Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[Upside Down]

6 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Why do I get the firm impression that the two stooges will be happier with Ismael and our current position than they will have been this time last year under Eustace?

Well there's all that lovely commission for one thing.

[joey_big_nose]

14 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Why do I get the firm impression that the two stooges will be happier with Ismael and our current position than they will have been this time last year under Eustace?

I think they'll be enjoying not having Eustace (and JDT) calling out the absolute madness every time they meet with him.

But as disengaged as Venkys are I cant see them wanting us relegated and destroy even more of their cash, so at some point Pasha will be questioned.

I am not of a conspiratorial mindset. Whats happened here imo is Venkys turned off the cash due to the court case and complete loss of interest in the club, Pasha thought he could have a competitive team on a much smaller budget (no doubt looking at teams like Barnsley, Luton, even the quality of squad we have managed to finish 7th with), and took a gamble on making that happen by forcing out more experienced heads who were blocking him (JDT, Eustace, Wagott) and bringing in people who wouldnt oppose him (Gestede, Ismael).

That massive gamble has completely come off the rails and that is where we are.

It all flows from the ownership  - venkys know nothing about football, so have appointed someone who knows nothing about football (Pasha), who is now applying his lack of knowledge to the club without intermediaries.

We really need engaged, committed owners with either a good knowledge of football or willing to out their trust in good football people. Everything downstream of that is irrelevant in the longer term.

Edited 10 hours ago by joey_big_nose

[roverblue]

39 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

I am not of a conspiratorial mindset. Whats happened here imo is Venkys turned off the cash due to the court case and complete loss of interest in the club, Pasha thought he could have a competitive team on a much smaller budget (no doubt looking at teams like Barnsley, Luton, even the quality of squad we have managed to finish 7th with), and took a gamble on making that happen by forcing out more experienced heads who were blocking him (JDT, Eustace, Wagott) and bringing in people who wouldnt oppose him (Gestede, Ismael).

Agree with your post but on the bit above I'm not sure if it's Venky led or just Pasha/Gestede trying to look good in their eyes by convincing them they can do it on the cheap?

The Venkys clearly had money issues that have now gone away with the court case concluding, so in theory if Pasha started asking for the £20m a season they could/would pay it based on previous years.

In the past Waggot likely stopped them from doing anything as bat shit as this summer but with him gone we have gone down the full Pasha pound stretcher model.

[Ricky]

Just on the matter of VI not being rated by Barnsley fans. I think it was mentioned that they credit his predecessor for putting everything in place for the play off season (I think he’s the Bristol City Manager). That’s what I seem to recall but I don’t know for sure. 

[Dreams of 1995]

I woke up this morning expecting him to be sacked.

Then I realised this is dependant on Suhail and Rudy admitting they made a mistake. Everything we hear about those pair tells us that won’t happen

Gestede doing as much damage to this club as any gone before him. What a disgrace. He can’t be putting himself in good standing for another job in club football

The best thing he can do now is show decisiveness and get a grip of this situation. Val out.

Edited 9 hours ago by Dreams of 1995

[roversfan99]

20 minutes ago, Ricky said:

Just on the matter of VI not being rated by Barnsley fans. I think it was mentioned that they credit his predecessor for putting everything in place for the play off season (I think he’s the Bristol City Manager). That’s what I seem to recall but I don’t know for sure. 

Ismael took over with them on 3 points from 6 games and having saved themselves at the death finishing 21st in the season prior.

Even if Struber did lay some foundations, which dont seem evident from that, that is a hell of a season to finish 5th with Barnsley.

Hes doing a terrible job here and got sacked within a year in his 2 previous Championship jobs. It seems weird to keep mentioning the one season where he did really well, if Barnsley fans dont rate him based on that then they must be bitter that he left. Did a remarkable job there but its an anomaly in his overall poor career.

[K-Hod]

A lot of things to do with the club aren't his fault. (Ownership, Gestede and Pasha, etc).

But, in terms of matters on the pitch, the buck stops with him.

We just look hopeless.

 

[RoversClitheroe]

Just now, K-Hod said:

A lot of things to do with the club aren't his fault. (Ownership, Gestede and Pasha, etc).

But, in terms of matters on the pitch, the buck stops with him.

We just look hopeless.

 

No idea what he's coaching them, but they all look absolutely lost

[arbitro]

10 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

A lot of things to do with the club aren't his fault. (Ownership, Gestede and Pasha, etc).

But, in terms of matters on the pitch, the buck stops with him.

We just look hopeless.

 

Exactly.

He is responsible for results despite the hand he has been dealt although I do believe he was complicit in the exodus of experience in the summer.

[Mike Graham]

A worse record than Steve Kean.  That takes some beating.

[Mercer]

8 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

A lot of things to do with the club aren't his fault. (Ownership, Gestede and Pasha, etc).

But, in terms of matters on the pitch, the buck stops with him.

We just look hopeless.

 

And Ismael looks and sounds hopeless after seeing his post match interview and reading his post match comments!  IMO, the looks and sounds of a desperate manager seeking excuses, passing the blame on to the players and numerous times referring to how it's becoming "complicated".  Think he's lost and doesn't know what to do - his time is done here, he just needs to resign.

[roverblue]

Surprised he hasn't broken the company lines yet given the results. We have just conceded 3 goals at home to the lowest scoring team in the division, yet at five to midnight on deadline day they sold our best centre half without replacement.

As a manager you must be furious about it and if you aren't then you can only have been given cast iron guarantees that results don't matter.

[RoversClitheroe]

Just now, roverblue said:

Surprised he hasn't broken the company lines yet given the results. We have just conceded 3 goals at home to the lowest scoring team in the division, yet at five to midnight on deadline day they sold our best centre half without replacement.

As a manager you must be furious about it and if you aren't then you can only have been given cast iron guarantees that results don't matter.

This is the problem.

He seemed to back the decisions made.

JDT and Eustace expressed frustration at the dealings.

Valerian is a nodding dog.

[Dreams of 1995]

Hopeless is as good a word as any to use.

When we make changes, it seems to completely derail any sort of tactical plan or momentum we have.

For around 10 minutes yesterday we had long balls being sent over to Agustus Kargbo and Morishta. I mean, how careless can you get?

If you are going to pump it long, at least put the bloke on who is 6 foot 5. At this point int he game he only needs to get his head onto it to make a chance. This isn't the first time it has happened

We have no Plan B. Starting to think we don't really have a Plan A.

I actually look at Gudjohnson and see a real striker there. He is being used criminally. His hold up play and his switching is fantastic but we see it too few and far between; instead, the aim of the game is to hit it long over the centre half and try and run onto the ball. It suited De Neve yesterday, but then he was ran into the ground and not taken off.

Overall I think Val is just a poor manager. He doesn't come across as charismatic, he doesn't come across as though he's a mate of players and this is so far removed from our previous two coaches. It's been a total 180 on the progress made - we are now back to pre-Mowbray in terms of the board, the squad and the connection with the fan base.

[Gav]

Nothing improves until the owners sod off, its just rinse and repeat. A manager isn't even fully responsibe for the playing side these days, selling players and replacing this with dross is a boardroom decision.

VENKYS OUT - NOTHING ELSE MATTERS

 

[roversfan99]

4 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

Hopeless is as good a word as any to use.

When we make changes, it seems to completely derail any sort of tactical plan or momentum we have.

For around 10 minutes yesterday we had long balls being sent over to Agustus Kargbo and Morishta. I mean, how careless can you get?

If you are going to pump it long, at least put the bloke on who is 6 foot 5. At this point int he game he only needs to get his head onto it to make a chance. This isn't the first time it has happened

We have no Plan B. Starting to think we don't really have a Plan A.

I actually look at Gudjohnson and see a real striker there. He is being used criminally. His hold up play and his switching is fantastic but we see it too few and far between; instead, the aim of the game is to hit it long over the centre half and try and run onto the ball. It suited De Neve yesterday, but then he was ran into the ground and not taken off.

Overall I think Val is just a poor manager. He doesn't come across as charismatic, he doesn't come across as though he's a mate of players and this is so far removed from our previous two coaches. It's been a total 180 on the progress made - we are now back to pre-Mowbray in terms of the board, the squad and the connection with the fan base.

You make alot of good points but is Gudjohnsen's hold up fantastic? He regularly loses the ball when its played up to him and both Stoke and Swansea scored from his inability to keep the ball.

[Dreams of 1995]

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

You make alot of good points but is Gudjohnsen's hold up fantastic? He regularly loses the ball when its played up to him and both Stoke and Swansea scored from his inability to keep the ball.

It is but it isn't being used often enough. I've seen enough from him now to know there's a player in there. He can hold it up, he can turn a man and he has an eye for a pass. He is also decent enough in the air.

All of this is a work in progress but he will get there with the right coaching. 

[JHRover]

With Ismael you just know sometimes when it isn't working and a change is needed for the sake of the club

Last night one of 'those games' - winning at HT against a struggling side who don't score goals, then letting 3 in during the second half to continue the barren home run, manager stood for the last 10-15 minutes with his head in his hands and the air of a beaten man in his interviews.

Engaged ownership / management recognise the signs and make a quick change. Ismael is already at his career average for games and tenure, he was unlikely to ever be anything more than a stop-gap as his career has proven.

But the people running the show are going to let this run and with it toss away what is left of our Championship status. Deliberate destruction.

[Tugayisgod]

6 minutes ago, JHRover said:

With Ismael you just know sometimes when it isn't working and a change is needed for the sake of the club

Last night one of 'those games' - winning at HT against a struggling side who don't score goals, then letting 3 in during the second half to continue the barren home run, manager stood for the last 10-15 minutes with his head in his hands and the air of a beaten man in his interviews.

Engaged ownership / management recognise the signs and make a quick change. Ismael is already at his career average for games and tenure, he was unlikely to ever be anything more than a stop-gap as his career has proven.

But the people running the show are going to let this run and with it toss away what is left of our Championship status. Deliberate destruction.

That's one of many, many things wrong at the moment with the team. How many games at home have we taken the lead (at least 3 to my reckoning, can't be bothered checking), and we've ended up losing. 

Stats show that taking the lead in games usually end up with you winning, or at least not losing games. Whenever we've been pulled back the reaction has been horrendous and we've never looked like getting a result. That is seriously worrying.

[Dreams of 1995]

20 minutes ago, Tugayisgod said:

That's one of many, many things wrong at the moment with the team. How many games at home have we taken the lead (at least 3 to my reckoning, can't be bothered checking), and we've ended up losing. 

Stats show that taking the lead in games usually end up with you winning, or at least not losing games. Whenever we've been pulled back the reaction has been horrendous and we've never looked like getting a result. That is seriously worrying.

It is three games.

What's more, is that we looked good in all of those 3 games until we concede.

Upon conceding, it seems that the next plan is to bypass the midfield and go long. Turn the game into a game of tennis, push the full backs up so high they may as well be wingers. Then we get caught out.

Time & time again the next plan is our undoing. He's not good enough. If Val is in charge by Christmas then I think we are nailed on to go down

[Lancaster Rover]

2 hours ago, RoversClitheroe said:

No idea what he's coaching them, but they all look absolutely lost

This is my biggest problem with them, he's managed roughly 30 games and I couldn't tell you what sort of team we are? What's the identity, what are we known for, how would you describe our style of play.

It's not like we're tactically flexible or fluid, we have a plan of sorts to start off with (albeit a not very dynamic one) but as soon as the opposition change shape or we lose momentum we fold like a deck chair. As mentioned above, last night we're pinging crosses and direct passes on to Morishita and Kargbo rather than playing over them and trying to turn their back line, which would suit the personnel. 

Edited 7 hours ago by Lancaster Rover

[Mercer]

Despite his 3.5 year contract, it would be no surprise to me if Ismael isn't gone by Saturday.

He's the obvious scapegoat with his poor results record since being appointed, for Gestede's player trading failing miserably and also for the sparsely populated stands.

Trying to find a bookie offering odds on Ismael being the next Championship manager to go.

[KentExile]

6 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Despite his 3.5 year contract, it would be no surprise to me if Ismael isn't gone by Saturday.

He's the obvious scapegoat with his poor results record since being appointed, for Gestede's player trading failing miserably and also for the sparsely populated stands.

Trying to find a bookie offering odds on Ismael being the next Championship manager to go.

Don't waste your money, Venkys et al always slow to act, (Coyle got until February...and Kean got a pay rise), would fancy Norwich to pull the trigger on Manning before we jettison Ismael

Edited 7 hours ago by KentExile

[Mercer]

2 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Don't waste your money, Venkys always slow to act, would fancy Norwich to pull the trigger on Manning before we jettison Ismael

Manning is on thin ice but has been in post for a much shorter time than Ismael.  Norwich usually reasonably patient - think he'll get another 2 or 3 matches.

Would you want Pasha and Gestede in your corner when things are going badly wrong?  IMO, a sacking now would be about 'self preservation' for the 2 stooges - I think we are in that territory now.

[DeeCee]

If they do pot him, despite it being a popular opinion, the subsequent media coverage (especially with the 150th occasion approaching) about appointing a new manager would once again put them in the spotlight, which they don't like.

He'll stay until Pasha decides he needs another scapegoat.