[Archived] Eric Black

[Stuart]

Career History

From Wiki, admittedly:

Prolific (nearly 1 goal in 2, in 170 games) for Aberdeen during the Alex Ferguson years, winning European Cup Winners’ Cup (incl scoring in the final). Some of the approach Ferguson has used must surely have rubbed off on him.

He finished his playing career in France, winning the Coupe de France in ’88, before retiring early following an injury.

Had a Kean-esque stint at Motherwell before being slightly more successful at Coventry City – his record at Coventry (again from Wiki) P26 W12 D4 L10 (46.15%)

Met Steve Bruce – presumably at Birmingham City – where he replaced Mark Bowen (small world) as his assistant. He stayed until 2007 under McLeish before following Bruce to Sunderland – after Bruce left Wigan.

His overall managerial record isn’t great with a rate of 33.93% wins (19 out of 56 games).

BRFC

Little to say so far – an inauspicious start. He arrived in January, following Paul Clement’s move to PSG, so he’s been with the club, 1, 2, 3, 4..de..de… 10 months.

He knows the players – he’s used to working under the current regime and is unlikely to be ‘shocked’ or need much time to get used to how things operate.

His expectations will be low, and I expect he will give it his best shot.

Importantly, he has not – to my knowledge – publically sided with Kean, “done an Orr”, or made derogatory comments about the fans.

Can he take us up?

If Kean can get us to the top, anyone could get us there. However, despite his years (turned 49 yesterday – Happy Birthday Eric) he’s vastly inexperienced Managed 53 games between Oct 2001 and May 2004. Has managed 3 games (all as caretaker since). Saturday was the first he hasn’t lost.

Is there a case for Eric Black to be given the manager’s job long term? Looking at his record you’d probably say no but Steve Clarke’s record wasn’t that great either, and he’s not as up-and-coming as you might think – 2 months younger than Black.

Although he is not the figurehead that we would all want to boost morale of the Ewood Park faithful I strongly disagree with those who (disappointingly) are turning the ire towards him (I won’t set foot back in Ewood if Black is made manager – just sounds like an excuse to move the goalposts).

Just not having Kean stood at the sidelines – however his departure took place – should be enough of an incentive to get back and get behind the team.

For me Black has not done anything wrong accepting a position at our great club – albeit working for Kean. He deserves our backing for as long as he is in charge.

It’ll be very, very easy to criticise Black so please gather your thoughts before posting “he’s rubbish” or “he’s Kean’s man”. First person to post “Black Out” loses.

I’ll leave you with a further thought:

Man City (Man C – ini)

Arsenal (Arsen – e)

Black (Black – Burn)

[Chuck Norris]

Chuck Norris says 'No' to Eric black and anyone who disagrees with Chuck Norris gets roundhouse kicked into oblvion just ask superman why he wears his pants outside his trousers, he lost a fight with chuck norris!!!

[perthblue02]

Last season when we got the games over here there were many occasions when it showed Black pointing stuff out to Keangone either by way of his little notebook or hand gestures etc, Keangone usually stared blankly away from him , not listening. So it was obvious he could see the problems, whether this can translate to fixing them in the next couple of games is a hard task for anyone.

I'm not tarring him with the Team kean brush, and think everyone should get behind him for the couple of games he's got coming up

Long term,I don't think it would be a popular choice , which is a shame for the bloke as most of the unpopularity is based on his stint under an ogre who didn't listen to anybody apart from his agent.

Could he get us promoted ? would say 50 / 50 as hard to see how deep the holiday club rot under Keangone is amongst the players and how they will react to a possible new (any) training regime

[briansol]

My Birmingham supporting mate says Black was very highly thought of by their supporters and was him leaving for manager at Coventry was the reason Bruce and Birmingham struggled afterwards. I also think've heard he was poplular among the Coventry fans as a manager.

I can see why he is a bit tainted after working with Kean, but keep in mind he was without a job when made assistant manager and a man's got to provide for his family.

[braddock]

Get behind the man. I'd rather us get a proper manager in, it's been a while since we've seen one, but we should support him until we get somebody in. If he gets the job on merit then fair play to him, though it would take something special to convince me he could be part of a long term plan to get us back to safe Prem status. If he gets the job without merit then it's Venky's who should suffer the backlash.

Hopefully we'll have more turning up now and some positivity in getting behind the lads.

[rightrover]

If it is to be him, we need to give him a chance.

I'm pretty sure that I can recall Pat Murphy of the BBC stating a couple of years back, probably during one of his previous caretaker stints, that Eric Black isn't your typical ex-footballer, in that he speaks six languages. Most (British) footballers, current or former, can't even speak decent English, let alone five other languages.

OK, it says nothing about his footballing knowledge or qualifications, but it does engender a bit more confidence that he might know what he's doing than if we appointed a typical footballing thicko, which they virtually all are.

Give the guy a break, at least until he's proved he didn't deserve one.

[eire3382]

I will give anyone a chance.

For me he is not tainted by kean as I really don't think the bald one listened to anyone really.

But i would prefer an experienced manager with a track record of promotion. Big Mick Mac it is for me.

[Lhrover]

Hes made no friends by sticking by Kean, however he'd have probably been out of a job had he not done so.

Ill get behind him and he deserves a chance. I just just Venkys act fast and decide what is to be done and end the confusion.

[ABBEY]

Get behind the man. I'd rather us get a proper manager in, it's been a while since we've seen one, but we should support him until we get somebody in. If he gets the job on merit then fair play to him, though it would take something special to convince me he could be part of a long term plan to get us back to safe Prem status. If he gets the job without merit then it's Venky's who should suffer the backlash.

Hopefully we'll have more turning up now and some positivity in getting behind the lads.

JESUS YOU REALLY ARE A TROLL OF THE LOWEST ORDER.oNE MINUTE NUMB NUTS AND VENKYSCUM ARE HERO WORSHIPPED BY YOU INCLUDING A PICTURE OF THE OWDHAG. NOW YOU SAY KEAN WASNT A "PROPER" MANAGER AND THE VENKYS DSHOULD SUFFER A BACKLASH. YOUR A CRAZY DUDETTE.

OH AND FOR THE THE RECORD....NO to Black or Hendry ,anyone else is better than what weve had.DONT EVER forget Black was on the radio backing up Keans 1% and slating us and he went as far as saying he deserved a knighthood for what we pit him through.

[Black Burn]

JESUS YOU REALLY ARE A TROLL OF THE LOWEST ORDER.oNE MINUTE NUMB NUTS AND VENKYSCUM ARE HERO WORSHIPPED BY YOU INCLUDING A PICTURE OF THE OWDHAG. NOW YOU SAY KEAN WASNT A "PROPER" MANAGER AND THE VENKYS DSHOULD SUFFER A BACKLASH. YOUR A CRAZY DUDETTE.

OH AND FOR THE THE RECORD....NO to Black or Hendry ,anyone else is better than what weve had.DONT EVER forget Black was on the radio backing up Keans 1% and slating us and he went as far as saying he deserved a knighthood for what we pit him through.

At least give Eric Black a chance for the next 2 games. After that, you can abuse him all you want (actually, I would prefer not), but it's a little too unreasonable to be chanting "Black out!" before we have even lined up a replacement.

[3rdpillar]

wouldn't go round shouting "black out"

[92er]

wouldn't go round shouting "black out"

You might need someone from Dad's Army for that.

[ABBEY]

wouldn't go round shouting "black out"

[Black Burn]

That's exactly the kind of discord we don't need, Abbey. At least not for the next 2 games.

[DE.]

He isn't the man to take us up IMO, however he should be supported if he gets the job full time. Unless he does a Kean and becomes an unbearable @#/? we need to focus our energies on solely supporting the team during the match. Black's appointment should turn all ire on Venky's, not Black, and moves should be made outside of the stadium through whichever means are available to us to persuade/force them into a sale.

[Guest]

The next manager hasn't been decided upon yet so I guess it's conceivable that Black could be made permanent manager.

However, the whispers I'm hearing from inside Ewood say that we're looking for somebody else as his team selection/tactics are too similar to SK's to make him a serious contender for the job.

[jim mk2]

However, the whispers I'm hearing from inside Ewood say that we're looking for somebody else as his team selection/tactics are too similar to SK's to make him a serious contender for the job.

Based on the evidence of one match that he had less than 36 hours to prepare for ? There is not enough time for him to address long-term problems such as the players' lack of fitness but I would expect Black to make some tactical and selection changes in the next 2 games, and if they are seen to make a difference and bring us 6 points then he will have made a good case for being given the job.

[Stuart]

The next manager hasn't been decided upon yet so I guess it's conceivable that Black could be made permanent manager.

However, the whispers I'm hearing from inside Ewood say that we're looking for somebody else as his team selection/tactics are too similar to SK's to make him a serious contender for the job.

You can hear someone whispering inside Ewood... FROM PUNE!! The acoustics aren't that good!

Seriously though, what are they basing Black's team selection and tactics on? The Charlton game? A team which he inherited HOURS before the game started?? What were your employers expecting, a complete ditching of the week's game plan and training?

Or has he had to submit his team sheet for the Forest game for approval?

[T.J.Newton]

I'm not sure what Black can offer tactically and motivationally that kean couldnt!, Black seemed to be giving most of the instructions from the bench when kean was here, Black maybe a nicer gentler man(seems to much of a soft touch imo) but other than that i don't see how he could improve things.

[ABBEY]

That's exactly the kind of discord we don't need, Abbey. At least not for the next 2 games.

GET A GRIP FOR GODS SAKE..HUMOUR BY PASS ALERT.

[T.J.Newton]

The next manager hasn't been decided upon yet so I guess it's conceivable that Black could be made permanent manager.

However, the whispers I'm hearing from inside Ewood say that we're looking for somebody else as his team selection/tactics are too similar to SK's to make him a serious contender for the job.

If you could Keep ramming Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's name down their throat id consider taking back some of the slightly offensive remarks i've aimed at you in the past

[ABBEY]

The next manager hasn't been decided upon yet so I guess it's conceivable that Black could be made permanent manager.

However, the whispers I'm hearing from inside Ewood say that we're looking for somebody else as his team selection/tactics are too similar to SK's to make him a serious contender for the job.

[Black Burn]

GET A GRIP FOR GODS SAKE..HUMOUR BY PASS ALERT.

I know. I meant to joke as well, but I guess I suck at humor.

Oh, and ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha. And ha.

[ABBEY]

[perthblue02]

The next manager hasn't been decided upon yet so I guess it's conceivable that Black could be made permanent manager.

However, the whispers I'm hearing from inside Ewood say that we're looking for somebody else as his team selection/tactics are too similar to SK's to make him a serious contender for the job.

Can you give us any hope that they will get this right MG ? something like they are keeping Madame can'tdecide locked in a cupboard until they have got someone?, any news if the brother's have won the family squabble over the club?