[Archived] A Brighter Future?

[BRFCS Content]

Published: Monday, 23 May 2011

A Brighter Future?

by Kamy

So there we have it, the end of another Premier League season for Blackburn Rovers, and my what a season it has been!

Victory at Wolves yesterday secured Premier League safety and in the end Rovers were 4 points clear of the relegation and only 3 points behind 14th-placed Bolton, who are meant to have had a good season. But let's not kid ourselves: this has been the season from hell!

Mistakes have been made, particularly by the owners Venky's. With any takeover there is bound to be change, but no one expected so much to change so quickly. Promises made prior to the takeover regarding continuity and stability seemed to go out of the window as the new owners put their stamp on the club. The decision to sack Sam Allardyce was the catalyst for the club's relegation battle. Sam was not loved by all the fans, but what he was able to do was to get results on a regular basis which kept the club out of relegation trouble. The owners have every right to choose who manages the club, but the timing of the sacking could not have been worse. It plunged the club into turmoil, which was further compounded by the decision to appoint first-team coach Steve Kean as Sam's successor. It may be that Kean will turn out to be a very good manager, but to put an inexperienced man in charge of team affairs at a crucial stage of the season was only going to lead to problems. To Kean's credit, towards the end of the season he did manage to turn things round when it looked like Rovers were in desperate trouble. The owners have already gone on record saying that Kean is here for the long term; if they are true to their word, then we can only hope that Kean can pick up from where he left off at the end of this season.

Off the field, Rovers stalwart John Williams left the club, but, despite what the owners have said, had John been given any encouragement by the owners, then he would have stayed on. That was not forthcoming, however, and so he left. Again, the failure to appoint a successor immediately has led to problems — with the club in the midst of a relegation battle a strong figurehead like John Williams was needed.

The result yesterday has given Venky's a second opportunity to get things right. The noises coming out are encouraging: they want to invest in the squad (that will be welcomed by fans) and the Rovers squad is quite strong, so keeping hold of key players and adding quality players can only help push the club forward. Then there is the future of Steve Kean. Constantly there is speculation that he will be sacked, so the owners need to come out and definitively back him and give him the authority to take the club forward. Venky's need to realise that most fans aren't against their ownership of the club, but when they see the club lurching from one crisis to another, with the owners making mistake after mistake, then fans will defend the club. If Venky's can learn from their mistakes, then there is no reason why the relationship with the fans cannot be repaired.

The summer is the chance for the club to get its "house in order" off the field. Venky's need to ensure that the people at Ewood are allowed to run the club without having to refer to Pune every time a decision is required. With the arrival of Paul Hunt as Deputy Chief Executive, it is hoped that as he has been appointed by Venky's, he will be given authority to make decisions. There is, however, speculation that Tom Finn will leave the club soon, which will likely cause more upheaval. Whatever happens, it is very important that Rovers have a settled corporate governance structure before the start of the season that is able to show leadership and take the club forward in the direction that Venky's intend.

The Premier League roller-coaster has stopped for the summer, but I suspect that it is going to be a busy summer at Ewood Park. Fans will be hoping that, come August, the club is stronger both on and off the field, and if this can be achieved, then just maybe next season will be one of triumph rather than one of fear!

* This editorial is published on the BRFCS News Site here.

[True Blue & White]

Great write up

[braddock]

A little harsh on the Venksters but a decent write up overall.

[PAFELL]

A very good fair assessment of Rovers season on and off the field.

Now it is down to venkys to show what they are made of. We do not want a season like we have had again - on or off the field.

I agree Kamy, if Kean is to stay, then they must back him. But not if he is thinking about players like RSC staying at the club - the I am concerned.

[thenodrog]

A little harsh on the Venksters but a decent write up overall.

You're kidding aren't you? Nowhere near hard enough.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

A little harsh on the Venksters but a decent write up overall.

Given the end to the season - it was just about fair. Lets not forget that they were one match away from instigating a series of events that nearly saw us relegated.

I think the real proof around the Venky's commitment was always going to be long term - as Kamy says they now have the chance to put their money where their mouth is - along with clearing up concerns around Rovers finances and mortgages etc. First things first - a reasonable increase in Season Ticket prices (10% tops) would set the tone for hopefully a good summer.

[Gav]

If venkys pump a few quid into our transfer fund next seaon the future is bright, no doubt about that.

All the other stuff is secondary, give Kean or a new manager 10-15m and we're on the up in a big way.

I think the summer will prove the doubters wrong, but let's see what happens.

[BangkokRover]

5 positions lower than last season.

RSC £90K a week on loan 0 goals scored.

Sorry, while like every Rovers fan I am delighted we stayed up. I don't see where any optimism comes from.

The only reason the fans did not protest was a lack of back bone when they thought drawing with Blackpool was a good result, and a draw with Brum also relegated. The pleasing fact of the last part of the season was the spirited and 100% deserved draw with Arsenal.

I am seriously worried about Rovers, this pre season is massive for the club. Make mistakes this time and it could well be game over for the club.

[gumboots]

5 positions lower than last season.

RSC £90K a week on loan 0 goals scored.

Sorry, while like every Rovers fan I am delighted we stayed up. I don't see where any optimism comes from.

The only reason the fans did not protest was a lack of back bone when they thought drawing with Blackpool was a good result, and a draw with Brum also relegated. The pleasing fact of the last part of the season was the spirited and 100% deserved draw with Arsenal.

I am seriously worried about Rovers, this pre season is massive for the club. Make mistakes this time and it could well be game over for the club.

What?!!!! The reason fans did not protest was because it was important not to add another layer of problems to the one s the team already faced. It was a time to back your team 100% in the ground and around the place afterwards rather than getting on their backs, making them nervous and more prone to errors. it wa nothing to do with lack of backbone. If we had felt that protesting would do any good at all you can bet there would have been plenty out there with banners etc. You put your energies into things that are effective and cheering our team on was the best way to deal with the situation we were in. When clubs fall out with fans and teams are divided that's when results suffer even more. Players need challenge, but they also need security. they play better when they are encouraged by their fans, and protests would have taken away from that encouragement and support.

[RevidgeBlue]

5 positions lower than last season.

RSC £90K a week on loan 0 goals scored.

Sorry, while like every Rovers fan I am delighted we stayed up. I don't see where any optimism comes from.

The only reason the fans did not protest was a lack of back bone when they thought drawing with Blackpool was a good result, and a draw with Brum also relegated. The pleasing fact of the last part of the season was the spirited and 100% deserved draw with Arsenal.

I am seriously worried about Rovers, this pre season is massive for the club. Make mistakes this time and it could well be game over for the club.

1) Hardly surprising seeing as Sam only had the funding to sign Benjani and M.Diouf in summer.

2 ) Good job he's only on loan then isn't it

3) Eight points from final 4 games. Robinson, Samba, P Jones, Hoillet, Olsson. Maybe J Jones. The potential of Rochina and Formica. More money to spend allegedley than we've ever had.

4) You're talking through your backside on this point. Most people who were at the Blackpool game would acknowledge we went behind to a joke penalty and a superbly executed free kick. From 2-0 down at half time 2-2 was a good result and we saw an extremely spirited second half fightback.

5) Every preseason is massive for at least twelve or thirteen Clubs in the Division - Get it wrong and they could well be history like Birmingham. The Trustees played Russian roulette with our future every transfer window in later years by not strengthening the team. I fail to see how this summer is any more massive than any that have gone before, the difference however is that there appears to be the promise of some decent funding this time round.

[my_name_is_Earl]

A very well-balanced article, considering the anger and frustration that initially came with the sacking of Big Sam but also considering the chance to build bridges and to do things 'the right way'. Great Stuff!

[Hughesy]

5 positions lower than last season.

RSC £90K a week on loan 0 goals scored.

I don't see where any optimism comes from.

The only reason the fans did not protest was a lack of back bone when they thought drawing with Blackpool was a good result, and a draw with Brum also relegated.

Yes we finished worse off, but hardly suprising considering the lack of investment by the previous.

2 it was a 'loan' a risk worth taking after his 1st spell with us

Optimism comes from the fact we have some real young talent emerging....Jones, Hoilett, Olsson, Rochina and better quality with JJ.

The only reason we didnt protest is because we SUPPORT our club, and we did well to recover from a dodgy penalty and a quality free-kick. Fair enough had we lost the game 2-0 or more then no doubt their would have been more noises from the crowd, but we battered them 2nd half. Going against the team wasnt going to help when they needed the fans onside to help them survive! If you went yesterday you would have seen the superb support for the full 90 minutes.

[RoyRover]

I think that the only way that we can look to a brighter future is if the owners learn from their numerous mistakes from this season and put them right next year. Whenever they arrived, they should have taken their time to settle in and see what it takes to run a Premiership club, listen to the people who've made Blackburn the well respected, well run and steady club that it is, get to know the fans and their expectations and then after a season, start to implement your own ideas at a measured and considered pace. What you shouldn't do is come in, admit you know nothing about football, take advice from a sports agency with their own agenda, sack the manager, freeze out the chairmen that has been responsible for the clubs solid foundations, hire a complete novice because of his agents and shout from the rooftops how you are going to sign this one and that one and think that it will appease the fans.

We got lucky that we managed to overcome all this instability and stay up. We can't have another season like this and if lessons aren't learned, then we will be in a similar position again next season. We are all excited about the prospect of having a large transfer fund to use this summer, but we need the right man at the top directing this and I don't believe it to be Kean. We've dodged a bullet here and we mightn't be so lucky next season if the same mistakes are made.

There is the possibility of a bright future, but only if the mistakes from this season are recognised, acknowledge and looked to be righted next season.

[doctorryan]

.......... The Trustees played Russian roulette with our future every transfer window in later years by not strengthening the team. I fail to see how this summer is any more massive than any that have gone before, the difference however is that there appears to be the promise of some decent funding this time round.

:!:

[CaliRoverNYC]

5 positions lower than last season.

RSC £90K a week on loan 0 goals scored.

Sorry, while like every Rovers fan I am delighted we stayed up. I don't see where any optimism comes from.

The only reason the fans did not protest was a lack of back bone when they thought drawing with Blackpool was a good result, and a draw with Brum also relegated. The pleasing fact of the last part of the season was the spirited and 100% deserved draw with Arsenal.

I am seriously worried about Rovers, this pre season is massive for the club. Make mistakes this time and it could well be game over for the club.

You really don't see where the optimism is coming from? its coming from the likes of Rochina, Olsson, Hoillet, Jones, Nzonzi, all very good, very young players. Our reserves won the northern league and only lost out on the national title on penalties. In January we had the most optimistic transfer window since Jack Walker (RIP). If we can keep Jermaine and Samba as well as add a goal scorer. we will be competing for a Europa League spot next season.

[joey_big_nose]

5 positions lower than last season.

RSC £90K a week on loan 0 goals scored.

Sorry, while like every Rovers fan I am delighted we stayed up. I don't see where any optimism comes from.

The only reason the fans did not protest was a lack of back bone when they thought drawing with Blackpool was a good result, and a draw with Brum also relegated. The pleasing fact of the last part of the season was the spirited and 100% deserved draw with Arsenal.

I am seriously worried about Rovers, this pre season is massive for the club. Make mistakes this time and it could well be game over for the club.

If we hold onto J Jones and Samba then I am extremely optimistic. We have the best available range of players in defence and midfield we have had since Savage broke his leg. To have a spine of:- Robinson/Samba-P Jones/Nzonzi-J Jones/Hoilett -Olsson beats the hell out of anything we have had available for some time. Plus most of them are young and improving.

Plus we have two outstanding prospects in Rochina and Formica who are knocking on the door.

Add top class strikers and a bit of squad depth and we are laughing. Even with minimal reinforcements top half next season is an achievable target.

How can you not be optimistic when you have seen how P Jones, Nzonzi, Olsson and Hoilett have performed in the last six games?! It doesn't really get much more exciting in terms of potential. Looking at the Premiership 7th-10th (Everton, Fulham, Villa, Sunderland) you have to say - if we keep what we have and get the right strikers in - we will have a great chance of competing with them.

On top of that Venky''s have promised us our biggest transfer budget in recent history. I don't care which way you play it, that is EXCITING!

[PAFELL]

What?!!!! The reason fans did not protest was because it was important not to add another layer of problems to the one s the team already faced. It was a time to back your team 100% in the ground and around the place afterwards rather than getting on their backs, making them nervous and more prone to errors. it wa nothing to do with lack of backbone. If we had felt that protesting would do any good at all you can bet there would have been plenty out there with banners etc. You put your energies into things that are effective and cheering our team on was the best way to deal with the situation we were in. When clubs fall out with fans and teams are divided that's when results suffer even more. Players need challenge, but they also need security. they play better when they are encouraged by their fans, and protests would have taken away from that encouragement and support.

Well said Gumboots.

[alexanders]

What?!!!! The reason fans did not protest was because it was important not to add another layer of problems to the one s the team already faced. It was a time to back your team 100% in the ground and around the place afterwards rather than getting on their backs, making them nervous and more prone to errors. it wa nothing to do with lack of backbone. If we had felt that protesting would do any good at all you can bet there would have been plenty out there with banners etc. You put your energies into things that are effective and cheering our team on was the best way to deal with the situation we were in. When clubs fall out with fans and teams are divided that's when results suffer even more. Players need challenge, but they also need security. they play better when they are encouraged by their fans, and protests would have taken away from that encouragement and support.

I have to say I am full of pride for all of you that stood up for the team and gave your everything for us to survive this season. Rovers fans are amongst the best. When results dropped the gates flooded. We had huge away followings and cheered the lads on. It was the players, Steve Kean and defenitaly the supporters who helped turn around the sinking ship. I got so much abuse when I was slagging of the protests planned via Facebook, but had there been a massive protest I think we would be in bigger problems then we were.

We have once again secured our premiership status. We are the pride of Lancashire and the famous blue and whites. COYB!

[brian_gallagher85]

Surely history shows that a draw with Blackpool was a good result?

[BangkokRover]

Seems I have touched a nerve and that is not what I wanted to happen.

But seriously the draw with Blackpool was 2 points dropped. Yes they were gifted a pen but seriously Rovers never got going in the frist half. Out of the previous 6 games Blackpool had picked up 3 point out of 18 and had conceded a whopping 16 goals. 11 games with out a win for Rovers is shocking and is only topped by Steve Bruce who I think is probably the most over rated manager in the EPL.

The youngsters that have been bought have done nothing since being bought. Which is not a problem at all as they have been bought for the future and from what I have read on the site they are progressing well.

Again I don't understand the fuss over J Jones for me he gets booked WAY to much. I think his success in the team is more to do with the poor center of midfield that Rovers have rather than his quality.

So now we get to the strikers oh dear where do we start. This part of the team needs a complete overhaul. We need at least 3 first team strikers, 2 bought by Rovers and maybe say Sturridge on loan would be great. But if we start with Roberts I will again be very worried. I have no problem at all with his effort or work rate. But his job is to put the ball in the back of the net and the simple truth is he can't do that often enough.

The keeper situation is also interesting I think Robbo is a great keeper but who do we have as cover?

Cheers

BKR

[47er]

Time for a new thread-"J. Jones-----is he the New Messiah or merely a reasonable Premier League player?"

He does get booked too often, because he piles in too often and, unfortunately for us, its often on the edge of the area. Good player, hope we keep him but he's not as important to us as Phil Jones or Samba.

[BangkokRover]

Time for a new thread-"J. Jones-----is he the New Messiah or merely a reasonable Premier League player.

He does get booked too often, because he piles in too often and, unfortunately for us, its often on the edge of the area. Good player, hope we keep him but he's not as important to us as Phil Jones or Samba.

What ever he is I am sure most people agree he is better than the Gorilla

[old darwen blue]

What ever he is I am sure most people agree he is better than the Gorilla

?

[BangkokRover]

?

Grella

[joey_big_nose]

Again I don't understand the fuss over J Jones for me he gets booked WAY to much. I think his success in the team is more to do with the poor center of midfield that Rovers have rather than his quality.

I think most people are of the opinion that J Jones has been outstanding for the last 8 games or so. Sure he gets booked, but that's just a function of the way he plays. Without him in there I think we could easily have been relegated as we would have been forced to play Andrews, Pedersen or Dunn in the deep role. Nzonzi and Jones have competed so well for the ball and also been making intelligent driving runs forward. Its been great stuff.