Blackburn lunacy sums up new breed of owners

Salut! Sunderland writers are rallying to a sick man’s cause. Bill Taylor has contributed the first of what is intended to be a series of mid or middish term reviews, and will get the ball rolling tomorrow. First, our mysterious Birflatt Boy emerges once more from the shadows to offer a rant on growing managerial instability …

It’s the festive season for most of us, but the start of the silly season which was heralded by Chris Hughton’s dismissal last week has arguably been trumped by the news that Sam Allardyce has been dismissed from his job at Blackburn Rovers.

Any long term sympathy for Allardyce would have to be tempered in the knowledge that this bloke gets paid more for getting sacked than the rest of us will do in an entire life time of hard graft.

Various reports suggest that Avram Grant could be out of work by the time Santa arrives down David Gold’s chimney with Allardyce tucked away safely in the back of Santa’s sleigh.

It’s been claimed that one of the reasons behind Allardyce’s dismissal was his refusal to bid for Kris Boyd from Boro rather than Robbie Keane or the other Santa, the Roque type.

If this is the case then the lunacy of Sam’s dismissal is unlikely to be the end of Blackburn’s troubles. They are going to find themselves in the same sort of position as Newcastle with the owner installing a nodding dog in the dug out.

This is a worrying trend with owners who seem to have not only a complete absence of any footballing knowledge, but are hell bent on ensuring that the bloke who has is removed from his job. This problem has more to do with ownership of clubs, and the bizarre expectations or assumptions of these despots with money.

Mark Hughes was sacked as a result of new ownership rather than because of results. The autonomy of the Premier League manager is under threat and no mistake. Managers are being shown the door simply because their faces don’t fit, and because the new breed of owner is accountable to nobody other than themselves.

The supporters of the club are of no consequence to these men, and are almost seen as an inconvenience in many respects.

This worrying trend seems to be gathering ground and needs to be stopped somehow.

10 thoughts on “Blackburn lunacy sums up new breed of owners”

  1. Exactly Bill. I think that this kind of ultimatum is really rather ridiculous. There’s little point in giving this kind of dictum to the manager, let along allowing it to be publically announced by whatever means. Say Grant wins 2 of the 3 and loses the next four. What happens then? Another ultimatum?

  2. Three games in 10 days, the first two away, Blackburn and Fulham, and the third at home to Everton. A win might not be too easy. I wonder if a point from each might save his job? One thing’s for sure, a single win isn’t going to save the team.

  3. I always wonder how these football managers find the time to manage ; what with assistant manager , deputy to the assistant manager , 1st team coach , assistant first team coach , goalkeeper coach , defensive coach , defensive midfielder coach , midfielder coach , attacking midfielder coach , Cattermole calming coach , attacking coach , goal poaching coach , penalty coach ……… these guys must be worked off their feet !!!!!!

  4. Given a choice would you rather have Venky, Ashley or Ellis Short.? Our very low profile owner and Niall Quinn are a blessing and we should never forget that. They are quiet but strong and as yet have made few mistakes and always reflect judgement which has the best interest of the club at heart. Thay will grow our club when the asian Johnny come latleys are making fools of the EPL

  5. The Venky situations is difficult to understand, they paid I understand GBP43M for the club which seems triffling the cost of a Man City midfielder there must be a promise of a huge injection of capital, but they promised 5million in January. I can only assume they thought it was 1 pound to the rupee. They don’t seem or look like football people and I wonder how they passed the fit and proper person investigation. They may have money and they may have a plan that will give the 4th or 5th place they promise but the whole situation needs to be tempered with reality. I can help but think this whole episode will end in tears for Blackburn, and they will regret the Chicken people ever interfereing in their club.

  6. I find it surprising that Grant is under so much pressure. He kept Pompey playing even after the points deduction which more or less guaranteed relegation and when they didn’t even have a pot to piss in. Sullivan, may not be the newcomer that is Ashley or the Indian guys who took over at Ewood last month but he’s still a new broom trying to sweep clean at Upton Park.

    It will be interesting to see who gets the job down there when he gets the push. Sam won’t care though because he will expect the sack and another pay off after 18 months. Quite what they expect at Blackburn, God only knows!

  7. It’s the culture of instant gratification — success right this minute, not later. Deliver or you’re dead. The situation isn’t helped by an owner like Ashley, who appears to have the attention span of a small poodle. I’m wondering if he’s wishing now he’d waited a week and hired Allardyce instead of Pardew. Well, it’s not too late…
    Blackburn say they’re not in a hurry to replace Sam so do you reckon they’re waiting to snap Grant up when the Hammers cut him loose? It seems to be all swings and roundabouts with these guys.

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