[Archived] Henning Berg - Rovers Manager

[The Rover of Finland]

Excellent first impression. Refreshing to listen to somene being realistic rather than just blind positivity.

Do not expect to see Berg licking lip. Kean started his lies very early and never stopped. Will honesty lead troubles with Venky´s?

[Salgado Is A Hero]

I hope the likes of Vukevic get a clean slate and a chance to play should he impress in training

I expect to see a similar team to the last few for the next two games until he gets a feel for the squad

Agree with all of that.....I saw a bit of Sky Sports News earlier and I'm 95% sure I saw Adam Henley training with the first team squad......not sure if he has been this season but as our only good full back I really hope he plays more.

As a multitude of photographers called for the ubiquitous shot of manager holding aloft a shirt with his name emblazoned on the back, Berg spun the famous blue and white shirt around. He pointed to the badge and said simply: "This is the most important thing, not a name on the back."

I'm actually really optimistic now....I wish I could be at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

[sjsbrfc]

Not missed a home game all season and now I'm going to miss the Birmingham game due to a prior engagement

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Well it looks like the basic PR tactics worked anyway. Shabby wanted someone he could control but couldn't risk another candidate as unpopular with the fans as Kean. Solution? Get an ex-player in (popularity) and give him an opportunity he couldn't have had with any other club at a similar level (control). Then Berg says some decent sounding stuff to the media and everythings rosy again.

All well and good but the trouble with this type of easily bought optimism is it can disintegrate just as quickly. Its not been the best manager we could have got from a results perspective and if Berg starts taking us in the wrong direction in the table, this thread will be the exact opposite by christmas.

[BuckyRover]

Well it looks like the basic PR tactics worked anyway. Shabby wanted someone he could control but couldn't risk another candidate as unpopular with the fans as Kean. Solution? Get an ex-player in (popularity) and give him an opportunity he couldn't have had with any other club at a similar level (control). Then Berg says some decent sounding stuff to the media and everythings rosy again.

All well and good but the trouble with this type of easily bought optimism is it can disintegrate just as quickly. Its not been the best manager we could have got from a results perspective and if Berg starts taking us in the wrong direction in the table, this thread will be the exact opposite by christmas.

You have basically described the employment of a manager in the field of professional football.

It's a results business. Does well happy days, does badly should be replaced or resign.

[The Rover of Finland]

Does Henning speak Portuguese? Hope it´s just Nunes and Gomes here in February.

[arbitro]

Well it looks like the basic PR tactics worked anyway. Shabby wanted someone he could control but couldn't risk another candidate as unpopular with the fans as Kean. Solution? Get an ex-player in (popularity) and give him an opportunity he couldn't have had with any other club at a similar level (control). Then Berg says some decent sounding stuff to the media and everythings rosy again.

All well and good but the trouble with this type of easily bought optimism is it can disintegrate just as quickly. Its not been the best manager we could have got from a results perspective and if Berg starts taking us in the wrong direction in the table, this thread will be the exact opposite by christmas.

What a negative comment. What if we win all our games and storm to the Premiership?

At least try and be positive.

[broadsword]

Sorry, I just can't get excited at all.

I hope he is a success, and I am not going to criticise, but I'm just totally apathetic.

How he deals with a dysfunctional organisation above him will be critical. I wish him well.

[BigBar]

Surely they have some serious clauses in there regarding promotion, severence, etc etc... not wishing the fellow an ill toward but if he pulls a Kean we dont want to be back to the days of mass protest and that feeling of a nightmare every living second of every day..they are offering him a great chance so surely he will have accepted some terms that other managers may not...

[LeChuck]

Well it looks like the basic PR tactics worked anyway. Shabby wanted someone he could control but couldn't risk another candidate as unpopular with the fans as Kean. Solution? Get an ex-player in (popularity) and give him an opportunity he couldn't have had with any other club at a similar level (control). Then Berg says some decent sounding stuff to the media and everythings rosy again.

I know you're probably just on the wind-up, but I'll play along.

Why would Berg play along with this? It would ruin his managerial career if he turned out to be another Kean. He doesn't need the money. He doesn't need to make a name for himself. He genuinely has affection for Rovers.

Come on, you've got to offer more than this. For some reason you obviously have a very low opinion of Henning has a man, yet you give no explanation as to why.

[wampam]

Anybody calling for boycotts etc. on radio talkshows or otherwise is likely a Turd Moor attendee. Look at the LET comments section,it's full of them. They are getting desperate methinks. I am wholly in favour of the Berg appointment and rather forget recent goings on and any backroom shenanegans. I just want to have a bit of hope,enjoy supporting win or lose,hopefully watch improved performances and maybe see the attendance and fan base increase. SK has gone thank god and Henning Berg seems a breath of fresh air to me. Obviously, the jury will be out on his managerial ability for a while and he may fail. So what. We've failed before and come back. Whilst I believe all the protests and boycotts were necessary (I was one), they have served their central purpose i.e. KEANE OUT. I get the feeling the vast majority of roverites are at least reasonably happy if not moreso, that this sad chapter is now behind us and we can go forward,gain momentum and maybe have some success. Ignore the naysayers,the Berg is back. Resistance is futile.

[bypass06]

http://www.rovertaken.co.uk/blog

Q&A with Jone Stromsvag on Henning Berg

[deftangel]

WSC article recalling Hennings thoughts on Souness

http://www.wsc.co.uk...er-nine-yearsin

That was a fun read. The best line; "Everybody falls out with Souness sooner or later". Undoubtedly true, and his shelf life at Rovers was up when the number of people he'd fallen out with reached critical mass. I'm not minded to let that detract from what he achieved, however. I'd have had him back over Kean in a heartbeat, but probably only for a year or so.

Berg sounds like he has his head screwed on, I can only hope Venky's don't get in his way and let him get on with it. Shebby needs to disappear from football matters and get to sorting out the rest of the mess our owners have made. If his ego allows this to happen, a place in (an albeit dark period of) Rovers history beckons. Here's hoping he can see the bigger picture.

[broadsword]

I think after the last two years, it's very easy to be negative.

Hearts and minds have to be won around. Given the amount of nonsense that has gone on at Ewood for the last 5 weeks, Henning has to show that there is at least one capable person in the building at Ewood.

One thing's for sure. I will never ever forgive Venky's for turning my club into a circus act. I don't care what they do from here on in. I won't forget and I won't forgive. And if those plums try walking on the pitch at Ewood, I hope they cop it something rotten.

[BigBar]

Mixture of nerves and excitement bout this one...if im being honest, at the moment im a little disappointed, was originally pleased we ended the farce and appointed someone but now as it sets in im seriously skeptical over his ability...time will tell..

[Pedro]

Let's just give the guy a chance and a clean slate. He has a massive connection to the the three most glorious days at modern day Rovers, has won the Treble at Man Utd. etc so has certainly earned the opportunity to manage a Championship club. He could easily be as successful as Hughes was or as bad as Ince, only time will tell. One thing for sure, he doesn't strike me as an underqualified, people pleasing, bullshitter like the last manager.

[Tardyrover]

Welcome Henning. I hope you're given plenty of time to build a great squad.

PATIENCE IS KEY!

[Puffsan]

ok i just read some interesting news regarding the manager saga in one of norways biggest papers.

Apperantly Ole Gunnar Solskjær was both in talks with Bolton and Blackburn. He said NO to Bolton, but to blackburn he said the timing wasn't right and he wanted to wait until december. When rovers said yes to these terms OGS changed his mind and said he wanted to wait untill the summer due to family reasons. This was too long for rovers and they went on.

If this is correct maybe that is one of the reason it has taken 5 weeks to get someone in. Maybe they talked to OGS very early in the process and thought ok we can keep on doing some searches and interviews and if we dont find one we know solskjær will take it in december. Lets say they spent 2 or 3 weeks searching other options, couldnt find one satisfying and then contacted solskjær again saying they would wait for him till december. When he then changed his mind they had to keep searching other options again.

or maybe the media is wrong

[Speedie Dived]

I do hope people realise that by the term patience we are looking at an 18 month period here, at least. If we are not top/playoffs by Christmas people should not be kicking off, it took us two years to get out of this division last time.

This also applies to the idiots in Pune, don't be sacking Berg if we don't go up.

[tomphil]

ok i just read some interesting news regarding the manager saga in one of norways biggest papers.

Apperantly Ole Gunnar Solskjær was both in talks with Bolton and Blackburn. He said NO to Bolton, but to blackburn he said the timing wasn't right and he wanted to wait until december. When rovers said yes to these terms OGS changed his mind and said he wanted to wait untill the summer. This was too long for rovers and they went on.

If this is correct maybe that is one of the reason it has taken 5 weeks to get someone in. Maybe they talked to OGS very early in the process and thought ok we can keep on doing some searches and interviews and if we dont find one we know solskjær will take it in december. Lets say they spent 2 or 3 weeks searching other options, couldnt find one satisfying and then contacted solskjær again saying they would wait for him till december. When he then changed his mind they had to keep searching other options again.

or maybe the media is wrong

Why would he want to wait till summer though ?

[Puffsan]

oh i forgot to write that, apperantly due to family reasons. i'll edit it in

[Black Burn]

To be honest, Henning Berg resembles Brad Friedel more than Steve Kean. That's just my opinion though.

[Give 'Em the Axe]

All well and good but the trouble with this type of easily bought optimism is it can disintegrate just as quickly. Its not been the best manager we could have got from a results perspective and if Berg starts taking us in the wrong direction in the table, this thread will be the exact opposite by christmas.

Ah here. Every mother's son that posts or lurks on this message board is painfully aware of that. Can't you see the difference in Berg's first press conference from 2 years of Kean's lip licking platitudes and dewy grassed,box entering shyte. Obviously it's all about results, but it's damn refreshing to have a figure head in place who is speaking from the heart in a manner that seems credible. Give it a chance. Don't write the man off before he's even got his feet under the table.

[Stuart]

It might sound like sour grapes but in a lot of ways, Berg is a more sensible option that 'Arry. Not just having youth on his side but also the sense that realistic expectations are set.

I don't expect any talk of Beckhams or Ronaldinho's with a numpty talking about the ambition it shows.

Cautious optimism is the phrase that comes to mind.

[The Rover of Finland]

It might sound like sour grapes but in a lot of ways, Berg is a more sensible option that 'Arry. Not just having youth on his side but also the sense that realistic expectations are set.

I don't expect any talk of Beckhams or Ronaldinho's with a numpty talking about the ambition it shows.

Cautious optimism is the phrase that comes to mind.

Arry would have left us after January. No way Venky´s could have offered budget enough. Another option would have been breaking bank and ending up another Pompey. I expect Berg will find few cheap but good players.