[Archived] The Gary Bowyer Thread

[DE.]

3 seasons now and we are farther away from promotion than ever. We did worse last season than the one before. That is not stability and is clearly not progress.

Right now, most of us think we are closer to relegation than promtion and that's a realistic call.

But GB will stay, he'll continue to impress the owners with % increase in transfer values and crowds will continue to dwindle.

Would love to be wrong but that's how I see it.

If we keep Rhodes I think we'll finish worse than last season, but as long as he stays fit for most of the season we'll finish mid-table. Lose Rhodes and I'd be extremely concerned, as even IF the embargo was lifted I do not see us bringing in a striker who can replace those goals.

A couple of long term injuries to the likes of Conway, Marshall or Guthrie (two of which have known fitness/injury issues) would make things very difficult for us as well.

Pure conjecture. We had the 10th best defence in the league last year. Teams with the 10th best defence don't usually go down. Of course we'd miss out 40-goal strikeforce, but other players would take their place. Neither of them were top scorers in the league last season. You don't have to spend £8m on a striker to get goals, as Rudy proved for us, and Murphy proved for Ipswich.

In your own words, pure conjecture, and not backed up by goalscoring stats from our outfield players last season.

[Mike E]

It's his constant talking about it that's the problem. The manager should be talking about the football and what happens on the pitch.

Can't fault you there. Be nice if he occasionally said 'We were @#/? today. This lot are staying in training this weekend and they don't like it they can @#/? lump it'.

[blueboy3333]

3 seasons now and we are farther away from promotion than ever. We did worse last season than the one before. That is not stability and is clearly not progress.

Right now, most of us think we are closer to relegation than promtion and that's a realistic call.

But GB will stay, he'll continue to impress the owners with % increase in transfer values and crowds will continue to dwindle.

Would love to be wrong but that's how I see it.

we were two points worse off whilst spending zilch compared to the majority of the team in the league. That is the definition of stability.

In your own words, pure conjecture, and not backed up by goalscoring stats from our outfield players last season.

Eh? I'm sure i said we find new players, like we once found Rudy. Bowyer is proven in finding them when he has a bit of leeway in the transfer market. And before you say it, Brown and Varney were brought as back-up.

And like i said, and you ignored, we had the 10th best defence in the league last year. Hardly relegation stats.

[DE.]

And like i said, and you ignored, we had the 10th best defence in the league last year. Hardly relegation stats.

So, we had the 10th best defence in the division and two of the six top goalscorers in the league. Why didn't we go up?

My suggestion would be that perhaps Rhodes and Gestede were the difference between low-scoring draws and victories. Take them out and perhaps a lot of 3 points become 1 point, or no points?

[blueboy3333]

So, we had the 10th best defence in the division and two of the six top goalscorers in the league. Why didn't we go up?

My suggestion would be that perhaps Rhodes and Gestede were the difference between low-scoring draws and victories. Take them out and perhaps a lot of 3 points become 1 point, or no points?

we weren't consistent. some good results followed by draws and defeats cos we shipped stupid goals. During that bad run we had December/January we also missed some absolute sitters, Bolton away springs to mind. That 2 month spell wrecked the league season.

[DE.]

we weren't consistent. some good results followed by draws and defeats cos we shipped stupid goals. During that bad run we had December/January we also missed some absolute sitters, Bolton away springs to mind. That 2 month spell wrecked the league season.

We weren't much good at all after December, truth be told. But still, how many of those good results would have been draws or defeats without the goals of Rhodes/Gestede? How many of the draws would have actually been losses?

Whether you lose 1-0 or 5-0 you still end up with 0 points. Having a tight defence will mean nothing if we can't score enough goals.

[Stuart]

You could easily say the same thing about Laurence Cotton who bought a legacy for the club which then disappeared in subsequent years after he left the club. Sadly, that tends to be the way of things and certainly isn't something new. Indeed you might say that Cotton was even more successful than Jack in that we landed the title twice in three years. Sadly, after Cotton left the club was unable to sustain that success because the money ran out. Alas, as with all legacies, time tends to diminish them until someone comes along to restore a club's fortunes. It was eighty years between Cotton and Jack. Hopefully it won't be that long again.

How would Chelsea or Man Utd fare if the money ran out? The fact is that we have as a town had continued success through the history of English football. Of course that requires money.

But where would you say Chelsea's true level was in the football pyramid - if they didn't have Abramovic's billions? It's arguable that they would 'naturally' be below us.

In other news - back on topic - I heard an interview with Bowyer on the radio in the last hour. Apparently, and I quote: 'the fans can "recognise" what we are trying to do here". I kid you not. So once again, if you don't agree with who the manager is or with his methods then you aren't a real fan.

[perthblue02]

. Apparently, and I quote: 'the fans can "recognise" what we are trying to do here". I kid you not. So once again, if you don't agree with who the manager is or with his methods then you aren't a real fan.

A shiver down the spine with that quote,is it 2012?

[Parsonblue]

How would Chelsea or Man Utd fare if the money ran out? The fact is that we have as a town had continued success through the history of English football. Of course that requires money.

But where would you say Chelsea's true level was in the football pyramid - if they didn't have Abramovic's billions? It's arguable that they would 'naturally' be below us.

In other news - back on topic - I heard an interview with Bowyer on the radio in the last hour. Apparently, and I quote: 'the fans can "recognise" what we are trying to do here". I kid you not. So once again, if you don't agree with who the manager is or with his methods then you aren't a real fan.

The majority of fans I go to matches with do recognise what he is trying to do. That's why we continue to support him. In no way did he say what you are trying to interpret him has having said. He merely said that most fans can see the position that the club is in with regard to having to get the wage bill down and having to rebuild using the loan and free transfer market. I think that's being pretty honest and open with the supporters. I'm glad you agree with the point I was making that without investment this club does struggle. The three periods we have dominated English football - 1880s, early 1910s and under Jack - we had people who were able to put money into the club. When there is nobody to do that we do tend to gravitate to the second tier of English football - no disgrace in that considering the gates and revenue streams we have often had to deal with.

[K-Hod]

That's why things are improving under Gary den. If you are going to lose players far better to get fees for them rather than pay them off!

Jake Kean and Best won't have left without a golden handshake!

[Tom]

My main issue with the manager has been his ability to influence a game positively during the course of the game.

Too often has he been too late to make a change and then purely reactive rather than forcing the opposition onto the back foot.

I feel if he can be a bit braver at times it would shunt us a few places up the table.

I think on paper he's done very well over the summer with what we had, had we landed Kim I would feel our squad overall would be more balanced than last season but as it stands I feel we are an attacking player short

[AllRoverAsia]

I now wonder if Rovers ever thought that they could really get Kim. Rovers knew what the work permit rules were from the start of that process and would also know that the FL approach was now hardline and what the most likely outcome was. They also knew that the process would be quite a long one. Perhaps just a sop to the (diminishing) masses over a long summer bereft of much transfer activity and if it ended in (expected) failure as least the fans think they tried. A shelfy type strategy.

[tomphil]

I now wonder if Rovers ever thought that they could really get Kim. Rovers knew what the work permit rules were from the start of that process and would also know that the FL approach was now hardline and what the most likely outcome was. They also knew that the process would be quite a long one. Perhaps just a sop to the (diminishing) masses over a long summer bereft of much transfer activity and if it ended in (expected) failure as least the fans think they tried. A shelfy type strategy.

Similar to what I said at the time. I would not believe a word that comes out of that leeches mouth, not without good reason.

[chris_h]

Jake Kean and Best won't have left without a golden handshake!

I'm perplexed by the Kean situation. My understanding was that his contract had been mutually cancelled leaving him free to complete a very good move to Naaaridge.

[Gav]

Absolutely hilarious post given your "support" of our last actually good manager Big Sam.

As Rovers fans what we do is symptomatic of any football fans. We're fickle and prone to criticise as often as we are to support.

Unfortunately whilst some of us do it based on results and points, many do it based on style of football, how long a manager has been at the club, how genuine he sounds in interviews and other such subjective, laughable barometers.

Jesus, if you can't handle it don't drink it I say.

Just for the record, every Blackburn Rovers manager has had my support until he deserves it no longer, Bowyer still deserves support, Allardyce didn't.

Didn't realise I had you so wound up SK!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Bowyer on RR...

'Most of our fans except our clubs position'

LIKE @#/? WE DO!!!

[ABBEY]

Let's be honest Abbey, the majority of the honours that we won to become the 11th most successful club in the country were won before Archduke Ferdinand and his wife were shot! Like all clubs, we had our moments between then and when Jack came along but in terms of modern history it is winning the Premier League and the Worthington Cup which has lifted the club again in the honours stakes. Between 1936 and 1991 we spent more seasons in the Second Division (Championship) than any other. During that time the club did exactly what we are doing today. Buying players cheap, or developing them ourselves and selling them for huge profits. It's how we survived and it's what we did well. Let's not pretend that it is something that Bowyer and Venky's invented.

Let's hide our history ? Not cool

[T J Hooker]

The aspects of management that bowyer gets credit for are things that every profesional manager at this level should be able to take care of as a prerequisite for the job, its what happens on matchdays that define whether he's any good at the job or not and so far its a big smelly 'not' i my opinion.

[ABBEY]

Opinion..Sat in your back garden of course

[T J Hooker]

Again not that its any of your business and ive always been open about how often i attend, but i normally go to a good handfull of games a year, sometimes i buy a season tkt it depends how i am financially, right now i can think of plenty of other things id rather spend the spare little bit of money i have on other than rovers games, although this year a kind friend that has a season tkt but cant get to many games is letting me share his st, so i should get to see at least half the games.

That saod ive attended(as well as seen live by other means) enoughgames in the past few years to way more than justify my opinion in the previous post.

Really dont know why im wasting my time having to justify myself to you though.

[tonygreenbank]

But TJ your post about the level of noise generated inside the ground when a goal is scored was insensitive to say the least.

I live in Looe now and would love to come to more games. Your living in Longshaw supping a beer criticising the fans who do turn up trying to help the club makes your "support" a little questionable.

[Mattyblue]

Jesus, if you can't handle it don't drink it I say.

Just for the record, every Blackburn Rovers manager has had my support until he deserves it no longer, Bowyer still deserves support, Allardyce didn't.

Didn't realise I had you so wound up SK!

Why?

[roverandout]

Bowyer on RR...

'Most of our fans except our clubs position'

LIKE @#/? WE DO!!!

Translate that into

'Im useless and you can't expect anything better madame'

[ABBEY]

But TJ your post about the level of noise generated inside the ground when a goal is scored was insensitive to say the least.

I live in Looe now and would love to come to more games. Your living in Longshaw supping a beer criticising the fans who do turn up trying to help the club makes your "support" a little questionable.

You weren't sat in a beer garden in St Austell today ? Drove past a rovers shirt .

Off to wreckers now in Charlestown

[Stuart]

Bowyer on RR...

'Most of our fans except our clubs position'

LIKE @#/? WE DO!!!

There are plenty of examples on this very message board of people who do! And spend their time trying to justify Bowyer being the best we can hope for. If Venkys are so rich, why do they put up with it? I'm pretty damned sure that Tony Fernandez doesn't.