Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[islander200]

Just now, RevidgeBlue said:

But a minute ago you said we had 4 strikers. 

You're contradicting your own points and having lost the argument you've nothing left to fall back on but resort to insults.

I still can't see what it is about this guy that makes you leap to his defence. He almost couldnt possibly be doing any worse than anyone else could he, whether it be League position, performances or the state of the squad.

I'm saying the club could have said to Ismael you can't bring in another striker as you already have 4.We want Tyjon to be part of the squad this season. 

Gueye we didn't get a buy for him I think it is logical to think that Gestede wouldn't have wanted him sold at a loss as it would have reflected badly on him.

Quite clear In the managers thoughts he only had 2 CAPABLE forwards. Tyjon hardly involved and when Geuye did get a chance he spent it straying offside or throwing his hands in the air at his teammates.

[Tomphil2]

I actually thought De Neve had a decent game by his standards at Hull he's far more suitable for pressing high than defending.

Creatively though we must have the worst forward line in the league.

[RevidgeBlue]

1 minute ago, islander200 said:

I'm saying the club could have said to Ismael you can't bring in another striker as you already have 4.We want Tyjon to be part of the squad this season. 

Gueye we didn't get a buy for him I think it is logical to think that Gestede wouldn't have wanted him sold at a loss as it would have reflected badly on him.

Quite clear In the managers thoughts he only had 2 CAPABLE forwards. Tyjon hardly involved and when Geuye did get a chance he spent it straying offside or throwing his hands in the air at his teammates.

There's some mental gymnastics going on there to try and shift blame away from Ismael.

So what is it that makes you think he's doing a decent job? Because we're (currently) a few points outside the relegation zone?

Will you change that view if he takes us down?

[islander200]

39 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

There's some mental gymnastics going on there to try and shift blame away from Ismael.

So what is it that makes you think he's doing a decent job? Because we're (currently) a few points outside the relegation zone?

Will you change that view if he takes us down?

Omg .iv said numerous times I wouldn't be upset if he left I don't think he is a good manager 

My point is il say again i don't believe a change in manager will change much unless it's someone else other than Gestede and Pasha choosing it.

No mental gymnastics going on by me.You seem to think it's Ismael dictating our transfer buisness and now claiming he is trying to placate the fans for a month by pretending he wants 2 forwards.(sorry but that is ridiculous)

You also suggest we only had 2 strikers because of Ismael and he should have signed another.Like I said he had 4 forward 2 of which he clearly didn't rate and I agree Gueye is poor and Tyjon isn't ready.

I think we will stay up yeah like I said 1 or 2 weeks in the bottom 3 all season with multiple key players injured.

[Waggy76]

54 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

I actually thought De Neve had a decent game by his standards at Hull he's far more suitable for pressing high than defending.

Creatively though we must have the worst forward line in the league.

And League One !

[roverblue]

I've never understood the argument but nobody better will come in so let's just stick with whoever is in charge.

Ismael has 1 win in 10, won something like 4 home games in almost 12 months, got us 4pts clear of the relegation zone and we are the 3rd lowest scorers in the league.

Whoever the next person is they can't do much worse.

[islander200]

5 minutes ago, roverblue said:

I've never understood the argument but nobody better will come in so let's just stick with whoever is in charge.

Ismael has 1 win in 10, won something like 4 home games in almost 12 months, got us 4pts clear of the relegation zone and we are the 3rd lowest scorers in the league.

Whoever the next person is they can't do much worse.

With all the injuries and having no striker I dont think its a given another manager would have got more wins in the last 10 games. 

When injuries hit last season wasn't it something like 1 win in his last 10 games?If memory serves me right it was something like that.

My stance on this it's because of who will be choosing the next manager Gestede Pasha and Owen so it will be a similar type of person who will not moan at their involvement in transfers and tactics.

We will get a decent manager when we have someone competent and not consumed by self interest choosing him 

[Tomphil2]

I'd give someone like Rowett a spin.

Obviously not everyone's cup of tea but nobody will be however he has the English mentality and seems to galvanise teams and fans when he first goes in somewhere.

Knows the bottom end scraps better than Ismael and i wouldn't be surprised if he has better win %.

He'd probably not touch this job though even though hes on the scrapheap and he wouldn't fit the alignment requirements nor the daft continental blueprint they now seem to have.

[RevidgeBlue]

38 minutes ago, roverblue said:

I've never understood the argument but nobody better will come in so let's just stick with whoever is in charge.

Ismael has 1 win in 10, won something like 4 home games in almost 12 months, got us 4pts clear of the relegation zone and we are the 3rd lowest scorers in the league.

Whoever the next person is they can't do much worse.

Exactly.

" But who would come in?"

" But who would buy us?"

etc.....

[sharpysharps86]

50 minutes ago, roverblue said:

I've never understood the argument but nobody better will come in so let's just stick with whoever is in charge.

Ismael has 1 win in 10, won something like 4 home games in almost 12 months, got us 4pts clear of the relegation zone and we are the 3rd lowest scorers in the league.

Whoever the next person is they can't do much worse.

Agreed. There will be coaches out there that could come in and do a better job than Ismael.

The question is whether Rovers are capable of appointing one... 😅

[JCRovers]

We aren't going to pay any fee for a manager or head coach in the form of compensation package to another club. Last 15 years will give you an idea about our new 'hiring policy':

- Sacked Allardyce in December 2010 and hired Kean (internal recruitment). Relegated less than two years later.

- Sacked Kean in September 2012 and hired Berg in November 2012, who had been out of work for over a year. He was in turn sacked 57 days later.

- Hired Appleton in March 2013 who was on a one-year rolling contract with Blackpool. Sacked 67 days later.

- Hired Bowyer (internal recruitment having been in charge of the reserve team). First as a caretaker manager after Berg and Appleton and later signed initially a one-year rolling contract in May 2013. Sacked in late 2015.

- Hired Lambert in late 2015 who had been out of work for nine months since his spell at Aston Villa. Didn't even last a year as Lambert himself triggered a release clause in the contract before end of season.

- Hired Coyle in June 2016 shortly after he ended his last contract by mutual consent with MLS side Houston Dynamo. Sacked by mutual consent in February 2017 after poor results which would ultimately lead to relegation to L1.

- Hired Mowbray who had been out of work for five months since his spell at Coventry. Left at the end of contract having been five years at the club and getting them back to the Championship.

- Appointed JDT in June 2022 who had been out of work for roughly six months after ending his contract with Malmö FF. Left by mutual consent in February 2024.

- Appointed Eustace in February 2024 who was sacked four months earlier at Birmingham. Left a year later after Derby triggered his release clause.

- Hired Ismaël in February 2025 who had been out of work for almost a year since being sacked by Watford.

So you're either going to see an internal recruitment (Johnson? Vignal?) or someone who's been out of work for a while once Ismaël leaves.

[DE.]

Rowett would be an obvious candidate if nobody has come in for him and Ismael leaves. Well, he would have been if Waggott was still picking managers. With the current lot at the wheel we'd probably hire some absolute rando who'd been sacked from a Belgian second division side a few months prior. 

[RoversClitheroe]

8 minutes ago, DE. said:

Rowett would be an obvious candidate if nobody has come in for him and Ismael leaves. Well, he would have been if Waggott was still picking managers. With the current lot at the wheel we'd probably hire some absolute rando who'd been sacked from a Belgian second division side a few months prior. 

Wouldn't surprise me if Gestede hired himself he's that incredible at everything 

[Tomphil2]

4 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Wouldn't surprise me if Gestede hired himself he's that incredible at everything 

First club in the world to have an AI manager !

Wouldn't put anything past these lot.

[RTM08]

3 hours ago, Tomphil2 said:

First club in the world to have an AI manager !

Wouldn't put anything past these lot.

To be fair I'm relatively confident that the dumbest AI in the world could look at the data and conclude Henriksson up front doesn't work. 

[Tomphil2]

10 minutes ago, RTM08 said:

To be fair I'm relatively confident that the dumbest AI in the world could look at the data and conclude Henriksson up front doesn't work. 

But if he completes a certain number of mins there and a certain set of stats he might actually plunder a goal.

Then his value to be sold back abroad has increased which is all these clowns are really bothered about.

[RevidgeBlue]

18 hours ago, JCRovers said:

We aren't going to pay any fee for a manager or head coach in the form of compensation package to another club. Last 15 years will give you an idea about our new 'hiring policy':

- Sacked Allardyce in December 2010 and hired Kean (internal recruitment). Relegated less than two years later.

- Sacked Kean in September 2012 and hired Berg in November 2012, who had been out of work for over a year. He was in turn sacked 57 days later.

- Hired Appleton in March 2013 who was on a one-year rolling contract with Blackpool. Sacked 67 days later.

- Hired Bowyer (internal recruitment having been in charge of the reserve team). First as a caretaker manager after Berg and Appleton and later signed initially a one-year rolling contract in May 2013. Sacked in late 2015.

- Hired Lambert in late 2015 who had been out of work for nine months since his spell at Aston Villa. Didn't even last a year as Lambert himself triggered a release clause in the contract before end of season.

- Hired Coyle in June 2016 shortly after he ended his last contract by mutual consent with MLS side Houston Dynamo. Sacked by mutual consent in February 2017 after poor results which would ultimately lead to relegation to L1.

- Hired Mowbray who had been out of work for five months since his spell at Coventry. Left at the end of contract having been five years at the club and getting them back to the Championship.

- Appointed JDT in June 2022 who had been out of work for roughly six months after ending his contract with Malmö FF. Left by mutual consent in February 2024.

- Appointed Eustace in February 2024 who was sacked four months earlier at Birmingham. Left a year later after Derby triggered his release clause.

- Hired Ismaël in February 2025 who had been out of work for almost a year since being sacked by Watford.

So you're either going to see an internal recruitment (Johnson? Vignal?) or someone who's been out of work for a while once Ismaël leaves.

I dont doubt if VI left that he would be replaced by someone currently out of work - the question is could another out of work Coach possibly do any worse than this one (who was also out of work when we acquired him)

Im still struggling to see how anyone could. Perhaps people like winning at home 4x per season or scoring twice every six hundred and odd minutes or  something.

[Craigman]

Time to go

[Tom]

Off you pop Val, don’t forget your gift bag on the way out 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Get the Buffoon gone...one win in Twelve.

Edited 35 minutes ago by SIMON GARNERS 194

[StHelensRover]

If he goes today at least we'll get some "Cashin horror as Ismael cashes out" type headlines. The most exciting thing that will happen this season.

[sharpysharps86]

There's just no way on this planet that any half decent head coach picks De Neve over two far more experienced players in Pickering or Ribeiro. De Neve and Henriksson are League Two AT BEST. He is absolutely trying to get the sack by continuously selecting these players.

[bobbybrfc]

I'm just hoping the team today is a reflection of prioritising the Swansea match

[scotchrover]

Today’s performance is the final straw for me. I’ve been patient enough, and whilst I think he’s been dealt a terrible hand, he’s not up to it. The over-training of players (which has resulted in a ridiculous amount of injuries) and trying to play a system we haven’t got the players for, means it’s time for him to go. Damien Johnson needs putting in charge until summer. 

[Guy N. Cognito]

On 13/01/2026 at 18:44, JCRovers said:

- Sacked Kean in September 2012 and hired Berg in November 2012, who had been out of work for over a year. He was in turn sacked 57 days later.

 

I think it's worth pointing out that Kean walked for "constructive dismissal" rather than getting sacked.