[Archived] Next protest

[Exiled in Toronto]

I've been saying for a while now that the protest strategy needs to be better thought through if it is to work.

Its 2 main weaknesses came to the fore yesterday:

Firsty, be it marches, laying flowers, wear yellow and black, all of these inevitably end up involving only a small fraction of the 16,000 home fans, which offers Kean continuing opportunities to point out that the vast majority are not "protesting" as in joining in these stunts.

Secondly, the press have been courted all along and what happened this weekend? The press turned against the protesters for booing when we are winning. It doesn't matter that the boos are for more underlying issues because the press aren't interested in the subtle nuances, nor should they be since the stated reasons for the protests have changed several times anyway. The press are not there to simply relay whatever is the chosen message of the week from the protesters; they will report what THEY see as the story, and this week it's numpty fans who boo a rare victory for their team.

It's time to put this PR, stunt-led strategy to one side and focus in on the only things that seem to have got through to the owners: angry thousands of fans when the team are getting tubbed and direct action. The crowd getting angry when we are losing will look after itself and does not need "leading". As to direct action, the fact is that one angry fan giving Balaji an earful on the way to the bogs in the Wigan stand and the furore over the forfeit remark have had more impact, imo, than everything else put together.

This suggests the following courses of action to me: Get on the case of Venky's UK representatives/offices. Bombard those 2 directors endlessly with angry complaints, barricade the london office, swamp their email system, all the stuff the Liverpool fan was suggesting. Also, if the press are to be used focus in on picking apart Kean's every utterance - he is saying enough to hang himself but the message isn't getting across strongly enough. I think the fuss over his use of the word forfeit got him closer to the exit door than all the protests put together.

Or the protests can carry on as they are with the 10% of protesting fans blaming the 90% for not joining in; with the press ridiculing the protesters; with the footy in-crowd expressing sympathy for Kean, which I just watched this morning prior to the Wolves-Sunderland game, and with the owners doing nothing.

[Mattyblue]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thefootballtacticsblog/2011/12/blackburn_boo_boys_cannot_help.html

From mocking last week to sympathy this.

God love the British media.

I put my point across in the comments, but I'm afraid we will be buried under a barrage of ignorance.

[Stuart]

It's time to put this PR, stunt-led strategy to one side and focus in on the only things that seem to have got through to the owners: angry thousands of fans when the team are getting tubbed and direct action. The crowd getting angry when we are losing will look after itself and does not need "leading". As to direct action, the fact is that one angry fan giving Balaji an earful on the way to the bogs in the Wigan stand and the furore over the forfeit remark have had more impact, imo, than everything else put together.

Okay so we only protest when we are losing. Like against Wigan. Wait, that didn't work, the media/commentators thought we were fickle and nothing changed.

This suggests the following courses of action to me: Get on the case of Venky's UK representatives/offices. Bombard those 2 directors endlessly with angry complaints, barricade the london office, swamp their email system, all the stuff the Liverpool fan was suggesting. Also, if the press are to be used focus in on picking apart Kean's every utterance - he is saying enough to hang himself but the message isn't getting across strongly enough. I think the fuss over his use of the word forfeit got him closer to the exit door than all the protests put together.

Email the owners. Check. Wait that was a small minority sending thousands of emails. Barracade the London office? Sounds good. Rovers fans wouldn't barricade the entrance to the Riverside loos in complaint at the hygiene standards. I'm going to take the 'hang himself' remark in the spirit it was meant, and say you are right here but this is down to the press and their agenda. If they can't even see that fans were booing Kean and his reaction (and not Yak or the result) there's little hope here.

Or the protests can carry on as they are with the 10% of protesting fans blaming the 90% for not joining in; with the press ridiculing the protesters; with the footy in-crowd expressing sympathy for Kean, which I just watched this morning prior to the Wolves-Sunderland game, and with the owners doing nothing.

So we should dismiss the real problem, the lack of people willing to express their disapproval. Gotcha.

The real issue IS the lack of vocal fans aiming their ire at Kean - you can't just overlook this. They are waiting for us to go 2-0 down; to lose by a couple of goals, three games in a row; until we are adrift at the bottom. Fickle and masters of hindsight. That's the real problem.

You are ultimately right though, but only because we have no real choice (because of this mindset) to wait for the spontaneous and organic "protests" to start before we convince the hand-sitters and head-shakers. My gut feeling is that Kean and Venkys are winning the war of attrition and the protest numbers will dwindle. How the F did a jumped up nobody of a coach end up with so much power of the club and its supporters?

Everyone wants us to stay up but not everyone is prepared to stand up and say so until it's too late.

[Stuart]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thefootballtacticsblog/2011/12/blackburn_boo_boys_cannot_help.html

From mocking last week to sympathy this.

God love the British media.

I put my point across in the comments, but I'm afraid we will be buried under a barrage of ignorance.

I love that Rogers (who?) slagged off our direct style, and Kean defended the fact that as far as he's concerned we mix it up.

Now, where have I hear that before...

Still at least for all of his arrogance, ineptitude and lack of points over the last 12 months Kean has managed to change the stereotypical image of Rovers as a hoofball side. I guess that's Kean's final defence blown away.

If it weren't so stomach wrenching, it'd be hilarious!

[PAFELL]

Sorry, Alan, but I cannot accept that any Rovers fan could possibly interpret the booing of Kean as in any way booing the Yak (or any other player). ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT THE INTENTION, THIS IS WHAT THE MEDIA PICKED UP ON AND HIGHLIGHTED.

I can just about see how some in the media could interpret it as jointly booing Yak AND Kean, but any BRFCS follower MUST understand that it was Kean and Kean alone who was being booed. I am convinced Yak and all the Rovers players and entourage also knew this.

The crowd were fair and supportive to the players, except for the usual dogs abuse dished out to Dunny. Dunn is not our No 1 enemy, he is a local lad who is past his best but who will play when selected. He is 60% fit and would do a job for one last season if 95% fit which will only come with time on the pitch.

[Emge]

Glen has just tweeted about Venkys' rivals SH Group.

To somehow include them in the protests, maybe thats one way to really wake Venkys up?

[glen9mullan]

http://www.shgroup.in/

I am told this is Venkys main rival in India, Not sure if this is correct someone on here may know???

However I do think a possible angle here could be achieved by contacting them..... Dunno how, Perhaps mass emails of support for Rival? Or ask them for free marketing visual aids which can be in turn used here at the matches?

Just wondered what peoples thoughts are? As damaging the Venkys brand would be something Venkys would want to avoid

[Elvis McSmithy]

i think next time id suggest maybe arranging things so there are a handfull of vocal protesters in every block of the stands that wouldnt hesitate at all in standing up and protesting even if nobody around him/her is, im sure other more hesitant people would then join in. Ysterday i was itchin to get up and protest but as nobody anywhere near me in the jack walker stand lower tier block wo2 was, i didnt have the balls as i was on my own and am not loud enough anyway.

[Stuart]

i think next time id suggest maybe arranging things so there are a handfull of vocal protesters in every block of the stands that wouldnt hesitate at all in standing up and protesting even if nobody around him/her is, im sure other more hesitant people would then join in. Ysterday i was itchin to get up and protest but as nobody anywhere near me in the jack walker stand lower tier block wo2 was, i didnt have the balls as i was on my own and am not loud enough anyway.

I was stood up with my mate in the Riverside and hardly anyone else did, so I'm not convinced it would bring other people on board. Somehow, the ordinary folk of Blackburn need to feel compelled to join in of their own volition.

[Andy3809]

Not really when those facts are discussed on a weekly basis with the club, I'm a solution type of guy, results and what people see with their own eyes should be enough to motivate people to make a logical decision if things are good or bad.

If supporters are happy with things, then I take my hat off to those, However the ones who are not happy but choose not to speak out I just don't understand. If I was not happy in my marriage, or happy in a job, or happy where I lived, then I'd actively change it. Life's too short to be unhappy, If I bought a new TV which did not show a picture I'd take it back... As I said to Paul Hunt on Thursday, We are NOT protesters, We are supporters of Blackburn Rovers and customers, we are also stakeholders and deserve the customer service like any service you would expect from somewhere you spend money

If you know things that are going on behind the scenes then I really don't understand why you wouldnt share this info with every Rovers fan in the country.

Maybe if this info was known then the silent majority would be far more vocal in future protests and get involved.

You cannot expect every fan to have the same desire to remove Venkies and Kean when they have none of the facts that you have.

[JohnD]

Is it true that the two hundred or so "fans" that stayed behind to protest yesterday abused Roberts when he walked out on to the pitch?

[Rover_Shaun]

They were already calling Kean a "w*nker" and the old "he's fat, he' bald" routine. Not exactly keeping on the moral high ground.

Kean IS all the above but surely calling him it weakens the fans position??

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Is it true that the two hundred or so "fans" that stayed behind to protest yesterday abused Roberts when he walked out on to the pitch?

Couldn't stay behind yesterday cause had to be somewhere right after the match. If thats true though then for the first time I'm ashamed to be a protestor.

[Elvis McSmithy]

I think it is about time glen mullen put up or shut up, hes really not helping the cause and his attitude and persona is turning a lot of people that i know off joining the organised protests(pre/post match) simply cos they dont want to be assosiated with him.

sorry if this seems rude, but it is just how it seems to me,

[47er]

I think it is about time glen mullen put up or shut up, hes really not helping the cause and his attitude and persona is turning a lot of people that i know off joining the organised protests(pre/post match) simply cos they dont want to be assosiated with him.

sorry if this seems rude, but it is just how it seems to me,

Clearly you changed your identity for a reason. Were you pursuing this agenda before?

[Elvis McSmithy]

Clearly you changed your identity for a reason. Were you pursuing this agenda before?

what agenda could i possibly have?lolololololol

i didnt expect many on here to share my opinion, but it is my opinion and im entitled to it thank you!

my opinon is based on the reasons given to me by freinds and family that want kean out but arnt interested in the organised protests for the reason i said in my previous post.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Glenn Mullan, is it true that you recently had a one to one chat with Kean?,what points did you put across and what was your impression of him,has your view been altered in any way?...

[Rover_Shaun]

I think the interview Kean has 'dragged up' was an old meeting with Kamy

[Pedro]

Don't anybody be despondent with the protests yesterday. I thought they went well. The fact that the media attention lingers on the crowds reaction to Kean when we were winning instead of the win itself is a major plus. It is irrelevant whether the media is positive or negative on the matter. It keeps the protests in the headlines, shows we are not happy regardless of a win and keeps the pressure up. Had that crowd reaction not happened yesterday the pressure would certainly have eased on SK.

With regards to the numbers, there are probably thousands of fans who, whilst still genuine supporters, are more casual than the rest of us. They go to the game on a Saturday and then probably don't think much of Rovers until the next home game comes around. They certainly don't spend every day on messageboards and scouring the web for news. Their support of Rovers is generally a match day thing. These people (of which my Dad and next door neighbours are examples of) are not going to display banners on a match day or stop behind for the after matchprotest. That doesn't mean they don't want Kean gone. The 'stand up if you want Kean out' chant was the most telling point of all of the protests so far. Over half the ground seemed to stand. That was the moment where the casual fans agreed with the protests and joined in. That was the moment that showed us, Kean and anyone of power who was there that the silent majority agree.

It might appear that protesting is doing no good but that's not true. We are not going to get rid of Kean with one knockout blow, it's going to be a sustained bout of pressure. Rope a dope you may say.

Your level-headed point of view is refreshing and your estimates are far more accurate than others .

I want Kean out because I think that is a common sense decision and we need points, I also want to enjoy coming to Ewood again. I hated having to listen to the negativity yesterday and I felt ashamed to share the same stand with people who were prepared to pile more pressure on a team desperate for a result...so for that reason I can never stand shoulder to shoulder with them or join in with mid-game chanting. I also didn't stand up when the chant of stand up if you want Kean out because it was a negative thing to do at a time when we were well in the game...but that doesn't mean that I want Kean to stay. I expect there were many more like me who want him gone, but didn't stand up for that same reason.

I joined in with the "One Jack Walker" chant because although it is a slight on the new owners, it is a positive song to sing and is respectful to the greatest man in our modern history...but I had a chat with the guy next to me who really wants Kean gone but didn't stand or sing to any of songs...I also expect there are many more like him too.

[Mattyblue]

What's wrong with a 'slight on the owners' Peds?

[glen9mullan]

Glenn Mullan, is it true that you recently had a one to one chat with Kean?,what points did you put across and what was your impression of him,has your view been altered in any way?...

No I have not spoke with Kean, As someone has already said it was the meeting with Kamy which the Telegraph has picked up on

On another note, Nice minus on post from John Howarth for me answering a direct question, what would you prefer? I say i did meet him when I did not..

[glen9mullan]

If you know things that are going on behind the scenes then I really don't understand why you wouldnt share this info with every Rovers fan in the country.

Maybe if this info was known then the silent majority would be far more vocal in future protests and get involved.

You cannot expect every fan to have the same desire to remove Venkies and Kean when they have none of the facts that you have.

Many things discussed behind closed doors are discussed on a trust basis, The biggest thing Simon and I have been working on for weeks is getting the supporters an audience with the powers that be so they can put across their concerns. By breaking people's trust we will just get further away from a solution, Singing like a canary will just keep this pot boiling instead of bringing it to an end for the best of the everyone.

[Pedro]

What's wrong with a 'slight on the owners' Peds?

Nothing mate, I appreciate it's hard to understand what I'm saying via that garble

I meant that although I'd been banging on about not being negative during a game (singing Kean Out etc.), I was clearly willing to be negative about the new owners by joining in with a positive song about Jack, to get my point accross in my own way...even that doesn't make sense

Please tell me you know what I mean!

[47er]

what agenda could i possibly have?lolololololol

i didnt expect many on here to share my opinion, but it is my opinion and im entitled to it thank you!

my opinon is based on the reasons given to me by freinds and family that want kean out but arnt interested in the organised protests for the reason i said in my previous post.

You seem to have it in for Glen.........who's working his butt off for everyone else. A little bit of credit wouldn't go amiss.

[Jock]

Is it true that the two hundred or so "fans" that stayed behind to protest yesterday abused Roberts when he walked out on to the pitch?

He was.I didnt join in but i couldnt careless.

'your not fit to wear the shirt' and i heard a few shouts of 'keano's bitch'

He seemed very flustered on Radio 5 after and his mate Capman was talking absolute ###### as usual.

Dont get so upset about his feelings he's well paid to do a little bit of wrestling on the pitch.