Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[roversfan99]

7 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Irrelevant imo, as with Waggott before him, if Ismael isnt up to the job (which for me he isnt) they need to go. 

As do Pasha and Gestede etc. 

Would be a few less things to worry about.

Wish I could get a job at this Club, you can perform as badly as you like and many people like RF99 go "It doesnt matter, it's all the owners fault. Crack on."

 

I definitely have never said that.

[jim mk2]

Even if we were relegated I think it's unlikely Ismael would be sacked. He's got a 3-year contract, he's in this together with his henchmen and the owners wouldn't want to pay him or them off.

The club would even put a spin on the PR  post-relegation and the reasons for him staying "building for the long term", "3-year project", "believes we can bounce back straightaway", "looking forward to brighter future" etc etc etc

 

[RevidgeBlue]

3 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Crap managers who get crap results get sacked. But that isn’t how this club operates. They have only sacked Coyle (and that was too late) in a decade.

The clamour to sack him isn’t there as what’s the point in clamouring for something that ain’t going to happen.

If people are going to take that attitude in general might as well just give up then. 

Forget the boycott as well. Just let them get on with it and do their worst.

[Mattyblue]

People have given up, that’s why there’s no clamour for him to go.

[JHRover]

It shows a few things

One - that the absence of any serious discussion or pressure on the manager - not even an 'Ismael sort it out' to be heard - shows that pretty much everyone knows that it is all pointless - pointless moaning about the manager, pointless trying to apply pressure or demand better or a change, pointless even going down the route of talking about change. Partly because even the Venky apologists know all too well that there isn't a functioning football club here where trivial matters like performances and results, league position, or any other metric by which the rest of the football world operates gets applied. 

Everyone knows this, deep down, which is why there is a stupefied fatigued silence on such things at games. No point expending energy thinking or wanting a change, even when results and performances are poor. That's a core component of following a football club gone - people have learned to just tolerate a poor product because it is pointless asking for better. 

Two - that those out there who think he is doing a good job in the 'circumstances' are actually in their position silently acknowledging there that the owners have ruined us with their approach - because to say he's doing a good job with a 31% win record having inherited a side in the top 6 less than a year ago and now have it staring at relegation would be frankly laughable at any other club.

Here there is a genuine argument for it, not because clubs normally drop by 15-20 places in the space of six months, but because the conditions the owners have imposed us on - those that many apologists have defended - are what has ultimately caused this situation. The same people would never directly complain or criticise the owners, preferring to convince themselves that they are necessary, yet if we aren't blaming Ismael and his win record, who are we blaming?

 

[Mattyblue]

2 minutes ago, JHRover said:

The same people would never directly complain or criticise the owners, preferring to convince themselves that they are necessary, yet if we aren't blaming Ismael and his win record, who are we blaming?

 

‘Crap support’, usually.

[philipl]

You can argue that he puts up with (or is party to) far too much backroom crap.

But given the hand he holds, he is at worst only so-so as a First Team Coach.

Has good days and bad days but he isn't stubborn when things don't work. 

It is that flexibility that is his saving grace.

[NeilInBristol]

On 30/12/2025 at 15:04, jim mk2 said:

Even if we were relegated I think it's unlikely Ismael would be sacked. He's got a 3-year contract, he's in this together with his henchmen and the owners wouldn't want to pay him or them off.

The club would even put a spin on the PR  post-relegation and the reasons for him staying "building for the long term", "3-year project", "believes we can bounce back straightaway", "looking forward to brighter future" etc etc etc

 

This sums it up perfectly 

such frustrating times current and ahead until they leave 

[OnionBalaji]

Has anyone else had the rumour through of a bust up yesterday at the training ground between Ismael and some senior players? 

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

4 minutes ago, OnionBalaji said:

Has anyone else had the rumour through of a bust up yesterday at the training ground between Ismael and some senior players? 

Probably bollocks, we don't have any senior players🤷🏻‍♂️

[Ferrit]

3 year contract for this joker was a great idea, truly up there with one of the best footballing decisions of all time.

[roverandout]

45 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Probably bollocks, we don't have any senior players🤷🏻‍♂️

They play more like senior citizens 

[Waggy76]

Has he gone yet? 

[StHelensRover]

57 minutes ago, OnionBalaji said:

Has anyone else had the rumour through of a bust up yesterday at the training ground between Ismael and some senior players? 

Whether it's true or not it's extremely believable because of how smug he is and how he has never once accepted the blame for anything on the last 10 months. Imagine him being your boss.

He's useless but I've no faith in the club appointing anyone else so I don't care too much at the point. It's half amusing watching the hoops he'll jump through to find excuses for this rubbish.

Edited 47 minutes ago by StHelensRover

[G Somerset Rover]

50 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Probably bollocks, we don't have any senior players🤷🏻‍♂️

Or players with bollocks.

[RevidgeBlue]

Worst manager I can remember since Jim Iley.

Thought it from the minute he arrived.

At least we played some entertaining football at times under the likes of Coyle, Ince and he who shall not be named. Not the absolute bilge we get served up under this fellow.

At any normal Club should be gone by tonight. Here however.....................

[roversfan99]

He is crap but he is not worse than Kean or Coyle.

[G Somerset Rover]

Blaming fatigue and lack of depth on SS. ‘Much better’ second half. 

So no need to worry, guys and girls. Onwards and upwards.

Edited 41 minutes ago by G Somerset Rover

[RTM08]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

He is crap but he is not worse than Kean or Coyle.

Coyle's team would've battered us today. Sure, that team had no defence but it could attack well - now we don't attack at all and can sometimes defend if we put 2/3rds of our team in a defensive position.

[OnionBalaji]

Get this clown gone

spend some money urgently 

 

how we have so many hamstrings seemingly go is incredible..

It’s clear they’re freezing Gueye out but surely he offers more than Henrikson and another option 

 

leaving changes til 80th minute to bring Dlamini on not good enough when chasing a game AT HOME

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Only part of the bigger problem but definitely taking us down..awful Manager with an awful record.

Edited 34 minutes ago by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Tomphil2]

This is a massive thing for me to say but get Tony Mowbray on the phone asap.

Ismael has tried his best with the crap hes been given but his flaws are obvious now and it's time for something a bit more solid.

[sharpysharps86]

Just now, Tomphil2 said:

This is a massive thing for me to say but get Tony Mowbray on the phone asap.

Ismael has tried his best with the crap hes been given but his flaws are obvious now and it's time for something a bit more solid.

Mowbray, whether people like him or not, is at least twice the manager / coach that Ismael is. I would have him back for the rest of the season in a heartbeat.

At any other club, Ismael would be under intense pressure.

[booth]

1 minute ago, sharpysharps86 said:

Mowbray, whether people like him or not, is at least twice the manager / coach that Ismael is. I would have him back for the rest of the season in a heartbeat.

At any other club, Ismael would be under intense pressure.

At any other club he'd already have been sacked.

[RevidgeBlue]

7 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

He is crap but he is not worse than Kean or Coyle.

Not what I said. I said "at times" we were capable of some decent play under those two.

I certainly don't think he's much of an upgrade though. Personally I find him nearly as dislikeable as Kean as well although I know some people seem to like him for some strange reason.