[Archived] Henning Berg - Rovers Manager

[alexanders]

Berg insists it is a fresh start for all at Blackburn Rovers

http://www.lancashir...ackburn_Rovers/

Love how he is saying that everyone has the chance to start creating a competitive squad.

[tonyoz]

Virtually the same situation that Mark Hughes found himself after Graeme Souness left, a poor and unfit squad devoid of any confidence and self belief (and apart from benefitting from better players thanks to Hughes not massively different to the car crash of a club that Paul Ince handed over to Allardyce). Amazes me why quite a few seemed to want Souness back as manager.

Indeed. Here's an extract from Henning's autobiography (apologies to those who may have seen it):

Henning watches the training session, as Souness and his assistants yell and wave their arms. He tells me about Phil Boersma. He used to be the assistant to the physio at Liverpool. When Souness managed Galatasaray, Boersma was put in charge of warm-ups. When Souness took charge of Blackburn, he made Boersma head coach.

"That's what Souness is like. He'll only associate himself with people who say ‘yes boss', coaches who wouldn't even be competent to coach Norwegian youth teams," Henning says.

Souness lets the club rot rather than lose face. In the last couple of years, David Dunn, Keith Gillespie, Andy Cole and Henning have all left Blackburn after falling out with him. The ­captain, Garry Flitcroft, isn't even on the bench and Henning's good friend Dwight Yorke, who came here from Manchester United in 2002, is also on his way out. Right now, Yorke is out there with his team-mates in training, but everyone knows it's just a matter of time.

It all began during training in March this year. Souness and Yorke ended up in an argument about an incident on the pitch. Souness threw off his tracksuit top and insisted on joining in and playing. He sometimes did, even though he was over 50. The players didn't have the courage to protest. They kicked off and the first thing Souness did was to chase after Yorke. The manager threw himself at his own player, studs first, kicked him at knee height with both feet and left Yorke lying on the grass. Yorke was carried off. Souness didn't comment on the tackle at all, he just insisted they played on.

[thenodrog]

Probably Robbo on the bench instead of Kelly or Filan but its close on that one. I don't think Givet would make the bench, Rhodes not seen enough of yet.

Rem we signed Brad Friedal in the autumn of that promotion season and no other keeper that I have seen playing in the Prem since 92 would I have swapped for him. Robbo is a country mile poorer than Brad.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Rem we signed Brad Friedal in the autumn of that promotion season and no other keeper that I have seen playing in the Prem since 92 would I have swapped for him. Robbo is a country mile poorer than Brad.

I agree but read the my first line again. Robbo on the bench if he is lucky.

[Kelbo]

You have contradicted yourself completely in one sentence Kelbo. Truth is Murphy was at best moderate when he was 26 never mind 36. He's here simply cos no one else would pay him what Kean would...... for whatever reason.

Murphy was playing ever so well for Fulham, ask their fans, they watched him every week control their midfield, took them to Europe and did well, thats not an opinion, thats a fact, indeed, you read Ffans post on here, they still wanted to keep him, I agree he has been poor, but how much of that is due to a poor pre seasons preparation?

[thenodrog]

I agree but read the my first line again. Robbo on the bench if he is lucky.

Ooops.... sorry.

[RibbleValleyRover]

The pressure being put on Berg from the get go was inevitable as Rovers have risked severe financial problems trying to get promotion at the first time asking. What do fans want? Do they want Shebby to lie? Instead say that the financial situation is irrelevant so take your time Berg you have a few years to get this team promoted? The reality is if we don't get promoted this year then we are screwed, Berg and the players need to know it's promotion or bust.

This squad might have enough about it with some decent management to get promoted but it will require a lot of things to get it right. Berg needs to:

1- Get the fitness levels and basic organisation skills improved. Building teamwork within the squad and working as a unit is also essential.

2- Make that defense more solid. Black made a bit of a start on that, but the midfield still doesn't provide enough cover which leads to too much pressure on the back four.

3- Getting the best out of Rhodes. He has the ability to score the goals to get Rovers out of this division, Berg has to find a way to maximise the creation of those chances for him. In other words build the team around him and make him the focal point of the team.

I don't think we have the squad to be a truly dominant side in this league as the midfield isn't good enough for that. If we are still in the playoff places come January then I hope we can shift some deadwood and get a few fresh faces in the transfer window (especially in midfield) to make that final promotion push.

It's a very tough job for Henning. On the playing side he has inherited a demoralised squad with a lot of past it players and those not good enough for even this level. Also the financial apocalypse looming isn't helping our cause and only adds to the pressure.

He will get no criticism whatsoever from me at this moment in time, only support for a very tough job indeed.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Murphy was playing ever so well for Fulham, ask their fans, they watched him every week control their midfield, took them to Europe and did well, thats not an opinion, thats a fact, indeed, you read Ffans post on here, they still wanted to keep him, I agree he has been poor, but how much of that is due to a poor pre seasons preparation?

When we signed him, many on here said he needed players around him to do his running. With the general lack of fitness at the club we haven't got that. A general lack of movement of players also lack of width reduces his passing options and as such reduces his effectiveness.

[Kelbo]

The pressure being put on Berg from the get go was inevitable as Rovers have risked severe financial problems trying to get promotion at the first time asking. What do fans want? Do they want Shebby to lie? Instead say that the financial situation is irrelevant so take your time Berg you have a few years to get this team promoted? The reality is if we don't get promoted this year then we are screwed, Berg and the players need to know it's promotion or bust.

This squad might have enough about it with some decent management to get promoted but it will require a lot of things to get it right. Berg needs to:

1- Get the fitness levels and basic organisation skills improved. Building teamwork within the squad and working as a unit is also essential.

2- Make that defense more solid. Black made a bit of a start on that, but the midfield still doesn't provide enough cover which leads to too much pressure on the back four.

3- Getting the best out of Rhodes. He has the ability to score the goals to get Rovers out of this division, Berg has to find a way to maximise the creation of those chances for him. In other words build the team around him and make him the focal point of the team.

I don't think we have the squad to be a truly dominant side in this league as the midfield isn't good enough for that. If we are still in the playoff places come January then I hope we can shift some deadwood and get a few fresh faces in the transfer window (especially in midfield) to make that final promotion push.

It's a very tough job for Henning. On the playing side he has inherited a demoralised squad with a lot of past it players and those not good enough for even this level. Also the financial apocalypse looming isn't helping our cause and only adds to the pressure.

He will get no criticism whatsoever from me at this moment in time, only support for a very tough job indeed.

More importantly, it has no balance, no pace and poor fitness levels, with 50% more fitness the improvement would be immense!

[thenodrog]

Murphy was playing ever so well for Fulham, ask their fans, they watched him every week control their midfield, took them to Europe and did well, thats not an opinion, thats a fact, indeed, you read Ffans post on here, they still wanted to keep him, I agree he has been poor, but how much of that is due to a poor pre seasons preparation?

Nowhere near as much as is down to attitude.

btw I don't need to ask Fulham fans he's only ever been a one pace plodder with half decent passing ability and without a tackle in him.

[den]

You have argued why our squad aren't as good as they look on paper, you've compared them to previous Rovers promotion squads but you've yet to actually rebuff the notion that we have one of the best squads in the league.

To do that, you'll have to tell us of the other teams who have better squads and why.

Or we can merely use our eyes in the games we've played so far. We've been second best in most of them.

Now I know you're going to say that all we need is a manager to improve the performances, but you have to remember that a manager lives or dies by the quality of player they bring to a club. He can only do so much with a team. Dalglish wouldn't have won the PL without top players, - it's not too much to do with tactics. If managers were that influential, any team with a decent manager could win trophies - even without massive investment. A couple of months ago I made a comment on here, where I said that Steve Kean wasn't the reason why rovers were so poor. The reason why we were so poor then - and now - was because Kean had brought poor players into the club. That's proven isn't it, because Kean left a while ago and performances haven't improved. We've gone downhill rapidly for the last two years, not because Kean was manager, but because Kean brought in players who were technically so far behind the squad he inherited.

[Kelbo]

Nowhere near as much as is down to attitude.

btw I don't need to ask Fulham fans he's only ever been a one pace plodder with half decent passing ability and without a tackle in him.

In you opinion, Tugay was one pace, he had Savage around him and as for his passing ability, thats one of the reasons he was capped by England and signed by Liverpool!!

[den]

More importantly, it has no balance, no pace and poor fitness levels, with 50% more fitness the improvement would be immense!

While I agree fitness is poor, the lack of pace accentuates that. Lack of pace makes us second best to any 50/50 balls and some folk put that down to lack of fitness - which it isn't. Even if 50% fitter, a lot of our players would still be last to the ball.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

In you opinion, Tugay was one pace, he had Savage around him and as for his passing ability, thats one of the reasons he was capped by England and signed by Liverpool!!

Tugay was one paced but with the right players around him was a brilliant player. There were times though he was liability. Did not know he was bought by Liverpool and capped by England.

While I agree fitness is poor, the lack of pace accentuates that. Lack of pace makes us second best to any 50/50 balls and some folk put that down to lack of fitness - which it isn't. Even if 50% fitter, a lot of our players would still be last to the ball.

Movement and lack of pace can be improved with improved fitness

[thenodrog]

Or we can merely use our eyes in the games we've played so far. We've been second best in most of them.

Now I know you're going to say that all we need is a manager to improve the performances, but you have to remember that a manager lives or dies by the quality of player they bring to a club. He can only do so much with a team. Dalglish wouldn't have won the PL without top players, - it's not too much to do with tactics. If managers were that influential, any team with a decent manager could win trophies - even without massive investment. A couple of months ago I made a comment on here, where I said that Steve Kean wasn't the reason why rovers were so poor. The reason why we were so poor then - and now - was because Kean had brought poor players into the club. That's proven isn't it, because Kean left a while ago and performances haven't improved. We've gone downhill rapidly for the last two years, not because Kean was manager, but because Kean brought in players who were technically so far behind the squad he inherited.

It's not so much who Kean brought in as who Kean disposed of! He got rid of and removed just about every player with a strong character who was man enough to stand up to him. They are the ones we are missing right now and indeed were always going to. Most of those left are either less talented players, older players or Kiddo's famous rubber dinghy men.

In you opinion, Tugay was one pace, he had Savage around him and as for his passing ability, thats one of the reasons he was capped by England and signed by Liverpool!!

Football is all about opinions Kelbo. Tugay might have appeared one paced but you need to bear in mind that the first 2 yards were in Tugay's head! Murphy doesn't warrant comparison to the Maestro.

btw.... We could discuss this all day before coming to the inevitable conclusion that I am right.

[Atomicrover]

The pressure being put on Berg from the get go was inevitable as Rovers have risked severe financial problems trying to get promotion at the first time asking. What do fans want? Do they want Shebby to lie? Instead say that the financial situation is irrelevant so take your time Berg you have a few years to get this team promoted? The reality is if we don't get promoted this year then we are screwed, Berg and the players need to know it's promotion or bust.

I agree with that, what I don't understand is, why suddenly SS etc have grown a pair and feel bold enough to say it to Berg but who appear never to have had the courage to say it to Coco by sacking him earlier.

[thenodrog]

..

[Kelbo]

It's not so much who Kean brought in as who Kean disposed of! He got rid of and removed just about every player with a strong character who was man enough to stand up to him. They are the ones we are missing right now and indeed were always going to. Most of those left are either less talented players, older players or Kiddo's famous rubber dinghy men.

Football is all about opinions Kelbo. Tugay might have appeared one paced but you need to bear in mind that the first 2 yards were in Tugay's head! Murphy doesn't warrant comparison to the Maestro.

btw.... We could discuss this all day before coming to the inevitable conclusion that I am right.

Stop pinching my lines, thats my post of a while back!! Thats why I am never wrong

I agree with that, what I don't understand is, why suddenly SS etc have grown a pair and feel bold enough to say it to Berg but who appear never to have had the courage to say it to Coco by sacking him earlier.

I would like to know that also, now Shebby, could you please tell us, would be interested to know!!

[Parsonblue]

You have argued why our squad aren't as good as they look on paper, you've compared them to previous Rovers promotion squads but you've yet to actually rebuff the notion that we have one of the best squads in the league.

To do that, you'll have to tell us of the other teams who have better squads and why.

Proving our teams isn't as good as people think doesn't still mean it isn't one of the league's finest teams.

Palace and Leicester both outplayed us and look much stronger. Cardiff look strong, particularly at home. Tony Mowbray has spent a couple of years building an impressive side at Middlesbrough. Those four teams look particuarly strong. I would put us with a group of clubs who have decent but far from outstanding squads. Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, the Rovers, Forest, Wolves, Brighton are all much of a muchness and are certainly nowhere near as strong as the likes of Palace, Leicester, Cardiff or Middlesbrough. I would suggest Bolton have just as strong a squad as the Rovers on paper but, like the Rovers, are unable to produce what is needed on the pitch. Ipswich are bottom and might easily have beaten us on the opening day and both Charlton and Barnsley are near the bottom and both outplayed us for long periods of the games against them. A good team wouldn't be being outplayed as regularly as we are.

[den]

Movement and lack of pace can be improved with improved fitness

Obviously.

[thenodrog]

Stop pinching my lines, thats my post of a while back!! Thats why I am never wrong

Whose lines?

If I had an argument with a player we would sit down for twenty minutes, talk about it and then we'd decide I was right!

Brian Clough.

[Kelbo]

Whose lines?

If I had an argument with a player we would sit down for twenty minutes, talk about it and then we'd decide I was right!

Brian Clough.

Yes, I know, posted it a while back, Jack Walker had a similar one!!

[JAL]

Take the five goals out of the Bristol away game and you see that we are just about managing to score a solitary goal per game.

How bad is this considering the outlay on salaries, transfer fees, and oh, agents fees.

Henning's got a massive job on his hands.

[rovers11]

Palace and Leicester both outplayed us and look much stronger. Cardiff look strong, particularly at home. Tony Mowbray has spent a couple of years building an impressive side at Middlesbrough. Those four teams look particuarly strong. I would put us with a group of clubs who have decent but far from outstanding squads. Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, the Rovers, Forest, Wolves, Brighton are all much of a muchness and are certainly nowhere near as strong as the likes of Palace, Leicester, Cardiff or Middlesbrough. I would suggest Bolton have just as strong a squad as the Rovers on paper but, like the Rovers, are unable to produce what is needed on the pitch. Ipswich are bottom and might easily have beaten us on the opening day and both Charlton and Barnsley are near the bottom and both outplayed us for long periods of the games against them. A good team wouldn't be being outplayed as regularly as we are.

Palace have a couple of outstanding individuals but will most probably lose one if not both of them in January. Plus, if one of them gets injured then they are stuffed. They will drop like a stone.

Cardiff have a strong squad with some exceptional talents like Bellamy and Whittingham. Also solid at the back. Their away form is shocking though - I do, however, expect them to go up.

Not convinced about Leicester. When Nugent is your main striker then you have to worry. Also don't rate Nigel Pearson so I expect them to fall.

Middlesbrough are a good team but worry about the size of their squad. I expect them to be top 4 though.

I'd say Bolton are also strong now that they have a new manager.

Rovers have some decent individuals, such as Rhodes, Gomes, Rochina, Olsson, Best, Dann, Givet. That's all we do have at the moment, a team full of individuals; we don't play as a team. Berg will sort that out though. Expect us to be top 6.

[Al]

Well I ain't over-reacting. Said it was a terrible appointment before Palace and maintain its one after. You can make excuses for Berg tactically given how little time he's been in the job. But what's his excuse for the players playing without an ounce of motivation or fire? Look at Bolton's performance against Cardiff, unpolished but passionate. That's what's supposed to happen when a new manager comes in. We're in deep trouble because we took yet another risk.

For Christ's sake change the record. Saying 'I told you so after 3 days' is stupidity at it's worst.