[Archived] Back Or Sack?

[Riverside67]

Davey B yes agree Evans absence made a big difference. Bowyer signed a lot wide mifielders but no replacement CM except Dabo????

Lack of leadership in that central area has defined our season as also rans

[Baz]

Injuries are part of the game though.

Bowyer has had resources in a large squad inherited, and 19 signings (compare that to Mark Hughes' 21 in total). Our main shortcomings have been due to having no cover throughout defence, and in the central midfield positions.

It would be very unusual to see no key injuries during a season, people mention Burnley but they have kept winning without Ings and Vokes in recent weeks. Suarez missed the start of the season, and Aguero has missed a fair part of the season too, both their teams had cover in those key positions.

With the overall squad budget and size I dont think 10th is a good season, mediocre at best.

Davey B, did you read the article by Warnock saying why he didnt take the Forest job? Saying the owner wanted to pick the team, Im guessing that that also may be a good part of the problem at Forest.

[thenodrog]

Not nearly so many as the manager's negativity. No idea what theno's points are. He's still blissfully on "ignore". Try not to quote him lads please.

Hey up! Bash's very own Percy Sugden strikes again!

Suits me cock. tbh These days you've nothing very cerebral to offer anyway. 'Ignorance is bliss' as they say.... and you must be up to your neck in it.

Nothing there that any manager doesn't have to deal with. I'm just stating facts guys. There's been no Shebby to deal with, no off field antics to deal with. Face it, he's had great backing. No interference, only having to sell one player (Dann) that he might have wanted to keep - and given the backing to bring in 19 players of his choice.

Let's not try to argue that he's had a tough time.

You havent answered Den. Do you still go to Ewood?

[DaveyB]

No I hadn't seen that, and am sure that there may well be more issues than just injuries at Forest (although my mates who support them all reckon it was the Forest owner who turned Warnock down and not the other way round, so maybe a few sour grapes from Colin?) but I still maintain that injuries, especially to key players, will have an adverse effect on results.

You mention City & Liverpool as examples of clubs coping with missing players - 1) we have nowhere near the same resources as either club and 2) if either Suarez or Kompany (much more important to City than Aguero) were ruled out for the remainder of the season what do you think it would do for their respective teams' chances of winning the league?

I think that Bowyer has been unluckier than most this season with i) the key players that he has missed, including injuries to players just as they hit form and ii) the frequency of the injuries meaning that he's been forced to make changes almost every week making consistency in performances and results hard to achieve

Not saying that all that excuses Bowyer from some criticism - the performances away to Bolton and home to Bournemouth are inexcusable - however I believe that with a bit more luck with injuries over the year we would already be firmly in the playoff places, and that, considering the injuries we have had, Bowyer has done a commenable job to have us even still in with a shout of getting there

[chaddyrovers]

Step forward some new Michael Appleton! He had the necessary experience remember and seemingly for many on here thats all one needs.

That is in spite of the likes of Mr Experience himself 'Arry', and the likes of the experienced Davis, Freedman, Holloway, MrDermott etc etc all doing poorly. I bet that lot have had the services of a half decent keeper all season too! Just reckon up how many points Keane and Eastwood spewed between them!

Stop this stupid bloody witchhunt cant you? Bowyer's had lots of problems this season foreseen and unforseen both on and off the pitch, our squad is one of the youngest in the Division (take out Dunny and Robbo and I understand it is the youngest) and until that bloody 95th minute goal we would have been up there with teams managed by the likes of Adkins, McArthy and Howe! It's not like we are fighting relegation is it?

tbh I quite like the look of our current squad and if we can fight off the financial storm and start with the one of similar strength next season then I am quite optimistic. These kids will have learnt a lot.

very good post and some excellent points

Bowyer has take 4 points of Redknapp's team plus 6 points of McDermott's team this season.

A thought for those who think Bowyer should be given a shot until at least next Christmas.

If it's still not working, pre season will have gone, the summer transfer window will have gone, the budget might have gone and more importantly, next season might well have gone. We saw this last season when Kean departed just prior to the Charlton match - the rest of the season was utterly shambolic.

A new man must be given the best possible chance and that means having a full pre season and control of the summer transfer window and the budget.

It's a huge call for the V's particularly as some think they might only give it one more season. If I was drinking in the last chance saloon, I would want someone better than Bowyer with me. That is why the V's must bite the bullet and I think they will.

what happens if comes Christmas time we are in the top 6? what then?

Bowyer has now put together a very good squad that's with 3/4 signings will be challenging for promotion IMO.

the right call for the owners is to let Bowyer carry on as manager and his good work he has done in his FIRST year as a manager. why wreck it and the team spirit he has built here?

last season was shambolic after Kean departed was down to Shebby and the Owners listening to wrong ppl in the football. after Kean we had the chance to appointed some one like McCarthy or Holloway but we didn't.

also Mercerman 2 questions for you

1) who are these manager YOU have CLAIMED that would be interest in the Rovers manager job was available? how do you know this please? spoken to them personally or their agents?

2) Plus Bowyer is doing a much better job than Freedman who has had 18 months at Bolton to get them in the playoffs and hasn't. but he doesn't seem under pressure and their debts are double what Rovers debt are? why not? Bowyer has Rovers higher than your wee Dougie this season tho?

[Mercer]

Chaddy - Rovers job is still a very attractive one despite the V's. Who would be interested? Well there's at least 20 out of work managers with decent pedigrees, about 65 managers in the Football League and probably about another 12 north of the border. So that would be about 100 to go at!

As for Freedman, I'd take him in a heartbeat over Bowyer. Fantastic job at Palace. Add Rhodes to the Bolton side and they would be in the play-offs and Rovers would be fighting relegation.

[chaddyrovers]

sadly Rhodes didnt to wanky Bolton last season like u said and now set to sign a new contract at rovers in the summer.

so.basically Mercerman you were just guessing and not any proper info.

north of the border managers? no thanks. its just one team league. no really task there

[Mercer]

Chaddy - we do need to keep Rhodes. I just hope our finances don't mean we are forced to sell him.

It was speculated fairly widely that both Bolton & Wigan wanted Rhodes. Both made enquiries to Rovers, however unlikely it may seem to some, as did other clubs.

As for north of the border managers, take a look at what Stuart McCall has achieved at Motherwell over the last 3 or 4 years. He would be one manager on my shortlist.

[Neil Weaver]

Hmmmm McCall? Wasn't he boss at Bradford for a while before Motherwell? Don't remember him making any headlines at that League Two club. Keith Hill (lord preserve us) has a better record doesn't he?

[Waggy76]

If you want mid table or below , keep Bowyer ....

[martonrover]

No I hadn't seen that, and am sure that there may well be more issues than just injuries at Forest (although my mates who support them all reckon it was the Forest owner who turned Warnock down and not the other way round, so maybe a few sour grapes from Colin?) but I still maintain that injuries, especially to key players, will have an adverse effect on results.

You mention City & Liverpool as examples of clubs coping with missing players - 1) we have nowhere near the same resources as either club and 2) if either Suarez or Kompany (much more important to City than Aguero) were ruled out for the remainder of the season what do you think it would do for their respective teams' chances of winning the league?

I think that Bowyer has been unluckier than most this season with i) the key players that he has missed, including injuries to players just as they hit form and ii) the frequency of the injuries meaning that he's been forced to make changes almost every week making consistency in performances and results hard to achieve

Not saying that all that excuses Bowyer from some criticism - the performances away to Bolton and home to Bournemouth are inexcusable - however I believe that with a bit more luck with injuries over the year we would already be firmly in the playoff places, and that, considering the injuries we have had, Bowyer has done a commenable job to have us even still in with a shout of getting there

I still think the injuries are not simply down to bad luck.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if it's the same situation next season.

[den]

You havent answered Den. Do you still go to Ewood?

I've been to a few games, missed more than that, watched on tv and computer, both home and away.

I don't remember you being short of a viewpoint when you got a golfing season ticket Gord.

[Jimmy612]

I keep bleating on about this but if we HAD to lose Bowyer (by the way I can see the merits on both sides, however I do err on the side of caution because of the participants involved in any managerial selection), but I think one of my first choices, or certainly someone I would offer an interview to would be Simon Grayson.

Has he ever done a bad job anywhere? Took Blackpool up, took Leeds up (finished 7th in Champ and then was 10th when sacked.. under Bates too with heavy financial restraints), took Huddersfield up (and knows Rhodes).. was perhaps a bit unfortunate to lose his job after a poor streak in Dec/Jan I think, and has now done a good job at Preston and they are guaranteed a crack at the play-offs even though they were hopeless last year under Westley.

He's an experienced manager now and has experienced promotion plenty of times, perhaps not at Champ level but certainly League one.

Love a few peoples thoughts on this - if not, why not etc. And maybe a couple of additional suggestions.

EDIT: Hasn't spent a penny at Preston by the way.

[Blue blood]

sadly Rhodes didnt to wanky Bolton last season like u said and now set to sign a new contract at rovers in the summer.

so.basically Mercerman you were just guessing and not any proper info.

north of the border managers? no thanks. its just one team league. no really task there

Guessing?!? As opposed to your strong statements - such as stating Bowyer has done a good job, and has got a very good squad, with nothing backing it up. As Den said the 2 seem to be mutually exclusive. If we've such a good squad why are we mid table?

As for north of the border managers - I'm assuming you mean getting in Old Firm managers. If slating all others for this fact than it's pure ignorance. Yes it's a 1 team league for the title, but for the rest, the teams have to manage on little resources, often losing their big players to the Old Firm or south of the border. The idea that because one team is streets ahead of the others the others must all have duff managers is an utter fallacy. Personally up north Aberdeen are doing pretty well as are Dundee Utd - both their mangers may be worth a look into.

Jimmy - Grayson would be an excellent shout. A proven record of promotion with 3 clubs, experience of the championship, doing well with Preston. Would he join us - I think so - we're definitely a step up from Preston.

[tomphil]

Chaddy - we do need to keep Rhodes. I just hope our finances don't mean we are forced to sell him.

It was speculated fairly widely that both Bolton & Wigan wanted Rhodes. Both made enquiries to Rovers, however unlikely it may seem to some, as did other clubs.

As for north of the border managers, take a look at what Stuart McCall has achieved at Motherwell over the last 3 or 4 years. He would be one manager on my shortlist.

Clubs were probably enquiring because the likes of Nicko were peddling the tale he would be available for next to nothing because we were skint, needed him off the wages asap and couldn't pay the next 2mill instalment pending to Hudds. Wonder why he'd do that, bit wide of the mark eh ?

[Mercer]

First 'official' view of what Rovers finances are really like is when the holding company accounts are published for year ending 31 March 2014.

Whether V's max out on allowed time to file / publish will also be an indication as to gravity of situation. I would expect them to be filed once the deadline offer for season tickets has passed!

I expect them to show a minimum loss of £20million for the year which I think will signal a wretched summer of activity ahead, particularly in view of £8million reduction in parachute payments next season.

I understand the new Rovers FD took up his post on Monday - think he faces a few sleepless nights ahead. Good luck with that one.

[Al]

22 years a season ticket holder numerous away games. I see us shrinking into our own half getting deeper and deeper but (to use a similar sweeping statement) if you think that is tactical choice rather than fear, lack of confidence and naïveté - then you obviously have never played football.

Yes I have played football as a defender in the Blackburn local leagues and that switch to defensive mode to defend a lead is definitely tactical and down to the manager. An example of the negativity is to watch when the opposition have a corner. Everybody is in our own penalty area and more often than not our main striker Rhodes is on a post.

If we get chance to break nobody whatsoever is there to take advantage and what is more if you leave a man on the half way line it takes two to mark him. Our manager does not see this flaw at all.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Wouldn't want Grayson, Hudddersfield and Leeds fans weren't convinced on him by the end.

As for Scottish managers, the Aberdeen manager who is doing well is Derek McInnes, the guy who was sacked from Bristol City before they were relegated. Their fans used to rave about him when I went to uni there, and did so at the start of last season (some might remember that from their fans' comments on the match preview) but then it all went wrong I guess, and they wanted him gone.

Stuart McCall at Motherwell or Terry Butcher I wouldn't really bother with.....the only potential one is Jackie McNamara at Dundee United....but he's pretty inexperienced himself, even though it's clear to see there's a good manager in somewhere.

If Bowyer were to be replaced, I'd only like it to be for a Malky Mackay or someone. It wouldn't be much, if at all, of an improvement to hire an "experienced" manager like Grayson, Mowbray, Megson, Coyle or whoever else will be considered.

[Gav]

Hmmmm McCall? Wasn't he boss at Bradford for a while before Motherwell? Don't remember him making any headlines at that League Two club. Keith Hill (lord preserve us) has a better record doesn't he?

You're wrong Neil, McCall did make headlines at Bradford by falling of the roof of a car whilst holding a can of John Smiths if memory serves me correctly.

If you want mid table or below , keep Bowyer ....

What makes you think he'll perform worse than this season Waggy?

[chaddyrovers]

Mercerman, our FD started on 17th March. source is The OFFICIAL Rovers twitter account. ask when he started his work.

might be better checking your sources again mate

[USABlue]

At the beginning if this season most folks opinions seemed to sway between mid table at best to a relegation scrap. I offered my opinion of struggling then a late surge into the playoffs and someone asked for some of what I was on.

Now here we are season almost over and people are bemoaning our lack of success and asking that GB be sacked. Why oh why is this if he has, based on pre season predictions, clearly exceeded most folks expectations. I dont doubt the very same one who were predicting a dismal season are the same ones now calling for his head. I mean WTF really. I think hes done good, room for improvement yes. Also who knows its not over till its over.

[Mercer]

Hey Chaddy, no big deal when FD started - obviously I've got my wires crossed!

[USABlue]

Step forward some new Michael Appleton! He had the necessary experience remember and seemingly for many on here thats all one needs.

That is in spite of the likes of Mr Experience himself 'Arry', and the likes of the experienced Davis, Freedman, Holloway, MrDermott etc etc all doing poorly. I bet that lot have had the services of a half decent keeper all season too! Just reckon up how many points Keane and Eastwood spewed between them!

Stop this stupid bloody witchhunt cant you? Bowyer's had lots of problems this season foreseen and unforseen both on and off the pitch, our squad is one of the youngest in the Division (take out Dunny and Robbo and I understand it is the youngest) and until that bloody 95th minute goal we would have been up there with teams managed by the likes of Adkins, McArthy and Howe! It's not like we are fighting relegation is it?

tbh I quite like the look of our current squad and if we can fight off the financial storm and start with the one of similar strength next season then I am quite optimistic. These kids will have learnt a lot.

The legacy of the Walker years is not pretty to see.... a support base that a. never learns and b. appears to have developed the persona of a spoilt brat. We needed KMD to spend Jacks money and attract top players.... sorry guys but those days like Jacks money are long gone.

One of the best posts Ive read from you Gordon.

[stanhillrover]

I'd love to know what managerial candidates there are out there that people think would guarantee a higher position than we are currently in whilst overhauling the squad and reducing the wage bill.

Malky Mackay? Spent big money at Cardiff, took him two years to get promoted after inheriting a side from Dave Jones that got in the play-offs three years running.

Billy Davies? Brilliant for getting teams into the play off positions but one promotion in ten years of management and a loose cannon that falls out with everyone and leaves under a cloud.

Simon Grayson? No track record of success in this league. Done it in League One but not in the Championship.

Our best chance would have been to have gone for Mick McCarthy as soon as Kean left. Ipswich are reaping the rewards of that appointment having been bottom of the league when he took over and now are well placed for the play offs without spending any money.

Given what has gone on I'll take where we are with Bowyer. I consider being near the play-offs after the last two years to be a success, rather than a failure.

[USABlue]

Chaddy - Rovers job is still a very attractive one despite the V's. Who would be interested? Well there's at least 20 out of work managers with decent pedigrees, about 65 managers in the Football League and probably about another 12 north of the border. So that would be about 100 to go at!

As for Freedman, I'd take him in a heartbeat over Bowyer. Fantastic job at Palace. Add Rhodes to the Bolton side and they would be in the play-offs and Rovers would be fighting relegation.

What ifs, really? Add a decent keeper to us from seasons start and we are in third. Whats your point?