[Archived] PROTEST!

[tcj_jones]

I think it's important that people clarify the purpose of this / a proposed protest. If it's being made against the owners, then fair enough - let's make our feelings perfectly clear. If, however, it is being made in order to pressure the owners into sacking Kean, then it's utterly pointless because there is absolutely no way a manager will be sacked five games before the end of the season.

[Claytons Left Boot]

I think the day of reckoning is approaching fast - I can't believe it hasn't happened yet. As a group of fans we must be the most passive out of the ninety two.

If we play well and avoid defeat against Citeh, I don't think there will be any problems from Rovers fans during or after the match. Folk realise that the two games after that are winable, even allowing for our abismal record at Upton Park. The final game of the season (Wolves) is also winable.

However, a bad, confidence denting defeat against Citeh added to the fact that we are already in freefall means that we will need a massive boost from somewhere to turn things round, something I feel Kean is incapable of. Don't ask me where it'll come from, TP or whoever, I don't know.

Sometimes as fans, you need to take a stand....imagine the following scenario. Two blokes from West Bromich, talking at the end of the season. (For West Bromwich you can substitute East Ham, Newcastle, Nottingham or just about anywhere)

West Brom Man No 1 : I see Blackburn went down.

West Brom Man No 2 : Yeah, got beat to City, Bolton, United and one or two others.

West Brom Man No 1 : That Kean was a bit out of his depth wasn't he?

West Brom Man No 2 : Yeah, must admit, never heard of him.

West Brom Man No 1 : Mind you, they had their chance to do something about it after the City game. There must have been some right goings on after the game, demos, protests etc?

West Brom Man No 2 : Not at all, but I believe three supporters sent in an e-mail.....

[martonrover]

Fulham (Away): Hanley Penalty = -1 Point

Blackpool (Home): Nelsen Penalty = -2 Points

Birmingham (Home): Bowyer Offside = -2 Points

Baring 3 very poor decisions in a short space of time, we would be sat in 9th place on 40 points, and with an outside chance of Europe.

I'm not using this to defend Kean in any way but I wonder how his performance as manager would have been viewed had this been the case.

It just goes to show how small the margins are in the Premiership.

Sorry but this is too simplistic.

The timing of the Fulham penalty was terminal for us but we were on the right end of 2 other good penalty shouts.

The poor decisions in the Blackpool game were evenly shared.

We still had plenty of time against Birmingham and never looked like winning.

These things do tend to go against you when you're struggling but to a large extent you make your own luck.

We simply do not look capable of winning.

[Mattyblue]

Fulham (Away): Hanley Penalty = -1 Point

Blackpool (Home): Nelsen Penalty = -2 Points

Birmingham (Home): Bowyer Offside = -2 Points

Baring 3 very poor decisions in a short space of time, we would be sat in 9th place on 40 points, and with an outside chance of Europe.

Catch yourself on, son!

[Andy]

Sorry but this is too simplistic.

The timing of the Fulham penalty was terminal for us but we were on the right end of 2 other good penalty shouts.

The poor decisions in the Blackpool game were evenly shared.

We still had plenty of time against Birmingham and never looked like winning.

These things do tend to go against you when you're struggling but to a large extent you make your own luck.

We simply do not look capable of winning.

Well said.

Too many people are putting the focus on the refereeing decisions, rather than our own incompetence to win - both as a collection of players and from a tactical/motivational point of view.

[Majiball]

If we lose and people do wish to protest please aim your anger at Kean, not Venky's.

[Rover & Out]

Sorry but this is too simplistic.

The timing of the Fulham penalty was terminal for us but we were on the right end of 2 other good penalty shouts.

The poor decisions in the Blackpool game were evenly shared.

We still had plenty of time against Birmingham and never looked like winning.

These things do tend to go against you when you're struggling but to a large extent you make your own luck.

We simply do not look capable of winning.

I agree, very simplistic evaluation but it hasn't helped our situation.

Blackpool - we deserved to win and their penalty decision was up there with the worst of the season.

Birmingham - draw was probably a fair result but can't escape the fact that Bowyer goal shouldn't have stood.

Might still be clutching at straws but it'll be a point that sends somebody down this year.

Either way, West Ham and Wolves games are huge and if we can't win one of them we deserve to go down.

[martonrover]

I agree, very simplistic evaluation but it hasn't helped our situation.

Blackpool - we deserved to win and their penalty decision was up there with the worst of the season.

Birmingham - draw was probably a fair result but can't escape the fact that Bowyer goal shouldn't have stood.

Might still be clutching at straws but it'll be a point that sends somebody down this year.

Either way, West Ham and Wolves games are huge and if we can't win one of them we deserve to go down.

Not sure I agree that we deserved to beat Blackpool. Rousing second half display but I'd say a draw was a fair result.

I would imagine if you spoke to fans of any of the other clubs in the relegation mix they would have similar claims regarding poor decisions.

I know for a fact that Blackpool have been on the receiving end of some shockers.

[Mattyblue]

If we lose and people do wish to protest please aim your anger at Kean, not Venky's.

Why should we be angry at a novice manager being incompetent?

Why should venky's be absolved?

[roverandout]

deserved to beat blackpool? what are you talking about? they could have been 4-0 up at half time if it wasnt for 2 disallowed goals, are you steve kean's P.R man?

[Majiball]

Why should we be angry at a novice manager being incompetent?

Why should venky's be absolved?

It's not about who's right and who's wrong it's about getting the people who make the decision to make one.

I have never said Venky's should be absolved, but they make the decisions.

Given how they have retreated IE no more pressers, matches, Emails and so on do you really think you'll get the reaction you want if you berate Venky's?????

I don't for one second, the next part is a point raised by Kamy. I cannot for one second with a section of our fans believe they will not turn it racist and then you've lost the battle.

So by asking people to aim it at Kean and keep it that way hopefully we can avoid the outcome that will mean Venky's react badly.

Just out of curiosity if you want something from someone do you find slagging them off etc works????

[Mattyblue]

We want them to sack Kean, will ordering them to do so have any effect?

[Majiball]

We want them to sack Kean, will ordering them to do so have any effect?

Are you in a position to be able to order them????

I'm guessing not.

So I'll ask you again do you think Venky's will do what you want if you slag them off. I'm convinced it will end up with racist chants from some and is that the press you want to see????

What sort of headlines do you think that will get us????? the kind we need? I don't and Venky's will be disgusted and they won't do what we want if that occurs.

Focus on the thing you want Kean out

You don't need to slag them off to get them bad press, a fans protest against kean will reflect on them.

[adopted scouser]

Join the club.

Excellent spot Bryan, most will have missed that. Can't be arsed with eight paragraph posts, and certainly nothing that XLM or Super arran have too offer. Kean has to go now, and if some sort of protest accelerates that then so be it. Don't describe the fans as crap, you simply do not have the right. Get shut of that unqualified clueless c**t and ship in someone else, anyone. Give the players second wind and we might have a chance "protest after we're relegated" that is f***in' genius.

[the original david brent]

If we lose and people do wish to protest please aim your anger at Kean, not Venky's.

Bullsh*t!!!

Venkys are destroying our club. They are the ones who appointed Kean. They are the ones who now wont sack him. They ridiculously sacked Big Sam. They sidelined John Williams. They have made "some of the most ludcrious decisions taken in Premier League history." (Andy Cryer - tonights LET) They havent been seen or heard in the last few weeks.

All the people on this board trying to absolve Venkys of any blame are disillusioned. I never wanted them in the first place. Dont rule out the possibility of us being the next Portsmouth...stranger things have happened.

[Tom]

Personally I think that Ince has started to wear one of those white foam latex prosthetic face masks that they use on TV, complete with bald cap, and then snuck back into Ewood under the name of Kean for a bit of revenge. Is there any other explanation?!

Kean has to go, I'm sorry but like Ince he isn't up to the job.

That said any protest would be like shooting ourselves in the foot, we'll give him an excuse to fail - "how could we win with that kind of support". The man has to go but those with the power to make it happen won't pull the trapdoor lever this season, period. The only upside of protesting is that YOU will feel better - but that's not going to get us very far is it. Get on the players backs and they'll shirk all responsibility and hide from the ball - who enjoys being screamed at?

We are probably doomed already but we still have a sluggers chance, one haymaker from left field and who knows. Please put aside all ideas of protesting at the match, do it in emails to the media, do it en masse in the close season, berate the manager if you see him on the street but please don't do it when we are fighting for our lives at the match. Our job is to be the 12th man, let's do our job and hope that they do theirs.

As an aside - and as a memory jogger to those of you who've been a Rovers supporter for a while- when ManU got relegated in 1974 they got booed off the pitch at the end of the season, the hatred from the 'fans' had me cringing. By contrast when Rovers took their drop in the 70's the Ewood faithful sang (to the tune of one man went to mow) "when one goes down we all go down together" the team actually came out to thank the crowd and ended up doing a 'lap of honor' of Ewood, they were clapped off the ground. I never felt so proud of our support.

That's what we do and that's what others don't do, because we are Blackburn Rovers and that's the kind of people we are. I'm not suggesting this team and manager should get such support, far from it, simply that we should all remember who we are and what we stand for, this is a proper club and the supporters should play no part in dragging the team down. When the seasons over let's give 'em hell but in the meantime please just think before you are tempted to act. COYB.

This is a great post and makes me want the fans to be united one way or another, I am proud to be a Rovers fan and will be no matter what league we play in, problem is Kean is causing rifts.

I truly feel if we had no manager we would be stronger as a unit than we are with him in place.

[bazza]

Its too late to replace Kean now there is only one other person who knows the squad and could save us from the drop and thats Big Sam and I cant see that happening. Hughes may be able to do it as he has worked with Samba, Nelsen, Emerton, Pedersen, Dunn, Santa Cruz and Olson before.

No need to bring Sam back (as if he would come back). Hughes is at Fulham.

Hows about Neil McDonald? Together with TP.

[roverandout]

if people are going to talk about it and not do it, whats the point? if people are serious, it has to happen, talk is cheap.

[Majiball]

Hows about Neil McDonald?

Thats a good shout. Whether he'd be willing is a different matter all together.

[sambo]

deserved to beat blackpool? what are you talking about? they could have been 4-0 up at half time if it wasnt for 2 disallowed goals, are you steve kean's P.R man?

We did stats wise. And their goals were clearly offside, and combined with the dodgy penalty, it should have been 1-0.

We deserved to win based on the second half, but only because of the rousing Samba/Nelsen half time team talk. Plus, Pool were there for the taking, they were naff second half.

Just saying, we had like 25 shots and hit the bar three times in that game! That's the one game we deserved to win, the rest we got what we deserved.

Btw, not saying Kean deserves any credit for the Blackpool game. Beating them at home should have been a formality, they're in freefall.

[Parsonblue]

If we lose and people do wish to protest please aim your anger at Kean, not Venky's.

How do you extract Kean from Venky's? Ultimately Mrs Desai sacked Sam and appointed Kean. She is the decision maker. If there is a protest against Kean, it surely must follow that the protest is saying Mrs. Desai got it wrong. In other words you are protesting against her decision.

Personally, I can't see an issue with protesting against Kean and the way in which Desai is trying to run this club. Both have brought this club to it's knees. The damage has not been done by Kean alone. Desai's decision to sack Allardyce, appoint Kean and put John Williams in a position which compelled him to leave is every bit as damaging as what Kean is doing. Kean is the puppet, but Desai pulls the strings.

[roverandout]

fair enough, but we were quiet lucky to get a goal in the last minute in injury time, as you say its a game we should win on paper if not for this nitwit, not scraping a last minute equalizer

[Majiball]

How do you extract Kean from Venky's? Ultimately Mrs Desai sacked Sam and appointed Kean. She is the decision maker. If there is a protest against Kean, it surely must follow that the protest is saying Mrs. Desai got it wrong. In other words you are protesting against her decision.

Personally, I can't see an issue with protesting against Kean and the way in which Desai is trying to run this club. Both have brought this club to it's knees. The damage has not been done by Kean alone. Desai's decision to sack Allardyce, appoint Kean and put John Williams in a position which compelled him to leave is every bit as damaging as what Kean is doing. Kean is the puppet, but Desai pulls the strings.

You don't need to slag them off to get them bad press, a fans protest against kean will reflect on them.

I am well aware of what has happened, who's role is who's and so on. You are not dealing with Brit's here and so consequently a different approach is needed as we need to appreciate their culture if we are to get what we want. I wonder how direct verbal abuse is viewed in India??? Will they take it personally??? We are too negative, we should be more positive all throughout this sorry saga there have been numerous incidents of cultural differences. We don't need more and given the comments I see scattered all over the net do you think it will stay non racist, because if your inviting and asking the Indian media then you bloody hell don't want that, trust me or google your choice. 1 chant with the often heard word at Ewood beginning with P is all it will take and it won't be headlines or comments about how unhappy we are it will be Rovers fans are racist's.

Will it be a mob or will it be a more considered action??? I favour the former as emotions will be running high and alcohol consumed by many.

You see I look at this situation and I see Venky's holding Rovers by the balls, they've shown in the past they'll write off millions and run companies down into the ground, out of business. Do you really want to ###### them off???? As you say Desai pulls the strings and she's holding our balls.

As we have both said an attack on Kean is an attack on Venky's, but there's a world of difference between a direct attack and an indirect one.

[Parsonblue]

I appreciate where you are coming from Maj, but I think you are going to struggle to maintain a protest that doesn't get at Venky's. Feelings are running high, as witnessed at Goodison on Saturday, and when the good name of Blackburn Rovers has been dragged into the gutter by Venky's, I don't think too many people are going to be concerned about respect for cultural differences.

Your point about cultural differences is well made and this was always going to be a problem. Mrs Desai and her brothers have little experience of dealing with the English media and the fact that they are ridiculed on an almost daily basis in the national Press, TV and radio, is clearly going to have shocked them.

If they bought the club as part of a global marketing operation, it has clearly blown up in their faces. In this country Venky's, as a company associated with the Rovers, is known for its crass stupidity in terms of decision making and, if we are relegated, will be branded a company that has failed. It's always difficult to put a positive spin on failure, although goodness knows Kean is beginning to make it an art form.

Personally, I remain far from convinced that the family actually knew what they were getting into and I suspect they had no idea about the financial ramifications of relegation. I think they will be more concerned about the money are about to lose if we drop into the Championship than any potential protest by fans. Ultimately, if the number crunching shows that Championship football will be a huge drain on Company resources, many suspect that Venky's will drop us in an instant, sell what they can, take the parachute payments and retreat to Pune.

[super_arran]

Let me see whether I can 'take it' in list format. Oh dear. You think you are intellectually above everyone else?

Pot, meet kettle