[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[PAFELL]

He'd managed egos like savage and bellamy for 3yrs before he came to us. That's experience and the gamble is more calculated than the Appy gamble.

With that being said, I feel there is more to be positive about than ppl think. I'm more excited about Appleton than I was about Berg.

If a face like that was my boss, I wouldn't slack at all! And our players guilty of a lack of effort and fitness rather than lack of performance imo. Berg tried to sort it with tactics but it didn't work.

Like Hughes, I think Appleton will have a build-on-the-basics approach.

I do not know why, but I am also more optimistic about Appleton. Blackpool were sliding when he got there. He steadied the ship a bit - ok with a lot of draws. Some of those results were against teams who were the form teams at that time. I also do not think Blackpools' squad is better than Rovers. Yet they beat Rovers under Appleton.

Appletons record at Blackpool Games 11, won 2, drawn 7, lost 2 13 pts,

is better than Bergs Games 10, won 1, drawn 3, lost 6 6pts.

Yet in my opinion, Appleton had the worse squad.

Also if I was shebby, I would think more than twice before trying to meddle with him.

[rovers11]

I see Blackpool have approached Peter Houston to replace Appleton. I would be fuming if I was a Blackpool fan.

[PAFELL]

I see Blackpool have approached Peter Houston to replace Appleton. I would be fuming if I was a Blackpool fan.

Who is Peter Houston? Name I do not recall hearing before.

[vwcr]

Who is Peter Houston? Name I do not recall hearing before.

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/dundee-united/209664-blackpool-granted-permission-to-speak-to-dundee-united-boss-peter-houston/

[neophox]

If I was Appleton I would use my connections with WBA and get Graham Dorrans and Craig Dawson in. Buy Dorrans and loan Dawson. It will steady our ship.

Dorrans is for sale and Dawson will get out on loan.

O Driscoll named new Bristol City manager.

[Silencio]

Dorrans is for sale? He'd be a great signing. Dawson is steady too...

[rovers11]

Who is Peter Houston? Name I do not recall hearing before.

Dundee Utd manager. Can you imagine the uproar at Rovers if we appointed him...

[koi]

I see Blackpool have approached Peter Houston to replace Appleton. I would be fuming if I was a Blackpool fan.

Why fuming? better record than the manager they just lost...

[rovers11]

Why fuming? better record than the manager this just lost.

He manages a club in the SPL which is probably the equivalent of League 1 or 2 in England. He was also part of the coaching set up of Scotland who were terrible.

I'd much rather have Appleton.

[davulsukur]

I don't know why Dorrans is up for sale but Steve Clarke has said he can leave:

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11698/8396050/Chelsea-striker-Romelu-Lukaku-hopes-for-West-Brom-stay

Clarke said: "No one is for sale except Graham Dorrans. We don't want to sell anyone.

[A cup of beans]

Dundee Utd manager. Can you imagine the uproar at Rovers if we appointed him...

It'd be meltdown and rightly so.

Another side to Houston's appointment, it may mean he moves to loan Goodwillie.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

He manages a club in the SPL which is probably the equivalent of League 1 or 2 in England. He was also part of the coaching set up of Scotland who were terrible.

I'd much rather have Appleton.

Because...Appleton's relegated Portsmouth and done worse than Holloway at Blackpool? Its hilarious that anyone thinks this guy is even close to being a good manager. Well, it would be hilarious except we've already been through all this once with Berg, now its just boring and very weird that many fans are failing to grasp the similarities.

[LDRover]

I'm with you.

I also struggle with the idea that he 'steadied the ship' at Blackpool by gaining 13 points from 11 games. I'm pretty sure they were in a worse position in the league when he left than when he took over as well.

[DE.]

Venky's have conditioned a lot of fans to accept mediocrity, you only have to look at the Wolves match thread to see that.

On the other hand maybe that's how it should be - as long as Venky's are here we will never be anything more than mediocre, and fairly soon I imagine we'll be much worse than that.

[Plastic Head]

Cant think of anything that would lead anyone to believe that Appleton is capable of getting a team promoted from the Championship.

He may be, but there is absolutely no evidence or past experiences to say he would.

Therefore this is another disaster for the club.

On a more positive note he doesn't seem to mind his players being sold without his say so that should stand him in good stead over the next 6 months or so.

[forumquizmaster]

Cant think of anything that would lead anyone to believe that Appleton is capable of getting a team promoted from the Championship.

He may be, but there is absolutely no evidence or past experiences to say he would.

Therefore this is could be another disaster for the club.

On a more positive note he doesn't seem to mind his players being sold without his say so that should stand him in good stead over the next 6 months or so.

Corrected for you. I'm not saying I am overjoyed or even remotely happy with Appleton, but it isn't necessarily a disaster for the club.

[USABlue]

What USAblue? Do you think that Appleton could have done more, with only about 4 or 5 players left, and if I remember correctly, they had no goal keepers to choose from. From that, he basically had to use kids, and scrape around for a few loans, with I think no guarantee of being paid. I still don't understand, why people are still mentioning his Pompey days, when he was at least happy to take on the job, knowing what the sitiuation was. It was a gamble he took back then, it will be a gamble he takes now. Likewise for us, its another gamble, but I do hope it works out. Not my 1st or 2nd choice, but I do hope it works out.

No I am not saying he could have done more, just that if he had it would be a clear sign he was perhaps something special. There's nothing to say any other decent manager could not have done the same. Sentiment was always going to be with a manager in that situation.

[Mike E]

Mike why are you more excited about him than Berg?

ex rovers legend,most decorated rover, league ,fa cup Cl winner and international

v

ex nobender , no medals , no experience and no caps?

Because ex-player sentiments only matter to me on top of record. Eg: I'd take Hughes over Curbishley even though they're probly about the same in terms of standing as manager. I don't care who a manager has played for. He could be a Burnley one-club man and I'd give him a fair crack of the whip.

Playing career means sod all in management. Berg was an ex-rovers player who's won nowt in management and performed averagely in a Lg1 or 2 standard league.

Appleton has won nothing in management (like Berg) but has performed averagely in the Championship at clubs with no money at all. Therefore while he lacks experience, the experience he DOES have is in this league. Berg can't say the same.

Berg was a great player for us and utd, but that doesn't mean he's a better manager than Appleton. By that logic he'd be better than Mourinho (ofc I'm exaggerating, but still).

[Gav]

Because...Appleton's relegated Portsmouth and done worse than Holloway at Blackpool? Its hilarious that anyone thinks this guy is even close to being a good manager. Well, it would be hilarious except we've already been through all this once with Berg, now its just boring and very weird that many fans are failing to grasp the similarities.

He deserves a chance to prove himself, and as Blackburn Rovers supporters we support the manager until he deserves our support no more.

Its a poor appointment though in my book, they never learn these owners, its mistake after mistake...........

[OJRovers]

Are they going to bother with a press conference to announce Appleton?

[david_daft]

Did we ever find out who his agent is?

[Gav]

Are they going to bother with a press conference to announce Appleton?

We're just a complete joke of a club aren't we.......

[onlyonejackwalker]

Because...Appleton's relegated Portsmouth and done worse than Holloway at Blackpool? Its hilarious that anyone thinks this guy is even close to being a good manager. Well, it would be hilarious except we've already been through all this once with Berg, now its just boring and very weird that many fans are failing to grasp the similarities.

I think most share your concerns SKH, but there is nothing that we can do now and must give the guy our full support, keeping everything crossed, hoping for the best.

[EgyptianPete]

Did we ever find out who his agent is?

Agent Shagnew i think , quiet day, no real news, whats going on.

We're just a complete joke of a club aren't we.......

Well IMO supporters need to stick together to show the outsiders we aren't then dont we.

[Gav]

Well IMO supporters need to stick together to show the outsiders we aren't then dont we.

Its a bit late for that Pete, anyway I couldn't careless what other fans think, the ones I've spoken to think Kean was doing a good job!