Pune trip

[Tom]

Weird, this is 2077 for me :S

I respect what the pune9 have done. But for me, it is still down to venky's to convince me. Words are great, but actions are better. It is down to them to prove their words.

[Steve Moss]

Fair enough my 'spineless' friend.

I said I wouldn't post again on this thread but you've taken advantage of that to start it up again.

Put the word "spineless" in the context I put it. Then read your own post 2203 and see if it fits.

You go all the way to India to speak for us but you're embarrassed about speaking in front of certain staff so you don't press the point!-------- your own words.

When it came to it, you couldn't do what was required on behalf of all of us because you didn't have the guts---but you mock the protesters who do have the guts.

Now---I don't care what else you have to say, that is it from me on you.

I took spineless to mean that when the opportunity arose, you threw an ambiguous softball instead of making a to the point inquiry. On the other hand, I can see how you would interpret that as an insult, as opposed to a comment on your decision, not you personally.

Contrariwise, there is nothing ambiguous about the insults you've heaped on the supposed tremblers, the folks who are not letting an opportunity to make to the point statements pass by.

That said, I think we are all Rovers supporters. The club is in desperate straights. We all have different solutions, ranging from merely cheering on the squad and hoping for the best to demonstrations. Same goal, different methods.

In my view, the Pune9 have been taken for a ride. Kean is not going anywhere in the next few games. It will take near riots and a continuous run of poor results (more so than currently) before Venkys considers re-assigning him, let alone firing him. Considering Mrs. D's supposed requirement that "09 out of 10" decisions be right and that when action is contemplated "why wait?" [in response to the Allardyce situation] it is hard not to come to a view that the actors involved are a collection of serpents.

Edit:

Serpents may be too strong in relation to the Raos (though not Kean, Kentaro/SEM, Anderson and/or others). Based on this video, hopelessly naive, deluded, moronic, out of touch and/or a variety of other labels would seem to more accurately describe the Raos:

Kudos to Rover_786 for the link.

Do they really think that Kean's inability to post points as demonstrated over the last 10 months and 28 games is down to mere bad luck? Even if true, and the relegation form is down to the gods of karma (that's Hindu, right?) being against Kean shouldn't they be ditching him in light of his obvious transgressions in his past life?

And I give the interviewer full credit. He asked some to the point questions and Venkatesh seemed distinctly uneasy.

[Ewood Spark]

Weird, this is 2077 for me :S

Just to clarify. In response to this post :-

First of all thanks to my colleagues from the Pune9 who have been on here already and articulated pretty-much what I wanted to say about the whole experience. I am glad I (we) we went ... it was the right decision. Just a few points that I feel need highlighting :-

1) Nothing that was said to them, they didn't already know. They employ somebody to monitor all Blackburn Rovers related news items in the media and on message boards and file a report on a daily basis to keep them in touch with the zeitgeist.

2) Regarding the protests : One of the nine asked several members of staff (players, coaching admin etc) for their views on the protests. Everybody he asked condemned them as being unhelpful and having a negative impact on the team.

3) Regarding expansion of the Rovers brand in India : The need for this was thrown into sharp focus this week when Liverpool started to make noises about ditching the collective bargaining of TV rights abroad.

I received the following emotive response:-

Jesus wept.

1--------if they know exactly how we feel how come they think thousands of emails were the work of a few individuals?

How come they subscribe to the" tiny minority " theory about Kean's detractors?

And most of all, how come he's still our manager?

2--------what do you expect the hired staff to say? In any case, since things are as bad as they are, what else can true fans do? How else to channel the anger and get change?

I said before you went that I didn't feel your team truly represented the feelings of the fans and it was in response to a post from you. How bloody spineless.

I hope the other 8 had more about them.

I therefore felt it only right to put the poster in his place.

[47er]

I therefore felt it only right to put the poster in his place.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve Moss]

Just to clarify . . . I therefore felt it only right to put the poster in his place.

Just to clarify, you did not limit yourself to insulting the person whom you apparently viewed as insulting you. You insulted every supporter (the supposed 'tremblers') who disagreed with you vis-a-vis how best to voice their discontent about Kean.

[Hi Mack]

Ha ha ha

"You started it!"

"No You did"

[Andy3809]

To be honest I was a little uncomfortable asking the question because I didn't want to embarrass certain staff members who were also sitting in on the meeting. I therefore couched the question in generic terms... something along the lines of .... "One of the reasons fans are upset is because certain well loved and respected members of staff have been got rid of in the last six months or so...". The response was that these members of staff had left of their own accord. The point was not pushed any further.

.

I've been wanting to ask this but haven't as I don't wish to offend but have the group been completely overawed in the face of wealth and power that they have never come into contact with before?

I just can't understand the sub missive stance and lack of penetrating questions that should and could have been asked.

And before the predictable you can still be polite, charming and a gracious guest on be on a level par with anybody. Sometimes respect is more upcoming if you drop the english scared to offend persona and call a spade a spade. Politely yet firmly

[BigAlan]

And I thought the telegraph website talked a load of crap. This Pune 9 stuff is making me feel ill. how many of you were out in Sofia? How about Rosenbourg? How about boothsfery park on a Tuesday night? Trying to propel yourselves as some kind of "super fans". Pathetic. This club has become a breeding ground for liberal nonsense. Talking down to fellow supporters who have the fortitude to try and keep our club in the premier league. Well I'll be protesting along with the other few thousand. Unbelievable what certain Rovers fans have become. Kean/Venky's supporters should be ashamed, ten months of degradation cos of these idiots and still you want to back them and tell other people they aren't real fans. You should be embarrassed.

[Miker]

Serpents may be too strong in relation to the Raos (though not Kean, Kentaro/SEM, Anderson and/or others). Based on this video, hopelessly naive, deluded, moronic, out of touch and/or a variety of other labels would seem to more accurately describe the Raos:

Kudos to Rover_786 for the link.

Do they really think that Kean's inability to post points as demonstrated over the last 10 months and 28 games is down to mere bad luck? Even if true, and the relegation form is down to the gods of karma (that's Hindu, right?) being against Kean shouldn't they be ditching him in light of his obvious transgressions in his past life?

And I give the interviewer full credit. He asked some to the point questions and Venkatesh seemed distinctly uneasy.

What baffles me is that no one has had the sense to ask the most pertinent questions. HOW are you going to obtain results? WHAT is KEAN going to do to achieve those results? WHY do you have faith that he can obtain those results? Are they going to stick with him even if we're at the foot of the table come January? Fine, the fans have the right to protest and get angry, but do they think the fans are being reasonable? Do they know why the fans are protesting and why there's such a strong feeling of apathy among so many of them? Are the players getting disciplined for underperforming?

I can't believe they're saying that it's all down to luck. Missing 2 penalties isn't unlucky, it's just plain unacceptable. If it is all down to luck then maybe Kean used up all his luck to get into the job.

Ludicrous that the Pune 9 has gone all the way to India to ask them the same questions they've already been asked a million times before. I'm sick of hearing the owners say "we will get results. we will get results" ad infinitum.

[Bluefudge]

The more I read. The more I realise what a complete jolly you went on.

Typical business style junket to curry flavour with customers who were swaying, but brought back to the fold by good old corporate prostitution.

[Mattyblue]

Not sure about that, Ewood Spark was like this before he went and others like Tom and Ste did what they could.

[Bluefudge]

They went and did what they could.

But they didn't set the tone, not their fault at all. Venkys are not as naive as people think.

They are calculated and I for one do not believe a word they say.

[Tom]

And I thought the telegraph website talked a load of crap. This Pune 9 stuff is making me feel ill. how many of you were out in Sofia? How about Rosenbourg? How about boothsfery park on a Tuesday night? Trying to propel yourselves as some kind of "super fans". Pathetic. This club has become a breeding ground for liberal nonsense. Talking down to fellow supporters who have the fortitude to try and keep our club in the premier league. Well I'll be protesting along with the other few thousand. Unbelievable what certain Rovers fans have become. Kean/Venky's supporters should be ashamed, ten months of degradation cos of these idiots and still you want to back them and tell other people they aren't real fans. You should be embarrassed.

That's massively insulting IMO, I nor anyone else have never claimed or tried to act like 'super fans' I said all along I was no more worthy than anyone and felt an imposter compared to some there.

We got the chance to go and hopefully have a talk with the owners and relay some concerns of the fans and we did just that, I don't regret anything about the whole thing personally.

They went and did what they could.

But they didn't set the tone, not their fault at all.

To be fair thats slightly untrue, we did set the tone, whilst the talks were casual we then put the hard questions to them, for me that's all anyone could have done.

I was personally reassured by what was said but its clear to anyone that words mean absolutely nothing without actions.

Anyway onwards and hopefully upwards, I've said my piece already but just wanted to respond to what I thought was an unfair point by BigAlan.

[Billy Castell]

I think the Pune 9 went with the best intentions, but were in essence conned by a bunch of shysters. I cannot blame them for trying to get through to the owners, but their presence will probably be used as some PR stunt by Venky's. Maybe as soon as Football Focus today.

[BigAlan]

That's massively insulting IMO, I nor anyone else have never claimed or tried to act like 'super fans' I said all along I was no more worthy than anyone and felt an imposter compared to some there.

We got the chance to go and hopefully have a talk with the owners and relay some concerns of the fans and we did just that, I don't regret anything about the whole thing personally.

To be fair thats slightly untrue, we did set the tone, whilst the talks were casual we then put the hard questions to them, for me that's all anyone could have done.

I was personally reassured by what was said but its clear to anyone that words mean absolutely nothing without actions.

Anyway onwards and hopefully upwards, I've said my piece already but just wanted to respond to what I thought was an unfair point by BigAlan.

[Glenn]

And I thought the telegraph website talked a load of crap. This Pune 9 stuff is making me feel ill. how many of you were out in Sofia? How about Rosenbourg? How about boothsfery park on a Tuesday night? Trying to propel yourselves as some kind of "super fans". Pathetic. This club has become a breeding ground for liberal nonsense. Talking down to fellow supporters who have the fortitude to try and keep our club in the premier league. Well I'll be protesting along with the other few thousand. Unbelievable what certain Rovers fans have become. Kean/Venky's supporters should be ashamed, ten months of degradation cos of these idiots and still you want to back them and tell other people they aren't real fans. You should be embarrassed.

Thinking about who was in the group I reckon we'd manage an average of 7 of the 9 at every European game, I know at least 3 can claim all of them (I'm probably one of the lowest with 5*), 2 do most reserve games and the majority of us know each other from away games and pre-seasons (you soon begin to spot the same face over and over).

(*6 with celtic).

I don't think any of us would claim to be "super fans" (well, one may, but he's not on here ), just fans trying to make a difference. Time will tell if we achieved it

[BigAlan]

Well that's fair enough and I stand corrected. I must point out that i was not aiming at all of you who went, it was a generalisation to people continuously defending the kean/ Venky's regime, although reading back it does look like I was singling out the group who went over. Badly worded by me, so apologies on that

[Tom]

Fair play BigAl

[Al]

Thinking about who was in the group I reckon we'd manage an average of 7 of the 9 at every European game, I know at least 3 can claim all of them (I'm probably one of the lowest with 5*), 2 do most reserve games and the majority of us know each other from away games and pre-seasons (you soon begin to spot the same face over and over).

(*6 with celtic).

I don't think any of us would claim to be "super fans" (well, one may, but he's not on here ), just fans trying to make a difference. Time will tell if we achieved it

A bunch of mates who run this site and the FF then. You are an elite group but probably most of you deservedly so.

[imy9]

I think the Pune 9 went with the best intentions, but were in essence conned by a bunch of shysters. I cannot blame them for trying to get through to the owners, but their presence will probably be used as some PR stunt by Venky's. Maybe as soon as Football Focus today.

Conned by shysters is very strong and unfair IMO. Nothing to suggest they are conning anybody, the Pune 9 have just got back let's see what changes happen in the next few weeks.

[Ste B]

A bunch of mates who run this site and the FF then. You are an elite group but probably most of you deservedly so.

Thats not how we set out though. Its just many of us have a long record of supporting Rovers. We dont take a mileage check when people apply to go on the forum and none of us are playing the super fan card. The other 4 we met in Pune knock that one for 6 anyway.

[ABBEY]

There is one tho playing the "super fan" card eh spark!

[47er]

There is one tho playing the "super fan" card eh spark!

Well he put me "in my place"!

[RovertheHill]

Bizarre this place these days - and slightly disturbing. Anyone not directly toeing the hardline anti-Kean, anti-Venky's line (even if you think Kean should be sacked) is subject to all sorts - including calling into account their personal integrity, bravery, whether they are real fans and everything else that is directed at them. Someone gives a bit back and bang - out comes the moral outrage. Like I say, bizarre

[Bluefudge]

Tom M, maybe I didn't explain what I meant by set the tone.

But we all wan the same outcome, maybe some would like to get there a hell of a lot quicker.

As you say onwards and upwards.