[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[den]

I could name thousands who could cope with the second division, but couldn't cope with the first.

[Waggy76]

The Souness team of 2001 , if they played in this league now , would be champions and dominate a lot of the games , home and away ...

Fulham and Rovers were the best 2 teams in the league , it took Rovers a while to get started ..###

The league is much poorer than it was unfortunately so are Rovers ..

Michael Appleton has done well so far (we are not going to be relegated , which was a distinct possibility at one time ) but there is a big 7 days coming up soon defeat at Millwall followed by defeat against Burnley and I can see this messageboard in melt down ...

Personally , these are the only 2 worthwhile fixtures left this season ,this Rovers squad is a million miles away from promotion but we could get to the Semis and keep it 34 years !!

Next season ? more of the same turgid , negative football with very little talent on show ...

Unfortunately , the appointment of Appleton shows a lack of ambition and desire by the owners to get the club promoted ....

[jim mk2]

I can't disagree with any of that. It has to be taken into consideration that you were against Appleton from day one though Jim.

Where have I said I'm against Appleton ? I haven't expressed any strong opinion about him as far as I recall - cue for a geek to use the search button.

[AggyBlue]

I could name thousands who could cope with the second division, but couldn't cope with the first.

Go on then Den

[Philly13]

Like Appy, but I wish we kept Berg.

[ada2020]

Heard it all now, why would anyone with an ounce of sense wish we had kept Henning Berg in charge. He was taking us down!!!

Agree with whoever said our season rests on just the Burnley and Millwall games now, battering them at home and getting a Wembley appearance by beating Millwall would but a (undeserved?) shine on the season.

Appleton should be using the remaining games to begin drilling the defence and provide a solid base for next season, Christmas should be the time we are judging Appleton.

[Gav]

This season was out if the window as soon as Kean got a stay of execution in the summer. After that it was nothing more than a season of consolidation for me.

The people moaning and groaning are the ones that thought we were better than we actually are and expected complete domination in the championship, that was never going to happen.

So it's all about next season really, is Appleton good enough to get us out of this league? Not sure on that score but he started off well enough to assume we'll be in the mix, but time will tell.

[Mike E]

Tbf, a cup run as we have had (and beating Burnley) would be about as good as we should have expected. Beating Arsenal from our position is a classic to cherish imo.

[Andy]

Like Appy, but I wish we kept Berg.

Seriously?!

What did Berg offer that Appleton doesn't?

In fact, come to think of it...what did Berg offer?

[yoda]

Seriously?!

What did Berg offer that Appleton doesn't?

In fact, come to think of it...what did Berg offer?

Supporter appeasement, initially!

[Lancs Rover]

Willingness to accept an arranged marriage to Shebby. Kissing cousins no longer.

[koi]

Like Appy, but I wish we kept Berg.

Where's that picture of Heath Ledger as the joker when you need it!?!

Ah there you go..

[yoda]

Where's that picture of Heath Ledger as the joker when you need it!?!

Ah there you go..

beat me to it

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.empireonline.com/images/uploaded/heath-ledger-the-joker.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.empireonline.com/features/heath-ledger-joker&h=500&w=775&sz=145&tbnid=mnzBLegHntMshM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=140&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dheath%2Bledger%2Bas%2Bthe%2Bjoker%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=heath+ledger+as+the+joker&usg=__8dRNC5XkX9DhHyvORZmkYtiUt6E=&docid=0EL3HCdJljyXKM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hp4sUdiBKMKS0QWu1YDQCw&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQ9QEwAQ&dur=2081

[bypass06]

Give Best time, says Blackburn Rovers manager

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn_rovers/

[DanLad]

Where's that picture of Heath Ledger as the joker when you need it!?!

Ah there you go..

Why is the Joker speaking to Alan Sugar's mate off the Apprentice?

[Stuart]

Like Appy, but I wish we kept Berg.

I had a feeling you'd get pelters for that. I would have liked to have seen him do what Appleton did and change the whole backroom team. I reckon the players were expecting that too but he seemed to have less people to turn to than Mike Newell has agents on speed dial.

He also didn't get a chance to bring in his own players.

The problem was that his dour attitude and the negative PR which the club 'allowed' to be put out there brought too much pressure so he didn't get the time maybe he needed. (It'd be interesting to see how Berg's record in his 7 games in charge compared to Sparky's first 7 games).

I also wonder, would we have been relegated under Berg and, if not, have we really gained anything by potting Berg?

[Hasta]

I had a feeling you'd get pelters for that. I would have liked to have seen him do what Appleton did and change the whole backroom team. I reckon the players were expecting that too but he seemed to have less people to turn to than Mike Newell has agents on speed dial.

He also didn't get a chance to bring in his own players.

The problem was that his dour attitude and the negative PR which the club 'allowed' to be put out there brought too much pressure so he didn't get the time maybe he needed. (It'd be interesting to see how Berg's record in his 7 games in charge compared to Sparky's first 7 games).

I also wonder, would we have been relegated under Berg and, if not, have we really gained anything by potting Berg?

I wasnt sure so checked.

Hughes took over a team got 11 points from 10 games - winning 2 and losing 3.

Berg got 6 points from 10 games - winning 1 and losing 6.

Hughes played some of those games against Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur

Berg played some of those games against Huddersfield, Peterboro, Millwall and Blackpool.

[DE.]

I also wonder, would we have been relegated under Berg and, if not, have we really gained anything by potting Berg?

There's very little to suggest Berg has anything close to what it takes to manage a team at League One level, let alone Championship. He was rejected by Bury ffs. Appleton at the very least has managed in this division, so yes, he's automatically a step up from Berg on that basis alone.

Let's not let sentimental feelings cloud the fact Henning was an unmitigated disaster as manager, and allowed himself to become Shebby Singh's puppet in exchange for a few games in the spotlight.

[LeChuck]

Let's not let sentimental feelings cloud the fact Henning was an unmitigated disaster as manager, and allowed himself to become Shebby Singh's puppet in exchange for a few games in the spotlight.

Totally uncalled for, there is no evidence to suggest this was the case at all.

Why does everything become really personal on here the minute somebody isn't very good at their job?

[DE.]

It's my opinion LeChuck, you don't have to share it. There's plenty to suggest it. Look at where Shebby is now with Appleton in charge, you certainly don't see him on the training ground with his stupid tracksuit on.

[broadsword]

Totally uncalled for, there is no evidence to suggest this was the case at all.

Why does everything become really personal on here the minute somebody isn't very good at their job?

What on earth do you expect? Garlands and a box of chocolates for him?

Him and Singh are pivotal players in our destiny this season, and perhaps for the next 20 seasons.

Oh dear, sorry for getting personal, but I don't give a @#/?.

[T.J.Newton]

The problem is that his legs can go and any time, perhaps it's already happened. When it does happen players decline very quickly. He could be worth a try though if Campbell was as bad as everyone suggests, and Best is still a few games away yet.

Kean

Orr Dann Hanley Rekik

Bentley Lowe Pedersen Markus

Gomes Rhodes

I'd probably go with that. We definitely need to replace Murphy with Pedersen anyway, and Markus has done a reasonable job on the left with Appleton in charge.

Exactly the squad id go for considering whos available, though id seriously consider starting nunes on the left ahead of markus!

[Stuart]

I wasnt sure so checked.

Hughes took over a team got 11 points from 10 games - winning 2 and losing 3.

Berg got 6 points from 10 games - winning 1 and losing 6.

Hughes played some of those games against Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur

Berg played some of those games against Huddersfield, Peterboro, Millwall and Blackpool.

Thanks for that Hasta.

Some immediate thoughts: you can only play what's in front of you; Hughes inherited a better squad; Hughes was given time despite a poor start and eventually backed on the transfer market; Hughes had an excellent board to provide guidance and support.

Also Hughes brought in his own men and methods. Berg seemed too 'nice' and wasn't ruthless enough with the incumbent back room team.

When 'someone' made the decision to sack Berg AND his back room team they made life a lot simpler for Appleton - even though I expect he's a lot more hard-nosed about that sort of thing given his Pompey experiences.

If this change of policy has happened before Berg was appointed, would it have made a difference? Could he have become another Hughes? In all likelihood, no, but we'll never know for sure.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Totally uncalled for, there is no evidence to suggest this was the case at all.

Why does everything become really personal on here the minute somebody isn't very good at their job?

It was absolutely bang on in my opinion. Plenty of evidence to suggest Berg was a total disaster as a manager, 6 points from 10 games in a season where promotion was stated as being an essential goal being the main one. As for the Singh puppet business, its about as close to hard evidence as you're ever gonna get in football. Not being allowed to bring in his own staff, having Singh turn up to training with his personalised tracksuit and boots on every day, Singh giving more interviews to the press more than Berg during those 10 weeks. And as for the circumstantial evidence, why on earth would he join a regime he'd earlier been extremely critical of? Because when he was critical of it, he had no chance of being a Championship-level manager, a big step up from his previous jobs. So in other words, the limelight.

Its not getting personal, anyone else would do the same in their line of work. But its pretty much speaking the truth, instead of the self-imposed gagging order a lot of fans have issued themselves when it comes to Berg's tenure here.

[LeChuck]

He was a total disaster and completely out of his depth, I don't dispute that.

What I do dispute is the suggestion that he sold himself out to be Shebby's puppet. He brought in a player who was evidently his own choice (Josh King) and didn't play the likes of Edinho, Jorge, Rosado etc who Shebby brought in.

He just took a job on that he wasn't good enough for. Wasn't the first and won't be the last. Why the attacks on him as a person when there is no evidence?