[Archived] Gary Bowyer

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Relgation? I don't think so.

Just for Egyptpete I will remove my brain and become a Rovers Fan for one day and toss myself silly over the prospect of yet another wet behing the ears novice being made manager.

Rovers, and some fans, are like Bart in the episode of the Simpsons where Lisa electocuted her hamster to try to train him, and did the same to Bart. The hamster learnt but Bart didn't

Great Simpsons reference but disagree on how valid the analogy is for 2 reasons:

1. Berg and Appleton weren't unproven, they were proven and proven to be poor. So Bowyer is one step up from them in that respect, and arguably 2 steps up in that he has already had a decent start. I agree with you on the experience issue because most new managers fail, survival of the fittest and all that. However it'd be interesting to know how many managers fail from a position of moderate success after 13 games. To use a rather morbid analogy, in society death rates at the age of 0-3 are a lot higher than they are at 4-7. It could be argued Bowyer is close to progressing past the point he is most likely to "die" at.

2. The Bart Simpson analogy could be applied just as easily to those calling for a new appointment. You've seen Venkys appoint 3 terrible managers in a row, all inexperienced, surely you're not learning from this either?

Whether you're for or against Bowyer, it amounts to the same thing in a way. New managers usually fail, the pro-Bowyer fans are blindly hoping he won't. Venkys usually (well, always actually) appoint rubbish managers, the anti-Bowyer fans are blindly hoping they won't. When given the option of making 1 of 2 bad choices, my attitude is picking the least bad one. And basically I trust Bowyer's ability slightly more than I trust Venkys decision making.

[den]

I understand the sentiment behind your post but hindsight is a wonderful thing and at the time those guys you mention were appointed it was far from the case of appointing managerial superstars a la Dalglish..

Can't honestly remember where Furphy came from, Lee came from Port Vale, Saxton from Plymouth (and wasn't particularly successful imo) Smith had been at Colchester and before that Boston United.

Howard Kendall hadn't even managed before he came here. It would be a bit like us appointing Paul Scholes solely on the basis he was a fantastic midfielder. I'm sure that would meet with plenty of opposition from the fans.

It's got nothing to do with hindsight Rev. In those days we were a nothing club. No money, been in the lower leagues for years, any decent player or manager were out of here as soon as anyone decent showed interest. But.......... The powers that be at Ewood got on their bikes and went looking for managers they could attract, but also managers who had had some success elsewhere. Managers from the lower leagues - yes, but that didn't matter. Rovers approached their clubs and asked their permission to talk to their manager. We were proactive. We didn't appoint Kendall with any hindsight, the board at that time were aware that he wanted to move into management and their contacts knew that he was experienced, ambitious and potentially, a good manager.

So I'm sorry, but I don't go along with supporting Bowyer simply because no one else would come here - that's just pathetic. Get off your bikes Venky's and target who you want to come here, just like other clubs do. We aren't restricted to applicants either are we? Closed season, clubs are free to approach other clubs whose managers are still under contract. There will be current players looking to get into management who would be quite willing to come here.

[chris_h]

It's got nothing to do with hindsight Rev. In those days we were a nothing club. No money, been in the lower leagues for years, any decent player or manager were out of here as soon as anyone decent showed interest. But.......... The powers that be at Ewood got on their bikes and went looking for managers they could attract, but also managers who had had some success elsewhere. Managers from the lower leagues - yes, but that didn't matter. Rovers approached their clubs and asked their permission to talk to their manager. We were proactive. We didn't appoint Kendall with any hindsight, the board at that time were aware that he wanted to move into management and their contacts knew that he was experienced, ambitious and potentially, a good manager.

So I'm sorry, but I don't go along with supporting Bowyer simply because no one else would come here - that's just pathetic. Get off your bikes Venky's and target who you want to come here, just like other clubs do. We aren't restricted to applicants either are we? Closed season, clubs are free to approach other clubs whose managers are still under contract. There will be current players looking to get into management who would be quite willing to come here.

The have been some good promotions from within - Paisley, Dalglish, Adkins, McDermott, Bowyer has shown he could be another.

The only manager I can think of who we might realistically tempt would be Uwe Rosler and that would be doubtful if Brentford go up. Maybe Kevin McDonald at Swindon? Remember him?

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Relgation? I don't think so.

Just for Egyptpete I will remove my brain and become a Rovers Fan for one day and toss myself silly over the prospect of yet another wet behing the ears novice being made manager.

Rovers, and some fans, are like Bart in the episode of the Simpsons where Lisa electocuted her hamster to try to train him, and did the same to Bart. The hamster learnt but Bart didn't

Funny - I always remember Howard Kendall being described as wet behind the ears before he took over at Everton.

[47er]

Absolutely, totally agree with you Den. Hindsight tells us there have always been good managers willing to come to Rovers, whatever state we were in. After all there are only a certain number of such jobs around.

Skill and determination on the part of the Club is what is missing.

I too get furious when people ask "who would come here?"

The answer has always been "advertise the position and we'll find out".

[EgyptianPete]

Relgation? I don't think so.

Just for Egyptpete I will remove my brain and become a happy for one day and toss myself silly over the prospect of yet another wet behing the ears novice being made manager.

Rovers, and some fans, are like Bart in the episode of the Simpsons where Lisa electocuted her hamster to try to train him, and did the same to Bart. The hamster learnt but Bart didn't

Again change the record, and i may add i am NOT a Rovers Fan, i am also not a doom merchant, but i do like the Simpsons.

[Lytham]

"I trust Bowyer's ability slightly more than I trust Venkys decision making."

This is the crux of it. I find it hard to believe than anyone could say the opposite.

[den]

Absolutely, totally agree with you Den. Hindsight tells us there have always been good managers willing to come to Rovers, whatever state we were in. After all there are only a certain number of such jobs around.

Skill and determination on the part of the Club is what is missing.

I too get furious when people ask "who would come here?"

The answer has always been "advertise the position and we'll find out".

Thanks 47er, I thought I was ploughing a lone furrow there. Venky's could spread their net far and wide - but firstly they themselves wouldn't know where to start, and secondly they are very likely to be relying on Singh again.

[chris_h]

Absolutely, totally agree with you Den. Hindsight tells us there have always been good managers willing to come to Rovers, whatever state we were in. After all there are only a certain number of such jobs around.

Skill and determination on the part of the Club is what is missing.

I too get furious when people ask "who would come here?"

The answer has always been "advertise the position and we'll find out".

Do you think we could tempt anybody who is still in a job? Why would a manager in work trade job security for the Ewood madhouse? Of those out of work Owen Coyle would fit the bill but apparently there is no chance of him applying. Curbishley didn't fancy the Wolves gig a few months ago, why would he take the Rovers job? I would reckon that the Wigan job will be up for grabs soon and that will be an infinitely more attractive proposition than the Ewood hot seat no matter which division Wigan are in.

I don't suppose we will ever know who might or might not have applied but it does seem as though its going to be a long summer of slagging Bowyer off on here.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Absolutely, totally agree with you Den. Hindsight tells us there have always been good managers willing to come to Rovers, whatever state we were in. After all there are only a certain number of such jobs around.

Skill and determination on the part of the Club is what is missing.

I too get furious when people ask "who would come here?"

The answer has always been "advertise the position and we'll find out".

Spot on.

A proper managerial search hasn't been conducted yet under a Venky's owned Rovers. Kean was promoted from within, it looks like Shebby targeted managers by looking at a copy of a Match Annual from 94-95 he found at Brockhall, Appleton had links to two senior officials at the club and Bowyer would be a promotion from within again.

If they spent the time to carry out a proper managerial search by looking at the various candidates and conducted a thorough interview process they would find better quality managers than they have appointed so far. Some experienced ones have publicly said they would be interested for example when Berg was sacked but they were ignored.

[Amo]

We could still attract a half-decent manager, even after everything that's happened. Especially when they see Berg getting £2m for two months work. We all know what they should be doing, but history has proven they're too clueless/corrupt/badly advised (choose your poison) to recruit the right man.

I'd be looking at Paolo Sousa. Did well at Swansea, good footballing ethic, and will feel right at home at Casa de Rovers!

[Rover_Shaun]

You can take a horse to water.........

[Lytham]

Attracting and appointing are two different things. In case a few are mistaking the two.

[chris_h]

We could still attract a half-decent manager, even after everything that's happened. Especially when they see Berg getting £2m for two months work. We all know what they should be doing, but history has proven they're too clueless/corrupt/badly advised (choose your poison) to recruit the right man.

I'd be looking at Paolo Sousa. Did well at Swansea, good footballing ethic, and will feel right at home at Casa de Rovers!

Hmmmm.........I might have to take back some of what I said. He's a good shout, experienced, available and used to working with flakey owners.

[martonrover]

Andy Cryer has just tweeted that Bowyer has now gone on holiday with nothing sorted. Surprise surprise!

[OJRovers]

So we go into the summer a rudderless ship.

No manager

Board under disciplinary proceedings

Finance Director leaving in a month

Global Advisor AWOL with visa issues

No season tickets

No comment from owners

The whole place is being run with incompetence from top to bottom.

[broadsword]

Andy Cryer has just tweeted that Bowyer has now gone on holiday with nothing sorted. Surprise surprise!

Can I just say I'm not surprised in the ****ing slightest?

Clearly they've just given up on trying to make Rovers successful, they'd rather concentrate on pumping chickens full of steroids.

Get the best available man in as soon as possible, give him as much chance as possible to plan ahead, wheel and deal, change the squad to what he wants and get them fit for once.

Either that or just give in and watch us flirt with relegation again because they sat on their hands when instead they should have taken affirmative action.

It's been 2.5 years of fudge, delays and incompetence, why change now?

[den]

Andy Cryer has just tweeted that Bowyer has now gone on holiday with nothing sorted. Surprise surprise!

Well maybe they're going to take proper advice? Maybe they're going to appoint a CE first?

Or maybe they're not.

[Stuart]

Spot on.

A proper managerial search hasn't been conducted yet under a Venky's owned Rovers. Kean was promoted from within, it looks like Shebby targeted managers by looking at a copy of a Match Annual from 94-95 he found at Brockhall, Appleton had links to two senior officials at the club and Bowyer would be a promotion from within again.

If they spent the time to carry out a proper managerial search by looking at the various candidates and conducted a thorough interview process they would find better quality managers than they have appointed so far. Some experienced ones have publicly said they would be interested for example when Berg was sacked but they were ignored.

If they spent the money they had spent paying off duff managers, they'd have been able to afford a Premier League manager!

This is all about control, IMHO.

[jim mk2]

Ho hum. Years of mediocrity and failure ahead. Is there noone left at the club with any ambition at all? We keep saying it, but Jack Walker wouldn't have entertained any of the current encumbents at Ewood.

I can't see any way out of this total mess now. Not even if Venky's sell up. We're shafted.

And what would you say if Bowyer turned out to be another Mourinho, or even better, the next Mick McCarthy ?

Have to say though that appointing Bowyer would be an admission on the owners' part that they have given up on any future ambitions for the club. Assuming he gets the job after the usual weeks of prevarications and indecision, I wish him all the best. His record in charge as caretaker is very good, but I think we can forget any pretensions to a promotion push next season and will more than likely face another relegation battle.

From day one Venky's or the people advising them have never understood the value of experienced people running the club and they continue to make the same mistakes over and over again.

[Majiball]

Well maybe they're going to take proper advice? Maybe they're going to appoint a CE first?

Or maybe they're not.

They're lucky 8 ball has to get one decision right eventually.

[den]

And what would you say if Bowyer turned out to be another Mourinho, or even better, the next Mick McCarthy ?

Have to say though that appointing Bowyer would be an admission on the owners' part that they have given up on any future ambitions for the club. Assuming he gets the job after the usual weeks of prevarications and indecision, I wish him all the best. His record in charge as caretaker is very good, but I think we can forget any pretensions to a promotion push next season and will more than likely face another relegation battle.

From day one Venky's or the people advising them have never understood the value of experienced people running the club and they continue to make the same mistakes over and over again.

Well if he gets the job, I wish him well, hopefully we all would. I'm not making an anti-Bowyer post, Jim.

[G Somerset Rover]

Andy Cryer has just tweeted that Bowyer has now gone on holiday with nothing sorted. Surprise surprise!

Absolute joke. This will rumble on for weeks, if not months. You just know it. Still no decision on Shaw, no decision on Bowyer, no decisions made on our playing staff.

Looks like no lessons have been learnt once more, although can any of us really be surprised?

[Majiball]

And what would you say if Bowyer turned out to be another Mourinho, or even better, the next Mick McCarthy ?

Have to say though that appointing Bowyer would be an admission on the owners' part that they have given up on any future ambitions for the club. Assuming he gets the job after the usual weeks of prevarications and indecision, I wish him all the best. His record in charge as caretaker is very good, but I think we can forget any pretensions to a promotion push next season and will more than likely face another relegation battle.

From day one Venky's or the people advising them have never understood the value of experienced people running the club and they continue to make the same mistakes over and over again.

No-one would ever be able to say anything if he was the next Mourinho as all you'd ever hear would be Shebby telling everyone how he discovered him and has 762caps for the dog N duck

I don't think appointing Bowyer is displaying a lack of ambition for a promotion push he's got the best track record of any of their choices to date. They'll just be taking the safe option and hoping it comes off as look at what allowing recruitment to be carried out has caused. I don't think we'll face another relegation battle next year but I also don't expect us to be flying. I think we'll start average and get better over time and hopefully nick the play-offs, it's not what I'd be aiming for but Bowyer will be hopeful.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

The fact that GB has toddled off on his hols again, without a decision, is typical Loons. Usual carnage, can't make a decision to save their lives. Meanwhile the club suffers, fans are frustrated, players haven't got a clue (up with the [card]board on that one), and everything stagnates. Another typical day in La La Land..........