[Archived] Official: Paul Lambert Appointed Blackburn Rovers Manager

[DaveyB]

Let's be thankful he had an inform 30+ goals per season striker to dig us out of that hole.

The same inform 30+ goals per season striker that was available to the managers before him during the run which put us in the hole in the first place?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Let's be thankful he had an inform 30+ goals per season striker to dig us out of that hole.

Have you considered counselling Stuart ? From what I hear it can be quite successful in cases of bereavement. I'm sure you'd find it beneficial.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Disappointed with the start to his tenure so far but as long as he keeps us up he will get a free pass from me for this season. I think any manager would have found it difficult to be honest, with the lack of quality in the squad and the finances available in the January transfer window it was always going to be hard work. Keep in mind Bowyer only managed something like 3 wins in 15 or 16 games (would have to check the stats but it was something like that) so it was always going to be a tough season unless Lambert worked a miracle.

I think it's vital that he tries to get Rovers on some kind of run going until the end of the season. He has preached a few times that he needs money this summer to bring in the players that he wants and the changes he wants to make. What sort of finish is going to convince the owners that with a bit more investment we can push on to the next level and challenge for promotion? I think it's sound to suggest that a mid-table finish will give him a much stronger hand going into negotiations with the Venky's in trying to secure extra investment. If we finish just outside the relegation places the Venky's might be more reluctant to put more money in.

[Stuart]

Have you considered counselling Stuart ? From what I hear it can be quite successful in cases of bereavement. I'm sure you'd find it beneficial.

Thanks for your concern, Shoelaces. I'm fine though.

Just pointing out the facts.

[JHRover]

Its a miracle we got Lambert, if we lose him or worse he's sacked, that miracle won't happen again. A broke Championship bottom half club with attendances of 12,000 that are actually the equivalent of about 9,000 because our tickets are so cheap. Who did the likes of Blackpool, Millwall, Rotherham, Doncaster attract in this league? Because as difficult to swallow as it may be, that is how big we are now and that's the level we're shopping at. So we can either have the type of managers they get or we can have whoever is the cone-layer/reserve team manager at the club these days.

Personally I'd prefer give a proven manager a proper go.

I think it boils down to money rather than gates. We aren't at the Blackpool/Rotherham level because we've got a lot more money behind us along with Premier League infrastructure and pedigree.

We're more like Middlesbrough/Reading/Birmingham/Ipswich. Good managers will come here as long as the package is right.

Having said that Lambert was a coup and I believe that he deserves to have a full chance of at the least a full season and more if improvement is clear.

[chaddyrovers]

Interview with Paul Lambert

https://audioboom.com/boos/4228541-i-m-sick-tired-of-where-we-are-we-have-to-rectify-that-paul-lambert-onerovers

[Cherry Blue]

Interview with Paul Lambert

https://audioboom.com/boos/4228541-i-m-sick-tired-of-where-we-are-we-have-to-rectify-that-paul-lambert-onerovers

PL says he is sick & tired at being where we are not at the top end of the table and that he was frustrated................a view shared by us all.

Good for us that our man in charge publicly says it as it is. Fully believe we are heading in right direction under PL and I'm optimistic about next season.

[JHRover]

But do we now have a bigger gate/commercial income than those clubs? I'd wager not.

Doesn't really matter. Providing the owners are willing and able to invest their money then our commerical income is pretty much irrelevant. On that point our revenues for the last couple of years have been bigger than Middlesbrough's. So technically if we're going off that measure then we're bigger than they are, yet that hasn't prevented them relying on their owner to assemble a quality squad to challenge for promotion. As in their case, presumaly Karanka was enticed by their chairman and the promise of funds from him. I hope Lambert has had similar discussions with our owners.

Improving our gates/income is a challenge that the staff behind the scenes at Ewood need to work very hard on. There are an abundance of large, local companies that could sponsor the club yet chose not to do so.

On the comparisons to Doncaster/Rotherham/Blackpool - in the football fraterity that lot are looked upon as League One/Two clubs to whom success is a few seasons of survival in the Championship. Their histories over the last 30-40 years suggest that is it for them. In contrast we are indisputably a top 2 divisions club. That is why we have been able to attract someone like Lambert to work here and put his career on the line. He is a football man and looks upon this club as at the very least a club that should be challenging for promotion and being in the Premier League and presumably believes the tools are here to achieve that. Would he have done the same if Rotherham had offered him the job? I'd say not. Slaven Bilic was talking about Rovers the other day as being a big club from his time as a player not long ago, because he remembers us as a top side, and it takes more than 4 years in the Championship to erase all that and put us in the same bracket as Doncaster who have never done anything as a club.

I think Rovers fans are doing the club a disservice by comparisons to smaller clubs in lower leagues. We've had a bad patch like many other fallen PL clubs and are still getting competitive gates and still have everything in place for the top division.

We are at a similar size as a club to Ipswich/Reading/Middlesbrough/Birmingham. Our gates are similar to what they were all getting when struggling in this league. Reading had 13000 on the Madejski on Tuesday night. That doesn't make them a similar sized club to Swindon. Rovers getting 12000 on doesnt make them another Doncaster or Blackpool.

[Mattyblue]

Think we've had this discussion before JH.

Clubs like Ipswich charge £30+ a match, with STs up to a £1000 and I can imagine a decent amount of corporate. So their average crowd of 18000 brings in far more income than our 13000.

We now have one of the smallest incomes in the Championship and this doesn't look like changing anytime soon, therefore we are totally reliant on the whims of the owners (!).

Yes, we are Blackburn Rovers, yes we are a historically a more prominent club than many you mention, but times change, a substantial amount of time in a league with one of the smallest incomes, with the owners not shelling out for players leads to only one thing...

[JHRover]

Think we've had this discussion before JH.

Clubs like Ipswich charge £30+ a match, with STs up to a £1000 and I can imagine a decent amount of corporate. So their average crowd of 18000 brings in far more income than our 13000.

We now have one of the smallest incomes in the Championship and this doesn't look like changing anytime soon, therefore we are totally reliant on the whims of the owners (!).

Yes, we are Blackburn Rovers, yes we are a historically a more prominent club than many you mention, but times change, a substantial amount of time in a league with one of the smallest incomes, with the owners not shelling out for players leads to only one thing...

Whatever financial advantage e.g. Ipswich have over us can be very quickly wiped out by owner investment though. Venkys are worth a lot more than Marcus Evans and for as long as they want to continue to do so then we will be able to compete/outbid Ipswich. They might make a few million more than us over a year from ticket sales/sponsorship but that's a drop in the ocean in today's world of wealthy owners. Ipswich have been in this league for 15 years with low end incomes and little spending on players. Does that make them a League One size club?

Take Middlesbrough as another example. When they were struggling in this league 2-3 years ago they had gates of 13-15 thousand. Their income then was similar to what ours is now. The Middlesbrough public aren't going to be paying £1000 a season ticket. Its a more deprived area than Blackburn. Thanks solely to their rich owner they managed to build up a quality squad, sustain heavy losses, bring in a decent manager and are now competing for promotion. They have nothing that we don't have, except possibly more ambition in and among the people at the club.

Reading have a similar number of season ticket holders as we do, as seen the other night with their 13,000 crowd against Rotherham. Even if they all paid double what Rovers fans pay, that would equate to about £2 million more than us over a 12 month period. e.g. Jordan Rhodes' salary alone. It certainly doesnt elevate them to some level that we can't compete with.

[RevidgeBlue]

Just because Venky's may be fabulously wealthy JH doesn't necessarily mean they will want to pump unlimited amounts of money in our direction for transfers. They might be prepared to put in large amounts to avoid the lack of face back home that us going bust would entail but anything over and above that might be a different story.

As matty says, once the parachute payments run out we must be right down near the bottom of the League table for income/revenue.

[JHRover]

Just because Venky's may be fabulously wealthy JH doesn't necessarily mean they will want to pump unlimited amounts of money in our direction for transfers. They might be prepared to put in large amounts to avoid the lack of face back home that us going bust would entail but anything over and above that might be a different story.

As matty says, once the parachute payments run out we must be right down near the bottom of the League table for income/revenue.

I suppose we will just have to sit tight and see what Venkys have planned. I am quietly optimistic that substantial money will be provided. If not then the embargo lifting will have been fairly pointless

I suppose the point I'm getting at is that it really doesn't make much difference how much money clubs make through ticket sales. Ultimately those clubs with the richest owners with the biggest spending will stand the best chance. If crowds/revenues etc. were the driving factor then Watford, Bournemouth, Swansea and Burnley (all smaller clubs) wouldn't have got near promotion.

If Venkys want to do what Gibson/Morris/Allam etc. All did then a couple of million difference in revenue with rivals won't count for anything.

[ABBEY]

Whatever financial advantage e.g. Ipswich have over us can be very quickly wiped out by owner investment though. Venkys are worth a lot more than Marcus Evans and for as long as they want to continue to do so then we will be able to compete/outbid Ipswich. They might make a few million more than us over a year from ticket sales/sponsorship but that's a drop in the ocean in today's world of wealthy owners. Ipswich have been in this league for 15 years with low end incomes and little spending on players. Does that make them a League One size club?

Take Middlesbrough as another example. When they were struggling in this league 2-3 years ago they had gates of 13-15 thousand. Their income then was similar to what ours is now. The Middlesbrough public aren't going to be paying £1000 a season ticket. Its a more deprived area than Blackburn. Thanks solely to their rich owner they managed to build up a quality squad, sustain heavy losses, bring in a decent manager and are now competing for promotion. They have nothing that we don't have, except possibly more ambition in and among the people at the club.

Reading have a similar number of season ticket holders as we do, as seen the other night with their 13,000 crowd against Rotherham. Even if they all paid double what Rovers fans pay, that would equate to about £2 million more than us over a 12 month period. e.g. Jordan Rhodes' salary alone. It certainly doesnt elevate them to some level that we can't compete with.

Speechless ... Them tossers have ruined everything Blackburn Rovers stand for but hooray they are rich .

Venkysout!!!!

Let's see who first to report me is this time

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Whatever financial advantage e.g. Ipswich have over us can be very quickly wiped out by owner investment though. Venkys are worth a lot more than Marcus Evans and for as long as they want to continue to do so then we will be able to compete/outbid Ipswich. They might make a few million more than us over a year from ticket sales/sponsorship but that's a drop in the ocean in today's world of wealthy owners. Ipswich have been in this league for 15 years with low end incomes and little spending on players. Does that make them a League One size club?

Take Middlesbrough as another example. When they were struggling in this league 2-3 years ago they had gates of 13-15 thousand. Their income then was similar to what ours is now. The Middlesbrough public aren't going to be paying £1000 a season ticket. Its a more deprived area than Blackburn. Thanks solely to their rich owner they managed to build up a quality squad, sustain heavy losses, bring in a decent manager and are now competing for promotion. They have nothing that we don't have, except possibly more ambition in and among the people at the club.

Reading have a similar number of season ticket holders as we do, as seen the other night with their 13,000 crowd against Rotherham. Even if they all paid double what Rovers fans pay, that would equate to about £2 million more than us over a 12 month period. e.g. Jordan Rhodes' salary alone. It certainly doesnt elevate them to some level that we can't compete with.

I bet Middlesbrough fans are still paying quite a bit more than us though. Almost every club pay quite a bit more than us because they all didn't have the period we had where ST prices were slashed massively under Hughes and massively again under Allardyce. In that period our ST price went from about £460 to £199. The fact that its creeping back up now still brings it nowhere near the vast majority of clubs who never bothered making those huge cuts. Attendances don't matter as much as the revenue brought in from those attendances, and whilst we may be 19th or whatever in the former in this league, I'd bet we're 24th in the latter.

So we have become entirely reliant on Venkys funding any type of talent at the club, and if the last 5 years have shown us anything, its that they are mostly unwilling to put money into the club when they don't have to. They're willing to pay for their mistakes, just as losing us our TV revenue, but much beyond that I personally just don't think its gonna happen. You're saying £2m doesn't put clubs much above us in this league, well I think the parachute payment money ends at the end of this season and then what would you estimate our annual revenue at? I'd put it at about £4m. So I'd say clubs with a £2m revenue advantage over us have quite a substantial advantage, they can have player wage bills 1.5 times the size of ours.

It comes back to the same thing I always say about expectation levels. We should obviously try our best to bridge the gap and its certainly doable. But there's a big difference between people at the club trying and fans being supportive of that, and fans demanding it then kicking off if it doesn't happen. The latter is entirely unreasonable given our resources, as is the criticism of Lambert for not turning us into a play-off team overnight.

[JHRover]

What I'm trying to say is that whatever our situation in terms of revenue, it doesn't mean that we are a small club destined for a struggling existence at the wrong end of this division. Whilst our receipts from ticket sales are likely to be at the bottom end of the table, we also need to consider that we are reportedly involved in one of the biggest sponsorship deals in the division with Dafabet.

If the club was self-funding then I accept that £2 million would be a significant amount of money, but for a club that has owners that have been allowing losses of £20 million+ a year for 4 years and has been paying Jordan Rhodes more than £40,000 a week for 3.5 years then £2 million isn't an insurmountable amount of money.

All clubs in this division to some degree or other rely on owners to put money in. Those that have to stand on their own feet and rely on their own revenues are those that struggle. What was Bournemouth's turnover last season? Less than ours I would bet heavily on, yet thanks to their rich owner they were able to outbid and outspend many clubs with parachute money and gates of 2 or 3 times the size and win the league.

I don't believe there is a 'gap' in this league. All clubs are in with a chance at the start of a season, and a summer break can change everything. We've gone from a side many felt capable of the play-offs last season to fighting relegation this. Birmingham/Ipswich/Sheffield Wednesday have done the opposite. Birmingham City have been transformed from a side in a worse position than we are now to a side close to the play-offs, without spending any money, just by appointing the right manager. There's absolutely no reason why we can't be in a similar position to them next season. Burnley did it, Watford did it.

If we don't spend considerable money it won't be because of our gates or ticket prices or our 'size' as a club. It will be because Venkys have decided not to spend it.

It was reported that when we signed Elliott Bennett in January that we had blown Bristol City out of the water financially and that was why they were unable to turn his loan into a permanent deal despite him being a good player for them and them wanting to keep him. Yet from what I read on here we are a small club and cannot compete with clubs like Bristol City.

I'm not disputing that our revenues from next season onwards are likely to be towards the bottom group of clubs. I don't accept that it makes us a small club, I don't accept that it prevents us competing in this league, and I don't accept it is a game changer, providing the owners maintain/increase their financial support. Far more important than ticket prices and revenues are owners and their resources/plans. It remains to be seen what they have planned.

In some ways its the same as in the late 80's/early 90's. Under Mackay in 87-89 being a 'small' club with limited resources and smaller crowds didn't prevent us from competing for the play-offs against the likes of Villa, City and Leeds, and then a few years later being a 'small' club with smaller crowds didn't stop Jack Walker bringing in a top manager and bankrolling promotion. It didn't stop us back then and I don't see why it should do now.

[Mattyblue]

I agree JH, I think we are all awaiting to see what the owners approach will be in the summer (and to see if FFP continues in its present guise).

The noises in January were that we were offering good packages to players, indeed I can imagine Lambert & Irvine themselves didn't come cheap.

However, we've been down this road with these owners before, I just cannot see a significant outlay in the summer, though I'm desperate to be proven wrong, as we urgently need an influx of quality.

[ABBEY]

15 million someone reckons

[Neal]

Enjoyed what Lambert had to say in todays LT, refreshing from the manager's of the past 5 years. My initial stance will remain that I will judge him next season given a decent summer window.

PLBWA

[VinjayV4]

Two Lambert articles from the LT this morning...

Paul Lambert tells Blackburn Rovers hopefuls...if you're good enough you're old enough

Watt & Grimes getting up to speed says boss

[AdamRochina]

Good enough old enough, love it

[Neal]

Enjoy the fact he's getting the young ones told, there are a LOT of them that think they've already made it and some of their attitudes off the pitch are highly questionable, almost a mentality of thinking they've already made it.

[G Somerset Rover]

Absolutely Neal, it's 100% a mentality and generation thing. Reading Allardyce's autobiography at the moment and he's of the same opinion. 30 years ago the young lads were cleaning boots, sweeping the stands etc. Now they bowl up to training for 2 hours a day, max, in their Audi's and Mercedes thinking they're the dog's Crown Jewels. As I say, good to see somebody like Lenihan coming through who looks like it really means something to him.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Pl needs to drop Brown Asap. Whatever tactic he is trying is clearly not working. Get some footballers who can dribble.

[Blue Cabbage]

Can't say he's had the impact that I thought he would have had. But as others have said it's about next season.

Expect more though

[Dean]

Will people ease up and give Lambert time now? Talk of replacing him is absolutely insane.

Two of us signings won us that game today. We've only lost to Hull and Derby since he was able to bring in some of his players, and they are two of the best teams in the division.

Give the man some breathing space - he's earned it!