[Archived] How would you make Rovers a top 5 side?

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Given Venky's statement of intent to make us an entertaining top 5 side, how would you go about it? Who would you keep in the side? How much is it going to cost them?

Maybe it will give them a realistic idea of what they need to do, more importantly it's a bit of fun after a bizarre week - anyone who can do it for under £5 million, get your CV to JW quick.

For a bit of fun,

Out of the present squad

GK Robinson

CB Samba

CB Jones

RB Emerton

DM Nzonzi

Bring in

LB Marek jankulovski (probably free)

CM Charlie Adam (£3-4 miliion)

AM P Piatti (£10 million)

Rm/RW Osvaldo (£8 million)

Lm/LW Nzogbia (£8 miliion)

CF Pogbrenyak (£5 million)

Still playing a 4-2-3-1 formation with the ball on the deck most of the time, but target man if required

Subs

Pedersen

Nelsen

Hanley

Hoilett

Olsson

Kalinic

Fielding

Cost: Approx £35 million. Youngish team with plenty of sell on value, majority rumoured to be available in Jan, potentially exciting to watch....

[Tom]

Easy, drop down a division and do it there.

But seriously without spending close to £50 million it's practically impossible to get up there and stay there

[steo]

Stupid question because it is unachievable even with 50 million spent.

saying that with just adam and piatti we would be easily top ten.

[King Kenny's Magic]

Get JW to ring up Uncle Ali and say "Any chance of that 100 million,I think the trust made a boo boo."

[broadsword]

£50 mill? I can't see you doing it and getting much change out of £150 mill.

Essentially, you'd be replacing Tottenham and they've spent a packet over the last few years, while we ... er ... haven't.

[Daremz]

Buy Lasse Schöne from NEC Nijmegen, stop playing hoofball. Stairway to heaven.

[Amo]

Get Andrews fit.

[Kelbo]

Sell the club to someone with brains and money, this lot have niether!!

[Hi Mack]

Spend all day and night on Fifa and hope the computer dont score to many past me!

[bob fleming]

Good question. Having shelled out (what I could potentially get back by selling Phil Jones) to buy BRFC, and despite not knowing anything about running a football club, the first thing I would do is sack the manager. Despite finishing 10th last season without any money for signings that's not good enough in my eyes. So why should I give him money now to try and improve things eh?

Then I'd appoint someone from the back room team with no Premier League managerial experience, a coach. The last two coaches employed at Blackburn Rovers were failures in Ray Harford and Brian Kidd. Both exceptional coaches by the way. I'll igmore this fact though because, er, well anyway...

I'd then seek advice from some Agents (who represent the new "temporary" Manager) on what I should be doing to take the club forward. Clearly this particular group of agents will be there to help us, they will only recommend good players to the club and won't want paying any money whatsoever if we buy them and they are abject failures. So far so good. It's all coming together.

I'll then issue some statements to the press to give them the impression that we don't know what we're doing. Therefore leading the rest of the Premier League into a false sense of security.

I'd then pretend to go for a high profile new manager, someone like Cantona or something. Then deny it. But chances are I might get my other company's name a little better known on Sky Sports and in the Press. So no harm done and the playing squad and new "temporary" manager will all feel really happy.

Finally, just when the supporters begin to start questioning what on earth is going on I'll sign some players in January for lots of money that we haven't got, getting the club into serious debt. Eventually we'll finish 10th, just missing out on 5th place but, my word, everyone know's my other company's name now. A right result.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Good question. Having shelled out (what I could potentially get back by selling Phil Jones) to buy BRFC, and despite not knowing anything about running a football club, the first thing I would do is sack the manager. Despite finishing 10th last season without any money for signings that's not good enough in my eyes. So why should I give him money now to try and improve things eh?

Then I'd appoint someone from the back room team with no Premier League managerial experience, a coach. The last two coaches employed at Blackburn Rovers were failures in Ray Harford and Brian Kidd. Both exceptional coaches by the way. I'll igmore this fact though because, er, well anyway...

I'd then seek advice from some Agents (who represent the new "temporary" Manager) on what I should be doing to take the club forward. Clearly this particular group of agents will be there to help us, they will only recommend good players to the club and won't want paying any money whatsoever if we buy them and they are abject failures. So far so good. It's all coming together.

I'll then issue some statements to the press to give them the impression that we don't know what we're doing. Therefore leading the rest of the Premier League into a false sense of security.

I'd then pretend to go for a high profile new manager, someone like Cantona or something. Then deny it. But chances are I might get my other company's name a little better known on Sky Sports and in the Press. So no harm done and the playing squad and new "temporary" manager will all feel really happy.

Finally, just when the supporters begin to start questioning what on earth is going on I'll sign some players in January for lots of money that we haven't got, getting the club into serious debt. Eventually we'll finish 10th, just missing out on 5th place but, my word, everyone know's my other company's name now. A right result.

lol

According to Ms Desai though tenth would be ok because we were positive and tried for fifth - working long hours to achieve it.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

For me there would be only one way - and it would be much the same way Arsenal have gone about their business.

Firstly I would spend enough money on the first team squad to maintain our current position - but improve the style of football. Don't think Sam was far out - Nzogbia, Adams and Keane - so around £15m in the next transfer window.

Then I would start mopping up all the best bright young things across Europe - as Arsenal did - even looking to take star youngsters coming through the acadamies of other clubs (e.g. Fabregas).

You then decide on a style of play - and encourage that style of play right through the club.

Sounds similar to Arsenal doesn't it ? Nothing but respect for the job they have done there. For Arsenal being in the top 4 isn't good enough (given the size of the club) for Rovers it would be an almighty achievement.

Our biggest problem - the owners would need pretty deep pockets until this really took off - which would be probably around 4 or 5 years. You also have to be lucky that youngsters develop - there are numerous instances (even at Rovers) of players he looked the next great thing at 16 only to disappear into obscurity.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

For me there would be only one way - and it would be much the same way Arsenal have gone about their business.

Firstly I would spend enough money on the first team squad to maintain our current position - but improve the style of football. Don't think Sam was far out - Nzogbia, Adams and Keane - so around £15m in the next transfer window.

Then I would start mopping up all the best bright young things across Europe - as Arsenal did - even looking to take star youngsters coming through the acadamies of other clubs (e.g. Fabregas).

You then decide on a style of play - and encourage that style of play right through the club.

Sounds similar to Arsenal doesn't it ? Nothing but respect for the job they have done there. For Arsenal being in the top 4 isn't good enough (given the size of the club) for Rovers it would be an almighty achievement.

Our biggest problem - the owners would need pretty deep pockets until this really took off - which would be probably around 4 or 5 years. You also have to be lucky that youngsters develop - there are numerous instances (even at Rovers) of players he looked the next great thing at 16 only to disappear into obscurity.

Can't fault that approach, probably not to dissimilar to what Venkys hope to achieve

[Miker]

Positive thinking.

We ARE better than Barcelona. Andrews IS the Irish Messi. Roberts WILL score 30 goals this season.

...Is it working yet?

[True Blue & White]

Prey to Vishnu that Tottenham, Bolton, Sunderland, Newcastle, Liverpool, Blackpool, West Brom and Stoke all go into administration and get a 10 point deduction?

Don't laugh, that may well be their business plan.

[Miker]

For me there would be only one way - and it would be much the same way Arsenal have gone about their business.

Indeed.

[Mr. E]

A good manager is more important than 5 new players.

[philipl]

I'd have given Sam a £15m or there abouts budget for fees and wages this summer.

The players we had on our radar would have delivered a Europa Cup qualification- pretty sure of that.

[Miker]

I'd have given Sam a £15m or there abouts budget for fees and wages this summer.

The players we had on our radar would have delivered a Europa Cup qualification- pretty sure of that.

Adam, N'zogbia and Cole could have done the job definitely. Just add a decent full back to that and maybe an extra midfielder and we'd have a competitive team on our hands.

Robinson, Nelsen, Samba, Jones, Pedersen, N'zonzi, EH Diouf, Olsson, Hoilett and Mame Diouf all make up a good team. Givet and Salgado are a bit off form right now, but I still think they're both quality.

[Gus Gus]

Can we finish in the top 5 this season? Sure: just spend several hundred million pounds on new players (as someone else pointed out). Otherwise it's going to take years and years of good luck and youth development if we want to take the five million pounds in January route.

[Hughesy]

Look around France, Germany & Holland for some young talent....plenty in France for good prices. Also look to inject some flair, creativity & pace into the side.

Scrap - Chimbonda, Roberts, Benjani, Brown, Grella, Andrews, Nelsen, Salgado (at end of season), Judge, El Hadji.

Appoint a good manager who will be able to attract young stars....maybe Jol

Thats a start.

[Tom]

Positive thinking.

We ARE better than Barcelona. Andrews IS the Irish Messi. Roberts WILL score 30 goals this season.

...Is it working yet?

On the positive thinking thing, why havn't Real or Barca appointed Sam yet, after all he'd win it all every year.

[Miker]

On the positive thinking thing, why havn't Real or Barca appointed Sam yet, after all he'd win it all every year.

Mourinho and Guardiola are doing good jobs there and are better than him?

[Steve Moss]

I'd have given Sam a £15m or there abouts budget for fees and wages this summer.

The players we had on our radar would have delivered a Europa Cup qualification- pretty sure of that.

15 million, I agree with. If he wants the signings, he should offload the deadwood first to make room on the wage bill.

Adam, N'zogbia and Cole could have done the job definitely. Just add a decent full back to that and maybe an extra midfielder and we'd have a competitive team on our hands.

Robinson, Nelsen, Samba, Jones, Pedersen, N'zonzi, EH Diouf, Olsson, Hoilett and Mame Diouf all make up a good team. Givet and Salgado are a bit off form right now, but I still think they're both quality.

I agree with this. I suck at player valuations, but Adam and N'Zogbia would cost around 11 million, if I read the papers right. I have no clue what Cole is worth but I assume more than 4 million. So I'm afraid that we have to increase Philip's estimate of 15 million by the difference. Venkys get your checkbook out.

Look around France, Germany & Holland for some young talent....plenty in France for good prices. Also look to inject some flair, creativity & pace into the side.

Scrap - Chimbonda, Roberts, Benjani, Brown, Grella, Andrews, Nelsen, Salgado (at end of season), Judge, El Hadji.

Everyone is already looking around France, Germany & Holland for "young talent". Might be better off looking where the sharks aren't already swarming. Maybe Asia and the USA?

As to your scrap list I agree with it all, with the exception of Nelsen (surely good as a bench player for the next couple of years) and, maybe, Salgado (if he'll accept a massive paycut). On the other hand, I confess a massive soft spot for the both of them so perhaps sentiment is blinding me to the necessity of makinig room on the squad and the wage budget.

Appoint a good manager who will be able to attract young stars....maybe Jol

Maybe Maradona?

How many "legend" managers are there?

Seriously, if I owned the Rovers, I would:

1. Unload most (if not all) of the players indentified by Hughesy, plus Emerton and Givet, over the next 1-2 years.

2. Replace them with 4-8 younger (under 24) talents, stiffened by 1-2 older "fading" stars. In this regard, I think Sam's dream of Guti plus the Real Madrid striker whose name I forget was the right way to go.

3. Focus on the youth academy/reserves over the next several years, transitioning Sam from manager to director of the academy.

4. Bring in a younger manager, such as Grayson (or, as a gamble, Kean).

5. Budget 10 million plus a year, for 4-5 years, with the same manager with the same game plan (1-4) until we get the team chemistry and mix right.

6. Pray. A lot.

[ross-shire rover]

Sad to say, as things stand, we'll never break into the top 4 or 5. When we won the Premier League our average attendance was 25,000. If our new owners invested hugely in the stadium and then stood on Blackburn Market giving tickets away we would still not get 40,000 plus. We are a small town club with a great history, which has been punching above its weight for some time.

I think the new owners, knowing nothing about English football saw the statistic that only ManU, Arsenal, Chelsea and BLACKBURN ROVERS had won the Premier League and assumed we must be one of the top 4 :-) Pouring money into Rovers isn't the answer. We don't have that potential, in fan base, population, infrastructure or whatever. Supporters of the many clubs in the area - I don't need to name them all - will not suddenly change their allegiance and become Rovers supporters. People who don't support anyone at the moment obviously aren't that bothered about watching live football anyway so they're not going to come. Many people are sickened with the whole modern day football obsession with money and if you spend millions on making the club bigger ticket prices are going to go up..etc etc. So they have to rely on Sky, business deals, merchandising and other non- footballing factors like marketing potential, image building and so on. But a team in the middle and lower parts of the Premier League ( or the Championship ) aren't going to be that attractive, so in my opinion, Venkys have been badly advised by Kentaro, although the latter may have its own agenda.