[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[philipl]

Good luck to Appleton in the farce.

At least he is now a former hungry young manager. That contract is ridiculously excessive in my opinion.

Three wins abd a draw in the first four games is par for the course to be accepted so no pressure then.

[martonrover]

Robbie Savage, Football Focus

Former Blackburn midfielder Robbie Savage, on Michael Appleton being appointed manager at Ewood Park: "It is very surprising. You just have to look at his record at Portsmouth and Blackpool. I was in the same Manchester United youth team with Michael but, looking at his record, he is very lucky to get the Blackburn job. Football now, in my opinion, is becoming about who you know. We've got to start looking at what they have done."

For once I agree with him.

I partly agree with him but he wanted Mark Bowen to get the job so isn't being objective.

[pontyrover]

Until this club pulls together and rallies round a single person who is ultimately responsible for all strategy, then we're screwed. We'll never progress like this.

No new signings, no money for backroom staff, I can only see us going even further backwards, especially with a relatively inexperienced manager at the helm, civil war in the boardroom, a dispirited dressing room and absent owners who make remote decisions and then almost instantly go back on them.

It's carnage, and appointing Appleton's not really going to change much.

despair.com

Haven't we already brought in two new signings? A manager and his assistant? The players are showing more spirit are they not? Would you rather someone like Phil Brown and all his experience? Get a grip.

[Rover_Shaun]

Yes. Phil Brown would be a vast improvement.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Robbie Savage, Football Focus

Former Blackburn midfielder Robbie Savage, on Michael Appleton being appointed manager at Ewood Park: "It is very surprising. You just have to look at his record at Portsmouth and Blackpool. I was in the same Manchester United youth team with Michael but, looking at his record, he is very lucky to get the Blackburn job. Football now, in my opinion, is becoming about who you know. We've got to start looking at what they have done."

For once I agree with him.

Course he's right. This appointment makes no sense at all if you look at it on merit. Appleton's got the job because of his Preston links to Shaw and Agnew. Our club has gone from a respectable, intelligent business into a corrupt, nepotistic disgrace. I feel very sorry for Bowyer and the players.

[T.J.Newton]

IMO, Murphy's comments are a total disgrace.

IMO, his performances are one of the reasons we are where we are - I think he is an overpaid washed-up moron.

Little harsh but i totally agree, most of this squad only seems to be happy when they have a coach that pampers&molly-coddles them, if Bowyer had gone on to be manager longer then as soon as they'd have lost a couple of games Bowyer would have had to make changes-ergo things would have turned sour and it would have been Kean#2(i.e. "one of the lads" type coaches becomes manager way out of his depth-struggles-fails-but many players stand by him anyway because he's "one of the lads" and rest of the players just switch off).

Yes. Phil Brown would be a vast improvement.

:lol: nothing you say from now on can be taken seriously.

[pontyrover]

Yes. Phil Brown would be a vast improvement.

I'll have some of whatever you've been drinking!

[martonrover]

Whilst it's not the appointment we were crying out for I do think it's got a chance.

I always felt that Berg was doomed to failure and simply didn't have any relevant experience.

Appleton must have something or why was Oyston interested in him?

I like the fact he's brought his own assistant as it shows a degree of readiness and direction.

I hope he's given a chance to flourish with support from within the club and the supporters.

[Rover_Shaun]

At least Brown has done something other than habitual losing. Neither would be my choice that would have been Davies

[T.J.Newton]

At least Brown has done something other than habitual losing. Neither would be my choice that would have been Davies

What did you know about Billy Davies before his name was banded around these boards, he's an adequate championship level manager no question and it would have been a smaller risk than Appleton(but not by that much, considering Davies's personality would have likely have led him to fall out with the Venky's & a certain Malaysian tv pundit and then get sacked before long anyway)

[allan]

The appointment of Appleton is entirely logical as Rovers follow the Pompey blueprint on the Road to Ruin. When as inevitably the club goes into administration unless (unlikely) promotion is achieved, Appy will know all about dealing with a mass exodus of players and getting replacements on short-term contracts in order to field a team. However he's definitely not the manager to spark a run to the play-offs so its yet another bad decision by Wankys.

[Ossydave]

However he's definitely not the manager to spark a run to the play-offs so its yet another bad decision by Wankys.

How do you know?

I think people make too big a deal about the importance of experience on here. Getting promoted isn't an exact science, its achieved through a wide variety of tactics and managerial methods.

I know nothing about Appleton, he most certainly wouldn't have been my first choice on that basis alone, but people writing him off already is ignorant stupidity.

I can see him being a no-nonsense kind of chap and that's exactly what we need to sort some of our players out. I could have course be wrong but he doesn't come across as a pushover.

[Guest Norbert]

As I said in my last post on this thread, he does have some experience of chaos and madness off the pitch when he took on Portsmouth so that may actually help. I hope he doesn't get the abuse from the fans. Save that for Venky's, Shebby, the so-called boardroom and those other parasites.

[USABlue]

Many things puzzle me about the appointment of Appleton ,,,,

Was he touted for the job , before Berg got it ?

What has he done in his managerial career to get the job ?

I can understand Brockhall and an increase in wage being factors , then again working with our owners and board must be at best bewildering on a good day ..

Personally , I don't think Bowyer was interested in the job , fair play to him he steadied the ship excellently ..He has kept us out of the relegation dogfight ..

Think the Appleton appointment is more to do with boardroom infighting , than football..

It just doesn't make sense , I wish you well Michael Appleton , hope your stay here is very successful ...

This time next season is the time to judge him , when he can rid the club of the appalling signings of Kean and bring his own players in ........

This present set of players are just not good enough and without the goals of Rhodes we would be staring at another relegation...

Berg was judged on 10 games I'll do the same with Appleton

As much as I don't rate murphy I think there's some unfair posts on here about his comments last night . He thanked bowyer and says he didn't know much about the new manager. Should he lie? An ex England player or an ex nobber? The experience factor is enormous in both blokes.

I'll agree with that I listened to his interview and I don't see what all the fuss is about. Seems like people are just looking for anything to spew hate about

Whilst it's not the appointment we were crying out for I do think it's got a chance.

I always felt that Berg was doomed to failure and simply didn't have any relevant experience.

Appleton must have something or why was Oyston interested in him?

I like the fact he's brought his own assistant as it shows a degree of readiness and direction.

I hope he's given a chance to flourish with support from within the club and the supporters.

He was cheap and had experience working with nothing.

[Majiball]

Michael Appleton

Lord Voldermort

[RevidgeBlue]

I'll agree with that I listened to his interview and I don't see what all the fuss is about. Seems like people are just looking for anything to spew hate about

I'm not as much of a critic of Murphy the player as most but I did think he was completely out of order last night. He praised Bowyer which is fair enough but dismissed Appleton with complete disdain.

He's Club Captain and in public should have said something along the lines of "Yeah tbh I've not met Michael before but we're looking forward to meeting up with him and working with him next week." Whatever he thinks privately.

What he said and the way in which he said it came across as "Never even heard of him." I don't think either he or CKR could have any real complaints if Appleton sent them both to Coventry as a result of their recent attitudes.

[T.J.Newton]

Michael Appleton

Lord Voldermort

Id love to see what the posters of this type of garb look like(or most likely i really wouldnt!)

[Clitherover]

Berg was judged on 10 games I'll do the same with Appleton

Me too.

[RevidgeBlue]

Id love to see what the posters of this type of garb look like(or most likely i really wouldnt!)

To be fair that was posted in lighthearted fashion and I thought it was extremely funny.

People have said a lot worse about MA already and meant it!

Whilst I'm disappointed Bowyer didn't get the job for longer and I don't think MA is the right appointment I hope he does extremely well and proves me completely wrong. I think CKR and Murphy are completely out of order. About time the tail stopped wagging the dog.

[ABBEY]

How do you know?

I think people make too big a deal about the importance of experience on here. Getting promoted isn't an exact science, its achieved through a wide variety of tactics and managerial methods.

I know nothing about Appleton, he most certainly wouldn't have been my first choice on that basis alone, but people writing him off already is ignorant stupidity.

I can see him being a no-nonsense kind of chap and that's exactly what we need to sort some of our players out. I could have course be wrong but he doesn't come across as a pushover.

You could be spot on with no nonsense .

[DE.]

I'll agree with that I listened to his interview and I don't see what all the fuss is about. Seems like people are just looking for anything to spew hate about

I'm not as much of a critic of Murphy the player as most but I did think he was completely out of order last night. He praised Bowyer which is fair enough but dismissed Appleton with complete disdain.

He's Club Captain and in public should have said something along the lines of "Yeah tbh I've not met Michael before but we're looking forward to meeting up with him and working with him next week." Whatever he thinks privately.

What he said and the way in which he said it came across as "Never even heard of him." I don't think either he or CKR could have any real complaints if Appleton sent them both to Coventry as a result of their recent attitudes.

Agreed, I don't think anybody is saying Murphy lied in his interview. Nor is anyone (well, as far as I can see) suggesting Murphy should have started arse-licking right away. As usual people on here just take things to extremes.

Fact is as a professional and a veteran he should have, as Rev said, tried to give a positive tone to the interview and at least say the players are looking forward to working with Appleton. Instead he made it sound like he didn't give a toss about Appleton and that he wasn't remotely important. Add that into CKR's "pls no" tweet and you get a good idea to the overall reaction of the squad to Appleton's appointment.

Very good chance this is going to go tits up. We all know the players should just do their job and get on with it, but with player power bigger than ever before if they decide Appleton isn't worth their time he's going to be ignored and it'll be Kean/Berg all over again.

[Mercer]

Folk, including the likes of Savage and Gallacher, making comments about what Appleton has done and his record, need to have a look at the background first:

• Firstly, he was Hodgson's highly respected sidekick at WBA and they tried desperately to keep him but the guy wanted to manage in his own right
• Unknown to him, Pompey soon became a war zone under Administration and anyone worth a bean was sold or had their contracts nulled in order to save money. He had to beg, steal and borrow even to put 11 on the pitch. How the feck you judge him on that is beyond me. What he did show was great resilience, calmness and determination
• At Blackpool, he took over a side that had lost their last 5 out of 7 under Ollie getting 2 points only. He tightened them up and gave them a shape and discipline which saw them lose just 2 of their next 11, gaining 13 points. Contrast that to what Berg inherited and did when he took over after Black had steadied the ship.

Two of my friends who follow Blackpool, and whose opinions and judgement I respect, speak very favourably of him and say many Blackpool fans also do.

However we got to appointing Appleton I am not quite sure but I feel we might just have landed a 'real manager' here.

Everyone needs to give him a chance, and Murphy needs to come out as captain and back him to the hilt, as the very existance of Rovers, as we know it, might very well lie within his hands.

[67splitscreen]

Folk, including the likes of Savage and Gallacher, making comments about what Appleton has done and his record need to have a look at the background first:

• Firstly, he was Hodgson's highly respected sidekick at WBA and they tried desperately to keep him but the guy wanted to manage in his own right
• Unknown to him, Pompey soon became a war zone under Administration and anyone worth a bean was sold or had their contracts nulled in order to save money. He had to beg, steal and borrow even to put 11 on the pitch. How the feck you judge hom on that is beyond me. What he did show was great reliience, calmness and determination
• At Blackpool, he took over a side that had lost their last 5 out of 7 under Ollie getting 2 points only. He tightened them up and gave them a shape and discipline which saw them lose just 2 of their next 11, gaining 13 points. Contrast that to what Berg inherited and did when he took over after after Black had steadied the ship.

Two of my friends who follow Blackpool, and whose opinions and judgement I respect, speak very favourably of him and say many Blackpool fans also do.

However we got to appointing Appleton I am not quite sure but I feel we might just have landed a 'real manager' here.

Everyone needs to give him a chance, and Murphy needs to come out as captain and back him to the hilt, as the very existance of Rovers, as we know, might very well lie within his hands.

Could the real Mercerman please stand up!

[chaddyrovers]

Folk, including the likes of Savage and Gallacher, making comments about what Appleton has done and his record, need to have a look at the background first:

• Firstly, he was Hodgson's highly respected sidekick at WBA and they tried desperately to keep him but the guy wanted to manage in his own right
• Unknown to him, Pompey soon became a war zone under Administration and anyone worth a bean was sold or had their contracts nulled in order to save money. He had to beg, steal and borrow even to put 11 on the pitch. How the feck you judge him on that is beyond me. What he did show was great resilience, calmness and determination
• At Blackpool, he took over a side that had lost their last 5 out of 7 under Ollie getting 2 points only. He tightened them up and gave them a shape and discipline which saw them lose just 2 of their next 11, gaining 13 points. Contrast that to what Berg inherited and did when he took over after Black had steadied the ship.

Two of my friends who follow Blackpool, and whose opinions and judgement I respect, speak very favourably of him and say many Blackpool fans also do.

However we got to appointing Appleton I am not quite sure but I feel we might just have landed a 'real manager' here.

Everyone needs to give him a chance, and Murphy needs to come out as captain and back him to the hilt, as the very existance of Rovers, as we know it, might very well lie within his hands.

great post Mercerman and I agree with it totally.

Fans need to get behind him but He does not to get away to a good start aswell. His first four league games are all at home. so got a great chance to start his rovers manager career with wins and possibly remain undefeat

[T.J.Newton]

To be fair that was posted in lighthearted fashion and I thought it was extremely funny.

People have said a lot worse about MA already and meant it!

Whilst I'm disappointed Bowyer didn't get the job for longer and I don't think MA is the right appointment I hope he does extremely well and proves me completely wrong. I think CKR and Murphy are completely out of order. About time the tail stopped wagging the dog.

I know, it wasn't really aimed solely at that post i just meant in general, there's dozens of comments been made about Appletons appearance but the same posters have very little else to offer and like i said i think its safe to say most of those posters are total mingers themselves('projecting' i think is what the shrinks call it)