[Archived] Cant raise any enthusiasm at the moment

[heysham rover]

The last month or so I have seriously been struggling to rouse any enthusiasm or optimism. I feel like a dog about to be put down. I have found the whole situation of the past month depressing, I dont think this board helps to be honest, it feels to be a rising tidal wave of negativity which I am afraid spreads and breeds in my case apathy. I feel as if I am awaiting the inevitable, incapable to stop this impending doom.

The strange thing is in my heart of hearts I dont think we are that bad, there are far worse teams in the league and dont for one minute believe half of the bordering on illuminati conspiracy theories on here. So I have come to the conclusion that the overwhelming barrage of negativity on here has brought on this almost depressive state with regards the Rovers. We need to put aside personal feelings and support the one thing that is important 'Blackburn rovers', not the players, owners, managers who are all disposable, support what it is a wonderful and traditional club. Support the ideal, the 'arte' and the 'labore'.

[gumboots]

The last month or so I have seriously been struggling to rouse any enthusiasm or optimism. I feel like a dog about to be put down. I have found the whole situation of the past month depressing, I dont think this board helps to be honest, it feels to be a rising tidal wave of negativity which I am afraid spreads and breeds in my case apathy. I feel as if I am awaiting the inevitable, incapable to stop this impending doom.

The strange thing is in my heart of hearts I dont think we are that bad, there are far worse teams in the league and dont for one minute believe half of the bordering on illuminati conspiracy theories on here. So I have come to the conclusion that the overwhelming barrage of negativity on here has brought on this almost depressive state with regards the Rovers. We need to put aside personal feelings and support the one thing that is important 'Blackburn rovers', not the players, owners, managers who are all disposable, support what it is a wonderful and traditional club. Support the ideal, the 'arte' and the 'labore'.

If reading this board depresses you, stop reading. get out, get a life and only think of Rovers when you have to. Don't watch the match on Saturday unless you've paid to go, then get to Ewood if you can on the following Saturday and cheer like mad.

[heysham rover]

I have stayed away to be honest however its a great place for Rovers information, probably more informed than most places. I work in football admin at elite level so struggle to escape at the moment too, its constantly there in your face. I have to be at the game on Saturday due to a work commitment, would have loved to be at any other game but no they choose that one, I was at an england U16 game last night and had to listen to it.

I wondered if it was just me feeling this way, there does seem to be a genuine negativity about anything Rovers related.

[gumboots]

I have stayed away to be honest however its a great place for Rovers information, probably more informed than most places. I work in football admin at elite level so struggle to escape at the moment too, its constantly there in your face. I have to be at the game on Saturday due to a work commitment, would have loved to be at any other game but no they choose that one, I was at an england U16 game last night and had to listen to it.

I wondered if it was just me feeling this way, there does seem to be a genuine negativity about anything Rovers related.

apart from our resident optimists, we're all pretty negative around here, but we keep going

[Tom]

I have felt the same all season to be honest, and only the Burnley games last season were highlights.

Also recently I have been focussing on other things in my life that are infinitely more important.

Still can't wait for a week on Saturday I just don't look forward to games with as much vigour at the moment as passionate about the club as I am.

I think a lot of it recently is a real worry for the future but the Premier League in general is just a bit dull at times.

[heysham rover]

I think working in football has its draw backs for a fan as I have found I become a bit desensitized at times but still the negativity and general lack of anything remoted optimistic at Rovers over the past year or two is bloody depressing.

[gumboots]

I have felt the same all season to be honest, and only the Burnley games last season were highlights.

Also recently I have been focussing on other things in my life that are infinitely more important.

Still can't wait for a week on Saturday I just don't look forward to games with as much vigour at the moment as passionate about the club as I am.

I think a lot of it recently is a real worry for the future but the Premier League in general is just a bit dull at times.

Since daughter Em started working at the BBC, reporting on the lower league matches, we've watched a lot more lower league ourselves, and I have to admit that Chesterfield Rotherham 5-0 was a cracker. The football seems much more fun in the lower leagues. I'm not advocating Rovers go there before anyone accuses me of that, but the teams down there do often display a far more exciting attitude to the game. Obviously, the skill factor is often lacking but you genuinely feel that they are playing because they know that while they can do it it's a better deal than most jobs, and they'd better enjoy it while they can.

[John]

Know where you are coming from certainly in relation to our current situation however we did receive a lot of credit after finishing 10th last season.

I thought our end to the season, in particular, was fantastic and the pride did return.

[heysham rover]

Gumboots, through work I watch a fair bit of lower league football too, its great. Proper football, thoroughly enjoying. My father works for a sports management company and has a large number of lg 1 & 2 players so we go watch them at times, its a totally different set up and feeling to at times lifeless corporate prem football.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I've felt this since Sparky left. A slow and painful decline which has resulted in us being in a really dire situation.

But what can you do?

[cruz]

I don't think it helps when home games have been so scarce. Missed the Blackpool game due to a holiday that was planned before the fixtures came out so the last match I saw was the depressingly dire Newcastle game which was hot on the heels of the diabolic Wigan mudbath.

Hopefully a good win at the Emirates and spanking Brum will help lift my malaise

[roverwhelmed]

I am struggling too at the moment. I can't identify with the owners and can't make sense of their decisions. I can't believe in the manager (although I wanted him to do well, as it'd mean Rovers were doing well). I feel sick when I think of what is going on and the inability to change things or make any difference to the catastrophe unfolding before our very eyes. I don't want to watch. I can't imagine ever being won over by Venky's, and when Desai said they would be the owners 'forever' I winced and desperately hope they change their minds.

But I feel more passion for our club, our history and heritage, my fellow Rovers supporters, and our team than I have ever had.

It can get a bit depressing at times on this forum, but I'm really glad it exists because I know I'm not alone in my concerns and for feeling pretty downbeat about our current predicament.

[dr_awol]

The last month or so I have seriously been struggling to rouse any enthusiasm or optimism. I feel like a dog about to be put down. I have found the whole situation of the past month depressing, I dont think this board helps to be honest, it feels to be a rising tidal wave of negativity which I am afraid spreads and breeds in my case apathy. I feel as if I am awaiting the inevitable, incapable to stop this impending doom.

The strange thing is in my heart of hearts I dont think we are that bad, there are far worse teams in the league and dont for one minute believe half of the bordering on illuminati conspiracy theories on here. So I have come to the conclusion that the overwhelming barrage of negativity on here has brought on this almost depressive state with regards the Rovers. We need to put aside personal feelings and support the one thing that is important 'Blackburn rovers', not the players, owners, managers who are all disposable, support what it is a wonderful and traditional club. Support the ideal, the 'arte' and the 'labore'.

We have only played two games in the last month, one draw and lost one to a last min pen.

the only thing that bothers me it that rovers have not really had the chance to prove ourself with the lack of games to put things right.

your last paragraph is spot on

[DE.]

I was OK until Venky's sacked Allardyce and replaced him with Kean. I've been struggling to feel anything approaching optimism in any way since, and I probably feel as low now as I did when Ince was in charge. At least with Ince there was time to fix the problem, now I have a horrible feeling that there isn't enough time left and that we're going to rely on others screwing up to keep us in the league. I genuinely don't feel like this team has another win in them at the moment.

For what it's worth I've never really had faith in the majority of our players since Sparky left, and have always felt they'd need a strong manager behind them else they'd drop down the league like a stone. And so that has been when we've had two weak managers (Ince, now Kean). We had a manager in Allardyce, love him or hate him, who was strong enough and intelligent enough to get the best out of our limited options. Kean isn't in the same managerial league and the players aren't good enough to stay in the league with a poor/average manager at the helm.

Allardyce was not the messiah, but he was exactly the type of manager these players needed. Without a strong manager we are relegation fodder... Venky's overestimated our squad and are paying the price for that. I hope they get the chance to rectify their mistake in the summer, and I hope we're in the Premier League during that rectification. If not... it could be a long time til we see top flight football again, but I wouldn't feel any great sadness over the majority of our current squad leaving.

[John]

I was OK until Venky's sacked Allardyce and replaced him with Kean. I've been struggling to feel anything approaching optimism in any way since, and I probably feel as low now as I did when Ince was in charge. At least with Ince there was time to fix the problem, now I have a horrible feeling that there isn't enough time left and that we're going to rely on others screwing up to keep us in the league. I genuinely don't feel like this team has another win in them at the moment.

For what it's worth I've never really had faith in the majority of our players since Sparky left, and have always felt they'd need a strong manager behind them else they'd drop down the league like a stone. And so that has been when we've had two weak managers (Ince, now Kean). We had a manager in Allardyce, love him or hate him, who was strong enough and intelligent enough to get the best out of our limited options. Kean isn't in the same managerial league and the players aren't good enough to stay in the league with a poor/average manager at the helm.

Allardyce was not the messiah, but he was exactly the type of manager these players needed. Without a strong manager we are relegation fodder... Venky's overestimated our squad and are paying the price for that. I hope they get the chance to rectify their mistake in the summer, and I hope we're in the Premier League during that rectification. If not... it could be a long time til we see top flight football again, but I wouldn't feel any great sadness over the majority of our current squad leaving.

Very good post - I was always of the view we need a solid management/good team because our players are fairly limited. When I say management team I am referring to the assistant manager & coaching staff too.

I have the same feeling over the manager which are similar to Ince.

Also, all the new contracts offered in a short period of time in January, for me, all seemed a little fake. In a way, it was like trying to buy respect for the manager (most of the seniors were close to the previous management team hence their comments post sacking). I know money talks for players however a winning mentality needs, primarily, to come from the manager and we look pretty rudderless at the moment.

[MarkBRFC71]

I think a lot of it recently is a real worry for the future but the Premier League in general is just a bit dull at times.

Couldn't agree more. The Premier League has just become a dull, overhyped, soulless procession. Too much money in the game these days, and it's become a business first and a sport second in the top tier. Most leagues in Europe are suffering the same problems too in terms of predictability when it comes to the Champs League places, but in La Liga at least all the teams by and large try and play football - in the Prem it's survival above all else for 12 teams at the start of the season and it's become the norm to focus on stopping the opposition playing first, then trying to nick a goal if possible second. All adds up to hugely dull matches and joyless averageness is seen as good as it probably means survival. Football is dying a slow death for me.

[Gav]

Couldn't agree more. The Premier League has just become a dull, overhyped, soulless procession. Too much money in the game these days, and it's become a business first and a sport second in the top tier.

Football is dying a slow death for me.

I concur, the only games I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed in recent times are the European games, seems a million miles away now!

Last time I actually consistently enjoyed going down to Ewood was when Bellamy played, he was exciting and good to watch, but since then its been dull for the reason documented above and before he came it was dull as dishwater.

I have similar feelings towards the national side, I was an avid fan going home and away for years, but now the players couldn’t care less. If any of the current crop had half the passion of Stuart Pearce we’d have a chance, but money and status is all they’re interested in, tossers the lot of them.

[Mattyblue]

All I care about is the club, the rest of it does nothing for me.

[jim mk2]

Enthusiasm is the wrong emotion with regards to Rovers at present - more a dull, sick feeling in the stomach every time I think of the club and events over the past 4 months. I try hard to put Rovers to the back of my mind but it keeps coming back, the feeling of inevitability about our fate, anger at the stupidity of it all and the overwhelming feeling of helplessness keep gnawing away. Enthusiasm is for enthusiasts, love of a football club goes much deeper.