[Archived] Steve Kean

[nicko]

Stop trying to shift the blame.

I won't deal in hypothetical's either but we were fine until Venky's came along and we'd had no money from the day Sam came. He was even forced to sell our best player at the time in RSC, showing he could cope with the scenario you create.

Fact is we were fine until Venky's decided to start gutting out our club.

Lets not forget that.

No money? Kalinic was a free? That explains things.

He wasn't 'forced' to sell Roque. He wanted to go to Man City and play for Sparky. Fantastic business.

If you define having no money as 'fine' - then that's up to you.

Nicko, I still don't understand what the owners or some of them wanted Maradona for manager job?

NEITHER DO I.

Did they not speak to any manager to see whether any would be interest in the rovers job?

THEY DECIDED TO GIVE STEVE KEAN A CHANCE, THEN MOVED THAT UP TO A LONGER 'TRIAL' AND THEN A CONTRACT...

The owners didn't see to have a plan B or even plan A.

SEE ABOVE.

[gumboots]

I don't think the refereeing decisions thing is the main problem.

If you had a goalscorer - signed one last summer or signed a better one in January - you would be well clear.

Look at the difference Sturridge has made at Bolton. Take away his goals and Bolton would be six points or so worse off and close to you.

There wasn't much wrong yesterday that a finisher would not have sorted out. Roque is a spent force. He had two very takeable chances. Roberts and Benjani run around and that's it.

Got to say I fear for you a bit because of that.

Neither do we but they sure don't help! We've known about the lack of players/strikers etc for a long time. We've seen other teams improved by cash spent by a decent manager and knew we were falling behind. whose fault that was is not a simple matter - the Trust, Allardyce, The new owners, Kean, JW all had a part to play. But this awful refereeing we seem to have suffered from in recent weeks is something else. We know other teams think they are hard done by too and some probably are but it's the run of bad decisions that is worrying. Ususally when you get a bad one you get one you don't expect and, whilst that doesn't make up for the bad one, you don't start to feel that everyone and everything is against you. when do we get a chance to get one dodgy 50/50 in our favour for a change. Certainly not at Everton next week - Think about the times Arteta has done Pedersen at Ewood and got nothing.

[47er]

No money? Kalinic was a free? That explains things.

He wasn't 'forced' to sell Roque. He wanted to go to Man City and play for Sparky. Fantastic business.

If you define having no money as 'fine' - then that's up to you.

Fantastic business from the accountants viewpoint but since Sam saw so little of the money and we were priced out of all the replacements he was looking at, not so good from a fan's viewpoint.

[den]

Another good reason for signing one or two this time.

You turned it round last mid-season by duffing up poor Premier teams like Hull, Portsmouth and Wigan - plus Bolton on a very off day. Mostly with goals from set-pieces as I recall. Your finish was admirably strong.

There are no poor teams like Hull and Portsmouth this season.

All the more reason for needing a finisher.

Not one of Man Utd, Chelsea or Liverpool managed to win at fortress Ewood last season Nicko, While we actually beat Arsenal. Our form was nothing to do with simply beating poor sides.

[chaddyrovers]

So basically the owners came in and then decided to get rid for whatever reasons. but then didn't really have a plan to who to replace him with!

If they have bought in a proven manager then I am sure we would have been fine!

This situation has happen because we were sold to people who don't really understand football and espically the PL.

[booth]

Nicko is right, Kean (and Venkys) didn't address our problems in January. Although I disagree with the notion that everyone wanted Santa Cruz back for some kind of romantic return. For me it was clear to see it was a huge gamble when there were other capable players around. And I wasn't on my own, there were plenty on here saying he would be a flop or a crock, including Nicko. We purchased two players who haven't yet featured when we needed players NOW. Some members of this site voiced concern and were laughed at.

Kean is totally out of his depth. If Givet and Kalanic turned up to Ewood yesterday they were obviously intending on playing some kind of part when they arrived. Something was done/said for them to leave or they wouldn't have arrived in the first place. We needed those two players yesterday, and didn't have them. That's bad management. How many more players will eventually get hacked off with what's going on? No one is telling me that after yesterdays performance, the whole team are playing for Kean.

Initially I was beside myself when Kean was made the manager. Getting rid of Sam wasn't an issue, it was the fact that they hadn't prepared for what happened when he did leave. We went from Maradona being touted (dumb), to the complete polar opposite (not dumber, suicidal)!

However, thankfully, when he began Kean looked to be a breath of fresh air and I felt perhaps I'd got it wrong. But, due to poor results and his inability to organize a defense while playing a prettier brand of football, it seems now that he's abandoned whatever football beliefs he has. Now he's attempting to play it the Big Sam way in a mad scrabble for points. Or is it that the players have abandoned his game plan? Whichever, the team are playing it the Big Sam way and it's not as effective as under Big Sam himself. So one has to ask, what's the point? We may as well have stuck with the real thing.

The referee's in the past few matches at Ewood have been infuriatingly terrible, that much is true. But can anyone, hand on heart, say we were really any good in the first place yesterday? Apart from Samba looking to be back to his best, Phil Jones looking brighter, and Hoilett being a superstar, we were bloody awful. Big Sam tactics, without the Big Sam nouse. That's what it was.

And for anyone of those people who laughed when others voiced concern earlier in the season. You know who you are, the ones who were saying "the sky's falling in (add smilies here)". The ones who I very much doubt travel down to Ewood at all, or any game in fact. Shame on you. The sky IS falling in, and only for a huge slice of luck it will fall in. But it won't affect you as you don't go to the games anyway. You just mock others who actually care about the club on here. Well done to those people, have a biscuit.

Kean may have some good theories and ideas about how football is to be played. He may well make a decent manager at a lower level and work his way up. I will give him that, we saw potential in the earlier matches. But...

He didn't address the staff issues in January.

The football is poor.

We aren't getting results against struggling teams.

Players who should be being offered contracts aren't, yet consistently poor players have been given extensions.

5 points since January is unbelievably bad.

Players are beginning to get hacked off.

We're staring into the relegation pit.

Just to make this completely clear to any of the Kean apologists. Let's get this completely straight.

He does not know what he is doing.

Let's hope that the huge slice of luck, should we get it and hopefully we will, isn't mistaken for managerial credibility.

[nicko]

Not one of Man Utd, Chelsea or Liverpool managed to win at fortress Ewood last season Nicko, While we actually beat Arsenal. Our form was nothing to do with simply beating poor sides.

You lost to Chelsea at home [unfortunately] and were well beaten by Arsenal THIS SEASON. Both of those under Sam. So that kind of proves your squad is WEAKER this time round.

You beat Liverpool rather than grind out one of the dullest goalless draws in memory...or does that not count?

The big difference in results this season is the wins against the challenged. There is no Hull or Portsmouth to crush. The sides at the bottom and in mid-table are better in the main.

Despite that you would have a good few more points if you had a goalscorer. Your defence is sound. Your midfield is what it is. And you now have one of the better attacking prospects in the Premier in your side.

Rather than sitting on the bench and hurting his neck as he watches the high balls go back and forward.

[47er]

Nicko is right, Kean (and Venkys) didn't address our problems in January. Although I disagree with the notion that everyone wanted Santa Cruz back for some kind of romantic return. For me it was clear to see it was a huge gamble when there were other capable players around. And I wasn't on my own, there were plenty on here saying he would be a flop or a crock, including Nicko. We purchased two players who haven't yet featured when we needed players NOW. Some members of this site voiced concern and were laughed at.

Kean is totally out of his depth. If Givet and Kalanic turned up to Ewood yesterday they were obviously intending on playing some kind of part when they arrived. Something was done/said for them to leave or they wouldn't have arrived in the first place. We needed those two players yesterday, and didn't have them. That's bad management. How many more players will eventually get hacked off with what's going on? No one is telling me that after yesterdays performance, the whole team are playing for Kean.

Initially I was beside myself when Kean was made the manager. Getting rid of Sam wasn't an issue, it was the fact that they hadn't prepared for what happened when he did leave. We went from Maradona being touted (dumb), to the complete polar opposite (not dumber, suicidal)!

However, thankfully, when he began Kean looked to be a breath of fresh air and I felt perhaps I'd got it wrong. But, due to poor results and his inability to organize a defense while playing a prettier brand of football, it seems now that he's abandoned whatever football beliefs he has. Now he's attempting to play it the Big Sam way in a mad scrabble for points. Or is it that the players have abandoned his game plan? Whichever, the team are playing it the Big Sam way and it's not as effective as under Big Sam himself. So one has to ask, what's the point? We may as well have stuck with the real thing.

The referee's in the past few matches at Ewood have been infuriatingly terrible, that much is true. But can anyone, hand on heart, say we were really any good in the first place yesterday? Apart from Samba looking to be back to his best, Phil Jones looking brighter, and Hoilett being a superstar, we were bloody awful. Big Sam tactics, without the Big Sam nouse. That's what it was.

And for anyone of those people who laughed when others voiced concern earlier in the season. You know who you are, the ones who were saying "the sky's falling in (add smilies here)". The ones who I very much doubt travel down to Ewood at all, or any game in fact. Shame on you. The sky IS falling in, and only for a huge slice of luck it will fall in. But it won't affect you as you don't go to the games anyway. You just mock others who actually care about the club on here. Well done to those people, have a biscuit.

Kean may have some good theories and ideas about how football is to be played. He may well make a decent manager at a lower level and work his way up. I will give him that, we saw potential in the earlier matches. But...

He didn't address the staff issues in January.

The football is poor.

We aren't getting results against struggling teams.

Players who should be being offered contracts aren't, yet consistently poor players have been given extensions.

5 points since January is unbelievably bad.

Players are beginning to get hacked off.

We're staring into the relegation pit.

Just to make this completely clear to any of the Kean apologists. Let's get this completely straight.

He does not know what he is doing.

Let's hope that the huge slice of luck, should we get it and hopefully we will, isn't mistaken for managerial credibility.

Great post.

[gumboots]

You lost to Chelsea at home [unfortunately] and were well beaten by Arsenal THIS SEASON. Both of those under Sam. So that kind of proves your squad is WEAKER this time round.

You beat Liverpool rather than grind out one of the dullest goalless draws in memory...or does that not count?

The big difference in results this season is the wins against the challenged. There is no Hull or Portsmouth to crush. The sides at the bottom and in mid-table are better in the main.

Despite that you would have a good few more points if you had a goalscorer. Your defence is sound. Your midfield is what it is. And you now have one of the better attacking prospects in the Premier in your side.Rather than sitting on the bench and hurting his neck as he watches the high balls go back and forward.

For how long?

[nicko]

If Givet and Kalanic turned up to Ewood yesterday they were obviously intending on playing some kind of part when they arrived. Something was done/said for them to leave or they wouldn't have arrived in the first place. We needed those two players yesterday, and didn't have them. That's bad management. How many more players will eventually get hacked off with what's going on? No one is telling me that after yesterdays performance, the whole team are playing for Kean.

Givet wasn't in the 'right mind to play' and frankly his presence would not have made a difference.

Kalinic was not prefered to the other [three] strikers on the bench. Enough said.

Worth pointing out that neither were needed at Arsenal the week before...?

And how can you say the players were not up for it yesterday? The last thing you could accuse them of was lack of effort. Shortage of guile in the box, yes. Unlucky to lose Hoilett, yes.

[Jimmy612]

If you define having no money as 'fine' - then that's up to you.

Depends who the manager is

[47er]

You lost to Chelsea at home [unfortunately] and were well beaten by Arsenal THIS SEASON. Both of those under Sam. So that kind of proves your squad is WEAKER this time round.

You beat Liverpool rather than grind out one of the dullest goalless draws in memory...or does that not count?

The big difference in results this season is the wins against the challenged. There is no Hull or Portsmouth to crush. The sides at the bottom and in mid-table are better in the main.

Despite that you would have a good few more points if you had a goalscorer. Your defence is sound. Your midfield is what it is. And you now have one of the better attacking prospects in the Premier in your side.

Rather than sitting on the bench and hurting his neck as he watches the high balls go back and forward.

So basically Nicko replacing Sam with Kean was a really good move?

[tony gale's mic]

You lost to Chelsea at home [unfortunately] and were well beaten by Arsenal THIS SEASON. Both of those under Sam. So that kind of proves your squad is WEAKER this time round.

One off results don't prove anything nicko. Only league positions do, if under the same manager of course.

[den]

Rather than sitting on the bench and hurting his neck as he watches the high balls go back and forward.

Ah, so there we have it.

What do you think we've been watching for months now?

On top of the point that you made, about us basing survival last season on beating the poor sides being - err - wrong.

[Jimmy612]

You lost to Chelsea at home [unfortunately] and were well beaten by Arsenal THIS SEASON. Both of those under Sam. So that kind of proves your squad is WEAKER this time round.

What a load of ######! Who cares about the top 4? Its a game that you go into expecting to get nothing, if you gets smething then great. Lets look at the bigger picture and look at the results against teams around us.

Bloodyhell Nicko, if you think losing against Chelsea and Arsenal shows some kind of regression from our team you're deluded.

If you want to see a team thats gone backwards lets look from the date of 13th December 2010 onwards!

[chaddyrovers]

nicko, if you were the new rovers owner would you have sacked Allardyce? if so, who would you have replace him with and would you not have a shortlist of at least 3 poosible targets?

[nicko]

So basically Nicko replacing Sam with Kean was a really good move?

The owners wanted to replace Sam. They liked the look of Kean.

They will have to accept the consequences of that big decision in six games time.

I understand their thinking for sacking Sam - it is THEIR club and THEIR money and they have the right to decide who spends it.

If you go down it will be THEIR funeral and they will have to pay THEIR expenses.

So it's a big sweat for all concerned. But to pretend everything was wonderful before the new owners came in is absolute balls.

[modes98]

The previous owners are somewhat to blame for this by not giving Big Sam money in the summer and Kean for not signing a better striker than RSC.

I still believe that Kalinic will become good if you play him and create chances. That why RSC scored so many goals last time because of the chances created by Bentley and Pedersen.

Previous owners are to blame? Change the record you sound like Vinjay. When your selling the club you aren't going to throw £10m and let them have free rein, likewise if it was balanced against the club it would put the asking price up. Just not a sensible move in any business.

Kean had the chance to ply for a move in January and Santa was a good option but he can't do anything with the lack of creativity in our midfield. Hoilett and Olsson now provide something but it is more in an Aaron Lennon vein than a David Bentley, with whom he thrived.

Play Kalinic, he won't do any worse than the 3 that tried and failed yesterday.

So basically Nicko replacing Sam with Kean was a really good move?

Oh immensely. Instead of winning games and taking points from the teams in and around us we are now taking them from the top 6. So when we go down we can say 'well we drew with arsenal away'. Under Sam I have no doubts we would be top half in this strange weak season. Kean is seemingly doing a better job in the last couple of games but I still wonder how much is his management and how much it's the players realising they needed to pull their fingers out. His subs are still horendous by the way. Benjani? How? I'd rather have Grabbi up top.

[nicko]

What do you think we've been watching for months now?

On top of the point that you made, about us basing survival last season on beating the poor sides being - err - wrong.

I don't know what you have been watching. But any time I see Rovers with Hoilett in the side he plays the type of football you never came near to producing under Sam.

He is your one and only matchwinner in open play.

Last season's turn-around was based on a run of hard-earned home wins over poor or weak-on-the-day sides. Well done for that. But YOU started the season weaker yourselves and were therefore vulnerable.

nicko, if you were the new rovers owner would you have sacked Allardyce? if so, who would you have replace him with and would you not have a shortlist of at least 3 poosible targets?

Good question. Best way to answer it is by saying the owners were too honest and got rid fast. They could have been more cynical and let him carry on a bit longer. But the problem area was spending money in January. They did not like how he had spent it at Rovers previously.

In an ideal world you would have a manager available to step in. Trouble is - at that time of the season - your choice is limited to out-of-work people or risks or over-paying for a boss in work. There is no simple solution. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you can't.

[booth]

Givet wasn't in the 'right mind to play' and frankly his presence would not have made a difference.

Kalinic was not prefered to the other [three] strikers on the bench. Enough said.

Worth pointing out that neither were needed at Arsenal the week before...?

Givet wasn't in the right frame of mind? I'm afraid I can't believe the word of a man who desperately needs an excuse to cover up another poor performance. His presence would have made a difference, allowing Olsson to play in midfield. Olsson is a much brighter midfielder than defender, and with bags of pace. We needed that yesterday.

Arsenal was a totally different target. A game where we weren't competing to win, we were competing not to lose. Yesterday was a six pointer which we had to win, and it was expected that we would, and we should have gone all out to do so. That includes putting out your best attacking team.

Kalanic was not preferred to the other three strikers on the bench. More fool Kean.

And what is that all about, three strikers on the bench? None of them capable of changing a game.

[nicko]

Givet wasn't in the right frame of mind? I'm afraid I can't believe the word of a man who desperately needs an excuse to cover up another poor performance. His presence would have made a difference, allowing Olsson to play in midfield. Olsson is a much brighter midfielder than defender, and with bags of pace. We needed that yesterday.

Arsenal was a totally different target. A game where we weren't competing to win, we were competing not to lose. Yesterday was a six pointer which we had to win, and it was expected that we would, and we should have gone all out to do so. That includes putting out your best attacking team.

Kalanic was not preferred to the other three strikers on the bench. More fool Kean.

And what is that all about, three strikers on the bench? None of them capable of changing a game.

I don't think bringing in Givet for Olsson and pushing him into midfield would have made much of a difference yesterday.

And what has Kalinic done lately?

Every player who DOESN'T appear these days is better than one who DOES.

A bit like every manager who isn't there...

[47er]

The owners wanted to replace Sam. They liked the look of Kean.

They will have to accept the consequences of that big decision in six games time.

I understand their thinking for sacking Sam - it is THEIR club and THEIR money and they have the right to decide who spends it.

If you go down it will be THEIR funeral and they will have to pay THEIR expenses.

So it's a big sweat for all concerned. But to pretend everything was wonderful before the new owners came in is absolute balls.

That's OK so long as you think fans have no place in a modern football club. Venkys will be embarassed, financially and otherwise, we will be heart-broken.

Anyway, what I asked you was did you think the managerial change was a good move? You seemed to be implying it was with references to balls in the ether and Hoilett getting his chance (which I think he would have anyway).

Do you still think we've got a gem here?

[sambo]

I don't think bringing in Givet for Olsson and pushing him into midfield would have made much of a difference yesterday.

And what has Kalinic done lately?

Every player who DOESN'T appear these days is better than one who DOES.

A bit like every manager who isn't there...

Kalinic has done a lot more than Roberts has, that's for sure. Same for Mame Diouf. That's two players.

Not saying Sam is God, but he is far superior to the imposter we have now, who can't win a game to save his life.

He's a slightly better version of Paul Ince. If we go down, will you still be as smug as you are now?

If this wasn't Kean and it was some other manager, you would be saying how bad he's doing.

You seem to be loving all of this.

[chaddyrovers]

is Kean likely to be replace in the summer whether we stay up or go down?

[dring1]

Nicko, what do you think will happen in the summer if we do stay up. A lot of our squad are past it and only junior as you have mentioned seems capable of producing game in, game out. are the owners prepared to spend big to sort it out. I think we will stay up but only just