Sacked managers

[MrB]

Now Brian McDermott goes from Reading, another bizarre decision. Promotion is a curse!!

 

[BrettieAngell]

Heavily backed today to be next manager sacked, bookies suspended markets!

 

[buffalowolf]

Plenty out there should PS retire at the end of the season , I hope not though. i personally think hes done an excelent job at Roots Hall.OH! I did say retire not sacked.I think RM would get lynched if he sacked PS.

 

[rlb999]

I think opinion on these forums is pretty much divided on that subject. We're like every other club - if we don't get promoted in a given season, a proportion of fans want the manager replaced. These are the same fans that look at a club like Reading and think the decision to sack McDermott is madness.

 

[Napster]

Michael Appleton now sacked. Blackburn are a joke.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

What a circus Blackburn is these days. Sacked Kean when they were occupying a play off spot, they're now 18th...

 

[chapperzUK]

What a circus Blackburn is these days. Sacked Kean when they were occupying a play off spot, they're now 18th...

Same with Wolves. Sacked McCarthy when they were 16th in the prem and about a year later are 23rd in the championship.

 

[Ricey]

Michael Appleton now sacked. Blackburn are a joke.

The new Chelsea.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

And the Venkeys passed a fit and proper test??

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

I've just applied for the Blackburn job.

Dear Sirs


Having watched events at your club unfold this year, I feel the time is right to formally contact Blackburn Rovers with an application for the vacant managerial role.

Let me dive right in and say from the off that I am a solid 'yes' man who will administer said managerial duties to your exacting desire. You are clearly on a dreadful run of luck, with the five free thinkers you've employed this season making a mockery, in my opinion, of modern football management. Feel comforted that I have never had a thought in my life that wasn't first approved by my mother or lately; my wife.

But I digress, and talk is cheap. Let us rush into my managerial experience with gay abandon. I have held only one job in football management (loyalty), a three year stint at Mid Essex Division Two outfit; Horndon-on-the-Hill. I might add, Horndon were languishing in Division Three when I initially came to the role (by way of our ex player manager having resigned mid match after beating up our left back). A good man, no doubt, but the poor chap was just not up to the pressures of Mid Essex football.

When I took the reins at Horndon, we were an elderly side, with 12/16 of our squad well into their thirties, and one fella (Gary) still embracing a rotational role at the age of Sixty two. Football is a young man's game, and with this in mind, I was forced from the off to dabble in the transfer market. Having played out the remainder of the first season to an honourable mid table finish, I set about the revolution of turning this team into a young, mean, lean fighting machine by calling as many of my mates in their early twenties as possible and cruelly blackmailing them into playing for me; for like Sir Alex, victory is my only concern, personal feelings are for losers.

Now I can almost hear you saying to yourself, 'Dave, how did you manage to get rid of all that dead wood in your squad free of cost?' Easy, I changed my phone number, and only gave it to the few oldies I wanted to keep; Gary included. For, as well as youth, a little experience is essential when building a non league dynasty.

Having put the majority of my squad together with no cost, I set about putting trophies in the club house Argos cabinet ASAP. Still feeling a couple of players short, I targeted Cup success as the quickest way to glory and in turn attracting more players befitting my standards. To my surprise we ripped the league apart in the first three months, spearheaded by Serbian wizard, Denis (he wasn't actually a bona fide wizard to the best of my knowledge). We played a revolutionary 3-2-3-2 formation, with the ability to switch to 4-4-2 and more rigidity at five minutes notice. Along with league dominance we also breezed through the early rounds of the Essex Cup and the inferior League Cup. Essex domination proved a step too far on this occasion and we roundly taken down by some inbred team from Colchester.

Our league form continued unabated until February, when we met title challengers (name forgotten), in a violent encounter that we managed to win 6-2. I knew I'd prepared the team well, but was still amazed at our brilliance on the day. The problem with this game, came not in the result, but in manner in which the opposing teams right back literally tried to bite the ears off several of my players during an old fashioned 'all off' after the final whistle. We were never the same team after that horrifying day; thoughts of which still chill my blood.

We scrapped home to promotion as runners up, missing out on the title on the final day of the season to our aforementioned rivals 8-0. Unsurprisingly we were nursing several injuries that week and I was forced to play Gary left wing, in a sacrificial lamb type role, against the most violent right back ever to grace the game. A League Cup Final appearance added to what had been a successful first full season in management.

The next season was strictly a case of finding our feet in a league somewhat stronger than the one below. Although being in the top four for a great deal of the season, we couldn't quite make it over the line. It was at this point that, utterly exhausted, like Pep Guardiola, I felt the time was right to take a sabbatical and spend more time with my family; whilst exploring art and culture in order to come back a better, shrewder man manager.

In terms of transfer kitty, I wont require a hefty budget, preferring instead to inspire local young talent with the majesty of my cultural knowledge. I'd be happy to work for £5,000 per week in an effort to trim club costs and therefore make it easier to keep ticket prices down for the people who make football what it is; corporate day trippers.

My only request at this stage is that you reply to this application between the hours of 6-8AM, for it will make it easier to keep it from my wife. I've yet to break the news to her that we may be relocating to Lancashire in the new future.

If I should be successful in this application, I will be available to start the day after the final game of this season, for I will accept no unnecessary relegations on my CV. Also, I won't be able to keep David Dunn. It's a policy of mine never to field a player most famous for tripping over a ball whilst attempting to be a flash *******.


Yours Faithfully


David Laurie

 

[BrettieAngell]

I think Appleton got what he deserved after walking out on Blackpool after 4 months. You can't have it both ways!

 

[EastStandBlue]

I don't get this clamour for Appleton to be honest... the word amongst football circles is that he's one of the most promising young coaches in the country, but his record at every club he's managed says otherwise. Seems like he's been enjoying dining out on reputation alone, and the lack of substance to that may have caught up with him.

I wouldn't say any of that to his face mind. Have you seen him? He looks a Die Hard villain.

 

[GrumpyBlue]

Its lucky for Luggy that he does not work for Blackburn :winking:

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Its lucky for Luggy that he does not work for Blackburn :winking:

I suspect he won't be working for us much longer either.

 

[GrumpyBlue]

I suspect he won't be working for us much longer either.

Unfortunately I think you are right :sad:

 

[Gremlin]

I don't get this clamour for Appleton to be honest... the word amongst football circles is that he's one of the most promising young coaches in the country, but his record at every club he's managed says otherwise. Seems like he's been enjoying dining out on reputation alone, and the lack of substance to that may have caught up with him.

I think that's a little harsh given how little time he's been given in each of his managerial roles. What's the longest spell he's had, six months?

 

[EastStandBlue]

I think that's a little harsh given how little time he's been given in each of his managerial roles. What's the longest spell he's had, six months?

But that's been his own doing. He's been quick to jump at the very next opportunity and his record at each club has tailed after a promising start. At Blackburn, he wasn't performing any better than Berg was, and he was unceremoniously chopped.

Blackburn under Berg
WWLDDWLLDLLLWWD - So, a promising start followed by a barren spell of just one point in six games, but it looked like Berg was getting back on track just prior to being dumped.

Blackburn under Appleton
LDWWWDWLDLLLDLD - Lost his first game, but received that "New Boss Bounce" and results picked up, but Blackburn's recent form, particularly in the League, has been pretty shoddy and given how tight that league is, could easily see them dragged into a nasty situation.

Not really looking to conduct a hatchet job on Appleton, but I think he's riding a bit of a wave considering how bat**** mental Venky's have been and his record is being almost sugarcoated by how premature his dismissal has been. Bonkers decision to get rid of him after just seventy seven days and yet another nail in Blackburn's coffin as a reputable club, but the statistics aren't exactly supportive of Appleton's cause.

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

We moan about Ron Martin here but I'd rather be in our situation than have an owner like the Venkys or the Cardiff one. I'm quite proud that we've only had two managers in the last 9 years. Sad to see a grand old club like Blackburn being ruined by some Indian factory owners. Appleton evidently isn't a great manager, as ESB says, but it's just the short-sightedness of these owners. Who's going to want to go there now?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I suspect he won't be working for us much longer either.

Unfortunately I think you are right :sad:

No "unfortunately" about it for me.He's had his chance,IMO.Football is a results governed industry and he's failed to produce the goods in the last two seasons.I'm grateful to him for keeping us afloat in his first season with us and Wembley will be a fantastic way of saying thanks and goodbye.

 

[BrettieAngell]

erm Paul Sturrock!