[Archived] Bowyer

[Gav]

Campbell - injury and betting scandals

Leon best - 35k a week, injury and a distinct problem attitude. Not a player a manager with common sense would have paid that for.

I still think a stronger manager would have had them scoring or at least contributing to the cause.

Campbell was scoring for fun at Ipswich in the league and bagged a few for Bpool, why not here.

[JBiz]

I still think a stronger manager would have had them scoring or at least contributing to the cause.

Maybe if we had magneto or jesus - someone who could heal 12 month ligament injuries and the two multi month ankle problems DJ has had.

If they are available, then why the hell not?

[FGS5635]

I still think a stronger manager would have had them scoring or at least contributing to the cause.

Campbell was scoring for fun at Ipswich in the league and bagged a few for Bpool, why not here.

No manager has every really had Best doing either all his career. Even Trapatoni gave up on him and he's as strong a manager as you'll find.

[broadsword]

From what I've seen, Campbell's attitude stinks, never mind anything else.

[Riverside67]

Agreed my Geordie mates said they got one good game in 5 out of him.

Get rid especially with all the rest of his baggage. Shame he had a load of talent but as we often see he could not handle it.

His over inflated ego has ruined him.

[RevidgeBlue]

Going back to BAWA's stats, very selective use of stats by him, luckily for him and his agenda we had two bad results in the last two home games, I bet he wouldn't have bothered reproducing them if we'd got four or even six points from those two games as the situation would probably have looked very different.

Here's another one, in season 2010-11 when we nearly went down we managed 21 points from the first 17 games under Allardyce and 22 from 21 under Kean. And if memory serves me correctly, Phil Jones suffered a serious long term injury in Kean's first game. So judged purely on those stats there isn't that much to choose between Kean and Allardyce as managers which clearly isn't the case and shows just how misleading the selective use of stats can be.

All that said, I'm reminded of the old saying "You're only as good as your last game" and the situation is very fluid. If we were to win the next 2-3 League games the situation would look relatively healthy. If we were to lose them it would look pretty grim and far worse than at this precise moment which is why the situation probably needs to be kept under review.

[LDRover]

He was bloody unlucky wasn't he Keano. First he discovers Phil Jones then he loses him to long term injury in his first game.

[RevidgeBlue]

On Best and Campbell I have to say imo their attitude has absolutely stunk when they've played, Best seems to have had his nose put out of joint by the fact the far superior Rhodes was brought in ahead of him and Campbell has hardly ever been fit or available apart from the fact he's been crap.

I really don't think you can blame Bowyer for those 2, nor do I think an "experienced" manager would have got more of a tune out of them. Nor is what they've done previously elsewhere with other Clubs particularly relevant. It's what they're doing with us that's relevant.

[Bucksrover]

Would people seriously want another management change? More expense, another manager coming in who doesn't give a monkeys about rovers?!

I don't agree with certain things Bowyer has done and continues to do - such as his love affair with Williamson, why we signed Marrow, Judge and Songo.

But overall I think he is doing a top job. Look at the number of young British players we now have in the first team squad. And it seems like players from the rovers youth team have a route through to the first team - Henley pushing out the loanee Kane as soon as he was fit. Signing that local lad Mahoney is also encouraging in that it is a sustainable transfer policy. The line-ups Bowyer puts out also make a good change to previous managers in that they make sense bar the odd player here and there, I could go on.

Best, Campbell and Etuhu are mercenaries from what I can see. They were on contracts they don't deserve when Bowyer came to the club, and he has financial restrictions which prevent him just clearing out these players. I am hopeful that Best will leave in January. Fingers crossed we get a license to fire DJ in April and maybe sue him for a few quid.

[Waggy76]

Would people seriously want another management change? More expense, another manager coming in who doesn't give a monkeys about rovers?!

I don't agree with certain things Bowyer has done and continues to do - such as his love affair with Williamson, why we signed Marrow, Judge and Songo.

But overall I think he is doing a top job. Look at the number of young British players we now have in the first team squad. And it seems like players from the rovers youth team have a route through to the first team - Henley pushing out the loanee Kane as soon as he was fit. Signing that local lad Mahoney is also encouraging in that it is a sustainable transfer policy. The line-ups Bowyer puts out also make a good change to previous managers in that they make sense bar the odd player here and there, I could go on.

Best, Campbell and Etuhu are mercenaries from what I can see. They were on contracts they don't deserve when Bowyer came to the club, and he has financial restrictions which prevent him just clearing out these players. I am hopeful that Best will leave in January. Fingers crossed we get a license to fire DJ in April and maybe sue him for a few quid.

Whilst , I agree with many of your sentiments ..It is meant to be a promotion or bust season ...

Very strange way of going for promotion , suspect that is a ruse and keep us up and bust is the Venkys real aim ?

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Best, Campbell and Etuhu are mercenaries from what I can see. They were on contracts they don't deserve when Bowyer came to the club, and he has financial restrictions which prevent him just clearing out these players. I am hopeful that Best will leave in January. Fingers crossed we get a license to fire DJ in April and maybe sue him for a few quid.

Didn't Campbell sign on a free transfer in July? I know when he was loan last season some suggested it was agreed he'g sign permanently but surely Bowyer could have stopped this if he did not want him.

Not being awkard but who is going to take Best on his wages?

[Riverside67]

Bucks yes agreed but the repeating of errors is undermining confidence everywhere and Bowyer needs to sort. He has had enough time now, We always start games slowly and once we are on the back foot then we often concede.

Unforgiveable we were 3 nil down playing with a back 4 and Lowe and Williamson defensive minded, Too many palyers are not doing there jobs. To my mind some cannot do it but that is Bowyers problem to decide.

Player and fans are becoming affected by a serious lack of morale due to those repeat offences.

[onlyonejackwalker]

Is it promotion or bust? Until someone knows the answer to that question there is little point chewing the fat over Bowyer. If he has three years to grow a team he's doing ok and will argue we are bang on course. If we need to go up this year to avoid financial meltdown then we would be wiser with someone proven and should gamble with additional funds and improve quality in all areas.

[Gav]

Maybe if we had magneto or jesus - someone who could heal 12 month ligament injuries and the two multi month ankle problems DJ has had.

If they are available, then why the hell not?

Its an interesting take on things, you'd almost think such injuries couldn't be cured, Lourdes anyone

[CapeTownRover]

you cant go behind in a game, or draw level and then take off a striker and bring on defensive minded player. for what reason do we need both Lowe and Williamson playing at the same time? why do we play so much with Cairney out of position, when he is more effective in the center of midfield? why do we play with 1 striker at home? why do we make substitutions so late on in a game, when we are chasing a game?

[DE.]

Is it promotion or bust? Until someone knows the answer to that question there is little point chewing the fat over Bowyer. If he has three years to grow a team he's doing ok and will argue we are bang on course. If we need to go up this year to avoid financial meltdown then we would be wiser with someone proven and should gamble with additional funds and improve quality in all areas.

To be honest I think it's too late now for a managerial change to have any effect even if it is promotion or bust. The time to bring in a guy to meet that challenge would have been the summer, something I do agree with den on. Changing now could easily sabotage the stability Gary has brought to the club and even bring the likes of Singh back into the fold.

[CapeTownRover]

here is a question for you DE. IF we had brought in a new manager in the summer, do you think that the fans would have been against it, knowing that Bowyer did a fine job keeping us up? i know you will probably say depends on who the manager was, but back then, most were happy with Bowyer to be given the job full time

[DE.]

here is a question for you DE. IF we had brought in a new manager in the summer, do you think that the fans would have been against it, knowing that Bowyer did a fine job keeping us up? i know you will probably say depends on who the manager was, but back then, most were happy with Bowyer to be given the job full time

I was happy for Bowyer to be given the job full time if I'm being honest. I liked the values he stood for and was very impressed by his two stints as caretaker manager, which essentially saved us from dropping into League One.

I don't believe there is any chance Venky's would have hired the calibre of manager necessary to get us promoted in the summer.

However, if we take the view that for some reason Venky's completely changed their ways and actually hired somebody genuinely competent, then yeah, I think most fans would have accepted him. Gary had at that point still only been caretaker after all and never had the manager's seat for longer than a couple of months. There was no stability as such to destroy. We're in a very different position now though.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Is it promotion or bust? Until someone knows the answer to that question there is little point chewing the fat over Bowyer. If he has three years to grow a team he's doing ok and will argue we are bang on course. If we need to go up this year to avoid financial meltdown then we would be wiser with someone proven and should gamble with additional funds and improve quality in all areas.

Very succintly summed up oojw.

Personally I think it is promotion or bust. To be honest I think it was promotion or bust last season, and last season with a decent manager we could easily have achieved it. This season we're trying to accomplish the task with a weaker squad and lower wage bill, its still just about possible but needs a very good manager now. Next season I fear after another summer of taking a scythe to our wage bill, it'll take a genius.

Despite Bowyer's vastly superior personal qualities, I honestly think in football terms Kean was a better manager. Compared to a proper manager like Allardyce, Kean was a number 3, but Bowyer you could argue was a number 4. I've always liked Bowyer, but that means nothing in football. Its all about end product, and in my opinion we've got a try-hard amateur instead of a pro.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

As usual, the lack of news from darkest Pune, means we know nowt. So, austerity reigns, no dosh available, sell to buy, sounds like the Tory's policy! GB is here, can't see the Loons looking to pour more money in after bad......think they are just keeping us afloat to save face if nothing else.

Happy New Year to all Rovers fans everywhere......2014 could be a tough one?

[chaddyrovers]

here is a question for you DE. IF we had brought in a new manager in the summer, do you think that the fans would have been against it, knowing that Bowyer did a fine job keeping us up? i know you will probably say depends on who the manager was, but back then, most were happy with Bowyer to be given the job full time

all depends who the managers was and the players he signed.

Plus how well we were doing results wise.

plus people mention different managers. but what would they change to the team in terms of starting 11, tactics and coaching staff..

Anybody who thinks Holloway, Clarke or Mackay are deluded. no chance.

IMO, Bowyer should remain as manager next season even if we dont go up. look at Leicester now top of the league and backed their manager Nigel Pearson. believe in him and now top of the league.

We cant keeping sacking managers. we need to back a manager and allow him to give the club stability and chance of promotion.

[CapeTownRover]

agree Chaddy, but anybody who says they would rather have Bowyer than Holloway, Mckay, Clarke etc needs their heads checked. Bowyer might be a nice guy, and the best we could have hoped for at the time, but his inexperience is showing right now. like i said, he cant be blamed for some poor defending and individual mistakes, but his tactics and substitutions are questionable. Its okay to get it wrong in terms of setting up your team, but to make those errors again, shows he himself is unaware of where the problem lies

[Rover_Shaun]

Going back to BAWA's stats, very selective use of stats by him, luckily for him and his agenda we had two bad results in the last two home games, I bet he wouldn't have bothered reproducing them if we'd got four or even six points from those two games as the situation would probably have looked very different.

Here's another one, in season 2010-11 when we nearly went down we managed 21 points from the first 17 games under Allardyce and 22 from 21 under Kean. And if memory serves me correctly, Phil Jones suffered a serious long term injury in Kean's first game. So judged purely on those stats there isn't that much to choose between Kean and Allardyce as managers which clearly isn't the case and shows just how misleading the selective use of stats can be.

All that said, I'm reminded of the old saying "You're only as good as your last game" and the situation is very fluid. If we were to win the next 2-3 League games the situation would look relatively healthy. If we were to lose them it would look pretty grim and far worse than at this precise moment which is why the situation probably needs to be kept under review.

allardyce ammassing more points than 21 has always been an assumption based on his record. Based on Bowyers it does not look good.

Add one more win and we'd only be 2 points better plus what we do/don't get at Leeds. The table does not lie so I am unsure what other stats to use. Maybe the price of carrots since 1997? The fact is Bowyer is performing similarly to the combined efforts of what most would regard to be the worst and 2nd worst managers in our history. The stats I chose to use are the only stats that matter.

Bowyer mid-term report: C+

[DE.]

To be fair our season didn't tail off last year until around this time anyway. We had a ridiculously lucky start which somehow saw us third despite playing some really poor football. Berg's tenure saw us fall away from the playoffs and Appleton's tenure sent us crashing towards the relegation zone. If Bowyer keeps things steady over the course of the season it will be an improvement on last year, and there's no reason to suggest he won't do that. Whether he needs to do better than that due to our reported financial strife is another debate entirely.

[Rover_Shaun]

If Bowyers average points continues we will amass a whopping 4 points more than the Circus Big Top season. Using that rate of improvement we should make the playoffs 3 years after we go bust