Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[Penwortham Blue]

As I posted on the earlier thread, not  excited by the appointment but not disappointed either, he did a really good job at Barnsley. Let’s hope he gets a fantastic 15 game response and takes us up and in doing so, delivers the perfect opportunity for Venkys to finally exit our club.

[DE.]

If anybody wants one of their recent posts from the previous thread moved to this one, send me a DM and I'll do the necessary. 

[simongarnerisgod]

4 minutes ago, martonrover said:

Will he b*ggery, (unless he takes us up and someone else Cherry picks him).

No-one is forefeiting that kind of dough.

It could be fun, because he looks like a sergeant major type, as opposed to Eustace’s arm around the shoulder.

Will ruffle a few feathers, I reckon 🙂 

don`t know if you`ve been in antartica for the last few years,we`ve seen two decent managers go because they are dealing with *****,i don`t see  ismael being any different ,especially when the promised budget for players in the summer does`nt materialise

[moerpho]

I was ok with JDT, negative towards Eustace and a bit deflated now. Don’t really know what to think. Seems like he ticks a couple of boxes, but nothing to really make him different from the herd. What he has to bring to the table remains to be seen, but I think he deserves a fair chance. After all we kinda used to be the club where wounded soldiers came to heal and grow so I feel we should give this guy a fair chance to prove his worth. It all comes down to how he interacts with the players and treat the system put in place by Eustace. Will be interesting to see how the players respond to the change. New manager bounce please! 

[unleaded]

Decent appointment for me … Got a mixture of JDT & Eustace … I like my managers like Souness & Hughes who are leaders and are not pally with the players to an extent……

He’s a decent age too as not too old & not too young like Gary O ‘Neil types …Got plenty championship experience

Hopefully he doesn’t look like the one who expects his defenders to play tippy tappy at the back which gives me kittens … we just don’t have the quality of player to pull that off ……..Plays attacking football further up so that excites ……Good luck to him …

[martonrover]

1 minute ago, simongarnerisgod said:

don`t know if you`ve been in antartica for the last few years,we`ve seen two decent managers go because they are dealing with *****,i don`t see  ismael being any different ,especially when the promised budget for players in the summer does`nt materialise

Where is he going, unless we go up?

JDT and Eustace had places to go to.

He’ll stick it out for a good while imo.

[Hasta]

Pretty disappointed. Well down my list of preferred candidates from those linked. 

However several of you will be pleased to know I will “give him a chance”

[Waggy76]

Good luck Valerian, you are going to need it!! 

Don't trust Waggott, Pasha and the owners.. 

 

[DuffsLeftPeg]

Welcome Ismael!

King of The North (West)

Slaying all before him with Valerian Steel!

COYB 🌹

Edited 16 hours ago by DuffsLeftPeg

[Blue blood]

A couple of thoughts. 

Firstly we've lost two good managers because of behind the scenes issues and working environment. All of which makes it pretty meaningless as to who is appointed. They'll ultimately fail or get hacked off in the adverse conditions - it won't end well. 

Secondly I've thought Ismael a decent candidate for a while. Not great but decent. West Brom did worse without him and the 5 subs rule should help him do with us what he did with Barnsley. Would have taken a look at him, albeit not as preferred candidate if we were a normal club. In fact the fact Venkys/Swag has chosen him is probably one of my biggest gripes against him, since they get most things wrong! 

Regardless of ranging from could have been worse to a dark horse ultimately we know how it ends with us. The saga continues. 

 

 

[simongarnerisgod]

2 minutes ago, martonrover said:

Where is he going, unless we go up?

JDT and Eustace had places to go to.

He’ll stick it out for a good while imo.

jdt and eustace covertly engineered their own way out,expect ismael to do the same or he could sacked after a right old outburst at the toxic mob who run us😀

[...]

3 minutes ago, unleaded said:

Decent appointment for me … Got a mixture of JDT & Eustace … I like my managers like Souness & Hughes who are leaders and are not pally with the players to an extent……

He’s a decent age too as not too old & not too young like Gary O ‘Neil types …Got plenty championship experience

Hopefully he doesn’t look like the one who expects his defenders to play tippy tappy at the back which gives me kittens … we just don’t have the quality of player to pull that off ……..Plays attacking football further up so that excites ……Good luck to him …

Have to agree, managers that are leaders and have a presence are my preferred managers. Good think is our squad HAS grown these last few weeks and even with all the injuries has still shown grit. Maybe this guy can bring out another gear in us I feel we do have. Just needs unlocking

[...]

3 minutes ago, DuffsLeftPeg said:

Welcome Ismael!

King of The North (West)

Slaying all before him with Valerian Steel!

COYB 🌹

Glad someone else mentioned Valerian steel I was starting to think it wasn't funny lol

[...]

4 minutes ago, DuffsLeftPeg said:

Welcome Ismael!

King of The North (West)

Slaying all before him with Valerian Steel!

COYB 🌹

To the King of the North West 🍺 

[...]

https://rovers.co.uk/news/2025/february/25/-to-be-the-head-coach-of-the-club-is-something-special-for-me-/

 

 

[Polky]

Big Val at the wheel!

[Upside Down]

How long until chaddy makes Ismail his profile picture?

[roverandout]

Don't know if this has been posted

[Blue Greyhound]

You know what, I actually don't give a monkeys about this guy, or any manager to be honest, they all just talk the same old shit, they are walking soundbites.

I don't care what they say to the media anymore it's 90% just rehearsed bollocks.

Bit cynical of me, but I just don't care now, just give us some results.

I wish him all the best and will still be shouting from the sidelines for my team but they just absolutely bore me, I don't understand why people can't just speak there mind to the cameras.

[Exiled_Rover]

32 minutes ago, yeti-dog said:

See,  I quite like the 'put it in like it's a 60 minute game and then replenish with fresh legs' approach....

That would have been impossible to do pre-January. Now it's possible but the guys coming on at 60 minutes are a massive step down from the starters.

[RoversClitheroe]

22 minutes ago, unleaded said:

Decent appointment for me … Got a mixture of JDT & Eustace … I like my managers like Souness & Hughes who are leaders and are not pally with the players to an extent……

He’s a decent age too as not too old & not too young like Gary O ‘Neil types …Got plenty championship experience

Hopefully he doesn’t look like the one who expects his defenders to play tippy tappy at the back which gives me kittens … we just don’t have the quality of player to pull that off ……..Plays attacking football further up so that excites ……Good luck to him …

Oh don't worry mate! We won't be playing anything of the sort. Expect hoofball. That's his style.

Hopefully he doesn't do a Mowbray and play hoof ball to Adam Armstrong.

[CambridgeRover]

Not what I hoped for but given the clown show we are we could have done worse. 
 

I don’t think the squad is good enough to finish in the play offs so I won’t blame him if we slip down the table a little. 

[J*B]

Wouldn’t want to fight him, and I’m considering that a good thing. 

[...]

6 minutes ago, Blue Greyhound said:

You know what, I actually don't give a monkeys about this guy, or any manager to be honest, they all just talk the same old shit, they are walking soundbites.

I don't care what they say to the media anymore it's 90% just rehearsed bollocks.

Bit cynical of me, but I just don't care now, just give us some results.

I wish him all the best and will still be shouting from the sidelines for my team but they just absolutely bore me, I don't understand why people can't just speak there mind to the cameras.

Like Lowey? 

[Exiled_Rover]

29 minutes ago, DuffsLeftPeg said:

Welcome Ismael!

King of The North (West)

Slaying all before him with Valerian Steel!

COYB 🌹

I hope he takes that sword into the Boardroom with him before he leaves. Only then will I bend the knee. 

Edited 16 hours ago by Exiled_Rover