Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[Upside Down]

3 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Do we think it's managing the famous Blackburn Rovers, or touching Harry Pickering's hand, that is giving Valerien a stonking erection in that first picture?

Fuck me that's absolutely hilarious.

I actually LOLd

[DaveyB]

44 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

A few points of concern:

A watching brief for the rest of the season

Passed off the contracts question as an "opportunity" to shape the squad, which sounds suspiciously like no renewals and replaced with free transfers

Brushed off the long term question by stating the short term was the focus of their discussions

Back to bringing through academy players to sell for profit (and not reinvesting, obviously)

For me the concern is that, from the sounds of it, he’s been given a similar task to JDT - to develop the young players and ‘build an identity’, but, going off his previous roles, the identity he will look to build for us will be almost polar opposite of that which JDT was trying to build - which seems crazy to me - surely the point of a club identity is that it should be relatively fixed, with each new manager just tweaking little bits, rather than it being ripped up and completely changed every time a new manager comes in 🤷‍♂️

Just like everything else at the club at the moment, it just smacks of a complete lack of long term planning and focus 

[alcd]

10 hours ago, USABlue said:

Hope you are right, it was a huge drop off in performance levels and to a man we were very poor, I don't think anyone came out if that game with any sort of pride.

I do wonder what our players that have played for him are saying.

I would imagine they'll be very happy as both Brittain and Wood had the standout season of their career to date. 

[StHelensRover]

Saw Todd Cantwell posted on his Instagram today, after Rovers wishes him happy birthday, that "his best is yet to come". Cryptic and interesting, if he does actually pick his form up under a new manager it could be a huge boost.

I listened to Valerien's interview with Bayes on BBC Lancs Sport. Tbf they did ask the questions people in here would want to ask and he did give some reassuring answers to some of them (e.g. not looking to tinker with the tactics too much initially as we're 6th, etc).

Worth a listen on BBC Sounds from tonight's episode.

[chaddyrovers]

9 minutes ago, StHelensRover said:

Saw Todd Cantwell posted on his Instagram today, after Rovers wishes him happy birthday, that "his best is yet to come". Cryptic and interesting, if he does actually pick his form up under a new manager it could be a huge boost.

I listened to Valerien's interview with Bayes on BBC Lancs Sport. Tbf they did ask the questions people in here would want to ask and he did give some reassuring answers to some of them (e.g. not looking to tinker with the tactics too much initially as we're 6th, etc).

Worth a listen on BBC Sounds from tonight's episode.

I posted the link here earlier today 

 

 

[JHRover]

21 minutes ago, DaveyB said:

For me the concern is that, from the sounds of it, he’s been given a similar task to JDT - to develop the young players and ‘build an identity’, but, going off his previous roles, the identity he will look to build for us will be almost polar opposite of that which JDT was trying to build - which seems crazy to me - surely the point of a club identity is that it should be relatively fixed, with each new manager just tweaking little bits, rather than it being ripped up and completely changed every time a new manager comes in 🤷‍♂️

Just like everything else at the club at the moment, it just smacks of a complete lack of long term planning and focus 

They're just making it up as they go along. 

None of them - I include Ismael - can be taken seriously when they speak publicly.

I'm not suggesting Ismael is in on it or should be compared to the scrotes in the boardroom but at this early juncture he is just repeating the same old stuff the last three have come out with, he will probably have been given the same false impression in his discussions with them and it is totally pointless as he will find out in the next 6 months.

[simongarnerisgod]

not going to last,valerie looks a serious,ambitious type not content to be in mid table season after season,soon as he gets his promised budget turned down he`ll do a jdt/eustace

[doctorryan]

12 hours ago, Nic81 said:

My name is Ismael and I’m your head coach,

But please don’t worry, I know Steve is a cockroach,

I wrote a poem because I know a letter would cause some scoffs,

Arte et Labore and we’ll get the play offs! 

Brilliant Nic;..... just gave it a little editing:

 

My name is Ismael and I’m your head coach,

But please don’t worry, I know Steve's a cockroach,

I wrote a poem 'cause a letter would cause some scoffs,

Arte et Labore and we’ll get to the play-offs! 

[OsloRover]

6 hours ago, rog of the rovers said:

 

In the background you can see the players desperately trying to fix the printer for Swag, they eventually had to get the japanese lad out 

Edited 14 hours ago by OsloRover
Better

[simongarnerisgod]

looking at our run in ,apart from sunderland and sheff utd both away,we`ve got some very winnable games,ismael might just do it y`know,the shock of getting into the play offs might see swag fall off the mortal coil and pasha sacked by venkys due to his failure to stop us

[...]

On 26/02/2025 at 21:38, rigger said:

What is upsetting me the most, is that I can't get a ticket for the Derby game.

Same mate 😢 you up for stoke?

[Exiled_Rover]

2 hours ago, M_B said:

Are we to assume from that video that Pickering is closer to returning than Beck?

I'm not surprised Beck broke down. Good job we got the Portuguese lad in.

[NeilInBristol]

2 hours ago, DaveyB said:

For me the concern is that, from the sounds of it, he’s been given a similar task to JDT - to develop the young players and ‘build an identity’, but, going off his previous roles, the identity he will look to build for us will be almost polar opposite of that which JDT was trying to build - which seems crazy to me - surely the point of a club identity is that it should be relatively fixed, with each new manager just tweaking little bits, rather than it being ripped up and completely changed every time a new manager comes in 🤷‍♂️

Just like everything else at the club at the moment, it just smacks of a complete lack of long term planning and focus 

Yep. I particularly liked his comment about his contract length...ie it means f all

He had a longer one at wba and they let him go 

He knows there is no long term plan here. He'll be gone within 12 months or so

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

46 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I'm not surprised Beck broke down. Good job we got the Portuguese lad in.

It sounds like Beck had been carrying an injury for a while.

[windymiller7]

2 hours ago, OsloRover said:

In the background you can see the players desperately trying to fix the printer for Swag, they eventually had to get the japanese lad out 

That made me laugh way more than it should've done! 🤣

[USABlue]

On 26/02/2025 at 12:31, JHRover said:

Think Waggott is going to be kicking back and celebrating a fantastic few weeks for him and his mate in the shadows.

6 figure compensation for Eustace and his staff

3 off the wage bill.

A 2 week long search concludes with Ismael accepting their terms on the basis he works with existing staff. No compensation required. As it stands a wage down with Gardiner and Downing off the books and Whitehead on. 

Fans gearing up for a day at Derby giving grief to the bogeyman whilst Waggott and his mate sit in the comfy seats upstairs (at our expense) enjoying the show.

If we fall short of the top 6 everyone can blame Eustace upping sticks and leaving mid-season and the instability of having to find a replacement.

Job done. 

Yeah, too bad all the Venkies judge him on is the red vs black ink on the balance statements. The football club and us is not in the picture and that self serving pillock looks great to India.

[Paul Mani]

9 hours ago, davulsukur said:

A few points of concern:

A watching brief for the rest of the season

Passed off the contracts question as an "opportunity" to shape the squad, which sounds suspiciously like no renewals and replaced with free transfers

Brushed off the long term question by stating the short term was the focus of their discussions

Back to bringing through academy players to sell for profit (and not reinvesting, obviously)

Good spot, he also steered clear of admitting the club wanted promotion…it’s clear that the brief is to be self sufficient.

Heres how I think the chat went…

”Val, keep us in this league, bring through plenty of homegrown players for us to sell, so we never have to go back to our bosses for extra cash, and you’ve got £600k a year for life!”

Job done.

Edited 7 hours ago by Paul Mani

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

3 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

Good spot, he also steered clear of admitting the club wanted promotion…it’s clear that the brief is to be self sufficient.

Heres how I think the chat went…

”Val, keep us in this league, bring through plenty of homegrown players for us to sell, so we never have to go back to our bosses for extra cash, and you’ve got £600k a year for life!”

Job done.

Oh, and could you just let us know this weekends lottery numbers.

[Crimpshrine]

The word 'Project' was mentioned many times during that interview.

The word 'Promotion' was not mentioned at all.  

We are back to projects, young players, the academy, see what happens in the summer.

Venky's Out

[KentExile]

21 minutes ago, Crimpshrine said:

The word 'Project' was mentioned many times during that interview.

The word 'Promotion' was not mentioned at all.  

We are back to projects, young players, the academy, see what happens in the summer.

Venky's Out

I hope that I am wrong but It all screams to me of further budget cuts and managed decline.

Unless Rovers achieve an unlikely promotion, options will be taken up on Hyam & Hedges, but no new contracts will be agreed for any seniors who may command even middling (and certainly not higher end) Championship wages (Travis, Tronstad, Brittain, Hyam, Dolan).  I do expect a year extension to be agreed for the Baath, Weimann, and probably even Forshaw, but a contract extension for Ribeiro may be a stretch given his age and form as I would imagine someone will offer him more.

All that remains to be seen is if the players of any value who will be coming to the end of their contracts in 2026 (Travis, Tronstad, Brittain, Hyam) are sold off this summer, or if their contracts allowed to expire in order to kick the can down the road for another year.

Edited 1 hour ago by KentExile

[davulsukur]

20 minutes ago, Crimpshrine said:

The word 'Project' was mentioned many times during that interview.

The word 'Promotion' was not mentioned at all.  

We are back to projects, young players, the academy, see what happens in the summer.

Venky's Out

Yep, noticed that. Wouldn't be surprised to see Tyjon getting more game time in a bid to get his valuation up. Pretty sure he signed a new deal here with the expectation that he'd be in and around the first team but hasn't been seen much. Bigger clubs have long been linked with him, so I imagine he's the next one we're trying to get a decent fee for.

[Forever Blue]

The only ambition is to reduce losses. 
 

Venky’s Out

[KentExile]

10 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Yep, noticed that. Wouldn't be surprised to see Tyjon getting more game time in a bid to get his valuation up. Pretty sure he signed a new deal here with the expectation that he'd be in and around the first team but hasn't been seen much. Bigger clubs have long been linked with him, so I imagine he's the next one we're trying to get a decent fee for.

They will have a hard job with that, he is currently injured

Niggly calf injury since mid December

On the bright side, his injury issues & subsequent lack of game time may mean his list of suitors has decreased and he will sign a pro contract in March (when he turns 17)

Edited 1 hour ago by KentExile

[davulsukur]

11 minutes ago, KentExile said:

They will have a hard job with that, he is currently injured

Niggly calf injury since mid December

On the bright side, his injury issues & subsequent lack of game time may mean his list of suitors has decreased and he will sign a pro contract in March (when he turns 17)

Fairs, he made the bench against Portsmouth in mid Jan, so assumed he was back. 

[RoversClitheroe]

14 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I posted the link here earlier today 

 

 

Great interview, a few points:

Not nervous about out of contract players and expects to be backed. This scares the absolute life out of me. Does he know Rovers?

Project - this being mentioned again - same impact. No emphasis on promotion to premier league?!