[Archived] THE BATTLE FOR PROMOTION....WON.

[imy9]

3 minutes ago, Angry_Pirate said:

I definitely won't be doing that, but my gut feeling is he doesn't survive the next 12 months. He is too cautious a manager in L1 and we will be punished many times over at a higher level. I wouldn't be shocked if we get to the half way point of the season sat top of the "most points surrendered from winning positions" league table. 

However if we play 3 (lets be honest - 5) at the back after the calamitous showing in that formation this season - we will most likely lose our first 3 games so who knows, i just might be asking for a change as Tony clearly hasn't learned the most obvious (to many) lesson of the season.

With potentially 20,000+ fans on Saturday, he would be foolish to not start strong and go for our biggest win of the season (Think Wigan a few years ago when we needed something like a 7-0 win for an outside shot of playoffs - think it ended 4-2 and we played fantastic). 

A good win, promotion and an all out assault on the (unlikely) title could net us an extra few thousand season tickets next year which would be £1m+ in bonus revenue for a transfer. I 100% believe the players he chooses will give their all to win, they just rely on him picking a 11 capable of doing so. Boring, safe, 5-5-0 football is not what we need for a final home game with so many part time/ potential new fans in attendance.

If TM doesn't care about the Oxford game, he should.

 

All of what you say could happen.

However I remember the West Bromwich Albion side that he took up from the championship, playing a wonderful brand of football. I guess we will see.

i hope we go all out for a win vs Oxford (I think we will), but he has earned the respect of the fans IMO and doesn’t warrant some questioning his integrity.

[JAL]

Just how do you expect to win a football game with Dominic Samuel upfront, how when he isnt doing his job properly.

Five months training now and still no return is it the coaching or the player ?

My forwards need to have a trick in them along with a finish for a bonus they also need to be a willing defender non of which Samuel does.

[Stuart]

3 hours ago, Parsonblue said:

So basically, what you are saying is that it's OK to play injured players or is it that you know the state of the injuries better than the manager and the medical department at Brockhall and know they are fit to play?

The only ‘source’ of injuries is you and an LT reporter. The manager’s statement was very bland indeed.

But still, taking that at face value, if we could not field a team that could beat Charlton then we should have given the youth more of a chance. As soon as the line up was named I knew the outcome. I suppose that makes me ‘negative’? Maybe my negative vibes even caused the outcome? Or just maybe Mowbray got it wrong? He is entitled to get it wrong once in a while, especially now we are up, but equally I’m entitled to point it out.

What I’ve said, consistently, is that the team selected was neither on thing nor the other. Picking Leutweiler was a massive missed opportunity for Fisher, for instance. Hopefully Raya can stay fit for the whole of next season if Mowbray is planning to persevere with the white flag “reserve”. His only contribution this season has been to help us manipulate the fixture list.

But in their thirst for an argument I was jumped on by ‘the same old’ posters creating and setting fire to their straw men.

In isolation, nothing good came out of Saturday. Except of course for the players, who I imagine had a very good night indeed. Hopefully nobody worsened any injuries whilst out in the big smoke.

[roversfan99]

2 hours ago, imy9 said:

10 game counter has been reset- Stuart.

That’s one of many.

Have your opinion on winning the title but we had a glut of injuries, those playing are not as good and we played Charlton away who are 5th and by all accounts we were unlucky to lose.

Oh and changing the thread to ‘Surrender of the title’ implies it was ours to surrender...(Wigan have been ahead ALL season- surely that’s a thread for them?) 

Well I personally disagree with that comment but its one in isolation.

You are totally missing the point. It was neither the difficulty of the game, the result nor the injuries/team selection. It was the quotes from Mowbray that implied that the title is an irrelevance to him. If he had said we are gonna try and win the title for our fans we have nothing to lose, then we lost the game, there would never have been all this fall out and frustration. Its the attitude and people dont seem to be able to grasp it.

[chaddyrovers]

1 minute ago, Stuart said:

The only ‘source’ of injuries is you and an LT reporter. The manager’s statement was very bland indeed.

 

 

The Source was Mowbray and Media team who would have told the LT Reporter Sharpe, BBC RL Bayes/Gallagher. 

Mowbray commented about the injuries to both reporters after the game

.

Just now, roversfan99 said:

Well I personally disagree with that comment but its one in isolation.

You are totally missing the point. It was neither the difficulty of the game, the result nor the injuries/team selection. It was the quotes from Mowbray that implied that the title is an irrelevance to him. If he had said we are gonna try and win the title for our fans we have nothing to lose, then we lost the game, there would never have been all this fall out and frustration. Its the attitude and people dont seem to be able to grasp it.

Mowbray was honest with fans, what more do you want? Or would you prefer Coyle back or something? 

But Mowbray has delivered his target of promotion and that was only aim at the start of the season. Wasnt interested in any of their 3 cup comps and rightly so

The players went out there and should have at least draw the game if not won it. We were the best side and thats with 6 players missing. 

[JBiz]

2 hours ago, imy9 said:

10 game counter has been reset- Stuart.

That’s one of many.

Have your opinion on winning the title but we had a glut of injuries, those playing are not as good and we played Charlton away who are 5th and by all accounts we were unlucky to lose.

Oh and changing the thread to ‘Surrender of the title’ implies it was ours to surrender...(Wigan have been ahead ALL season- surely that’s a thread for them?) 

Spot on Imy.

 

 

[AllRoverAsia]

14 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Well I personally disagree with that comment but its one in isolation.

You are totally missing the point. It was neither the difficulty of the game, the result nor the injuries/team selection. It was the quotes from Mowbray that implied that the title is an irrelevance to him. If he had said we are gonna try and win the title for our fans we have nothing to lose, then we lost the game, there would never have been all this fall out and frustration. Its the attitude and people dont seem to be able to grasp it.

They grasp it but are in denial disbelieving that any Rovers manager could ever be so crass and so misread a Rovers fanbase.

Mowbray's safety net is promotion, which we all wanted.

Mowbray himself needed promotion to save himself from self-sacking which I am sure he would have done being of such undoubted integrity.

Sadly once his job was safe nothing else mattered.

[JBiz]

Just now, MGPensioner said:

Those injuries will be the same sort that Man U players get when they get called up for an England friendly against Tazakstan 2 days before playing Chelsea in the PL.

A flimsy story at best.

 

I am trying to imagine a born winner taking that sort of attitude to the game. A Fergie or a Souness type of manager saying the title doesn't matter. Or a Roy Keane type of player wanting a rest instead of A TITLE ?

Then there are life's "also rans" (Don Trump has another name for those people) who are happy to be second best or just to take part. A good few on here who think it was OK are also those sort.

Total load of @#/? what happened at weekend. Disgusting attitude 

 

 

 

Why don’t you ask Souness (or any other Rovers fans) if he still loses sleep over finishing second in 2001.

This is just an overreaction to get a reacting. 

[oldjamfan1]

Can someone please change the title of this thread back to something that resembles the actual state of play.

[HowieFive0]

1 minute ago, AllRoverAsia said:

They grasp it but are in denial disbelieving that any Rovers manager could ever be so crass and so misread a Rovers fanbase.

Mowbray's safety net is promotion, which we all wanted.

Mowbray himself needed promotion to save himself from self-sacking which I am sure he would have done being if such undoubted integrity.

Sadly once his job was safe nothing else mattered.

What would peoples views be of TM IF we had needed 3points against Charlton on Saturday to be promoted or keep the promotion alive and   he played the usual suspects, got beat and then it transpired after the game that four players were not match fit and TM gambled on them ?

Im sure TM would be getting his backside  kicked on here again for not using squad players and risking players who were never going to complete 90mins....after we ..all season on here people have been very  quick to point out  we ve the most talented/ best paid squad in this division ..

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

What bothers me is that Mowbray's statement effectively told the players we were " Racking our cue "  for the season. Going out on the piss immediately after the game and on Saturday tells me all I need to know. The season is over on Saturday.  Getting them into the mind set were games actually matter for Saturday won't be easy now. There'll be plenty of people at Saturdays game who haven't been for a while, my son and grandson for two. The team has the chance to enthuse people and show the stay aways what they've been missing. What I'm expecting is an half arsed, lackadaisical, kick about.  If Oxford fancy giving it a go we could be in trouble. Old timers will remember Rovers v Bury with Howard Kendall's promoted team. Bury were as good as relegated but they gave it a go, we couldn't be bothered.

City have run away with their league. They could easily be " Racking their cue ". Will they ? Not a chance, they want to win the most points record and the most goals scored record. 

That's why Guardiola is a top coach - he's never satisfied and he always wants more out of his team.

Some people are winners and  some people are happy with second place.

[barry_]

here's the thing...

We've committed to Team Mowbray (and rightly so) for at least one more season.

His style of play, negativity, worrying ect ect is here to stay and, unfortunately, we will be here next season with the same complaints and worries.

Enjoy the ride.

[oldjamfan1]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

What bothers me is that Mowbray's statement effectively told the players we were " Racking our cue "  for the season. Going out on the piss immediately after the game and on Saturday tells me all I need to know. The season is over on Saturday.  Getting them into the mind set were games actually matter for Saturday won't be easy now. There'll people at Saturdays game who haven't been for a while, my son and grandson for two. The team has the chance to enthuse people and show the stay aways what they've been missing. What I'm expecting is an half arsed, lackadaisical, kick about.  If Oxford fancy giving it a go we could be in trouble. Old timers will remember Rovers v Bury with Howard Kendall's promoted team. Bury were as good as relegated but they gave it a go, we couldn't be bothered.

City have run away with their league. They could easily be " Racking their cue ". Will they ? Not a chance, they want to win the most points record and the most goals scored record. 

That's why Guardiola is a top coach - he's never satisfied and he always wants more out of his team.

Some people are winners and a some people are happy with second place.

A good argument for selecting players with a point to prove, rather than the ones who might be entitled to sit back and smoke their cigars? Which is what TM appears to have done.

Let's be honest Tyrone, had Rovers got the result they deserved on Saturday, which was a 1 or 2 goal victory, nobody would be batting an eyelid about the team selection. In fact, some of us would be praising him for it.  As you know, the margins are very slim at times.

[Mattyblue]

It was actually a committed performance on Saturday -yes we lost the game, too many changes etc.

But I certainly didn't see any 'racked cues', well not from the players anyway.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, HowieFive0 said:

What would peoples views be of TM IF we had needed 3points against Charlton on Saturday to be promoted or keep the promotion alive and   he played the usual suspects, got beat and then it transpired after the game that four players were not match fit and TM gambled on them ?

Im sure TM would be getting his backside  kicked on here again for not using squad players and risking players who were never going to complete 90mins....after we ..all season on here people have been very  quick to point out  we ve the most talented/ best paid squad in this division ..

But we didn't need three points to go up. Mowbray expected Wigan to win. do you think Dack or Raya got injured in training on Wednesday morning ? They've  obviously been playing  injured for a while now.

[Norbert Rassragr]

Any excuse for some here to have a go at the manager, or other contributors who they like arguing with. It is simple-We are promoted, and there is still the possibility of being champions as well. The main job is done.

Wigan fans should be more annoyed that they were miles ahead of everyone, and still have not nailed top spot.

[imy9]

36 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Well I personally disagree with that comment but its one in isolation.

You are totally missing the point. It was neither the difficulty of the game, the result nor the injuries/team selection. It was the quotes from Mowbray that implied that the title is an irrelevance to him. If he had said we are gonna try and win the title for our fans we have nothing to lose, then we lost the game, there would never have been all this fall out and frustration. Its the attitude and people dont seem to be able to grasp it.

If it doesn’t work out then there won’t be any tears from me, I won’t be blasting anyone. The players know that every day in training and every Saturday afternoon they are getting judged.”

 

“We’ll go and try and win them, as will they, and whoever finishes on top, good luck to them.

“The other one will also be in the same league next year and in a year’s time no-one will remember who finished first or second.

“Hopefully there will be a good turnout at Ewood next weekend and we can find a performance to show the fans that we’re a hungry team and trying to win games.”

Where is the defeatist attitude???

[barry_]

Just now, imy9 said:

If it doesn’t work out then there won’t be any tears from me, I won’t be blasting anyone. The players know that every day in training and every Saturday afternoon they are getting judged.”

 

“We’ll go and try and win them, as will they, and whoever finishes on top, good luck to them.

“The other one will also be in the same league next year and in a year’s time no-one will remember who finished first or second.

“Hopefully there will be a good turnout at Ewood next weekend and we can find a performance to show the fans that we’re a hungry team and trying to win games.”

Where is the defeatist attitude???

Media talk is completely different to what actually happens at a game.

What's so hard to accept that Mowbray could've picked a stronger team, Saturday, but didn't (whatever his reasons)

[den]

13 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

So as you don't like the Premier League comparison, if Tony Mowbray were to state the aim next season was "consolidation" and we achieved that a lot earlier than expected after say 30 games, is it then acceptable to treat the season as "finished" with 16 games to go and not bother about them?

Of course not, but that’s another entirely irrelevant comparison Rev.

first game next season, whether we finished first or second this season will be forgotten about.  

[Parsonblue]

50 minutes ago, Stuart said:

The only ‘source’ of injuries is you and an LT reporter. The manager’s statement was very bland indeed.

But still, taking that at face value, if we could not field a team that could beat Charlton then we should have given the youth more of a chance. As soon as the line up was named I knew the outcome. I suppose that makes me ‘negative’? Maybe my negative vibes even caused the outcome? Or just maybe Mowbray got it wrong? He is entitled to get it wrong once in a while, especially now we are up, but equally I’m entitled to point it out.

What I’ve said, consistently, is that the team selected was neither on thing nor the other. Picking Leutweiler was a massive missed opportunity for Fisher, for instance. Hopefully Raya can stay fit for the whole of next season if Mowbray is planning to persevere with the white flag “reserve”. His only contribution this season has been to help us manipulate the fixture list.

But in their thirst for an argument I was jumped on by ‘the same old’ posters creating and setting fire to their straw men.

In isolation, nothing good came out of Saturday. Except of course for the players, who I imagine had a very good night indeed. Hopefully nobody worsened any injuries whilst out in the big smoke.

In your view he got it wrong Stuart, but that's your view - it doesn't mean to say he got it wrong.  You say nothing good came out of Saturday - try telling that to the thousands of fans who travelled south and had an enjoyable day celebrating at The Valley and watching a game in which we weren't as poor as some would have us believe.  We've played far worse this season and won but that's football.

[JacknOry]

14 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Am I alone in spotting a correlation between those most outraged by our surrender of a title we have not once been in pole position to win and Tony Mowbray’s most vociferous critics during the season?

Despite the Wigan manager’s press interviews, I wonder how many sinews his team have strained in their unquenchable, awe-inspiring amassing of two consecutive draws since they won promotion as they drive to win the title, especially given how they apparently crush teams at will versus our cautious, supine stumbling over the line earlier than we ever have done in my lifetime.

Talk about trying to provoke another divide.

I was one who voted 'twist' but I have come out and said there has been an overreaction on the team selection at Charlton - so NO, there is no correlation.

People are complex like that, we can form differing opinions on various topics - stop splitting the fanbase into two sides.

 

[Oldgregg86]

5 hours ago, Norbert Rassragr said:

Bit of a shame the 1st place trophy is probably out of reach, but we are promoted. That is the main objective, and anyone raging and calling out the squad should go and support Barca, Man City or Real Madrid.

Will people find an excuse to be angry if we finish 2nd again next season?

Depends. If we are one point behind the leaders with two games to go and the said the week before the games sod it lads. Job done. yeah. I would be fuming

[speeeeeeedie]

I don't get it. I don't see the 3rd division trophy as worthwhile. The prize is getting out of the division. Rovers have won that prize, with games to spare. Mowbray delivers promotion at the first time of asking yet fans are moaning because 1st spot is now Wigan's to lose.

Enjoy promotion. Look forward to building on it and progressing in 2018-19.

 

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Mowbray was honest with fans, what more do you want? Or would you prefer Coyle back or something? 

But Mowbray has delivered his target of promotion and that was only aim at the start of the season. Wasnt interested in any of their 3 cup comps and rightly so

The players went out there and should have at least draw the game if not won it. We were the best side and thats with 6 players missing. 

That first comment is childish, petulant and in my opinion strips you of any integrity you may have had.

I also feel that you are either misunderstanding my point, or purposely evading it. Ive never once questioned his honesty, in fact it was his honest comments last midweek that have brought all of this on. Just because something is honest doesnt make it right.

I, along with many of our fan base, actually seems to care whether we win silverware. Does that mean we would perceive the season to be a failure without it? No. Does that mean we dont appreciate Mowbray or the success he has brought this season? Certainly not.

Whether we won, drew or loss, had a full strength team or loads of injuries, none of that is what has irked me and many others. Its the indifference that I perceive Mowbray to have shown towards a rare attempt to win silverware that I totally disagree with. That said, either way Ive enjoyed the season as a whole and a lot of my gratitude lands at Mowbrays door for that. Ive never hidden that but it also doesnt exempt him from a totally seperate issue and the criticism I feel he has warranted.

38 minutes ago, imy9 said:

If it doesn’t work out then there won’t be any tears from me, I won’t be blasting anyone. The players know that every day in training and every Saturday afternoon they are getting judged.”

 

“We’ll go and try and win them, as will they, and whoever finishes on top, good luck to them.

“The other one will also be in the same league next year and in a year’s time no-one will remember who finished first or second.

“Hopefully there will be a good turnout at Ewood next weekend and we can find a performance to show the fans that we’re a hungry team and trying to win games.”

Where is the defeatist attitude???

That first paragaraph suggests indifference, but mainly the comment that no-one will remember who wins the league. Trust me, I and many others would remember the season far more fondly if we won a title. 

I struggle to comprehend or empathise with anyone who sees the title as an irrelevance. How often do we get the chance to win any League? The supporters indifference is just as baffling as that of the manager. Whats there to lose? Hold off the celebrations for 10 days, go for the title, knowing weve achieved our main aim doesnt mean qe should stop there.

[roversfan99]

3 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I don't get it. I don't see the 3rd division trophy as worthwhile. The prize is getting out of the division. Rovers have won that prize, with games to spare. Mowbray delivers promotion at the first time of asking yet fans are moaning because 1st spot is now Wigan's to lose.

Enjoy promotion. Look forward to building on it and progressing in 2018-19.

 

Whys it so black and white? People are moaning not even because we might not win the League, but because its seen as an irrelevance. You may see it as not worthwhile, which I find strange because how often do Rovers win titles or trophies, but many others dont. And whats there to lose by going for it?

Fact of the matter is, its an individual point totally exclusive from that of the main achievement this season, which has been universally welcomed and appreciated. Some just want to at least try and make it that little bit better in a no lose situation.