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[manc-mag 1]

The fans need a reality check mind, where exactly do they think they should be finishing each season? Just avoiding relegation from the Prem each season is a phenomenal achievement for a club their size. They didn't manage it this season, but that doesnt mean they underachieved per se.

[McFaul 35]

The fans need a reality check mind, where exactly do they think they should be finishing each season? Just avoiding relegation from the Prem each season is a phenomenal achievement for a club their size. They didn't manage it this season, but that doesnt mean they underachieved per se.

Been saying the same thing for years, said it to Billy Castell and he fucked off and I got the blame. Blackburn are a lower championship club in terms of fanbase who I repeat have massively over achieved for 22 years. I don't think there's any difference between Blackburn, Burnley and Huddersfield as clubs when you look at the bricks and mortar. All from little godforsaken shitholes, plagued with racial problems, which show you what towns looked like in the 1920's, who used to be successful clubs winning titles in the good old days. Jack Walker made Blackburn different, but he's gone, so are the millions and they should accept what they are.

[Andrew 4242]

what comforts that?

 

they're fans of a football club, they dont like being relegated.

 

if your position was switched would you be saying today " oh well, we're about at our level anyway" would you fuck

[Gemmill 35067]

Kean's won 13 in 58 and you were telling him he was a good manager and to shut the fuck up man.

 

You were talking shite, just admit it.

[Sonatine 10095]

 

Blackburn fans were right about Venky’s and Kean all along

 

by Iain Macintosh

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For 18 months, their football club has been run into the ground and they have had to pay for the privilege of watching it happen. No one listened when they said that it would end in tears, no one believed them when they said their manager was hopelessly out of his depth. Then when relegation finally came, people said they were disgraceful for getting all upset about it. Who’d be a Blackburn Rovers fan?

Venky’s have treated those supporters in much the same way that they treat their chickens. They’ve kept them in the dark, ignored their clucking protestations and doomed them to a messy end. Let me count the ways they failed. Their first error was employing an agent, Jerome Anderson, to advise on football matters. Experienced manager Sam Allardyce was quickly sacked, allegedly for not being enthusiastic enough about Anderson’s clients. He was replaced by a rookie, someone who was far more enthusiastic about Anderson’s clients, mainly because he himself was one of them. And Steve Kean wasn’t the only horse from the Anderson stable to get a run-out. John Jensen arrived to take up the assistant manager job. On merit, I’m sure. The problem with getting an agent to look after recruitment is that the more cynically minded might suggest that vested interests were at work. Fortunately, Anderson emphatically allayed those fears by signing… erm… his own son, Myles. He still hasn’t played a single game.

Venky’s have been a disaster. From their space cadet ambition of finishing “fourth or fifth”, as if there wasn’t much difference between the two, to their bold claim that, “if we need to spend £5million, we’ll spend £5million” they have turned the club into a laughing stock. But the giggles ended abruptly last December when Barclays were forced to order them to deposit double that amount into their account just to cover the wage bill. It’s one thing not to invest; it’s another to barely cover costs. And then there’s the rumour, well-placed and multi-sourced, that they were unaware of the concept of relegation. It might not be true, but it’s a measure of their incompetence that you can’t be sure.

The much-maligned Kean, as I said here at Christmas, isn’t the biggest problem at Blackburn, but he isn’t very far down the list. He has won just 13 league games in 18 months. Wigan have won six since the end of March. Kean appears to live on a different existential plane to the rest of us, some kind of pink-clouded nirvana of rainbows and sugarplums, Ronaldinho and impending Champions League football. The fact that he hasn’t immediately cleared his desk and walked away to think about what he’s done is staggering. What would constitute resignation form in Kean’s world?

Sure, his dignity under fire was commendable, and there can be no justification for the death threats and promises of physical violence that he received, but he would have had a far quieter life if he was actually any good at his job. His selections have been confusing, his tactics have been worse and the sight of his imperilled players failing to muster a shot of any kind against Tottenham last weekend will live long in the memory for Blackburn fans.

Those fans, of course, realised all of this long ago. You can blame them for focusing their firepower on Kean instead of Venky’s, but given that the owners hardly ever turned up to a game, they’d have had to shout pretty loud for them to notice. They’ve been blamed for protesting during matches and not supporting their team, but what were they supposed to do? Don the face paints, hold a party in the top tier, link hands, sing “Kumbaya” and then throw a tantrum when everyone had gone? What would have been the point of that? They’re livid and they’ve got every right to show their fury.

Manchester United fans can sow discontent with green and gold scarves and everyone applauds. Liverpool fans can shout “get out of our club” at their ruinous owners and chant for the return of Kenny Dalglish and everyone salutes their pluck. But when Blackburn supporters rage and roar against the usurpers who seek to annihilate their football club, they’re a disgrace? There are double standards at work here.

Venky’s are a shambles, a plague of stupidity visited upon a team that needed to box clever. The Premier League are a disgrace for allowing yet another club to be savaged by morons. The hapless Kean should never have been given the job in the first place, let alone been allowed to keep it for 18 months. Of all the parties involved, the supporters are the only ones who are innocent. They don’t deserve our contempt. They deserve our sympathy.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Sonatine

[McFaul 35]

what comforts that?

 

they're fans of a football club, they dont like being relegated.

 

if your position was switched would you be saying today " oh well, we're about at our level anyway" would you fuck

I wouldn't because our level is where I believe we should be, when you look at the size of the club, the size of the business, and the size of our fanbase.

 

Blackburn's level as Sammy insuated is the Championship. I'd feel differently if I was a Blackburn fan, but they've had a good run, and should be delighted where their little journey has taken them. Apologies for calling Burnley a shithole, I forgot you lived there, I've never been there, only ever seen it on telly, been to Accrington, Darwen and Blackburrrrrrn loads of times, but never been to Burnley.

 

 

Kean's won 13 in 58 and you were telling him he was a good manager and to shut the fuck up man.

 

You were talking shite, just admit it.

Jesus himself couldn't have kept Blackburn up this season. They only had a chance with Nelsen and Samba, not when those two arseholes are crying the whole season to be away, and Venkys only too happy to show them the door. Kean will be back, and (without sounding like Leazes protege) we'll see who was right. Ferguson was a shite manager at one time according to most, to the extent there was a boycott at Old Trafford to get rid of the cunt! Against Newcastle one of the games.

[McFaul 35]

Sorry Stevie but claiming Kean is any sort of manager is mental, I'll say he's handled himself well for all the flak he's gotten over the season but he's ne clue about managing a football team

 

There are plenty of average managers who could've kept that squad up with some breathing room and just set them up to be hard to beat.

they conceeded more goals away from home than everyone else in the league and only bolton/wolves conceded more at home.

 

With their squad they should've pulled a Stoke tactic wise.

What a load of bollocks. How do you know he's a shit manager? You're just like half the people on here, all you can see is stats. Look between the lines. Bradley Orr said he's the best manager and coach he's ever worked with last night, and this is a guy who was managed by SBR, Hughes and all manner of other people. "Plenty other managers could've kept that squad up", fucking Herbert Chapman would've struggled, their defence is abysmal, that's not Kean's fault, it's all they have left to work with. Their best player this season was an inspired FREE TRANSFER, Kean pushed through. If he was so shit, do you think he'd have had the tactical nouse to go to Old Trafford and win. He's achieved miracles keeping them in the hunt for safety imo. Like I say I hope he comes back and shuts a few mugs up me.

[Asprilla 96]

I think Kean handled it all pretty well tbf.

[Andrew 4242]

I wouldn't because our level is where I believe we should be, when you look at the size of the club, the size of the business, and the size of our fanbase.

 

Blackburn's level as Sammy insuated is the Championship. I'd feel differently if I was a Blackburn fan, but they've had a good run, and should be delighted where their little journey has taken them. Apologies for calling Burnley a shithole, I forgot you lived there, I've never been there, only ever seen it on telly, been to Accrington, Darwen and Blackburrrrrrn loads of times, but never been to Burnley.

 

 

I dont really care about the burnley thing I know you like to stick in judgements on things you dont know about

 

but as a football fan, not a newcastle fan, surely youre not expecting a group of supporters to be thinking "eh well its been a good run but we were due a relegation really"

[McFaul 35]

Well as someone with no feelings about Blackburn, I think they should be like contestants on Bullseye in the 80's "eeh Jim we've ad a luvleh day, its been smashin".

[LoveTheBobby 1]

Even if they'd won the speedboat it would've been no good to them that far inland .

[Gemmill 35067]

Good article by Macintosh. He seems a good lad.

[JawD 31]

He's a good follow on Twitter like, good humor as well.

 

Anyway, not sure if this has been posted

 

Leaked Blackburn letter

[ewerk 26652]

Yes, Venkys have fucked the club over but Steve Kean has to take a large portion of the blame for Blackburn's demise. Bradley Orr can say what he likes but the reality is that the players did not want to play for him.

 

Whatever his shortcomings as a manager, his biggest crime was his complicity in facilitating the Venkys 'plan'. The man must have zero self-respect to have gone along with whatever they wanted to do.

[Brock Manson 0]

Ah well if Stevie and Bradley Orr say Kean is a good manager then so be it for it to be absolute bollocks!

 

He's woefully out of his depth, is as tactically astute as a Adrian Chiles, blissfully unaware he's doing an appalling job and has only won 13 games out of 58!

 

Now he's citing West Ham as an example to follow next season when they're not up yet and surrendered automatic promotion after seemingly having it in the bag!

[ewerk 26652]

He's a good follow on Twitter like, good humor as well.

 

Anyway, not sure if this has been posted

 

Leaked Blackburn letter

 

Point number one on his list was that he should be promoted and get a payrise. Probably not the opener I'd have gone for.

[Sonatine 10095]

Ah well if Stevie and Bradley Orr say Kean is a good manager then so be it for it to be absolute bollocks!

 

He's woefully out of his depth, is as tactically astute as a Adrian Chiles, blissfully unaware he's doing an appalling job and has only won 13 games out of 58!

 

Now he's citing West Ham as an example to follow next season when they're not up yet and surrendered automatic promotion after seemingly having it in the bag!

 

A lot in common tbf, both have useless managers hated by the fans and both will be fucked if they don't get back up at the first attempt

[TicTacWoe 0]

I wouldn't because our level is where I believe we should be, when you look at the size of the club, the size of the business, and the size of our fanbase.

 

Blackburn's level as Sammy insuated is the Championship. I'd feel differently if I was a Blackburn fan, but they've had a good run, and should be delighted where their little journey has taken them. Apologies for calling Burnley a shithole, I forgot you lived there, I've never been there, only ever seen it on telly, been to Accrington, Darwen and Blackburrrrrrn loads of times, but never been to Burnley.

 

 

 

Jesus himself couldn't have kept Blackburn up this season. They only had a chance with Nelsen and Samba, not when those two arseholes are crying the whole season to be away, and Venkys only too happy to show them the door. Kean will be back, and (without sounding like Leazes protege) we'll see who was right. Ferguson was a shite manager at one time according to most, to the extent there was a boycott at Old Trafford to get rid of the cunt! Against Newcastle one of the games.

 

Nelson wanted to play but as he was on large pay as you play type bonuses (on top of his normal wage) the club refused to play him and pretended that he was injured long after he had recovered from his injury. Similar situation with Salgado and a few others.

[CleeToonFan 1]

All this 'Championship fan base etc', who are the 20 teams that would 'ideally' make up the Premier League Stevie? I'm thinking Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Coventry, Derby, Everton, Huddersfield, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Notts Forest, Man City, Man U, Middlesbrough, Sheff. Wed, Sheff Utd.,Southampton, Spurs, Sunderland, West Ham, but even so Blackburn are around a similar fanbase to the smaller teams here. Bit harsh calling it punching above their weight.

[Park Life 70]

The lack of investment has been shocking. It's been poultry by any standards!

[The Fish 9069]

The lack of investment has been shocking. It's been poultry by any standards!

[Brock Manson 0]

The lack of investment has been shocking. It's been poultry by any standards!

 

Aye, it meant they couldn't stay up even on a wing and a prayer.

[luckyluke 1]

Well as someone with no feelings about Blackburn, I think they should be like contestants on Bullseye in the 80's "eeh Jim we've ad a luvleh day, its been smashin".

 

Patronising bollocks, the sort of which when used to describe us by the media drives us all mental. Clubs can and should always have aspirations.

[McFaul 35]

Patronising bollocks, the sort of which when used to describe us by the media drives us all mental. Clubs can and should always have aspirations.

It was said firmly tongue in cheek, Lee Clark style circa 1991. I know you have an extremely tough noble job, I admire you for it, but seeing as though you're in the hospital on a daily basis, see if they can have that humour bypass reversed eh?

[manc-mag 1]

Patronising bollocks, the sort of which when used to describe us by the media drives us all mental. Clubs can and should always have aspirations.

 

Fail to see how their aspirational attitude has helped them at all tbh. The absolute brutal honest truth is they're not a Prem sized club, ergo just to be in the Prem is an achievement. When theyve done well in the past it's been entirely nothing to do with the club, but the actions of one man. Without him they were nothing and now theyre nothing again (is the reality of it). In which case you've got to absolutely galvanize yourself as fans in a proper Wimbledon like seige mentality, not slag your manager off before and during every game. By doing that they diminish one of the few things they potentially have going for them.

 

It's not to say they should be happy about relegation or accepting of relegation, but it is about facing up to the realities of the Premiership...and once they look at themselves as a club they'd have to say we're an absolute minnow here and we need to maximise everything we've got going for us to stop up each and every year.

 

Generalist arguments about fans and aspirations can be made about any club. We all want more spent etc etc. Once you divorce those thoughts from the actual revenues of the football club we can all say we deserve better. It's meaningless though as a sentiment. In the cold light of day, in Blackburn's case they do very very well to stay up. In going down, they've not underperformed, because the Championship is probably their level in the modern game. Or flitting between the two at best.