[Archived] Gary Bowyer

[RevidgeBlue]

Very surprising to me how many posters refuse to give Bowyer any credit whatsoever.

He's taken the team over twice at a particularly low ebb and has managed fourteen points from eight games over two spells. The seven points from his second spell are all the more creditable imo given that Appleton absolutely wrecked the balance of the squad by releasing or loaning out the flair players.

The one thing Bowyer got wrong imo was his team selection for the Cardiff game, but who knows, we might have lost that anyway even with a full strength side.

In particular, Bowyer seems to have got the knack of getting us over the finishing line in home games - whilst not always playing particularly well. Five home games under Bowyer including the FA Cup tie against Bristol City have yielded four wins and one draw with nine goals scored and only one conceded.

There's still work to be done obviously and I hope he can go on and finish the job. He does seem to be quite close to the players from his comments and seems to have created a siege mentality following on from all the criticism of his trip to India etc. That closeness could work one of two ways. But at the moment it seems to be continuing to have a positive effect, despite the lack of flair in the squad, the players still seem to really want to play for him.

[Guest Norbert]

I'd rather we stay up, Schuster came in, and Bowyer went back to the reserves. It will never happen, but I'd rather have a real manager, and let Gary carry on the good work with the youngsters.

[Tom]

Rev, hardly anyone is giving him no credit whatsoever

Statistics show he has done the best job this season out of all of them and tonight was the first time we have really controlled a league game at Ewood since Birmingham under Berg (although I also think Black could have done ok enough) and I really hope he keeps that up, if venkys take the decision to keep him on then they have to give him a good level of backing in summer and let him bring in players he wants and not let anyone interfere with that.

Rochina played a big part in his last spell so I would imagine he would be recalled but would be surprised to see Formica back, Williamson solved one big problem in midfield but there are many more holes that he will want to fill.

The way he carries himself and his obviously popularity with the players will ensure the fans are behind him if he gets it full time even if some would prefer an experienced head

[neophox]

Mr Motivator..

has managed 9 games 5 wins, 2 draws, 2 loss

Win percent: 55%

Quite good. With this percent we would go to the premier league this season and he's done it in difficult circumstances.

[Muddboy]

Massive respect to Bowyer.

Can't imagine what it must be like managing a BRFC side this season with all the nonsense that's coming out of the club, day in, day out.

His win percentage is fantastic and the players obviously have massive respect for him and believe in what he's asking them to do. Not sure we can say the same for some of the other 'managers' that have graced the dug-out this season.

Sincerely hope the run continues and he keeps us up. Without being able to call on him this season, we'd be dead and buried by now.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

What benefit are we actually getting from his "good work with the reserves"? To me thats one of those phrases that makes whoever said it sound like a wise old sage, but its actually pretty meaningless when it comes down to it. Bowyer is wasted in the reserves, doing a job that amounts to little more than glorified fitness training. Bearing in mind the type of joke manager Charlie Chaplin is likely to be headhunting in the summer, I'd say the most sensible thing Venkys can do is give Bowyer the job permanently.

[Howler]

Given the circumstances I think Bowyer has done an excellent job to date. We haven't suddenly turned into a great side under him by any means but at least we have become hard to beat and, a little like when Big Sam was here, we have beaten the teams we need to be beating, especially at home. I hope he can finish the job and keep us up.

Still think there's a long way to go before we can say he'll be a good long term manager for us, if thats the plan, but he seems to have the respect of the players and we can't argue with his record so far.

[eire3382]

So far Gary has done a very good job especially when you look at our squad.

As for long term thats up to him really, if he wants it then he deserves a shot!

[Gally]

It's totally unreasonable to expect Bowyer to have done better than he has in the circumstances.

Not saying that he should be getting the job, but if he was ever genuinely being considered then he's given a great account of himself.

[pick32]

What benefit are we actually getting from his "good work with the reserves"? To me thats one of those phrases that makes whoever said it sound like a wise old sage, but its actually pretty meaningless when it comes down to it. Bowyer is wasted in the reserves, doing a job that amounts to little more than glorified fitness training. Bearing in mind the type of joke manager Charlie Chaplin is likely to be headhunting in the summer, I'd say the most sensible thing Venkys can do is give Bowyer the job permanently.

If bowyer hadn't been working with the reserves we wouldn't have Hanley, Henley. Lowe, Morris or Kean at the standard they are now.

[rovers11]

The man is a magician. Where on earth has he pulled six points from?! Just could not see us winning another match when he took over; we were so woeful.

Not only that, but we've actually deserved to win the last 2 games, looked quite threatening going forward and solid at the back.

Make no mistake, these past two wins have eclipsed anything he did the 1st time around in caretaker charge. This stint has been much harder and there is still work to do.

If we stay up then Venky's owe this guy on big time. Derserves a massive bonus along with the other two coaches.

[LeChuck]

What benefit are we actually getting from his "good work with the reserves"?

Hopefully it will mean that the young players playing at that level have a better chance of making it through to the first team. That sort of work could be worth its weight in gold.

If Bowyer can scrape over the line we'll be eternally thankful. I still don't think he should get it permanently though. Many clubs have made that mistake in the past.

We should keep him as a Tony Parkes figure. It would be very re-assuring to know there was always someone there that could come in should things go wrong.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

If bowyer hadn't been working with the reserves we wouldn't have Hanley, Henley. Lowe, Morris or Kean at the standard they are now.

Why not? I'm sure someone else could have brought them through just as easily. Someone else brought through Gallagher, Derbyshire, Treacy, Fielding, Peter, McEveley, and the crop before that, and the one before that etc. And they were players who came through into a Premiership side, something only Hanley and Lowe are good enough for out of that list IMO.

[Sparky Marky]

If bowyer hadn't been working with the reserves we wouldn't have Hanley, Henley. Lowe, Morris or Kean at the standard they are now.

Aye...Blackburn Combination standard.

[John]

Safe pair of hands GB - thought he showed enough in his fist stint that he could get us enough points to stay up.

[T4E]

I wonder what it is about Gary Bowyer (and Terry McP) that can turn a team that couldn't string two passes together in to a team that can win back to back games without conceding a goal.

I can only assume its that they're the only two people in the place not drowning in their own bullshit and thus are the only two that the players take seriously and perform for.

[DE.]

If Bowyer can scrape over the line we'll be eternally thankful. I still don't think he should get it permanently though. Many clubs have made that mistake in the past.

We should keep him as a Tony Parkes figure. It would be very re-assuring to know there was always someone there that could come in should things go wrong.

Under normal circumstances I would agree. However, I do not think for one second Venky's will hire anybody better than Bowyer. It's pretty sad that this is the case, but past history suggests we'll only do worse. Bowyer's the only manager who has been able to pull this group of idiots together to grind out consistant points this season. There's every chance our eternally clueless owners will hire Peter Taylor, Peter Reid, Judan Ali or the Tea Lady as our next manager. At this point I'd stick with Bowyer until Venky's are gone, as IMO they/Shebby will only do worse should they search for a replcement.

[John]

You've got to look at the previous abnormal track record of managerial appointments, that's why Bowyer could be a good choice even though again he lacks experience.

Plus, will we have the finances to appoint a credible manager along with their coaching staff, I'm not sure.

[jim mk2]

Two matches ago people were calling Bowyer names, saying he should be sacked before the end of the season and if he stayed he would take us down to the third division.

Now he's won 2 games in succession he's a managerial genius who should be given the role full time.

Seeing as we could still quite easily be relegated please explain.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Bowyer has done an ok job in both his caretaker stints and he deserves a lot of credit if Rovers stay up. However a few games back many fans wanted to see him replaced before the season ended, now we have won back to back games they want him to be given the job full time. Talk about fickle. I guess if we lose the next two we will be back to calling for him to be replaced again?

Should Bowyer be given the job full-time? In my opinion no, but I think he will get it if he wants it.

I think the club needs a major overhaul from top to bottom and for me that requires an external experienced candidate to change the culture of the club and bring in fresh new ideas. If an existing coach is given the job then I can't see much changing, the structure will exist as is and the power struggles will continue. It doesn't help that this concept of promoting from within is still fresh in my mind when the worst manager in our history was appointed that very same way. Also looking at football as a whole how often do you see long term success going down that route?

IMO if Rovers are serious about promotion next season they need to move Bowyer back to the Reserve Team Manager job and target an experienced external candidate.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Two matches ago people were calling Bowyer names, saying he should be sacked before the end of the season and if he stayed he would take us down to the third division.

Now he's won 2 games in succession he's a managerial genius who should be given the role full time.

Seeing as we could still quite easily be relegated please explain.

Isn't it just that his supporters have stayed quiet when we've been losing and are piping up now we're winning, and vice versa for his critics? Thats the case for me, I said the day he took over that if he picks a decent amount of points up to the end of the season, I'd like to see him be offered it on a permanent basis.

[John]

Two matches ago people were calling Bowyer names, saying he should be sacked before the end of the season and if he stayed he would take us down to the third division.

Now he's won 2 games in succession he's a managerial genius who should be given the role full time.

Seeing as we could still quite easily be relegated please explain.

Agree there is a fickle nature but most football fans are like that - plus need to take into account that Huddersfield are pretty average like a lot of teams in the Championship.

Results under Bowyer have been decent - plus do you trust a normal managerial appointment being made and can we afford one?

[den]

The next manager is going to have to rebuild the squad. Now while Bowyer has done OK so far, there's absolutely no evidence that he can do that. What rovers need next time, is someone who's been at another club and taken the club onto the next level.

[Rover_Shaun]

I see it's happening again? Fans gushing over a manager after a handfull of games. You would think after Kean, Berg and Appleton they would have learnt valuable lessons?

[arbitro]

Agree there is a fickle nature but most football fans are like that - plus need to take into account that Huddersfield are pretty average like a lot of teams in the Championship.

Results under Bowyer have been decent - plus do you trust a normal managerial appointment being made and can we afford one?

The players at each club are key to situations like this. Quite simply I believe that if the players like and respect the manager then they will go the extra mile for them, which is what we have seen in the last two games. The latter part of Graeme Souness's tenure at Ewood is a classic example of this. He fell out with some of the stronger characters in the squad and these players influenced the weaker ones. The result is a real dip in results and performance and ultimately ends in the managers dismissal. A new manager comes in and suddenly the players attitudes change and results and performances improve. A good manager (Sam Allardyce, SAF etc) will weed out the bad eggs and at the very least have a squad who respect them.