The Rovers Return

Big Sam is busy plotting for the new season

The close season is always a strange time. It’s easy to get fed up with no football on a Saturday. Nothing to talk about and nothing to complain about.

It does have its upsides, and I’m not just talking about the lack of cretins such as Gary Lineker, Lee Dixon et al spouting bullshit every Saturday night.

It is a time of excitement, a time of transfer talk, a time of forward planning.

Rumours come, rumours go. Will Guti sign? Who knows. Will Grella go? Who knows. Who will partner Niko next season? Who knows.

Who’s coming to Fleetwood on July 17? Who knows. Huddersfield away anyone?

There’s also the prospect of renewed rivalries. Blackpool are back in the top flight. It’s truly unbelievable to think that the Seasiders are up.

Everyone was surprised when Burnley found themselves in the Premier League last season. But Blackpool? Who do they think they are?

Congratulations all round to the Tangerines, and we look forward to planning our weekend’s excursion to the seaside. Whether we can get one of the 27 tickets available for the 350-seater stadium only time will tell, but whether that happens or not, there will definitely be a weekend at sea. Read more »

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A rumour that I did not expect started today.

Sky Sports reports that Rovers’ manager Big Sam is on the West Ham board’s shortlist of replacements for Gianfranco Zola, along with Avram Grant, Dave Jones and Ian Holloway.

I, personally, can’t see Sam going down there. His wife is a proper Boltonian and a move away from the area would not appeal to her.

He’s got a good thing going at Ewood. A well run club with a top notch chairman. He’s made the team his own since he took charge and developed a good team spirit.

He’s also pretty popular with the majority of fans now.

With that in mind, why would he consider a move to a club in financial turmoil with a pair of idiots at the helm? Read more »

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A sight we'll probably never see again

Now that I’ve finally stopped foaming at the mouth, I can finally put my dismay at Paul Robinson’s World Cup exclusion into words.

Fabio Capello has said, on numerous occasions, that he will make his selections for the English national team based on form.

Is that right, Mr Capello?

Let’s look at the form books then shall we.

Paul Robinson has been extremely safe for Rovers this season, pulling off numerous quality saves and has been a crucial part of a solid defensive back-line.

He has also kept 13 clean sheets. That’s more than any other English goalkeeper in the Premier League.

I’m not saying he’s perfect, and some argue he is prone to mistakes when playing for England.

Yes, he cocked up once against Russia, but he made 41 appearances for his country, and you don’t get that many through making mistakes.

In the 2006 World Cup, he kept four clean sheets, so don’t try telling me he’s not good enough.

He also plays for a team that finished 10th in the Premier League. Not one that finished bottom of the league – and would have still been bottom had they not been deducted points, don’t give me any of that romantic Pompey bollocks, they weren’t good enough whether they were skint or not – or five points clear of the relegation zone.

I’m not arguing with the inclusion of Joe Hart. He’s proved himself to be a good goalkeeper this year and could represent the future of England goalkeeping. Read more »

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Samba celebrates Rovers' winner

With Sam Allardyce as our manager, we will never be loved.

What some brand as ‘anti-football’, ‘hoofball’ or ‘thuggery’, Big Sam brands a legitimate tactic – and it’s a tactic that works.

Yesterday was yet another example of why it works.

Rovers have no money, Arsenal have lots. We have a decent Premier League team. Arsenal have a world class team. Who won? The underdogs.

Why did the underdogs win? Because we played to our strengths and attacked the few Arsenal weaknesses that do exist.

If Sam told Dunny, Keith Andrews and MGP to pass the ball fluidly and play Arsenal off the park. “Go on lads, use your flair,” we would lose … Heavily.

That’s why our tactics are more rugged and physical.

Arsenal are a team of young European pansies with a crap Polish goalkeeper. And our tactics reflected that. Be more physical, hard in the tackles. Play it long into the box and put the keeper under pressure and you give yourself a chance. Luckily, for once, we took our chances.

Arsene Whinger hates Rovers. He has done since the days of Mark Hughes, when Rovers first established themselves as a “bully boy” team.

The mere fact we are revered is a proven fact that we are feared. No one complains about Wigan’s awful brand of football, because they know Wigan are not very good and, if you put in a decent performance against them, you’ll come away with a result. Read more »

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Credit where it's due for Big Sam

Big Sam will be looking for a big finish to a big season for Blackburn Rovers.

The Rovers supremo gets little credit from anyone, including his club’s own fans, but with the side sitting pretty in 10th position and guaranteed Premier League football next season, he has clearly done a great job.

Some recognition for the Rovers boss, and Rovers’ style, from David Anderson in today’s Mirror. In the article, Anderson recognises that Rovers are often out of sight, out of mind, when not involved in relegation battles or on course for Europe!

It’s not long ago that Rovers were punching heavily above their weight and challenging for UEFA Cup places. Mark Hughes knew it couldn’t last, that’s why he jumped ship when he did, and no one can hold that against him, although I’m sure some do.

In his final game, a disastrous performance at Birmingham saw us hammered 4-1, leaving us in seventh place, a position that, one year previously, would have given us European football. Alas, on this occasion, Aston Villa took the final spot by finishing in sixth.

His departure left Rovers with a conundrum. Take a gamble or play it safe. It was essentially a case of Ince or Allardyce, although it may not have been limited to those two particular individuals. The situation dictated that Rovers could either take a gamble on a new, up and coming manager, like they had done with Mark Hughes, or opt for a more experienced coach of the Allardyce ilk. Read more »

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Benni McCarthy looks set for West Ham

EDIT: BENNI MCCARTHY HAS NOW APPARENTLY AGREED PERSONAL TERMS WITH WEST HAM

It’s been an extremely quiet transfer window so far. Not just at Rovers, but across the Premier League as a whole.

But a few snippets of speculation have emerged recently as the window enters its final week.

It was always expected to be pretty movement-free, particularly at Ewood, where no secret’s been made of the fact that funds are tight and Big Sam has to sell before he can even think about buying.

The only deals that have gone through are those of youth players Andy Haworth (Rochdale) and Marcus Marshall and Gavin Gunning (Rotherham) who have all gone out on loan.

Rovers have been linked quite regularly with Eidur Gudjohnsen and  Valdiray Basturk (Daily Mail) throughout the window. But no move is likely unless certain players leave the club.

McCarthy is being linked with a move to West Ham as new owners Gold and Sullivan look to strengthen the Hammers’ squad. Alan Nixon wrote in The Mirror that he may have to go on loan until his contract with Rovers finishes in 18 months as his recent lack of international caps means he would not get a new work permit. Read more »

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Sam Allardyce reacts to another near miss.

As I said after the Manchester City match, ‘it’s just so predictable’.

I also said, ‘abandon optimism all ye who enter here,’ and nothing’s changed after our latest farcical episode.

One up front. Long balls. It just doesn’t work. But it doesn’t change either.

Yes, the second half was an improvement, but it’s hard not to improve on a first half that bad. Yes, we were unlucky hitting the post twice, but had they sneaked into the net it wouldn’t have been at all justified.

Rovers were beaten, convincingly, by the better team on the night. There is a second leg to contest, but given our away form this season we haven’t a cat in hell’s chance!

Villa’s goal was poor. We’ve seen it time and time again, going all the way back to Robbie Blake’s opener for Burnley all those months ago. The opposition attacker comes forward completely unopposed, able to play the ball exactly how he pleases. Then, having played it out to the right, James Milner then wanders through the middle of the Rovers box, no defender batting an eyelid, before slotting the ball home from close range with Chimbonda and co looking bemused and mouthing, “Where did he come from?” Read more »

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Not saying I necessarily agree with it, but this post by Miller11 on the Lancashire Telegraph website is absolutely genius:

To the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen:

Is this Allardyce?
Or is this just fantasy?
Caught in a poor team,
Try to hoof it to victory,
Open your eyes,
Just stop telling lies and see,
We’re just a poor team, we have no quality,
Because its easy come, easy go,
Just like that Elrio,
Any way the Blues scores, doesn’t really matter to me,
To me.

Grella, just skinned a man,
Put the ball between his legs,
But he slipped and now he’s dead.
Givet’s game has just begun,
But Nelsen’s gone and thrown it all away.
Roberts!!! Oooohh!!!
Didn’t mean to make us lose,
He couldn’t score if we played til tomorrow,
Carry on, carry on, cos we are Blackburn Rovers. Read more »

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It's not the first time the media has forgotten it's a good few years since Allardyce managed Bolton.

Looks like Owen Coyle isn’t going to Bolton, as Rovers gaffer Sam Allardyce has now moved to The Trotters.

That is, if you believe ESPN Soccernet where it states:

14.06: Wigan forward Olivier Kapo has joined French Ligue 1 side Boulogne on loan until the end of the season.

13.52: Bolton boss Sam Allardyce wants Eidur Gudjohnsen and Koo Ja-cheol, according to Goal.

13.14: City are also planning to keep Roque Santa Cruz. Mancini said: “For me, he is important to the team.”

13.11: Roberto Mancini has no interest in selling Micah Richards. “I rate him very highly, he has played for England and has great potential for the future,” he said. “It is important that he stays.” Richards was linked with Tottenham, although ESPN Soccernet understands there has been no contact between the clubs.

12.50: Seems Mauro Zarate is edging further and further towards the exit door at Lazio. His brother and agent has hit out at Lazio coach Davide Ballardini in Corriere dello Sport after he criticised Zarate. Sergio Zarate says either Ballardini makes a public apology or either Zarate or Ballardini leaves the club. Arsenal have been linked with the Argentinean forward, although that may well not be true.

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Sam Allarydyce.

Sam Allardyce will miss Rovers’ next three matches, including the return to his former club Bolton, to undergo coronary surgery.

Apparently he reported chest pains last week, due to a narrowing of an artery, so he’s off to get that fixed.

It will be interesting to see how much free rein Neil McDonald gets in Allardyce’s absence…

The Rovers Return wishes Sam Allardyce a speedy recovery, and I’m sure he’ll be watching!

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