[Archived] Survey: Does Gary Bowyer have your backing?

[DE.]

The last three games of the season were absolutely prime to showcase some of our youth. No pressure, nothing to play for and a chance for Bowyer to have a look at them alongside better players. But once again caution ruled. In my view he needed to aim for those points so he had something to take to India.

He took lads out of a cup final to have them on the bench. His speed of progress is glacial. Burnley have overtaken us and Preston have caught up.

But it could be worse!

And he's not Steve Kean, after all.

[J*B]

The last three games of the season were absolutely prime to showcase some of our youth. No pressure, nothing to play for and a chance for Bowyer to have a look at them alongside better players. But once again caution ruled. In my view he needed to aim for those points so he had something to take to India.

He took lads out of a cup final to have them on the bench. His speed of progress is glacial. Burnley have overtaken us and Preston have caught up.

But it could be worse!

From watching Preston on Sunday, i'd go close to saying they'll overtake us too. May well not have players as good, but they're really effective from set plays and on the counter, everyone knows what they're doing.

Should have signed Grayson up 18 months ago when i kept banging that drum.

[Athlete]

From watching Preston on Sunday, i'd go close to saying they'll overtake us too. May well not have players as good, but they're really effective from set plays and on the counter, everyone knows what they're doing.

Should have signed Grayson up 18 months ago when i kept banging that drum.

Unfortunately I think that's another ship passed can definitely see Grayson staying with PKE

[onlyonejackwalker]

i'm sure they know what the results on the pitch are, and what the players are worth.

Also, if selling Gestede for £7m gets us out of the embargo then i'm sure 'most fans' will be delighted. If it does then buying Gestede for £250k and selling him for £7m becomes very important. It's a lot easier getting results when you're able to spend a little money on players...Gestede, again, being the perfect example. Whether you like or not we've been hamstrung in the last two windows by only being able to bring in the likes of Brown and Varney, while other clubs in our league have spent big money. This summer will probably be even worse. Try blaming the people responsible (Kean/ Anderson/Venky's) for lumbering the club with overpaid dross and a transfer embargo, rather than blaming the man who has had to pick up the pieces.

Ok. We get it. Nothing is Bowyer's fault. Therefore a couple of very simple questions for you to answer.

Do you want the very best for Blackburn Rovers football club?

Do you believe Gary Bowyer is the very best manager we can recruit for the position at the club?

If you had just lost 20+ million of your OWN money would you keep banging Bowyers drum and entrust him to lose another 20 million this season?

How many more seasons and how much more money would you be prepared to lose supporting him?

How many years are you going to keep trotting out the line that it is everyones elses fault whilst we struggle against Rotherham?

What targets do you think are realistic for Bowyer to be set?

The last three games of the season were absolutely prime to showcase some of our youth. No pressure, nothing to play for and a chance for Bowyer to have a look at them alongside better players. But once again caution ruled. In my view he needed to aim for those points so he had something to take to India.

He took lads out of a cup final to have them on the bench. His speed of progress is glacial. Burnley have overtaken us and Preston have caught up.

But it could be worse!

Of course he needed the points. Our performances and league position this time round has been pathetic and the distance behind challengers for promotion and the play offs totally embarrassing. We were never even in the running! Bowyer simply needed every single point he could extract from this season to bolster his faltering position and suit his mind-numbingly boring rhetoric for next time round.

The question is; If he is thought of in such glowing terms by the powers that be, why did he desperately need these points? If he has a rumoured five year plan and 300 transfer windows available to him, then why would he be concerned about the owners reactions at a poor league placing two seasons into his five year vision?

Perhaps he is not as well thought of as some make out. Perhaps the owners do actually look at the leage table and follow results? Maybe they understand that only Gestede and perhaps Ollson have improved in value in real terms? Maybe they are concerned about how many players have actually regressed under Bowyer? Maybe they disagree in him making our resident tough guy Captain and further embarrassing us all. Maybe they wonder how we can conceed as many goals as we score for most of the season? Maybe they understand our wage bill and their financial committment is comparable with most if not all in this division and wonder why results are so woeful? Maybe they watch the odd game and wonder why they fall asleep half way through? Maybe they read posts like mine saying how boring watching the Rovers under Bowyer has now become? Maybe the owners wonder why a youth coach, does not encourage or bring through younger players unl;ess he can sign them? Maybe they wonder about his abilities in his old position reconognising few youth players make the first team at Rovers? Maybe they were promised or expected better this time round as I for one do not believe in anyway shape or form that the advertised target to the owners was 9th or below this season? I would bet my mortgage they discussed the play offs at least, hence Bowyer's disappointed comments and manner at the end of the season.

Maybe not. Maybe they sit there counting their millions laughing their heads off as they pick the next team for Gary to give it a right good go. Maybe the answer lies somewhere in-between and they remain as lost and confused as before. One things for sure they can all clear off for me.

[Gav]

You're a bunch of miserable sods, but I guess it's better on here than in the stands on match day.

Does recycling the same old stuff over and over again not get boring?

Absolutely nothing we can do about the situation, when we needed a protest 99% couldn't be bothered, so that routes out the question.

Just log off for the summer I say and come back in August when at least you'll have a glimmer of hope, moaning and bitching won't do you or the team any good whatsoever.

[mustard]

I covered this in a previous thread - If GB had allowed our younger players more game time, they would've been classed as 'Established' players under FFP (5No starts achieves this). This would mean that for next season their inclusion in the squad would use up some of the 24No places for established players. As it is, with less than 5No starts, they can be 'in addition' to the 24, thus allowing us extra squad numbers.

I am, obviously, assuming that this actually occurred to someone within the echelons of Ewood and it didn't happen by accident.

Ironically, I've heard that Varney isn't classed as an established player due to his lack of first team starts and not his ability. So at least him being here doesn't hamper someone else being brought in (in terms of numbers).

Only if they're over the age 21 would they have been classed as an established player after 5 starts.

[onlyonejackwalker]

You're a bunch of miserable sods, but I guess it's better on here than in the stands on match day.

Does recycling the same old stuff over and over again not get boring?

Absolutely nothing we can do about the situation, when we needed a protest 99% couldn't be bothered, so that routes out the question.

Just log off for the summer I say and come back in August when at least you'll have a glimmer of hope, moaning and bitching won't do you or the team any good whatsoever.

I presume that is aimed at me. But its hardly recyling old stuff when Bowyer is the manager RIGHT NOW and the season has just ENDED to be reviewed. It it reads like comments levied when ****, or Black, or Appleton, or Berg were in charge then that sums it up perfectly for me. Zero progress made for many years.

[Gav]

I presume that is aimed at me. But its hardly rrecyling old stuff when the Bowyer is the manager RIGHT NOW and the season has just ENDED to be reviewed. It it reads like comments levied when ****, or Black, or Appleton, or Berg were in charge then that sums it up perfectly for me. Zero progress made for many years.

Not aimed at you personally, but everyone, it's a bloody moan fest OJW, 12 pages of moaning mainly slagging the manager off, it's over the top and frankly embarrassing.

[Amo]

Not aimed at you personally, but everyone, it's a bloody moan fest OJW, 12 pages of moaning mainly slagging the manager off, it's over the top and frankly embarrassing.

You could always NOT read the thread if it offends you so much?

[onlyonejackwalker]

Not aimed at you personally, but everyone, it's a bloody moan fest OJW, 12 pages of moaning mainly slagging the manager off, it's over the top and frankly embarrassing.

I understand were you are coming from, but equally don't have much to get excited about regarding the Rovers personally. Hand on heart regarding next season, dreading it apart from the local derbies. Boring, cold and completely uninpsiring.

Still blue sky and sunshine outside Gav here in Preston. My daughter has done well in her exams and my business is booming after the global economic crisis. PNE went up as well It's just the Rovers that drives us bonkers and we are all glass half full types in real life.

[Gav]

I understand were you are coming from, but equally don't have much to get excited about regarding the Rovers personally. Hand on heart regarding next season, dreading it apart from the local derbies. Boring, cold and completely uninpsiring.

Still blue sky and sunshine outside Gav here in Preston. My daughter has done well in her exams and my business is booming after the global economic crisis. PNE went up as well It's just the Rovers that drives us bonkers and we are all glass half full types in real life.

Good reason to log off pal, life's good, football teams cr@p.

[Gav]

You could always NOT read the thread if it offends you so much?

Don't tell me you enjoy reading the same sh1t over and over again Topman?

I click on the thread hoping for a new angle or a bit of positivity, I should know better.

[roverandout]

When there's some positivity to be had, you'll hear it on here first

[Biddy]

When there's some positivity to be had, you'll hear it on here first

and then someone will come along and hit it with a keany stick.

[perthblue02]

and then someone will come along and hit it with a keany stick.

Think positive Chris Brown might be holding it and miss

[ABBEY]

Don't tell me you enjoy reading the same sh1t over and over again Topman?

I click on the thread hoping for a new angle or a bit of positivity, I should know better.

how many times are you going to post this ?

I understand were you are coming from, but equally don't have much to get excited about regarding the Rovers personally. Hand on heart regarding next season, dreading it apart from the local derbies. Boring, cold and completely uninpsiring.

Still blue sky and sunshine outside Gav here in Preston. My daughter has done well in her exams and my business is booming after the global economic crisis. PNE went up as well It's just the Rovers that drives us bonkers and we are all glass half full types in real life.

Sun? where?

and then someone will come along and hit it with a keany stick.

ahhhhhhhhhhh he said keany hahaha

but quote doesn't say 5hity

[Gav]

how many times are you going to post this ?

As many times as it takes you moaning sod, you're as bad as the rest of them. Things might be bad Abbey but you used to be Mr positive especially when we were really sh1te.

Anyway get some work done or I'll be on the phone to Preston and report you.

[Stuart]

Good reason to log off pal, life's good, football teams cr@p.

I don't understand this sentiment. It's a messageboard. If you don't want to read or join in, you don't have to.

If there was a groundswell of opinion one way or the other, you'd expect it to get back to the owners. Why else would MG Sergei Road be on here? As it is, the social media report will say 'mixed fan reaction, pretty normal, carry on'.

[onlyonejackwalker]

Good reason to log off pal, life's good, football teams cr@p.

Maybe your right. Struggle to give my blue and white obsession up however!

In the face of club propaganda, media spin and Bowyers comments, plus the steadfast support for him on here from some, I genuinely believe some balance is key and both sides of this argument need to be considered.

The facts of the matter are we currently have a gargantuan playing squad that costs us over 2 million excess per month. Bowyer has signed 20+ of his own players. He has enjoyed huge support from the owners, from higher management and from the terraces, both home and away. He has amazing training facilities to operate from and has been allowed to bring in his own backroom and junior staff. He was allowed to keep his squad intact and has at his disposal two strikers bagging 40 goals between them. He seemingly has little pressure applied to him, either in the manner of the performances or results. He has bored everyone rigid with his turgid aimless long ball football (how amazingly ironic seeing how Big sam was ridiculed), especially at home. He still does not appear to know his best eleven and until recently we still conceeded as many as we score. He has failed to organise the defence professionally for nigh on two years and his choice of Hanley as captain both from a pleying and professional view was a clear mistake. We have touched the top six for about two minutes in two years, yet the likes of footballing giants Brentford, Ipswich, Bournemouth and Burnley have managed this easily. There is no way we targeted a mid-table finish this season. The fact we are so far off contention clearly illustrates the immediate requirement to recruit someone suitably qualified that can both excite and inspire and work the percentages in such a way to maximise our chances. Change nothing and nothing will change.

[ABBEY]

As many times as it takes you moaning sod, you're as bad as the rest of them. Things might be bad Abbey but you used to be Mr positive especially when we were really sh1te.

Anyway get some work done or I'll be on the phone to Preston and report you.

true..I was always positive until the V's took it away from me.

busy busy pal..multi tasking at its finest.

[Gav]

I don't understand this sentiment. It's a messageboard. If you don't want to read or join in, you don't have to.

If there was a groundswell of opinion one way or the other, you'd expect it to get back to the owners. Why else would MG Sergei Road be on here? As it is, the social media report will say 'mixed fan reaction, pretty normal, carry on'.

If you don't get it I'll not bother explaining it.

Maybe it's me that needs to log off, because the same cr@p repeated over 12 pages time and time again is losing its appeal......

[Exiled in Toronto]

The playoff final yesterday illustrated the difference between a decent manager and a good manager at this level. Gary is a decent manager, he has bought stability to the club and barring a complete collapse he will more or less guarantee a mid-table finish most season in the championship.

Now to the difference between a decent manager such as Gary and a good manager in Alex Neil. Norwich played Boro a couple of weeks ago at Carrow Road, it was game that they needed to win but ended up losing 1-0. Boro were able to limit Norwichs attacking threat relatively easily that day and looked very dangerous, that day Neils gameplan was to keep things very narrow and compact, it didnt work as Boro were able to maintain their defensive shape and with their quick strikers constantly spinning into wide positions they were very dangerous on the break as they stretched Norwichs narrow shape left and right.

Yesterday Neil had learnt from that mistake, he had completely ripped up his gameplan and decided that he would stretch Boro by playing 2 out and out widemen and get his full backs forward all the time, constantly play the ball wide when possible and try to switch play quickly if the opportunity arose , he also decided to play Cameron as a lone front man, but not as a target man, instead they played the ball into his feet and asked him to turn Boros slow central defenders. This complete rethink in tactics worked a treat. They completely disrupted Boros excellent defensive organisation/shape and in the end won the game relatively easily.

So I ask you the question, do you think that Gary would have that kind of tactical flexibility? I dont think that he will, he has his way of playing and his approach is very inflexible, his approach will though in most season almost guarantee a mid-table finish but is not likely to lead to a serious top 6 challenge, for some fans that is enough and I respect that viewpoint. For me though the managers who have got teams promoted in recent years (Howe, Dyche, Neil, Jakanovic and Pearson) are tactical astute, flexible in their approach and get able to get the players to buy into their vision. Over the last 2 years I have not seen Gary show those traits.

How do you feel about 'Boro's manager's inability to cope with that change?

[tomphil]

Oh here we go, Boro manager is now no better than Bowyer now I suppose. He can join Shteve, Big Mick etc. Useless the lot of em infact I don't know what Liverpool are playing at. Get rid of Rogers and get Gaz in

[ABBEY]

How do you feel about 'Boro's manager's inability to cope with that change?

wowsers

[West Yorks Rover]

Maybe your right. Struggle to give my blue and white obsession up however!

In the face of club propaganda, media spin and Bowyers comments, plus the steadfast support for him on here from some, I genuinely believe some balance is key and both sides of this argument need to be considered.

The facts of the matter are we currently have a gargantuan playing squad that costs us over 2 million excess per month. Bowyer has signed 20+ of his own players. He has enjoyed huge support from the owners, from higher management and from the terraces, both home and away. He has amazing training facilities to operate from and has been allowed to bring in his own backroom and junior staff. He was allowed to keep his squad intact and has at his disposal two strikers bagging 40 goals between them. He seemingly has little pressure applied to him, either in the manner of the performances or results. He has bored everyone rigid with his turgid aimless long ball football (how amazingly ironic seeing how Big sam was ridiculed), especially at home. He still does not appear to know his best eleven and until recently we still conceeded as many as we score. He has failed to organise the defence professionally for nigh on two years and his choice of Hanley as captain both from a pleying and professional view was a clear mistake. We have touched the top six for about two minutes in two years, yet the likes of footballing giants Brentford, Ipswich, Bournemouth and Burnley have managed this easily. There is no way we targeted a mid-table finish this season. The fact we are so far off contention clearly illustrates the immediate requirement to recruit someone suitably qualified that can both excite and inspire and work the percentages in such a way to maximise our chances. Change nothing and nothing will change.

Post of the month.