[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[SydneyRover]

QPR appointed a quality manager in Redknapp. Hasn't worked out. They are going to get relegated. They have decent players.

Sometimes, things are bigger than the manager. If we sacked Appleton and appointed a new manager, we may get a few decent results early on but after 6 or 7 games I'd guarantee you they'd struggle and face the same problems Appleton is and Berg before him did.

Redknapp will turn things around at QPR eventually but he needs the summer to do that. Too early to write him off. Same applies to Appleton but because he's inexperienced people are saying he wont turn it round even given the summer. Perhaps he won't but he at least deserves a fighting chance.

This is the sort of talk that saw Kean stay in a job for so long.

You can't compare Redknapp to Appleton, Redknapp is a man with a track record of success whereas the bald goon in charge has a track record of failure.

Appleton has done nothing to suggest he deserves to stay in the job. I would try and hang on til summer (unless we lose our next three and start looking 50/50ish for the drop), but if there's little improvement then we need to get rid.

The primary problem isn't that we keep firing managers, it's that we keep hiring rubbish ones in the first place. Doubt we will make a good appointment next but letting Appleton mess up this summer doesn't look like the answer.

[chaddyrovers]

Rovers11 have made some really great points and I agree with his points.

Appleton needs time and patience to turn things around. he got to be given this but performances and style of play need to be improve. hopefully the over next 12 days this can be done.

[Baz]

You've been banging the same record for a number of years now and it gets no less boring. Yes if only we still had Salgado (retired) Nelsen (retired) Emerton (semi retired) Roberts (out for season with hip injury) Diouf (not pulling up any trees in this division with Leeds) etc.

The players who left who did make a difference Samba/Hoillet/Jones wanted to leave and there wasn't much we could do about them. Samba and Jones were given new contracts and a king's ransom before they left anyway. They were not sold intentionally to raise money as was the case when the Trust were in charge and the likes of Duff, Dunn, Bentley, Santa Cruz and Warnock were sold off.

The main reason we're where we are is because we've had a succession of poor managers in since Allardyce was sacked and Appleton is in my view the worst of the lot.

Appleton worse than Kean?

[Stuart]

Rev's not comparing apples with apples (ironically).

Kean inherited a midtable PL squad, alienated it, decimated it and relegated it.

Appleton picked up a depressed, disillusioned lower Championship team and, although starting well enough has lost key members of his team and has struggled. I'm no fan of Appleton's style (on the field) but it's unfair to say he's worse than Kean. Maybe if he relegates us he'll be as bad as him but Kean started the rot and fell a lot further.

[roversfan99]

Rovers11 have made some really great points and I agree with his points.

Appleton needs time and patience to turn things around. he got to be given this but performances and style of play need to be improve. hopefully the over next 12 days this can be done.

There is absolutely no evidence that Appleton can change things any time soon.

[pontyrover]

There is absolutely no evidence that Appleton can change things any time soon.

Maybe we need to be patient then?

[JAL]

Rovers11 have made some really great points and I agree with his points.

Appleton needs time and patience to turn things around. he got to be given this but performances and style of play need to be improve. hopefully the over next 12 days this can be done.

Rubbish !

There is absolutely no evidence that Appleton can change things any time soon.

Precisely !

[broadsword]

Maybe we need to be patient then?

Yeah, give it five years or so

[Andy]

Appleton is NOT worse than Kean.

Nobody is worse than Kean.

[darrenrover]

On what we have seen of Appleton to date:

1. is he a motivator of men?

2. Is he tactically astute?

3. Has he been astute in the transfer/loan market?

4. Has he any charisma?

5. Does he instil you with confidence?

6. Would you entrust him short, medium or long term as custodian of our future destiny?

7. Does he have any proven track record?

[danger19_80]

1. is he a motivator of men? Defensively we've been as good as we've been for years since he came in. Dunn too seemed happy to celebrate with him.

2. Is he tactically astute? Today's HT sub was pretty asute.

3. Has he been astute in the transfer/loan market? David Jones looks class. Fans were delighted with Bentley and DJ Campbell's reord proves he should come good.

4. Has he any charisma? Yes definitely. He talks a better game than results have shown to date.

5. Does he instil you with confidence? See 4

6. Would you entrust him short, medium or long term as custodian of our future destiny? More than Kean or Berg.

7. Does he have any proven track record? What does this matter? Di Matteo won the Champions League last season FFS.

[watford-rover]

some of you are an absolute joke, appleton worse than Kean?? behave yourselves. we have a ridiculous amount of injuries and have been playing 3 games a week since early february, so he has a limited time on the training pitch to do any training work with them, let alone get the first team he wants because there all in the vince grella suite.

To say that we need to sack him now and have our 6th manager this season is beyond a joke, and for all its worth what experienced manager is going to come anywhere near us?

Yes our current slump is alarming, but ive been saying all season the only reason we have been picking up points is that rhodes has been playing well, as soon as he hits a lean patch were going to struggle, now its happening and there is so many injuries that its not just as easy to change it about.

Give him the summer and see how he does with transfers and early season form. then judge.

[Waggy76]

Personally I wouldn't give Appleton 5 minutes after the last game of the season ...

He is not up to the task , I do not believe we will be relegated but it is by good luck not management ...

His judgement of a footballer if the January window is anything to go by is very poor indeed ...

[rovers11]

On what we have seen of Appleton to date:

1. is he a motivator of men?

2. Is he tactically astute?

3. Has he been astute in the transfer/loan market?

4. Has he any charisma?

5. Does he instil you with confidence?

6. Would you entrust him short, medium or long term as custodian of our future destiny?

7. Does he have any proven track record?

(1) think he is a motivator. But try motivating players at the end of their careers on big contracts.

(2) Defensively, he knows how to organise a team. Attacking-wise, has shown nothing to date.

(3) Bentley, DJ and Jones were all very good signings on paper.Haven't worked out yet.

(4) Says the right things and has made changes off the pitch.

(5) Performances of late don't but his vision does. Build from the back and play with pacy wingers. Understands the problems at the club.

(6) Not yet. But I'll judge him after the summer.

(7) Not really. But what kind of track record did the likes of Holloway, Macdermott and Rodgers have before getting promoted? Rodgers and Holloway were sacked (holloway got relegated) and macdermott had never managed before.

[Gally]

There was a lad sat behind me in the Millwall home game who was constantly having a go at Appleton for his tactics and lack of subs.

His wife/girlfriend helpfully pointed out that a fair amount of our team were either out of position or only just back from long term injury, and that our bench had 3 defenders and 3 strikers, 2 of which hadn't yet made their debuts.

After this state of affairs was pointed out to him, he responded by using the same phrase we've heard a lot over the last few years, "it can't be any worse!"

If the last few years are evidence of anything, it can always get worse.

Appleton may turn out to be a disaster, but to think we've seen enough of our 5th manager of the season to make up our minds is madness.

[JAL]

Personally I wouldn't give Appleton 5 minutes after the last game of the season ...

He is not up to the task , I do not believe we will be relegated but it is by good luck not management ...

His judgement of a footballer if the January window is anything to go by is very poor indeed ...

Its beginning to look like Ian Holloways Blackpool team made Appleton look better than he really is.

[cop]

I think all Blackburn is a bit of stability, if they can pick up a few wins, which I'm sure they will, it'll be enough to start concentrating on next season. I think there will be a transformation. Moving the players who don't want to be there on and getting players who want to progress in. I don't think Appleton was the best man for the job to guarantee promotion back to the top flight this season, but I think he will steady the ship.

Promotion back to the Premiership at the first attempt could probably cause more damage than it does good. Venkys would be pressured to buy more expensive players on bigger wages managed by a someone who is not cut out for the Premier League.

I think Appleton is good enough to make Blackburn Rovers serious promotion contenders next season, I think he has made some shrewd signings so far and help get the media of the clubs back too. Things are looking better than they were I reckon.

[PAFELL]

This season was written off awhile ago. We are already preparing for next season. Defence wise, Appleton has made Rovers better in that area alone. Needs to do the same with the midfield and getting service to the forwards and getting the team working as a unit.

5 managers in one season is not good for any club / team. All these injuries has not helped Appleton either. The squad was unfit - many on here commented on that awhile ago. Boardroom fights/ arguments/ spats, interfering owners, fans boycotting etc - does not help any club.

The reality is, fitness, organisation, structure do not come over night. I think we have to wait and let him have the summer and time with players for pre-season. Hope for better next season.

[onlyoneDuff]

Appleton is NOT worse than Kean.

Nobody is worse than Kean.

based on who he has shipped out and who he has brought in and his record thus far, it could be argued that Appleton is worse than Kean...we never look like scoring under him

[Rover_Shaun]

There was a lad sat behind me in the Millwall home game who was constantly having a go at Appleton for his tactics and lack of subs.

His wife/girlfriend helpfully pointed out that a fair amount of our team were either out of position or only just back from long term injury, and that our bench had 3 defenders and 3 strikers, 2 of which hadn't yet made their debuts.

After this state of affairs was pointed out to him, he responded by using the same phrase we've heard a lot over the last few years, "it can't be any worse!"

If the last few years are evidence of anything, it can always get worse.

Appleton may turn out to be a disaster, but to think we've seen enough of our 5th manager of the season to make up our minds is madness.

So we saw enough of Berg? Have a word!

[Gally]

So we saw enough of Berg? Have a word!

Not sure what you mean by that. I'm just pointing out that we've had 5 managers this season which clearly isn't helpful in getting a team playing well.

He's been in charge for two months and in that time has been pretty limeted with what he can do with the squad at any one time. Not saying he's a good or bad manager, I'm saying we don't know yet.

Also, as for him being as bad as Kean, are you joking? The same Steve Kean who we pretty much all regard as the worst manager in our history, and one of the worst in the history of the modern game? If Appleton did almost everything he could to purposefully ruin us, he still hasn't had time to be as bad as Kean

[ada2020]

So we saw enough of Berg? Have a word!

More than enough!!!!

A dire, dour individual with no idea.

Shame we seem to have replaced him with a similar type though.

[LDRover]

Anyone care to explain the upturn in form under new managers at Forest and Bolton?

Both clubs were in dire straits when the respective new managers came in and Forest appear to have owners almost as bad as ours.

So, what have Davies and Freedman done (quickly) that the binman appears unable to?

[Gally]

That's the point though isn't it, Freedman didn't do it all that quickly?

[Mike E]

Anyone care to explain the upturn in form under new managers at Forest and Bolton?

Both clubs were in dire straits when the respective new managers came in and Forest appear to have owners almost as bad as ours.

So, what have Davies and Freedman done (quickly) that the binman appears unable to?

They haven't had 5 managers and I think we can assume they had a decent pre-season to get their fitness up. Under kean there were little/no fitness sessions for 2yrs or so.