Pune trip

[2PAC 4 Blackburn]

What happened in India so far with the fans? Don't have time to read all pages. Can someone give me a brief? Has it all been a jolly?

[Balwer]

think we should wait till the trip is done and dusted and the pune9 have reported back before jumping to conclusions, regardless of how things appear now.

[John]

Kean out chants for the friendly?

[Tom]

think we should wait till the trip is done and dusted and the pune9 have reported back before jumping to conclusions, regardless of how things appear now.

One thing I strongly believe is everyone is allowed their own opinion without that being censored so I don't mind the comments.

However you have to remember an exert from and interview may be a different tone to the stuff on the cutting room floor.

It's not nice having your integrity called into question but that was expected and we deal with that.

Every fan wants what is best for the club, the fans over here on this trip are no different or why would they bother at all?

Some of the people here live and breathe rovers (in fact I feel an imposter next to them in supporter terms, you would be hard pressed to find a person more passionate) and you have to believe if they got the chance to express their concerns there will be no stopping them!

[chris]

I think that either Tom, Steve, Glenn or Tis need to make something happen.

Be respectfully assertive.

For Kamy have to fork out his own money to go over there when 4 respected members are there now seems uncomfortable for me.

Don't let them make a tit of you

Anywhere I can see the Granada footage?

[Kiwiwannabe]

Link to Granada piece on Pune9 The Pune story is at about 18:40 mins.

[Kamy100]

I think that either Tom, Steve, Glenn or Tis need to make something happen.

Be respectfully assertive.

For Kamy have to fork out his own money to go over there when 4 respected members are there now seems uncomfortable for me.

Don't let them make a tit of you

Anywhere I can see the Granada footage?

I don't know the other 7 but I know Ste and Glenn and they will both do everything in their power to try and talk to the owners in a constructive manner and express the concerns that fans have.

Chris, it's my choice to go out there and pay for it myself, I will not go if there is even 5% doubt that this will be a PR stunt or that I won't be able to ask the questions that I want to.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

One thing I strongly believe is everyone is allowed their own opinion without that being censored so I don't mind the comments.

However you have to remember an exert from and interview may be a different tone to the stuff on the cutting room floor.

It's not nice having your integrity called into question but that was expected and we deal with that.

Every fan wants what is best for the club, the fans over here on this trip are no different or why would they bother at all?

Some of the people here live and breathe rovers (in fact I feel an imposter next to them in supporter terms, you would be hard pressed to find a person more passionate) and you have to believe if they got the chance to express their concerns there will be no stopping them!

Fair post in my eyes Tom.

Those of you in Pune should also remember that most posts at this end are borne out of sheer bloody frustration at the owners, not yourselves.

[T4E]

Was referring to itn agenda.

You yourself must know about lots of footage and only two lines used.

You've put yourself in this position by going over there!!!!

You were warned it could happen, but you've gone anyway with no idea of itinerary or what you were getting yourselves in to. You only have yourselves to blame.

[Roost]

So he was happy enough to be filmed in front of a potential global audience, but not happy having his pic on here visited by hundreds..

He voiced his opinion and chose to be filmed. Was he asked if he wanted his picture on here.........?

[BuckyRover]

You've put yourself in this position by going over there!!!!

You were warned it could happen, but you've gone anyway with no idea of itinerary or what you were getting yourselves in to. You only have yourselves to blame.

Why didn't they listen?

The rules are there for everyone to see.

Never accept an all expenses paid trip to a foreign country, flying business class paid for by multi millionaire football owners.

(I can't believe you actually typed that T4E. It will be the trip of a lifetime. Who in their right mind would turn it down? Not going isn't going to make a difference, they would just get somebody else to go along)

[Ste B]

Fair post in my eyes Tom.

Those of you in Pune should also remember that most posts at this end are borne out of sheer bloody frustration at the owners, not yourselves.

Ours are borne out of frustration that the many good point we mentioned in many interviews didnt get over here. Make it looks like we are taking the @#/? out of you lot, when that completetly not true.

Please remember, stuff can be taken out of context, and there are a hell of a lot of press out here trying to trip us up. !

[SouthAussieRover]

You believe two lines out of at least 15 minutes of interviews.. thanks lads.

Maybe it would help if you could expand on that comment.

In partcular, what was said that wasn't reported.

It would also be beneficial for those of us who cant access UK tv online.

[Ste B]

It would also be beneficial for those of us who cant access UK tv online.

Like those in India !!

[SouthAussieRover]

Like those in India !!

Well can you expand on what was actually said in the interviews?

Or at least explain why you don't wish to expand on what was actually said?

[Ste B]

Well can you expand on what was actually said in the interviews?

Or at least explain why you don't wish to expand on what was actually said?

Well, IF you dont know what was published neither do we !

[47er]

Unbelievable. So it's a free holiday to keep the fans sweet? Pune 9, IF it is true that you won't be discussing the MAJOR problem at our football club, then you have committed the Football supporter equivalent of 'selling out.'

Its got Venkys publicity in both countries which, I'm sure is the point of the exercise. Dealing with Venkys is like squeezing wet soap. they are adept at PR.

Its our tragedy that they nothing about fooball.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Makes me laugh - all this "if I was there I wouldn't let them get away with it" rubbish.

Doesn't make any difference whether the fans that have gone over are guests - or made their own way - if the Venky's don't want to listen to what they have to say they won't.

Best approach is to be respectful - don't go shouting the odds - and hope that some form of meaningful dialogue can be had at some point. I'd be happy if one of them gets to point out to the Venky's how our full backs are always exposed - at least that way they may start to realise themselves that Kean hasn't got a grip on tactics (small acorns and all that).

Whether we like it or not - they are our owners - they can asset strip the club if they want, they can keep Kean in a job until we reach non-league and he gets bored. There is a possibility that any bad publicity may impact their thinking - but at the moment dialogue has to be the best way forward rather than confrontation. So I applaud the efforts of the fans in Pune and Kamy for trying to get a dialogue going.

[SouthAussieRover]

Well, IF you dont know what was published neither do we !

So you want us to believe that nobody, absolutely nobody,in the UK has informed you of the content of the Granada Reports coverage via text,tweet,phone, youtube etc? Someone like Mrs Tris for example...

If you don't want to expand on what was actually said in an interview, as opposed to the two lines that are purported to have to been reported, then be honest and say so.

Suffice to say enjoy your holiday and have a safe trip.

How's the local curry by the way?

[BRFC1995]

i pray we lose the match to the indians, heavily would be good.

sure kean would say travel/heat/food etc but the pr disaster would be glorious and hopefully wake up the no marks in charge as to how unbelievably bad we are, or conversely they'd ship all the indian players here and insist kean plays them

[Glenn]

because, like Glenn, he has 'diplomatic immunity'.

F**K that.It's a technical limitation of the software .I genuinely hate you can't vte up/down ,y posts

think we should wait till the trip is done and dusted and the pune9 have reported back before jumping to conclusions, regardless of how things appear now.

... and from villian to hero in one thread

We have LOTS of media out here trying to stitch us up. If the Raos want my opinions, they can (and should) get them from ME, not the India Times or Grananda Chuffin Reports (and on that, yes, we did meet Venkatash today, at the temple he built, on the start of the holiday he views as exceptionally important. After briefly exchanging pleasantries about the weather, our main concern was whether we'd see him at other events (which he said we will) rather than tearing him a new one a new one at his place of worship of a significant religious day.

I have LOTS of talk about when I get back, but so far, I actually feel for the club, as for the first time I feel for them in dealing with the media. Most of them just want a sensational headline, not a story (at a Rovers community event, asking "So what do you think of Venky's sacking Aladyce", is stupid). Some of us may even choose to answer it if we'd thought they'd report past the headline.

As for what I've seen today ..... hundreds on Indian kids genuinely enthusing about Rovers, screaming for the autograph of any player that would come near them ... sadly I don't think you'll see that side of the things on UK TV

[47er]

Interesting letter from the LT I thought (under a photo of the "Pune 9") :

showbiz says...

10:19am Wed 5 Oct 11

Hmmmmm...

I know a couple of these (Haworth & Duckworth) and it's safe to say they fall into the 'Rovers Fan' camp.

There's more chance of Steve Kean growing hair than there is of either of them saying anything negative to Venky's about the current situation.

A waste of time methinks...

[SouthAussieRover]

Well Glenn, have a +1 from me for your answer

[glen9mullan]

Was referring to itn agenda.

You yourself must know about lots of footage and only two lines used.

You clearly stated it was "My agenda", Why would ITV Have an agenda? They are there at great expense to report the news,

You are right about 30 minute interviews being cut to 15 seconds, but you guys should of known when going in front of the camera that what you said they would report, Although you personally have not been on the TV giving interviews and no-one else bar the chairperson and Venkatash Rao has. This is how its being reported here, not sure how its being reported on TV there, but every Indian article on net, mirror images this, a draws a picture that Steve Kean is the golden child.

Granada said they will have more tomorrow, We will wait with baited breath.

If what the chairperson said is true that you won't be discussing football issue's, then why have you flown 5000 miles to talk about smoke alarms in the toilets at the Blackburn End?

Just asking

[Glenn]

So you want us to believe that nobody, absolutely nobody,in the UK has informed you of the content of the Granada Reports coverage via text,tweet,phone, youtube etc? Someone like Mrs Tris for example...

If you don't want to expand on what was actually said in an interview, as opposed to the two lines that are purported to have to been reported, then be honest and say so.

Suffice to say enjoy your holiday and have a safe trip.

How's the local curry by the way?

Correct, as far as I know, we're going completely of this tread (and a text in response to the LT pic accusing a couple of our number as being Rovers Fans).

Between the group we must have done 20 interviews today. Over dinner we discussed the "can't talk football accusation" trying to work out which out of context comment it could have come from. We're still not sure.

But, for sticklers for details & full disclosure ....... we unexpectedly met Venkatesh at at the temple today, he seemed a nice bloke based on on very brief (3 sentence) exchange of pleasantries. His temple is nice and very popular (and an atheist, it's tricky to see it any other way) .... I burnt the soles of my feet, but at this stage I'll not lay blame at the owners for that.

At the Roverstar tournament Belaji chatted with Roversmum/dad for a couple of minutes and shook Ste B's hand. I assume nothing of consequence was said. Sadly I didn't manage to blag the number nine shirt of the Pune team's striker, as I'd love to wear a shirt emblazoned with "Pune 9" on the back, just to see how many people could front me in real life. P.S. Put your money on Migel Salgardo playing for Spain before he's 18. The kids got skills.

We hope tomorrows game brings more opportunities to interact

This trip has been a real eye opener, but not for the reasons I anticipated. But it's 4:08am and I have to be up at 9am for another event.

Sleep tight and don't always believe the press (unless it's Kam ).