Pune trip

[PAFELL]

3) He was almost always wrong.

Backed Ince, was always against Sam and would come out on here over the summer and argue against people who criticised Venky's and Kean.

Must have changed his mind now no doubt though.

Or tell us to stop being negative and to get behind the club. Well I am supporting the club by saying sack Kean now.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

My kids love Rovers - not down to them being successful (in their lifetimes) or winning matches but because it's "their" team. You can't choose your team, your team chooses you. To be a fan of a club outside the top 6, you have to either come from that town or have parents/close family that do.

These kids do 'come from the town' though - that's the most is frustrating part.

[Stuart]

These kids do 'come from the town' though - that's the most is frustrating part.

Yet they don't see Rovers as their club, in their town? Then it's all about values and pride.

Where is the pride in supporting United, Chelsea, City, Arsenal? I despair of this kind of thing.

It can only be that their parents don't have much interest in football (or local pride) either. Kids at my son's school also "support" teams like Man Utd (and I'm not just talking about Asian kids) yet have never been to a football match!

It's depressing.

[Mattyblue]

You will NEVER get more than a small percentage of those of 'Asian Heritage' supporting Rovers (or any other local club), their parents 'suppott' Man United and so do they.

Alas, the plague of the 'big 4' is spreading to all creeds and colours.

Football is really starting to anger me, what a fun hobby it is!

[K-Hod]

You will NEVER get more than a small percentage of those of 'Asian Heritage' supporting Rovers (or any other local club), their parents 'suppott' Man United and so do they.

Alas, the plague of the 'big 4' is spreading to all creeds and colours.

Football is really starting to anger me, what a fun hobby it is!

Yep, in agreement here. Nothing more sickening than seeing plastic clowns wearing man united shirts in Blackburn town centre.

[Al]

Yep, I can definitely see the Steve Kean analogy there.

If that is meant to be sarcastic you have missed the point. It's about the difficulty of discussing Kean's failings with his employers whilst the plonker is sitting accross a table. Not an easy thing to do.

[rover1995]

Good luck to the lad's going, you need to go out there and make it clear to these idiots we hate them. Go to town on them.

KEAN OUT

VENKY'S OUT

[tony gale's mic]

If that is meant to be sarcastic you have missed the point. It's about the difficulty of discussing Kean's failings with his employers whilst the plonker is sitting accross a table. Not an easy thing to do.

It wasnt meant to be sarcastic. I was referring to him describing someone who claimed to be able to drive a car who didn't know where the brake was.

Anyway, on what you said, I'm sure it won't be easy. However they're getting a free trip and expenses paid and are going as representatives of the fans. It's their responsibility to make a stand of some sort.

[Tom]

Good luck to the lad's going, you need to go out there and make it clear to these idiots we hate them. Go to town on them.

KEAN OUT

VENKY'S OUT

I can tell you now that won't be happening certainly not from me.

I will say my opinions on the manager given the chance though.

[tony gale's mic]

I can tell you now that won't be happening certainly not from me.

I will say my opinions on the manager given the chance though.

It's on you as well to do everything to create that chance should it look like it won't come up.

Obviously telling them you hate them isn't the way forward but there's a happier medium.

[AllRoverAsia]

Song of Pune - 30 pieces of Chicken

Tis a sad but true story

From Ewood it came

And it tells us how Venkys

Took Rovers to shame

They plan with the council

Of Kean 'til this day

30 pieces of chicken

Was the price they did pay

30 pieces of chicken

30 pullets of shame

Was the price paid by Venkys

And Rovers were slain

C&W rhythm

[JAL]

They probable will not be permitted too. After all they are employed by the club.

Well what a fantastic golden opportunity it would be for anyone who might be wanting away from the club to refuse to go to India.

[AllRoverAsia]

A taster pic of the Prune Academy. Take your wellies.

[jim mk2]

what's Tris's veiw on it?

Two things I remember about Tris, 1) he hated me and 2) he always had a strong opinion and passionate.

If he has decided he likes Kean then he'll get good backing but if he is against him I'm sure he'd say so.

He supported Paul Ince and dismissed Sam as a "fat slug" so I'm not sure why you value his opinions so highly.

He has also backed the new owners and manager so any change of view would of course be gross hypocrisy.

[eire3382]

Venkys are business people, tell them that if KEAN is still manager, the numbers of paying customers at ewood will be down 40-50%. This has the advantage of being the truth.

[Steve Moss]

To be a fan of a club outside the top 6, you have to either come from that town or have parents/close family that do.

Not 100% accurate. It is perfectly possible to become a Rovers support and not have come from Blackburn or have close family living in Blackburn. Under that definition it is impossible for me to be a supporter as my family lives either in Fort Mohave or Phoenix, Arizona or Liberty, Pennsylvania. Though if you go back about 400 years my Moss ancestors were from Lancashire (though I don't know which part).

I started watching the Rovers under Hughes. When I needed to learn soccer (I drafted as a coach despite having 0 experience) I started following them because they were battlers and because they wore the Red Rose of Lancashire (and I knew a small bit about my English roots). More the first then the second (as 200 years of not marrying English means I'm mostly of Scandinavian, Irish and Scottish heritage). I still do, though I have no known connection to Blackburn.

I don't think I'm alone. There are many Asian supporters (in gross, as I'm sure the percentage as compared to the population ii is infinitesimal), for example. I've never laughed at Venkys' plan to grow the Rovers in India as I think it is very doable, as it is in the China, USA, Canada and Australia. But to do it they have to have a product that will resonate with the youth and some of the older folks like me; a battling soccer team, a team with character. You don't have to win the league, but you do have to fight every minute of the match. If they do that, and if they raise awareness of the team, the supporters will come.

Kean has been an abject failure in developing a club that the common man can support. If I didn't know that he was Scottish I would suspect he was French due to his surrender monkey performances followed by delusional post match analysis. Venkys need to get a clue quickly or it will be on their heads as they can't hide behind "we were taken advantage of" forever.

[tony gale's mic]

Not 100% accurate. It is perfectly possible to become a Rovers support and not have come from Blackburn or have close family living in Blackburn. Under that definition it is impossible for me to be a supporter as my family lives either in Fort Mohave or Phoenix, Arizona or Liberty, Pennsylvania. Though if you go back about 400 years my Moss ancestors were from Lancashire (though I don't know which part).

I started watching the Rovers under Hughes. When I needed to learn soccer (I drafted as a coach despite having 0 experience) I started following them because they were battlers and because they wore the Red Rose of Lancashire (and I knew a small bit about my English roots). More the first then the second (as 200 years of not marrying English means I'm mostly of Scandinavian, Irish and Scottish heritage). I still do, though I have no known connection to Blackburn.

I don't think I'm alone. There are many Asian supporters (in gross, as I'm sure the percentage as compared to the population ii is infinitesimal), for example. I've never laughed at Venkys' plan to grow the Rovers in India as I think it is very doable, as it is in the China, USA, Canada and Australia. But to do it they have to have a product that will resonate with the youth and some of the older folks like me; a battling soccer team, a team with character. You don't have to win the league, but you do have to fight every minute of the match. If they do that, and if they raise awareness of the team, the supporters will come.

Kean has been an abject failure in developing a club that the common man can support. If I didn't know that he was Scottish I would suspect he was French due to his surrender monkey performances followed by delusional post match analysis. Venkys need to get a clue quickly or it will be on their heads as they can't hide behind "we were taken advantage of" forever.

Have to say I disagree on this part. Without success on the pitch you're not going to have any appreciable level of support worldwide. That for me is the bottom line.

[jim mk2]

Don't forget the shirt - alot of fans from all over the world and other parts of Britain support Rovers because of our distinctive blue and white halves.

The Rovers shirt is of course is the best and a thing of beauty.

[Mattyblue]

ALL football clubs have supporters from outside the area, usually with am interesting story on how they ended up following that particular club. It is part of what makes football such a great game.

However, the VAST amounts on hangers on that 'support' LFC, Man Yoo and so on are simply glory hunters with a lack of backbone and they are doing untold damage to the game in this country.

[Stuart]

Have to say I disagree on this part. Without success on the pitch you're not going to have any appreciable level of support worldwide. That for me is the bottom line.

Agreed. Without success on the pitch, we can't have any appreciable level of support locally! Particularly when success for Rovers is defined by being in the top half of the League.

Was it really that long ago that we were closing on a Champions League spot with Sparky in charge. Seems like a lifetime.

[cn174]

Have to say I disagree on this part. Without success on the pitch you're not going to have any appreciable level of support worldwide. That for me is the bottom line.

I think you're right. In HK the vast majority of shirts we saw were Chelsea or Man U. There weren't even that many Liverpool shirts, but I suspect had we been to HK 10 years ago there wouldn't have been many Chelsea fans. There'll always be the odd few from places who for whatever reason support the other teams, but not in the numbers you need to make any kind of difference.

It's hardly much different to here. More people support Man U than anyone else because they win more, it is what happens.

[Steve Moss]

Have to say I disagree on this part. Without success on the pitch you're not going to have any appreciable level of support worldwide. That for me is the bottom line.

Agreed. Without success on the pitch, we can't have any appreciable level of support locally! Particularly when success for Rovers is defined by being in the top half of the League.

Was it really that long ago that we were closing on a Champions League spot with Sparky in charge. Seems like a lifetime.

I think winning leagues make it easier, but it is not necessary. If a team is known as scrappers, they'll attract supporters (and survive relegation) more so than others (except the league winner).

In my few years supporting the Rovers we've had Hughes, Ince, Allardyce and Kean. Hughes was the best by far and it is a shame the Trust did not back their up and coming manager. If you want loyalty, you give loyalty was apparently a lesson missing from their book of leadership. Next was Sam, who would have kept us top 10 and, with funds, may have cracked top 6. Then Ince and Kean. I don't distinguish between the two as I think Ince would have been as bad as Kean if he'd been given more rope to hang himself with.

Don't forget the shirt - alot of fans from all over the world and other parts of Britain support Rovers because of our distinctive blue and white halves.

The Rovers shirt is of course is the best and a thing of beauty.

Agreed. The shirt did a lot to win me over.

[Veevs]

Nice podcast there from the guys going to Pune (well two of them).. glad to hear logical and honest discussion on what it's all about, they are right banging tables and shouting get you no where with the Indian culture except for a slow boat home.

Personally I reckon that we have a chance to get a half decent fan base built up in India if it is done right.. hell we gained quite a few Ozzie and Scandinavian fans just due to the players we had, I am sure if Venkys marketed us right out there we would have a good chance of building something. You will find that it is not just about the success of these clubs.. many clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea have actually invested small fortunes in worldwide marketing, something that has not been highlighted but has brought them many international followers. The combination of advertisement, players, TV channels, the tinterweb and the level of the EPL brings in huge sums of money and fans and is growing year by year as the borders between cultures disipates.

How can any fan of football who wants to feel close to the club even begin to even consider following Rovers if we fail to cater for them.. just take two minutes of your time and look at the official websites and tell me what ManU and Chelsea have done that is different to Rovers when it comes to catering for foreign countries... and tell me what countries they have targeted and why.

[Veevs]

I think you're right. In HK the vast majority of shirts we saw were Chelsea or Man U. There weren't even that many Liverpool shirts, but I suspect had we been to HK 10 years ago there wouldn't have been many Chelsea fans. There'll always be the odd few from places who for whatever reason support the other teams, but not in the numbers you need to make any kind of difference.

It's hardly much different to here. More people support Man U than anyone else because they win more, it is what happens.

Chelsea and ManU both cater for Chinese speakers.. Liverpool suprisingly does not. Yes I know it is not as simple as that but it does go a long way towards attracting fans, success also gets you the fans without a doubt but advertising and catering for them brings an awful lot to.. I don't know about you but if I wanted to support a football team in South America would I choose one with a website etc that was also in English? Would I even know about the team if I had not seen it advertised? Hell would I even know the reputation of the teams involved in the league?

Interesting link to go along with my waffle..

[Alan75]

I didnt have any local affinity to Blackburn and there was no level of success when I started supporting the Rovers. And it wasnt even the shirt that drew me to the club.

It was all down to a free Saturday afternoon and chance visit to watch a game of football.

The passion and commitment on the field and the friendly atmosphere from the 4000 - 5000 gate made me want to visit Ewood again week in week out for nearly 40 years.

Sadly the passion and commitment on the field has been lost and the friendly family atmosphere is being erroded away.