Valérien Ismaël: Blackburn Rovers Head Coach

[AndyB]

13 hours ago, Mercer said:

It's remarkable how Hughes seems to have lost so much of his 'touch'.

In reality, done nothing remarkable since leaving Rovers (how he must rue the day) and some would say he has 'bombed' in a number of his jobs.

Would take him over Ismael but feel he's very much yesterday's man.

How much of his success was down to the coaching team he had with him at Rovers.

I don't think he works with any of them now.

[JHRover]

I was interested to learn that Mark Bowen, Hughes' assistant, is now Director of Football at Forest Green Rovers, who appointed Robbie Savage in the summer.

Glyn Hodges was with him at Bradford and Carlisle but left Carlisle in the summer. Eddie Niedzwiecki was at Wimbledon and Reading but not now. So yeah he's no longer got any of his gang with him and suspect he will be leaving Carlisle at or before the end of the season if they fail to get promoted. 

[Tomphil2]

The Tafia were a great blend of heads and no doubt a big part of Hughes success here particularly Bowen.

Everything just clicked but they were working for the best run club in the land at the time.

To follow on the Souness years with the Hughes gang was a masterstroke by Williams/Finn and the Trust.

Edited 12 hours ago by Tomphil2

[Rover down South]

Was a great era under Mark Hughes. The players went to war for him. Teams hated playing us because they knew it was going to be a physical battle and they'd end up battered and bruised. Players like Todd and Mokoena throwing themselves into tackles were a delight to see!

I think he'd still be a step up from VI but can't see him getting a tune out of this squad. 

[Tugayslongwalkoff]

16 hours ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

If it is the case that Rudy has threatened legal action then it tells you all you need to know about the person. A scared individual with an inferiority complex. He won’t work in football again that’s for sure 

This is an important point. Clearly he will never get a job at any football club ever again, I assume that even he himself realises this once his 2 brain cells get fired up. This means he will cling on and cling on for as long as he can, the effect that has on our club will be totally irrelevant to that waste of space. 

Edited 10 hours ago by Tugayslongwalkoff

[davulsukur]

1 hour ago, Tomphil2 said:

The Tafia were a great blend of heads and no doubt a big part of Hughes success here particularly Bowen.

Everything just clicked but they were working for the best run club in the land at the time.

To follow on the Souness years with the Hughes gang was a masterstroke by Williams/Finn and the Trust.

 

1 hour ago, Rover down South said:

Was a great era under Mark Hughes. The players went to war for him. Teams hated playing us because they knew it was going to be a physical battle and they'd end up battered and bruised. Players like Todd and Mokoena throwing themselves into tackles were a delight to see!

I think he'd still be a step up from VI but can't see him getting a tune out of this squad. 

Great times

[wilsdenrover]

29 minutes ago, Tugayslongwalkoff said:

This is an important point. Clearly he will never get a job at any football club ever again, I assume that even he himself realises this once his 2 brain cells get fire up. This means he will cling on and cling on for as long as he can, the effect that has on our club will be totally irrelevant to that waste of space. 

I think you’re overestimating his intelligence there.

[simongarnerisgod]

4 hours ago, Rover down South said:

Was a great era under Mark Hughes. The players went to war for him. Teams hated playing us because they knew it was going to be a physical battle and they'd end up battered and bruised. Players like Todd and Mokoena throwing themselves into tackles were a delight to see!

I think he'd still be a step up from VI but can't see him getting a tune out of this squad. 

wenger used to absolutely detest coming up north to play rovers or bolton in that era,he thought both of us were the antichrist of the football world☺️

[StHelensRover]

31 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

wenger used to absolutely detest coming up north to play rovers or bolton in that era,he thought both of us were the antichrist of the football world☺️

We were lucky to witness an era where big clubs like Arsenal were wary of coming to Ewood Park and knew they'd get a game.

Edit - having said that, across the long history of the club, we've spent a very long time in the same league as Arsenal,  Venkys  have ensured we've only played them once in 14 years.

If Arsenal turned up next week we'd need to extend the scoreboard. 

 

Edited 7 hours ago by StHelensRover

[OnionBalaji]

Place your bets… will Ismael see Monday as Rovers Head Coach?

 

yes - 1/5

no - 9/1 

 

edit - before people ask which bookies - sarcasm 

Edited 2 hours ago by OnionBalaji

[davulsukur]

Eustace can take Derby into the playoffs (even if it's temporary) with a win against WBA.

And yet we chased him away and replaced him with this fucking clown.

[Tricky]

19 minutes ago, OnionBalaji said:

Place your bets… will Ismael see Monday as Rovers Head Coach?

 

yes - 1/5

no - 9/1 

 

edit - before people ask which bookies - sarcasm 

Yeah he'll still be in charge for Preston 

[lraC]

[wilsdenrover]

1 minute ago, lraC said:

When everyone is back, not some, not most, all.

 

[RTM08]

12 minutes ago, lraC said:

Alright for him, he can "take full responsibility" and leave with a pay-off whilst we drop through the trapdoor to Oblivion.

He gets a significant amount of players back in the next week so there is absolutely no excuses from here. However track record shows even with a full squad we don't do anything so I'm not hopeful.

[USABlue]

On 20/01/2026 at 15:06, dallydally said:

Get rid of Isma! End of......

Agree never, liked him from day one.  He is so quick to pat himself on the back for good things and blames the players for everything else.  I can't imagine it being a very good atmosphere at training.

[USABlue]

On 20/01/2026 at 16:59, RevidgeBlue said:

Please dont compare VI with JDT and Eustace!

No doubt that the Venky's need to go but in the meantime on the pitch we need to try and cling onto Championship status and the only chance of doing that is to remove VI asap.

May or may not work but at least we will have tried.

If they leave him in situ it will speak volumes.

They left Kean in didn't they.

[StHelensRover]

42 minutes ago, lraC said:

It'll be a bit too late after 40 games Val, even if you hold your hands up and accept some blame.

It's not a an experiment I want to run, thanks mate.  Ismael out, Venkys out.

Edited 1 hour ago by StHelensRover

[JHRover]

Another case of the regime promising better days ahead at an undefined time that will probably never actually come or if it does it will be too late.

They are fantastic at promising things will be better down the line, just don't expect too much right now. 

He knows he isn't getting sacked, he knows results are absolutely irrelevant here, and they're going to throw away our Championship status for good, and expect people to just shut up, hand over their money and accept it.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Dangerous talk from a losing mentality...God help us.

Edited 1 hour ago by SIMON GARNERS 194

[LDRover]

1 hour ago, davulsukur said:

Eustace can take Derby into the playoffs (even if it's temporary) with a win against WBA.

And yet we chased him away and replaced him with this fucking clown.

Still clowns on social media calling him a snake. What a manager he was for us.

[davulsukur]

35 minutes ago, LDRover said:

Still clowns on social media calling him a snake. What a manager he was for us.

Unbelievable.

And what a horrific piece of business letting Travis go as well.

[wilsdenrover]

1 hour ago, RTM08 said:

Alright for him, he can "take full responsibility" and leave with a pay-off whilst we drop through the trapdoor to Oblivion.

He gets a significant amount of players back in the next week so there is absolutely no excuses from here. However track record shows even with a full squad we don't do anything so I'm not hopeful.

In the modern world you can take full responsibility but not lose your job.