[Archived] Henning Berg - Rovers Manager

[thenodrog]

The expected backroom changes at Ewood Park have now been put on hold until January,

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn_rovers/news/10114134.Rhodes_hoping_for_some_festive_cheer/

So until then can we assume that Hendry, Brunskill, Black et al will be playing golf or lying in the sun somewhere?

[Steve Moss]

am I the only one here who thinks

• Rovers most decorated player (post war)
• a player who's won almost everything
• studied under some of the best managers
• knows how to get out of this league
• Has had experience dealing with crappy owners

that berg should be given sometime to get his own team together ?

No, you aren't. It's far too soon to be writing Berg off.

[Gav]

And the holocaust never happened, Lord Lucan lis alive and well lives on Livesey Branch Road and sups in the Brown Cow, and Danny Murphy was once a top footballer..... and nobody that supports BRFC ever goes on Facebook!

Hey re-writing history can be fun!

You've already had to back down once before on this issue, you had me mixed up with someone else, so lets not start that one again gordon, we're getting on very well these days, be a shame to spoil it

[thenodrog]

The defence is absolutely awful. We are conceding goals from headers every single match. Nobody is taking charge back there.

Many of us pointed out Dann is a nothing defender last year, and he's continued with that this year. He's not big, he's not good in the air, he's not particuarly strong, he's not a good leader. Half the time you don't even notice he's there. In fact, half the time the opposition strikers don't notice he's there.

Givet can be good with a Samba type alongside him, but being 6 foot with no neck means he'll always be beaten in the air as well. Hanley is reasonable but not exactly built for jumping high off the ground.

The defence isn't great but they are left just so exposed by the inept and bone idle players in front of them that they don't have a chance . Imo the CH's have been very susceptable to crosses played along the six yard line of late, but the obvious first move is to stop the feckers coming in in the first place! Every team since Millwall now goes full on in numbers at our full backs and unless wide and central midfield players are prepared to track back, close down opponents down and get goal side the centre halves don't stand a chance.

[mhead]

The hold on backroom changes can only mean one of 2 things:

-normal Venkys decision-making process

-new manager rather than new back-room staff(more to sack cos Hughesy will bring the Taffia)

take your pick....still probably the first.

[LeChuck]

The defence isn't great but they are left just so exposed by the inept and bone idle players in front of them that they don't have a chance . Imo the CH's have been very susceptable to crosses played along the six yard line of late, but the obvious first move is to stop the feckers coming in in the first place! Every team since Millwall now goes full on in numbers at our full backs and unless wide and central midfield players are prepared to track back, close down opponents down and get goal side the centre halves don't stand a chance.

A lot of the high crosses causing us problems aren't coming along the six yard line though. A lot are straight balls down the middle (Cardiff), or diagonal crosses from quite deep in the half.

You can't stop teams playing those types of crosses. The defence need to stand up to those.

[Gav]

The defence is absolutely awful. We are conceding goals from headers every single match. Nobody is taking charge back there.

Many of us pointed out Dann is a nothing defender last year, and he's continued with that this year. He's not big, he's not good in the air, he's not particuarly strong, he's not a good leader. Half the time you don't even notice he's there. In fact, half the time the opposition strikers don't notice he's there.

Givet can be good with a Samba type alongside him, but being 6 foot with no neck means he'll always be beaten in the air as well. Hanley is reasonable but not exactly built for jumping high off the ground.

I heard an interview with Dann a few months back where he was talking about his nightmare season last season, still recovering from the injury he sustained before he joined us, and I was willing to give him a second chance. But the defending for the first goal on Saturday was pathetic, free header 6yrd box? school boy stuff and its been much of the same since I heard his interview.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Sadly like in all walks of life if you throw enough mud its sure to stick.

I'm not going to discuss West Hams manager, its not relevant to this discussion, but what I will say is that I backed Allardyce for far more than 9 games, best man for the job at that time.

So if you're going to sling mud make sure you can back it up.

So whats the rules then? You can criticise a manager, no matter how well he's doing, once a certain time has elapsed? But you can't criticise a manager, no matter how badly he's doing, before that time? Can you specify when that time is? I'm very anxious to be classed as a good fan according to the nonsensical rules of GAV.

[bypass06]

DAN CLOUGH FAN COLUMN: Kean departure was a false dawn

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/10114184._/?

[martonrover]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="mhead" data-cid="1349900" data-time="1355827691"><p>

The hold on backroom changes can only mean one of 2 things:<br />

-normal Venkys decision-making process<br />

-new manager rather than new back-room staff(more to sack cos Hughesy will bring the Taffia)<br />

<br />

take your pick....still probably the first.</p></blockquote>

I think it could be the latter.

Something has got to give unless there's a dramatic change in fortunes.

Berg has not had a fair chance but in all likelihood he never will.

Surely either he, Shebby or both will go sooner rather than later.

[Stuart]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="dr_awol" data-cid="1349885" data-time="1355826219"><p>

am I the only one here who thinks<ul class='bbc'><li>Rovers most decorated player (post war)<br /></li><li>a player who's won almost everything<br /></li><li>studied under some of the best managers<br /></li><li>knows how to get out of this league<br /></li><li>Has had experience dealing with crappy owners</li></ul>

that berg should be given sometime to get his own team together ?</p></blockquote>

***

No, you're not on your own. There are one or two others who agree!

[Athlete]

Well said Dan very well written article

[den]

A lot of the high crosses causing us problems aren't coming along the six yard line though. A lot are straight balls down the middle (Cardiff), or diagonal crosses from quite deep in the half.

You can't stop teams playing those types of crosses. The defence need to stand up to those.

The best way to stop conceding goals of that type is to defend higher up the park. Keep the opponents out of the area as much as possible. Unfortunately you can only really do that when you have pace in the team. Slower players naturally drop deeper because they are frightened of leaving space behind them. Rovers main defensive problem for a while now [along with having a midfield with no bite whatsoever] has been defending far too deep. If you allow crosses into the area on a regular basis, then teams will take advantage - no matter how good your centre backs are.

[Stuart]

It's a passionate article and, yes, I agree with the sentiment. But is it wise for the local paper to declare war on Singh?

It's not as though he has any affiliation with the club and if anything I could see him being 'hurt' or 'wounded' or some other melodramatic word.

Ultimately he could well take out his umbrage on Rovers through spite!

And do we really want to silence Singh and instead listen to Agnew and Shaw? Talk about rocks and a hard place - but they are equally culpable by association.

[Gav]

So whats the rules then? You can criticise a manager, no matter how well he's doing, once a certain time has elapsed? But you can't criticise a manager, no matter how badly he's doing, before that time? Can you specify when that time is? I'm very anxious to be classed as a good fan according to the nonsensical rules of GAV.

Rightly or wrongly you've been spoon fed success throughout your time as a Rovers supporter and thats where yours and several others knee-jerk reactions, to a less than impressive start to Bergs tenure, comes from.

Again let me make it clear, Berg wasn't my first choice, but he's the manager of my football club, and until he does something that encourages me to withdraw my support I'll be backing him, I suggest you do the same, its called supporting your club.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I heard an interview with Dann a few months back where he was talking about his nightmare season last season, still recovering from the injury he sustained before he joined us, and I was willing to give him a second chance. But the defending for the first goal on Saturday was pathetic, free header 6yrd box? school boy stuff and its been much of the same since I heard his interview.

Why was it Dann's fault and not Givet ? Personally don't know who should have been marking Thomas.

Well said Dan very well written article

No it isn't - he says he doesn't support conspiracies - and then fills the article full of consipracy theories about who picks the team !

Personally I am sick of all the rumours with no proof - you will always have them - but it has just been daft since the Venky's took over (and I don't think it is all their fault).

[LeChuck]

DAN CLOUGH FAN COLUMN: Kean departure was a false dawn

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/10114184._/?

Not sure I agree with a lot of it in there.

"He (Singh) talked the talk."

Nobody has been impressed by Singh in the media. Talking a lot is not the same as talking the talk.

"I would like to know, for instance, the decision making process behind dropping Paul Robinson on Saturday. Who decided to start with Simon Vukcevic and who decided to stick Diogo Rosado (who? Exactly) on the bench?"

Obviously there is heavy inference that someone is interfering with Berg's selections here.

Berg tried to sign Friedel so obviously isn't a Robinson fan. The facts from last season and this show Robinson lets in a large percentage of shots (all 4 of Cardiff's went in). Most people have wanted to see Vukcevic start a game (who else would played on the right?), and Diogo Rosado is ex-Sporting Lisbon and Portugal U21 international.

Poor article in my opinion, not helpful to anyone.

[Gav]

Why was it Dann's fault and not Givet ? Personally don't know who should have been marking Thomas.

No it isn't - he says he doesn't support conspiracies - and then fills the article full of consipracy theories about who picks the team !

Personally I am sick of all the rumours with no proof - you will always have them - but it has just been daft since the Venky's took over (and I don't think it is all their fault).

No I agree DMTP, either one should be picking him up instead of ball watching. I give Givet the benefit of the doubt as he's a proven quality defender, but Dann? I'm not sure.

As for rumours, the problem is nobody has the inside track these days, the ones that get snippets are fed those lines by our mate from PNE allegedly, so its mostly nonsense and mischief making by people posturing for power.

[Athlete]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="DavidMailsTightPerm" data-cid="1349923" data-time="1355829539"><p>

Why was it Dann's fault and not Givet ? Personally don't know who should have been marking Thomas.<br />

<br />

<br />

No it isn't - he says he doesn't support conspiracies - and then fills the article full of consipracy theories about who picks the team !<br />

<br />

Personally I am sick of all the rumours with no proof - you will always have them - but it has just been daft since the Venky's took over (and I don't think it is all their fault).</p></blockquote>

It's a very good article

I suggest you take time to go onto Portsmouth message boards when they were beginning to sink and read some of the posts on there

[jim mk2]

Berg seems an honourable man - if he is not being allowed to pick his own team and this run of results continues I would expect him to resign sooner rather than later. One thing is for certain - the ludicrous Singh will defend his choice of manager and Berg will not be sacked as long as Singh is at the club.

[Amo]

Berg tried to sign Friedel so obviously isn't a Robinson fan. The facts from last season and this show Robinson lets in a large percentage of shots (all 4 of Cardiff's went in). Most people have wanted to see Vukcevic start a game (who else would played on the right?),

Didn't Simon play on the left?

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Rightly or wrongly you've been spoon fed success throughout your time as a Rovers supporter and thats where yours and several others knee-jerk reactions, to a less than impressive start to Bergs tenure, comes from.

Again let me make it clear, Berg wasn't my first choice, but he's the manager of my football club, and until he does something that encourages me to withdraw my support I'll be backing him, I suggest you do the same, its called supporting your club.

Will give this one more post before my I drop dead with a migraine but that first sentence is the exact reason you and the rest of the good football gang opposed Allardyce.

I've always been a realist about Rovers. To me, Souness was a brilliant manager because he promoted us, won a trophy and finished 6th. To some fans he was awful because he had 1 bad season, not being realistic in my opinion. Same deal with Allardyce, kept us up and achieved a top half finish working on a transfer budget of around -£20m. But some fans criticised him because the football wasn't pretty enough, again total lack of realism.

Berg on the other hand has taken over a squad that was 2nd in this league under Kean, and has produced with it a set of results that have us 20th in the form table. Is it unrealistic to demand better? To be honest in 10 games time I'd be astonished if you don't agree with me, although of course it'll be too late by then to utilise the January window and save our season. Which is the whole point of the argument that he needs to go now.

Its not called supporting the club, its called agreeing with you. The Big Sam era shows that you support the club as and when you feel like it, you didn't feel like it then, you feel like it now. I'm the opposite, as I base my support/criticism on whether someone is taking us up or down the league.

[riverside returns]

Just watched the highlights and it appears that Givet was to blame for both goals not tracking his man.

[rovers11]

I'd be surprised if Berg is here come February. Not being allowed to make backroom changes until Jan basically means if results don't pick up over xmas then you are out. No point if paying off a backroom team, getting in a new one and then sacking the manager. That is probably the thinking right now.

[John]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="rovers11" data-cid="1349941" data-time="1355830559"><p>

I'd be surprised if Berg is here come February. Not being allowed to make backroom changes until Jan basically means if results don't pick up over xmas then you are out. No point if paying off a backroom team, getting in a new one and then sacking the manager. That is probably the thinking right now.</p></blockquote>

Who knows what they are thinking - usually there is no logical reasoning behind it.