Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[Tim Southampton Rover]

"Injuries mean Blackburn 'cannot compete' - Ismael"

If semi-pro Macclesfield can compete and beat Premier League Crystal Palace then we should be able to compete against other Championship players. 

To me that is someone who is out of ideas and is not up for the challenge. Time to go.

 

[G Somerset Rover]

9 minutes ago, Tim Southampton Rover said:

"Injuries mean Blackburn 'cannot compete' - Ismael"

If semi-pro Macclesfield can compete and beat Premier League Crystal Palace then we should be able to compete against other Championship players. 

To me that is someone who is out of ideas and is not up for the challenge. Time to go.

 

Six weeks ago it was "we'll climb the table when Tronstad and Cantwell are back" - we haven't. It's now: "I'm not worried as when we get thirteen players back we'll be fine." When that still isn't working, it'll be back to the refs fault again.

Apart from Pasha, Gestede and Ismael we all know how this ends.

Edited 3 hours ago by G Somerset Rover

[dallydally]

10 minutes ago, Tim Southampton Rover said:

"Injuries mean Blackburn 'cannot compete' - Ismael"

If semi-pro Macclesfield can compete and beat Premier League Crystal Palace then we should be able to compete against other Championship players. 

To me that is someone who is out of ideas and is not up for the challenge. Time to go.

 

Totally agree. Rank bad appointment in the first place 

[roverblue]

I said it last night but I dont think he is under any pressure whatsoever from Pasha/Rudy.

He is carrying out their plan to the letter, which is to try and develop academy lads and foreign gambles into profitable assets.

The league position and performances I honestly think have no bearing on his job security currently.

Maybe if we start losing 3-0 week in week out it will become untenable but feels like at the moment he has been given a free pass with the injuries by those above. He even said last week that this month was basically a write off based on squad availability.

They can carry out their plan in front of an empty stadium as far as I am concerned as us fans dont matter in the slightest.

[Tomphil2]

For balance yes injuries haven't helped and the stopped matches should have got a point or 3 but by no means guaranteed,

Although i won't carp on about bad decisions by officials because it's all hot air it happens to most in this league it's part and parcel of a non VAR low ability referring landscape.

However i do think everyone fit his system would've worked a bit better and we'd be a place or two higher but that's it, nothing else.

As it stands though you have t get some sort of tune out of what you have and he isn't by a long stretch and doesn't look capable now. Yes he gets the effort out of most of them but that's more down to the type of players they are, all running and no flair or brains...except Baradji.

So in truth hes given it a good go but it hasn't worked and won't do it needs someone who can blend these lot into a more robust point winning style.

[wilsdenrover]

2 hours ago, Staffordshire Rover said:

In VI post match interview he mentions Toddy (made of tissue paper) having concussion and will be back in 7 days. Correct me if I’m wrong but I thought concussion protocols were 14 days before returning and it starts at midnight of the day of the injury. So the warrior can’t play against Watford

 

I’ve checked the EFL regulations.

There’s no set time, the only requirement is the team doctor must confirm the player is okay to resume training/playing.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

IF the board keep Ismael then they should consider bringing in another coach that can point out what is going wrong or give him fresh ideas to work with. I'm not sure what the assistant manager, coaches or technical staff are saying behind the scenes (Maybe they are and he's ignoring them? Who knows!) but the fact is that nothing seems to be changing on the pitch to get the best out of what we have to work with.

To us fans, we have called every bad decision before they've even acknowledged it. If we can see it, why can't they? 

Edited 3 hours ago by Tim Southampton Rover

[Tomphil2]

They've already given him a new set piece specialist coach and we are even more awful on that than before.

What they are doing is flogging a dead horse and wondering why it won't drag the cart.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

To be fair, we took no long throws in yesterdays game. We are making progress. 

Oh wait, Miller wasn't playing. My bad. 

[MarkBRFC]

7 minutes ago, Tim Southampton Rover said:

 

To us fans, we have called every bad decision before they've even acknowledged it. If we can see it, why can't they? 

They can, he is doing exactly what is wanted of him.

We need to stop thinking this is a normal club where results are the be all and end all.

Complete opposite here.

[RTM08]

18 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

For balance yes injuries haven't helped and the stopped matches should have got a point or 3 but by no means guaranteed,

Although i won't carp on about bad decisions by officials because it's all hot air it happens to most in this league it's part and parcel of a non VAR low ability referring landscape.

However i do think everyone fit his system would've worked a bit better and we'd be a place or two higher but that's it, nothing else.

As it stands though you have t get some sort of tune out of what you have and he isn't by a long stretch and doesn't look capable now. Yes he gets the effort out of most of them but that's more down to the type of players they are, all running and no flair or brains...except Baradji.

So in truth hes given it a good go but it hasn't worked and won't do it needs someone who can blend these lot into a more robust point winning style.

None of the systems have worked under VI because he hasn't the first clue how to coach us to attack, this season or last!

No point being a possession based team if it's entirely in your own half i  front of 11 men.

[Ghost7]

None of us wanted him in the first place. Crap manager and the best Gestede can get.

[norwichblue]

If we don’t see a Corner Flag article from Rovers today then I’ve resigned to the fact we’ll be playing in L1 next season (and probably the next decade of seasons).

[RoversClitheroe]

Wonder if he and Gestede get sacked?

Pashas protection.

They'll try to do something out of the ordinary I suppose due to the boycott and reduce the noise.

He was losing before the injuries. Absolutely terrible managers.

Barnsley fans didn't rate him either fyi.

[LeftWinger]

8 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Barnsley fans didn't rate him either fyi.

Seems 50/50 to me...

If Valerian Ismael gets fired | The Barnsley FC BBS Fans Forum

[TheKitGuy]

15 minutes ago, norwichblue said:

If we don’t see a Corner Flag article from Rovers today then I’ve resigned to the fact we’ll be playing in L1 next season (and probably the next decade of seasons).

Regardless of who's in charge the squad is paper thin and like the pitch isn't up to standard.

We will be in L1 next season. 

[roversfan99]

21 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Wonder if he and Gestede get sacked?

Pashas protection.

They'll try to do something out of the ordinary I suppose due to the boycott and reduce the noise.

He was losing before the injuries. Absolutely terrible managers.

Barnsley fans didn't rate him either fyi.

Ive no idea why you keep focusing on his time at Barnsley as if he did anything other than an excellent job there. He finished 5th with Barnsley!

A good job that has very much proved the exception in the career of a crap manager.

 

[Goozburger]

1 hour ago, JHRover said:

Ismael knows he's been left with a squad that isn't good enough, he knows there's no proper backing in January, he knows the 'project' is doomed and he knows he's at the end of his tenure here.

I've seen plenty of despair from Ismael on the touchline when the camera focuses on him; shaking of the head at his players, visible frustration, etc. Yes, he's not animated, but he does subtly show those things. So I think you're right; he knows that these players cannot do whatever on Earth it is he wants them to do for him.

I don't think Ismael is looking for the sack. From his point of view, if that happened here - at a club with low expectations from his superiors and with little pressure - then his days of managing semi-decent clubs is over. He will be aware of that, I'm sure.

So in that regard, I don't think this is anything like the JDT situation. In fact, quite the opposite. He's not publicly complaining about the club. He's not having a go at recruitment. And it wasn't that long ago that he claimed everyone at the club was aligned. I think by that he only meant himself and Gestede, if I'm being cynical.

The real question is whether the club deems a change necessary. I'm sympathetic with Ismael regarding the chaotic transfer window in summer, and the horrific number of injuries we seem to get every winter. However, that doesn't mean that I'm impressed with much of what I've seen on the pitch. It's whether the club is going to give him a stay of leave for the aforementioned reasons, or if he really has lost the players (if he ever had them in the first place).

[JHRover]

2 minutes ago, Goozburger said:

I've seen plenty of despair from Ismael on the touchline when the camera focuses on him; shaking of the head at his players, visible frustration, etc. Yes, he's not animated, but he does subtly show those things. So I think you're right; he knows that these players cannot do whatever on Earth it is he wants them to do for him.

I don't think Ismael is looking for the sack. From his point of view, if that happened here - at a club with low expectations from his superiors and with little pressure - then his days of managing semi-decent clubs is over. He will be aware of that, I'm sure.

So in that regard, I don't think this is anything like the JDT situation. In fact, quite the opposite. He's not publicly complaining about the club. He's not having a go at recruitment. And it wasn't that long ago that he claimed everyone at the club was aligned. I think by that he only meant himself and Gestede, if I'm being cynical.

The real question is whether the club deems a change necessary. I'm sympathetic with Ismael regarding the chaotic transfer window in summer, and the horrific number of injuries we seem to get every winter. However, that doesn't mean that I'm impressed with much of what I've seen on the pitch. It's whether the club is going to give him a stay of leave for the aforementioned reasons, or if he really has lost the players (if he ever had them in the first place).

I think the club will give him a stay of execution. I don't think that will be anything to do with what is happening on the pitch, how the players are feeling, alignment, projects or injuries. It will simply be because they don't want to make a decision of such significance, don't want to cough up the cash to pay him and Whitehead off, don't want to recruit a new manager and his staff or give assurances on funding, plans or transfers.

As we've seen under this lot with various managers - Kean, Coyle, Mowbray, Ismael - they won't take action and respond to results. Managers are appointed and removed based on their willingness to put up with the situation and the flak that comes with it.

Those that aren't - Allardyce, JDT, Lambert, Eustace - quickly head out the exit door.

[roversfan99]

The squad we have is crap, so any manager would somewhat have their work cut out.

Towards the end, all of the last 3 managers made it clear that they werent getting what they wish in the transfer market. Players signed against their will, the players they wanted not being signed, an unwillingness to spend and an unwillingness to trade, whatever that is. However Ismael seems to regularly double down on his involvement in our shoddy recruitment, and actively seems to want these crap players.

[OllieNO]

VIs excuses make no sense. It’s not like we didn’t know this would happen. In order to compete in the Championship you need a certain squad depth/quality and experience- neither of which Rovers have had all season- so hardly surprising Rovers are where they are. The amount of injuries seems a bit over the top, so they must me doing something wrong in that department as well, but is any department at Rovers performing on par atm? The ownership and admin has simply and finally run out of luck (the result of too many bad decisions - pi*** off too many competent people etc etc- no more Mowbrays, JDTs, JEs, Dolans, Whartons - list goes on - btw - you think those names weren’t exactly your dream candidates…?) and are now reaping what they sowed. I’m curious of what their next parent company financial statements will say about the asset value of the club (which, if I remember correctly, was based on a certain probability of promotion to the premiership). Does mother of all impairments await? Knowing this lot - probably not.

[DE.]

It does feel increasingly that Waggott was the "glue" holding this wreck together, to the point where we could at least remain in the Championship under Venky's. Unlikely we'd ever have gone up with Waggott at the helm, but he had enough nous to be able to keep a manager and team together who could compete in the division. He was also able to keep the remaining fans going to Ewood onside, even if it meant dragging fans groups down to Ewood for a guilt trip from the "senior committee" of players. 

This isn't me defending Waggott by any stretch, he was still holding us down in line with the owners' ambition, but since he left it's just been amateur hour on repeat and we're probably now on our way down. There's a good chance we'd still be struggling anyway considering the increasing budget cuts, but if Waggott's got his hands on the wheel I think he probably finds a way to renew at least some of our championship experience. I also think if he had full say he'd have kept Eustace or replaced him with somebody equally pragmatic. I doubt he'd choose Ismael. 

We'd be doomed to being a zombie club regardless, but the lipstick is truly off the pig at this point. 

[oldjamfan1]

Having dealt with Waggott several times I did warn when he left that fans celebrating his departure should be careful what they wished for. He was a canny operator.

[JHRover]

5 minutes ago, DE. said:

It does feel increasingly that Waggott was the "glue" holding this wreck together, to the point where we could at least remain in the Championship under Venky's. Unlikely we'd ever have gone up with Waggott at the helm, but he had enough nous to be able to keep a manager and team together who could compete in the division. He was also able to keep the remaining fans going to Ewood onside, even if it meant dragging fans groups down to Ewood for a guilt trip from the "senior committee" of players. 

This isn't me defending Waggott by any stretch, he was still holding us down in line with the owners' ambition, but since he left it's just been amateur hour on repeat and we're probably now on our way down. There's a good chance we'd still be struggling anyway considering the increasing budget cuts, but if Waggott's got his hands on the wheel I think he probably finds a way to renew at least some of our championship experience. I also think if he had full say he'd have kept Eustace or replaced him with somebody equally pragmatic. I doubt he'd choose Ismael. 

We'd be doomed to being a zombie club regardless, but the lipstick is truly off the pig at this point. 

I agree, although I'm still glad he has gone. Him carrying on for another year or two would not have helped the club in the long run. The day of his retirement was always coming and the collapse we are witnessing now was always coming, best off getting it done and see what comes next than delay it. 

[lraC]

I was thinking about this earlier and it now feels like the MK Dons taking over from Wimbledon.

Granted we are still playing in the same town and same stadium, but with Ismael, providing a foil for Gestede, who in turn provides a foil for Pasha, who in turn provides a foil for the owners, who in turn allow agents, players and officials to steal money from the club, we have become Money Laundering FC.

MLFC rule whilst BRFC dies.