Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[MarkBRFC]

8 minutes ago, JHRover said:

A far, far cry from the stuff we were watching last season when Eustace had us as one of the  most organised sides in the division. 

You knew when we had a lead under Eustace we were unlikely to let it slip and had confidence in the  team seeing it out. 

Still onwards and upwards under the 'new project'!

We conceded 2 last minute goals in Eustace's 12 months here.

Conceded 7 in 4 months so far this season!

[RevidgeBlue]

1 minute ago, MarkBRFC said:

We conceded 2 last minute goals in Eustace's 12 months here.

Conceded 7 in 4 months so far this season!

That's what that over-rated "Championship experience" gets you.

"Let's replace them with some relegation specialists from obscure European Leagues. Think of how much money we'll save!"

[KentExile]

28 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

That's what that over-rated "Championship experience" gets you.

"Let's replace them with some relegation specialists from obscure European Leagues. Think of how much money we'll save!"

Obviously, a year or 2 down the line, these obscure recruits may well  (at least in some cases) progress and become experienced Championship performers with the required "know how" to close out games. 

Unfortunately, by that point, they will be wanting Championship level wages befitting their stature, which Venkys/Pasha/Rudy/the club will not offer, so the process will be repeated ad nauseum

[G Somerset Rover]

50 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

That's what that over-rated "Championship experience" gets you.

"Let's replace them with some relegation specialists from obscure European Leagues. Think of how much money we'll save!"

Again, I am boring myself saying it, but the most clear and obvious tweak he could make is to bring on Ribeiro/Pickering instead of De Neve. I'd wager we'd be at least two points better off.

[JHRover]

1 hour ago, KentExile said:

Obviously, a year or 2 down the line, these obscure recruits may well  (at least in some cases) progress and become experienced Championship performers with the required "know how" to close out games. 

Unfortunately, by that point, they will be wanting Championship level wages befitting their stature, which Venkys/Pasha/Rudy/the club will not offer, so the process will be repeated ad nauseum

And there is the never ending project. It never ends because as soon as we get anywhere players quite rightly expect improved/extended terms which the club is unwilling to provide and other clubs start to take notice and offer them more than this regime is willing to offer.

Still, in the middle of this is highly lucrative employment for the people facilitating it, not to mention the agents tasked with bringing in their clients to fill the void every summer, so at least someone is benefiting. 

Just not Blackburn Rovers or the supporters.

[DE.]

2 hours ago, JHRover said:

Could have, would have, should have again

Like with making excuses we should be world champions at hard luck stories.

Every season we are the Champions of the 'What If' league table. Maybe Ismael has spent the last few days drawing up a table on a piece of paper that will show us in the same position as we would be if Chaddy's predictions always came true - top with a perfect record and barely any goals conceded. He might as well at this point.

[rigger]

2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

It's a mixture of poor game management, poor substitutions, and inherently poor players without the backbone or fire in their bellies to see the games out.

But hey, let's pin all the blame on the officials instead

I think there may have been a hint of sarcasm in RF99's post

 

[RevidgeBlue]

8 minutes ago, rigger said:

I think there may have been a hint of sarcasm in RF99's post

 

I know!

I was agreeing with him.

🙂

Edited December 5, 2025 by RevidgeBlue

[Tomphil2]

3 hours ago, MarkBRFC said:

We conceded 2 last minute goals in Eustace's 12 months here.

Conceded 7 in 4 months so far this season!

That says everything about the game management and weakness of the squad.

To be fair a couple of times Ismael has gambled and tried to win games late on and that's something Eustace never did which drew the critics.

It's obvious why he didn't though but by the same stretch Ismael seems prone to doing the same thing time and again and coming unstuck but not learning a thing from it.

Bizarre but given his overall Championship record with at times stronger squads than this it really isn't surprising.

[NeilInBristol]

5 hours ago, JHRover said:

 

Still onwards and upwards under the 'new project'!

When you say new project I presume you mean, once this venkys yes man has left, venkys have left and we are taken over by owners who actually care and bring in a manager who can coach with some decent investment of championship quality players 

[wilsdenrover]

23 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

When you say new project I presume you mean, once this venkys yes man has left, venkys have left and we are taken over by owners who actually care and bring in a manager who can coach with some decent investment of championship quality players 

That doesn’t sound like what happened to Bury - I thought that’s what would come next.

[Waggy76]

Your time has come Val , resign and leave with your head held high !

3 managers walking in 2 years .

Venkys unfit for purpose !

[KentExile]

25 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

Your time has come Val , resign and leave with your head held high !

3 managers walking in 2 years .

Venkys unfit for purpose !

The annual Rovers manager resignation day isn't until a couple of weeks into February, giving enough time for them to stew after a the broken promises surrounding a failed January transfer window before then sorting out an exit strategy

Edited December 6, 2025 by KentExile

[aletheia]

Too much rain in the Blackburn area -added to the list.

[lraC]

8 hours ago, Waggy76 said:

Your time has come Val , resign and leave with your head held high !

3 managers walking in 2 years .

Venkys unfit for purpose !

I don’t think he would do it for one minute, but imagine him resigning and claiming for constructive dismissal, on the basis that the club, can’t provide the tools for him to do the job (knackered drains) so he can’t work under these circumstances any longer.

[NeilInBristol]

On 07/12/2025 at 08:46, lraC said:

I don’t think he would do it for one minute, but imagine him resigning and claiming for constructive dismissal, on the basis that the club, can’t provide the tools for him to do the job (knackered drains) so he can’t work under these circumstances any longer.

Yeh agreed he won’t leave he is one of their own yes men- see his excuses list not once does he mention the lack in financial support from the owners or the systematic downgrade of our club and facilities which would be suicidal but we saw JDT call them out so it’s not beyond the realm of possibilities however this chump must be loving the gig he’s got 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Where is he?

[B16Rover]

He's not leaving with his chunky 3 year deal.  

[roverblue]

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25681585.valerien-ismael-sends-ewood-park-message-blackburn-rovers/

 

He has finally broke ranks with the morons in the boardroom, gone up in my estimation.

[davulsukur]

6 minutes ago, roverblue said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25681585.valerien-ismael-sends-ewood-park-message-blackburn-rovers/

 

He has finally broke ranks with the morons in the boardroom, gone up in my estimation.

The hierarchy are now pushing the poorest of managers around to the brink. Absolutely incredible work tbh. 

[miqaayil]

9 minutes ago, roverblue said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25681585.valerien-ismael-sends-ewood-park-message-blackburn-rovers/

 

He has finally broke ranks with the morons in the boardroom, gone up in my estimation.

the start to the end of VI

[G Somerset Rover]

10 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

The hierarchy are now pushing the poorest of managers around to the brink. Absolutely incredible work tbh. 

Good on him. But like you say, I’m amazed they’ve been able to push someone like Val (who also appeared to be one of their merry men) to this level.

They (Venky’s and Suhail) really are something else.

Edited December 8, 2025 by G Somerset Rover

[wilsdenrover]

11 minutes ago, miqaayil said:

the start to the end of VI

He’ll be okay, he didn’t mention Suhail.

[Tom]

Spot on Mr Ismael!

It’s ridiculous that this club has a ‘head of’ every single thing yet is total chaos 

[davulsukur]

11 minutes ago, G Somerset Rover said:

Good on him. But like you say, I’m amazed they’ve been able to push someone like Val (who also appeared to be one of their merry men) to this level.

They (Venky’s and Suhail) really are something else.

The future is pretty bleak if, due to their own incompetence, the club can't keep hold of managers of the calibre of Valerian Ismael.