Mowbray’s Future

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

‘Jack is naturally a midfielder, but is at the back for us, due to his height.’

Thought Rodwell was brought in to be a defender as that is how Mowbray now saw him, with presumably some defensive qualities?  That quote sounds like he’s sill a midfielder chucked back there in an emergency because he’s tall.

Some very odd comments emanating from the manager.

When did he say this? Very peculiar considering Rodwell has mostly player at centre half. How many games has he played midfield, 2? 

[K-Hod]

20 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Didn't Mowbray promote Lowe to 1st team coach and give Benson a new contract as goalkeeping coach?

I think Lowe is an uninspiring individual and he never impressed me when I saw him with the Academy - I just can't see a spark there.

As for Benson, I think he looks like a little boy lost.  Against Wigan, he came out approx 2 minutes before the 2nd hald was due to start and stood there waiting for Raya - Raya eventually turned up, seemingly in his own time, after having kept Benson waiting for approx 2 minutes.  Benson then kicked/threw 3 'shots' at him and that was it, 2nd half began.  I think that showed a lack of respect for Benson and, IMO, therein lies the problem - just what has Benson done in the game to either mentor / improve Raya or command respect from Raya.

I don't know, you'd have to ask him.... Point remains though, they were here already. 

Whilst the current backroom staff could certainly be improved upon, there are many sticks to beat the bloke with, but having to work with an existing staff that he hasn't picked himself (bar Venus) isn't one of them, IMO. 

By and large, Venky's don't give managers autonomy to bring in their own staff, so that's at their door, not Mowbray's. 

Edited March 20, 2019 by K-Hod

[Mercer]

Just now, K-Hod said:

I don't know, you'd have to ask him.... Point remains though, they were here already.

There are many sticks to beat the bloke with, but having to work with an existing backroom staff isn't one of them, IMO. 

So, is Mowbray in charge of football affairs at Ewood or not or is he a mere puppet - if a puppet, surely this man of values or integrity would not put up with it.

July 2017:

 

Ben Benson believes he has been handed an 'unbelievable opportunity' after signing a long-term contract as the club's new Goalkeeping Coach.

Benson admits he owes a huge debt of gratitude to manager Mowbray for retaining his servives and he believes the Rovers boss has created the perfect working environment for the club's keepers to prosper.

"I'm unbelievably grateful," added Benson. "He's given me an unbelievable opportunity, of which I'm very, very grateful for.

 

Doesn't sound like he had to work with Benson to me.

The buck stops with the manager.

Edited March 20, 2019 by Mercer

[Don Said]

Just now, JHRover said:

Anyone know why we don't have a proper pre-kickoff warm up routine?

The majority of sides we play against come out of the tunnel before each kick off and go over to the touchline and do a quick routine of stepping over cones etc. Meanwhile our team tend to just stand around waiting, having a quick talk or individually stretching.

I don't know how much difference it makes but certainly observing from a distance it looks like one side is drilled and has a routine to follow to get them ready for kick off and the other doesn't.

I've noticed this.

Also, half of the team spends the vast majority of the actual pre game warm up blasting the ball at the net down in the corner whilst the other team does ACTUAL professional warm ups. How does that add value, especially so for players like Smallwood and Evans? It might be worthwhile for the strikers for a few minutes but I genuniely had more of an intense, useful pre game routine whilst playing u14's football.

Not sure how relevant to this but Mowbray started off the famous 'Huddle' that Celtic do before games, now adopted by a number of teams (correct me if I'm wrong) so I'm surprised it's not something he's thought to add to our repertoire. Whilst i'm here, there's a cracking picture in the Football Museum of the Rovers and Wolves teams doing the huddle side by side before the 2011 last day game in which we both stayed up!

[Angry_Pirate]

Going forward it is realistic to anticipate we won't average greater than 1.0 point per game from the final 8 fixtures when we only have 16 points this YEAR, 4 points in two months, and 26 points from 25 games.

We have ultimately endured half a season averaging 1 point per game... Relegation form, no excuse about it.

We will drop below 1.0 per game over *33* games, unless we can beat a Bolton and or another from here on out.

1 point a game is good for 21st in the league every other season, relegated the other half.

Sack the manager. 

[tomphil]

The old lack of thorough warm up routines is a recurring issue here as much as the two defensive mids and certain players guaranteed starts.

Would certainly go some way to explaining the slow starts to nearly every game.

Slow starts and bad endings are a standard feature in this era it seems.

[Oldgregg86]

4 hours ago, CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17512700.rovers-boss-mowbray-on-the-changes-that-need-to-be-made/

TM has lost it for me;

"I know where the changes need to be made and where the strengthening needs to be,” the boss said.

That’s ultimately where we need to strengthen when we get the chance.”

You had the chance in January, why couldn't you see then where the strengthening needed to be? Despite our decent run we were still minus in the goal difference column, was this not a concern for you? Surely you've worked with this squad for long enough to see where the deficiencies were and had the chance to strengthen and didn't, frankly it's a bit late to be moaning about it now. 

 

“My frustration is with the experienced players out there, not the likes of Tyler Magloire who I thought was really good again.

“He stuck to his job, a young guy, who needs some guidance on the pitch I would suggest and there were some more experienced players that needed to step up and that didn’t happen.”

Blaming the players is always a classic sign of a man under pressure. Tony, you either bought these 'experienced' players and/or inherited them and decided they were good enough to do a job when you didn't strengthen in January, how can this situation  therefore not fall on you? 

 

“It’s been difficult for us, because Charlie’s based his game around his technique, whereas Jack is naturally a midfielder, but is at the back for us, due to his height.

“At this stage, Lenihan is the only person who wants to deal with the ball and my job in the summer is to find some players who also want to head the ball out."

So you know we have players playing out of position and you STILL didn't strengthen there in January or the summer before that. Why do you think it's acceptable to then blame these players for this appalling run we are on and not yourself? You're openly admitting they are playing out of position for f8ck sake. 

He's just f7cking irritating me now. Time to move upstairs and give Johnson a go. 

He also said that performances haven't dropped off , he knows we've played well just the results arnt going our way.

That is coyle esque. Shipping four goals a game and the performances haven't dropped and we're playing well. 7 defeats I'm 9. Do me a favour. 

Edited March 20, 2019 by Oldgregg86

[Mattyblue]

44 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

When did he say this? Very peculiar considering Rodwell has mostly player at centre half. How many games has he played midfield, 2? 

In today’s LT, in the article crouching has posted.

[Amo]

It's time for a shake-up from the top down. I understand that some fans want to give Mowbray the benefit of the doubt, since he's the only manager under Venky's to achieve a modicum of "success", albeit bringing us full-circle. For many others, though, the writing is on the wall. Mowbray has run out of ideas and excuses. I wouldn't trust him with a summer rebuild. He's only just twigged that we need a no-nonsense centre-half! 

Mowbray gets a free pass this season for keeping us up. However, if we want to progress instead of going backwards we need new management with fresh ideas and ambitions. We shouldn't fall into the same trap of accepting mediocrity or playing it safe out of fear of change. I know this much, I don't much fancy another season of Teflon Tony blaming everyone under the sun for his own shortcomings as we slink back to League One.

Edited March 20, 2019 by Amo

[tomphil]

16 hours ago, Lie_still_Rover said:

But derogatory that..  He worked his arse off.. Great player. He's going to be another talented player like Rochina, King were.. Slip through the net and go onto bigger and better things.. 

He's a few raw edges to smooth out and fitness to manage but certainly worth keeping around and keeping him involved he at least looks like he's trying to prove a point.

The type of guy who if Preston had signed him in the last couple of years would be doing well by now !

[JHRover]

 

I consider the 'turning point' in our season to have been the double header v Preston and Wigan away back in late November. Up to that Preston game we'd been generally hard to beat (playing 17 league games and impressively only losing 3 games v Bristol, Swansea and Sheffield United).

Since and including Preston away we've played 21 league games. We've won 6 of those v Millwall, Ipswich, Hull, WBA, Wigan and Sheff Wed. We've lost 12 of them.

We've conceded 39 goals and scored 31. We've led in 11 of those games, but only gone on to win 6 of them. Likewise we came from behind at Rotherham and Reading yet immediately let it slip.

However you want to portray it our performance in every facet of the game since the end of November has been poor. The only reason we aren't up to our necks in relegation trouble was some momentum carried over from last season and a 4 game winning streak in January. December, February and March have been extremely poor.

What is clear is that whilst we should survive this season, the fact we are even talking about survival after where we were in January speaks volumes, any continuation of the horrors we've seen since November (effectively 17 out of our last 21 league games ignoring the purple patch in January) and we're going to be in a big mess come next season.

The trouble is that there's no obvious solution. We're struggling in numerous aspects - we're defensively shocking, we're over reliant on 2-3 people to score our goals, we can't hold a lead - so there's numerous areas to work on and over 4 months we've shown we're unable to change it in house - there can be only two solutions - a radical change to coaching methods over the summer - or a change in personnel (playing or coaching) - or sit back, do nothing and hope things work out for the best.

[blueboy3333]

He has to sort his defence out, it's as simple as that. 

Goal scoring isn't a problem for this team, we're 11th highest scorers in the league and only 3 off being 8th top scorers. We've even scored more than freewheeling Frank Lampard's Derby County Football Club. We've scored 14 more than the 5th placed team and more than the teams in 9th and 10th. Even if we only get 1 more goal a game till the end of the season we'll score more than practically every team outside the top 6  did last season did in this league. 

The other side of the coin is we're 3 goals away from having the worst defence in this league. We've conceded 60, Bolton 63 and Rotherham and Ipswich 61 and 62 respectively. The season we went down we only conceded 65. 

For Mowbray to come out and say he knows where the problem is (no shit sherlock!!) only 2 months after saying he would struggle to find better CB's than the 4 he has now is breath taking. He either lied then or he's incompetent. Our CB's are L1 with the exception of Lenihan. Rodwell Williams and Mulgrew are simply not good enough at this level, and that's before we add Bell and Raya to the mix.

So please lets stop with this Mowbray is a man of integrity/honesty BS.  He's nothing of the sort. He'll do whatever it takes avoid responsibility for results, and if that involves publicly throwing his players under the bus then he will.  

Edited March 20, 2019 by blueboy3333

[Angry_Pirate]

34 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

So please lets stop with this Mowbray is a man of integrity/honesty BS.  He's nothing of the sort. He'll do whatever it takes avoid responsibility for results, and if that involves publicly throwing his players under the bus then he will.  

⭐ 

My thoughts precisely.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

3 hours ago, Mercer said:

Some on here advocating Mowbray should be retained in some capacity eg Director of Football.

One simple question - why?

I think Mowbray is a busted flush if he ever was one and has nothing further to offer our club in a football capacity.

Some are saying he needs to change his coaching staff.  It's nonsense - why appointed them, who oversees their work?  The buck stops with Mowbray.

On all footballing fronts, I think Mowbray is failing.  IMO, we are physically and mentally unfit, our team is disorganised, tactically, we are all over the place, in the main our football is primitive and dire and player trading is awful with £10m+ committed on Brereton, Armstrong, Davenport and Rothwell and for what?

As for team spirit. I think we have taken some hammerings this season and performances were desperate.  Where was this much famed team spirit at the likes of Bristol, Preston, Wigan, Brentford to name but a few.

Mowbray prattles on about his values.  Who really gives a feck about his values.  We want decent football, some good results and development and progression for our club.  Let's see where Mowbray's values are should we endure two or three more poor results and performances.  I very much doubt that our man of values and integrity will walk.

 

Not advocating it, I'm being pragmatic with it. I understand that Mowbray isn't leaving unless he wants to and therefore clinging to the hope he will decide to take a DoF role if he accepts he has taken us as far as he can. In reality he has the job for as long as he wants it. 

[booth]

4 hours ago, tomphil said:

So he made this converted midfielder a defender now and put him ahead of a proper tall defender in the pecking order then let that defender go but we have to keep him their because we lack height at the back ?

Oh Tony Tony Tony......

It's a ridiculous excuse he's using when he's had two transfer windows in this league to address the squads shortcomings.

And dropped a massive bollock of a pointless signing in the process.

"Not got the right players for the job..." Signs Ben Brereton.

Well done Tony, that'll do it. Mensa say they'll ring you.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

He has to sort his defence out, it's as simple as that. 

Goal scoring isn't a problem for this team, we're 11th highest scorers in the league and only 3 off being 8th top scorers. We've even scored more than freewheeling Frank Lampard's Derby County Football Club. We've scored 14 more than the 5th placed team and more than the teams in 9th and 10th. Even if we only get 1 more goal a game till the end of the season we'll score more than practically every team outside the top 6  did last season did in this league. 

The other side of the coin is we're 3 goals away from having the worst defence in this league. We've conceded 60, Bolton 63 and Rotherham and Ipswich 61 and 62 respectively. The season we went down we only conceded 65. 

For Mowbray to come out and say he knows where the problem is (no shit sherlock!!) only 2 months after saying he would struggle to find better CB's than the 4 he has now is breath taking. He either lied then or he's incompetent. Our CB's are L1 with the exception of Lenihan. Rodwell Williams and Mulgrew are simply not good enough at this level, and that's before we add Bell and Raya to the mix.

So please lets stop with this Mowbray is a man of integrity/honesty BS.  He's nothing of the sort. He'll do whatever it takes avoid responsibility for results, and if that involves publicly throwing his players under the bus then he will.  

This. 

[Boz]

I'd prefer to think that Rovers might yet again become a football club with integrity/honesty, I'll cling onto this hope. Which includes factoring in if someone has honestly endeavoured to turn around a metaphorical oil tanker that was already taking in water and might perhaps be part way through steering a path to calmer waters, then I'd be prepared to extend them some goodwill, if they hit a mid season squall.  This also includes not changing the manager and/or management every twelve months,  we've been there, which besides costing a fortune in paying out contracts when monies would be better spent on improving the player squad, I would suggest that this footballing model for a Championship club is bust. 

I'm kicking around the thought that it might be the case that it's TM perhaps, who hasn't got the stomach to reinvigorate and reinvent the team to the next level, yet might be prepared to stick around in support of a younger potentially talented coach. This might signify a football club with integrity and decent values. 

If opinions differ then which is BS? 

 

[Bigdoggsteel]

The TM to DOF idea is a good one, but he would have to swallow his pride initially. At the end of the day though, it would be a great role for him with the set up we have here. I wouldn't go as far as saying "job for life" , but much less chance of being fired in that role than as manager, particularly with his relationship to Waggott and the fact the owners like him. 

I think it is safe to say that he sees himself as a manager though, so I can't see him taking another role here. 

[BlackburnEnd75]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

The TM to DOF idea is a good one, but he would have to swallow his pride initially. At the end of the day though, it would be a great role for him with the set up we have here. I wouldn't go as far as saying "job for life" , but much less chance of being fired in that role than as manager, particularly with his relationship to Waggott and the fact the owners like him. 

I think it is safe to say that he sees himself as a manager though, so I can't see him taking another role here. 

DOF usually have a large role in transfers, which hasn't exactly been Mowbrays strength to date. If he's gotta go then get him gone there should be no half way house on this one.

[Ewood Ace]

2 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

The TM to DOF idea is a good one, but he would have to swallow his pride initially. At the end of the day though, it would be a great role for him with the set up we have here. I wouldn't go as far as saying "job for life" , but much less chance of being fired in that role than as manager, particularly with his relationship to Waggott and the fact the owners like him. 

I think it is safe to say that he sees himself as a manager though, so I can't see him taking another role here. 

Given DOF's usually have a role in transfers, I would say that it is a role that would not suit Mowbray as his business in the transfer market has been very average at best. 
People use to say similar about Bowyer (that a DOF role would suit him) I think that it was because much like Mowbray he was a decent bloke who despite the fact he had taken the club as far as he could people didn't want to see him leave the club completely. But at the end of the day football is not a charity and if you want to progress then sometimes you have to be ruthless.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, BlackburnEnd75 said:

DOF usually have a large role in transfers, which hasn't exactly been Mowbrays strength to date. If he's gotta go then get him gone there should be no half way house on this one.

 

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

Given DOF's usually have a role in transfers, I would say that it is a role that would not suit Mowbray as his business in the transfer market has been very average at best. 
People use to say similar about Bowyer (that a DOF role would suit him) I think that it was because much like Mowbray he was a decent bloke who despite the fact he had taken the club as far as he could people didn't want to see him leave the club completely. But at the end of the day football is not a charity and if you want to progress then sometimes you have to be ruthless.

Indeed, but in reality I don't see him walking or being sacked before the start of next season. Do ye? 

[JHRover]

If we are going down the DofF route (which I personally think is the only way with our absentee owners and lack of footballing nous on the board) then the person employed as DofF needs to be someone with experience and gravitas who has done the job elsewhere before. There's loads of people out there who have filled those positions at top European and English clubs. It isn't a job for a rookie or converted manager who fancies a change in career. Even when we seemed to be going down that route with Senior his credentials were dubious.

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, booth said:

It's a ridiculous excuse he's using when he's had two transfer windows in this league to address the squads shortcomings.

And dropped a massive bollock of a pointless signing in the process.

"Not got the right players for the job..." Signs Ben Brereton.

Well done Tony, that'll do it. Mensa say they'll ring you.

I know it's an old conspiracy but to me it's never totally gone away I still believe that we do a certain amount of our business only via certain channels and what they present to Rovers or what they can supply when asked.  Friends of friends in high places and people doing each other favours and i'm not tarring Mowbray with the Kean brush i'm just assuming that it'll be the same for any manager under this ownership.

Aside from that though I reckon the non action of the last window was mainly down to penny pinching again and I think this summer might be revealing. The gaffer will have maybe a million or two to play with and then have to generate his own movement by natural wastage and moving a few on.

As with some assuming there was a separate pot (from somewhere) for the likes of Brereton I believe that it works in reverse for very big transfers out where the majority of the money either disappears or what is left after % is committed to ongoing running costs as it comes in forming part of future seasonal overall budgets to run the club.

In short if he shifts someone for a million he'll get that million but if he shits someone for ten million he'll probably still only get a million !

Edited March 20, 2019 by tomphil

[BlackburnEnd75]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

 

Indeed, but in reality I don't see him walking or being sacked before the start of next season. Do ye? 

Thats the worry, He walked away at Coventry but he had a set goal there and didn't think he could achieve it. I bet he stills thinks he could turn this around so doubt he would do so here. I've no idea whether the Venkys would sack him before the start of next season. My guess is not.

[Don Said]

Just now, tomphil said:

In short if he shifts someone for a million he'll get that million but if he shits someone for ten million he'll probably still only get a million !

Wish I could shit £10,000,000 footballers out. What a high yield cash cow that'd be.