Valérien Ismaël: Former Head Coach

[roverandout]

4 minutes ago, SuperBrfc said:

I personally think Ismael has told them to get stuffed after hearing what will be happening before the deadline is up. I.e the square root of eff all. When we go down, it will be him getting it in the neck.

Forget the 'alignment' guff. The look on his face, his demeanor and him sounding like JDT and Eustace over the last six weeks spoke volumes.

He wanted signings lined up early and ready at the start of this month. Where are they?

He wanted quality and experience to come in this window. Where are they?

He wanted a striker to come in. Where is that striker?

It's absolutely right and fair that he has gone, results have been disastrous, but I have no bad feeling towards Ismael overall.

This is another manager who was let down by the worst hierarchy in world football at a club owned by the worst owners in world football. He was on to a loser from day one.

Val...I can only apologise as a Blackburn Rovers supporter. This is not the true Blackburn Rovers, it hasn't been since November 2010 and these people are absolutely nothing to do with us and our club. We do not claim them as Blackburn Rovers people.

Totally agree. I have no hatred towards Ismael.  He was just another stooge that was partly led on and partly aligned with the gruesome twosome.  My hate is towards venkys gestede and Pasha 

[Herbie6590]

I’m amazed he’s been potted, not because of his record but more because it is an admission of failure by Suhail & Rudy…3.5 year contract eh?

I thought they’d have to stick behind him to save their own credibility.

The timing is somewhat suspect…he should have gone before Christmas to give us a chance to use the window optimally but nobody will be surprised at the incompetence.

The key question is having appointed one awful manager, can they be remotely trusted to make a better fist of it this time around? 

Once again, I fear we know the answer to that.

We were heading in one direction after Saturday, at least now there is a chink of light that salvation might be secured but it’s a tall order for anyone coming in to sort this mess out with the quality of recruits Rudy has assembled. 

The symptoms are being treated, the illness remains. 

[LeftWinger]

We need to find a motivator that will sign a contract until February 2027. Saves paying him out when it happens again next year. 

[booth]

15 minutes ago, yellowsubmarine said:

No one want JDT back? His record at Rovers is pretty decent. Even though we conceded alot, we scored alot too.

Would love JDT back but there was a reason things went sour and he left and that reason hasn't gone away. 

[roverandout]

Gestede to appoint himself as manager 

[RoverDom]

17 minutes ago, yellowsubmarine said:

No one want JDT back? His record at Rovers is pretty decent. Even though we conceded alot, we scored alot too.

For a relegation scrap? Maybe not. Once the venkys are gone and we've got play off ambitions that we're serious about? Absolutely. 

[moerpho]

If he is gone then I am back. To the forum at least! 

What a horrible appointment this guy was. Joke as a manager/coach and hopeless with the press. Will probably only be remembered for his infamous list of wrong decisions going against us being held up like a petulant little kid. Turned into a meme that will outlive his tenure in football by decades. Good riddance.

This next appointment will make or break us. Looking at the chaos around us in the league, with several clubs looking for a new manager, I won’t get my hopes up. Football has gone insane it seems and we seem dead set on being one in the top 3 «Worst club in the EFL». Still hoping it can’t get worse than Ismael, but the again…

[...]

9 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Totally agree. I have no hatred towards Ismael.  He was just another stooge that was partly led on and partly aligned with the gruesome twosome.  My hate is towards venkys gestede and Pasha 

I guess it's all to easy to find a scape goat when we know who the real ones are. 

However you can't deny his bizarre team selections, late changes when the game was begging for a switch up either in pace or strategy, players out of position, our bench isn't great but there are players there to utilise to make better of bad situations.  

Personally glad he's gone just need to find a gear to get into survival mode now.

[roverandout]

1 minute ago, ... said:

I guess it's all to easy to find a scape goat when we know who the real ones are. 

However you can't deny his bizarre team selections, late changes when the game was begging for a switch up either in pace or strategy, players out of position, our bench isn't great but there are players there to utilise to make better of bad situations.  

Personally glad he's gone just need to find a gear to get into survival mode now.

Not denying he's a crap manager but he was always set up to fail. He's the archetypal fall guy

[arbitro]

27 minutes ago, broadsword said:

You may be crediting them with greater foresight than they actually have

A quick search shows very little time between Tomasson going and Eustace being announced. 

 

[M_B]

Get Rowatt in 

[davulsukur]

26 minutes ago, yellowsubmarine said:

No one want JDT back? His record at Rovers is pretty decent. Even though we conceded alot, we scored alot too.

He'd be a spectacular failure with the squad we have.

[Comfortably numb]

2 minutes ago, arbitro said:

A quick search shows very little time between Tomasson going and Eustace being announced. 

 

Thats true, but wasn't that down to Waggot more than the other two.?

[AndyB]

So which managers are currently unemployed and have an agent we like to do most of our business with?

[Tricky]

8 minutes ago, M_B said:

Get Rowatt in 

great at taking clubs down

[Comfortably numb]

Just watching Tim Sherwood on Sky Sports. 

He would jump at the chance

 

[AvRover]

30 years late, Zidane is available. Just saying.

[unclejack28]

1 minute ago, AndyB said:

So which managers are currently unemployed and have an agent we like to do most of our business with?

Ole gunner 

[rog of the rovers]

Valerian Ismael and Blackburn Rovers never felt the right fit.

Chants of "You're getting sacked in the morning" from the Blackburn End, just four games into his reign as Rovers were 0-2 vs. Middlesbrough after 8 minutes.

4 home wins as Rovers boss. Home record P21 W4 D7 L10 F24 A31 Pts 19 GD -7

19 points from a possible 63 in 11 months as Rovers boss (just short of half a season in terms of games played)

The "list" picture for Radio Lancs.

Publicly criticising the lifestyle choices of Hayden Carter "assess everything in his life".

Publicly criticising Lewis Travis who "let everyone down".

The choice to make Todd Cantwell captain has been mixed (to say the least)

Zenith - Rovers 4-1 Millwall - Good Friday 2025, one of few standout performances

Nadir - Swansea 3-1 Rovers - January 2026, one of many subpar performances

Record 13 injured players 

Two rained off fixtures

 

Is it all Ismael's fault? 

Of course not, recruitment has been shocking, not every injury was his fault and a swathe of refereeing decisions have gone against him/us/Rovers. 

But you can't say it hasn't been coming and isn't ultimately the right thing for the club. 

Au revoir Val.

Fin

Edited 1 hour ago by rog of the rovers

[AndyB]

1 minute ago, Comfortably numb said:

Just watching Tim Sherwood on Sky Sports. 

He would jump at the chance

 

Can you imagine what he would do to Gestede after having to listen to him for half an hour

[philipl]

Really surprised they have fired him even though Ismael's demeanour for the Hull game was dead man walking.

Great way to deflect whatever the transfer budget onto Ismael compo and have an excuse for the pitch not being renewed.

Hiding behind the sofa until the replacement is announced and probably needing a tin hat and white flag when it is. Like others I think a replacement is already all but in the building. 

[BlackburnEnd75]

32 minutes ago, arbitro said:

In the terse statement it doesn't mention anyone taking over in a caretaker capacity which is strange given we have a game tomorrow. My guess is that Ismael was actually relieved of his duties on Saturday and in the interim a new manager has agreed terms and will be announced soon.

Someone said he took training this morning.

[...]

Just now, BlackburnEnd75 said:

Someone said he took training this morning.

Must already be there

[Tim Southampton Rover]

8 minutes ago, AvRover said:

30 years late, Zidane is available. Just saying.

Why do we need Zidane when we have Tim Sherwood Damien Johnson?

[Mike E]

New manager update: Ray Wilkins’ ghost spotted haunting house round Wilpshire!