[Archived] Henning Berg - Rovers Manager

[Stuart]

Very good and pertinent post from Steve Kean's Hypnotoad.

I agree.

[rovers11]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but excellent article about rovers in The Times today. Said the feel good factor has returned since Berg has been appointed and some of the football we played on Saturday was better than a lot of the top flight clubs. Also highlighted how good rochina, formica, Murphy and vuckevic were on Saturday.

But did also say the club is disappointed with the recent attendances and rovers fans wouldn't feel as though they completely have their club back until venkys had gone.

[thenodrog]

Fans don't need excuses. I've just posted some facts. The falling away of support isn't down to "fickle fans", it's down to Venky's.

I think you know that really.

History tells it different Den. Obviously the Venkys are the reason for the latest dip in attendance and deservedly so for their inept and naive management and the downright contempt for the supporters. However when we won the Premier League title and filled Ewood to bursting and beyond to see the trophy paraded by the team we still only had 7000 or so proper die hards and about 25000 fickle glory hunters. When we won the Full Members we took 30,000 to Wembley and when we won the League Cup we took similar to Cardiff. The semis at cardiff and Old Trafford were virtually sell outs but as soon as we resumed 'normal' service the glory hunters dissapeared. Thats just the way it is and the way it's always been in my lifetime. Those 7000 perrenial die hards swell by 4-5000 when we are in the Championship another 7-9000 will turn up when we are in the Prem with any more only trapping when we win something. People might resent them but their money is as good as anybody elses.

If you want a club that can command sell outs every home game then you must either start supporting the Uniteds of Manchester or much more preferably ...... Lancashire!

[thenodrog]

Speaking as a non-renewer, I'm afraid a few months out and your whole psychology changes. Suddenly its not attend at all costs, its attend if the circumstances are reasonable.

They didn't seem reasonable on football grounds when Kean resigned because all Venkys did was appoint his assistant.

And they don't seem reasonable on financial grounds now because match tickets are £25, so you're paying more than double the price you paid when you had a season ticket.

In December the half season tickets will seem reasonable if we're doing average/well under Berg, and unreasonable if we're doing poorly.

In my opinion only a sustained play-off position or better will bring supporters back in decent numbers for the second half of the season. Those still going might not like the sound of that, but Venkys were warned countless times to do everything in their power to keep us up or face the consequences. All I can say is they should have taken the fans seriously.

To avoid any personal criticism that might be coming my way on the back of this, I've probably still been to about half the home games this season. I can just fully understand those who still haven't been to any.

I must say I nearly bought a ticket on Sat now that Berg is in charge through a mixture of wanting to show support for an old and respected player and because of recent actions by whoever which imo are finally turning the club around from what I saw as a headlong descent into oblivion. What stopped me I don't really know. If I'd had a ST I'd have gone and if I could have paid on the door I prob would have...... it's just that

a. I had over an acre of leaves to collect

and

b. I seem to have simply lost the habit.

You shouldn't need 6 wins on the bounce to attend in my opinion, you should have been down there as soon as the rat deserted the ship, but each to there own merce.

I seem to recall you've missed games recently Gav. Am I correct?

[TBTF]

Speaking as a non-renewer, I'm afraid a few months out and your whole psychology changes. Suddenly its not attend at all costs, its attend if the circumstances are reasonable.

They didn't seem reasonable on football grounds when Kean resigned because all Venkys did was appoint his assistant.

And they don't seem reasonable on financial grounds now because match tickets are £25, so you're paying more than double the price you paid when you had a season ticket.

In December the half season tickets will seem reasonable if we're doing average/well under Berg, and unreasonable if we're doing poorly.

In my opinion only a sustained play-off position or better will bring supporters back in decent numbers for the second half of the season. Those still going might not like the sound of that, but Venkys were warned countless times to do everything in their power to keep us up or face the consequences. All I can say is they should have taken the fans seriously.

To avoid any personal criticism that might be coming my way on the back of this, I've probably still been to about half the home games this season. I can just fully understand those who still haven't been to any.

Good post as is that of Philipl above it.

It is actually quite amazing because we have brought in our 25th choice manager almost in a rush because gobby Shebby put himself in a hole with a daft statement about making an appointment when he hadnt even met the guy he would duly appoint-since when we have taken 2 points out of a possible 9 and people are talking now about a new world, playing like Barcelona blah blah blah!! Pretty much nothing has changed- manager out , manager in if you can separate the emotion from that(i know, i know!!).The squad is the same as it was a couple of weeks ago as is the shambolic club infrastructure and ownership.In fact, our record since the managerial switch is actually the worst of the 5 who did it at that same time by quite some distance.

Only one thing matters this year if we are to avoid financial meltdown Pompey style and that is going up at the first attempt.The rest is basically just noise.

So to my mind overcoming the major nonsense that goes on at Planet Boll-Ewood almost daily means its a massive ask for Henning to come in and turn it all round and take us up within 6 months of walking through the door especially with whats gone on in the previous 2 years.There has to be some sense of perspective here and by that i mean we need to get rid of the abject negativity which has almost become a way of life for fans at this Club but also moderate the raging jingoism heralding Berg as the second coming.

We have a task on our hands without doubt so anybody with any inclination to Rovers needs to get behind the team and do everything to try and get this club back and even that might not be enough.But i think our future as a club ie whether there is one, will come into very sharp focus before this season is over.

[LeChuck]

Only one thing matters this year if we are to avoid financial meltdown Pompey style and that is going up at the first attempt.The rest is basically just noise.

Parachute payments will be the same next year so we shouldn't be any worse off financially. After that it would get a bit hairy...although many high earners (Gomes, Murphy, Pedersen, Dunn, Givet) will be out of contract by then.

I think we'd be ok financially, but I don't think we'll get promotion if it doesn't happen in the next two years. The only thing that separates us from all the other teams fighting for promotion is the PL money enabling us to make signings others can't. Take that away and we're the same as most other town teams.

[TBTF]

Parachute payments will be the same next year so we shouldn't be any worse off financially. After that it would get a bit hairy...although many high earners (Gomes, Murphy, Pedersen, Dunn, Givet) will be out of contract by then.

I think we'd be ok financially, but I don't think we'll get promotion if it doesn't happen in the next two years. The only thing that separates us from all the other teams fighting for promotion is the PL money enabling us to make signings others can't. Take that away and we're the same as most other town teams.

Best estimates suggest we will lose £20m this season(parachute is only £16m and our total spend is closer to £40m).My point is that we can't do that again and probably we will have to break even in the very near future and i just don't see how that can happen .I think when Venkys hit the ceiling with what they are prepared to spend and thats very close now, then they will run for the exits.

[LeChuck]

Best estimates suggest we will lose £20m this season

Where is that coming from? I thought, in terms of wages at least, we'd already done most of our cutting back last season from January onwards. We got rid Samba, Nelsen, Salgado, Roberts, Andrews, Yakubu, Hoilett, N'Zonzi, Petrovic...possibly more as that was just off the top of my head. I know we've added a few high earners in Gomes, Murphy, Etuhu, Best, CKR and Rhodes, but surely we're spending a lot less now than we were.

[Gav]

Gav, I was.

Forked out for a handful of tickets @£29 each for the Wolves' game and it was dire.

As I have said in a few posts now, if Berg gets things ticking over with a few good results and we are challenging then I will renew the season tickets that I relinquished. I honestly don't think I can say anything fairer than that.

Fair play mercer

[ABBEY]

Without wishing to get into a squabble you really shouldn't presume to know what folk think.

I don't go because I live thousands of miles away now. My mates still go because they wouldn't be forced out by Kean or Venkys. In my experience this is an attitude more prevalent amongst Burnley and Preston's support.

As a life long Rovers fan and an East Lancastrian it pains me to say that Blackburn really doesn't deserve Rovers.

Blackburn doesn't reserve rovers???

Don't don't kean .

[TBTF]

Where is that coming from? I thought, in terms of wages at least, we'd already done most of our cutting back last season from January onwards. We got rid Samba, Nelsen, Salgado, Roberts, Andrews, Yakubu, Hoilett, N'Zonzi, Petrovic...possibly more as that was just off the top of my head. I know we've added a few high earners in Gomes, Murphy, Etuhu, Best, CKR and Rhodes, but surely we're spending a lot less now than we were.

Theres a quarter of it there in your list-thats £10m a year and you have named 6 out a playing list of 30? then theres management , staff, ground upkeep , travel, Academy, Brockhall , god knows how much COMPENSATION & REDUNDANCY .I bet we have spent £2m bringing various Portugese no marks in and out.

[Gav]

I seem to recall you've missed games recently Gav. Am I correct?

Boycotted yes, but once the rat deserted we came back.

Sadly you can't bring yourself to attend, not having a go, thats what these idiots in Pune have caused, but we need long standing supporters like yourself to come back, hopefully things will improve on the pitch and you'll get yourself down once again.

[ABBEY]

Feckin hell Gav, I thought the season of goodwill was approaching !

Nothing would thrill me more than Rovers winning the next 6 on the bounce and going down to Ewood to renew the season tickets that I have had for years.

Fickle as Kean post .

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Where is that coming from? I thought, in terms of wages at least, we'd already done most of our cutting back last season from January onwards. We got rid Samba, Nelsen, Salgado, Roberts, Andrews, Yakubu, Hoilett, N'Zonzi, Petrovic...possibly more as that was just off the top of my head. I know we've added a few high earners in Gomes, Murphy, Etuhu, Best, CKR and Rhodes, but surely we're spending a lot less now than we were.

You forgot Grella haha....we're spending less sure, but we spent more than we received on transfers and we now get less revenue in terms of tv money, sponsorship and ticket sales/concessions.

We'll be making a loss for sure.

We might last another season if we get rid of some high earners but they would probably be some of our best players like Givet, Murphy and Nuno Gomes.....I know Murphy has only had one good game and people might accept that I called him that but he was class at Fulham and there has been no movement off the ball.

[92er]

I think to be fair, there were a number of people who said they'd be back when Kean was gone, yet they haven't returned as they're waiting to see how things pan out. Not being funny, but if that isn't fickle, I don't know what is.

I think it is even more complex than that, based on my limited experIence at the Wolves game.

I bought a seat behind where I and my wife used to sit since the stand had been rebuilt. The person in front had previously been a season ticket holder and this was his first match this season.

He didn't come back after half time.

Nor did the unknown person sitting next to me.

I intend to buy a half season ticket. I have no idea how many other people will do the same, but I know mine will be used for each match.

[DanLad]

The person in front had previously been a season ticket holder and this was his first match this season.

He didn't come back after half time.

Nor did the unknown person sitting next to me.

I intend to buy a half season ticket. I have no idea how many other people will do the same, but I know mine will be used for each match.

Maybe a half season ticket only covers you for the first half?

[thenodrog]

I think it is even more complex than that, based on my limited experIence at the Wolves game.

I bought a seat behind where I and my wife used to sit since the stand had been rebuilt. The person in front had previously been a season ticket holder and this was his first match this season.

He didn't come back after half time.

Nor did the unknown person sitting next to me.

I intend to buy a half season ticket. I have no idea how many other people will do the same, but I know mine will be used for each match.

Maybe they moved to better seats cos there are so many available? An option which I exercised for the Sheff Wed and watford matches which I attended with the ST of a mate who was on holiday.

[92er]

Maybe they moved to better seats cos there are so many available? An option which I exercised for the Sheff Wed and watford matches which I attended with the ST of a mate who was on holiday.

Of course that is possible, but the person in front was quite disparaging as he left at half time.

[47er]

I really get tired of people continually slagging our own supporters, As if the terrible situation is not entirely down to our clownish owners!

We are even discussing whether fans are "justified" in staying away! JUSTIFIED in deciding how to spend their own time and money!

Football is one form of the entertainment options competing against others. People have complete discretion about where their entertainment money will go or even if it will go anywhere

in the current circumstances.

In the 1960 Cup Final disgrace, a pack of amateurish Directors took the fans loyalty for granted. They soon found out their mistake.

In the last 2 years, a set of idiots have gone much farther and treated their fans with contempt, sometimes deliberately.

We take a lot as Rovers fans but many have said "we are not taking this".

It will be a long time before the combined efforts of Venkys and Kean are forgotten, results on the field are only a part of the answer. Kean peddled this myth------if we got back to winning ways the fans would soon be back.

Thus he insulted the fans even further possibly without even realising it! They operate on deeper and more complex levels than Kean or Venkys could work out.

People on here forecast this outcome long ago and the owners carried on regardless. Plenty on this Board were also too simplistic to work it out "Get behind the team!" being their sole advice and remedy.

Up to the owners and the admin to work out how to get the fans back now and if the conclusion is "sell up"-------------good.

Don't blame the fans!

[RevidgeBlue]

Theres a quarter of it there in your list-thats £10m a year and you have named 6 out a playing list of 30? then theres management , staff, ground upkeep , travel, Academy, Brockhall , god knows how much COMPENSATION & REDUNDANCY .I bet we have spent £2m bringing various Portugese no marks in and out.

Are you sure you're not just plucking random scary numbers out of the air in an attempt to be alarmist and dramatic?.

The prosecution claimed in Samba's court case he was earning 100k p.w. by the time he left Ewood. I wouldn't imagine you'd see much change out of 50k p.w. either for the likes of Nelsen, Roberts, Emerton, Yakubu, Salgado and Nzonzi. In ball park terms that's 23m p.a. saved on those six players alone.

Then there's the likes of EH Diouf, Junior, Phil Jones, Grella and Petrovic. Not much change out of 40k p.w. each there either I'd guess. 10m p.a saved there, 33m p.a. saved in total.

OK the figures aren't exact and other players have come in but the wage bill must still be much lower than it was at it's Premiership peak. I wouldn't like to hazard a guess as to how much Nuno Gomes is on but I wouldn't be surprised if the other Portugese lads you're harping on about are on less than Samba was earning combined.

In any event losses are not a huge issue if owners are able and willing and happy to meet them. I will concede that the pattern elsewhere with foreign owners seems to be that they accept huge losses as a matter of course for a limited period, then very quickly seem to tire of it and pull the plug almost over night. Not too far removed from what happened with the Trustees really although their withdrawal was a more gradual process.

[gumboots]

Don't blame the fans!

I don't blame the fans who've decided still to stay away but i do think they're missing something. We hesitated about going back for the Wolves game, weighed up our options then i decided that since we'd said we'd be back when Kean went we would be. The wolves game was dire and if we'd bought a single match ticket we'd probably not have gone since, but we'd committed by buying the season tickets so we carried on. and guess what - it really is better. you can't really comment if you weren't there oin saturday because so much is not just what actually happened but what the crowd perceived to have happened. So much is about the feel of the place, the sense of anticipation, the feel that the players were rediscovering why they played football again. I suspect there will be plenty of downs before the end of the season, but Saturday felt like a definite up. It wasn't just a bit better - it was a different place, a different game from what it's been for the last 2 years, and even much of the time before that. I'm not a natural optimist - in fact my family think I'm one of the world's most negative people when it comes to watching Rovers, so if i say it was good, believe me it was

[RevidgeBlue]

I really get tired of people continually slagging our own supporters, As if the terrible situation is not entirely down to our clownish owners!

We are even discussing whether fans are "justified" in staying away! JUSTIFIED in deciding how to spend their own time and money!

Football is one form of the entertainment options competing against others. People have complete discretion about where their entertainment money will go or even if it will go anywhere

in the current circumstances.

In the 1960 Cup Final disgrace, a pack of amateurish Directors took the fans loyalty for granted. They soon found out their mistake.

In the last 2 years, a set of idiots have gone much farther and treated their fans with contempt, sometimes deliberately.

We take a lot as Rovers fans but many have said "we are not taking this".

It will be a long time before the combined efforts of Venkys and Kean are forgotten, results on the field are only a part of the answer. Kean peddled this myth------if we got back to winning ways the fans would soon be back.

Thus he insulted the fans even further possibly without even realising it! They operate on deeper and more complex levels than Kean or Venkys could work out.

People on here forecast this outcome long ago and the owners carried on regardless. Plenty on this Board were also too simplistic to work it out "Get behind the team!" being their sole advice and remedy.

Up to the owners and the admin to work out how to get the fans back now and if the conclusion is "sell up"-------------good.

Don't blame the fans!

I don't agree with any of that - we never did get back to winning ways under Kean so how do we know for a fact he was wrong?

Kean and the owners didn't set out to naff off the fans deliberately, they were incompetent and naive respectively. But no - one outside of a padded cell should think either WANTED to go down and lose 25m of Premiership TV money and the attendant publicity.

I can only liken it to the situation at Liverpool when Gilette and Hicks were there. Liverpool fans hated them with a passion. But they stuck with the Club whereas many of our fans walked away. Their fans pack out Anfield with 42,000 fans in the middle of August for a meaningless European preliminary round against DNS Airbus of Wales or whoever.. If we have a Cup tie we're lucky if 1/3 of the normal League attendees show.

I don't blame any stayaway fans for being fickle. They've had a lot to put up with And it's a free country. But nevertheless being fickle it is, in my view.

[Steve Moss]

And demotion is 100% Venky's

Ergo crowd decrease is 100% Venky's.

Hard to argue with this.

[Amo]

How on earth is it fickle that some boycotters are still sticking to their principles?

[Rover_Shaun]

Maybe if people were a little bit more vociferous towards the owners and last manager we may not have been stuck with him for two years and we may not have gone down.

Unfortunately they are not members on here so the keyboard warriors have to slag off their fellow fans instead. It's pathetic. bloody pathetic. And THAT is something there is no other word for.