[Archived] Henning Berg - Rovers Manager

[booth]

Moving Hendry simply saves paying him off. Berg having his own men is fair enough but Black knows this division and these players more than another nobody so it's another risk. Have to say since Black has been coach we've been mostly awful but in his short stint in charge he shored things up and stopped the rot. Bloody awful to watch but he showed enough to know this team isn't strong enough to play open football so the only option was to grind out some results, back to basics. It's time for that approach again, it's no good long term but short term it's stops the rot. Over to you Henning & friend & Colin, Craig, Jurdan, Shebby, Balaji & Son and whoever else is putting their two penneth in !

Balaji's put more than two penneth in... Believe me. And he won't want to lose it if push comes to shove. That's the worry!

[martonrover]

berg and bergdamlo worked together at Lillistrom in Norway.

people wants Berg to change coaching staff so he does and people still not happy

wonder who will be coaching goalkeepers if mimms leave now? youth team gk coach?

Let's see how it pans out.

Would've been nice for a more senior figure to be coming in, preferably with a working knowledge of the English game.

As you say, goalkeeping coach will be interesting.

Andy Cryer on Twitter said that Brad will not be the goalkeeper coach should he return.

[DE.]

Do you expect a manager to pay for players himself DE4life? If not it then depends on whether he is given any funds to move in and ship out. I've got to say at this point that I'm not in favour of sacking Berg nor in favour of giving him a long contract at this moment in time BUT I do believe in giving him a chance... something that quite a few have not done to date and some even appear to be revelling in his current predicament.

I'm not really sure what you mean with your first sentence 'Drog. If Berg accepted the job under the priviso we must get promoted and he wouldn't have money to spend in January then surely we're judging him by that criteria, aren't we? If he has been promised money in January then he'll get it and it would be pertinent to judge him properly once he has moulded the squad as he wants.

I'm not in favour of sacking Berg primarily because I know Venky's will just feck up again with whoever they appoint. What makes me roll my eyes is the double-standards being applied now Berg is in charge. People keep repeating "it's not his team" but he accepted the job knowing full-well the squad he was inheriting and his comments from May clearly show he knew exactly the situation he was getting into. Why should I give him sympathy when he's come into the job with his eyes wide open and told everybody promotion is the goal? I wonder if Sean Dyche would be getting the same level of defence if he had been appointed.

I'm all for giving Berg a chance but I reserve the right to criticise his early tenure. He has it all to prove. My words on this MB aren't going to affect how he performs his role, and when I'm at games I'll be in full support of Berg/the team.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Well you must have me on ignore then. I've said frequently that not one out of this current squad would make the team in 2000/2001....... in fact I'm getting so tired of repeating it I've a mind to make it my sig.

I know some were previously saying it, I just don't think it was anywhere near a majority. And yet a majority are saying it now, and I'd wager its mostly the same ones who were enthusiastic about Berg's arrival.

The fact is we have got worse since Berg has been in charge. When Souness had to rebuild after Kidd or Allardyce after Ince, granted it did take time. But we didn't get worse under those managers that we had been under the joker previously in charge. Thats whats happening on this occasion.

[Athlete]

“But we want to be promoted and that is why we are looking to improve. If we can improve the players that are here we will do that, if we can improve by making some changes in and out then we will do that. It has to be within our financial budget and it has to be players who can improve the team.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/10100445.Blackburn_Rovers_boss_wants_quality_not_quantity/

read in to Bergs statement - Financial

[Majiball]

Alleleuja! back to Big Sam's way I hope. A smaller squad and wage bill with a very strong spine through the middle of the team surrounded by lots of capable strong players who can play in many positions rather than two bog ordinary for every position and umpteen lightweight inside forwards.

We all know (now) that it makes sense.

When has Sam ever been renowned for quality over quantity???

Just look at his signings whilst with us.

[OJRovers]

I thought Berg should've brought a completely new backroom team in on day 1. The people we currently employ have contributed to our downfall over last season. I'm not being sentimental over Eric "Steve deserves a knighthood" Black.

Its quite ironic how Kean blamed his poor form on Jensen who got sacked, now Berg is seeming blaming his coaches for the poor start....

[thenodrog]

If his hands are tied that's not his fault but again does not lend itself for a reversal of recent fortunes.

Let's hope it finally gets sorted this week and we have a tremendous transfer window.

As the old saying amongst football managers goes.... 'you have to get rid of bad players..... or they'll get rid of you'. Unless there are major 'outs' leaving our squad (and that very much depends on the terms and riders introduced under the previous slimy regime in the contracts) I fear this could prove to be Henning Berg's epitaph.

[Batman.]

So you rem Dom Matteo at left wing with Gresko alongside Amoruso behind him perhaps? GS didn't manage to get them playing to their potential did he? Similar with Grabbi and Stead although to be fair neither of em had any potential to play to did they?

For someone who clearly likes looking in the mirror, you're having problems understanding a very simple undertone. Souness came into a under-performing First Division club and due to his personality got the good players playing and booted out the bad ones ability/ attitude wise. In the end, this got us promoted, and yes, although he lost his way, he's still one of our most successful managers ever. We need that kind of personality now to help us get back up the league, and divisions.

Is that simple enough for you? Let me know if not, I can dumb it down further for you.

[greco]

I've got to say at this point that I'm not in favour of sacking Berg nor in favour of giving him a long contract at this moment in time BUT I do believe in giving him a chance... something that quite a few have not done to date and some even appear to be revelling in his current predicament.

funny you should write this theno, as you´ve often been quick to judge, if i say ince and kean, does this ring any bells.? If so, were you too revelling in their failures or were you just pointing out you were right.? I seem to remember a lot of "i told you so posts", perhaps you should let others do, what you yourself has done, without trying to label them as "fans who love to see their team fail". I dont like to see my team fail, byt if they do fail and perform like kean, i reserve the right to critisize them and thats not because im revelling in their failure, its actually the exact opposite.

When it comes to berg, his start has been horrific. Listen, berg himself promised promotion just to get the job and he later stated in several articles, that promotion was our only goal. So berg is being judgeb by his promises and as such needs to deliver, an old man like you with his principles intact, should easely understand this. It wasnt shebby, it wasn the slumdogs, it wasnt the fans, it was Berg promising promotion and he lives by that promise or he dies by it. Perhaps berg shouldnt have made such statements, without knowing his squad, but he did and did so several times, so why would or should we judge him in any other way.?

there are a few fans who are harsh in their words, when it comes the the new manager, but again theno, that shouldnt be a too unfamiliar approach to you. To be completely fair to all of the managers, Kean had the same circumstances and did better then berg, black had the same circumstances and did better, so the critisism berg recieves is fine(only talking championship). Had black or kean delivered those results, these boards would be in a state of meltdown. You seem to like berg/respect his person and therefore you are prepared to give him time(like many others), i dont care about berg, his personality or playing career, thats completely irrelevant when i judge our managers. Its not "kean was an idiot, so he´s judged by these standards" vs " berg is a respectable man, so we judge him differently". Imo a lot of posts have that underlying theme, that people are prepared to judge berg on a completely different set of standards, just because he has played here before or seems to be a down to earth nice guy.

Im not a part of the very very small minority, that wants berg gone, i still feel Berg needs a bit more time, but thats the problem, time is money and we are short on both.

[Silencio]

black leaving amd hendry staying is bad news, think we'd be better off with him in charge...

[LeChuck]

black leaving amd hendry staying is bad news, think we'd be better off with him in charge...

Black being a good manager seems another one of those things that is repeated so often it almost becomes true, irrespective of facts.

• He failed to win in his first four games
  
• Luckily beat Sheff Wed 1-0 after they hammered us for 90 minutes. It wasn't his organisational skills in defence that kept a clean sheet.
  "Take away the first 10 minutes of the game and I think we've absolutely slaughtered them. But it's that final third, that final delivery, that final little pass that's letting us down.We've come here to a team that's just come out of the Premier League and, unless I'm watching a completely different game I thought we absolutely pulverised them for 80-odd minutes."
  
• Watford was a decent result, but still took an injury time goal
  

One result out of six that you could put down to good management, and even that came with a slice of good fortune. I wouldn't write off Black based on that, just as I won't write Berg off after 8 games, but I don't know why people are suddenly so keen on Black after that poor spell in charge.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Black being a good manager seems another one of those things that is repeated so often it almost becomes true, irrespective of facts.

• He failed to win in his first four games
  
• Luckily beat Sheff Wed 1-0 after they hammered us for 90 minutes. It wasn't his organisational skills in defence that kept a clean sheet.
  "Take away the first 10 minutes of the game and I think we've absolutely slaughtered them. But it's that final third, that final delivery, that final little pass that's letting us down.We've come here to a team that's just come out of the Premier League and, unless I'm watching a completely different game I thought we absolutely pulverised them for 80-odd minutes."
  
• Watford was a decent result, but still took an injury time goal
  

One result out of six that you could put down to good management, and even that came with a slice of good fortune. I wouldn't write off Black based on that, just as I won't write Berg off after 8 games, but I don't know why people are suddenly so keen on Black after that poor spell in charge.

You say facts at the start and then start to talk about luck, slaughtering, pulverising, timing of goals and good fortune. All of which can be interpreted subjectively. The main fact concerning Black's reign is 9 points from 6 games. So depending on your point of view that can be good, average or poor. I thought it was slightly poor, those now claiming our squad is appalling must have thought it was wonderful, I presume anyway. Either way it was significantly better than Berg so far.

[USABlue]

Hendry and Henning are obviously mates from there playing days and he clearly doesn't want to sack him and leave him with nothing.

Jobs for the boys.....

Clearly, nailed on absolute cert. Or your opinion.

[USABlue]

According to andy cryer our old mate Judan Ali is coming in this week to job shadow Berg and further his education

He's going to have a job here eventually for sure

I have no basis for this but have a feeling Berg will be sacked if we lose the next two, 5 losses and one draw out of six would certainly be alarming

If we manage to beat Blackpool we can go into the Brighton game with a bit of confidence and do them as well though

Would not surprise me with the bespectacled idiot. Probably already has the job, Berg starts throwing down markers, replace my staff sort of thing next thing you know up pops Jordan Ali.

[CapeTownRover]

its not easy for Berg right now... He cant go into the media, and criticise players, as we are already on a poor run of form. So, to go out and mention Hanley and Dann as having shockers, will just cause more problems. Berg is basically trying to encourage the players to keep focussed, when things are nose diving into a hard place right now.

Im a fan of Berg, he has my full support. The only issue i have with him right now, is that he acknowledges that the players are under performing. He also doesnt want to name those players, but what disappoints me, is that he doesnt want to enforce those changes. So the question is once again, why cant Givet and Simon get in? We have a thread covering this, but you have to physically change things, and see if things will improve.

[USABlue]

black leaving amd hendry staying is bad news, think we'd be better off with him in charge...

Here's the funny bit about this board. I've been reading about us needing to get out the likes of Brunskill, almost to a man. Now it appears Berg is about ready to chop him and no one has mentioned it. Preferring to linger on the poor poor old Eric if he's hired I'm never going to Ewood again Black was our saviour and he's hard done by story. So zero congrats for getting rid of the man everyone wanted out. Funny how it goes on here huh?

I too did not want Berg, was hoping for Holloway, however Henning is here, is a far greater character of a man than our last idiot and needs our support. I'm sitting on my hands hoping for the best and see how he does come January when he should have a few more pieces in place.

[LeChuck]

You say facts at the start and then start to talk about luck, slaughtering, pulverising, timing of goals and good fortune. All of which can be interpreted subjectively. The main fact concerning Black's reign is 9 points from 6 games. So depending on your point of view that can be good, average or poor. I thought it was slightly poor, those now claiming our squad is appalling must have thought it was wonderful, I presume anyway. Either way it was significantly better than Berg so far.

Yeah fair enough, I shouldn't have used the word "fact", because obviously I meant the opposite and wanted people to take a more subjective view on it.

[T.J.Newton]

Alan Nixon in the Daily Mirror today is reporting that Black, Brunskill and Mimms will be leaving and Hendry moving to the reserves.

Berg will be bringing in fellow countryman Andre Bergdolmo and Craig Short. he is also hopeful the Friedal will come as player/ gk coach.

Sound promising(though as always Nixons info is to be taken with a pinch of salt), I personally think people should lay of Hendry, i genuinely dont think Berg would keep him on if he wasnt good at his job

[T.J.Newton]

For someone who clearly likes looking in the mirror, you're having problems understanding a very similar undertone. Souness came into a under-performing First Division club and due to his personality got the good players playing and booted out the bad ones ability/ attitude wise. In the end, this got us promoted, and yes, although he lost his way, he's still one of our most successful managers ever. We need that kind of personality now to help us get back up the league, and divisions.

Is that simple enough for you? Let me know if not, I can dumb it down further for you.

Managers simply cant employ the same scare tactics as Souness used to motivate players theses days(sadly!) and even when you could manage in that way it only worked for so long before it backfired(as was evident in Sounesses final year).

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Managers simply cant employ the same scare tactics as Souness used to motivate players theses days(sadly!) and even when you could manage in that way it only worked for so long before it backfired(as was evident in Sounesses final year).

There's a topic near the top of this board about Ferguson that would argue quite the opposite. Scare tactics can work with a lot of players as long as respect comes with it. Souness may have alienated the likes of Dunn, Yorke, Berg, eventually Cole. But look at the players he got the very best out of, Friedel, Todd, Thompson, Tugay, Duff and Jansen all thrived under him. I'm with Batman on this one, if you do a job for 4 years and for 3 of them you're superb, you deserve to be remembered as having done the job well.

[T.J.Newton]

There's a topic near the top of this board about Ferguson that would argue quite the opposite. Scare tactics can work with a lot of players as long as respect comes with it. Souness may have alienated the likes of Dunn, Yorke, Berg, eventually Cole. But look at the players he got the very best out of, Friedel, Todd, Thompson, Tugay, Duff and Jansen all thrived under him. I'm with Batman on this one, if you do a job for 4 years and for 3 of them you're superb, you deserve to be remembered as having done the job well.

Ferguson is Man united, just as Wenger is Arsenal, Moyes Everton, when you have managed a club for a long time and moulded it to your liking from top to bottom then you can get away with a lot more as the player knows he will never win in a fight/argument against the manager as he is far more dispensable than the manager.

as for Souness well you only have to look at what happened after leaving Blackburn, his coaching and man management methods just didn't work any more(and his ego finally got the better of him), but his 1st few years where great.

[broadsword]

I really miss the "good" Souness days. And his good days weren't just a flash in the pan either.

[Ossydave]

Andre Bergdolmo and Short then according to NIcko? 2 ex-defenders.......Will we finally sort the defence out if those 2 come? I'm not holding my breath!!

[Batman.]

Managers simply cant employ the same scare tactics as Souness used to motivate players theses days(sadly!) and even when you could manage in that way it only worked for so long before it backfired(as was evident in Sounesses final year).

Not sure about that. I think especially with younger players managers like Souness can be a treat. Souness' downfall came when he started signing big name players who expected more respect than they were due at a club like ours, and egos started to clash. We're hardly talking a million years ago are we?