[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Chaddy it's a message board, people post their opinions, that's how it works.

[DE.]

already ppl being negative.

dont know. just pay the monthly fee for rovers player

Chaddy, I don't judge your hilarious hyper-positivity so don't judge my realism. OK pal?

[chaddyrovers]

Chaddy, I don't judge your hilarious hyper-positivity so don't judge my realism. OK pal?

I will judge Appleton on Results and transfers in and out of the club.

and wont judge him on media conferences or statements to the press. OK pal???

[DE.]

No problem with that Chaddy. So will I.

Doesn't mean I can't comment on other things in the meantime though

[onlyonejackwalker]

No point getting overly excited, or hot and bothered about anticipated media scripted football speak. Heard it off most new managers many times before. Even junior players are educated in how to deal with the media and Appleton has had years of practice.

He can only be judged on what we see on the pitch. He has a tough task ahead. I hope he knows what he has let himself in for.

[chaddyrovers]

No problem with that Chaddy. So will I.

Doesn't mean I can't comment on other things in the meantime though

but a manager shouldnt be judge on media statements tho???

The owners do have ambitions to get promote but have to support rovers with money next season if we dont go up.

we can make the playoffs but Appleton need a good start and hopefully win on Saturday

[DE.]

but a manager shouldnt be judge on media statements tho???

The owners do have ambitions to get promote but have to support rovers with money next season if we dont go up.

we can make the playoffs but Appleton need a good start and hopefully win on Saturday

Haven't judged him at all mate. Have already said I'll judge him based on performances etc.

That does not have to mean I have a relentless positive slant over his appointment. If I want to comment on the seemingly scripted way our new manager press conferences go I don't see why I shouldn't. It's as much a slight on Kean and Berg as it is on Appleton. I expect no less and it is ultimately irrelevant, but if I want to comment on it... why not?

[chaddyrovers]

Haven't judged him at all mate. Have already said I'll judge him based on performances etc.

That does not have to mean I have a relentless positive slant over his appointment. If I want to comment on the seemingly scripted way our new manager press conferences go I don't see why I shouldn't. It's as much a slight on Kean and Berg as it is on Appleton. I expect no less and it is ultimately irrelevant, but if I want to comment on it... why not?

most media conferences are the same tbh from most club's managers and players tho mate.

but you are entitled to your view mate tho.

[thenodrog]

I definitely agree that it's nice to have a north-west lad as manager.

Can't remember the last time that happened?

Maybe Kidd?

Personally I couldn't care less. The best managers we've had in the past 20 years have been from Scotland, Wales and Dudley. The top 4 managers in the Prem are from Scotland, Italy, Spain and Portugal. There is absolutely no advantage to be had from any manager having a lanky accent.

[A cup of beans]

Just listened to all his interviews. Plenty of platitudes. He talks a good game, but that is easy - Unless youre Steve Kean or Paul Ince!

I will certainly give him a chance, but results and performances will speak much louder than his words.

[Mike E]

All I care about in a media conference is that the Blackburn manager doesn't make a tit of himself (unless it is done ironically, such as Sam's 'I'm the expert' or McCarthy tumbling off his chair at the news that Wenger disagreed with him). Kean made a tit of himself on many occasions and it's the first thing that Ince did.

Appleton's conference went fine with acknowledgements to his employers without brown-nosing. I think the 'squad they've assembled' remark was more 'I have a good squad' rather than 'Venky's deserve praise' anyway. Looking forward to seeing Voldemort in action esp' pleased that he's seen the obvious so far:

New backroom staff

RB on loan
Chasing versatile defender (CB and RB)

Decent so far and hope it all comes to fruition.

Personally I couldn't care less. The best managers we've had in the past 20 years have been from Scotland, Wales and Dudley. The top 4 managers in the Prem are from Scotland, Italy, Spain and Portugal. There is absolutely no advantage to be had from any manager having a lanky accent.

Apart from being able to understand him

[chaddyrovers]

Also pleased that He has bought in his own coaching staff so far. still expect couple more new staff members

[Stonesrick]

I thought when I saw the headline, 'Appleton brings in Keeley' he was bringing in Glenn 'Killer' Keeley from the 80'sto try and coach our 'mambi pambi' players how to put a decent tackle in!

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I will judge Appleton on Results and transfers in and out of the club.

and wont judge him on media conferences or statements to the press. OK pal???

So judge him on results then. Average/poor at Portsmouth, poor at Blackpool. There's no logic to this attitude that it doesn't count if its not Rovers. As for transfers, I'd be surprised if he's not interfered with and amazed if he gets to set his own budget, so thats probably one of the things he should be judged less on.

To be honest he seems a nice guy (which means practically nothing but may as well say it anyway) and I'm sure he'll try his best. It would be wonderful to hear some honesty though from a new manager, an admission that things have been terrible for the last 2 years and some sympathy shown to the fans who've had to suffer through it. And then a frank statement about what he has to do this season, i.e. make the play-offs. The way he said we're 7 points off the play-offs with 20 games left but we'll see if its possible, was a bit irritating. Of course its possible, Bowyer was well on track, and basically mate you should be sacked if you don't manage it.

But I suppose it'd take a brave man not to protect a position they've been extremely lucky to get. And that means not criticising the owners and trying to convince them to judge you long-term.

[chaddyrovers]

how poor at Blackpool???

Holloway lost 5 of his 7 games at Blackpool

Appleton only lost 2 of 11 games at Blackpool.

He sorted out the defence and help make them defensively better.

spoke to a Blackpool fan today who said Appleton will be a good manager here if given time and allow to sign his own players.

Blackpool have failed to get a manager yet with four managers turning down the job there. O'Driscoll, Clark, Robinson and Houston. Oyston is now speaking to Nick Barmby and Paul Ince.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

how poor at Blackpool???

Holloway lost 5 of his 7 games at Blackpool

Appleton only lost 2 of 11 games at Blackpool.

He sorted out the defence and help make them defensively better.

spoke to a Blackpool fan today who said Appleton will be a good manager here if given time and allow to sign his own players.

Blackpool have failed to get a manager yet with four managers turning down the job there. O'Driscoll, Clark, Robinson and Houston. Oyston is now speaking to Nick Barmby and Paul Ince.

Thats not judging him on results is it.

Thats:

1. Picking the worst part of the previous manager's season. Holloway's overall record for Blackpool this season is 18 points from 13 games, a better record in his worst season at Blackpool than Appleton.

2. Only mentioning part of his results, i.e. the loss column. So ignoring what matters most which is points per game, which was poor.

3. Thats just plain wrong, Blackpool conceeded 16 in 11 games under Appleton, which is worse in goals per game than us this season.

4. Hilarious.

5. And? Are you saying Appleton will take any job going even when most other managers won't go near it?

[Rover_Shaun]

Chaddy and Appleton sitting in a tree....k...i...s...s......

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

and amazed if he gets to set his own budget,

As would I - as he would be the first manager in our history to set his own budget !

[chris_h]

Chaddy and Appleton sitting in a tree....k...i...s...s......

Jesus wept. No sign of that yawning smiley yet?

[patrickvalery]

Got to admire you Chaddster. You must live in a nice world mate. As much as i want Appleton to suceed i also realise the chances of it are very unlikely. I don't wish failure on him but even the greatest of managers would struggle with all the other outside influences which come with these 'different' owners. I wish the bloke every success but his glowing endorsements from Fergie and Woy mean very little to me and if you take them away what are you left with? A rookie manager with an average at best record thus far. Christ, Kean was a respected coach and approached by a world cup winner to be part of his back room staff at Chelsea. I hope he does a sterling job with Rovers. But in reality a sterling job with Rovers could easily mean keeping us away from relegation. Nobody really knows where to set the benchmark anymore.

[Rover_Shaun]

No chris. When I find it I'm sure to wear it out on you

Lighten up ffs it's only leg pulling

[chris_h]

No chris. When I find it I'm sure to wear it out on you

Lighten up ffs it's only leg pulling

You'll have a job wearing it out on me doofus. I post about once a week.

You should try it.

[Rover_Shaun]

An amazing job you've done this week Chris. And double joy to boot

[ABBEY]

Appleton sounds a tough man who wont put up with any crap from anyone n will install discipline into the squad. which the squad needs.

He needs a good start to his rovers manager career.

thought you didnt care about pressers?

[Mike E]

Quite why chaddy deserves such a patronising response from you, SKHT, is beyond me. Do you not take circumstances into account? Ofc, when it boils down to it results are all that matter. But the fact is, without a points deduction, Portsmouth would've stayed up on Appleton's say so. That's a team that once had 13 players all told, with about 6 of those being under-21. That is terrific by any standards.

At Blackpool, he ended Holloway's end-of-tenure 5-game rot (and it was a proper rot, as it appeared Oyston fell out with Holloway, who then lost interest). Appleton took on the mantle and (while also having disputes with Oyston) won 2, drew 7 (was it?) and lost 2. From that we can garner that he stopped them losing. He improved the teams on-pitch fortunes there, didn't he? By no means was it an amazing feat, but it was decent enough. Especially given that he had no transfer funds and compared to Berg, he did very well!

There is as much reason to be positive about Appleton as there is to be negative, I think. I sit on the positive side. As does chaddy, but to a more extreme extent. Why you had to be an arse with your last post to him, I'm not sure at all.