Lancashire Telegraph

[Stuart]

Just now, K-Hod said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/17989085.saturday-turning-point-rovers/?action=success#comments-feedback-anchor

Simon Smith, this site's favourite son, even skirting around the issue that Mowbray's time is up....

It’s all the players fault and poor hapless Mowbray has to take responsibility.

There are no managers out there better than Mowbray.

Actually no, it’s Venus’ fault (maybe even Lambert’s still!).

That really is some barrel scraping right there.

Mowbray selects the players. Mowbray chose his back room staff, even promoted the guy. I’m surprised the finger wasn’t pointed at Damien Johnson (another few games before that one perhaps).

Trying to convince fellow fans that there is no manager in world football ‘superior’ to Mowbray is delusional in the extreme (Is anyone at the club even contemplating a change? They should be). Does this fella have a mandate to put a positive spin on everything Rover no matter how controversial? If so, bravo. If not, then he really is a one-off, so it’s a shame that he will be seen by many as the voice of the fans.

[Mattyblue]

We all have opinions on what Mowbray should do and my first one is to ask Mark Venus what exactly he offers the club besides a jarring reminder of Paul Lambert?

He seems to evade any of the criticism.

Some serious mental gymnastics going on to absolve TM there. Why should the assistant manager be singled out? And the fairly low profile coach that is MV gives a ‘jarring reminder of Paul Lambert’, how exactly?

Players, Venus, who next to blame apart from, ya know, the manager? The PA announcer? Groundsman?

Edited October 24, 2019 by Mattyblue

[JHRover]

Just now, Stuart said:

It’s all the players fault and poor hapless Mowbray has to take responsibility.

There are no managers out there better than Mowbray.

Actually no, it’s Venus’ fault (maybe even Lambert’s still!).

That really is some barrel scraping right there.

Mowbray selects the players. Mowbray chose his back room staff, even promoted the guy. I’m surprised the finger wasn’t pointed at Damien Johnson (another few games before that one perhaps).

Trying to convince fellow fans that there is no manager in world football ‘superior’ to Mowbray is delusional in the extreme (Is anyone at the club even contemplating a change? They should be). Does this fella have a mandate to put a positive spin on everything Rover no matter how controversial? If so, bravo. If not, then he really is a one-off, so it’s a shame that he will be seen by many as the voice of the fans.

Delusional indeed.

I went to the shareholders meeting at Ewood in September which Waggott and Cheston hosted and took questions.

The impression I got from Waggott was that he thought Mowbray was the best thing since sliced bread. He even came out with a comment that the club needs more fans supporting it to be able to 'keep hold' of people like Tony Mowbray e.g. we are lucky to have him and will struggle to keep him.

Bonkers but no wonder really. Everyone down there at Ewood probably quite happy with the status quo and probably pay little attention to things like results and performances. 

[K-Hod]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

We all have opinions on what Mowbray should do and my first one is to ask Mark Venus what exactly he offers the club besides a jarring reminder of Paul Lambert?

He seems to evade any of the criticism.

Some serious mental gymnastics going on to absolve TM there. Why should the assistant manager be singled out? And the fairly low profile coach that is MV gives a ‘jarring reminder of Paul Lambert’, how exactly?

Players, Venus, who next to blame apart from, ya know, the manager? The PA announcer? Groundsman?

Come on, Matty! He's never going to admit that the people on 'negative BRFCS' might have had a point!

[Stuart]

Just now, JHRover said:

Delusional indeed.

I went to the shareholders meeting at Ewood in September which Waggott and Cheston hosted and took questions.

The impression I got from Waggott was that he thought Mowbray was the best thing since sliced bread. He even came out with a comment that the club needs more fans supporting it to be able to 'keep hold' of people like Tony Mowbray e.g. we are lucky to have him and will struggle to keep him.

Bonkers but no wonder really. Everyone down there at Ewood probably quite happy with the status quo and probably pay little attention to things like results and performances. 

This perpetuates the idea that Rovers are a small town club who are lucky to be in the Championship. Struggle to keep him? Who else is knocking the door down. We reduced that bloke’s career.

Get out of our club!

[tomphil]

A lot of managers hamstring themselves by bringing their mates in as no 2 s. Just because they are their mates and they trust them on a personal level rather than what they bring to the actual football table.

Silly really you should surround yourself with the best people for the actual jobs i'm sure there's still even room for a mate as a cones and bibs man if you get yourself a really good couple of coaches.

[G Somerset Rover]

5 hours ago, K-Hod said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/17989085.saturday-turning-point-rovers/?action=success#comments-feedback-anchor

Simon Smith, this site's favourite son, even skirting around the issue that Mowbray's time is up....

Fantastic insight as to why nobody could do a better job than Mowbray there from Smith... 

[tomphil]

He wouldn't have kept that gig for so long if he wasn't part of the propaganda machine he's fooking painful for putting one sided spin on things.

Time for a long overdue change there as well.

[Blue blood]

1 hour ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Fantastic insight as to why nobody could do a better job than Mowbray there from Smith... 

Shame nobody told Millwall or Huddersfield there were no better candidates out there...

[Pedro]

7 minutes ago, Blue blood said:

Shame nobody told Millwall or Huddersfield there were no better candidates out there...

Exactly. Why is it people see past what a privilege it would be to manage us and there would be no shortage of applicants? Sure the Venkys aren't ideal but we are still Blackburn Rovers with a hell of a lot going for us. If anything, with their continued absence, our stock must be rising because they have given funds, not sold off the best players since the shelfy days, the academy is producing  and they have given Mowbray a very fair crack of the whip.

[JHRover]

Oldest trick in the book is to argue against a managerial change because 'who could we realistically get?' or 'nobody better out there' 

If that attitude was followed at every club then nobody would ever improve or escape relegation.

There are always improvements out there. Key is finding them. When you've got an incompetent and disinterested ownership and management structure and shop purely on the bargain aisle then you end up interviewing Russell Slade and appointing Owen Coyle.

When you have some nous and ambition you end up unearthing people like Wagner, Farke and Cowley. Huddersfield could have accepted their lot in life and stuck with Chris Powell and battled relegation every year. They didn't, they wanted better and pulled off a masterstroke.

 

[Mashed Potatoes]

Just now, JHRover said:

Oldest trick in the book is to argue against a managerial change because 'who could we realistically get?' or 'nobody better out there' 

If that attitude was followed at every club then nobody would ever improve or escape relegation.

There are always improvements out there. Key is finding them. When you've got an incompetent and disinterested ownership and management structure and shop purely on the bargain aisle then you end up interviewing Russell Slade and appointing Owen Coyle.

When you have some nous and ambition you end up unearthing people like Wagner, Farke and Cowley. Huddersfield could have accepted their lot in life and stuck with Chris Powell and battled relegation every year. They didn't, they wanted better and pulled off a masterstroke.

 

As you say, the key is finding them . Do you see Venkys managing to do that given their track record ? Even if they did would we be a more attractive proposition than other clubs who might come calling for the individual in question ? Cowley is reputed to have demanded and got a salary package of £1m a year before he would go to Huddersfield but can you imagine Venkys being prepared to pay that ?

[Mattyblue]

Then we stay as we are, a club in suspended animation for evermore, as these owners don’t look to be going anytime soon.

 

[Mashed Potatoes]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Then we stay as we are, a club in suspended animation for evermore, as these owners don’t look to be going anytime soon.

 

Unless we get lucky with Mowbray's approach yielding results or a new Messiah appearing as manager that nobody could realistically have forecast then you are correct

[LDRover]

Just now, Mashed Potatoes said:

As you say, the key is finding them . Do you see Venkys managing to do that given their track record ? Even if they did would we be a more attractive proposition than other clubs who might come calling for the individual in question ? Cowley is reputed to have demanded and got a salary package of £1m a year before he would go to Huddersfield but can you imagine Venkys being prepared to pay that ?

Probably about as likely as them shelling out 12 million for 2 non scoring strikers.

[Stuart]

Just now, Mashed Potatoes said:

Unless we get lucky with Mowbray's approach yielding results or a new Messiah appearing as manager that nobody could realistically have forecast then you are correct

Doesn’t need to be a messiah. Mowbray is a very very average Championship manager.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Just now, LDRover said:

Probably about as likely as them shelling out 12 million for 2 non scoring strikers.

We will probably have to agree to differ. I get the impression that they are prepared to shell out on assets on which they think they can turn a profit but do not believe in paying above the normal going rate for employees like managers.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Just now, Stuart said:

Doesn’t need to be a messiah. Mowbray is a very very average Championship manager.

Unfortunately very very average is the best they have done so far after nine years and four of their appointments were much worse than that

[Blue blood]

Just now, Mashed Potatoes said:

As you say, the key is finding them . Do you see Venkys managing to do that given their track record ?

No and this is the only reason for potentially not changing. I still would despite the risks as we are only heading one way under TM. But it's a different kettle of fish there not being any better than unlikely to get better. Aside from being realistic about the current manager it means there is a chance albeit unlikely that we could improve. Or get just as good, which given TM is spiraling a new broom would arguably be better for us, even if not a huge upgrade in quality.  

 

Even if they did would we be a more attractive proposition than other clubs who might come calling for the individual in question ? Cowley is reputed to have demanded and got a salary package of £1m a year before he would go to Huddersfield but can you imagine Venkys being prepared to pay that ?

 

Yes! Aside from being a relatively big club in the overall football pyramid - bigger than league 1 downwards and some championship teams - we have basket case owners which has a plus side of a ready made excuse and no harm to the rep if fails. That makes us attractive as does a competitive transfer budget and wages, no targets or expectations, placid fans, comparisons to the dross beforehand giving them lots of leeway and some very easily fixable issues all of which make Rovers look good to a manager. 

[JHRover]

The manager is the most important position at any club. For owners flushing £15 million a year down the drain I'd say shelling out on a quality manager who might get us up is a worthwhile investment if serious about promotion. Sadly I don't think they are, so they will try and do it on the cheap and get nowhere.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Just now, JHRover said:

The manager is the most important position at any club. For owners flushing £15 million a year down the drain I'd say shelling out on a quality manager who might get us up is a worthwhile investment if serious about promotion. Sadly I don't think they are, so they will try and do it on the cheap and get nowhere.

Agreed. And unfortunately I think your final sentence is correct as to how they would proceed.

[Stuart]

4 minutes ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Unfortunately very very average is the best they have done so far after nine years and four of their appointments were much worse than that

Some truth in that. Their last three managers have at least had championship pedigree.

We do need fresh ideas though. Having watched his teams play I would be happy with Damien Johnson getting the gig til the end of the season.

[Pedro]

2 hours ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Unfortunately very very average is the best they have done so far after nine years and four of their appointments were much worse than that

Bowyer was a good one, but just like now, the time for change has come.

[Pedro]

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

Some truth in that. Their last three managers have at least had championship pedigree.

We do need fresh ideas though. Having watched his teams play I would be happy with Damien Johnson getting the gig til the end of the season.

I'd rather gamble on him than stick with what we've got. It just has that Brian Kidd feel at the moment. All talk, lots of injuries and poor results.

[47er]

The Club feels like its dying, somebody please do something.