Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[aletheia]

1 hour ago, CaptainBeanfart said:

The head coach can only work with what he's got. All this anger is directed at the wrong man. 

Agree with the first part not the second. He could do a far better job with the (poor) materials at his disposal.

[RevidgeBlue]

2 minutes ago, aletheia said:

Agree with the first part not the second. He could do a far better job with the (poor) materials at his disposal.

Absolutely. No-one expects us to be romping the League by ten points but eight losses out of eleven in all Comps this season?

Come on.

[Groundhog]

He sets us up to compete for 50-60mins, but his inability to react to anything tactically is becoming more apparent. He his often out thought in every game by often proper old-school managers.

We don't do "normal" footballing things, don't seem to get the basics right. We're a poor side full of inexperience, but he's not helping by making some mystifying decisions.

How many positions has Hedges played this season?  He came on as a 10 with Kargbo up front, against Cov he was left back?

It felt like last night we also played without strikers for a short whilst it was 1-1.

[roverandout]

He's like a piss poor version of Gareth Southgate.  Sets teams up well but has no idea how to counter the oppositions tactics. He's not even reactivate never mind proactive 

[RoversClitheroe]

42 minutes ago, roverandout said:

He's like a piss poor version of Gareth Southgate.  Sets teams up well but has no idea how to counter the oppositions tactics. He's not even reactivate never mind proactive 

Bad comparison.

Least Southgate can man manage.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

2 hours ago, Mike Graham said:

I just had a text from a Rovers staff member saying the Club have ‘no plans to remove VI’.

Dread...real dread.

[rigger]

42 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Dread...real dread.

The simple solution to the Rovers not removing VI, is to remove yourself.

Edited Wednesday at 16:48 by rigger

[RevidgeBlue]

45 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Dread...real dread.

The only ray of hope is, if they've come to a decision not to remove him at the moment - at least it might have been discussed in the first place.

[rigger]

3 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

The only ray of hope is, if they've come to a decision not to remove him at the moment - at least it might have been discussed in the first place.

The discussion probably went something like : We can't afford to replace him. Any further business ?

[Rover down South]

2 hours ago, Groundhog said:

He sets us up to compete for 50-60mins, but his inability to react to anything tactically is becoming more apparent. He his often out thought in every game by often proper old-school managers.

We don't do "normal" footballing things, don't seem to get the basics right. We're a poor side full of inexperience, but he's not helping by making some mystifying decisions.

How many positions has Hedges played this season?  He came on as a 10 with Kargbo up front, against Cov he was left back?

It felt like last night we also played without strikers for a short whilst it was 1-1.

Completely agree.

Don’t always agree with his player selection but his decision to go with two strikers I have seen as a positive.

But last night for example, at 1-1 he takes off a striker. At 1-2, he takes off another?

His substitutions are a cluster bomb and defy logic. I felt last night his substitutions were bizarre. 

All six goals conceded this month have been scored in the second half. Opposition managers adapt to win the game. VI doesn’t have that ability, hence why he’s never succeeded at this level.

[M_B]

Said at half time that I wouldn't change the team unless I had to. This obsession he(and every other) manager has with making subs on 60ish minutes come what may, cost us last night.

It's fine if you're bringing the likes of Campbell on, we aren't.

[davulsukur]

All eyes on Sheff Wed vs Boro, as we can end up bottom of the league later.

[LDRover]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

The only ray of hope is, if they've come to a decision not to remove him at the moment - at least it might have been discussed in the first place.

Exactly.

Like the dreaded vote of confidence.

[Ghost7]

Not removing Ismael? The issue is I don't think anyone at the club will regret that decision, even when we go down. They aren't in it to see Rovers do well. Pasha and Gestede that is. It's also incredible they are the two names "in charge".... they shouldn't be anywhere near the club and are a far cry from the people we've seen in the past. This isn't about having the best manager to get results, it never was, we're shackled by incompetence enabled by absent owners. I'd like to know when a member of the Venky's family last checked the league table... or had a look who the current CEO is, can they name our strikers? Can they name the last player they genuinely signed for over £2m?

There aren't many managers that would have been happy with our summer business, particularly the timing of the Hyam sale. In fact I think nearly all would have challenged it. Instead he pretended to be happy with their inept business and so is a perfect fit -  they'll stick with him as long as they can.

The fans were right and usually are but soon there'll be none left.

Edited Wednesday at 19:10 by Ghost7

[Tomphil2]

54 minutes ago, M_B said:

Said at half time that I wouldn't change the team unless I had to. This obsession he(and every other) manager has with making subs on 60ish minutes come what may, cost us last night.

It's fine if you're bringing the likes of Campbell on, we aren't.

It's mostly about the mins, trying to increase book value and keeping everyone happy (TM).

Red flags were there way back in the Brum game but it's a common theme here since GB's days and i think a few other head coaches do it as well, similar remits in the modern championship.

On steroids here though but of course having the bench we have even the AI data would say you ain't turning this game with those subs.

[rigger]

They could try, training the best eleven to be able to last the full game. 

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

6 hours ago, Groundhog said:

He sets us up to compete for 50-60mins, but his inability to react to anything tactically is becoming more apparent. He his often out thought in every game by often proper old-school managers.

We don't do "normal" footballing things, don't seem to get the basics right. We're a poor side full of inexperience, but he's not helping by making some mystifying decisions.

How many positions has Hedges played this season?  He came on as a 10 with Kargbo up front, against Cov he was left back?

It felt like last night we also played without strikers for a short whilst it was 1-1.

Lad I know is a Baggies fan.  He said they'd be reasonably competitive for 50 odd minutes, then drop off and the subs never improved things. 

Sounds familiar. 

[booth]

23 hours ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Lad I know is a Baggies fan.  He said they'd be reasonably competitive for 50 odd minutes, then drop off and the subs never improved things. 

Sounds familiar. 

When he was appointed Watford fans said on 60 minutes he throws three subs on with no thought given at all.

[Tomphil2]

Even though they were all on the scrapheap bar one Lambert had a promotion on his cv, so did Mowbray, JDT had 2 Swedish league titles, i think even Berg had a bit of success somewhere.

Even Bowyer went and got a crisis club promoted but what has this fella done anywhere apart from a dozen clubs in a dozen years or something amazing like that ?

By the way i don't count getting to the play offs with Barnsley with someone else's squad in covid season as a success it was obviously a bit of a fluke.

He's here because he's a yes man with the right connections and will be working cheaper than a lot of others hence the stupid 3 year contract.

We are being played by a new little clique of self serving clowns again.

[Upside Down]

17 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

Even though they were all on the scrapheap bar one Lambert had a promotion on his cv, so did Mowbray, JDT had 2 Swedish league titles, i think even Berg had a bit of success somewhere.

Even Bowyer went and got a crisis club promoted but what has this fella done anywhere apart from a dozen clubs in a dozen years or something amazing like that ?

By the way i don't count getting to the play offs with Barnsley with someone else's squad in covid season as a success it was obviously a bit of a fluke.

He's here because he's a yes man with the right connections and will be working cheaper than a lot of others hence the stupid 3 year contract.

We are being played by a new little clique of self serving clowns again.

I'd hazard a guess that it's the same clique as before, just a few new faces.

[roversfan99]

He did a really good job at Barnsley but Coyle also did a really good job at Burnley. Both have had careers with numerous clubs and otherwise have repeatedly struggled elsewhere which suggests that those spells where the exceptions to the rule.

And its not even as if either came here off the back of those 2 good spells, where clubs could be forgiven for expecting them to repeat it. Both joined here with poor reputations, in positions where they would have little or more likely no chance of getting another job at this level, at times where things off the pitch have been particularly bad and weve got poor managers off the scrapheap to compound those issues.

[DuffsLeftPeg]

Ismael is a symptom, not the disease

In any business, the culture starts at the top - above him are Rudy, Suhail Pasha and VENKYS

Nothing gets better until they’re gone 

#VenkysOut

[Tomphil2]

He did ok with the previous squad back end of last season after a awful start so it's fair to say he might have done ok with that team this season.

However it's obvious with better squads and backing at WBA and Watford he delivered nothing but average at best returns. So just like Coyle and one or two others he needs a good squad just to be average.

So we can only deduce that's all they want at this club but being the cretins they are they can't provide him a good squad.

So what in gods name do they expect, this is another experiment dreamt up by businessmen, agents and financial people NOT football operators.

Doomed to failure from the start unless something just clicks as if by magic.

Edited 7 hours ago by Tomphil2

[JHRover]

If we finish 21st this season without needing to sack Ismael or spend much in January then Pasha and Gestede will be doing cartwheels around the corridors of Ewood. 

Their 'plan' will have paid off big time - major cost cuts, Championship survival and vindication. Another year on the gravy train and with Cantwell, Tronstad and another couple to flog in the summer - like Gueye to the UAE for a million or two - on it goes.

I very much doubt that they will have bust a gut to get us into the top 6 last January - just not interested - it makes no material benefit to them.

This is the measure of where we are - survive in the Championship and this lot are happy because it secures their positions. 

[USABlue]

On 22/10/2025 at 08:16, Mike Graham said:

I just had a text from a Rovers staff member saying the Club have ‘no plans to remove VI’.

Of course not, his job is not done yet but he is well on target to acheive the desired relegation.