Mowbray: Stay or go?

[roversfan99]

42 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Spot on.

I've had reservations about Mowbray since the day he arrived and posted as such.

• Brought in with the objective of keeping us up (his words at Blues a few weeks ago) - failed
• Think we got lucky so many times last season in a p$ss poor league despite being the best resourced club
• From what I've seen, I think we are physically / mentally unfit (other teams seem two yards quicker all over the park and are at it for 90+ minutes), disorganised (how many times do we change formation in the first 15 / 20 minutes of a game), tactically inept (hoofball doesn't count in my book), poor in game management (so many late goals), play cr@p football with no identity or sign of a pattern of play evolving and consistently fail to get the best out of what we've got (square pegs / round holes).
• Think we have a mystifying and poor player trading record with £10million+ spunked away in the summer (Brereton, Armstrong, Davenport).  Too many Harts and Gladwins and what the hell was the signing of Chapman about over two months ago.

I think as a playing unit, we are now back to the Kean, C o y l e eras.  For me, there is no longer any enjoyment in watching Rovers.

I can't think of a single reason to keep Mowbray a minute longer.  Coming across as a 'nice guy' with self purported values and anecdotes about his wife's lemon drizzle cake doesn't cut it for me.  We owe him nothing - he's been paid a king's ransom for his time here;  arguably, he was on the football scrap heap until Senior brought him in.

In my opinion, the sooner we see Mowbray, Venus, Lowe and Benson walking down the road the better.  I also think Waggott and Cheston should follow them;  I think Waggott's act of extending Mowbray's contract was sheer folly and said so at the time.

I think our club is still in one helluva a mess but if you have a half decent football manager at the helm, at least you have some hope and a decent chance.   

Whilst I agree that Mowbrays time is up its totally unfair to discredit what he achieved last season. Even though we had the resources he deserves credit for actually getting a promotion and its nothing to do with luck at all, you dont finish 9 points clear of 3rd on 96 points through luck.

[G Somerset Rover]

54 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Spot on.

I've had reservations about Mowbray since the day he arrived and posted as such.

• Brought in with the objective of keeping us up (his words at Blues a few weeks ago) - failed
• Think we got lucky so many times last season in a p$ss poor league despite being the best resourced club
• From what I've seen, I think we are physically / mentally unfit (other teams seem two yards quicker all over the park and are at it for 90+ minutes), disorganised (how many times do we change formation in the first 15 / 20 minutes of a game), tactically inept (hoofball doesn't count in my book), poor in game management (so many late goals), play cr@p football with no identity or sign of a pattern of play evolving and consistently fail to get the best out of what we've got (square pegs / round holes).
• Think we have a mystifying and poor player trading record with £10million+ spunked away in the summer (Brereton, Armstrong, Davenport).  Too many Harts and Gladwins and what the hell was the signing of Chapman about over two months ago.

I think as a playing unit, we are now back to the Kean, C o y l e eras.  For me, there is no longer any enjoyment in watching Rovers.

I can't think of a single reason to keep Mowbray a minute longer.  Coming across as a 'nice guy' with self purported values and anecdotes about his wife's lemon drizzle cake doesn't cut it for me.  We owe him nothing - he's been paid a king's ransom for his time here;  arguably, he was on the football scrap heap until Senior brought him in.

In my opinion, the sooner we see Mowbray, Venus, Lowe and Benson walking down the road the better.  I also think Waggott and Cheston should follow them;  I think Waggott's act of extending Mowbray's contract was sheer folly and said so at the time.

I think our club is still in one helluva a mess but if you have a half decent football manager at the helm, at least you have some hope and a decent chance.   

The day has come when I firmly agree with you Mercer (please don't follow this up by predicting we'll hammer Derby tomorrow)!

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, JHRover said:

Sadly if we aren't there already then we're getting there. 1 win in 11 is dreadful. By Saturday night I'd be pleasantly surprised if it isn't 1 win in 13.

Was looking last night at his pre-sacking/resignation runs at Middlesbrough and Coventry.

At Middlesbrough in season 2013-14 they started off with 2 wins from their opening 12 league games and he was sacked despite being a club legend. Before then he'd had them pushing for the play-offs and was worshipped by their fans but they accepted time was up.

At Coventry in season 2016-17 they started off with 0 wins from their opening 10 league games and he walked. Before then they'd been in promotion contention and was liked.

We're now in very similar territory. A shame but this is clearly not the first time he's done this and it has ended in his departure.

Turning this around is not going to be easy. I might have more confidence had I something to cling on to - if we were playing enjoyable football, were defensively strong or scoring plenty of goals but there's none of that.

Ideally it is see how the next 6 go and then make a decision after that on the basis of what happens but the way things are going we might not be in a position to wait that long.

I honestly think he would be under more pressure had we started the season in the form we are in now. There seems to be a contentment amongst many because they expected us to be in the position we are now and therefore their own expectation has been met. I'd be surprised if this isn't the line being spun to the Indians from Mowbray and Waggott. 

But I it runs much deeper than that with some of us having an eye on next season and very little confidence in Mowbray to bring in the quantity and quality to rebuild the squad to kick us on. His over reliance on League One standard players and tying the club to ridiculous contracts means the playing budget will have to increase massively to bring in the type of players we need. Will that be sanctioned by the owners? I have very little faith in his ability to construct a new squad. He seems to be stuck in a footballing time warp.

[RevidgeBlue]

3 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

 A few of us on here came in for a fair amount of stick at the end of last season. We were the people who whilst thoroughly enjoying having something to shout about regarding Rovers for once in a long time were less than impressed as to the manner promotion was achieved. The way we seemed to only play for 45 minute in nearly every game. The way we seemed to struggle to impose ourselves physically on the opposition and only got through lots of games because of our superior skill level. The way we seemed to start most games in a really casual and laid back style. The lack of real input from most of our new signings.

Of course we were told to " Get with the Programme ", " In Tony we trust " and other such waffle.

I thought it was pretty obvious that we needed 3 or 4 new players that would go straight into the first team right away  and stay there. When these players didn't arrive and the only real reinforcement was a loan player I was really concerned. Some how we managed to get through to January accumulating a fair amount of points albeit having taken some bangings on the way. Since then my fears as to the majority of the squad not being anything like good enough have been realised. We look a rag tag collection of players who've only just met on the car park half an hour before the game. 

At the moment we are playing like we are the worst team in the league, there's no doubt about that. If we played Ipswich on Tuesday I wouldn't fancy us to win and they are going to be relegated. That tells me all I need to know.

Football is a results based game and we aren't getting any. The final responsibility for this state of affairs has to lie at the feet of the manager. It's come to the point were I have to say - " Tony Mowbray, You're fired ! "

Great post.

To use the famous turn of phrase it was obvious to a blind man on a galloping horse that we needed to bring in at least 3 players last summer to go straight into and improve the first eleven. If that had have happened then one more of similar ilk coming in in January would have freshened things up and kept everyone on their toes. Then two or three more top quality additions again this summer and we're good to challenge at the right end of the table.

None of that has happened and indeed quite the contrary has happened, a raft of players who should have been moved on have been handed new deals. As a result we're in a right mess and imo Mowbray's handling of the playing side of things has been criminally negligent.

Yet we do have some promising players at the Club, albeit Mowbray refuses to play them. Bring in a vibrant younger manager with a more positive outlook and sign a couple of actual centre halves, a dominant midfielder and spend big on a proven striker and all may not be lost.

There's little doubt in my mind though that if nothing changes we're heading straight back to League 1.

[Pedro]

I don't want to go to Ewood tomorrow.  That says it all to me. 

[Swanson]

For what it's worth the Blackburn Rovers' supporter Club Norway has had a vote going since saturday after the match, 80 % actually wants him to stay. About 210 has voted so far.

I am myself with the 20% who wants him out now.

[DeeCee]

1 hour ago, Pedro said:

I don't want to go to Ewood tomorrow.  That says it all to me. 

Exactly the same, feel I "should" go as I don't get chance to get to many matches. Going to look at my son's new house near Whittle le woods at tea time, still undecided whether to stick or twist on the way back to Ossy ? Never thought I'd ever feel like this.

[DE.]

Just now, Swanson said:

For what it's worth the Blackburn Rovers' supporter Club Norway has had a vote going since saturday after the match, 80 % actually wants him to stay. About 210 has voted so far.

I am myself with the 20% who wants him out now.

Very worrying when you read stuff like this. Venky's really have stripped the pride from this club and left us with fans who are happy to tread just above the Championship relegation zone.

[roversfan99]

2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Great post.

To use the famous turn of phrase it was obvious to a blind man on a galloping horse that we needed to bring in at least 3 players last summer to go straight into and improve the first eleven. If that had have happened then one more of similar ilk coming in in January would have freshened things up and kept everyone on their toes. Then two or three more top quality additions again this summer and we're good to challenge at the right end of the table.

None of that has happened and indeed quite the contrary has happened, a raft of players who should have been moved on have been handed new deals. As a result we're in a right mess and imo Mowbray's handling of the playing side of things has been criminally negligent.

Yet we do have some promising players at the Club, albeit Mowbray refuses to play them. Bring in a vibrant younger manager with a more positive outlook and sign a couple of actual centre halves, a dominant midfielder and spend big on a proven striker and all may not be lost.

There's little doubt in my mind though that if nothing changes we're heading straight back to League 1.

Ultimately, if Mowbray had a similar budget to Coyle did, ie not a pot to piss in (not saying Coyle is anything but a dreadful manager who did a dreadful job) then expectations would have been much lower. No matter how anyone tries to downplay it, a 10m kitty is a lot of money at this level. As you said, it is unacceptable to not (quite considerably) improve a side at this level, especially one thats just been promoted. Look for example at Sheffield United, they bought Egan, Norwood and McGoldrick, a huge improvement right down the spine. For a similar amount, we signed a striker yet to score.

[USABlue]

On 07/04/2019 at 10:16, RevidgeBlue said:

With all due respect, surely Mowbray falls into that category anyway. We're not talking about the possibility of replacing Kenny Dalglish are we?

I just keep thinking back that this lot apparently bad Warnock and turned around and went with Coyle.  I can't help but think the safest option is to can him now and give Johnno the reigns while searching for a real live manager.

[USABlue]

23 hours ago, tomphil said:

5 for me.

Lucky if we get 4.

[Stuart]

2 hours ago, DE. said:

Very worrying when you read stuff like this. Venky's really have stripped the pride from this club and left us with fans who are happy to tread just above the Championship relegation zone.

What worries me is that there is more interest in Norway than in Blackburn postcode areas.

Apathy reigns except on the land of Pedersen and King.

Wonder how many games they collectively watched this season to come to the conclusion that Mowbray should stay? And why they’d like to give him another transfer window.

[Bbrovers2288]

Superb posts by Tyrone and mercer that I 100% agree with, too many have been hoodwinked by mowbray and the other are too scared in case we get worse. It is time for a change and a roll of the dice, I don’t think we can’t get much worse than we are just now. Football brand and identify is awful 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

20 minutes ago, Stuart said:

What worries me is that there is more interest in Norway than in Blackburn postcode areas.

Apathy reigns except on the land of Pedersen and King.

Wonder how many games they collectively watched this season to come to the conclusion that Mowbray should stay? And why they’d like to give him another transfer window.

I'm not knocking our Norwegian fans at all but I wonder wether the further away you live the less impact it all has. They don't get it in the neck from rival fans like we locals do.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

3 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Superb posts by Tyrone and mercer that I 100% agree with, too many have been hoodwinked by mowbray and the other are too scared in case we get worse. It is time for a change and a roll of the dice, I don’t think we can’t get much worse than we are just now. Football brand and identify is awful 

In all Mowbray's time at Rovers I've never had the feeling that we were a well coached team. 

[DE.]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

In all Mowbray's time at Rovers I've never had the feeling that we were a well coached team. 

Functional is the best way you could describe us under Mowbray last season. We got the job done despite never looking especially dominant or even particularly good, with a few exceptions (Rotherham at home comes to mind). That carried on at the start of this season, but getting smashed by Wigan and Preston seemed to wreck the belief in the camp and with little else to fall back on it's been mostly downhill ever since. It should have come back after our January run, but somehow it's actually gotten even worse.

[Swanson]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I'm not knocking our Norwegian fans at all but I wonder wether the further away you live the less impact it all has. They don't get it in the neck from rival fans like we locals do.

It might be some truth in this, but I think if you are passionate enough this kind of form we are in now, hurts. It certainly does for me, I watch every game that I can thanks to iFollow. If I have lived around Blackburn I would probably go to every game as well. I just can't figure out how 80% of our norwegian fans wants Mowbray to continue. I don't think that they watch every game or follow what happens around the club, IF they do and still want him, then I am very concerned.

[perthblue02]

3 hours ago, Swanson said:

For what it's worth the Blackburn Rovers' supporter Club Norway has had a vote going since saturday after the match, 80 % actually wants him to stay. About 210 has voted so far.

I am myself with the 20% who wants him out now.

Is that their twitter poll?

[Swanson]

Just now, perthblue02 said:

Is that their twitter poll?

No, this one from facebook.

[perthblue02]

Just now, Swanson said:

No, this one from facebook.

Oh ok , their twitter one with 4 options

(Google translated)

57% Support Mowbray

11% Kicked now

7% Wait a little longer

25% Patient out in the Fall

[Swanson]

Just now, perthblue02 said:

Oh ok , their twitter one with 4 options

(Google translated)

57% Support Mowbray

11% Kicked now

7% Wait a little longer

25% Patient out in the Fall

Yes we got one on Twitter as well, but there are more users on FB than Twitter so reaches out to more people. Correctly translated by the way.

[Exiled in Toronto]

6 hours ago, DE. said:

Very worrying when you read stuff like this. Venky's really have stripped the pride from this club and left us with fans who are happy to tread just above the Championship relegation zone.

Given that more fans from Norway make it to Ewood in a season than do fans from Ipswich, (and Canada), who exactly is “us”?

[dingles staying down 4ever]

9 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

In all Mowbray's time at Rovers I've never had the feeling that we were a well coached team. 

I said at the time we won promotion despite Mowbray but not because of him!

I still cannot forget that performance at Oldham last season where the week before we hammered Pompey 3-0 at Ewood then Mowbray changed the team because he was afraid of Oldham's right back and centre forward. It showed all we need to know!

[Pedro]

10 hours ago, Swanson said:

It might be some truth in this, but I think if you are passionate enough this kind of form we are in now, hurts. It certainly does for me, I watch every game that I can thanks to iFollow. If I have lived around Blackburn I would probably go to every game as well. I just can't figure out how 80% of our norwegian fans wants Mowbray to continue. I don't think that they watch every game or follow what happens around the club, IF they do and still want him, then I am very concerned.

That is what has turned my opinion - watching on iFollow. Previously I would've thought we were unlucky etc. Witnessing every game, I now see the same old mistakes, disorganization, lack of effort and intensity- generally just dross. 

[AllRoverAsia]

7 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Given that more fans from Norway make it to Ewood in a season than do fans from Ipswich, (and Canada), who exactly is “us”?

What a very odd post. I am still trying to work out what your bitch is.

We are all fans, wherever we come from