Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[Blow-in]

16 hours ago, StHelensRover said:

Well I'm pretty underwhelmed by it all but I will give him my full backing from 12:30 on Saturday regardless. 

Why don't you come on over Valerien

When it invariably goes wrong 

"Why did you fuck us over Valerien" 😆

[TimmyJimmy]

11 hours ago, ... said:

OK OK... hear me out.

What if we got a really good manager, one on everyone's lips

....and he doesn't win a game? 

We get a middle of the road manager and he doesn't win a game.

Who do you point the finger at? Owners

Or its solely on the manager?

Systems Theory says it's the whole. You can't look at the parts in isolation. Our troubles start at the top and seep down. Occasionally the stopped clock gets the time right and we get a sound manager who wins a few games, then doesn't. My finger points in one direction and I know where I'd like to stick it.

[lraC]

I think we all know that if he does well and for example takes us into the play offs and we don't go up, but then has us up there next year, by the end of January, then he will be looking to move and every job that comes available will be one, where he is mentioned as a possible candidate.

Should he fail and have us near to the bottom of the league, then the fans will be calling for his head, but he will be safe, just like most other managers under this regime.

I like the post made by the WBA fan and hope we have a gem on our hands, but as usual, it really doesn't matter one way or another, as we still have Pasha and his bosses, who will continue to cause their havoc, come what may.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I’m not sure we have the squad that enjoys being “ worked hard “.  We’ll soon see.

[RoverPedro]

Very rarely post on this forum. But thought I would share this from someone I know who has club connections. 

"There’s a woman I deal with down there and she was saying that he wasn’t first or second choice… and it’s got all the players backs up that they are 5th in the league and yet no one is prepared to come to a club that’s pushing for the play offs. What does it say about the club!!"

 

Whether it's true or not I don't know. But if it is, to me it says the players coming out of contract in summer or next season have zero intention of staying on at Rovers. 

 

Edited February 26 by RoverPedro
Grammar

[Exiled_Rover]

4 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I’m not sure we have the squad that enjoys being “ worked hard “.  We’ll soon see.

I wonder if Brittain and Woodrow have already soured the squad on him. "Oh bloody hell, this guy. Say goodbye to your Sundays, lads".

[StHelensRover]

11 minutes ago, RoverPedro said:

Very rarely post on this forum. But thought I would share this from someone I know who has club connections. 

"There’s a woman I deal with down there and she was saying that he wasn’t first or second choice… and it’s got all the players backs up that they are 5th in the league and yet no one is prepared to come to a club that’s pushing for the play offs. What does it say about the club!!"

 

Whether it's true or not I don't know. But if it is, to me it says the players coming out of contract in summer or next season have zero intention of staying on at Rovers. 

 

Obviously no idea who your source is but they've said what a few of us are thinking so it wouldn't surprise me. Players aren't all daft, they also aren't Rovers fans themselves and they are ambitious, regardless of invidiual ability, or the wouldn't have made it this far in the sport. They know probably even more than we do about what a circus it is. I imagine they are training and playing through gritted teeth at times.

Edited February 26 by StHelensRover

[yeti-dog]

54 minutes ago, TimmyJimmy said:

Yes a lot so, apologies. I had just finished off a rather fine bottle of red and got to thinking about the VenkyLand theme park aka the Ewood House of Horrors and I couldn't find the right words. Man this supporting lark is a real trial right now. Does the new guy make things better or worse? Just rinse repeat for me. I actually got to believing we had a shot this season, but now, groan, where's that bottle.

No need to apologise. I did wonder if there was a mood altering substance involved though! 🍷🙂

[rog of the rovers]

Footballing opinions are so changeable.

Look at what West Bromwich fans would say about the Chairmanship of John Williams. Under his tenure West Brom sacked Tony Pulis and ultimately were relegated from the Premier League. I'm convinced no Rovers fan would have a bad word said about John Williams and his stewardship of the Rovers.

Each club is different and will always be.

I've been encouraged by what I heard, hard work, effort, passion. This is what we ALL want to see as a bare minimum. Souness and Allardyce weren't afraid to upset folk and they had success at the club.

 

[wilsdenrover]

41 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I’m not sure we have the squad that enjoys being “ worked hard “.  We’ll soon see.

Would that mean we have the wrong players or the wrong manager?

[Herbie6590]

2 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

Would that mean we have the wrong players or the wrong manager?

“We go live to Stockholm where we are joined by Jon Dahl Tomasson…”

”The players…”

”Thanks Jon..”

[johnradfordsubbuteo2]

4 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

That's all we can do as fans in our present situation.Have to fight Tooth and Nail for that play off spot.

As long as it's not Toth and Niall ( Ennis).

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

Would that mean we have the wrong players or the wrong manager?

If a player isn't willing to work hard, I would get rid and get someone in, who is. That is just my personal opinion, it may be wrong, but it is what I think.

[JHRover]

43 minutes ago, RoverPedro said:

 

 

Whether it's true or not I don't know. But if it is, to me it says the players coming out of contract in summer or next season have zero intention of staying on at Rovers. 

 

What the players want or think doesn't matter to this regime. Nor does what the manager, staff, fans, think.

They won't be staying because the owners and their stooges have decided they won't be getting offered reasonable competitive new contracts, hence nobody renewing in over a year.

[martonrover]

8 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

Would that mean we have the wrong players or the wrong manager?

My worry is that we may have the wrong type of manager for this squad.

It’s pretty clear that he and Eustace are polar opposites, and it will be very interesting to see how they take to his very different approach.

I’m hoping that last Saturday wasn’t a pre - downing of tools if they had got the word.

I think we could be looking at a spectacular success or the exact opposite and nothing imbetween.

All good fun.

 

[Blow-in]

12 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

Would that mean we have the wrong players or the wrong manager?

Would be a bit like the old saying there is no bad weather just bad clothes.

 

Sometimes players and manager are just not compatible. Like putting Big Sam in charge of Prime Barcelona. It would have been a disaster, but you can't say the players were bad, and Sam was a great manager imo.

[mustard]

Bit of info I got that came from a very reputable source, which would have probs been better off in the manager search thread…

But Eustace on £5k pw here, Derby offered £15k.  He was also asked by the board to play signings made by the club in summer and Jan at the expense of players already at the club.  JE asked them to match Derby wages but obvs they told him to get stuffed.

Bit worrying and I’d hope that VI won’t be selecting his team based on anything but what’s best to win games but who knows.  Could explain why Buckley been dropped for Forshaw lately.  Apparently academy grad players been told to expect less game time.  This was a couple weeks ago.

Anyways don’t shoot the messenger but this is info coming direct from the inside the club apparently.

[broadsword]

If he's any cop he'll be gone by the end of next season. 

 

If he's crap he'll either be gone by the end of the season or we'll be stuck with him for five years.

[islander200]

1 minute ago, mustard said:

Bit of info I got that came from a very reputable source, which would have probs been better off in the manager search thread…

But Eustace on £5k pw here, Derby offered £15k.  He was also asked by the board to play signings made by the club in summer and Jan at the expense of players already at the club.  JE asked them to match Derby wages but obvs they told him to get stuffed.

Bit worrying and I’d hope that VI won’t be selecting his team based on anything but what’s best to win games but who knows.  Could explain why Buckley been dropped for Forshaw lately.  Apparently academy grad players been told to expect less game time.  This was a couple weeks ago.

Anyways don’t shoot the messenger but this is info coming direct from the inside the club apparently.

Not shooting the messenger but it doesn't add up.If they were leaning on Eustace in that way then why was Lowe only starting Ribiero from the jan signings 

Dennis didn't get any minutes v Plymouth and Woodrow has only played minutes in the league. Kargbo also hasn't had a start

[Exiled_Rover]

12 minutes ago, mustard said:

Bit of info I got that came from a very reputable source, which would have probs been better off in the manager search thread…

But Eustace on £5k pw here, Derby offered £15k.  He was also asked by the board to play signings made by the club in summer and Jan at the expense of players already at the club.  JE asked them to match Derby wages but obvs they told him to get stuffed.

Bit worrying and I’d hope that VI won’t be selecting his team based on anything but what’s best to win games but who knows.  Could explain why Buckley been dropped for Forshaw lately.  Apparently academy grad players been told to expect less game time.  This was a couple weeks ago.

Anyways don’t shoot the messenger but this is info coming direct from the inside the club apparently.

I hope the new lad is on £5k a week then or they're absolute morons.

[MarkBRFC]

16 minutes ago, broadsword said:

If he's crap he'll either be gone by the end of the season or we'll be stuck with him for five years.

As long as he doesn't have us marooned into the bottom 3 or call out Suhail, he will be here as long as he wants to be.

[mustard]

14 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Not shooting the messenger but it doesn't add up.If they were leaning on Eustace in that way then why was Lowe only starting Ribiero from the jan signings 

Dennis didn't get any minutes v Plymouth and Woodrow has only played minutes in the league. Kargbo also hasn't had a start

Perhaps they aren’t fit enough yet?  Adapting to the system?  That aspect I don’t quite understand either tbh.  I just know this info came from someone close to one of the players (allegedly).

[martonrover]

19 minutes ago, mustard said:

Bit of info I got that came from a very reputable source, which would have probs been better off in the manager search thread…

But Eustace on £5k pw here, Derby offered £15k.  He was also asked by the board to play signings made by the club in summer and Jan at the expense of players already at the club.  JE asked them to match Derby wages but obvs they told him to get stuffed.

Bit worrying and I’d hope that VI won’t be selecting his team based on anything but what’s best to win games but who knows.  Could explain why Buckley been dropped for Forshaw lately.  Apparently academy grad players been told to expect less game time.  This was a couple weeks ago.

Anyways don’t shoot the messenger but this is info coming direct from the inside the club apparently.

Nothing would surprise me, and if the part about being pressured to pick new signings is true, it would’ve only served to make the situation even more untenable.

Call me old fashioned (I’ll wear it) but give me an old school set - up, where the manager is the manager and a team isn’t run by committee.

[bigbrandjohn]

5 hours ago, Penwortham Blue said:

There was precious little team spirit on show at Swansea, dreadful capitulation.

Well let's see how this spoonful of medicine goes down. I think Cantwell will lap it up 😉

 

"New Rovers boss Valerien Ismael has strict rules that he wants his squad to adhere to during his time with Rovers"

                                                   Rovers.co.uk

[LeftWinger]

28 minutes ago, mustard said:

Bit of info I got that came from a very reputable source, which would have probs been better off in the manager search thread…

But Eustace on £5k pw here, Derby offered £15k.  He was also asked by the board to play signings made by the club in summer and Jan at the expense of players already at the club.  JE asked them to match Derby wages but obvs they told him to get stuffed.

Bit worrying and I’d hope that VI won’t be selecting his team based on anything but what’s best to win games but who knows.  Could explain why Buckley been dropped for Forshaw lately.  Apparently academy grad players been told to expect less game time.  This was a couple weeks ago.

Anyways don’t shoot the messenger but this is info coming direct from the inside the club apparently.

Not a chance he was only on £5k per week.

He must have been on something between £10k and £15k based on the figures banded around over the compensation.