Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[StHelensRover]

1 hour 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 thought that was odd as well, that I haven't heard him say the word "promotion" once yet.

Any coach coming in to at least 18-20 of the clubs in this division should be stating that promotion is the ambition, if it isn't, then what is the point? 

I would have liked to hear him say that if we just fall short of the playoffs this season, that they will work really hard over the summer to come back strong and find another way to do it. 

I'm sure most of the players are ambitious and would like some time in the Premier League on their CV but that's unlikely to materialise if the entire rest of the club structure is completely lacking in ambition, which we suspect is the case.

[JHRover]

The club finds itself in the top 6 by complete accident, it was never planned or intended and is simply a result of a tight knit dressing room working their backsides off all season overseen by a decent manager and his staff. Nothing at all to do with the wretches in India, or their cowardly stooges in the boardroom. They deserve not one single iota of credit for it as not a single act they have performed has helped the team get into the position that it is. 

The fact that they never had any expectation, hope, plan or intention of being in the mix is evidenced by the CEO publicly declaring 18 months ago, a few months after missing the play-offs on GD, that his ambition for the season was survival, and then having twice ended up in the shake up for the play-offs since then to have successfully forced out two good managers by making their positions untenable to the point where one preferred to be unemployed and the other preferred a probable spell in League One next year. Quite the achievement to make it so unpleasant and undesirable to stay here and compete for the top 6.

So no real surprise then when Ismael rocks up and there's no talk about promotion, but plenty about projects. His discussions with the stooges will have been based on yet more vague promises with no real intentions of delivering 'jam tomorrow', probably telling him not to worry about the summer as money will be available, things will get sorted out. He will discover in the fullness of time that these are lies aimed purely at getting him in the building and under contract then worry about the rest later.

 

[Norbert Rassragr]

We've had more projects than Adrian Newey, and more journeys than Marco Polo. There's never a fucking conclusion by design. 

[Exiled_Rover]

9 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.

"Val, perform unsustainable miracles and you've got a £600k a  year job for life".

Our Academy is good, but it rarely produces a Wharton - and anyone since him that's been thought of as a PL talent has been stolen from the crib (Finneran, Phillips). 

That'll be the pattern from here on out. 

 

Edited February 28 by Exiled_Rover

[miqaayil]

i'm starting to hate the effing word "PROJECT" ........i hear the word at home or work ..just feel like throwing something ...

 

damn chicken fuks....

[miqaayil]

3 hours ago, JHRover said:

The club finds itself in the top 6 by complete accident, it was never planned or intended and is simply a result of a tight knit dressing room working their backsides off all season overseen by a decent manager and his staff. Nothing at all to do with the wretches in India, or their cowardly stooges in the boardroom. They deserve not one single iota of credit for it as not a single act they have performed has helped the team get into the position that it is. 

The fact that they never had any expectation, hope, plan or intention of being in the mix is evidenced by the CEO publicly declaring 18 months ago, a few months after missing the play-offs on GD, that his ambition for the season was survival, and then having twice ended up in the shake up for the play-offs since then to have successfully forced out two good managers by making their positions untenable to the point where one preferred to be unemployed and the other preferred a probable spell in League One next year. Quite the achievement to make it so unpleasant and undesirable to stay here and compete for the top 6.

So no real surprise then when Ismael rocks up and there's no talk about promotion, but plenty about projects. His discussions with the stooges will have been based on yet more vague promises with no real intentions of delivering 'jam tomorrow', probably telling him not to worry about the summer as money will be available, things will get sorted out. He will discover in the fullness of time that these are lies aimed purely at getting him in the building and under contract then worry about the rest later.

 

We are in top 6 ..despite of the upper hierarchy not in any way because of them.. 

[simongarnerisgod]

they are at it again (swag and his indian puppet master) selling ismael a dodgy motor that will need serious work on it next year and when asked for money to repair it,valerian will get the big no

[martonrover]

Been a tad busy, so I suspect it’s already been covered, but isn’t it amazing that every time we think, “No way will another manager fall for Suhail and Waggott’s lies”, there is always someone who will.

It’s either that, or the guaranteed 1.5 million quid that got Ismael to sign up.

[because of boxing day]

If the possibility of getting into the playoffs and just a chance of winning them is off the spoken agenda and ambition of the Club hierarchy that has seemingly been adopted by the new coach I have to ask "What is the point?" of my giving any support any longer and what is the point of the players giving their all. Its just so negative.

 

 

[Feed the Yak]

Not getting the negativity here tbh. We all know it's a load of bollocks behind the scenes but I'm fairly happy with who we have brought in and think it gives us a chance in the run in to the end of the season. I'm not sensing a lack of ambition from Ismael, in fact he seems like someone that will be demanding in a similar sense to JDT. His style of play will also not require any significant alterations to what we are doing right now. 

Now if we don't make the top 6 and then get promoted there are obviously concerns about what happens next, but that would have been the case whoever was in charge. 

I'm personally happier with this appointment than I was with Eustace when he was brought in. 

[Waggy76]

7 minutes ago, because of boxing day said:

If the possibility of getting into the playoffs and just a chance of winning them is off the spoken agenda and ambition of the Club hierarchy that has seemingly been adopted by the new coach I have to ask "What is the point?" of my giving any support any longer and what is the point of the players giving their all. Its just so negative.

 

 

We might as well spend the Season Ticket money on something else !

No hope , just waiting for the next relegation and oblivion..

[aletheia]

Plaster on gangrene.

[M_B]

2 minutes ago, Feed the Yak said:

Not getting the negativity here tbh. We all know it's a load of bollocks behind the scenes but I'm fairly happy with who we have brought in and think it gives us a chance in the run in to the end of the season. I'm not sensing a lack of ambition from Ismael, in fact he seems like someone that will be demanding in a similar sense to JDT. His style of play will also not require any significant alterations to what we are doing right now. 

Now if we don't make the top 6 and then get promoted there are obviously concerns about what happens next, but that would have been the case whoever was in charge. 

I'm personally happier with this appointment than I was with Eustace when he was brought in. 

Agree, looks like a good fit to me. I'm feeling optimistic.

Big game tomorrow I feel, a win to take to Derby would be massive,looking forward to being there.

[aletheia]

Don't think it will happen but would love us to get into the playoffs/promotion to see what the hierarchy will do.

[miqaayil]

2 hours ago, aletheia said:

Don't think it will happen but would love us to get into the playoffs/promotion to see what the hierarchy will do.

they may forget to hit "SEND" for matchday squad registration ...

food poisoning for squad from cafeteria 

bus tyre gets punctured along the way to game

 

these are top of my head 

[simongarnerisgod]

2 hours ago, aletheia said:

Don't think it will happen but would love us to get into the playoffs/promotion to see what the hierarchy will do.

panic and order the players to a meeting telling them the importance of losing🙂

[Exiled in Toronto Mk2]

I have to say I’m liking the cut of his jib so far. Reminds me of Souey coming in: imposing man, somewhat of a mixed record but old enough to have learnt lessons along the way, quarter of the season to see what he’s got. I would also see the contract situation as an opportunity - last thing you want to hear in a new job is you are stuck with all these dollopers for the foreseeable.

I predict we won’t see a Eustace/Kidd arms-windmilling performative appearance on the touchline after 60 mins nor will we ever hear “Pearsy and Picks” again.

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, Exiled in Toronto Mk2 said:

I would also see the contract situation as an opportunity - last thing you want to hear in a new job is you are stuck with all these dollopers for the foreseeable.

These dollopers have had us up in 5th and 6th for quite a while. And there's likely to be no real budget to replace them with non-dollopers in the summer.

[Paul Mani]

The managers brief is clear, keep us up and sustainable and you can have the keys to the club for good”

Im not even sure they have lied to Big Val this time. I think he’s probably looking at it thinking, he’d like some stability and job continuity himself. You don’t get sacked at Rovers.

I don’t buy into the narrative that the club would sabotage us getting into the PL. On the contrary, a ‘budget’ promotion would be a blessing to the mission of reducing debt, a guaranteed £200m over two seasons (including parachutes in season two) which would more than cover costs, and pay down the owners debt. Then, once you’re in the promotion cycle, the chances of bouncing up and down are higher…which all means Money!

[Nic81]

I also don’t believe the narrative that they don’t want promotion. They want it on the cheap. If they don’t get it, then they are happy to float around the championship. It’s a dangerous game, especially how close we came to relegation last season. 

VI may not have specifically said ‘promotion’ but he is talking about the position we are in and what it will take to stay there. He will see this as a huge opportunity and if there is a promotion bonus in his contract, then he will be pushing hard for financial as well as reputational reasons. 

[chaddyrovers]

Ismael clearly has his own ideas how he plays to play here next season and beyond which is interesting. He also see it an opportunity to shape him own squad next season and beyond. 

I hope he is support in this  

[because of boxing day]

I’m more bothered about the here and now, starting today and the following 14 games!!

[roversfan99]

38 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Ismael clearly has his own ideas how he plays to play here next season and beyond which is interesting. He also see it an opportunity to shape him own squad next season and beyond. 

I hope he is support in this  

I think we know that like those before him, he wont.

[onlyonejackwalker]

3 hours ago, Nic81 said:

I also don’t believe the narrative that they don’t want promotion. They want it on the cheap. If they don’t get it, then they are happy to float around the championship. It’s a dangerous game, especially how close we came to relegation last season. 

VI may not have specifically said ‘promotion’ but he is talking about the position we are in and what it will take to stay there. He will see this as a huge opportunity and if there is a promotion bonus in his contract, then he will be pushing hard for financial as well as reputational reasons. 

It's not even a question of getting promoted on the cheap. At 17 to 20 million guaranteed overspend each year its hardly cheap maintaining our position and hoping for promotion.

The problem being that 10 of the last 15 promoted teams had parachute and / or solidarity payments. Often even those missing out like Leeds last year come very close in either year one (play off final) or year two (top of the league) following relegation.

Last year Burnley spent 100 million, Sheff United 50 million and Luton 20 million on their PL squads. Upon relegation these squads are thrust back into the Championship and the rest of us have to try and compete with them.

This year Ipswich, Southampton and Leicester will come down and immediately be favourites to go back up. Yo yo clubs, too good / rich for the Championship, but not good enough for the PL. 

You either catch the crest of a wave like Luton or Ipswich have managed,, have 60% more income as a parachute club, or face the reality that getting out the Championship even for biggish clubs like Wednesday, Sunderland, Coventry, Rovers, West Brom, Boro, etc is a very difficult proposition.

None of these are happy floating around in the Championship losing millions each month. All would much rather be minted in the PL.

Let's hope we can bounce and maintain our play off place with the new coach. And somehow scrape promotion.

Edited March 1 by onlyonejackwalker
Sp

[Nic81]

Maybe cheap is the wrong word - they don’t want to reinvest financially (in terms of percentage of what they brought in with player sales) in the playing squad to get promotion. They want to do that side on the cheap - hoping loans, frees and lower priced players will do the job. My main point is, I believe that if you offered Venky’s, Waggott and Suhail promotion at the end of this season, I think they would snap your hand off. I can’t see any logical reason for them to not want promotion.