Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Did anyone attend...was it all Lollypops and Lemonade as expected?

[Mattyblue]

Nobody’s going to own up to that! 

[Tomphil2]

There was some vibes floating around on social media last night that he came across well and very open and honest.

3 rd hand information of course form somebody posting who knew somebody who was there and updating him.

[RevidgeBlue]

6 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Nobody’s going to own up to that! 

You'd have thought there'd have been a summary on the official site or in the local media or something.

[RevidgeBlue]

1 minute ago, Tomphil2 said:

There was some vibes floating around on social media last night that he came across well and very open and honest.

Course he did.

Id prefer it if he won some football matches.

[Tomphil2]

Well yes one mans open and honest is another mans bull crap i suppose but i'm sure we'll hear what was said soon enough.

Probably a lot of distancing himself from everything i'd wager.

Edited 15 hours ago by Tomphil2

[Jimmy612]

6 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Course he did.

Id prefer it if he won some football matches.

Agreed.  The fact remains, he has more or less the same record as Coyle and Kean.  Can you imagine those two ever hosting a cosy chat with the fans?  I can understand his appointment/position isn't anywhere near as divisive as those two, but based on results alone, he should be under far more scrutiny than he is in my opinion. 

[RevidgeBlue]

1 minute ago, Tomphil2 said:

Well yes one mans open and honest is another mans bull crap i suppose but i'm sure we'll hear what was said soon enough.

Probably a lot of distancing himself from everything i'd wager.

At a rough guess I'd wager the questioning went something like

Bayes: Well Val you've been at the Club nearly a year now, what are your thoughts?

Vi: Well yes it's been a challenge, we had a big turn over in summer so we're in transition etc etc we've had a lot of bad luck with injuries etc etc we havent had the rub of the green with officials etc etc but there are signs the squad are gelling and everything is coming together etc etc 

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I've said in a previous post that Val's time is probably up - it isn't working for him and the team. However, I do like him as a person and I'm sure that he knows things should be better around the club on and off the pitch.

To me, Val seems honest in post-match interviews. Some coaches you think "what game have you watched?" but I don't really get that with him. I at least understand his way of thinking even if I don't agree with him.

I didn't go last night but I can imagine it being interesting, especially due to the situation we're in, and I bet people saw a man who wants to win. I guess the biggest question I want answered is whether the entire club has an actual realistic and good plan to help him win games? 

I'm sure what he thinks and says internally vs what he can say publicly is different - after all - it's his name on the job and he'll be the one on the chopping board. Even though I'm in favour of change (throughout!), I hope he turns it around and everything clicks into place. If we are to keep him, he needs support from those above at the club. I want him to be more selfish and put his foot down on incomings and outgoings if they aren't right for his team. I want him to raise standards not only in the team but off the field too. If that happens, will it end the same way as JDT and Eustace? Probably! But at least we can view him as someone in a senior position who tried to do what's right for the club rather than suck the life out of it. 
 

Edited 15 hours ago by Tim Southampton Rover
spelling mistake

[KentExile]

Club propaganda piece

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2026/january/09/an-enjoyable-evening-with-val-rien-isma-l/

 

Rovers were delighted to host ‘An Evening with Valérien Ismaël’ in the Red Rose Suite at Ewood Park, as part of the club’s ongoing 150th anniversary celebrations.

The event brought together supporters and Business Club members for an enjoyable and relaxed evening, complete with a two-course buffet.

The Rovers Head Coach provided an engaging and fascinating insight into both his playing and managerial career, speaking openly and honestly throughout the night.

A brilliantly insightful interview on stage was followed by an open-floor fans Q&A, with no questions off limits.

Ismaël discussed the season so far, his hopes for the January transfer window, his aims for the second half of the campaign, as well as his family life, footballing philosophy and much, much more.

The evening offered a unique opportunity for supporters to gain a deeper understanding of the head coach’s approach, assessment and ambitions, and was warmly received by everyone in attendance.

The club would like to thank all those who joined us at Ewood Park for making it a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.

[RevidgeBlue]

It's all good then.

Despite results and his history at former Clubs we actually have a genius of a manager and fifteen wins out of the last 21 incoming to sneak into the play offs.

Phew, thank goodness for that, for a moment there I thought we were in trouble!

 

Edited 13 hours ago by RevidgeBlue

[Mattyblue]

Do they actually write anything themselves these days? Not a good time to be a Comms Officer.

[DE.]

As I mentioned in my last championship review, at any other club Ismael and his staff would be under significant pressure, as would the owners and board.

Here, if you didn't know any better you'd assume we were right up there challenging for a playoff place rather than stuck in an endless relegation scrap. Zero pressure. 

[Mattyblue]

Like to see the breakdown of attendees between those from the Business Club v actual punters that shelled out 35 notes of their own.

[JHRover]

Mowbray got 5 years of running the place on a relatively big budget and was left in place without pressure despite numerous long winless runs.

JDT wanted out and offered to go, even publicly took the piss out of the Chief Executive, and was left in place to derail the season as he didn't want to be here and forced his way out. That nearly relegated us and he only went after turning on Venkys and their stooge.

Eustace wanted out and was in talks with other clubs yet they were happy for him to cart on in the dugout. Seemingly he had threatened to walk in the summer before they caved in to his demands.

So to have Val here, playing along with the 'project', not kicking off, 3 years on his contract, even giving up his free time to hold Q and A sessions at £35 a pop, yeah he's as safe as you could ever imagine, as long as he's happy to go along with the ride.

Football results? League position? Performances? Why would anyone take an interest in those things? The owners and board haven't done for many years.

Edited 12 hours ago by JHRover

[Tricky]

Of course none of you went...

[Leonard Venkhater]

6 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Course he did.

Id prefer it if he won some football matches.

Hahaha

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, Tricky said:

Of course none of you went...

Why did you?

Please enlighten us.

[wilsdenrover]

7 hours ago, KentExile said:

Club propaganda piece

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2026/january/09/an-enjoyable-evening-with-val-rien-isma-l/

 

Rovers were delighted to host ‘An Evening with Valérien Ismaël’ in the Red Rose Suite at Ewood Park, as part of the club’s ongoing 150th anniversary celebrations.

The event brought together supporters and Business Club members for an enjoyable and relaxed evening, complete with a two-course buffet.

The Rovers Head Coach provided an engaging and fascinating insight into both his playing and managerial career, speaking openly and honestly throughout the night.

A brilliantly insightful interview on stage was followed by an open-floor fans Q&A, with no questions off limits.

Ismaël discussed the season so far, his hopes for the January transfer window, his aims for the second half of the campaign, as well as his family life, footballing philosophy and much, much more.

The evening offered a unique opportunity for supporters to gain a deeper understanding of the head coach’s approach, assessment and ambitions, and was warmly received by everyone in attendance.

The club would like to thank all those who joined us at Ewood Park for making it a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.

‘In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it’.

[KentExile]

10 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

‘In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it’.

 

[aletheia]

Perhaps in the future there will be an 'Evening with Rudy' where he explains how to clear out a squad, reduce budgets, transform a potential promotion side to a side just above relegation and instill a culture of fear with the minimum of experience and know-how.

[JHRover]

And still have a chunk of the fanbase eating out of your hands 

[Andy]

I've only seen that one released image, but it looks like only half a dozen people turned up.

For things like this (such as the evening with Chris Samba a bit ago), they usually show a couple of images of the room - to demonstrate how many turned up.

[lraC]

2 hours ago, Andy said:

I've only seen that one released image, but it looks like only half a dozen people turned up.

For things like this (such as the evening with Chris Samba a bit ago), they usually show a couple of images of the room - to demonstrate how many turned up.

There were probably a few more turned up with the Pasha out banner, but they got arrested by the stewards and their season tickets confiscated.