Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[Tomphil2]

The gaslighting they've already done with Ismael is off the scale telling everyone he surpassed every bar they'd set.

That really is insulting fans.

So to sit there and justify appointing Rooney would be new territory of piss taking even for this lot, a word or warning though our Wayne works cheap.

That means he's a shoe in.

[SuperBrfc]

4 hours ago, Upside Down said:

One win and the club PR is in overdrive.

I for one am going to call their bluff here. We're going down next year with this Ismael cunt anyway so what's there to lose?

They really are so fucking dense. They couldn't handle 1% of the media circus that would come here with Rooney.

For me it's Rooney in.

Exactly. I'm with you on this. Bring Rooney in, we dare you.

They wouldn't dare. The spotlight that Rooney would bring here would be far too much for them to handle. This is nothing but somebody trying to create a bit of fear or panic among the fans, so that having Ismael here doesn't seem so bad. We've seen this in the past where somebody would randomly link Judan Ali or Peter Taylor or Iain Dowie as being the next manager. We'd then hear things like "look how bad things could be without Mowbray, give him time, what do you expect, I'd rather Mowbray than Dowie" and so on.

The best response to this, IMO, is to be for the Rooney appointment. Call their bluff. We're never moving forward under these owners, that much is clear. Let's get Rooney in and have the media attention here every game.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Expect the unexpected folks!!😵

[ruggles1995]

I did see the rooney links yesterday which to me screams agent work getting his name in the media and theres not an ounce of truth in it, especially as we wont sack someone on a 3 year deal - money.

But rooneys record was 5 wins in 25 at plymouth? I think thats slightly better average than 1 win 8 for ismael?🤪

[davulsukur]

Despite my incredibly low opinion of the people running the show at Ewood, I don't think even they would be that stupid to appoint Rooney. He was never in the running for the job before VI was appointed (that we know of) and his overall record as a manager is laughably poor. It would probably tip the fanbase over the edge if he was appointed.

Aside from that, the club has tried it's best to push a positive narrative regarding VI's appointment and there has been plenty of talk about him spearheading a "rebuild" in the summer to fit his "style".

I suspect the club have put it out there as a red herring to show us what we could end up with if we don't back the current bloke.

 

[Leonard Venkhater]

1 hour ago, davulsukur said:

Despite my incredibly low opinion of the people running the show at Ewood, I don't think even they would be that stupid to appoint Rooney. He was never in the running for the job before VI was appointed (that we know of) and his overall record as a manager is laughably poor. It would probably tip the fanbase over the edge if he was appointed.

Aside from that, the club has tried it's best to push a positive narrative regarding VI's appointment and there has been plenty of talk about him spearheading a "rebuild" in the summer to fit his "style".

I suspect the club have put it out there as a red herring to show us what we could end up with if we don't back the current bloke.

 

Coyle?

[davulsukur]

24 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Coyle?

Yeah I know, they appointed Coyle but at least they had a promotion from the Championship to fall back on with that (clutching at straws here). At least, they wouldn't make the same mistake twice, right?? 😬

"We are delighted to announce the arrival of Wayne Rooney as our new head coach on a 3 year deal. Rooney, who boasts a managerial high of a 28% win percentage across 4 jobs, joins Rovers having managed just 7 wins from 40 attempts in his last 2 jobs."

[1874]

Maybe give Jim Iley another chance too

[bigbrandjohn]

"However, reacting to that news on the radio station, former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan insisted Rooney should steer clear of a return to management. "They’ll get what they deserve," Jordan said in a message to Blackburn."

Not  sure whether uber Pundit, Simon of perfect hair means he's going to pay the other 20 million that he should've paid us for Adam Wharton when he bamboozled our crack negotiating team. 

Orwhether he is a genuine fan of Rovers, and telling Rooney to stay clear will only help us claw our way back into the playoffs.  Rather than "piss our chances up against the wall" so to speak, and enter the relegation zone under his tutelage  

[SuperBrfc]

4 hours ago, bigbrandjohn said:

"However, reacting to that news on the radio station, former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan insisted Rooney should steer clear of a return to management. "They’ll get what they deserve," Jordan said in a message to Blackburn."

Not  sure whether uber Pundit, Simon of perfect hair means he's going to pay the other 20 million that he should've paid us for Adam Wharton when he bamboozled our crack negotiating team. 

Orwhether he is a genuine fan of Rovers, and telling Rooney to stay clear will only help us claw our way back into the playoffs.  Rather than "piss our chances up against the wall" so to speak, and enter the relegation zone under his tutelage  

Rovers really have got Jordan in a twist. He has no idea how to react to us and I suspect, he doesn't know how he feels about us.

In the past on talksport, I've heard and seen him talk fondly about Uncle Jack and what he did for Rovers. He has also more than once recalled his experience in the lounges at Ewood back when he was the Palace owner.

Whenever he has criticised Sheikh Mansour or Roman Abramovic for big spending levels in the Premier League, I've never heard him mention Uncle Jack in those terms. The opposite, in fact, in that he has talked glowingly about Jack and the dream come true scenario.

However, I think he has lost his head recently when it comes to Rovers under these clowns. He doesn't know what to think because he does not have knowledge of the past 15 years under this ownership.

His default 'entitled fans' outlook isn't good for us, as it inadvertently plays straight into the hands of the bastard agents who are trying to push this narrative about the Rovers fans.

I find his latest "they'll get what they deserve" line to be bizarre. If that means this joke hierarchy will reap what it sows, then I agree. Why the u-turn now though?

This is the same Jordan who said that Eustace will "get what's coming to him" upon leaving Rovers for Derby. What was that all about?

That particular hot air was based on nothing but an assumption from Jordan that Eustace must have got too big for his boots and made unrealistic demands. The club will "get what it deserves" or Eustace? Which one is it?

To further illustrate his confusion, just last week I heard him the say "the Blackburn fans might not agree, but I truly do value football fans". That was in response to people calling him biased and 'pro owners' every time there is a fans v owners scenario.

So is he now seeing what the fans are unhappy about? Or is he swaying left and right trying to work out this hideous regime?

[Tomphil2]

Considering he's a know all gobshite of the highest order i think he's always seemed reasonably fair towards Rovers but as mentioned he always tends to look at things from an ownership point of view.

Yet another not possessing all the facts and blinded by the 20 mill a season to keep a small town club going narrative.

If these lazy journos did some due diligence on anything outside of the top 6 they might learn something worth debating.

[Mattyblue]

Even the finance guy, Kieran Maguire, supposed ‘guru’ of all things money related in football has spent years saying what marvellous owners they are - ‘20 million a year!’

[KentExile]

3 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Even the finance guy, Kieran Maguire, supposed ‘guru’ of all things money related in football has spent years saying what marvellous owners they are - ‘20 million a year!’

The ridiculous side of that argument has been demonstrated in the couple of seasons when they have allocated funds to transfers.

In JDTs first season, they spent money (was it about £5M?) on Szmodics, Hyam & Brittain, the Szmodics sale more than paid for all 3 of those with money left over

The summer when Rovers went up from league 1, they bought Armstrong for under £2M, who was later sold for about £15M.  Newcastle had a sizable sell on but the spend still showed a large profit.  Rothwell & Brereton were signed in the same summer, they refused to sort out contracts for them in a timely enough manner, refused to sell them when bids were made, and they left on frees.

By effective contract management (well before players are in the final months of said contracts), and investing sensibly in the playing squad, they would end up paying much less than the stated £20M/season.  Numerous people at the club have mentioned the Brentford model on more that  one occasion.  Sales of Armstrong, Raya, Szmodics, Wharton etc  (not to mention the numerous players who ended up leaving on free transfers due to contract mismanagement) could have led to exactly that.

 

Edit - the £20M/season argument also completely ignores that had they not made stupid decisions at the start of their reign, they would still be getting mega money from premier League football

 

 

Edited April 18 by KentExile

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, KentExile said:

The ridiculous side of that argument has been demonstrated in the couple of seasons when they have allocated funds to transfers.

In JDTs first season, they spent money (was it about £5M?) on Szmodics, Hyam & Brittain, the Szmodics sale more than paid for all 3 of those with money left over

The summer when Rovers went up from league 1, they bought Armstrong for under £2M, who was later sold for about £15M.  Newcastle had a sizable sell on but the spend still showed a large profit.  Rothwell & Brereton were signed in the same summer, they refused to sort out contracts for them in a timely enough manner, refused to sell them when bids were made, and they left on frees.

By effective contract management (well before players are in the final months of said contracts), and investing sensibly in the playing squad, they would end up paying much less than the stated £20M/season.  Numerous people at the club have mentioned the Brentford model on more that  one occasion.  Sales of Armstrong, Szmodics, Wharton etc  could have led to exactly that.

 

Edit - the £20M/season argument also completely ignores that had they not made stupid decisions at the start of their reign, they would still be getting mega money from premier League football

 

 

And that is the most pertinent point of the whole sorry saga.

[Wheelton Blue]

8 minutes ago, arbitro said:

And that is the most pertinent point of the whole sorry saga.

Some idiot said to me at the Boro game, 'Who would pay off the debt if the Venkys left?'

To which I replied; 'Who's debt is it? Who created it? Who should own it?'

Thick as mince, some folk.

 

[Tomphil2]

2 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Even the finance guy, Kieran Maguire, supposed ‘guru’ of all things money related in football has spent years saying what marvellous owners they are - ‘20 million a year!’

He is to football finance expertise what Jim Dale is to climate predictions.

 

[KentExile]

I've been very critical of the appointment of Ismael so far, but if Rovers carry on as they played today, they I will be delighted to eat my words.

I still expect the summer transfer business and contract situation to be a mess,  Nothing would make me happier than to be wrong about that also

[Forever Blue]

1 hour ago, KentExile said:

I've been very critical of the appointment of Ismael so far, but if Rovers carry on as they played today, they I will be delighted to eat my words.

I still expect the summer transfer business and contract situation to be a mess,  Nothing would make me happier than to be wrong about that also

Same. I’ve thought him an absolute clown, and still do, for the idiotic way he’s approached matches.
 

But today was excellent. More of that please!

Edited April 18 by Forever Blue

[simongarnerisgod]

2 hours ago, KentExile said:

I've been very critical of the appointment of Ismael so far, but if Rovers carry on as they played today, they I will be delighted to eat my words.

I still expect the summer transfer business and contract situation to be a mess,  Nothing would make me happier than to be wrong about that also

im`e no fan of ismael , the obvious upcoming summer shambles won`t be his fault but he`ll have to take the consequences of a shockingly badly run football club,i kind of feel sorry for him even now.lets face it,dolan is leaving and they ar`nt giving tronstadt,travis or brittain new deals,i expect all three of their agents will be looking for clubs for them,nothing worse for a footballer to go into his last year with no clear vision on his future

[Tom]

One difficulty is going from 2 managers that were probably popular overall in the camp to someone who is known to be more authoritarian. 
 

He’s said he has firm rules and doesn’t seem to seek to be too friendly with the players. That will always upset the apple cart a bit and some players will have their nose put out.

[roversfan99]

Tomasson didnt seem like much of a people pleaser either.

[Lucimo]

On 17/04/2025 at 18:48, bigbrandjohn said:

"However, reacting to that news on the radio station, former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan insisted Rooney should steer clear of a return to management. "They’ll get what they deserve," Jordan said in a message to Blackburn."

Not  sure whether uber Pundit, Simon of perfect hair means he's going to pay the other 20 million that he should've paid us for Adam Wharton when he bamboozled our crack negotiating team. 

Orwhether he is a genuine fan of Rovers, and telling Rooney to stay clear will only help us claw our way back into the playoffs.  Rather than "piss our chances up against the wall" so to speak, and enter the relegation zone under his tutelage  

Tbf Jordan is no longer Palace chairman as it states. Steve Parish is the one who had our pants down.

[Herbie6590]

6 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Tomasson didnt seem like much of a people pleaser either.

I had the pleasure of meeting him on three occasions…I’d have crawled over broken glass for him frankly…😁

Ask @rog of the rovers to confirm my cult membership…

[chaddyrovers]

11 hours ago, KentExile said:

I've been very critical of the appointment of Ismael so far, but if Rovers carry on as they played today, they I will be delighted to eat my words.

I hope Ismael and the players proved me wrong aswell. 

Yesterday was the best we played attacking wise for months. 4 good goals and buzz around the fans. Excite the fans

[Tomphil2]

7 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Tomasson didnt seem like much of a people pleaser either.

He came across as a sound bloke who'd rather please fans than the suits upstairs.