[Archived] Official: Paul Lambert Appointed Blackburn Rovers Manager

[K-Hod]

They probably won't Dean, but that's life. You only get 3 points for a win, however they come and that's what we got today. People change their mind with each passing game, I'm admittedly a lot more decisive than that!

[DE.]

Nobody on here is going to get Lambert sacked either way, so I wouldn't get worked up over it.

I doubt any serious fan wants PL sacked. I think we all just want this season over and done with so that we can look forward to giving a few players the boot in the summer, and hopefully bringing in a few more Gomez calibre players.

[tomphil]

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.

This for me is a big problem with full time academies. Give a kid a contract at a very young age to train full time and they just automatically think they are a pro footballer. Lose the desire, behave like brats whilst starting the living in a bubble whilst they are still wet behind the ears.

[West Yorks Rover]

Lambert v Bowyer - 16 league games each.

Lambert 5 wins 20 points

Bowyer 3 wins 17 points

[tomphil]

We wanted a similar team and effort to the Fulham game so he did go with a similar team. This time though the opposition was resolute and a few chances actually fell to Brown. If they hadn't and he'd still ploughed about up front he'd probably have got a good round of applause going off.

I can understand in a way PL starting with him taking that into account. He now needs to realise it won't work regularly and leave him out. The Watt situation is bizzare and I wonder if it's the old weekly budget thing again, i.e maybe we have to bung Charlton extra every time he makes an appearance or something. Just watch and see if Gomez or Graham get dropped out of the blue when Watt gets a start.

We've have this before with loan players.

[DE.]

As hard as Brown does toil, a striker is supposed to chip in with at least a few goals. It's little wonder we've struggled so much this season with the likes of Brown, Delfouneso and Koita featuring as attacking options to varying degrees. Thankfully we should start next season with all three as little more than a bad memory.

I do think the booing, chanting for him to get sent off, cheering his substitution, etc is out of order though. I understand people being frustrated that the guy is being paid a relative fortune on very limited ability, but mocking him from the stands isn't going to achieve anything beyond demotivating him further.

[Pedro]

Lambert v Bowyer - 16 league games each.

Lambert 5 wins 20 points

Bowyer 3 wins 17 points

The bench actually has quality and options on it now too. I know who I'd choose for the long run, the guy who chose to buy pace and creativity other than the one who bought lots of defensive midfielders.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I understand people being frustrated that the guy is being paid a relative fortune on very limited ability, but mocking him from the stands isn't going to achieve anything beyond demotivating him further.

Pretty much agree with your post but I'd say relative to the thing that matters, the players he's up against, Brown isn't being paid a fortune at all. Relative to fans he is but stick a fan at centre half marking him and I reckon he'd do pretty well. I honestly don't understand the argument of fans who gripe about players wages and think this entitles them to see superb performances every week. Players are the same as they've always been, pretty similar in ability to their opposite number and therefore unlikely to run rings round them whatever they're paid. If players are paid too much then people should give over getting Sky Sports, which is pretty much the reason why.

[DE.]

Pretty much agree with your post but I'd say relative to the thing that matters, the players he's up against, Brown isn't being paid a fortune at all. Relative to fans he is but stick a fan at centre half marking him and I reckon he'd do pretty well. I honestly don't understand the argument of fans who gripe about players wages and think this entitles them to see superb performances every week. Players are the same as they've always been, pretty similar in ability to their opposite number and therefore unlikely to run rings round them whatever they're paid. If players are paid too much then people should give over getting Sky Sports, which is pretty much the reason why.

Aye, by relative I only meant in comparison to the average person in the crowd. I think the main reason people feel entitled to abuse footballers is because of their wages, which even for poorer players are much higher than the average football fan can dream of. It's a combination of resentment and anger.

Logically it doesn't make sense from a personal or professional perspective to boo your own players, but the emotion attached to football is illogical in of itself so perhaps it's just something that has to be discouraged but ultimately accepted as something that is going to happen.

[VinjayV4]

Aye, by relative I only meant in comparison to the average person in the crowd. I think the main reason people feel entitled to abuse footballers is because of their wages, which even for poorer players are much higher than the average football fan can dream of. It's a combination of resentment and anger.

Logically it doesn't make sense from a personal or professional perspective to boo your own players, but the emotion attached to football is illogical in of itself so perhaps it's just something that has to be discouraged but ultimately accepted as something that is going to happen.

Someone mentioned Bryan Douglas getting some criticism early in his career. That's back in the 50's and he certainly wasn't on significant wages. Scrapping the maximum wage wasn't wrong in principle clubs took advantage of players for years.

Talk about one hell of a reverse!

[Veevs]

This summer will certainly be one interesting ride... given we have no strikers still in contract, and a huge chunk of the rest of the squad out of contract,

Don't think anyone here can accuse PL of getting us into this situation, what he does then will tell us all without a doubt if he can cut it.. I am a fan of his, still shocked he joined but christ he has taken a gamble when you look at the sheer numbers out of contract within a few months.

[Veevs]

For those curious we will have just a 14 man squad, not even enough to cover the bench.. we have 2 keepers (Steele and Raya), 4 defenders (just Duffy, Hanley, Henley and Ward) and 8 midfielders (inc Lowe and Guthrie) who will have contracts come the end of the summer unless players are signed or contracts extended (though you would expect that should have already happened) of course.

[martonrover]

This summer will certainly be one interesting ride... given we have no strikers still in contract, and a huge chunk of the rest of the squad out of contract,

Don't think anyone here can accuse PL of getting us into this situation, what he does then will tell us all without a doubt if he can cut it.. I am a fan of his, still shocked he joined but christ he has taken a gamble when you look at the sheer numbers out of contract within a few months.

Other side of the coin is that it gives him the opportunity to build his own side.

Funding the crucial issue of course.

[ABBEY]

Nobody on here is going to get Lambert sacked either way, so I wouldn't get worked up over it.

I doubt any serious fan wants PL sacked. I think we all just want this season over and done with so that we can look forward to giving a few players the boot in the summer, and hopefully bringing in a few more Gomez calibre players.

er the fans got allardyce sacked don't you know...BRFCS FOLK LEGEND

[tomphil]

For those curious we will have just a 14 man squad, not even enough to cover the bench.. we have 2 keepers (Steele and Raya), 4 defenders (just Duffy, Hanley, Henley and Ward) and 8 midfielders (inc Lowe and Guthrie) who will have contracts come the end of the summer unless players are signed or contracts extended (though you would expect that should have already happened) of course.

1) Cutting it back to the bare bones ready to build again although maybe only with loans in, albeit better quality.

2) Cutting it right back to run at a low cost base in relative to income and still hope to sell players for big money whilst continuing to bung holes with freebies & loans hoping to get lucky. Basically the same as the previous few seasons.

3) Cutting it right back ready to bale or sale.

I know you've mentioned similar to this but just thought I'd bring it up again as something does actually seem to be taking place. Unless of course it's option 2 and it's carry on as normal. There does seem to be some sort of plan finally but I'm highly dubious as to what it is.

You'll notice I haven't mentioned getting ready to heavily invest because I personally don't think it will happen. Maybe there is another scenario that would fit option 1 or 2 where another big set of outgoings allows a bit to be reinvested. However IMO option 1 wil see us maybe tread water. Options 2 & 3 will see relegation sooner or later.

[Veevs]

Other side of the coin is that it gives him the opportunity to build his own side.

Funding the crucial issue of course.

Agree, it certainly will be a test of his managerial ability, even with 15m it will be a major push to get the sheer numbers we need to fill the positions, so we have cover all over the field, as well as a bunch of new first team players.

Thinking more about it I wonder if that is why he came, he pretty much gets a fresh start, Bowyer pretty much set it up for him to have a clean slate at the start of his first full season.

If he is testing those who are coming to the end of their contracts then they really are not doing a great job, only really Spurr has stepped up to the task.

[martonrover]

1) Cutting it back to the bare bones ready to build again although maybe only with loans in, albeit better quality.

2) Cutting it right back to run at a low cost base in relative to income and still hope to sell players for big money whilst continuing to bung holes with freebies & loans hoping to get lucky. Basically the same as the previous few seasons.

3) Cutting it right back ready to bale or sale.

I know you've mentioned similar to this but just thought I'd bring it up again as something does actually seem to be taking place. Unless of course it's option 2 and it's carry on as normal. There does seem to be some sort of plan finally but I'm highly dubious as to what it is.

You'll notice I haven't mentioned getting ready to heavily invest because I personally don't think it will happen. Maybe there is another scenario that would fit option 1 or 2 where another big set of outgoings allows a bit to be reinvested. However IMO option 1 wil see us maybe tread water. Options 2 & 3 will see relegation sooner or later.

Well there's obviously no way that any of these options were put to Lambert as there's no way he'd have agreed to come.

I'm sure he's expecting a reasonable level of funding, particularly in lieu of the Rhodes sale.

[DE.]

Someone mentioned Bryan Douglas getting some criticism early in his career. That's back in the 50's and he certainly wasn't on significant wages. Scrapping the maximum wage wasn't wrong in principle clubs took advantage of players for years.

Talk about one hell of a reverse!

Well, I wasn't around in the 50's nor do I know anybody personally who went to watch Rovers at that time, so I can only speak for the modern fan - and wages are definitely at the forefront of reasons given when "abuse" towards footballers is mentioned.

[tomphil]

Well there's obviously no way that any of these options were put to Lambert as there's no way he'd have agreed to come.

I'm sure he's expecting a reasonable level of funding, particularly in lieu of the Rhodes sale.

That wouldn't be anything new in football though would it. The way he keeps talking to then through the press and encouraging them to spend in summer pretty much shows there are no cast iron guarantees.

He obviously wanted a job and a good wage to get his career back on track so I'm not one of these who believes promises had to be written in stone for him to come. Far from it in fact.

[Hasta]

As bad as we were first half, 8 points from 6 games in 2016 is an improvement in results at least.

[danger19_80]

A minor thing maybe but the way he smashed that bottle of water on the floor after the ref failed to send off their last man for fouling Graham was a much welcomed dose of passion from the home bench.

[Veevs]

1) Cutting it back to the bare bones ready to build again although maybe only with loans in, albeit better quality.

2) Cutting it right back to run at a low cost base in relative to income and still hope to sell players for big money whilst continuing to bung holes with freebies & loans hoping to get lucky. Basically the same as the previous few seasons.

3) Cutting it right back ready to bale or sale.

I know you've mentioned similar to this but just thought I'd bring it up again as something does actually seem to be taking place. Unless of course it's option 2 and it's carry on as normal. There does seem to be some sort of plan finally but I'm highly dubious as to what it is.

You'll notice I haven't mentioned getting ready to heavily invest because I personally don't think it will happen. Maybe there is another scenario that would fit option 1 or 2 where another big set of outgoings allows a bit to be reinvested. However IMO option 1 wil see us maybe tread water. Options 2 & 3 will see relegation sooner or later.

Yeah I have mentioned before but that was a while back before the recent flux of changes, they are to me an indication that things are shifting, PL would not of joined without reassurances and well to be frank if Venkys wanted to wind things down then they would of kept Bowyer and let the contracts run out without getting in players like Gomez, managers like PL and would not of bothered booting Shaw.

My options would be:

1 - Invest short term to sell quick and cut losses before it gets (more) out of hand

2 - Make money available from player sales, to keep the ship from sinking, and hope for a miracle from the manager

3 - Invest long term for the greater prize

Most now depends on the adviser that was brought in, from what I can gather he is a new product manager, these tend to be in not so business terms 'fixers' You bring em in short term to do a proper CBA, work out if its a viable asset and to advise on what needs to be done to get it working right. More often that not these guys are cold hearted bar-stewards, quick studies with charm and logic, but they follow the mission in most cases, be that get it salable, wind it down or get it working. The big question is what was his mission? From what he has done it is not a wind down order for sure.

[VinjayV4]

Well, I wasn't around in the 50's nor do I know anybody personally who went to watch Rovers at that time, so I can only speak for the modern fan - and wages are definitely at the forefront of reasons given when "abuse" towards footballers is mentioned.

I agree with you but even without that there would still be abuse.

Wasn't around in the 50's either but I chose to take the Douglas comments at face value.

[47er]

I was around and I do not remember Douglas being booed at any point in his early career.

After he broke his leg, he was out for a fair while, and took even longer to get back to form.

He took men on as usual but couldn't beat them as usual. Just lost that match fitness edge I suppose.

That's the time when the crowd (or the dopey part of it) got on his back. I remember many fans saying he was finished and would never be the same again.

Of course they were completely wrong and he got his form back and then some.

Best player I have ever seen or ever will see.

[JBiz]

"Asked if the barren spell was affecting Browns confidence, Lambert said: Hes fine. Ive not heard fans booing their own player before. Its never nice, hes part of our team, hes doing everything for the football club, so you hope people can see it. Hes our player, hes doing everything he can to help the team.

It cant have been nice for him. Hes got team-mates in there who really like him. Hes our player.

He needs the fans, everybody needs them and well need them (tonight). Every player wants to be loved. Maybe the reaction was a bit much."

http://m.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/14310531._I___ve_not_heard_fans_booing_their_own_player_before____Blackburn_Rovers_boss_backs_striker_Chris_Brown/?ref=mac

I expect some might be annoyed by that, but I agree. Chris Brown is another "scapegoat"!

Don't often take much notice of interviews, but I like that PL has pointed this out. Only problem is how those "booers" and @#/? takers see it.