[Archived] Bowyer

[Waggy76]

Bowyer has steadied the ship , I agree but now he his losing us points by poor team selection and substitions ...

If our crazy owners really want the club to succeed ,they going to have to remove Gary Bowyer from his present job...

Harsh but true !

[Leonard Venkhater]

Looking for an apology is deliberately setting yourself up for disappointment and anger. Unfortunately I suspect that this will now be taken out on Bowyer who should be given some credit for doing what our previous three managers did not.

I wasn't at the game today but I can imagine how we would've tried and failed to keep it tight at 1-0. Forest didn't do that and I don't think their squad is much better than ours, if at all. If we're going to get promoted under the current circumstances then the manager has to be pragmatic. Bowyer seems a bit one dimensional to me but so was Big Sam (the amount of times I heard "HERE WE GO, NO PLAN B!"...). I don't know what the answer is but I feel more comfortable with the football we're playing this season than I have at any point in the last few years.

Bowyer has done something right but I just hope his "failings" aren't vented with the same anger that Kean got.

I'm going to the Barnsley match on Tuesday with my Baaaansley mate, Ahhh Kes. Sod's law says that we'll go there and win but what do I know.

The point is we are owed one, though, and with one iota of emotional intelligence or decency, we would get one....

The midfield/ forward combination has hardly worked all season and there appears to be a pattern of sitting back on a lead. With all that has gone on off the pitch, I suspect Bowyer's mistakes will eventually lead to an eruption of anger that should be targeted at Venky's. They could do..(yes, and say) ..a good deal to help towards a reconciliation-very low home attendance again today. Meanwhile, I fear the patience earned by Bowyer's obvious decency will soon run out......

[grizfoot]

I find the criticism of Bowyer absolutely crazy given how he's managed to turn the club around since last season. He's actively trying to get rid of all the dross signings that came before him and build a squad capable of challenging for promotion. People are entitled to their opinion but there's no doubt we are a much improved side this season and we still have a good chance of reaching the play-offs. Our home performances haven't been sparkling at times but defensively we've been fairly solid. Maybe some of his tactics could be deemed negative but are they any more negative than say the sort of tactics we adopted to good success at home under Big Sam? Perhaps it is the same people complaining? Maybe you would rather return to the sort of expansive football the likes of Ince and Kean unsuccessfully tried to adopt? But I for one am very proud to have Gary Bowyer has our manager and he's done a very good job since taking over and I don't feel the team is too far away from challenging for promotion. Hopefully a couple of good signings before the transfer window shuts and I'd fully expect us to be thereabouts around the top six come the end of the season.

[JBiz]

Bowyer has steadied the ship , I agree but now he his losing us points by poor team selection and substitions ...

If our crazy owners really want the club to succeed ,they going to have to remove Gary Bowyer from his present job...

Harsh but true !

True?!

So we go back to the a period similar to the immediate aftermath of Allardyce/Micheal Appleton/Berg/Kean being sacked - With Shelfy, Shebby and the Desai's being charged with the recruitment drive of our 6th manager in 12 months. How can removing the only person at the club who has shown a modicum of understanding be a "true" statement in the search of success?

If what you say is true - Craig Short will be the next person your being "harsh but true" about in the near future.... or Colin Hendry. I can't see how that is a succesful path personally.

Obviously, in the perfect world we would have proper owners, with a proper board and a proper recruitment process - However we do not live in the perfect world.

And losing us points - I think that is another argument. I agree that Williamson is not good enough at times and Lowe is incredibly frustrating but they wouldn't be playing together if we had another left footed midfielder or Evans fit.

His recruits and steadying of the ship have gained us points. Any anger you have should be directed at the owners for causing this much of problem in the first place.

Personally feel that GB should be thanked for steadying the ship and given time to garner experience as a full manager of a club - much like a lot of our younger players will get better with games and experience, leading to a lack of individual errors. Compounded with bringing in more young and hungry players like Gestede, Spurr, Marshall (what a shame about his ankle) and Cairney.

[yoda]

True?!

So we go back to the a period similar to the immediate aftermath of Allardyce/Micheal Appleton/Berg/Kean being sacked - With Shelfy, Shebby and the Desai's being charged with the recruitment drive of our 6th manager in 12 months. How can removing the only person at the club who has shown a modicum of understanding be a "true" statement in the search of success?

If what you say is true - Craig Short will be the next person your being "harsh but true" about in the near future.... or Colin Hendry. I can't see how that is a succesful path personally.

Obviously, in the perfect world we would have proper owners, with a proper board and a proper recruitment process - However we do not live in the perfect world.

We live on the Roa's fantasy island

[pontyrover]

Anyone advocating the removal of Bowyer is an idiot. The man is undoing all the mistakes Venkys made in the last few years and has done a cracking job. Some people have short memories - look at the state of us last season compared to now! Some people are only happy when they are unhappy.

[JBiz]

We live on the Roa's fantasy island

Not forgetting the minute they leave someone will have a tremendous tab to pickup.

[yoda]

Not forgetting the minute they leave someone will have a tremendous tab to pickup.

the tab won't go away

[Neal]

Anyone advocating the removal of Bowyer is an idiot.

I'm not sure anyone has advocated his removal but people are questioning his tactical nous and rightly so. I've been very critical of his decision making recently, at the same time he's someone I admire and want to see do well. I'm willing to sit tight but this excuse of "he's brought stability" has run it's course. We can only be so stable whilst under Venky ownership, Gary needs to give us some indication of what his intentions are. Constantly looking over your shoulder will cause you to fall & personally I am exhausted of watching these safe negative tactics & decisions week in week out. Is he happy to sit mid table? Is this a happy to stay up season? Is this supposed to be a promotion push? Commit to something because at the moment, we're nothing... In the wilderness. Winnable games pass us by week in week out, with the same blue print, start well, hang on for the 2nd half, don't defend from the front, invite pressure... Concede. Unfortunately a big portion of this blue print is Bowyers' doing with poor selections and players out of position.

This is his team now and what worries me is that he has no faith in it to go and beat teams.

[rovers11]

I'm not sure anyone has advocated his removal but people are questioning his tactical nous and rightly so. I've been very critical of his decision making recently, at the same time he's someone I admire and want to see do well. I'm willing to sit tight but this excuse of "he's brought stability" has run it's course. We can only be so stable whilst under Venky ownership, Gary needs to give us some indication of what his intentions are. Constantly looking over your shoulder will cause you to fall & personally I am exhausted of watching these safe negative tactics & decisions week in week out. Is he happy to sit mid table? Is this a happy to stay up season? Is this supposed to be a promotion push? Commit to something because at the moment, we're nothing... In the wilderness. Winnable games pass us by week in week out, with the same blue print, start well, hang on for the 2nd half, don't defend from the front, invite pressure... Concede. Unfortunately a big portion of this blue print is Bowyers' doing with poor selections and players out of position.

This is his team now and what worries me is that he has no faith in it to go and beat teams.

Some fans are advocating the removal of Bowyer. I don't like to single out individual posters but Waggy, for example, has said in his/her post above that Venkys should get rid of Bowyer.

I don't think the fact that GB has steadied the ship and done a good job so far should make him exempt from criticism about team selection and tactics but I think calling for him to be sacked is madness.

[yoda]

Some fans are advocating the removal of Bowyer. I don't like to single out individual posters but Waggy, for example, has said in his/her post above that Venkys should get rid of Bowyer.

I don't think the fact that GB has steadied the ship and done a good job so far should make him exempt from criticism about team selection and tactics but I think calling for him to be sacked is madness.

I think he needs some tactical support, quickly

[Neal]

Some fans are advocating the removal of Bowyer. I don't like to single out individual posters but Waggy, for example, has said in his/her post above that Venkys should get rid of Bowyer.

I don't think the fact that GB has steadied the ship and done a good job so far should make him exempt from criticism about team selection and tactics but I think calling for him to be sacked is madness.

I couldn't speak for anyone else but personally if the opportunity to get a seasoned manager or someone like Malcky Mackay came along I don't think any of us could say no... Not that Venkys have a track record of appointing experienced managers. It would be madness to sack Bowyer without an obvious experienced manager ready to step in. Thats whats frustrating being a Rovers fan currently, our owners lack the ability to appoint a manager with experience of promotion etc... So we almost have to support Bowyer but unfortunately he's not giving us much to support with his non-committal approach to management.

Bowyer gets a lot of sympathy on here but look at it this way... He's got a great opportunity to make himself into a good manager, with owners that back him, players who want to play for him & fans who must back him due to previous bad management... Sounds like a dream job to me. Currently he's making a mess of it & it's all his own doing.

[Parsonblue]

I couldn't speak for anyone else but personally if the opportunity to get a seasoned manager or someone like Malcky Mackay came along I don't think any of us could say no... Not that Venkys have a track record of appointing experienced managers. It would be madness to sack Bowyer without an obvious experienced manager ready to step in. Thats whats frustrating being a Rovers fan currently, our owners lack the ability to appoint a manager with experience of promotion etc... So we almost have to support Bowyer but unfortunately he's not giving us much to support with his non-committal approach to management.

Bowyer gets a lot of sympathy on here but look at it this way... He's got a great opportunity to make himself into a good manager, with owners that back him, players who want to play for him & fans who must back him due to previous bad management... Sounds like a dream job to me. Currently he's making a mess of it & it's all his own doing.

I would totally disagree that he is making a mess of it. Gary has a long term plan which presumably the owners are going along with. After what has happened over the past three years he needs time. He is a young manager learning his trade. Even Brian Clough took a year to two to establish himself. Personally, I think is doing a more than decent job and I would be more than happy to stick with him for a season or two to see how he develops.

[JAL]

I would totally disagree that he is making a mess of it. Gary has a long term plan which presumably the owners are going along with. After what has happened over the past three years he needs time. He is a young manager learning his trade. Even Brian Clough took a year to two to establish himself. Personally, I think is doing a more than decent job and I would be more than happy to stick with him for a season or two to see how he develops.

Does Gary Bowyer need a fresh number two a man who's been there and done it for guidance other than Craig Short ?

[West Yorks Rover]

Does Gary Bowyer need a fresh number two a man who's been there and done it for guidance other than Craig Short ?

I've been saying this for a while now, but would he take advice from someone like this.

I wonder if he asks for advice from his father ?

Maybe not, because Lowe would never have got anywhere near that Forest team of old, everyone needed to be able

to pass the ball well enough to facilitate the ' flowing football ' they played.

[JAL]

I've been saying this for a while now, but would he take advice from someone like this.

I wonder if he asks for advice from his father ?

Maybe not, because Lowe would never have got anywhere near that Forest team of old, everyone needed to be able

to pass the ball well enough to facilitate the ' flowing football ' they played.

Always advocated that the best managers are forwards who've been there and done it, with a partner who represents the absolute opposite to them.

[chaddyrovers]

If people honestly think Malky Mackay would come to Rovers then you are living in fantasy island. NO CHANCE in hell of happening.

Bowyer is doing a good job when you think he cut the wage bill this season and we are 3 points of playoffs with 19 games to go. very good chance of getting into that top 6. we need a couple of good players in now in the next week and that could help us make top 6.

Bowyer number 2 is Terry McPhillips. Short and Tony Grant are the first team coaches on his staff.

Bowyer has already stated publicly that he talks to his father about Rovers and his dad Ian Bowyer is a scout for Rovers.

[Parsonblue]

Does Gary Bowyer need a fresh number two a man who's been there and done it for guidance other than Craig Short ?

I think that Gary, Terry McPhillips, Craig, Tony Grant are a pretty close team. Watching them today they were clearly working as a team in deciding on tactics etc. Ultimately, the manager needs people he can trust and these four seem to work well together. All bring different experiences to the table at different levels of the game but all have worked with or coached young players and that seems to be the road which we are going down.

[Neal]

If people honestly think Malky Mackay would come to Rovers then you are living in fantasy island. NO CHANCE in hell of happening.

I was using him in reference to a seasoned manager... Would I like him yes, would he come probably not. Trust me, I am definitely not living in fantasy land... At the moment I'm living in a world of beige non-aspriational football and trust me... I know it.

[chaddyrovers]

Neal, I am very happy with the job Bowyer is doing and should be allow to carry on the job of rebuilding the club and his playing staff. Bowyer has long term plan and the owners have seem to agree to it other wise he wouldn't be allow sign the amount of players he has and get rid of the players he has whether permanent or loans.

I would agree with Parsonblue that after the last 3 years of having different managers(5 in total), Bowyer needs time and we have to allow him time and at least full season if not 2 seasons tbh.

[Leonard Venkhater]

I was using him in reference to a seasoned manager... Would I like him yes, would he come probably not. Trust me, I am definitely not living in fantasy land... At the moment I'm living in a world of beige non-aspriational football and trust me... I know it.

So am I and I don't like it one bit!

[yoda]

Neal, I am very happy with the job Bowyer is doing and should be allow to carry on the job of rebuilding the club and his playing staff. Bowyer has long term plan and the owners have agree to it.

How do you know this?

[LDRover]

Neal, I am very happy with the job Bowyer is doing and should be allow to carry on the job of rebuilding the club and his playing staff. Bowyer has long term plan and the owners have agree to it.

And, as JAL has said in the match thread, why the 'join the push for promotion' campaign if it's actually just about consolidation.

The fans have had the p1ss ripped out of them for long enough, why not come clean??

[West Yorks Rover]

I think that Gary, Terry McPhillips, Craig, Tony Grant are a pretty close team. Watching them today they were clearly working as a team in deciding on tactics etc. Ultimately, the manager needs people he can trust and these four seem to work well together. All bring different experiences to the table at different levels of the game but all have worked with or coached young players and that seems to be the road which we are going down.

Are any of them any good though ?

[Neal]

Neal, I am very happy with the job Bowyer is doing and should be allow to carry on the job of rebuilding the club and his playing staff. Bowyer has long term plan and the owners have agree to it.

Fair play, each to their own like. To be clear, I'm not saying he should be sacked, I'm just stating that I'd prefer someone with more experience. I'm more than happy for him to carry on just as long as this 'plan' leads somewhere because at the moment I'm not sure what it is. I hope it's not too long term because we could be in administration by then.