Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[JHRover]

The two Venky stooges running the operation at Ewood have bonuses and pensions to build up and they know their quickest route to doing that is to cut costs, sell players and sell more season tickets.

I'm increasingly convinced that the lack of contract renewals since Gregg Broughton departed is a direct result of them wanting 'high' earners out and off the wage bill so that the stooges can collect more pay for 'saving' the Indian imbeciles money (of course it doesn't actually save them money, it just means they have to spend it later).

It will soon be season ticket time and their ruinous selfish and short term policies are going to achieve another drastic fall in sales. They will come up with some sort of scheme to try and force existing ST holders to renew quickly before their summer transfer 'plans' unfold and everyone sees what the 'ambition' here is. 

Until then they will play the 'Ismael revolution' card as it is tried, tested and most importantly free. The problem they have is that this is the third time they are playing this in the space of 4 years and the first two times around their approach has cost us two good and popular managers. Even if, and this is highly unlikely, Ismael is as good as JDT and Eustace, they'll act to undermine him come January 2026 in any event.

People are seeing through it now but the stooges don't have many other cards left to play. They didn't have many to start with, and are running out of options with many now recognising where the problem is and deciding they've had enough.

Personally the thought of handing over my hard earned money again to support the stooges' wage and pension increases after they've destroyed our squad and promotion prospects makes precious little sense whichever way you look at it. 

[RTM08]

  On 20/03/2025 at 21:46, DE. said:

Spot on. The reason I welcomed Eustace joining initially was because I felt his style of football was exactly what we needed. Build from the back, defensively solid, playing to the strengths of the team - which is not technical ability, even from our supposedly technical players. It was a relief to finally have a manager who understood what we needed to do to compete. Not always pleasing on the eye, but if it gets results then so be it.

Ismael is deluded if he thinks he's going to make us successful with possession based football on our budget, and it really does suggest he's the wrong man for the job.

Expand  

Wrong man for the job, right man for Swag and the owners.

[47er]

  On 20/03/2025 at 22:46, JHRover said:

The two Venky stooges running the operation at Ewood have bonuses and pensions to build up and they know their quickest route to doing that is to cut costs, sell players and sell more season tickets.

I'm increasingly convinced that the lack of contract renewals since Gregg Broughton departed is a direct result of them wanting 'high' earners out and off the wage bill so that the stooges can collect more pay for 'saving' the Indian imbeciles money (of course it doesn't actually save them money, it just means they have to spend it later).

It will soon be season ticket time and their ruinous selfish and short term policies are going to achieve another drastic fall in sales. They will come up with some sort of scheme to try and force existing ST holders to renew quickly before their summer transfer 'plans' unfold and everyone sees what the 'ambition' here is. 

Until then they will play the 'Ismael revolution' card as it is tried, tested and most importantly free. The problem they have is that this is the third time they are playing this in the space of 4 years and the first two times around their approach has cost us two good and popular managers. Even if, and this is highly unlikely, Ismael is as good as JDT and Eustace, they'll act to undermine him come January 2026 in any event.

People are seeing through it now but the stooges don't have many other cards left to play. They didn't have many to start with, and are running out of options with many now recognising where the problem is and deciding they've had enough.

Personally the thought of handing over my hard earned money again to support the stooges' wage and pension increases after they've destroyed our squad and promotion prospects makes precious little sense whichever way you look at it. 

Expand  

The other point to make is that, whatever levels we sink to, the manager will be here for 3.5 years because Venkys never pay out compensation. Madness. 

[47er]

 From LT Comments section:

"Draw a line under Eustace, he did what he did well here and now he’s doing it elsewhere too. Who cares. If we can finish top 10 it would be a great season and then it’s on to squad building for next year."

 

Love the "squad-building" bit!

 

 

 

[DE.]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:01, 47er said:

The other point to make is that, whatever levels we sink to, the manager will be here for 3.5 years because Venkys never pay out compensation. Madness. 

Expand  

Technically they did with Coyle, but they left it too late because everything at the club moves at glacial speed. Even if a miracle did happen and Ismael was removed from position due to us being in peril, you can guarantee they'd leave it until salvaging the situation was virtually impossible. 

Bowyer was also sacked, which is actually quite weird in retrospect. We weren't doing particularly well (15th I think?) but nor were we in dire straits. Also under a transfer embargo which was always going to make things difficult. I'd heard communication between GB and Venky's had broken down around this time, but one imagines if GB had been manager in a similar situation from 2018 onwards he would not have been sacked. I suppose those days in 2015 were the dying embers of the owners having any sort of remote ambition for the club before settling into the current model of just letting the club exist, like a mothballed toy at the bottom of a cupboard somewhere. 

Difficult to compare further back than that due to the Kentaro/Shebby/The Rogue/Agnew nonsense which the owners allowed to spiral out of control due to their inability to run the club in a professional manner. Over a decade later and we've just seen another manager walk after another "power struggle" that should never have been allowed to happen. The rudderless ship sails on. 

[JHRover]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:18, DE. said:

Technically they did with Coyle, but they left it too late because everything at the club moves at glacial speed. Even if a miracle did happen and Ismael was removed from position due to us being in peril, you can guarantee they'd leave it until salvaging the situation was virtually impossible. 

Bowyer was also sacked, which is actually quite weird in retrospect. We weren't doing particularly well (15th I think?) but nor were we in dire straits. Also under a transfer embargo which was always going to make things difficult. I'd heard communication between GB and Venky's had broken down around this time, but one imagines if GB had been manager in a similar situation from 2018 onwards he would not have been sacked. I suppose those days in 2015 were the dying embers of the owners having any sort of remote ambition for the club before settling into the current model of just letting the club exist, like a mothballed toy at the bottom of a cupboard somewhere. 

Difficult to compare further back than that due to the Kentaro/Shebby/The Rogue/Agnew nonsense which the owners allowed to spiral out of control due to their inability to run the club in a professional manner. Over a decade later and we've just seen another manager walk after another "power struggle" that should never have been allowed to happen. The rudderless ship sails on. 

Expand  

My interpretation of the Bowyer one was that his personal link to those in Pune had been cut, which immediately shortens a manager's lifespan at the club. It was also around this time that stooge number 1 began to slowly but surely emerge from the shadows and take more of a hands on role in running the operation. 

The Lambert stunt was typical stooge number 1 - appoint a reasonable looking manager, not give him the resources he was offered/promised, so he walks at the first opportunity he gets. This is something that has been repeated since with JDT and Eustace and I suspect would have done had he plumped for Warnock rather than Coyle as Warnock wouldn't have put up with that sort of nonsense. But hey, bonuses are there to be collected and friends are there to keep happy so Coyle it was.

So the only real exception / interruption to stooge 1's game over the last decade going back to Bowyer's sacking has been the Mowbray era. Interestingly Mowbray managed to quickly get out to India, bypass Stooge 1 and get promises and resources directly from the top.

Eventually, as with Bowyer, his link to India was also cut, and from there it unravelled. 

These patterns aren't a coincidence in my opinion. 

Edited Thursday at 23:28 by JHRover

[chaddyrovers]

The ismael's article today by Elliott Jackson were to a question about Summer transfers, contracts renewals. This was done pre match Cardiff conference when EJ wanted content for this week

When he talking about more possession based, I dont think its will like JDT but mixed style between Eustace and JDT.

Do we need to created more chances? Of course we do. 

When we go behind do we really look like getting back into the game and coming from behind? Rarely. 

Do we need pace and creativity in the team? Yes we do. 

Is our record over the last 4 years against promotion teams away good enough? It's fecking appalling. 

We need a number of quality signings over the summer. 

[JHRover]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:29, chaddyrovers said:

 

We need a number of quality signings over the summer. 

Expand  

So what happens if we don't get them, which most of us know by now we won't?

[DE.]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:27, JHRover said:

My interpretation of the Bowyer one was that his personal link to those in Pune had been cut, which immediately shortens a manager's lifespan at the club. It was also around this time that stooge number 1 began to slowly but surely emerge from the shadows and take more of a hands on role in running the operation. 

The Lambert stunt was typical stooge number 1 - appoint a reasonable looking manager, not give him the resources he was offered/promised, so he walks at the first opportunity he gets. This is something that has been repeated since with JDT and Eustace and I suspect would have done had he plumped for Warnock rather than Coyle as Warnock wouldn't have put up with that sort of nonsense. But hey, bonuses are there to be collected and friends are there to keep happy so Coyle it was.

So the only real exception / interruption to stooge 1's game over the last decade going back to Bowyer's sacking has been the Mowbray era. Interestingly Mowbray managed to quickly get out to India, bypass Stooge 1 and get promises and resources directly from the top.

Eventually, as with Bowyer, his link to India was also cut, and from there it unravelled. 

These patterns aren't a coincidence in my opinion. 

Expand  

The decision to part with Mowbray is a curious one as well. It seemed to be a relationship that was working for all parties, but then Venky's/Suhail decided to just ghost TM towards the end and let his contract run out. I wonder why? Did Mowbray end up asking for something that they felt was too much? Did he do or say something to sour that relationship? Was JDT just a cheaper option than renewing TM?

It's difficult to imagine the answer is "ambition", considering how Tomasson was treated (as you noted, the usual lies and broken promises), so why get rid of a manager in TM who, on the surface at least, was doing the minimum required and unlikely to rock the boat in future? Can't help but wonder, considering how things have gone since, whether Suhail or Venky's regret not extending TM's deal, regardless of why they chose not to renew him originally. 

[J*B]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:29, chaddyrovers said:

 

We need a number of quality signings over the summer. 

Expand  

Chaddy you’ve been saying this for the last 10 years. 

[JHRover]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:39, DE. said:

The decision to part with Mowbray is a curious one as well. It seemed to be a relationship that was working for all parties, but then Venky's/Suhail decided to just ghost TM towards the end and let his contract run out. I wonder why? Did Mowbray end up asking for something that they felt was too much? Did he do or say something to sour that relationship? Was JDT just a cheaper option than renewing TM?

It's difficult to imagine the answer is "ambition", considering how Tomasson was treated (as you noted, the usual lies and broken promises), so why get rid of a manager in TM who, on the surface at least, was doing the minimum required and unlikely to rock the boat in future? Can't help but wonder, considering how things have gone since, whether Suhail or Venky's regret not extending TM's deal, regardless of why they chose not to renew him originally. 

Expand  

Yes it is an odd one. We should also remember that there were clearly some efforts of some sort right at the very last minute to try and explore the possibility of Mowbray staying on with a new contract. Rather than just professionally announce his departure before the end of the season and then have a 'thank you Tony' and well earned send-off after 5 years it was all done down at the training ground after the season had finished and then released via club statement. 

My own belief is that the stooges and particularly stooge 1 was never particularly happy with the fact that Mowbray had a direct line to Pune and that as per earlier post ever since 2015 with Bowyer he has worked to sever that and for himself to be the only link to India.

Obviously the Indians seem quite content with this. But I reckon it was all powerplay - Stooge 1 expecting Mowbray to relinquish control and play by his rules - this means going through him, working to the stooges' budgets (aka no money) and recruitment plans whereas in his initial days Mowbray had enjoyed reasonable backing and the freedom to recruit as he wanted. 

The weird breakdown in relations and link between Mowbray and Pune was odd. It seems to have started around the time of Covid and obviously all the travel issues and supposed difficulties it was causing Venkys' other businesses. So maybe Stooge 1 was able to take advantage of that, either to cut Mowbray's communications to India or to persuade Venkys to let him handle it from now on on the basis it would save them a whole packet of cash, who knows.

I think the Tomasson and Broughton thing only came about at the last minute once Mowbray and Venus had cleared their desks and the penny started to drop with the stooges that the days of leaving it all to Mowbray were over and that we needed someone else running the football side of things. I might be wrong on that as it seems initially at least Broughton was given reasonable levels of power and finance....whether that was with the stooges' blessing or whether it came from elsewhere and the stooges then set to work at dismantling Broughton's powers as it encroached on their fiefdom again we will never know. 

I still think that the D of F setup with a head coach was in theory a good idea and had the potential to work well but this lot were never going to let it last or succeed because it is, as always, built on shifting sands, lies, false promises.

 

[roversfan99]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:29, chaddyrovers said:

The ismael's article today by Elliott Jackson were to a question about Summer transfers, contracts renewals. This was done pre match Cardiff conference when EJ wanted content for this week

When he talking about more possession based, I dont think its will like JDT but mixed style between Eustace and JDT.

Do we need to created more chances? Of course we do. 

When we go behind do we really look like getting back into the game and coming from behind? Rarely. 

Do we need pace and creativity in the team? Yes we do. 

Is our record over the last 4 years against promotion teams away good enough? It's fecking appalling. 

We need a number of quality signings over the summer. 

Expand  

A number of quality signings?

A hybrid of Eustace's organisation and pragmatism and Tomasson's entertaining style where we control games?

Pacy and creative players entertaining the crowds?

Dominance over promoted sides?

Real character to regularly come back to win from losing positions?

I like the sound of it.

I mean, under owners focused solely on slashing costs, a limited playing squad sorely lacking in players capable of dominating games effectively, a novice in charge of recruitment who has made a dogs dinner out of it this season. And a head coach who has only really done well in this country at one club at which he played a long ball style totally at odds to what he is proposing, and who has started embarassingly badly. It aint happening. But one can dream.

Edited Friday at 01:12 by roversfan99

[Upside Down]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:53, JHRover said:

Yes it is an odd one. We should also remember that there were clearly some efforts of some sort right at the very last minute to try and explore the possibility of Mowbray staying on with a new contract. Rather than just professionally announce his departure before the end of the season and then have a 'thank you Tony' and well earned send-off after 5 years it was all done down at the training ground after the season had finished and then released via club statement. 

My own belief is that the stooges and particularly stooge 1 was never particularly happy with the fact that Mowbray had a direct line to Pune and that as per earlier post ever since 2015 with Bowyer he has worked to sever that and for himself to be the only link to India.

Obviously the Indians seem quite content with this. But I reckon it was all powerplay - Stooge 1 expecting Mowbray to relinquish control and play by his rules - this means going through him, working to the stooges' budgets (aka no money) and recruitment plans whereas in his initial days Mowbray had enjoyed reasonable backing and the freedom to recruit as he wanted. 

The weird breakdown in relations and link between Mowbray and Pune was odd. It seems to have started around the time of Covid and obviously all the travel issues and supposed difficulties it was causing Venkys' other businesses. So maybe Stooge 1 was able to take advantage of that, either to cut Mowbray's communications to India or to persuade Venkys to let him handle it from now on on the basis it would save them a whole packet of cash, who knows.

I think the Tomasson and Broughton thing only came about at the last minute once Mowbray and Venus had cleared their desks and the penny started to drop with the stooges that the days of leaving it all to Mowbray were over and that we needed someone else running the football side of things. I might be wrong on that as it seems initially at least Broughton was given reasonable levels of power and finance....whether that was with the stooges' blessing or whether it came from elsewhere and the stooges then set to work at dismantling Broughton's powers as it encroached on their fiefdom again we will never know. 

I still think that the D of F setup with a head coach was in theory a good idea and had the potential to work well but this lot were never going to let it last or succeed because it is, as always, built on shifting sands, lies, false promises.

 

Expand  

2021 was when the investigation into their financial crimes started.

It was at that time when the aggressive cost cutting and downgrading went up a few gears.

[K-Hod]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:29, chaddyrovers said:

The ismael's article today by Elliott Jackson were to a question about Summer transfers, contracts renewals. This was done pre match Cardiff conference when EJ wanted content for this week

When he talking about more possession based, I dont think its will like JDT but mixed style between Eustace and JDT.

Do we need to created more chances? Of course we do. 

When we go behind do we really look like getting back into the game and coming from behind? Rarely. 

Do we need pace and creativity in the team? Yes we do. 

Is our record over the last 4 years against promotion teams away good enough? It's fecking appalling. 

We need a number of quality signings over the summer. 

Expand  

I agree with you, to be fair. 

We need all those things.

We will get absolutely none of them, though.

[Gamst]

  On 21/03/2025 at 01:12, roversfan99 said:

A number of quality signings?

A hybrid of Eustace's organisation and pragmatism and Tomasson's entertaining style where we control games?

Pacy and creative players entertaining the crowds?

Dominance over promoted sides?

Real character to regularly come back to win from losing positions?

I like the sound of it.

I mean, under owners focused solely on slashing costs, a limited playing squad sorely lacking in players capable of dominating games effectively, a novice in charge of recruitment who has made a dogs dinner out of it this season. And a head coach who has only really done well in this country at one club at which he played a long ball style totally at odds to what he is proposing, and who has started embarassingly badly. It aint happening. But one can dream.

Expand  

You have to feel for the recruitment team. Another summer where they are being asked to perform miracles. Now they have to shift focus to players who suit a possession based style and they probably have circa £1 million to sign 12 players. Rabbits out of hats springs to mind! 

[Forever Blue]

  On 21/03/2025 at 06:28, K-Hod said:

I agree with you, to be fair. 

We need all those things.

We will get absolutely none of them, though.

Expand  

‘The transfer window hasn’t shut though has it though? Be patience FFS’

Chaddy - Summer ‘25

[47er]

More possession-based football for us = more goals conceded in our own penalty area.

Not up to it.

[Gav]

  On 21/03/2025 at 07:28, 47er said:

More possession-based football for us = more goals conceded in our own penalty area.

Not up to it.

Expand  

Ismael, when at Barnsley, was a long ball merchent, he had no money, a club that was flirting with relegation and his style of play was get the ball it into the final 3rd as quickly as possible, horse for courses.

This summer, we'll have no money, player leaving in droves, cheap repalcements will be brought in that can kick the ball the length of the pitch, roll up and buy your season tickets.

VENKYS OUT - NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

[47er]

  On 21/03/2025 at 08:28, Gav said:

Ismael, when at Barnsley, was a long ball merchent, he had no money, a club that was flirting with relegation and his style of play was get the ball it into the final 3rd as quickly as possible, horse for courses.

This summer, we'll have no money, player leaving in droves, cheap repalcements will be brought in that can kick the ball the length of the pitch, roll up and buy your season tickets.

VENKYS OUT - NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

Expand  

Yep---its grim.

[chaddyrovers]

  On 21/03/2025 at 08:28, Gav said:

Ismael, when at Barnsley, was a long ball merchent, he had no money, a club that was flirting with relegation and his style of play was get the ball it into the final 3rd as quickly as possible, horse for courses.

Expand  

Correct but was being 9th with Watford sackable offence really? Has Cleverley done better there?

He played more possession based football at Watford but he still had a target man in his squad. I remember when Rajovic and Healey scored for Watford at Ewood and we lose. Also had Wahlstedt in goal

[London blue]

  On 21/03/2025 at 09:18, chaddyrovers said:

Correct but was being 9th with Watford sackable offence really? Has Cleverley done better there?

Expand  

You're going to need to accept that he was fired and people hold it against him.

[MarkBRFC]

  On 21/03/2025 at 09:18, chaddyrovers said:

Correct but was being 9th with Watford sackable offence really? 

Expand  

Depends what the mandate was when he took over?

Seeing as the club were still receiving parachute payments, maybe they agreed that he would have them in and around the top 2?

If that was the case, then yes being 9th in March was probably a sackable offence.

[Exiled_Rover]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:10, 47er said:

 From LT Comments section:

 

"Draw a line under Eustace, he did what he did well here and now he’s doing it elsewhere too. Who cares. If we can finish top 10 it would be a great season and then it’s on to squad building for next year."

 

Love the "squad-building" bit!

 

 

 

Expand  

If that's not a Venky's plant it's someone that needs their voting rights removed because they're too stupid for this planet.

[Exiled_Rover]

  On 21/03/2025 at 03:25, Upside Down said:

2021 was when the investigation into their financial crimes started.

It was at that time when the aggressive cost cutting and downgrading went up a few gears.

Expand  

4 years and we're still no closer to a resolution.

No wonder India is a lawless state.

[TimmyJimmy]

  On 20/03/2025 at 15:27, Exiled_Rover said:

Are you not even slightly concerned that the manager we ran off had those journeymen loanees and Academy graduates in 5th for most of the year and the new bloke has them looking like a bunch of strangers?

Expand  

I'm saying what you already know. Every window we desperately write hundreds of pages on this board saying we really, really need good players in positions x, y and z. Consistently we are disappointed because no one of quality turns up. We end up with bargain basement journeymen usually at the end of their career plus the odd Liverpool junior loanee.

Of our academy graduates we have only one success and we sold him as soon as we possibly could. Before that you have to go back to Phil Jones. Ash we never got to see so contributed nothing to our team.

This leaves the likes of JRC and Buckley to drool over each week. A success? Really??

VI will get only more of this. You know it, I know it, we all know it. Whether VI is good, bad or indifferent is irrelevant because we don't currently have the players worthy of the badge and he won't get any from this shower Venky con-men.

Hero managers from the past wouldn't get a tune out of this lot. Managed decline is the order of the day. VI is just here to rearrange the deckchairs on the good ship Venky FC, sister ship to the Titanic. So to answer your question, THAT'S what 'slightly' concerns me.