[Archived] Steve Kean

[BuckyRover]

The credit is still there Rev.

Unlike your good self, I don't change my mind on a day to day basis. It's obvious there are plenty of better managers out there, so sticking with Kean who, in the opinion of some people, has slightly improved from our worst ever run of form, doesn't change my mind.

He's out of his depth in the Premier League and it's shown.

I know what you were up to. When you made those statements about seeing how he would perform in a "must win" game, you didn't think we would win. You hoped you were setting him up for a fall. Other people were saying you can't judge him on one game and you said you could, now you have backtracked.

You effectively bet your reputation on Blackburn not winning.

Where's Abbey?

[den]

I know what you were up to. When you made those statements about seeing how he would perform in a "must win" game, you didn't think we would win. You hoped you were setting him up for a fall. Other people were saying you can't judge him on one game and you said you could, now you have backtracked.

You effectively bet your reputation on Blackburn not winning.

Where's Abbey?

Garbage Bucky. I've made my position clear on Venky's and Kean from day one - and the season, since he took over, proved my fears to be right didn't they?

[ABBEY]

I know what you were up to. When you made those statements about seeing how he would perform in a "must win" game, you didn't think we would win. You hoped you were setting him up for a fall. Other people were saying you can't judge him on one game and you said you could, now you have backtracked.

You effectively bet your reputation on Blackburn not winning.

Where's Abbey?

thought you was ignoring me zzzzzzzzz

[BuckyRover]

I did bet on the game.

I would have won as well had West Brom and Arsenal not equalised.

[47er]

I did bet on the game.

I would have won as well had West Brom and Arsenal not equalised.

The site's taking over your life again!

[chris]

The site's taking over your life again!

back to the clinic

[Exiled in Toronto]

What's this crap about the first goal being hoofball? Emerton won the ball in midfield, RAN with it, floated a pass to Junior who had dropped off at the far post, he laid it back to Salgado who shot and Roberts turned it in. Excellently worked goal.

Back to Kean, I think he's now a keep unless we bag a take your breath away manager. This is because the players clearly respect, and played for, Kean. So there is a risk in swapping for a relative unknown who may not gel with the squad. It would need a manager who takes their breathe away to avoid that risk.

[BangkokRover]

What's this crap about the first goal being hoofball? Emerton won the ball in midfield, RAN with it, floated a pass to Junior who had dropped off at the far post, he laid it back to Salgado who shot and Roberts turned it in. Excellently worked goal.

Or a direct diagonal pass from Emerton etc and then ball hits Roberts and goes in.

[imy9]

Garbage Bucky. I've made my position clear on Venky's and Kean from day one - and the season, since he took over, proved my fears to be right didn't they?

How is that a good thing Den? My position has changed on Venky's and Kean based on what they have done rather than any pre conceived ideas that I may have about them.

Out of interest you said before the Wolves game that you dont envy Kean and it would be a very, very difficult task to play against Wolves. You also said that we would find out a lot about Kean after the match- interested to hear your thoughts about what you found out after the game?

Or a direct diagonal pass from Emerton etc and then ball hits Roberts and goes in.

Are you seriously trying to say that Roberts was trying to do something other than getting the ball in the net? Its what strikers do. Lescotts goal, now watch that for not knowing whats going on!

[BangkokRover]

Are you seriously trying to say that Roberts was trying to do something other than getting the ball in the net?

I have looked at several replays of the goal and then ball just Roberts and goes in. If he ment it fairplay but it does not look like it on TV.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Or a direct diagonal pass from Emerton etc and then ball hits Roberts and goes in.

An intended pass of about 25 yards to a player in space is now a tactic invented by Allardyce?

Hoofball, by my definition anyway, was playing for position not possession, e.g. MGP hooking it over his shoulder 10 times a game without even looking.

And Roberts turned it in, even though I was expecting it to hit his shin

[True Blue & White]

Are you seriously trying to say that Roberts was trying to do something other than getting the ball in the net? Its what strikers do. Lescotts goal, now watch that for not knowing whats going on!

Do you have eyes? Roberts was trying to get out of the way and it deflected of him and in. He even joked about it on TS yesterday.

[LeChuck]

How is that a good thing Den? My position has changed on Venky's and Kean based on what they have done rather than any pre conceived ideas that I may have about them.

Let's not let the euphoria of Sunday cloud what really happened this season.

What Kean and Venky's did was take us down to a relegation scrap on the final day of the season. If both are to stay they have a LOT of improving to do over the summer, otherwise we'll be one of the favourites to go down.

Next year Kean starts level with every other team in the division. He only kept us afloat this year because he had a considerable cushion when he took over - there is no way we could afford a run like we had from January - April at any point next season.

[BuckyRover]

How is that a good thing Den? My position has changed on Venky's and Kean based on what they have done rather than any pre conceived ideas that I may have about them.

Out of interest you said before the Wolves game that you dont envy Kean and it would be a very, very difficult task to play against Wolves. You also said that we would find out a lot about Kean after the match- interested to hear your thoughts about what you found out after the game?

Are you seriously trying to say that Roberts was trying to do something other than getting the ball in the net? Its what strikers do. Lescotts goal, now watch that for not knowing whats going on!

When he said "find out a lot" he thought that he would find out that he can't win a must win game.

It was obvious in his tone of language, from dead against from day one, to we will see what he is made of then back to dead set against.

It made no sense.

[den]

How is that a good thing Den?

It's not a "good thing" imy, but it shows that the fears about Venky's approach and Keans appointment have been justified. Since Kean took over, the season has been a nightmare.

Out of interest you said before the Wolves game that you dont envy Kean and it would be a very, very difficult task to play against Wolves. You also said that we would find out a lot about Kean after the match- interested to hear your thoughts about what you found out after the game?

I did say that imy, you're right. I expected the game to be much closer than it turned out, and I guess no-one on this site expected a 0-3 scoreline at half time. If Wolves had performed better than they did, we would definately have learned more about him. Still, I guess that some people will say that Wolves first half performance was down to rovers being dominant, when IMO, it was a bit of both - we were very good and they were very poor. Kean set the team up well and his tactics worked very well in the first half. What more could I say, other than that? Second half showed some of his, and the teams, frailties. We stopped pushing forward and allowed them to play out from the back. We dropped far too deep and finished up defending everything from our own penalty area, - so that definately wasn't good.

Yep, I thought we might learn more about him, but I can't say that I personally did. Did you? Plus, if anyone thought I might change my overall opinion because of one game, they were wrong.

[den]

When he said "find out a lot" he thought that he would find out that he can't win a must win game.

It was obvious in his tone of language, from dead against from day one, to we will see what he is made of then back to dead set against.

It made no sense.

Dead against from day one, still dead against. Proven right as well Bucky?

You of the opinion that Keans done well?

Look, why keep hold of a manager who nearly took us down? Why not go out and bring in someone better, someone more experienced? .....After all, the people who wanted Allardyce sacked in the summer obviously thought there was no problem finding someone better.

[cruz]

He only kept us afloat this year because he had a considerable cushion when he took over

Can you consider 5 points to be a considerable cushion?

[LeChuck]

Can you consider 5 points to be a considerable cushion?

Perhaps I've overdone that with 'considerable'.

But we finished less than 5 points above the relegation, meaning our form under Kean was relegation form. He was saved by the points accrued before he arrived.

[Stuart]

Oh dear, the little Keanettes are in a tizzy........

Never mind dearies, pre-season matches start in 6-8 weeks.

Not long to wait to the next exhibition of hoofball.

I think I prefer the term 'Keanuts'.

[cruz]

Perhaps I've overdone that with 'considerable'.

But we finished less than 5 points above the relegation

1 point less than Sam left us with. Is that considerable too?

[LeChuck]

1 point less than Sam left us with. Is that considerable too?

Can't be bothered pointing out the several mathematical flaws in that small sentence, so I'll leave it at that.

[blue_and_white]

Obviously the league spreads out as the season goes on, no club outside the top 5 was more than 6 points away from relegation at the time Allardyce was sacked. He gave Kean as big a gap as could be reasonably expected and if we'd carried on pulling away from the bottom 3 at the same rate then we'd have finished about 9 points above them and in the top half. But lets continue this ridiculous fallacy that safety wasn't guaranteed under Sam, after all his phenomenal record with us and Bolton certainly doesn't point to that does it?

[alexanders]

In 2005 Liverpool finished in 5th, 37points behind 1st and won the champions league. In 2011 Birmingham and Blackpool finished 41points off 1st and got relegated. This season in a nutshell.

[John]

Obviously the league spreads out as the season goes on, no club outside the top 5 was more than 6 points away from relegation at the time Allardyce was sacked. He gave Kean as big a gap as could be reasonably expected and if we'd carried on pulling away from the bottom 3 at the same rate then we'd have finished about 9 points above them and in the top half. But lets continue this ridiculous fallacy that safety wasn't guaranteed under Sam, after all his phenomenal record with us and Bolton certainly doesn't point to that does it?

Plus, importantly, Sam has a track record, throughout his career, of getting results and improving the football clubs he has managed.

I think the fact we stayed up has really made some posters border on the ridiculous with their point of view(s) at this current time...

[cruz]

In 2005 Liverpool finished in 5th, 37points behind 1st and won the champions league. In 2011 Birmingham and Blackpool finished 41points off 1st and got relegated. This season in a nutshell.

Would you say the bottom clubs got better or the top clubs played worse? Most likely a bit of both?