[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[yoda]

Still very early days but the signs are promising

The comments after the Charlton game were ridiculous, folk writing him off saying the players weren't playing for him etc it was clear he went into that game with the same setup that had done well in the last few games. After which he addressed the lack of support for Rhodes by switching formation and got us playing simple but effective football.

Some of his most vociferous early critics have been silenced since he started doing well, I just hope he is afforded a bit of breathing space and not just jumped on at the first chance. In fact I think Mr E is the only one I've seen criticise him recently but he doesn't count.

Agree, we are going to end up calling him Appledyce

[Tom]

You know my least favourite thing about Appleton?

The fact his assistant feels the need to wear football socks pulled up on the touch line, he looks like young lads you see at games in the full get up with shinpads etc but he's a grown man!

[Plastics]

It's both.

And unfortunately "diddums" and "don't shoot your girlfriend" are representative.

The don't shoot your girlfriend comment was reference to another thread in which the said poster had found it necessary, without irony, to state that he did not condone shooting girlfriends. It was the most random outburst I've seen on this board. It was not simply a random post by me about current events in SA.

Your post is unrepresentative. How many times have I made posts like that? They are rare.

Still very early days but the signs are promising

The comments after the Charlton game were ridiculous, folk writing him off saying the players weren't playing for him etc it was clear he went into that game with the same setup that had done well in the last few games. After which he addressed the lack of support for Rhodes by switching formation and got us playing simple but effective football.

Some of his most vociferous early critics have been silenced since he started doing well, I just hope he is afforded a bit of breathing space and not just jumped on at the first chance. In fact I think Mr E is the only one I've seen criticise him recently but he doesn't count.

I agree with this. He's got work to do but he's made a good start.

[windymiller7]

Between him and Dyche there's a barbershop quartet in the making. Which is ironic considering they're both baldies!

That's folically-challenged for those who are easily offended!

Just snotted myself laughing!

[Plastics]

I see he's let Kane return to Chelsea.

[donnermeat]

You know my least favourite thing about Appleton?

The fact his assistant feels the need to wear football socks pulled up on the touch line, he looks like young lads you see at games in the full get up with shinpads etc but he's a grown man!

Me and my friends have a good laugh at that, talk about old school, even though he's also under 40 (I'm guessing it's Westwood?)

I suppose he's got to try and make himself look hard, working with Appleton.

[bypass06]

Andrew Cryer ‏@CryerRovers

Perhaps Bentley is the one potentially arriving today. Not done yet but....

[USABlue]

I'm a little but impressed after Tuesdays point. Very happy to see solidarity back, a very guarded thumbs up so far. Like I said we will know by the end of the month whether Venky's lucked out. Signs are very promising indeed.

[DE.]

I see he's let Kane return to Chelsea.

Thought Kane did alright whilst he was here. Far from a world-beater and has some serious flaws but didn't do a terrible job.

[hesfromburn]

I'm getting more and more impressed by Appleton, it's still early days but it feels like we have an actual football manager in charge for the first time since Big Sam (has it really been two years!!!)

Apart from Brighton performance and fitness seems to have improved, and the defence looks like a different set of players from few months ago. I personally didn't understand Andy cryers praise of Scott Dann early in the season I thought he was hot and cold and always making at least one awful mistake a game, but looks solid last few games at this level alongside Hanley.

[chaddyrovers]

I'm getting more and more impressed by Appleton, it's still early days but it feels like we have an actual football manager in charge for the first time since Big Sam (has it really been two years!!!)

Apart from Brighton performance and fitness seems to have improved, and the defence looks like a different set of players from few months ago. I personally didn't understand Andy cryers praise of Scott Dann early in the season I thought he was hot and cold and always making at least one awful mistake a game, but looks solid last few games at this level alongside Hanley.

agree 1000%

Dann and Hanley look very solid partnership and we are defending as a team not just a back four like under the 2 previous managers which has exposed the back four and teams have play to use this.

[chaddyrovers]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2279454/Michael-Appleton-settled-Blackburn-Rovers.html

looks like Appleton reports to Derek Shaw and hasnt even met Shebby yet.

hopefully we are back to a proper structure where Appleton report to Shaw who then talks to the owners.

[Ricky]

That daily mail article is great. It actually makes me feel like I'm supporting a proper football club again. shebby is nowhere to be seen which has to be a good thing.

[Tom]

Yet sadly we know we are only ever two seconds away from the next Venkys disaster

[47er]

Yet sadly we know we are only ever two seconds away from the next Venkys disaster

Well I' m glad someone else feels the same way I do. I think Venkys are putting all they feel they can into the Club at the moment in a desperate bid to get promotion and the 90M that goes with it.

What will happen if they succeed? What will happen if they fail? This sort of discussion is far more important than week by week results.

[Mallet]

Working with lots of Championship supporters, Leicester/Charlton/Cardiff this is the first time they are admitting to worrying about Rovers and MA, it's been a long time coming...

[Sparky Marky]

I'm getting more and more impressed by Appleton, it's still early days but it feels like we have an actual football manager in charge for the first time since Big Sam (has it really been two years!!!)

Apart from Brighton performance and fitness seems to have improved, and the defence looks like a different set of players from few months ago. I personally didn't understand Andy cryers praise of Scott Dann early in the season I thought he was hot and cold and always making at least one awful mistake a game, but looks solid last few games at this level alongside Hanley.

I've always rated Dann and have been nailed for it by many on here...thank you.

Whereas Hanley just needs replacing with Roger Johnson....where is that guy?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Are we FINALLY seeing the club moving in the right direction.....

RUDDY 'EL!!!

[Baz]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2279454/Michael-Appleton-settled-Blackburn-Rovers.htmllooks like Appleton reports to Derek Shaw and hasnt even met Shebby yet.

hopefully we are back to a proper structure where Appleton report to Shaw who then talks to the owners.

Wow, thats a brilliant article.

A proper structure.

Wow

[Amo]

For the first time in a very long while, we actually resemble something like a football club, on the surface at least. I'll worry about things behind the scenes when they rear their ugly head again (which is only a matter of time).

[tonyoz]

It's probably because the Arsenal match is looming but we have gained the attention of the main papers again. There are positive articles in just about all of them. There's also articles about Orr and Bentley apologising and another (and it's a cracker by Henry Winter) about Richards career.

“I wind up the opposition. If I do a nice trick, I’ll wink at the player trying
to mark me. When we played Ipswich Town, [Luke] Chambers was more bothered about
holding me than watching the ball coming in and we managed to score. I said:
‘Stop holding me, man. Start concentrating’.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/fa-cup/9874149/Boyhood-Arsenal-fan-Colin-Kazim-Richards-odyssey-takes-him-full-circle-as-he-aims-to-strike-blow-for-Blackburn.html

The mood is changing. After reading the Mail article:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2279454/Michael-Appleton-settled-Blackburn-Rovers.html

I would be interested to hear people's views on the role that Shaw has played in all this.

As I see it; Singh got rid of Kean by making his job untenable, he then messed about for 5 weeks (or whatever it was) appointing Berg. Berg always seemed very isolated and had to work with the incumbents. Sadly, it all turned into a bit of a disaster. Finally Shaw and Agnew flew to Pune to try to set things right. Something significant happened there and Singh was banished to the far reaches of the Venky empire. Appleton was appointed - again at the insistence of Shaw - and it turns out (and it was by no means obvious to many of us) that he seems to know what he's doing!

Appleton got his own team in - a luxury not afforded to Berg, and he was then allowed to concentrate on the football whilst Shaw et al deal with the meddlers in Pune. No more cross-continental meetings for the manager - leave that up to the managing director! Good grief, It just seems so simple - if only JW was still here!

Maybe I am giving Shaw too much credit - but somebody brought the change about. Appleton could be responsible for some of it - who do you reckon it is ? We owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

[perthblue02]

Think besides the job that Appleton has done so far the only others that can be given any credit are the new PR firm. Lets see what Shaw as actually done before knighting him so he can take his place alongside Lord Agnew in the Kean tribute room at Ewood.

[DE.]

It's only been a few weeks for goodness sake. It's nice that we're having a short time of "normality", but lets save debts of gratitude and whatever else for when we actually achieve something. These people got us relegated, decimated a decent team, persecuted fans and made the club a national @#/? joke. Until their mistakes are fully rectified they can take gratitude and shove it up their arse.

[tonyoz]

Fair enough.

[Stuart]

I'm concerned about all the Shagnew love. I guess we've got Shebby's big mouth to thank for pushing people that way though.

It may be a traditional structure but Preston are still feeling the effects of the Shaw legacy. League Two destined it would appear.

Admittedly this was in part due to RFW taking all his toys out of the pram (literally) when his son got the boot - and allegedly instructing Pulis to do the same, but the rot started a long time before then.

Maybe it'll be a square peg in a square hole - a bit like Appleton (hopefully) - but there's a long way to go before I consider him the right man to take us forward. (Not that he cares what I think, obviously!)