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Yes I wondered about that phrase. Does he already know how they are thinking and accepting it?

Sorry, he's let himself down massively, and made his criticism relatively worthless, by giving them an "out" saying that as far he's concerned they can knock the cost of any pitch improvements out of the January transfer budget. I'm sure he knows the cost of expenditure on the ground doesn't count towards FFP calculations. Fuck off Ismael and take the rest of them with you.

You would think so but JE and JDT had to virtually break out of the place.

Well said VI. Without a plan or anyone taking responsibility for resolving the problem we will be in serious trouble. If the game against Oxford gets abandoned I’m pretty sure we will be made to play elsewhere by the EFL. Tomorrow, for only the second time in the last few seasons, I won’t be making the 100 miles round trip to Ewood. Saturday’s fiasco has contributed to my decision as I’m not prepared to battle through traffic on the M62/M66 in the vain hope that we will finish a match.

So how does it play out? Thinking aloud… Thinking about it does VI know already know what RG and SP think and possibly accepted it? That is, we will do the ground (at some stage) but will cut back elsewhere (player wages, transfers etc). That is, no new spend. And if we get deducted points, we’ll have to take it? Probably, business as usual. Fans get irate, managers gets irate, Pasha just rides it out. Won’t sack VI –too costly. Won’t spend money on pitch unless cut backs elsewhere.

Well that’s VI just signed his P45

So as far as Val knows, they haven't even thought about Tuesdays fixture. Even he's had the foresight to look at the weather report and see it's going to be shite. Brilliant.

Occam's Razor looms large - Weeds growing out of the crumbling steps on the Riverside, mould and moss on the gantries above the Darwen and Blackburn End, no Sky Sports in the blues bar, the botched Anniversary Kit, no hot food for press, doesn't take a genius to work out there's an issue. Regarding the pitch, it almost doesn't matter, the latest chapter in the Venky's book of bullshit - just add it to the long list. This is why fans are at their wit's end, it's the wafer-thin mint that tips us over the edge. Rovers are a cost-cutting exercise, not a football club. Like Ismael said today, there's lots of "heads of" at the club, it points to no accountability and no solid structure emanating from the top down. I go to games with my 76 year old father, we both live over an hour away, it's been our tradition ever since I moved back up north in 2007, we have a pub lunch and a pint or two, and enjoy getting away for the afternoon. We dissect the game long into the week, and repeat come the next fixture. For the first time this Saturday, since I started supporting Rovers in '92, we actually came to blows leaving the ground and had an unsavoury argument regarding the running of the club. Tensions we're a little high due to a wasted afternoon - we've since made up and laughed it off - but it highlighted for me the sheer frustration and desolate feeling this latest saga has created. It's almost poetic in a way that the pitch has failed like this, the very thing needed to actually play the game. It's a perfect, visible representation of the owner's neglect.

I wish he hadnt offered to reduce the transfer budget to compensate although I understand its just him stressing the importance. It should be either or. We badly need new players and a suitable pitch.

The cracks are certainly appearing in the wafer thin paper that has been used to disguise the reality of our club's plight by the faceless, useless, pointless, feckless ones. Way past their sell by, IMO.

No way will he go to united. They are also-rans and on top of that English players joining them usually spells the end of their careers. See jadon sancho et al. He's good enough to play for real madrid

This is what I wanted to see off him. A bite back at the hierarchy. Are there better managers than Val? Of course there is. Can I get behind someone that fights for the club and fans? You're damn right. Perhaps now they can finally see that not only are the fans against them, the players are unhappy and now their 'shopfloor yes man' is having a pop. I'd keep Val another season based on his pushbacks.

He is indeed, from Todmorden and why I never liked him 😂

Interesting. Not his biggest fan but well done Val. "You're not pinning this one on me, it's various Head ofs responsibility." Usually results in a sacking if you challenge the hierarchy.

And there we have it - the minute Ismael endears himself to the fans and openly (perhaps bravely) expresses his frustration and confusion, almost on behalf of the fanbase, he thus signs his own death warrant. 1 step forward, 2 back. The Venky's Way.

Have two, make the second ‘off’.

They don’t think they need a CEO. Maybe they’ll try a no manager approach too.

It's only taken him the best part of ten months to realise what a circus this is and to speak out against our overlords' reign of error. If he'd spent less time constantly blaming individual players and referees for everything wrong at this football club, he might have learned with great sadness as I have, that almost everything bad that happens at this football club is self-inflicted. Double-down Valerien and tell them where to shove the endless excuses and inaction. 3 years salary up for grabs for you if they don't listen.

Does he not know 'head of placating fans' pie squabbler Nixon has already appeased the fan base?

VI is well and truly having a go now. This is from Radio Lancs / LT….. Valerien Ismael says Blackburn Rovers must invest in Ewood Park's pitch after labelling the Sheffield Wednesday abandonment 'embarrassing'. It is the second time this season that Rovers have been unable to complete a home fixture due to heavy rainfall. Understandably, the 36-year-old Ewood Park surface has come under scrutiny after the weekend. Ismael has called on those in charge at Rovers to provide a clear plan of action to prevent any further issues. He believes money must be invested to provide peace of mind to staff, players and supporters. "I am not the right person to give you an explanation," Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire. "Normally, it would be someone else here to explain what's happened. We have a lot of 'head of' in the club. Groundkeeping or someone from the board to give an explanation. "I am like you, I'd like to understand. Like the players, like the fans. Why has this happened again? We were in a good position, especially when we spoke about creating something positive with the fans in home games after the Ipswich game. "Now to be ahead, four points in two home games, would be great for us. Especially with a lot of games. Now we are sitting there with a situation that has happened again and I think everyone has the right to have some clarity, some guarantees, why has this happened again? "What is the plan? Especially in the near future to make sure that money is invested to renew the pitch. It's as simple as that. I want guarantees I can do my job properly, the players need guarantees to do their job properly and the fans when they pay to see a game, they want to see a full 90 minutes and not have to go home with a big frustration. "I am sitting here not knowing exactly what the next step is. It's not my job to explain that. Someone else has to stand up and show up and explain to the people why it's happened again." Ismael conceded his is concerned whether Tuesday night's fixture with Oxford United will go ahead. Heavy rainfall has been forecast this week which is causing the head coach further concern. "We have had no meetings," he continued. "We had an explanation of what will happen the game in terms of rescheduling the game. It's another game on the schedule, another load for the players. "My problem is this is happening again since Ipswich. I want a clear plan, clarity as to what the problem is and what the plan is. 'We can't renew the pitch now but in the summer we'll invest but this is the solution'. This is what is missing: a clear plan. "It will happen again. If you see tomorrow, we see the forecast. The weather won't be nice. We don't know and that's terrible. "It's pressure on your mind to see it's a home game, a rainy day and you don't know what will happen. It's a long-term issue which we have to think about. "We need clarity. The players, the staff, the fans, the EFL. Everyone needs a reliable answer to make sure this embarrassing situation can't carry on." Remarkably, Ismael even said he would sacrifice money to spend in the transfer market to ensure the Ewood Park pitch is rectified. "I think it's an emergency call now. "This is something we can control. You can't control the weather but you can renew the pitch. It's something you can control. It was a problem before me, it's a problem now and I hope it won't be a problem in the future anymore. "If I can do anything to help, I will do it. If I can influence it, if we have to save money in the transfer market to add money to get a new pitch, I'd be the first person to do it. If I have to sacrifice that for the better of the club and the pitch, I will do it. "I want to see everyone happy. Fans coming into the stadium and seeing the game until the end. I want to see my players getting their reward throughout the 90 minutes. "If it's something I can do, I'll do it. We need a clear plan on the table for everyone to follow and understand."

Someone get into that headwall and block the bloody thing some more. If Oxford is abandoned, Val is going to hit the roof. Would be cracking to see him floor Rudy and Pasha. Can't believe I am saying it, but him walking would not be a bad thing either. The Club only feel shame when it is in the press - see the LT ban. Us talking on here or telling them they are crap from the stands doesn't matter. Val walking on the back of crap facilities along with the JDT / Eustace situation piles on more pressure Whilst writing that I realised there's absolutely nothing I would not do to get rid of the Rao family. Must be one of the worst things to ever happen to Blackburn as a town, let alone the Club

Ismael's average game tenure as a manager across 8 clubs prior to Rovers is 27. His Rovers tenure is already at 31. So he's above average already here. Under Venkys the average managerial tenure (excluding Kean, Bowyer and Mowbray who established personal links to the gruesome people in Pune) is around 7-8 months. Those who haven't been afforded holidays to Pune to visit the palace don't last very long. Allardyce got 24 days, Berg got less than 2 months, Appleton got just over 2 months. Lambert got under 6 months, Coyle got 8 months, Tomasson got less than 20 months (and tried getting out after 12 months), Eustace got 12 months (and rumour has it was trying/offering to get out after only 3-4 months). Ismael has nearly managed 10 months now, he's had no jolly trip to India so he's done well to last this long. Won't be around much longer though, both his and Venky records show that.

Letting the stadium slowly rot and avoiding redoing the pitch properly for a decade presumably because of no Prem money i wonder what the state will be in another decade. Can see the flat pack 15k stadium big enough for lower leagues sat on a cheap leased brownfield site on the edge of town looming into view.

It's like the Marie Celeste.