[Archived] Blackburn Rovers' dealings with influential agent Jerome Anderson comes under scrutiny

[jim mk2]

I am surprised by how highly Nicko rates Steve Kean - if he was that good surely we could have picked up an extra point considering we have played a lot of the team's around us in the table.

Just because a Scottish journalist rates a manager who also happens to be Scottish does not mean the manager has any ability. Said Scottish reporter has been made to look rather silly by his praise of aforementioned Scottish manager when he took over from Sam and is desperately trying to save face by putting a positive spin on the disastrous Venky's takeover. It's not difficult to work out.

[Billy Castell]

For the record, I am not asking for Nicko to sling his hook, just to avoid getting involved in the office politics on this site, and to perhaps be a bit more impartial over Kean. Or at least to help us understand why he rates him so highly despite the chaos.

[sentient]

Nicko has been on this site for nearly FOUR years, making over 10500 posts, stories are spot on and have been about the takeover, using your critical thinking skills (as clearly no one else on this site has considered this) which part do you disbelieve?

oh probably over 50%. as I said earlier stories founded on shifting sands and mirages. they change so often that no-one can remember the original version. but at least one of the versions is bound to be "spot on" eh? why do you think he has been on here 4 years and 10.5k posts? love of rovers or brfcs.com or something else? maybe nicko can explain his motivation?

its my opinion, and is maybe clouded by the crap put out on a daily basis by the rags, but the image I have is of bottom-feeders sifting through the detritis of life and occasionally finding a tasty morsel. not sure whose mouth the morsels are dropping.

[tony gale's mic]

So with £0 investment you still think we would have stayed up every season?

I think thats the ridiculous logic

No, but even if we got relegated then it would have been death by natural causes rather than the kamikaze mission of this years' campaign.

If you really think the Championship is that easy to get out of you're seriously deluded. Similarly if you think Venky's really have THAT much money of their own to spend..

[thenodrog]

There's a very interesting par in the Daily Telegraph story that seems to be missed. It says Jerome was employed by Rovers to find a buyer...

Very interesting.

This has been discussed on here albeit in your absence. Hence Andersons influence within the club extending back long enough before the Indian interest.

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/8861327.Bassini_did_consider_Blackburn_Rovers_bid/

[47er]

People have been asking Nicko for his opinion on the takeover, transfers etc and when he has given this it has lead to his impartiality being questioned, it is simply his viewpoint. This is separate from the facts that he has been reporting. For example Nicko thought Di Santo was going to be a top signing for us (he was rubbish!), however that does not take away from the fact that he was spot on in stating that we were signing him.

members telling him to "sling his hook" is sad considering how much he has contributed over the years IMO.

I wouldn't want Nicko to leave either and I wish some posters were not so rude. However he still seems to believe that Kean is a real find despite all the evidence, which I find strange.

Jim's explanation above is probably the right one.

[deftangel]

Saw the thread topic in a tweet from Plunkett talking about tomorrow's LET. Told him I hope he had some tin hats!

Re: Nicko. He isn't and hasn't ever been a Rovers fan. He looks at the issue un-emotionally whereas most of us here are very much vested emotionally in what's going on. If you take off the Blue & White spectacles, most of what he actually says is perfectly reasonable from an outsiders point of view. For understandable reasons, much of that is getting twisted in the maelstrom of what's going on. The owners are remote and there is very little tangible upon which to inflict the collective fury.

Fundamentally, he's been on these forums a lot longer than Venky's and some of the more extreme posts that seem to suggest he's part of some conspiracy are borderline ridiculous and frankly insulting. What he could expect to gain from supposedly being a Venky's spin doctor goodness knows but that doesn't stop some blithely ignoring the words he actually uses and imbuing them with their own meaning.

He's been badgered for his opinions ever since he's been here yet there seems to be surprise he's got a less emotionally invested one and is not ready to man the battlements with us.

Worse case scenario happens to be he likes a fellow countryman and probably thinks slagging off people connected to the club every day when asked is not conducive to making a living from transfer stories. It's a long way from there to being a Venky's cheerleader if you ask me.

[LeChuck]

Saw the thread topic in a tweet from Plunkett talking about tomorrow's LET. Told him I hope he had some tin hats!

Re: Nicko. He isn't and hasn't ever been a Rovers fan. He looks at the issue un-emotionally whereas most of us here are very much vested emotionally in what's going on. If you take off the Blue & White spectacles, most of what he actually says is perfectly reasonable from an outsiders point of view. For understandable reasons, much of that is getting twisted in the maelstrom of what's going on. The owners are remote and there is very little tangible upon which to inflict the collective fury.

Fundamentally, he's been on these forums a lot longer than Venky's and some of the more extreme posts that seem to suggest he's part of some conspiracy are borderline ridiculous and frankly insulting. What he could expect to gain from supposedly being a Venky's spin doctor goodness knows but that doesn't stop some blithely ignoring the words he actually uses and imbuing them with their own meaning.

He's been badgered for his opinions ever since he's been here yet there seems to be surprise he's got a less emotionally invested one and is not ready to man the battlements with us.

Worse case scenario happens to be he likes a fellow countryman and probably thinks slagging off people connected to the club every day when asked is not conducive to making a living from transfer stories. It's a long way from there to being a Venky's cheerleader if you ask me.

Cracking post that, the first paragraph especially.

[Miker]

It baffles me that some people prefer to believe the word of a journalist, over the word of a lifelong fan. While nicko has made his contributions over the years, so have these other people who ACTUALLY have Blackburn close to their hearts.

People who are vehemently defending nicko are forgetting the fact that he IS a journalist. No matter what he, or anyone defending him, will say, his primary objective is to obtain information and report it to a larger audience. Where his job is to obtain scoops on transfer dealings and internal goings on, he will always try and get on the good side of people that can provide the information. His opinion on these matters can therefore never be impartial and whether what he says is right or wrong, it HAS to be taken with a grain of salt. I, nor anyone else on this board, can fully prove or disprove anything that is said in the papers. Some people are obviously getting information from other sources that is directly contradicting and at odds with what journalists like nicko have to say though.

What has been made clear is that this transfer is a really bad move and raises a lot of question marks over the club, and from what Kamy has said, it's not just from the fans, but from the authorities as well. For those of us in the dark, the goings on at the club will continue to be a worry, especially given the inadequacies of the new regime that have been highlighted for all to see. Poor decision-making, poor PR, poor management. I see very little that has gone right for them so far.

[Balwer]

Cracking post that, the first paragraph especially.

unless Plunkett is a regular on this forum then I think his comments are probably at a fairly high level. Theoretically I agree with what he is saying, in practice however I don't. Nicko's opinion and general demeanour have changed and changed dramatically since Venkys and Kean took over. I don't know the reason for it, but denying it on principle because it's not sensible or logical doesn't make it any less true. I could speculate as to the reasons why, but it wouldn't achieve anything. As I said before, I value the information he brings to the scene that we wouldn't otherwise have access to. I don't understand however the need for a journalist to defend and berate in equal measures in a spate of about 15-20 posts over an evening regarding a football team he has no vested interest in. It's very hard to understand what the motivations are if it's not emotion-driven, as it doesn't add anything from a journalistic perspective.

[Miker]

So with £0 investment you still think we would have stayed up every season?

I think thats the ridiculous logic

We didn't need investment, we had Sam

[deftangel]

It baffles me that some people prefer to believe the word of a journalist, over the word of a lifelong fan. While nicko has made his contributions over the years, so have these other people who ACTUALLY have Blackburn close to their hearts.

People who are vehemently defending nicko are forgetting the fact that he IS a journalist. No matter what he, or anyone defending him, will say, his primary objective is to obtain information and report it to a larger audience. Where his job is to obtain scoops on transfer dealings and internal goings on, he will always try and get on the good side of people that can provide the information. His opinion on these matters can therefore never be impartial and whether what he says is right or wrong, it HAS to be taken with a grain of salt. I, nor anyone else on this board, can fully prove or disprove anything that is said in the papers. Some people are obviously getting information from other sources that is directly contradicting and at odds with what journalists like nicko have to say though.

What has been made clear is that this transfer is a really bad move and raises a lot of question marks over the club, and from what Kamy has said, it's not just from the fans, but from the authorities as well. For those of us in the dark, the goings on at the club will continue to be a worry, especially given the inadequacies of the new regime that have been highlighted for all to see. Poor decision-making, poor PR, poor management. I see very little that has gone right for them so far.

Sure. Anyone sensible would bear that in mind. Every source has an inherent bias which needs to be taken into account accordingly. That's the same for Nicko as it is for those with links to the club.

Additionally, he was quite explicit, several times in this thread about the Anderson potential signing being a stupid idea. Unless he runs down the Bolton Road with is as a placard however, some people won't want to take any notice.

[Mercer]

Nicko's opinion and general demeanour have changed and changed dramatically since Venkys and Kean took over. I don't know the reason for it, but denying it on principle because it's not sensible or logical doesn't make it any less true. I could speculate as to the reasons why, but it wouldn't achieve anything. As I said before, I value the information he brings to the scene that we wouldn't otherwise have access to. I don't understand however the need for a journalist to defend and berate in equal measures in a spate of about 15-20 posts over an evening regarding a football team he has no vested interest in. It's very hard to understand what the motivations are if it's not emotion-driven, as it doesn't add anything from a journalistic perspective.

I think that this is spot on !

[Parsonblue]

Kean in charge of the reserves when Blackman was loaned to Motherwell, wonder who contacted Brown over his availability. Sam, Anderson or Kean.

On a point of accuracy, Kean has never been in charge of the reserves at Blackburn. Iain Brunskill was the Reserve Team manager prior to stepping up to first team coach after the departure of Sam and Neil. I honestly believe that Sam contacted Brown to unload him after he had failed to impress in the pre-season friendlies. The biggest surprise to me was that we extended his contract in January. Having watched him struggle to make any impression in the Reserves, I think most of us who watch the second string on a regular basis expected him to be released at the end of the season.

[Brfcrule1]

TGM said: That's some of the most ridiculous logic I've ever read. HOW SO WITH NO INVESTMENT WE WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY BEEN RELEGATED

There is at least a 50% chance we will get relegated this year.YES THERE MIGHT BE BUT AS THE LEAGUE IS SO RIDICULOUSLY CLOSE THERE ARE OTHER TEAMS WORSE THAN US WHO ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO GO TEAMS WHO HAVE SHOWN NOT AS MUCH FIGHT

I was never a fan of the Trust but even under them we finished 10th last season. They stayed well out of the footballing side of things. THEY MIGHT HAVE DONE BUT HOW LONG REALISTICALLY DO YOU HONESTLY THINK WE COULD CARRY ON WITH ZERO INVESTMENT EVEN EXTERNAL SOURCES SAID SO.

And all the noises coming out of Ewood are that we may well not have the resources to come straight back up.HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS ACCORDING TO VARIOUS PEOPLE THEY DO HAVE THE FINANCES TO GET US BACK UP

TGM even the last manager quoted when he was on commentating the live match between us & West Brom I think with Holloway Sam quite clearly quoted the club needed to be sold he knew that before he took the job the club had stagnated under the walkers ownership thus signifying even he accepted he could not always continue pulling rabbits out of the hat he said as much and said he was sad he could not finish the job he started but accepted the club needed to be sold. Miker you state we didn't need money we had Sam even sam admitted on telly the club needed to be sold so that shoots your theory out of the water.

[Amo]

The Trust only stayed out of the footballing side because they had no designs for the club (besides offloading us ASAP). Whether Venky's acted in folly or not, at least they're proactive.

Nicko's opinions are as informed as any fan, because he can view the situation objectively whilst having the benefit of contacts within the club. If anything, it's the emotionally charged hysteria from the fans which has exploded many issues well out of proportion. I think the truth is, as usual, somewhere down the middle.

Anyway, last post for awhile. It's like Groundhog Day on here.

[Miker]

Additionally, he was quite explicit, several times in this thread about the Anderson potential signing being a stupid idea. Unless he runs down the Bolton Road with is as a placard however, some people won't want to take any notice.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but he was also quite explicit in stating that Myles Anderson had been at the club for months prior to the takeover, was signed and then loaned out (all in a secret move none of us ever knew about).

[Parsonblue]

So with £0 investment you still think we would have stayed up every season?

I think thats the ridiculous logic

Actually, if you look at the investment that Venky's made on new players in January, they have made very little difference to our present position. Roque has hardly played, Jones is hit and miss and the two young lads are still finding their feet in the Reserves with Formica looking a long way off being ready for first team football.

The existing playing staff that we had between August and December would have stayed up this season under Sam, of that I have no doubt. Money doesn't automatically guarantee you staying up. Look at what Kidd spent during the last relegation season. The key factor is having a manager who can get the most out of the resources available to him. At the moment Kean is getting less from the players than Sam did.

[rog of the rovers]

Its just like the time Venky's signed Julio Santa Cruz!

Oh wait John Williams and co did.

This thing must happen all the time, favours to friends/former colleagues.

A lad I was at school with is doing rather nicely due to his footballing contacts.

I also remember a mate from uni saying that he played with Richard Stearman at school and he wasn't that good, but his dad was filthy rich and sponsored the academy at Leicester.

Its not that I agree with the signing, but how naive do you have to be to think this is only happening at Rovers!

Other examples?

Conor Ripley (Dad a former Boro player)

Thomas Ince (Dad Paul played for Liverpool)

Darren Ferguson (Apparently got the gig at PNE thanks to his dad's racing connections with Hemmings)

Kaspar Schmeichel (A goalie named Schmeichel, enough to get you into an academy at a young age)

Pretty sure former keeper coach Hitchcock's lad plays/played for Rovers

[RovertheHill]

It baffles me that some people prefer to believe the word of a journalist, over the word of a lifelong fan. While nicko has made his contributions over the years, so have these other people who ACTUALLY have Blackburn close to their hearts.

People who are vehemently defending nicko are forgetting the fact that he IS a journalist. No matter what he, or anyone defending him, will say, his primary objective is to obtain information and report it to a larger audience. Where his job is to obtain scoops on transfer dealings and internal goings on, he will always try and get on the good side of people that can provide the information. His opinion on these matters can therefore never be impartial and whether what he says is right or wrong, it HAS to be taken with a grain of salt. I, nor anyone else on this board, can fully prove or disprove anything that is said in the papers. Some people are obviously getting information from other sources that is directly contradicting and at odds with what journalists like nicko have to say though.

What has been made clear is that this transfer is a really bad move and raises a lot of question marks over the club, and from what Kamy has said, it's not just from the fans, but from the authorities as well. For those of us in the dark, the goings on at the club will continue to be a worry, especially given the inadequacies of the new regime that have been highlighted for all to see. Poor decision-making, poor PR, poor management. I see very little that has gone right for them so far.

You are of course correct about taking things with a pinch of salt but I've formed my opinion of nicko (and others on here) based on their postings over a number of years. Some of those telling him to go away because they don't like what he has to say have been on here for 5 minutes and spent most ofbthat moaning and bitching. Who knows if they are even fans?

[Balwer]

Its just like the time Venky's signed Julio Santa Cruz!

Oh wait John Williams and co did.

This thing must happen all the time, favours to friends/former colleagues.

A lad I was at school with is doing rather nicely due to his footballing contacts.

I also remember a mate from uni saying that he played with Richard Stearman at school and he wasn't that good, but his dad was filthy rich and sponsored the academy at Leicester.

Its not that I agree with the signing, but how naive do you have to be to think this is only happening at Rovers!

Other examples?

Conor Ripley (Dad a former Boro player)

Thomas Ince (Dad Paul played for Liverpool)

Darren Ferguson (Apparently got the gig at PNE thanks to his dad's racing connections with Hemmings)

Kaspar Schmeichel (A goalie named Schmeichel, enough to get you into an academy at a young age)

Pretty sure former keeper coach Hitchcock's lad plays/played for Rovers

I don't think people disagree with the issue of nepotism in football, which is rife as you clearly point out, but the manner in which this one appears to have been executed, with the lad coming in for a trial under one manager, being sent away for not being good enough, then reappearing later on after not catching on anywhere else, particularly as he has by all accounts zero talent. If he was the same calibre of player of say a Kasper Schmeichel, and if the Anderson name wasn't so tarnished amongst Rovers fans, then it wouldn't be a big issue at all. Also the Santa Cruz thing is different as we were trying to appease a player we had signed who was actually talented, whereas we shouldn't theoretically have the same problem with JA because he's neither a Rovers player nor staff member.

[funny-old-game]

So with £0 investment you still think we would have stayed up every season?

I think thats the ridiculous logic

Yes we could have gone down at some stage, but the way the owner have come in and changed thing for the worse in such a short time we are now in great danger of going down this season, that's madness. Why or why didn't they use the rest of the season to get to understand the manager, the chairman, the way things work,and then in the close season look at changing things if they then understood the whole business. After all they say they have a long term plan, so why the ridiculous changes mid season!

[deftangel]

unless Plunkett is a regular on this forum then I think his comments are probably at a fairly high level. Theoretically I agree with what he is saying, in practice however I don't. Nicko's opinion and general demeanour have changed and changed dramatically since Venkys and Kean took over. I don't know the reason for it, but denying it on principle because it's not sensible or logical doesn't make it any less true. I could speculate as to the reasons why, but it wouldn't achieve anything. As I said before, I value the information he brings to the scene that we wouldn't otherwise have access to. I don't understand however the need for a journalist to defend and berate in equal measures in a spate of about 15-20 posts over an evening regarding a football team he has no vested interest in. It's very hard to understand what the motivations are if it's not emotion-driven, as it doesn't add anything from a journalistic perspective.

In heated debates, people take up entrenched positions, especially on messageboards. Once involved, it can be very difficult to not get sucked in deeper and deeper. I've given the board a wide berth in recent weeks and only popped back on to see what the craic is. I've now been here an hour.

This board became polarised the day Sam was sacked and a perceived change in one posters general demeanor needs to be considered in light of that, an enormous increase in uncertainty and the fractiousness of the debate. Not to mention the team's current form. You already are speculating because you are suggesting there is something tangible to it.

My shortcut to this forum has long since been a direct link to his profile so I can see his latest posts (poor form I know but the next page I visit is that of once of his most visible detractors). He's always had a fairly combative style when challenged. It's not like he didn't cop any stick back in the days of Dan Williams. Of late, we have drastically remote neighbours who are shockingly useless at communication and have made a lot of decisions that have upset a lot of people. For many here however, the most tangible manifestation of all that is Nicko himself. For better or worse, he's a higher opinion of the manager than the vast majority of us and had the temerity to say as much.

Consequently he's been badgered for his take on things a lot more, from posters in increasingly heightened emotional states given our collective concern. Has his style changed much? Perhaps, not much if you ask me but if it has, it's hardly surprising. If I'd worked hard to build up a good reputation in an online community that I attach some value to (and he must given he takes the time to post here) then being accused of being a Venky's lapdog would get my back up as well. I don't find him spending 15-20 posts in this thread attempting to clarify his position surprising at all.

[LeChuck]

I also remember a mate from uni saying that he played with Richard Stearman at school and he wasn't that good, but his dad was filthy rich and sponsored the academy at Leicester.

Aye. That's why he's playing for Wolves in the Premier League...

[deftangel]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but he was also quite explicit in stating that Myles Anderson had been at the club for months prior to the takeover, was signed and then loaned out (all in a secret move none of us ever knew about).

He mentioned it at least six weeks ago http://www.brfcs.co.uk/mb/index.php/topic/24169-transfer-window-the-aftermath/page__st__220__p__1022879#entry1022879