[Archived] PROTEST!

[Baz]

If a protest is to take place, I hope those fans choose to do so after the game and not during. Whilst the game is being played, the fans should 100% get behind the team. I'm far from happy at the current manager and owners, but the results in the next few games could have massive consequences for the club.

In terms of the protest, maybe there should be something a bit unique and attention grabbing to it. Rangers fans demonstrated about a 6pm weekday kick-off by kicking their own balls onto the pitch to delay the kick-off, Liverpool fans had a pre-game march through the local area to protest about lack of funds from their owners, and one teams fans spent (i think) the first couple of minutes of the game stood with their back to the pitch.

People stood chanting wouldnt make the same impact publicity wise, which seems to be most peoples purpose in affecting change.

[Majiball]

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.

Well having read back through our conversation, I think we've made a pretty good case for not having one.

Baz's idea is a good one and would avoid temptation.

[Mc Love]

I think that if the club is relegated, then it wont be like their little film venture that they dumped, it will a PR disaster for their company if they decide to jump ship and as far as I can see Venkys are being ridiculed across the Irish & British Isles with regard the running of the club, if not further afield

[Glenn]

If people were serious about protesting (and I'm firmly in the "frankly, why bother" camp), there is a very obvious time and place to do it, where it would only take a handful of people to grab the attention of a lot of press, where Kean would be present as well as journos.

[colin]

Looks like we are all in agrrement (sort of) that a protest would be a bit problematic. However our last ten games really spell it out & Kean is clearly out of his depth

2-2 H L 0-1 Tottenham

5-2 A L 3-4 Wigan

12-2 H D 0-0 Newcastle

26-2 A L 1-4 Aston Villa

5-3 A L 2-3 Fulham

19-3 H D 2-2 Blackpool

2-4 A D 0-0 Arsenal

9-4 H D 1-1 Birmingham

16-4 A L 0-2 Everton

A comment in today's papers was Kean said that his side had been "excellent" in the first half and that they could have made the final minutes "interesting" had Morten Gamst Pedersen not missed a glorious chance following a mix-up between Baines and Phil Jagielka. Pedersen's shot was the visitors' one opportunity of note all afternoon. A Blackburn player did not touch the ball in the Everton penalty area until the 43rd minute. "Before this we had gone three games unbeaten so it depends what way you look at it," said the Rovers manager. "I know we hadn't won any of those, but we were focused on the little bit of momentum we had. Going to the Emirates and getting a point, getting a point against Birmingham, we were just chipping away. Now we've got two games back to back at home and we've been great at home. We can go and take big steps instead of little ones. We've only lost seven games out of 41 or 42 at Ewood, we're in very good form there."

Looks like Kean is on pints of Happy Juice with cocaine & ecstasy chasers if he's happy with our current form. He's probably been of a "Facing The Media" course and is in complete & utter denial.

It's like Ince all over again.

There's a good e-mail to football365.com here which interrupts the usual Sky 4 posts. (Scroll down a bit to find it.) I've no idea who Matthew Stanger in Edinbugh is be he makes some good points. It's worth a read.

[BangkokRover]

A Rare Mail On Blackburn

As a Blackburn Rovers fan I'm well aware of how 'unfashionable' we are as a club, but hear me out for two minutes of your Monday morning. How you feel towards your team is how I feel towards mine, so I want to put across a fan's perspective on Blackburn's current plight. Basically I'm sick of reading what certain sections of the media have to say about us, it's careless journalism to grow a few extra column inches and it doesn't tell the true story on what is happening and what could potentially happen if we go down (and if you don't think we will, just compare our remaining fixtures to the other teams down there - it's a distinct possibility).

Firstly, I'll get Steve Kean out of the way. He seems like a reasonable man and his footballing philosophy is refreshing when compared to predecessor Sam Allardyce. The only problem is, my mother's footballing philosophy ("Get it down on the deck boys!") is refreshing compared to Allardyce's, it doesn't mean she could manage a Premier League team (although if Sandra's ever injured Harry, she can take a brilliant penalty). To put it simply, Steve Kean shouldn't be in charge. He's never managed anyone before, to start in the Premier League was asking a hell of a lot. In no way do I blame him for taking the job, he'd have been a fool not to, but his record speaks for itself. Since Big Sam's sacking on December 13th, when Kean was put in charge, our league record is P16, W3, D5, L8. On Saturday we equalled a club record of ten games without a win - we are in freefall.

To be honest, I was all for Allardyce going. He was such a deluded and arrogant manager who patronised the fans and clearly felt the club was beneath him. The problem for Sam is that no one likes his particular brand of hoofball. No one expects their team to play like Barcelona, but it's always nice to dream that one might bear witness to five successful passes in a row. The reason Allardyce left is clear - he's more unfashionable than the club itself, he harms the brand potential and new owners don't want that. Also, Venky's supposedly had a big party in India to celebrate their new purchase (/play thing/ toy/ temporary interest) and were completely and utterly embarrassed as TV screens at the shindig showed live footage of United thrashing us 7-1. Where's your North Korea style streaming delays when you want them?

To replace Allardyce was the right decision, but maybe not the right timing. Most fans question why he wasn't kept on until the end of the season when a new manager could've been given the luxury of a full pre-season to put across his ideas to the players. For me, the answer is that Allardyce was using the media to put pressure on Venky's to back him in the transfer window. There was talk of Santa Cruz returning in January, along with David Bentley and several others and Big Sam was rubbing his hands in expectation. Venky's didn't care to provide their hard-earned funds (those chickens take some looking after) to a manager they ultimately didn't want. Fair enough.

The problem for Venky's though is that they put all their eggs in one basket - Jerome Anderson the 'super agent', without realising (due to their limited knowledge "I've watched a few games on TV" of football) that parasites of this particular kind like to kill football clubs, with barely a single mention of their name in the papers, on the web, on TV or even whispered on the old wireless. Jerome's son, Myles Anderson is our latest signing and he's only ever played two minutes of professional football, Steve Kean is also on their books - while the fans suffer as their beloved club is brought to its knees. The greatest trick the devil ever played was to convince the world he didn't exist. Well he does folks, and he's filling his boots at BRFC.

This is our tenth season in a row in the Premier League and we've had plenty to cheer about over the years - 6 Top Ten finishes (including two sixth-placed), a League Cup trophy, four European campaigns and some cracking players to watch (Benni McCarthy (before he got fat), Santa Cruz (before he got sh*t) and Keith Andrews to name a few). Go back a few years further and we had a Premier League championship to celebrate. So grumbling about relegation might seem a bit rich - the ebb and flow of success means we're due a bit of hardship. What I worry about is what would happen if we go down.

There's no one left to clear up the mess. Kean is a Yes Man - Jerome Anderson's wet dream. He will do whatever he's told, and currently that seems to be to not play top goalscorer Niko Kalinic despite how shocking Jason Roberts is. Former chairman John Williams, the man who brought in the cheapest season tickets in the Premier League and froze the price year after year, has gone following the takeover and Allardyce's sacking. We currently have no chairperson. Venky's are based in India and never come to visit. No one has a clue as to who is in charge and what is going on. If we are relegated, Venky's will probably consider asset-stripping to recoup as much money as possible. So here we are, 30,000 fans waiting for the ###### to hit the fan. Waiting for all the miserable Sky Sports news reports afforded to Portsmouth last year. Waiting for Myles Anderson to make his debut.

Matthew Stanger, Edinburgh

[blue_and_white]

Well paragraphs 2 and 3 are a load of garbage but he's got a point on the rest of it. Still amusing to see some fans proudly stating their support of the most disastrous sacking in the club's history, with only a grudging admission that we maybe should have waited another 5 months before doing it. Utterly clueless but at least they're honest.

[jim mk2]

Poor piece by Matthew Stanger ( who he - ed ?) with some silly comments about Sam Allardyce that could have written by some of the idiots on here.

[Guest roverspogges]

whats the point? They don't give a **** anyway and nothing will change. Go bark at the moon you will have more luck.

[BangkokRover]

Poor piece by Matthew Stanger ( who he - ed ?) with some silly comments about Sam Allardyce that could have written by some of the idiots on here.

Jim you seemed to have mellowed since you holiday please tell us what you really think!

[Mattyblue]

It's claptrap like those early paragraphs that so infruriates me.

Openly mocking a manager that had done so much for us, a manager once again looking at a top half finish.

To still be spouting such utter @#/? now after watching us hurtle towards oblivion is unreal.

Folk like that are a disgrace to the fanbase.

[TimmyJimmy]

I've met Kean, he's a very nice guy, by all accounts he is also a top top coach. I'm sorry to use harsh words but as a manager he's a buffoon. The 'use your anger' speech is about as inspiring as 'feel the force Luke' and belongs in the school playground, he's out of ideas and someone else should step into the tactical fray. So much is obvious to all of us.

You'll hate me for saying this (yet again) and I'm prepared to take all the abuse on the chin, but there is good stuff going on behind the scenes that we will all approve of - but yes I cannot say what it is just yet. Suffice it to say that alternatives to all angles of this 'problem' have been tackled with some very radical solutions being proposed. Actions you'll like both for the short term and the long term.

Yet all depends on us surviving in the Premier League so for this reason alone we absolutely MUST support the team and NOT protest during the match. The same goes for all the remaining matches this year. I cannot say it more plainly - if we protest and knock the players confidence we will be truly shooting ourselves in the foot.

I know from painful experience that you despise this 'I'm in the know stuff' but please trust me on this, protesting may do irreparable damage to the thing you hold most dear. There are at last some grounds for optimism. The games afoot. Let's get down to the matches and do what we do best - we simply must drag the team over the finishing line. Turns out the cavalry is coming after all Jisty.

Please no protests.

<Cue the flaming>

[Mattyblue]

I'm not going to flame you TJ, BPF has said something on similar lines and by God I hope you are right.

However, with Kean kept in charge THE OWNERS are endangering our PL survival and all these supposed plans, not us.

[PAFELL]

I've met Kean, he's a very nice guy, by all accounts he is also a top top coach. I'm sorry to use harsh words but as a manager he's a buffoon. The 'use your anger' speech is about as inspiring as 'feel the force Luke' and belongs in the school playground, he's out of ideas and someone else should step into the tactical fray. So much is obvious to all of us.

You'll hate me for saying this (yet again) and I'm prepared to take all the abuse on the chin, but there is good stuff going on behind the scenes that we will all approve of - but yes I cannot say what it is just yet. Suffice it to say that alternatives to all angles of this 'problem' have been tackled with some very radical solutions being proposed. Actions you'll like both for the short term and the long term.

Yet all depends on us surviving in the Premier League so for this reason alone we absolutely MUST support the team and NOT protest during the match. The same goes for all the remaining matches this year. I cannot say it more plainly - if we protest and knock the players confidence we will be truly shooting ourselves in the foot.

I know from painful experience that you despise this 'I'm in the know stuff' but please trust me on this, protesting may do irreparable damage to the thing you hold most dear. There are at last some grounds for optimism. The games afoot. Let's get down to the matches and do what we do best - we simply must drag the team over the finishing line. Turns out the cavalry is coming after all Jisty.

Please no protests.

<Cue the flaming>

Point taken about protests - as you say the team and safety in the prem is what is important. As you say there is good news about that is dependant on club staying in the premiership.

I was one for protests - but those can wait. Now I am opposed to protests until another time.

I am aware of the reasons for having to remain silent about certain things. along with yourself I say to all on here.

NO PROTEST,

BACK THE TEAM -

SHOUT FOR EM,

SING FOR EM -

EVERY SINGLE MATCH

[TimmyJimmy]

I'm not going to flame you TJ, BPF has said something on similar lines and by God I hope you are right.

However, with Kean kept in charge THE OWNERS are endangering our PL survival and all these supposed plans, not us.

You have it exactly right Mattyblue, we all know where the blame lays, no arguments.

I'm asking only that we focus on the things we can affect. The stuff you have heard about is I'm sure on the same track as my 'hints'. There's more than one way to skin a cat, there's a work-around to every situation. The background activity is I think very exciting but depends to a tremendous degree on our survival. Nothing can be allowed to get in the way of this. Blame is for later, right know I implore everyone to have a bit of faith and do what we can do to drag that extra effort out of the players .

We don't have to win the City game so let's not panic and stay focussed and do our job for the rest of this season. If we survive then I believe we will be happy on more than one level.

[Olveres]

If a protest is to take place, I hope those fans choose to do so after the game and not during. Whilst the game is being played, the fans should 100% get behind the team. I'm far from happy at the current manager and owners, but the results in the next few games could have massive consequences for the club.

In terms of the protest, maybe there should be something a bit unique and attention grabbing to it. Rangers fans demonstrated about a 6pm weekday kick-off by kicking their own balls onto the pitch to delay the kick-off, Liverpool fans had a pre-game march through the local area to protest about lack of funds from their owners, and one teams fans spent (i think) the first couple of minutes of the game stood with their back to the pitch.

People stood chanting wouldnt make the same impact publicity wise, which seems to be most peoples purpose in affecting change.

I can see the mountains of confiscated frozen chickens by the turnstiles already!!!!!!

[davulsukur]

I've met Kean, he's a very nice guy, by all accounts he is also a top top coach. I'm sorry to use harsh words but as a manager he's a buffoon. The 'use your anger' speech is about as inspiring as 'feel the force Luke' and belongs in the school playground, he's out of ideas and someone else should step into the tactical fray. So much is obvious to all of us.

You'll hate me for saying this (yet again) and I'm prepared to take all the abuse on the chin, but there is good stuff going on behind the scenes that we will all approve of - but yes I cannot say what it is just yet. Suffice it to say that alternatives to all angles of this 'problem' have been tackled with some very radical solutions being proposed. Actions you'll like both for the short term and the long term.

Yet all depends on us surviving in the Premier League so for this reason alone we absolutely MUST support the team and NOT protest during the match. The same goes for all the remaining matches this year. I cannot say it more plainly - if we protest and knock the players confidence we will be truly shooting ourselves in the foot.

I know from painful experience that you despise this 'I'm in the know stuff' but please trust me on this, protesting may do irreparable damage to the thing you hold most dear. There are at last some grounds for optimism. The games afoot. Let's get down to the matches and do what we do best - we simply must drag the team over the finishing line. Turns out the cavalry is coming after all Jisty.

Please no protests.

<Cue the flaming>

Alot of this cloak and dagger stuff is part of the problem, not having a go at you, but the serious lack of communication from the owners to the fans is causing major problems. You might have inside info and i am not asking for you to divulge this info, but most fans have nothing go on but what they read in the papers or on the internet, and at the moment all we know is that our club is a sinking ship with a very bleak looking future.

It's only natural that fans will want to protest against the current manager etc. If a protest was done in a decent manner, in a well organised way i wouold see no problem with it. Emails and letters that can be deleted, binned and ignored by the owners are going to do nothing, as they will not take them seriously. They cannot ignore a protest, certainly if its picked up by the media.

[Andy]

But that is the point - if Kean stays, we're almost certain for relegation.

So if Venky's have great plans depending on survival in the Premiership, it makes sense for them to take action to give us the best chance of staying up.

That best chance s getting rid of Kean.

[davulsukur]

It's looking that way Andy. Not sure why Venkys would want to wait and see what happens either.

[TimmyJimmy]

But that is the point - if Kean stays, we're almost certain for relegation.

So if Venky's have great plans depending on survival in the Premiership, it makes sense for them to take action to give us the best chance of staying up.

That best chance s getting rid of Kean.

Who said anything about Venkys having the great plans Andy?

This 'in the know' stuff creeps people out I know but whilst you don't know me from Adam I urge you to trust me on this one. The prime directive has to be that we survive this year, nothing must get in the way - then - well good things come to those who wait. Kean is NOT going this year so we need a Plan B, protesting will do nothing constructive in this regard.

If I wasn't convinced about these off stage goings-on I'd be the first to call for someone to be strung up from a lamppost by the scrotum. No one is more angry than me I promise you but this is the time to encourage the team and not a time to give anyone an excuse to underperform.

Protesting and p!ssing on one's chips amount to one and the same thing in this context. Again I urge everyone to get behind the team at every match and not to protest.

I remember once before warning on here that JW would be ejected and I also remember getting upset with other posters for not reacting early enough to maybe do something about it - that's all past now and is water under the bridge - but this is another of those situations, at the risk of sounding even more pompous and self-righteous I'm asking that we all show a bit of trust, we now have a chance to positively influence something that we all want. This is much better than having an after the event a drains-up and blame-fest. In the end it comes down to your instinct and I hope that all of us make the right call on this. We're all tugging on the same rope Andy we just need to make sure that we're all tugging in the same direction.

If you feel the need to PM me then please do.

[rubecula]

Do protests of this kind actually achieve very much? I am having trouble remembering any that did.

[SergioPeter89]

If Rovers are going to have an open training session on Ewood this week, why dont we all go down there and support the team? Cant think about anything better to help the players morale, than to meet up in hundreds or even thousands, at a training session. That might also show Venkys how passionate we are about this club.

[Hughesy]

Todays LT

Douglas - THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR PROTESTS

Douggie is worried but says focus needs to be on survival, not protests.

[brian_gallagher85]

Whilst I hope to god that you are right on this one Timmy I still believe that the fans who pay their money week in week out (as a season ticket holder I'd like to think I can include myself in the above) have a right to vent their frustrations.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Todays LT

Douglas - THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR PROTESTS

Douggie is worried but says focus needs to be on survival, not protests.

So when is? When we go down under Kean? When it's too late?