[Archived] Gary Bowyer Discussion

[ABBEY]

Well yeah, I figured that was a given Den.....

Bowyer's bold comment was a bizarre one, with absolutely no basis to it whatsoever.

Any danger of you all ignoring each other so the rest of us don't have to read it?

Im trying fella im trying

He won't understand irony. The poor bugger.

didn't last long did it.

[donnermeat]

Blimey how many times could he fit 'Steeley' and 'Easty' in one interview? Stop trying to be their mate, Uncle Gaz.

[broadsword]

If we were stable on the pitch, surely we'd be seeing the same team line-up, more or less, every week?

Stable in terms of position in the table? Well, perhaps so for now. But with a weaker squad next season, probably not, no.

[blueboy3333]

I'm not sure we are especially stable on the pitch, though. Defensively we're atrocious, and too often we rely on our big players to do something by themselves to save us. At the very least we're looking at Rhodes and Gestede likely leaving in the summer, which is a ton of goals to replace.

Have to admit my confidence in Bowyer bringing in good players has worsened this season. The players he brought in last season have mostly regressed in terms of performance (Cairney and Evans especially) whilst the ones brought in this season have by and large been unimpressive or downright useless. The only exception imo is Baptiste, who I think has had a solid season.

The squad is very likely to have a lot less natural talent next season, so we're going to need a manager who can get an extra 10% out of average or poor players, whilst being able to work out suitable formations to get the best out of the limited skill sets available. Unless Gary improves A LOT as a manager over the course of the summer, I don't believe he is up to that task.

results on the pitch are stable hence our league position and not being involved in a relegation scrap, the playing staff are stable as there is a team on the pitch every week containing players who (with one or two exceptions) give their all for the club. That wasn't the case when Bowyer took over. Apart from the usual comings and goings in the summer there will be no huge turnover of players like the one that HAD TO happen when Bowyer took over. That is stability.

We aren't atrocious defensively all the time at all. have a look at how many goals we've conceded in the last 8 away games. It's about 3. A team that can't defend doesn't do that. We aren't consistent though.

The player he brought in this season have been freebies brought in to back up the 1st team. Brown and Varney were brought in to play 2nd fiddle to Rhodes and Rudy. Varney has since gone to a club near you, brought in by a manager you're fond of :-)

As for managers who can give an extra 10%, Warburton will be available in the summer. Brentford play excellent football and were a joy to watch at Ewood. Whether he could replicate that at Ewood is another matter and brentford are worse than us defensively. Great attacking team though and the matches would certainly be more exciting than some of the dull fayre on offer at Ewood. Jota, Pritchard and Gray have been great for them but players like that cost money, either on loan or transfer. If Warburton could replicate the football at Ewood that he gets at Griffin Park i'd love to watch it every week. I'd then give Bowyer a job at ewood somewhere and thank him for doing a great job and saving us from the oblivion of League 1, and then if it went tits up under warburton i'd give Bowyer his job back.

[ABBEY]

you are now after a years of chasing him round the board asking him to justify his every post, but that's just a reflection on what a decent poster Chaddy is..

The only reason anyone is asking for proof is because both YOU and Chaddy jump down folks throats and ask for FACTS from other posters.

But you know that and just love the @#/? stirring you do.

I WILL ignore you now as you are not worth it.

[chris_h]

Blimey how many times could he fit 'Steeley' and 'Easty' in one interview? Stop trying to be their mate, Uncle Gaz.

The nicknames are a bit cringeworthy but it isn't an important issue unless you view it as being indicative of the manager being too soft and too much of a mate with the players. If that's the case those of that point of view won't share the opinion that Bowyer was overly harsh with his post Forest public criticism.

As someone pointed out recently he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

[blueboy3333]

Blimey how many times could he fit 'Steeley' and 'Easty' in one interview? Stop trying to be their mate, Uncle Gaz.

Dyche calls Boyd 'Boydy' in an article in the LT today.

The only reason anyone is asking for proof is because both YOU and Chaddy jump down folks throats and ask for FACTS from other posters.

But you know that and just love the @#/? stirring you do.

I WILL ignore you now as you are not worth it.

thank @#/? for that. I'm delighted.

[broadsword]

Managers referring to players by their nicknames should be banned, unilaterally.

I do hope we can all agree on that.

[blueboy3333]

If we were stable on the pitch, surely we'd be seeing the same team line-up, more or less, every week?

Stable in terms of position in the table? Well, perhaps so for now. But with a weaker squad next season, probably not, no.

we do have a lot of injuries and have been playing a lot of matches so the chopping and changing is understandable to a large degree. As for next season. none of us can say with any certainty what will happen so it's a moot point.

Managers referring to players by their nicknames should be banned, unilaterally.

I do hope we can all agree on that.

yes

[DE.]

results on the pitch are stable hence our league position and not being involved in a relegation scrap, the playing staff are stable as there is a team on the pitch every week containing players who (with one or two exceptions) give their all for the club. That wasn't the case when Bowyer took over. Apart from the usual comings and goings in the summer there will be no huge turnover of players like the one that HAD TO happen when Bowyer took over. That is stability.

We aren't atrocious defensively all the time at all. have a look at how many goals we've conceded in the last 8 away games. It's about 3. A team that can't defend doesn't do that. We aren't consistent though.

The player he brought in this season have been freebies brought in to back up the 1st team. Brown and Varney were brought in to play 2nd fiddle to Rhodes and Rudy. Varney has since gone to a club near you, brought in by a manager you're fond of :-)

As for managers who can give an extra 10%, Warburton will be available in the summer. Brentford play excellent football and were a joy to watch at Ewood. Whether he could replicate that at Ewood is another matter and brentford are worse than us defensively. Great attacking team though and the matches would certainly be more exciting than some of the dull fayre on offer at Ewood. Jota, Pritchard and Gray have been great for them but players like that cost money, either on loan or transfer. If Warburton could replicate the football at Ewood that he gets at Griffin Park i'd love to watch it every week. I'd then give Bowyer a job at ewood somewhere and thank him for doing a great job and saving us from the oblivion of League 1, and then if it went tits up under warburton i'd give Bowyer his job back.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree regarding our on pitch stability and Bowyer's transfer market prowess, but agree with your last paragraph. Warburton would be an excellent choice, based on realistic options available to us.

Sadly there's no chance of him turning up here, as Venky's & Shelfy are seemingly happy to maintain the status quo going forward. Only Bowyer's resgination could enforce change, and that doesn't seem very likely either.

[A cup of beans]

I said progress from a couple of years ago when we were down under Kean and had Berg and Appleton not to mention Shebby and the manager's door seemed to be revolving.

When measured against that lot, I see where you're coming from. How low is the bar, though ?

GB should be judged on his recruitment, tactics and progress year on year.

[broadsword]

I'm not sure about Warburton, he;s done brilliantly at Brentford, but isn't it his first job in football?

if Rovers were in a similar shape to Brentford so as to make for a relatively seamless transition, I'd be all for it. But after championing an experienced hand like McCarthy for so long, I really couldn't back him for the job. Especially with the consequences of FFP about to be felt. That said, I think he'd be an improvement on Bowyer.

Regarding consistency of selection, my bone of contention is that the players are not as fit as they could be. The fitter you are, the less likely to be injured. And also, we have seen numerous instances of forwards scoring (particularly Gestede) and then dropped, goalkeepers playing well and then dropped, and defenders playing badly and keeping their places. Consistency of selection breeds confidence and morale. I've never been a fan of player rotation.

God knows what Venkys will be thinking right now. If it's right that they're prepared to give it another year, then what are they hoping for? We've not looked like going up this year, and I don't think next year can be any better either. Stupidity from them.

[Amo]

I honestly wouldn't mind a revolving door policy. At least it would show the owners were taking an active role at the club and trying to achieve success. Good managers don't need a huge turnaround time. However, it seems they've reverted to type and are happy for us to sleepwalk into oblivion as we did with Kean.

[tomphil]

It would take a complete squad revamp as well as someone like Warburton as I don't think the present team can play that kind of football nor compete with that intensity every week. Just not good enough for that although we should be capable of moving the ball about a bit quicker.

[mustard]

You often will cite 'the past' when describing how you are happy with the present.

I'm sure you see parallels with the 86-90 era, we'd have a middling season, and go on again the year after, a slow build under Don MacKay.

Fine sentiment, as is are the improvements to the Academy, however the Rovers of 2015 has a milestone of debt around its neck that is threatening to drag us into the abyss. Out great chance of recovery was promotion in our first years post relegation, when we could still field strikers with 40+ between them and pay a good wage.

This has been wasted, and now when those players depart, Bowyer has a ready made, and in reality, a correct excuse that FFP makes our decline unavoidable, however it WAS avoidable in 2013-2015 and Bowyer was not up to it.

Nothing tells me that without our best players next season we will progress any more than we have this season.

When discussing how Bowyer is improving things, you mention the Academy, the wage bill and so on, however what you rarely mention is how you feel the performances and results of the first team have improved and in our current situation that's all that should matter.

Also the academy and wage bill improvements weren't Bowyer's doing. The board improved the academy and they set directives to reduce the wage bill. Was obvious to a blind man and his dog who had to leave and it's the boardroom staff that deal with player exits and contract terminations. Half of the things that people credit GB for aren't deserved.

[Rover_Shaun]

Nothing tells me that without our best players next season we will progress any more than we have this season.

Is there much hope that we will progress WITH our better players next season?

[mustard]

The fact our strike partnership is the second highest scoring in the league, yet we are so far away from the top 6 is very telling.

Regardless of whether we play 4-5-1 or 4-4-2, the team do not work well as a unit. There is no cohesion, they are unfit, they don't defend well enough and don't create enough. I don't think we've set up to get the best out of our top strikers, I just think they've bailed us out on numerous occasions as no one else has the talent to do so. Bowyer hasn't instilled the right philosophy in the players and that is evident from our goals for and against, our results and our position in the table.

Nothing to do with 4-4-2, nothing to do with Jordan Rhodes doing nothing else but score goals. Simply down to Bowyer and his management.

[JBiz]

I honestly wouldn't mind a revolving door policy

Do you watch football? Genuine question. I find that comment in isolation absolutely barmy. Granted you mention it would show the owners have an active say- but I cannot fathom the ability to ignore our very recent past, and every other club that's had 3 or 4 manager changes a season.

Many are making very honest predictions about how they can see us performing badly next season with GB and less talent.

Well my honest prediction is that a sacking or replacement is just as likely to be another novice than the right one.

It can be skimmed over, but cannot be denied- we will be more at risk of dropping leagues by changing manager for another rookie or if our board manages to cock another approach up!

I personally would take a few seasons more of The current staff setup, if GB and Co keeps us at this level whilst cutting costs and improving the academy.

If the possible alternative was big name proven manager, big name signings and assured promotion- hell, we'd all take it but that's the dream for every team in this division.

[DE.]

I personally would take a few seasons more of The current staff setup, if GB and Co keeps us at this level whilst cutting costs and improving the academy.

How likely do you think this is? Not having a go, btw, genuine question. I think the reason most of us advocate change is because we don't think GB has it in him to keep a much weaker squad in the division. In what ways do you think Gary will change things to accommodate the likely loss of our key players?

[Tom]

If Gary stays for another year he has to get over certain players looking undroppable whilst others are dropped on a whim.

Marshall has been very poor recently yet Henley who bossed Sterling is dropped so he can slot into right back.

We've seen it with Hanley and at times Lowe and it can't be good for some players morale

[DanielMB]

Does anyone know how many times this season we have played with the same starting 11 for 2 games in a row?

[DE.]

If I had to guess I'd say never, but it might have happened once.

[G Somerset Rover]

I'm pretty sure it's a no - for league games at least. Doesnt believe in a consistent side our Gaz. From the Claudio Ranieri school of team selection.

Who wants a Burnley esque Championship season anyway? Rotation is the key.

[pk1875]

What ever your thoughts on GB he has been blessed with a 40 goal front line, and we should be a damn site higher than 9th place. With one or both likely to go over the summer, I honestly feel GB has wasted our last chance of a return to the top flight for the foreseeable future.

[Waggy76]

What ever your thoughts on GB he has been blessed with a 40 goal front line, and we should be a damn site higher than 9th place. With one or both likely to go over the summer, I honestly feel GB has wasted our last chance of a return to the top flight for the foreseeable future.

I would say forever !

2 seasons completely wasted ...