[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[Martin]

Appleton would not have been my first choice, nor would be have been second, third or fourth.

That said, I'm impressed by the way he speaks. Honest and northern. I like that Shebby (seemingly) had nothing to do with his appointment.

He seems to understand the detail required to ensure the backroom is staffed and structured correctly.

Four home games gives Appleton an excellent chance to have what Kean and Berg never had - a winning start.

The big test is to see how the players react. Murphy, Dann, Olsson etc.

[Rover_Shaun]

Talking the talk and walking the walk are two seperate things. We've had our fair share of carpetbaggers

[Howler]

For what its worth, seems surprisingly well spoken and eloquent based on that Guardian article.

Who knows if he'll be a good manager or not, lets give him a chance eh? Hopefully he will be able to get more out of our squad of show ponies, has beens and youth players than our previous managers...

..or do a respectable fire fighting job like he did at Pompey, as we go into administration...

[Muddboy]

I'm interested to know how the players have received Appleton during his first week on the training field.

After all, their attitude and approach will set the tone for the rest of our season.

Any of the ITK's heard anything?

[OJRovers]

It sounded to me like he has been a nodding dog in his chat with the owners. His comments about their "ambition" and saying how good a squad they have assembled wasn't what I wanted to hear.

It was telling how he said "the owners have spent a lot of money and not had much in return", it was said almost sympathetically.

We needed a strong manager who could tell them exactly how it is, they've blown their money on a poor squad and done everything possible to destroy the club.

Ultimately however I will judge him on results.

[alexanders]

I'm interested to know how the players have received Appleton during his first week on the training field.

After all, their attitude and approach will set the tone for the rest of our season.

Any of the ITK's heard anything?

Apparently the players like him so far.

[ABBEY]

Abbey, surely when a club is paying a player and he becomes available to a new manager, it makes sense to bring him back and have a look at him, especially when we are short in that position.It would be stranger not to do so.

It's Orr !! Makes no sense he's a horrible little poisoneuos runt and he's pants !

[JAL]

By any stretch of the imagination a good interview. Down to earth and the agents talk is refreshing.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/17/michael-appleton-blackburn-rovers?

Good that he made the comment about the circus at Blackburn and looking to offer stability at the club. Wether he can achieve that though would be another matter. He just cant afford to lose at home to Charlton and then make excuses because Bowyer/McPhilips would have definitely taken the three points from this game.

[alexanders]

Is Orr our new def mid?

[den]

Saw a clip of the interview on Granada news, and the thing that stood out immediately was that Appleton was put in front of the camera's - on his own. A whole row of seats and no-one else sat with him. Singh and Shaw decided to sit in the audience. Now I've never seen that before, there's always been the club chairman sat beside the new man, to welcome and introduce him to the press and fans.

It didn't look right and it speaks volumes to me.

[riverside returns]

What it says Den, is 'I am my own man and I will deal with this club my way.'

[den]

What it says Den, is 'I am my own man and I will deal with this club my way.'

He could say that with the Chairman next to him RR.

[bypass06]

Blackburn Rovers boss Appleton has Premier ambition

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn_rovers/news/10170993.Blackburn_Rovers_boss_Appleton_has_Premier_ambition/

Blackburn Rovers may bring Orr back

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn_rovers/news/10171001.Blackburn_Rovers_may_bring_Orr_back/

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

What it says Den, is 'I am my own man and I will deal with this club my way.'

Sorry but I seriously doubt it says that. This "I'm the boss" persona that fans were heaping on Berg turned out to be rubbish once things got down to the nitty gritty. If you promote someone you have power over them, and Blackpool to Rovers is a promotion. Shagnew will be as free to meddle with Appleton as Singh was with Berg.

Him being sat on his own is probably designed to indicate to fans that isn't the case. I'm with Den though in what it actually indicates is the lack of unity and organisation among the high level management at the club. Took them a week to organise the press conference and then they can't even agree on who's gonna sit next to the manager.

[Mercer]

The" 5-game slump " Holloway presided over that Appleton staged a miraculous recovery from was W1 D3L1. Try multiplying that by two and tell me how Appleton improved on that

Edit

[dwayne cage]

Doubt we will have a game if this snow carries on hitting the country

[broadsword]

Him being sat on his own is probably designed to indicate to fans that isn't the case. I'm with Den though in what it actually indicates is the lack of unity and organisation among the high level management at the club. Took them a week to organise the press conference and then they can't even agree on who's gonna sit next to the manager.

It's a persuasive line of thought.

If they wanted to indicate that Appleton was his own man, that could be done verbally. This makes it look like he has no allies at all and they won't hesitate to hang him out to dry if necessary to save their own skins.

Really, thinking back over the last two years, people on here will talk themselves into believing any old rhubharb if ti makes them feel better about Rovers. A triumph of emotional attachment over logical reasoning, I think. The smallest hint that better times are ahead is leapt upon and devoured, and anything negative is explained away into nothing with a large helping of spin.

[riverside returns]

And vice versa Bryan.

[broadsword]

So things have been OK then, have they, and anyone with anything negative to say has been a gloomy doom-mongering pessimist?

Right you are, carry on.

[CapeTownRover]

Abbey is always angry

[Mike E]

So things have been OK then, have they, and anyone with anything negative to say has been a gloomy doom-mongering pessimist?

Right you are, carry on.

What you saying is correct. But just the same, you are jumping on a potential positive and spitting on it before we can judge it. You can't slag one view off and ecpext yours not to be called out.

As mentioned previously, it's just a case of outlook. I accept negativity usually as most footy fans tend to @#/? on their own team anyway. We've deserved that over the last 2years for sure.

But why you feel people can't feel positive about it, I don't understand. Every side of the argument about Appleton is easy to twist, so we can only judge properly once he's had (imo) a minimum 8 games.

I'll never understand negativity to change, but that's just me. I certainly wouldn't say you're wrong, but nor can you say chaddy or similar is.

[Atomicrover]

Yep. Lets line their route to the ground with rose petals and get the police to stop all the traffic. Then we can offer them the pre-selected virgins taken from all the families of Blackburn.

You know, I'm sure there's a reason why we can't do that last bit......:-)

[riverside returns]

I concur with darren. I see both sides and am not saying I glibly accept that all is rosy, far from it. I do however take the view that what I cannot change I do not particularly worry about.Change is good but it does need to be given time to work.

Well spotted atomic, there are none of even legal age in the sub continent!

[philipl]

Good start BUT

How did Appleton talk directly to the owners? Somebody set that up.

Why is Appleton given Kean-like power and not Berg-like victimhood. Somebody set that up.

[broadsword]

What you saying is correct. But just the same, you are jumping on a potential positive and spitting on it before we can judge it. You can't slag one view off and ecpext yours not to be called out.

As mentioned previously, it's just a case of outlook. I accept negativity usually as most footy fans tend to @#/? on their own team anyway. We've deserved that over the last 2years for sure.

But why you feel people can't feel positive about it, I don't understand. Every side of the argument about Appleton is easy to twist, so we can only judge properly once he's had (imo) a minimum 8 games.

I'll never understand negativity to change, but that's just me. I certainly wouldn't say you're wrong, but nor can you say chaddy or similar is.

I guess it's all a question of perspective. Mine is that you don't see a manager host a press conference on his own when he has just been appointed. Since time immemorial, a club has unveiled a manager with the MD or chief exec sat next to him. It's seen as an excitng time for a club, a new beginning, naturally they want to proudly present the manager.

I've never known of an instance where a manager has been unveiled by himself, that's just weird.

So when I'm negative, there's an informed perspective behind it, I'm not nit-picking and I'm not relentlessly trying to find fault or be negative. Having Appleton up there on his own is to my mind, strange and noteworthy, and I can't see it in a positive light.

But then I find the whole appointment a strange one. another unnecessary gamble.

Again, others may wish to take an alternative view, that is their prerogative and rightly so. I'm all for a healthy exchange of viewpoints.

One last note, 76 pages, and he's not even taken charge for one game yet!