Dreams of 1995

There is some quite choice language within this post. It has to be said. “You can feel sorry for yourselves…” ”the elements are not there for wider sympathy” I think you are massively missing the point here. Thousands of your fellow fans have told you they cannot keep going if the Venkys own the club next year. They have decided that the way they can express that is a boycott. You agree with the end cause - that Venkys should relinquish control of this club It is therefore unclear why you seem to think it should be others feeling sorry for themselves. You should be feeling everything they feel man. You have more in common with those fans than you do Venkys, Rudy, Pasha. You should be feeling sorry that so many thousands of your fellow fans decided, today, that enough was enough. So why should the boycotters feel sorry for themselves? They stuck to their principles today. And when it comes to the season ticket renewals, they may also stick to those principles again. That will result in a drop of revenue of 25%+ (I’ll wait for the police figures to figure this out). It won’t be irrelevant then Buried within your posts has to be an acknowledgment of the reality we find ourselves in. Comparisons to Chansiri and Oystons are quite apt - we are not unlike any other non-parachute club in that we regularly make a loss. There’s nothing special about the Venkys financial commitments. However, we are unlike other clubs in that we do not provide the other necessities a club needs to survive - ambition, investment in facilities or its fans and importantly a regular and functioning operational business within the town. We are one accounting decision away from being a Chansiri. One day, they may say no to paying the losses, and then it will be too late to save us from administration. The boycotters are telling you this

Fewer renewals devastate the club. These fans are telling you they are not willing to attend whilst Venkys are here. You should stand with those fans and not the owners How you have concluded that empty seats create division is beyond me. I think it’s an AI post tbh - what the fuck does empty seats have to do with Reform? And how does it create division if people decide they can’t support Venkys any more and don’t want to part with their hard earned cash? I won’t be replying to you again.

But they won’t have it next year. That’s what those fans are telling you. A point you’re missing. You seem ok with that. Fair enough. I am deeply worried about the direction of this club. You have more in common with those boycotting fans than the owners. Remember that. They are asking you to stand with them or else they cannot take it anymore. These people are your neighbours, co workers, friends, drinking partners or whatever. The Venkys are nothing to you. They don’t care about you. Now you can sit here and slag it off all you like but what are YOU gaining from that? You are happy to turn your back on the fans with whom you share so much with but not happy to turn your back on the Venkys, who despise you so much they refuse to step foot in your town. I would start to look at what you’re gaining from all of this before questioning others

These people who boycotted are telling you they will stop going unless something changes. There was a significant amount of ST holders who didn’t attend today If they don’t renew next season, it is very worrying for the club. That is the worry here. Maybe you should do more to listen to those fans. You have far more in common with boycotters than yoy do with the owners. I know whose side I’d rather be seen to be on

I will wait for the police numbers. That will give the coalition the ammunition they need. Over 1000 Watford fans. If the 7.6k figure is real, that is around 25% of home fans who have said they aren’t going to bother again if things don’t change. Very worrying times for the club

Why was it pointless Tricky? There were significantly less people there today. It only takes 3 thousand less fans to be around 30% of season ticket holders telling you they are willing to walk away if things don’t change Are you happy to lose that 30%?

The account has been deleted. Didn’t manage to save them did you?

No it wasn’t

Do it now it's a crime that can provide a fine of up to £1,000 big boy We will follow your lead

You seem to be leaning on the side of blaming the fans for the predicament the squad finds itself. I could not disagree more Regardless of what fans are present at Watford, it is the 22 players on the field of play which decide the result As fans we like to wax lyrical about the impact of the crowd but it really is a matter of muchness. The BBE is not going to be rocking if a boycott is cancelled; the football on show is dire, it is defensive in the first instance but it is neither exciting, quick or full of good moments. Ismael's football is turgid and drags other teams in to our quagmire. Second to this, Ewood has not rocked for a game against Watford in well, god knows Players will not sign for us not because the fans are unhappy but because the club has a reputation for messing players around. They (the board, the owners) don't pay the going rate, the don't offer good contracts for renewal which rewards loyalty and above all else they don't show a respect for the club I would say with the most amount of confidence as one could have that the fans will not decide this season. That was decided last summer - when the powers that be decimated our squad of talent and ripped apart a backroom staff with a degree of unnerving carelessness. You reap what you sow but unfortunately football brings with it collateral unlike any other business. It is the fans who suffer from the decisions of idiots. And we have a lot of idiots in charge

The fact they have acknowledged it is good. Those which opposed a boycott regularly told us that the club wouldn’t care Now they are urging you not to follow it. They care. If you don’t show your face, it is a public display of “enough is enough” If ever there was more proof in the pudding it is that statement. I urge all fans to boycott. It really will matter

There would be nothing really to stop the individual from just saying it. I understand there are trepidations about action. I don’t know the details of what was said to trigger it but it would have to be serious for me to be worried It is a bully boy attitude. He probably wouldn’t like it being put back on him - best way to do that is to out him

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

They will never sack Ismael. For one, it would mean Rudy Gestede has to admit he has made a mistake. Nothing about Rudy's character tells you that is possible. By all accounts he is a bit of a bully and is the direct cause of plenty of long standing staff members leaving. His interactions on social media and his interviews with other media really do portray a man weak of confidence - unable to be criticised, learn a lesson or be questioned. It is the very worst type of person to be in management. You often find with these type of managers that nothing is dealt with proactively as confronting the possibility of their own mistakes is more uncomfortable than being judged by others. Rudy is a symptom of a disease, for sure, but he is a killer. He will take this club down with him and be paid all the way. His character has been questioned many times. Neil Warnock being one of them, after Gestede refused to play and commit for Boro. He had his attitude questioned here and at Villa. Rudy will go down as one of the worst things to happen to this club during the Venky reign. First, fans will point to his less than impressive success ratio in the transfer market - a man who is wedded to a data driven approach, constrained by a model of low wages, low spend but ultimately completely unable to generate a successful and functional team. More importantly the fans will point to his divisiveness - Rudy has followed a period of relative success for Rovers and has been the 'director' (loosely) responsible for dismantling a competitive Championship side. More than any that has come before him, he has had room within the FFP window to develop a squad capable of that extra mile. Instead it appears Rudy has sought revenge - first, with the sale of players who have supported staff members over himself, and then with the effective freezing out of other players, such as Pickering or Tyjon. To me, Rudy comes across as resentful. He has then hired a head coach which completely went against the style of play our squad has developed since Mowbray, delivered that head coach a series of players not good enough and now shows an unwillingness to act, instead pointing to data and perceived future success which comes across arrogant and stupid in equal measure. All of this is divisive in nature and his contempt for the fans has been very clear. Rudy Gestede is not, and has never been, here for the success of Blackburn Rovers; Rudy Gestede is here for the success of Rudy Gestede. He has been told that if he absorbs the pressure and is a good boy who does not try too hard to be ambitious then he will continue to earn a 6 figure salary here. All of the above is why Ismael will not be sacked. And if he is, it will be too late. Gestede will not accept he has made a mistake; the mistake will be the fault of the fans, the pitch, the weather. It will not be and never will be Rudy Gestede's mistake to make.

@Mercer posted about the potential offer on the table for the club. Can anyone else corroborate this story?

I haven’t questioned you on anything. I don’t give a crap. I’m telling you it’s boring watching you going after the same posters time and time again for little things and asking you to reign it in - kindly, of course

Give over. You do nothing but hound certain forum posters Bigger things at hand than whether Mercer named the lad or not. It’s boring now - let it go

Whats the answer, Rev? It has to be the sacking of the manager. You can’t do anything else if you are Rudy or Suahil From a fan perspective - it is just another gap. This is a board and owners who STILL have not appointed a CEO The truth is, Rudy Gestede has to go as well. Let’s get something straight here - Mr Broughton was sacked after putting together a squad who got 7th and making a profit on player trading. Rudy has decimated a squad and put together a rag tag bunch of European misfits who neither have a resale value or even a purpose in this league. Say what you want about Broughton but bring the man back Me and you know the truth though, they won’t get rid. Val may go but Rudy will stay. He isn’t the man to speak out - he will stay silent and back these owners, whose only care about this club is what sum of money they need to transfer at the end of season This is just another symptom of their crap ownership. Best we can hope for some tell us. This isn’t the best anyone can hope for. It’s a disgrace. We all deserve better. Anybody who says we do not deserve better than this shambolic set of clowns is not a real supporter of this football club

I think I am done with this seasons squad until Valerin is sacked. He is the worst manager we have had since Venkys arrived - yes, I am counting Owen Coyle in that. It is so obvious to all that we are simply not coaching our players properly. They are all consistently making the wrong decision. Ok, some are not good enough but the fact this is team wise is a symptom of a lack of technical coaching He is a coach who runs his players in to the ground. It is evident there is not the technical side of coaching which is developing the transition, the patterns of play, the attacking flair. It is all about huff and puff and a moment of individual brilliance It is not helped with an amateur director of football. We have two people running the football side who are simply not good enough. Rudy is a self serving idiot who has alienated long standing staff members; his signings, almost to a man, poor. The squad is so imbalanced that it would take a head coach with real nouse to make a tune out of it And we do not have that. We have a manager with no plan B. He is out of his depth here. I just can’t take watching any more of his football. It is negative in every sense of the word. I really don’t like him. Even under Coyle we looked like we could score. 1 win in 13 - if he isn’t sacked by tomorrow then this club is finished this season. To a man they are disgraces. Suhail, Rudy and Val - the death of this great club

Doherty has been far better than Baradji pal

Could see that coming a mile off. Val has to go

I’m of this impression too. He’s so flat footed. Not good enough at all

We look crap. 4 minutes in and the lads just don’t know their shape in transition It’s really poor coaching. Ismael is not the man for this squad

Not the best starting line up we have seen has to be said. We have a rank poor squad and unfortunately there’s a reliance on academy lads to come and save the day. Let’s hope they can The bench is worse. De Neve is one of the worst signings we have made; but generally there’s a lack of ability to change the game. Three left backs, two centre backs, an aged midfielder and Henrikson and Dlamini, neither who set the world on fire Cant believe where we find ourselves after such a promising last 4 years. Suhail and Rudy are disgraces. Guarantee Rudy does not get a job in English football again

People can analysis to the nth degree his tactical nous, points per game or whatever but I think it is clear as day that he is not good enough to get a tune out of these players We are becoming progressively worse. It is the complete inability to hold on to the ball and attack that tells me what I need to know. Anyone can set a team up to be hard to beat - although we are failing at that now - but it takes tactical knowledge to understand an opponents weaknesses and attack them. At no point during Vals reign have I ever thought he has one over on the opposing manager and that he has set his team up to exploit the weaknesses of the opposition. It has been a one-trick pony - and if the starting plan does not work then we simply struggle through the 90 minutes and hope a moment of individuality pulls us through Val has to go. At any normal club, a team that almost got promotion last season who now sits where we are would sack the manager and go again. We are told the team has improved - has it? And if it has then why is our manager allowed to achieve so little? All of this talk of “who do we get after” is more contrarian nonsense with a lack of ambition - a sense of doom, that we aren’t worth a chance, when the reality is we have been a top half club for 4 years now and any coach would give that a go. The circus on the side though, maybe that is cutting through in the football world, and maybe this is now the depths we inhabit because Rudy has found “our natural place”