Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[arbitro]

Mr Aloof dismisses signing a free agent out straight away. Hyam was sold on the last day of the window giving us no time to buy a replacement (I'm not saying we would have spent btw) so the only option was a free agent.

We all knew Wharton and Carter are so susceptible to injury and yet he still wouldn't consider it, 'no way' he said.

His argument about getting up to speed is nonsense in my view. Signing someone in early September would have seen them fit by the end of that month, a month when the number games we played really began to take their toll.

His arrogance is going to be one of his undoings and is likely to cost us dearly.

[Mattyblue]

Standard script with managers that toe the line here, used to always hear ‘getting up to speed’ nonsense from TM too.

[Bronzed A Donis]

Yet we will sign a player injured ? How soon will he be up to speed if ever.

[JHRover]

We aren't going to sign experienced free agents because it isn't 'the project', we aren't paying competitive wages and our budget is probably maxed out from the summer.

The accountants and Suhail will not authorise and extra wage or two on the payroll.

If that means we get relegated off the back of it, then so be it.

It will be the same approach in January unless they can offload people first to raise money, despite Nixon's nonsense about investment coming, which is simply an attempt by the regime to buy time and get them through the next three months.

That's why Ismael is saying this.

 

[JHRover]

It would also be a clear acknowledgment of failing on the part of Gestede to now go out into the free agent market in bring in someone like Craig Dawson to see us through.

After spending the last 6 months talking about a project, recruitment, way of doing things, exciting times, bright new future and heaping praise on themselves and the owners for their investment and bringing in 10 new players in the summer, if they now accept that they've left us short and that we need to take emergency action to bring in defensive reinforcements it would basically mean them accepting that whatever they did over the summer wasn't enough.

Not going to happen. It will be square pegs in round holes until at least January and to hell with the consequences. 

[Kjell]

Why sign anyone in January? They will not not be up to speed before April. Suhail has found a human 'fax machine excuse' in the loyal servant Ismael.

[roverblue]

On 09/11/2025 at 08:36, RevidgeBlue said:

He's never quitting, he seems full square on behind the "transition".

Agreed, this was the ideal time for him to have a dig at the Hyam sale and he passed it up.

[MarkBRFC]

Why would Ismael quit?

He will milk this gig for as long as he can because he won't get another at this level.

[davulsukur]

1 hour ago, MarkBRFC said:

Why would Ismael quit?

He will milk this gig for as long as he can because he won't get another at this level.

Correct, his record in England post Barnsley has been shite.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, MarkBRFC said:

Why would Ismael quit?

He will milk this gig for as long as he can because he won't get another at this level.

He’d be a fool not to.

[StHelensRover]

6 hours ago, arbitro said:

Mr Aloof dismisses signing a free agent out straight away. Hyam was sold on the last day of the window giving us no time to buy a replacement (I'm not saying we would have spent btw) so the only option was a free agent.

We all knew Wharton and Carter are so susceptible to injury and yet he still wouldn't consider it, 'no way' he said.

His argument about getting up to speed is nonsense in my view. Signing someone in early September would have seen them fit by the end of that month, a month when the number games we played really began to take their toll.

His arrogance is going to be one of his undoings and is likely to cost us dearly.

Was the very next question "can you explain why we signed Baradji then please Valerian?"

This guy is thick as well as arrogant, worst case scenario.

[chaddyrovers]

3 minutes ago, StHelensRover said:

Was the very next question "can you explain why we signed Baradji then please Valerian?"

This guy is thick as well as arrogant, worst case scenario.

cos that question has already been asked and answered weeks ago

[Upside Down]

5 hours ago, JHRover said:

We aren't going to sign experienced free agents because it isn't 'the project', we aren't paying competitive wages and our budget is probably maxed out from the summer.

The accountants and Suhail will not authorise and extra wage or two on the payroll.

If that means we get relegated off the back of it, then so be it.

It will be the same approach in January unless they can offload people first to raise money, despite Nixon's nonsense about investment coming, which is simply an attempt by the regime to buy time and get them through the next three months.

That's why Ismael is saying this.

 

Seeing people who fall for Nixon's stories is like seeing my dog fall for the imaginary ball I'm holding when I need to distract her to get her to drop the actual ball she's got in her mouth.

That's the level of intelligence of some of our fans. Less than or equal to a dog.

[RevidgeBlue]

7 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

cos that question has already been asked and answered weeks ago

Sorry - what was the justification for signing a guy on a season long loan who hasnt been seen yet and who (as far as I know) still doesn't have a return date yet?

[RevidgeBlue]

8 minutes ago, Upside Down said:

Seeing people who fall for Nixon's stories is like seeing my dog fall for the imaginary ball I'm holding when I need to distract her to get her to drop the actual ball she's got in her mouth.

That's the level of intelligence of some of our fans. Less than or equal to a dog.

That doesn't work with our dogs. They cottoned on after the first few times they'd been fooled.

[chaddyrovers]

5 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Sorry - what was the justification for signing a guy on a season long loan who hasnt been seen yet and who (as far as I know) still doesn't have a return date yet?

back after international break

Baradji brings the X factor! | rovers.co.uk

 

[JHRover]

Everything is 'after the international break' now that we are in it

[RevidgeBlue]

3 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

back after international break

Baradji brings the X factor! | rovers.co.uk

 

The link you've put up there is from August. We've had several international breaks since then.

[London blue]

8 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

That doesn't work with our dogs. They cottoned on after the first few times they'd been fooled.

I think it was something like "we knew he was injured and we wanted him so it's ok".

[Mattyblue]

A loan for a fella brought in injured and he won’t now be fit enough to start a game *at least* until December… some set up this.

[Upside Down]

7 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

A loan for a fella brought in injured and he won’t now be fit enough to start a game *at least* until December… some set up this.

Yeah bit there was some good comission on that deal so it's all good 👍 

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Ismael says the reason we won’t bring in anyone else in is that they won’t be up to speed for the 17 games between now and February. That surely has to be a good reason to bring someone in. We can’t rely on Carter and Academy lads to fill the gaps for 17 games! 

Its clear that the powers that be at the club don’t have any perception of risk management and trying to plan for the inevitable injuries. A properly managed club would ensure that there is adequate cover for every position and leaving it until the last minute of the transfer window to sell Hyam illustrates that perfectly.

 

 

[Bronzed A Donis]

Imagine going the car dealership and them saying you can have a 12 month lease on this one......BUT can't promise you'll get it running and its definitely not going to have an engine for the first 4 months, also also just failed its MOT... and not sure what its capable of if we do..fix it...........do you want to sign the lease, we get a good commission?

Its that level of moronic.

[roversfan99]

59 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

cos that question has already been asked and answered weeks ago

But the supposed reason isnt logical, people are questioning it rather than agreeing and parroting it.

We wont consider free agents because they wont be up to speed. So a bloke who we knew would be injured for months surely would also be a no go for the same reason.

[wilsdenrover]

Ismael spoke similar bollocks about free agents when he was at Watford.