti-dog]

And the final league table says we finished perilously close to relegation.

We improved, yes.

Kean still needs to go.

Just to keep things in perspective- we actually finished as close to 10th as we did to relegation. Spin works both ways...

[LeftWinger]

Done well today Keano. Few drinks and then a drive I feel

[Gav]

Just to keep things in perspective- we actually finished as close to 10th as we did to relegation. Spin works both ways...

Now that is funny!

[tony gale's mic]

Stats stats and more stats.

Under Kean:

Beat Liverpool at home

Drew with Man Utd at home

Drew with Arsenal Away

Lost to City but dominated the game

These against top sides, very impressive woldnt you agree?

Under Kean:

Failed to beat the worst team in the league (twice)

Drew with Birmingham at home

Drew with Blackpool at home

Lost to Stoke at home

Didn't dominate vs City, deserved a draw but a tactical gaffe by Kean directly cost us a point

Lost away to Wigan

etc etc I could list a succession of results.

Liverpool at home was a very impressive performance, but you can't claim that we would've seen the same result had we played Liverpool post Dalglish. Doesn't mean it wasn't impressive, but you have to put it into context.

Man United at home again was a performance and result I was impressed by, and unlike in other games I don't think Kean but a foot wrong tactically. But again you can't ignore the fact that 14 teams out of 19 have got at least a draw at home to Man Utd this season.

Our performances against the relegated teams, however, don't really have mitigating factors.

[Giant]

Get real folks, Kean is going nowhere except for a well earned holiday. To take over from BFS (who was hated and loved by the football world in the space of 1 minute last December) and been ridiculed like he has, he can quite rightly stick 2 fingers up at some of the manic depressives on this board. We are in a new exciting era and I for one would prefer to give a new manager the chance to take us forward than some of the old guard. Hope he stops talking about "the togetherness of the group" though. Well done Steve, keep going to Pune if it means the Raos will up their spend on new players!

[tony gale's mic]

Just to keep things in perspective- we actually finished as close to 10th as we did to relegation. Spin works both ways...

And last season we finished as close to 4th as we did to relegation.

Remember Kean got a headstart when he started this job too.

[LeftWinger]

Maybe it's todays perfomance, maybe it's the beer, but I'm leaning towards giving him another 6 months.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

And last season we finished as close to 4th as we did to relegation.

Remember Kean got a headstart when he started this job too.

Whatever you think of him, he doesn't deserve the amount of abuse he has recieved. I seriously, seriously doubt that you expected us to get 8 points from the previous 4 games. Kean set us up well tactically today and has shown that he knows how to win games when it mattered. He deserves some credit for that at least. You dont have to like the guy but appreciate that under pressure, he eventually got it right.

[andyroversmad]

No thanks... he got us in this mess get rid ASAP

[yeti-dog]

And last season we finished as close to 4th as we did to relegation.

Remember Kean got a headstart when he started this job too.

I so hope youre never my physician..

"Well Mr Dog..there's good news and bad news. The bad news is you've got terminal cancer and have 3 days to live. The good news is you've got me as your doctor."

[tony gale's mic]

Whatever you think of him, he doesn't deserve the amount of abuse he has recieved. I seriously, seriously doubt that you expected us to get 8 points from the previous 4 games. Kean set us up well tactically today and has shown that he knows how to win games when it mattered. He deserves some credit for that at least. You dont have to like the guy but appreciate that under pressure, he eventually got it right.

I think he got it very right in the first half today, but wrong in the second. I also think he got it right against United.

We won against Bolton, but I think that was as much to do with their terrible away record and shocking form at the time as anything else.

I don't think hanging on for a point at the worst team in the league classes as "getting it right".

So yes, he improved a bit, and in the last couple of games we put in a couple of very good displays. But it's still too little, too late.

[LeftWinger]

No thanks... he got us in this mess get rid ASAP

We were 13th when Sam got sacked, and finished 15th, only 2 points closer to the relegation zone than when he left.

[tony gale's mic]

I so hope youre never my physician..

"Well Mr Dog..there's good news and bad news. The bad news is you've got terminal cancer and have 3 days to live. The good news is you've got me as your doctor."

...and there you go again yeti, resorting to the pathetic personal insults surrounding my career when you've got nowhere else to go. At least when I put a few insults in they're accompanied by some actual debate.

I'm so grateful you most likely don't do something where I'll ever actually need you for anything important, as clearly you don't possess the critical faculties to be capable of anything worthwhile.

[yeti-dog]

Maybe it's todays perfomance, maybe it's the beer, but I'm leaning towards giving him another 6 months.

Pretty much where I'm at. I'd give him 'til January,if he proves he's got the cojones for the job fine..if not,get rid then.

...and there you go again yeti, resorting to the pathetic personal insults surrounding my career when you've got nowhere else to go. At least when I put a few insults in they're accompanied by some actual debate.

I'm so grateful you most likely don't do something where I'll ever actually need you for anything important, as clearly you don't possess the critical faculties to be capable of anything worthwhile.

just make sure you never get sent to prison or you may be meeting me sooner than you think.

[tony gale's mic]

We were 13th when Sam got sacked, and finished 15th, only 2 points closer to the relegation zone than when he left.

The league table was exceptionally tight in December. We were two points off 7th.

A more accurate way of putting it was that we were 5 points off the relegation zone after 17 games. Extrapolated over the season one would expect us to be 11 points clear from the drop after 38 games. Probably more given the fact we usually finish seasons better, and if Sam had money to spend.

[BuckyRover]

The league table was exceptionally tight in December. We were two points off 7th.

A more accurate way of putting it was that we were 5 points off the relegation zone after 17 games. Extrapolated over the season one would expect us to be 11 points clear from the drop after 38 games. Probably more given the fact we usually finish seasons better, and if Sam had money to spend.

Seriously, get over it.

[Martin]

Need to get rid.

Use money for a top class manager.

Kean is out of his depth.

Yes, Kean kept us up but he was simply cleaning up his own mess.

Onwards and upwards.

[andyroversmad]

Martin Jol please

[grizfoot]

Away Record under Big Sam:

P9, W2, D1, L6, F11, A21 GD:-10, PTS: 7

Avg. points per game: 0.77

Away Record under Kean:

P10 W2, D2, L6, F13, A22, GD: -9, PTS: 8

Avg. point per game : 0.80

As these stats show very little difference in the away record achieved under the two managers. The main issue is that the home games under Big Sam we managed to grind out a win we dropped points in under Kean. To be honest I've been impressed with the overall level of our home performance under Kean barring his first two games in charge against West Ham & Stoke. Our away form remains poor but then again a lot team's in the Premier League find it difficult to come by points away from home.

I honestly don't think there's too much difference in our overall position now than it would have been under Big Sam. The two transitional home games over the Christmas period where the costly part in my opinion and a couple of wins in thoose winnable home games would have seen us avoid this relegation battle we got dragged into. The timing of the decision if anything was the most shocking thing and it understanably took time for Kean to find his feet.

I can understand people's issue with Kean but it's obviously the players like playing under him and there's evidentley been a good team spirit among the lads. Holiett has come on leaps and bounds under him and Olsson & Phil Jones have continued to imporve also. In addition the signing of Jermaine Jones on loan was a masterstroke and a big reason in our good run to the end of the season. In addition I've heard good things about Rochina and he could be one to develop and play a bigger part next season.

Overall Kean's influence on player devleopment is clear to see it's just whether he can keep with the tactical and mangerial side of the game which has been lacking at various stages this season. By the why I'm not anti anyone or pro anyone I just say it as I see it and I honestly think people are quick to shout Kean down because of the way he was appointed in the first place, which we all agree was inappropriately timed and was in my opinion the biggest reason why the season very nearly went so wrong.

[imy9]

I think Chelsea and Bolton have shown this season that trying to second guess what a team will achieve after half season is unrealistic- thats the beauty of football.

Bolton were 7th at one point, now have ended 3 points ahead of us.

Chelsea were awesome at the start of the season, ended 9 points behind Man Utd.

[tony gale's mic]

Seriously, get over it.

Says the sad man who came in here with Rovers three-nil up to post an angry remark at me.

You're incapable of actually engaging in anything football related, so now you're resorting to this. Best not to post anything at all, Bucky.

[BuckyRover]

Says the sad man who came in here with Rovers three-nil up to post an angry remark at me.

You're incapable of actually engaging in anything football related, so now you're resorting to this. Best not to post anything at all, Bucky.

I said we wouldn't get relegated.

You thought we would.

We can't all be right, all of the time

[Amo]

Credit where it's due. Venky's & Kean may have got us into this mess in the first place, but it took real character to get us out of it. It would have been too easy for the players to give up on the manager and watch us slide to oblivion; it happened to Hodgson, Kidd & Ince - all more experienced managers than our Steve. But the players never gave up, and the manager himself even raised his game with his tactics and decision-making. And he should also take credit for Hoilett's emergence. He went from a bit-part player to a wonderkid in a space of a few months.

I think Kean has the makings of a manager, but can Rovers stake their future on that outside chance? I would prefer an experienced boss in charge next season, but I reckon Kean has another six months at least. In which case, I hope Venky's back their man and allow him to build on the side we've got, because there's real potential here.