[Archived] Henning Berg - Rovers Manager

[Stuart]

if you listen to the Q+A doesn't look like there will be much incoming wise in January didn't you know King on loan is like a Jan signing and best coming back seen as a new signing...according to the shabster

But I thought Singh talked a load of kean-locks so we should take it with a pinch of salt?

Here's an idea. Instead of whinging and moaning, why not for the next 9 games, we all get behind Berg and the team and see if it makes any difference? As fans, we have completely lost our voices, we started off with Henning Berg's Blue and White Army, more in defiance towards Kean than support of Berg, yet he got 5 points in his first 3 proper games in charge. 1 point from the next 5 matches isn't good enough but if you look at the teams we've played, Millwall, Palace and Cardiff are all in the top 6 (two of them are first and second); we've had 3 local derbys in a short space of time too. Despite our worries, we didn't lose the most important one. (I actually said to someone at work that I'd take a defeat by Bolton if if meant a draw against Bumley).

We are no longer the Premier League outfit we were 3 years ago. Despite the empty promises from our absent owners, we've gone from being the "haves" to being the "have nots". We are going to find it very difficult from now on but let's keep the faith just a little bit longer than 9 games, surely?

After all, what's the alternative?

[Athlete]

But I thought Singh talked a load of kean-locks so we should take it with a pinch of salt?

Here's an idea. Instead of whinging and moaning, why not for the next 9 games, we all get behind Berg and the team and see if it makes any difference? As fans, we have completely lost our voices, we started off with Henning Berg's Blue and White Army, more in defiance towards Kean than support of Berg, yet he got 5 points in his first 3 proper games in charge. 1 point from the next 5 matches isn't good enough but if you look at the teams we've played, Millwall, Palace and Cardiff are all in the top 6 (two of them are first and second); we've had 3 local derbys in a short space of time too. Despite our worries, we didn't lose the most important one. (I actually said to someone at work that I'd take a defeat by Bolton if if meant a draw against Bumley).

We are no longer the Premier League outfit we were 3 years ago. Despite the empty promises from our absent owners, we've gone from being the "haves" to being the "have nots". We are going to find it very difficult from now on but let's keep the faith just a little bit longer than 9 games, surely?

After all, what's the alternative?

1 thing for sure stuart since these clowns took over the club the fans haven't stopped supporting the team and never will ( despite what the national press portrayed us )...but we are starting to get to the end of our tether as was demonstrated when the 2nd went in on Saturday

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

That's very, very harsh. Berg has picked up a really keany stick - whether he thought he knew he was getting into or not.

There are also some valid reasons for the Olso results in the second and third seasons - if not the Lillestrom ones.

We seem to have got ourselves completely hooked into a 'reality' that Singh is calling the shots and Berg is another stooge. Maybe that in itself is an ironic way of cutting Berg some slack but we really don't know the truth.

Let's see how the backroom team shapes up and what happens in the January transfer window. We are watching someone try to get to grips with Kean's unbalanced, unfit squad - who to top it off are demotivated. He must have inherited the worst squad of any Rovers manager in the last 25 years!

After winning his first game, Hughes took 9 games to get another win - and most people would have him back in a heartbeat.

Steve Kean's assistant (to repeat, Steve Kean's assistant) picked up the same stick and got 9 points from 6 games with it. That sentence in itself should set defeaning alarm-bells off at Berg's results so far.

The TV income for Premier League clubs for the 3 seasons after this is set to be £5 billion in total. As a minimum estimate thats £50m per season for a club like Rovers (as I mentioned in another thread). Do you really think its worth gambling that huge and vital sum of money to the future of this club as we know it, possibly the future of this club full stop, on a guy who has 1 win in 9 games?

I don't think enough fans are grasping whats at stake here. We must, with a capital M, U, S and T, get promoted. This managerial appointment like no other screamed for experience, track record and playing the percentages. Suicidely predictable thinking from Venkys and their collection of crazed minions led us to go down the opposite route (again). If we don't backtrack immediately then we're blowing our best chance for decades and possibly our only chance full stop to re-establish ourselves as a stable premiership club. After this chance is lost it could only ever be 1-2 seasons at a time a la Burnley and Blackpool.

Even if the player wage bill can be maintained into next season, and everyone at the club seems to be indicating thats a very big if, then we are throwing away our one extra life on a choice that makes absolutely no sense outside of the sentimental.

[jim mk2]

After all, what's the alternative?

Singh admits he made a mistake and appoints a manager based on ability and experience rather than sentimentality ?

Might as well hope the US gun lobby admits it is wrong so I'm not holding my breath.

[Stuart]

1 thing for sure stuart since these clowns took over the club the fans haven't stopped supporting the team and never will ( despite what the national press portrayed us )...but we are starting to get to the end of our tether as was demonstrated when the 2nd went in on Saturday

The atmosphere at Ewood is a morgue most weeks. Certainly until we score anyway. Nerve shredding.

We could do to generate an atmosphere which can transmit onto the pitch - at the very least make the opposition feel a little intimidated!

[Athlete]

for goodness sake Berg knew exactly what he was ,walking into, he publicly stated anyone would be mad to work for Venkys on their terms....then signed on to work for Venkys under those precise same terms, their global bullsh;;tter their Keano backroom team, their layabout can't be arsed players ....

many fell for the "A Norwegian fan says it wasn't his fault at Lillestrom" apologia stuff just as someone will one day fall for a Scottish journo or pundit saying "It was all cos Kean had his hands tied at Blackburn..." Lord knows we had enough writing and saying that stuff

correct mate he knew exactly what he was getting into

[Stuart]

Steve Kean's assistant (to repeat, Steve Kean's assistant) picked up the same stick and got 9 points from 6 games with it. That sentence in itself should set defeaning alarm-bells off at Berg's results so far.

The TV income for Premier League clubs for the 3 seasons after this is set to be £5 billion in total. As a minimum estimate thats £50m per season for a club like Rovers (as I mentioned in another thread). Do you really think its worth gambling that huge and vital sum of money to the future of this club as we know it, possibly the future of this club full stop, on a guy who has 1 win in 9 games?

I don't think enough fans are grasping whats at stake here. We must, with a capital M, U, S and T, get promoted. This managerial appointment like no other screamed for experience, track record and playing the percentages. Suicidely predictable thinking from Venkys and their collection of crazed minions led us to go down the opposite route (again). If we don't backtrack immediately then we're blowing our best chance for decades and possibly our only chance full stop to re-establish ourselves as a stable premiership club. After this chance is lost it could only ever be 1-2 seasons at a time a la Burnley and Blackpool.

Even if the player wage bill can be maintained into next season, and everyone at the club seems to be indicating thats a very big if, then we are throwing away our one extra life on a choice that makes absolutely no sense outside of the sentimental.

Okay, let's say we jettison Berg and bring in a new man.

He still has the same squad of dross and will take time to bed his ideas into the team. We are missing so much heart, passion and fight. There is little tackling, little effort and our passing involves giving it backwards and then standing motionless.

Our problems will not be solved by replacing Berg. We are going to have to accept that the £50m per season for the next 3 seasons were @#/? up a wall when Venkys stuck by Kean for as long as they did last season. Well, in reality when the binned Allardyce because they clearly had no intention of replacing him with anyone credible.

If I could choose between Berg and Singh, I'd choose Berg. It's no good getting Singh to bring someone else in...

Singh admits he made a mistake and appoints a manager based on ability and experience rather than sentimentality ?

The fans have no control over that. And the people who are maintaining dialogue with him are getting slated every week as sell-outs.

Besides, do you believe he would do so? Not really an alternative then really.

[Athlete]

Okay, let's say we jettison Berg and bring in a new man.

He still has the same squad of dross and will take time to bed his ideas into the team. We are missing so much heart, passion and fight. There is little tackling, little effort and our passing involves giving it backwards and then standing motionless.

Our problems will not be solved by replacing Berg. We are going to have to accept that the £50m per season for the next 3 seasons were @#/? up a wall when Venkys stuck by Kean for as long as they did last season. Well, in reality when the binned Allardyce because they clearly had no intention of replacing him with anyone credible.

If I could choose between Berg and Singh, I'd choose Berg. It's no good getting Singh to bring someone else in...

this is the outset of the problem singh , the owners and their decision making...

[Stuart]

for goodness sake Berg knew exactly what he was ,walking into, he publicly stated anyone would be mad to work for Venkys on their terms....then signed on to work for Venkys under those precise same terms, their global bullsh;;tter their Keano backroom team, their layabout can't be arsed players ....

many fell for the "A Norwegian fan says it wasn't his fault at Lillestrom" apologia stuff just as someone will one day fall for a Scottish journo or pundit saying "It was all cos Kean had his hands tied at Blackburn..." Lord knows we had enough writing and saying that stuff

Sorry, didn't realise you'd seen Berg's contract.

We have NO idea what convinced Berg to sign up. Maybe he felt guilty about his comments. Maybe being out of work from a long time made him desparate. Maybe he really believes he can do the job. Maybe he loves the club enough to put his own pride to one side.

The problem is a lot of rumour and hearsay, becomes fact on here (and Twitter) VERY quickly. (As some Twitter users have found out to their cost!)

[Hasta]

Could you be more specific because you couldn't be any less? Any of the player points you'd like to specifically counter?

ant the less of the insults about being 'out of touch'.... ya big c o c k

I couldn't be bothered countering because I was at work and have been saying the same thing for months now. However your 'rosy' depiction of a squad that looks poor to practically everyone else is a joke. If you want to go and look at my posts elsewhere breaking the squad down fine. However I can't be arsed replying to someone who watches the games and thinks that Murphy, Etuhu and Lowe are good enough to get promoted out of this league. If they are so naive to believe that then they aren't going to listen to any reasoned argument. In fact most people who have sat and watched and suffered Rovers this season may be inclined to think any person that believes that is a big c o c k.

[jim mk2]

Sorry, didn't realise you'd seen Berg's contract.

We have NO idea what convinced Berg to sign up. Maybe he felt guilty about his comments. Maybe being out of work from a long time made him desparate. Maybe he really believes he can do the job. Maybe he loves the club enough to put his own pride to one side.

The problem is a lot of rumour and hearsay, becomes fact on here (and Twitter) VERY quickly. (As some Twitter users have found out to their cost!)

Maybe you haven't a clue and are just being deliberately provocative and Berg is a poor manager who is leading us to the third division ? All this is conjecture of course but based on 1) your postings and 2) Berg's points total so far, is not far from the truth.

[John]

If Berg wasn't a former player though, would the reaction be different?

His previous managerial career performance (in Norway) is very, very average.

So far, his win ratio of 11%(?) is appalling and is the worst start for any Rovers maanger for over 30 years.

Difficult at this stage to be too hopeful....

[Stuart]

Maybe you haven't a clue and are just being deliberately provocative and Berg is a poor manager who is leading us to the third division ? All this is conjecture of course but based on 1) your postings and 2) Berg's points total so far, is not far from the truth.

It's funny when you run out of points to make you begin to attack the poster.

You do that quite a lot.

[tomphil]

Great little vignette from players Xmas do tonight (yes you heard that right) if you follow @jimwilkz on Twitter

What was it then ?

[John]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="meadows" data-cid="1349764" data-time="1355779923"><p>

Great little vignette from players Xmas do tonight (yes you heard that right) if you follow @jimwilkz on Twitter</p></blockquote>

Thought they had the Xmas night out the Saturday before last?

[jim mk2]

It's funny when you run out of points to make you begin to attack the poster.

You do that quite a lot.

Silly comments have to be challenged. Perhaps if you didn't make so many.......

[Stuart]

Silly comments have to be challenged. Perhaps if you didn't make so many.......

QED

It's sad times when there is post after post of people saying:

I don't have to buy a season ticket to be a fan

I don't have to go to games to be a fan

I don't have to support the manager to be a fan

I don't have to do anything to try to change the situation to be a fan

Yet people who do go to games, who do give the manager the benefit of the doubt, who do buy season tickets, who do try to put a positive spin on things are provocative or foolish.

As Bryan posted in the Kean thread - I can't remember a worse time to be a Rovers fan.

[cn174]

Thought they had the Xmas night out the Saturday before last?

Tonight is the "staff" Christmas do. I'm not sure if my brother will have been able to contain himself if he met Etuhu tonight!

[DE.]

think this is their "works do" at Ewood

My mate's partner gives Scott Dann a £14 bill for some drinks, he screws it up & chucks it back at her saying "I'm a f#####ng footballer, love."

She replies "That''s debatable, "love," "

Scott Dann is an utter cretin. Ashamed that he plays for the club I support.

[John]

Captain marvel Dann - not the first time he has made inappropriate comments.

Bit like Orr get the impression he is a bit of a rat bag.

[gumboots]

If Berg wasn't a former player though, would the reaction be different?

His previous managerial career performance (in Norway) is very, very average.

So far, his win ratio of 11%(?) is appalling and is the worst start for any Rovers maanger for over 30 years.

Difficult at this stage to be too hopeful....

Thing is, it doesn't really matter what our reaction to Berg is. He wasn't anyone's choice apart from Singh and he wasn't his first pick. But we've seen that fan protests and calls for the manager's head fall on deaf ears with Venkys or the former manager would not have stayed in the post for so long. so what exactly do you suggest we do and who exactly do you really think that Singh or whoever venkys next decided might have a bright idea would be able to bring in. The decent managers who might have considered us last time round have all been snapped up by wiser clubs and don't say Hughes because that's already been suggested and I think would be a very unlikely starter. I'm not not criticising Berg because he's an ex Rover. I'm not getting on his back because i can't see a viable alternative to giving him whatever support I can and hoping against hope that things turn around and I'd be doing that whoever we'd brought in.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Thing is, it doesn't really matter what our reaction to Berg is. He wasn't anyone's choice apart from Singh and he wasn't his first pick. But we've seen that fan protests and calls for the manager's head fall on deaf ears with Venkys or the former manager would not have stayed in the post for so long. so what exactly do you suggest we do and who exactly do you really think that Singh or whoever venkys next decided might have a bright idea would be able to bring in. The decent managers who might have considered us last time round have all been snapped up by wiser clubs and don't say Hughes because that's already been suggested and I think would be a very unlikely starter. I'm not not criticising Berg because he's an ex Rover. I'm not getting on his back because i can't see a viable alternative to giving him whatever support I can and hoping against hope that things turn around and I'd be doing that whoever we'd brought in.

I always thought you were smarter than that Gumboots, in fact I know you are. We've ( or to be precise, Venky's ) have dropped a clanger with Berg, the sooner we all admit it the better.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

I don't want Berg gone....9 games is hardly anything and he didn't even have time to prepare for the Palace one.

But there will be good managers available such as Hughes and other decent ones with a history of getting teams promoted like Davies and McLeish.

It's not like we're stuck with him.

But if results/performances haven't improved by January, I wouldn't be adverse to sounding out a few managers to see if they're available.

[Sparky Marky]

Hughes and his backroom must be appointed immediately. Some order needs to be brought to proceedings.

[SydneyRover]

After winning his first game, Hughes took 9 games to get another win - and most people would have him back in a heartbeat.

Let's end these comparisons with Hughes' reign.

Hughes had come to the Rovers job on the back of an excellent five years in charge of the Wales team where he proved his managerial credentials by beating or drawing against some of the best international teams in the world.

Berg came to the Rovers job on the back of failure in a minor European league.

There's a huge difference there. It's why I was still very much anti Steve Kean's appointment even after his relatively good start, but was still very much behind Mark Hughes after that initial poor run. Past record counts for so much. It doesn't always guarantee success, like Hughes at QPR, but it's a bloody good indicator.