John Eustace - our head coach

[jim mk2]

1 hour ago, Upside Down said:

Just saw that and was about to post the same.

JDT? He's dead to me now. - Chaddy, February 9th 2024

 

JDT is the coaching god who had Rovers playing the beautiful game, the man on high who must never be challenged

Until suddenly, he wasn't

Now it's John Eustace and his set-piece coach and his new way of playing. Tis written on stone in chaddyland 

We've all been warned

[bluebruce]

6 hours ago, 47er said:

How the hell can "set piece specialist" be a well-paid and full-time job? World's gone mad!

Well I believe he's the Assistant Head Coach, so that's not his whole job. He just clearly has some aptitude with it. Tbh if someone could improve our set pieces I'd be happy for it to be their job anyway, it's been a real weak point.

[KentExile]

9 hours ago, 47er said:

How the hell can "set piece specialist" be a well-paid and full-time job? World's gone mad!

Hypothetically, what would it take for you to change your mind on that? 

If we scored from 5 set pieces in a season... probably not, but 10?  30?

 

Edited February 12 by KentExile

[arbitro]

If this new bloke is a set piece specialist let's hope he sees the value of leaving a couple of players upfield when the opposition have corners and free-kicks they are putting into the box. For the life in me I can't see the value of the likes of Dolan or Markanday defending crosses. Also it means the opposition have to leave at least one spare player back to mark them.

[Upside Down]

7 minutes ago, arbitro said:

If this new bloke is a set piece specialist let's hope he sees the value of leaving a couple of players upfield when the opposition have corners and free-kicks they are putting into the box. For the life in me I can't see the value of the likes of Dolan or Markanday defending crosses. Also it means the opposition have to leave at least one spare player back to mark them.

I will never ever understand not leaving players on the halfway line. 

[Mattyblue]

‘The data says’

[toogs]

computer says no

[RoversClitheroe]

Brittains comments in press rather telling.

As @glen9mullan mentioned (I think) JDT had lost the dressing room sadly.

I think JDT was a fantastic manager, but he had flaws in terms of he was stubborn in how he wanted to play, whereas in the Championship where there is less money, you need to adapt to the players and situation you are in.

[davulsukur]

2 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Brittains comments in press rather telling.

As @glen9mullan mentioned (I think) JDT had lost the dressing room sadly.

I think JDT was a fantastic manager, but he had flaws in terms of he was stubborn in how he wanted to play, whereas in the Championship where there is less money, you need to adapt to the players and situation you are in.

Agreed. Just read that interview with Brittain. Certainly seems like the players weren't 100% on board with what JDT wanted them to do.

[Tricky]

7 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Brittains comments in press rather telling.

yeah would be expecting such comments to come from the captain but i guess the softie would be too conscious of upsetting JDT

 

[joey_big_nose]

5 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Agreed. Just read that interview with Brittain. Certainly seems like the players weren't 100% on board with what JDT wanted them to do.

I imagine they were on board  when it was going well, then after sixth/seventh horrendous result in a row started to question how we were playing. Always the way.

I guess by the time we went to West Brom away and JDT was still telling them they need to overload the channels, recycle the ball instead of crossing it in etc there would have been some very skeptical and dejected expressions in the dressing room.

I hope Eustace has a flexible approach. Certainly seems that way from his writeups.

[jim mk2]

22 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Brittains comments in press rather telling.

As @glen9mullan mentioned (I think) JDT had lost the dressing room sadly.

I think JDT was a fantastic manager, but he had flaws in terms of he was stubborn in how he wanted to play, whereas in the Championship where there is less money, you need to adapt to the players and situation you are in.

 

"Lost the dressing room" and "players not playing for the manager" are old cliches but they are still relevant and sum up the last few months of Tomasson's reign. A player will in most cases give 100% every time through professional pride but when they're being badly managed or don't believe in a manager's philosophy, as Rovers clearly were, it has an effect on even the best players. 

[Tugayisgod]

11 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

I imagine they were on board  when it was going well, then after sixth/seventh horrendous result in a row started to question how we were playing. Always the way.

I guess by the time we went to West Brom away and JDT was still telling them they need to overload the channels, recycle the ball instead of crossing it in etc there would have been some very skeptical and dejected expressions in the dressing room.

I hope Eustace has a flexible approach. Certainly seems that way from his writeups.

Seems to remember Broughton saying whoever replaced JDT would have the same footballing principles.

After 1 game it looks like that has gone out of the window already

[wilsdenrover]

20 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

"Lost the dressing room" and "players not playing for the manager" are old cliches but they are still relevant and sum up the last few months of Tomasson's reign. A player will in most cases give 100% every time through professional pride but when they're being badly managed or don't believe in a manager's philosophy, as Rovers clearly were, it has an effect on even the best players. 

That effect isn’t always a conscious one either.

[bluebruce]

5 hours ago, arbitro said:

If this new bloke is a set piece specialist let's hope he sees the value of leaving a couple of players upfield when the opposition have corners and free-kicks they are putting into the box. For the life in me I can't see the value of the likes of Dolan or Markanday defending crosses. Also it means the opposition have to leave at least one spare player back to mark them.

Might be some bad news for you there. Someone posted an article that talked about Eustace's time at Kidderminster, where Gardiner was Head of Coaching (but not Head Coach 😛 ) and they used to put their entire team in the box to defend corners. Maybe he's changed his approach since then...

[wilsdenrover]

27 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Might be some bad news for you there. Someone posted an article that talked about Eustace's time at Kidderminster, where Gardiner was Head of Coaching (but not Head Coach 😛 ) and they used to put their entire team in the box to defend corners. Maybe he's changed his approach since then...

https://www.bcfc.com/news/all/matt-gardiner-players-integral-to-set-play-success

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

5 hours ago, Upside Down said:

I will never ever understand not leaving players on the halfway line. 

It’s the modern way. I don’t like it, put Dolan on the half way line and they’d have to bring back at least one player, probably two, to defend with him. He’s more good there than in our box. How many pens have you seen given away by forwards trying to defend set pieces in the penalty area ? It also means the keeper is surrounded by almost two full teams and the chances of him ever getting a clean clearance on the ball is nil.

[LDRover]

16 hours ago, 47er said:

How the hell can "set piece specialist" be a well-paid and full-time job? World's gone mad!

Rovers like to spread them thinly. For instance Pongo Lowe doesn't just sort the bibs and cones out he frightens off the rats and unlocks the shithouses.

[Mattyblue]

6 minutes ago, LDRover said:

Rovers like to spread them thinly. For instance Pongo Lowe doesn't just sort the bibs and cones out he frightens off the rats and unlocks the shithouses.

He was also down to be Chief Ball Fisher for when we were back at Pleasy post them flogging off Brockhall.

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, wilsdenrover said:

https://www.bcfc.com/news/all/matt-gardiner-players-integral-to-set-play-success

Doesn't say whether they were cramming their box when defending set pieces, but interesting nonetheless. I guess it's easy to have some of the best stats for defending them if everyone is in the box if that's what they were doing, but it doesn't tell the full story that there will be less counter attacks as a result. Also, given our team of oompa loompas, it might not be as effective a tactic here!

[NeilInBristol]

And the difference between JDT and JE...

 

"All I can effect is what's on the pitch"

 

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/24114896.eustace-blackburn-rovers-ownership-no-excuse-culture/

[davulsukur]

4 hours ago, wilsdenrover said:

https://www.bcfc.com/news/all/matt-gardiner-players-integral-to-set-play-success

We've been absolutely woeful with attacking and defending set pieces for the last 5 seasons (at least) 

Mulgrew for a couple of seasons is about as good as we've been.

But generally, free kicks and corners have been dire.

So, good to see we will pay some attention to set pieces for a change.

[Upside Down]

47 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

We've been absolutely woeful with attacking and defending set pieces for the last 5 seasons (at least) 

Mulgrew for a couple of seasons is about as good as we've been.

But generally, free kicks and corners have been dire.

So, good to see we will pay some attention to set pieces for a change.

We couldn't even take a throw in when mogga was here.

[martonrover]

55 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

And the difference between JDT and JE...

 

"All I can effect is what's on the pitch"

 

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/24114896.eustace-blackburn-rovers-ownership-no-excuse-culture/

“My job is to coach the team and get as many points as possible”.

Well, John, the latter would certainly be a refreshing change of priorities for the club.

[Hasta]

“I had a fantastic time at Birmingham and I’ll go back and see a lot of friends and all the players. It’s a great club but Blackburn Rovers is the future now and I can’t wait to go there with Rovers and put on a good performance.

*New manager calls us Rovers alert*

Edited February 12 by Hasta