Apparently someone loves us ❤️❤️

[tomphil]

VLL, VH Group, Venky's, The Rao's, Balaji,  Balaji's son, Madam & Mr D,  A raft of hidden agents or Akon ?

Nobody knows who actually calls the shots or runs the club so i suppose 'the owners' just covers all bases.

[Darwen Rover 007]

Something that is interesting and I think speaks volumes is that seems only Dolan has actually gone on record to say anything about his previous boss..? And let's be honest Dolan is just an all round ultra nice guy! 

[Butty]

12 minutes ago, Darwen Rover 007 said:

Something that is interesting and I think speaks volumes is that seems only Dolan has actually gone on record to say anything about his previous boss..? And let's be honest Dolan is just an all round ultra nice guy! 

A lot of the players have posted on instagram, Kaminski Elliott Reed Adarabaiyo Dack Benno Armstrong Buckley to name a few. I wish what you were saying was right but unfortunately it’s not 😂 not that a meaningless thank you on there instagram stories means all that much. 

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, roverblue said:

It feels like the right time for rovers and Tony to move on. I really fear for what comes next though and who and how long it takes to get someone in. We start next season in 8 weeks and need so much in place before then…

Just over 11 weeks I make it.

[Upside Down]

8 hours ago, Angry_Pirate said:

Can you repost this? 

I want to like it again. 

[USABlue]

9 hours ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Feels like it deserves its own thread!

CLUB STATEMENT: TONY MOWBRAY

Well thank god.  Kills the last part of my "all planned out theory" BUT just cos I got the last bit wrong does not mean I was wrong with the other stuff....... does it?  

Now come in Venkies make me look an even bigger idiot go and hire a good manager.  Go on I dare you.

[USABlue]

9 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

Bowyer - the one with a worse win percentage than Mowbray with a squad including the likes of Paul Robinson, Grant Hanley, Josh King, David Dunn, Tom Cariney, Jordan Rhodes, Ben Marshall, Shane Duffy and Rudy Gestede. Should have been getting promoted with that squad.

Wow, put like that he really should have done better.  Almost everyone of those players walks into our first team, assuming their form at that time not now .

[matt83]

Bowyer wasn’t good enough. Mowbray wasn’t good enough. The next bloke might be worse than both of them but whatever comes next the fact remains the Venkys have still only managed to find substandard managers

[DE.]

Bowyer was also a rookie taking on his first proper managerial position. Mowbray had over a decade of first team management experience when he showed up here. For some reason that part is routinely ignored when comparisons are made between the two. 

[Miller11]

9 hours ago, Butty said:

A lot of the players have posted on instagram, Kaminski Elliott Reed Adarabaiyo Dack Benno Armstrong Buckley to name a few. I wish what you were saying was right but unfortunately it’s not 😂 not that a meaningless thank you on there instagram stories means all that much. 

I saw the Bennett one. Hardly surprising he was grateful give the extended Championship career he got. Mowbray rewarded him way beyond his ability for too long to the detriment of Blackburn Rovers.

[moerpho]

I feel there is too much animosity towards Mowbrays stint as manager for Rovers. Knowing next to nothing about deals (or lack off) made behind closed doors I still get a feeling that Mowbray "steadied the ship" during his tenure. Correct if I'm wrong but:

° after he came in I got the feeling we did pay less to agents (think Rochina etc)

° he did some questionable signings, but at least some of them paid off...or will pay off

° he introduced more young players than those before him

° and finally and most apt: he did a better job than those before him

To be clear I could gave spent hours talking about his tactical shortcomings, confounding and confusing interviews with the press etc. But much like Souness (but not close!!!) I will try and remember Mowbray for the good times rather than the bad. We prayed for him to leave - now he is gone.

Thank you for your service, Mr. Mowbray. Just hope the next manager is an upgrade and not a downgrade. Now...rip me a new one. COYB!

[Admiral Nelsen]

3 hours ago, DE. said:

Bowyer was also a rookie taking on his first proper managerial position. Mowbray had over a decade of first team management experience when he showed up here. For some reason that part is routinely ignored when comparisons are made between the two. 

 

I think that's fair - Bowyer was literally a youth coach before getting the top job. Well down the pecking order.

But when you get the top job you need to be held to the same standard. Bowyer can be proud of what he managed with the lack of any real experience, but the eventual underperformance under him after he steadied the ship is still hurting us now. 

[islander200]

18 minutes ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

 

I think that's fair - Bowyer was literally a youth coach before getting the top job. Well down the pecking order.

But when you get the top job you need to be held to the same standard. Bowyer can be proud of what he managed with the lack of any real experience, but the eventual underperformance under him after he steadied the ship is still hurting us now. 

The transfer embargo didn't help Bowyer one bit.He had to navigate an embargo through 2 or 3 windows.

He finished 8th in his second season here, it took Mowbray 5 seasons to do that.

When not under an embargo Bowyer did some very good work in the transfer market Cairney, Gestede, Duffy brought in for next to nothing.All sold on for  profits.

 

[Admiral Nelsen]

3 minutes ago, islander200 said:

The transfer embargo didn't help Bowyer one bit.He had to navigate an embargo through 2 or 3 windows.

He finished 8th in his second season here, it took Mowbray 5 seasons to do that.

When not under an embargo Bowyer did some very good work in the transfer market Cairney, Gestede, Duffy brought in for next to nothing.All sold on for  profits.

 

 

Don't get me wrong, his work in the transfer market (when we still had a bit of money to spend too) was exceptional in the early seasons. In fact it was so good that we definitely should have finished in the play offs with the squad he assembled.

 

His transfers when under the embargo were not of the same standard, sadly, although I don't really blame him for that. It was more not getting the most of the squad available before the embargo. Two strikers who scored over 20 goals, two centre backs who have gone on to play more than their fare share of premierleague football, Cairney who drove Fulham to their first promotion. Josh King who despite barely featuring went on to have a very good prem career. A massively missed opportunity, with a better team than we've had this year in my view. 

[DE.]

11 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Mowbray had a net spend of £2m. Excludes what Brereton will go for, and what Dack was likely to go for before his ACL.

Mowbray's transfer market activities were generally very good, I thought. It was game management, fanciful tactics, chopping and changing, and flakey defence which ultimately cost him.

I don't see why he doesn't fancy a Director of Football role. I think he'd be quite good at it.

He obviously still thinks he has a lot left in the tank as a manager. He's a proper football man so probably enjoys the training and match preparation more than he would the duties of a DoF. I think Kenny was the same which he why he didn't last long when he moved upstairs for us, and was soon back in the dugout.

With Bowyer I've always said he overperformed on a personal level but the club as a whole underperformed, partially because we had a manager who was still learning his trade and struggling to rectify glaringly obvious issues like central midfield, as well as being inflexible tactically. Ultimately as far as our failures are concerned, however, all roads lead back to Pune.

[Mattyblue]

3 hours ago, goozburger said:

I don't see why he doesn't fancy a Director of Football role. I think he'd be quite good at it.

Nah, that’s going to be Venus’ role, the shit that won’t flush, from Sharpe in the LT…

‘Venus has worked alongside Mowbray throughout his career, but has stayed on after Mowbray’s departure, including at his previous club, Coventry City.

He has worked closely with current head of recruitment Park, and previous incumbent Stuart Harvey, and while his time as assistant manager may come to an end, there is the prospect of him staying on in a different capacity.

It is understood that Venus’ contractual situation is separate to that of Mowbray, who said he couldn’t speak for his assistant when asked of his future.’

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, goozburger said:

Farke had a Director of Football at Norwich. I can't name him without searching, so maybe case in point!

Stuart Webber is the man at Norwich who is appointed Daniel Farke. He is director of football there. 

He also appointed David Wagner at Huddersfield. 

[Tom]

Good luck Tony, it’s been a journey, and enjoyable more than not 

Hope we get some real news soon or it may be a long drip feed of the club tweeting out slightly different pics of ‘the gaffer’ over the summer

[tomphil]

40 minutes ago, goozburger said:

I think Nixon has the scenario spot on with what he said in the co-interview with Bayes.

Mowbray jumped the gun by saying (or even hinting) he was leaving. The rules of engagement were to discuss the situation at the end of the season, but Mowbray played his hand early, possibly to make it look as though it was his decision, and his instigation, rather than Venkys'.

That's probably why there was a period of silence from the club in the last couple of weeks. We know Venkys are slow, but I really think Mowbray violated a gentleman's agreement here. If you think about it, it's got many on here having sympathy with Mowbray about being treated awfully by the club, and is a bit of a parting shot (also see sudden petulant comments about the hierarchy).

I think Mowbray is really hurt at not being offered a new contract in January. It's easy to beat Venkys with a stick over this, but I'm beginning to think Mowbray has manipulated the situation as an act of self-preservation. I still think he's done a good job considering where we were five years ago after Coyle, and where we were heading, but I think all this hype about him having integrity, honesty, loyalty, etc., are now looking wide of the mark. Shame, but I suppose it's irrelevant, now.

A perfect take on the situation, you could sense his umbridge at not being thrown a contract months ago.

End of the day it'll be both sides equally at fault but it's still up to the CEO to take charge of things like this.  At Ewood though it's every man for himself, he could have told Mowbray to button it in no uncertain terms.

Or he could have come on and backed his man.

[bigbrandjohn]

I agree with the logic. As I mentioned before, Mowbray “did a Warburton” to flesh out the situation. 
 

Never a good move to make bosses lose face. In my view, if he had played a straight bat and waited for “the owners” to pot him, he might have garnered even more sympathy/respect. 
 

It’s a shame. He deserved a better send off for righting a sinking ship and bringing in players of value. Most managers make daft player selections in fans eyes. He was not an exception. 
 

His crime is that he is seen as a trifle dull. The truth is most high energy managers crash and burn after a while and cost the club a fortune. Our most successful manager was one of the quietest. 

I wish you well Tony. 

[AllRoverAsia]

4 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Nah, that’s going to be Venus’ role, the shit that won’t flush, from Sharpe in the LT…

‘Venus has worked alongside Mowbray throughout his career, but has stayed on after Mowbray’s departure, including at his previous club, Coventry City.

He has worked closely with current head of recruitment Park, and previous incumbent Stuart Harvey, and while his time as assistant manager may come to an end, there is the prospect of him staying on in a different capacity.

It is understood that Venus’ contractual situation is separate to that of Mowbray, who said he couldn’t speak for his assistant when asked of his future.’

I thought Mowbray had said Park was leaving?

Venus and Waggott have unfinished business down Brockhall.

[joey_big_nose]

Mowbray was a reasonable manager tbh. Did okay in a club run by absolute numpties. Some good signings, some bad. Good runs, bad runs.

If he was pitching up at another club and a fan asked me what theyre in for I would say youve got a solid manager who will do his best and build a competitive mid table side. But he isn't going to revolutionise your team's fortunes. Though I suspect under good invested ownership with a plan he might do a bit better than at Rovers (as any manager would) but we will see.

Anyway, think he did his best, enjoyable periods, seem like a good guy, brought through a lot of youth. All the best for the future Tony.

He should use his time off to figure out how to address his side's awful habit of death spirals.

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, AllRoverAsia said:

I thought Mowbray had said Park was leaving?

Venus and Waggott have unfinished business down Brockhall.

That's a real worry there's no way something won't happen with the remaining fixed asset and the potential move of the STC.

At least with Vs transferring the other site it keeps these two off it or any of their pals getting their hands on it. Unless they have a spare 16/20 million.

Edited May 12, 2022 by tomphil

[DeeCee]

1 hour ago, joey_big_nose said:

Mowbray was a reasonable manager tbh. Did okay in a club run by absolute numpties. Some good signings, some bad. Good runs, bad runs.

If he was pitching up at another club and a fan asked me what theyre in for I would say youve got a solid manager who will do his best and build a competitive mid table side. But he isn't going to revolutionise your team's fortunes. Though I suspect under good invested ownership with a plan he might do a bit better than at Rovers (as any manager would) but we will see.

Anyway, think he did his best, enjoyable periods, seem like a good guy, brought through a lot of youth. All the best for the future Tony.

He should use his time off to figure out how to address his side's awful habit of death spirals.

ish 

 

[RevidgeBlue]

13 hours ago, goozburger said:

I think Nixon has the scenario spot on with what he said in the co-interview with Bayes.

Mowbray jumped the gun by saying (or even hinting) he was leaving. The rules of engagement were to discuss the situation at the end of the season, but Mowbray played his hand early, possibly to make it look as though it was his decision, and his instigation, rather than Venkys'.

That's probably why there was a period of silence from the club in the last couple of weeks. We know Venkys are slow, but I really think Mowbray violated a gentleman's agreement here. If you think about it, it's got many on here having sympathy with Mowbray about being treated awfully by the club, and is a bit of a parting shot (also see sudden petulant comments about the hierarchy).

I think Mowbray is really hurt at not being offered a new contract in January. It's easy to beat Venkys with a stick over this, but I'm beginning to think Mowbray has manipulated the situation as an act of self-preservation. I still think he's done a good job considering where we were five years ago after Coyle, and where we were heading, but I think all this hype about him having integrity, honesty, loyalty, etc., are now looking wide of the mark. Shame, but I suppose it's irrelevant, now.

This is exactly what I've been saying all along, the situation was completely created and  stage managed by Mowbray imo.

Delighted he's gone, three and a half  years too late for me,  but better late than never. Those bottles of Aldi champagne will be getting a road trip now.

Far less delighted Venus, Waggott and Lowe don't appear to be following him out of the door. Who of any calibre is going to want to work with those deadbeats? And what happened to Waggott's widely mooted retirement? Hard to escape the conclusion that they're determined not to go until the bulldozers have moved in on Brockhall.

The other worrying thing is that reading between the lines we don't even seem to have given Mowbray's replacement any thought, let alone lined up a high class replacement in the Farke bracket.

Still, it's a start, and let's be grateful for small mercies etc etc.