Blackburn Rovers caretaker urges fans to 'draw line' under Kean saga
10:10am Saturday 6th October 2012 in Sport
By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter
BLACKBURN Rovers’ caretaker boss Eric Black has called for the club to ‘move on’ from months of ‘turmoil’ after insisting everyone has a responsibility to make Ewood an intimidating place to visit once more.
Black believes Steve Kean’s shock resignation just over a week ago can be the ‘line in the sand’ for supporters but admits his own players have a huge part to play in winning the fans back around.
Ahead of Wolves’ Championship visit this afternoon, Black is hoping the mood around Ewood Park will be different, after a tense home atmosphere for months, as Kean’s unpopularity grew among sections of supporters.
Yesterday afternoon Rovers had sold around 14,000 tickets for the match – including Wolves fans. Only 13,405 tickets were sold for the last home game against Middlesbrough.
Black said: “It would be hard to disguise that it has been a difficult time. I just hope, and I don’t want to point any fingers in any directions, I just hope the fans can see a line in the sand.
“Let’s try and get an atmosphere. I have been here as an opposing coach on numerous occasions and it is not an easy place to play when the fans are behind the team and roar the team on.
“It is an intimidating place, so to get out of this division we are going to require the backing of the supporters and the sooner we can do that the better.
“There has been without doubt turmoil for the last year or so. And I think obviously something has broken, we all know what that is.
“Whether something else has broken and whether it would have changed, I don’t know, it might well have, but there will be a sense that something has stopped.
“I think people need to feel a responsibility that something has happened, there is a line drawn in the sand, and you need to participate in the club going forward.
“The club is going to be here for a long time, whether I am here, or whoever is here, that is irrelevant. The supporters are the constant, they are the lifeblood of the club and unless we get them back on side, we are going to stumble, we are going to continue to stumble.”
“The club has to move on. I have only been here since February and I have to be honest I am fed up with it all. I think we need to go forward.”
As Rovers look to return to winning ways after picking up just two points from their last three league games, Black knows he and his players have a duty to get the fans behind him.
“The responsibility of the manager, the coaches and the players is to give the fans something to get behind,” he said. “People are not going to come and pay good money if we don’t. It is expensive to go and watch football, I take my hat off to the travelling support on Wednesday. Enormous credit to them.
“This is an entertainment business and on Saturday we have to give them something to stand up and cheer about. If we can do that then I don’t think there will be too many complaints.
“Now the whole thing has gone you can’t use any instability as an excuse. I won’t allow any excuses, it is about them performing on the pitch. We get on with it. The players want to play and I have to manage that.
“We need to provide a product. You want people hanging off the rafters and there not being enough tickets to fulfil the demand.”
Comments(24)
dallydally
says...
10:20am Sat 6 Oct 12
i8dingles
says...
10:22am Sat 6 Oct 12
Rovers33
says...
10:36am Sat 6 Oct 12
Dan11
says...
10:39am Sat 6 Oct 12
-
I am so happy its unreal.
ROVERSPAL1
says...
11:05am Sat 6 Oct 12
ronnie clayton
says...
11:07am Sat 6 Oct 12
Why don`t you just do your job today then after the game will you please go with Hendry empty your lockers , pick up your p45 and leave Ewood for ever.
Surely you must be aware with all the comments on this and other Rovers forums we do not want any of Keans chums around any more.
basherb
says...
11:18am Sat 6 Oct 12
Arte1875
says...
11:26am Sat 6 Oct 12
I'll be embarrassed as a rovers fan if the attendance is under 18,000. The only thing this will do is giving the national journo's (and other fans who read them and swallow every word) more ammunition to fire at us.
All true rovers fans should join as one this afternoon, assuming they're able to make the game, and show the footballing world that we're back, supporting the team as we always have through the Kean years, but united as one with a common cause - the greater good of the greatest team I know - Blackburn Rovers.
davbo911
says...
11:33am Sat 6 Oct 12
Arte1875 wrote:here here
It looks like there will always be an excuse for some rovers fans not to come back to ewood. First Kean must go before they'll come back, now that's not enough, black and hendry have to depart (i don't recall ever hearing anti-black or anti-hendry chants). Then, no doubt, a new manager will disappoint some people, that always happens with new appointments anyway. No doubt for some, venky's have burnt every single bridge, so they won't come back till they've gone. For others, the lack of the prem, deep down, will cause them to stay away.
I'll be embarrassed as a rovers fan if the attendance is under 18,000. The only thing this will do is giving the national journo's (and other fans who read them and swallow every word) more ammunition to fire at us.
All true rovers fans should join as one this afternoon, assuming they're able to make the game, and show the footballing world that we're back, supporting the team as we always have through the Kean years, but united as one with a common cause - the greater good of the greatest team I know - Blackburn Rovers.
Rovers33
says...
11:35am Sat 6 Oct 12
davbo911
says...
11:36am Sat 6 Oct 12
Rovers33
says...
11:42am Sat 6 Oct 12
davbo911 wrote:Well said that man, win or loose today this is an occasion to celebrate all Rovers as one, to be honest I expect to return home from the game today with no voice because it Will have been spent supporting our team...... COYB!
Arte1875 wrote:here here
It looks like there will always be an excuse for some rovers fans not to come back to ewood. First Kean must go before they'll come back, now that's not enough, black and hendry have to depart (i don't recall ever hearing anti-black or anti-hendry chants). Then, no doubt, a new manager will disappoint some people, that always happens with new appointments anyway. No doubt for some, venky's have burnt every single bridge, so they won't come back till they've gone. For others, the lack of the prem, deep down, will cause them to stay away.
I'll be embarrassed as a rovers fan if the attendance is under 18,000. The only thing this will do is giving the national journo's (and other fans who read them and swallow every word) more ammunition to fire at us.
All true rovers fans should join as one this afternoon, assuming they're able to make the game, and show the footballing world that we're back, supporting the team as we always have through the Kean years, but united as one with a common cause - the greater good of the greatest team I know - Blackburn Rovers.
A Darener
says...
12:17pm Sat 6 Oct 12
Get into em!
Come on you blues!!
PersianRover
says...
12:18pm Sat 6 Oct 12
petergray
says...
12:21pm Sat 6 Oct 12
All those without a ticket get down to Ewood if only to celebrate the fact that we are at last free from that clueless bit of detritus that used to stand bemused on the sidelines.
NealB
says...
12:48pm Sat 6 Oct 12
Rovers33 wrote:For SOME Rovers fans perhaps. I think fans can forgiven for not coming back until the owners do their job properly and appoint someone worthy. This club has been damaged no end, to some, its almost irreparable. Venkys can wipe the slate clean with a fresh face, thats all it takes in my opinion.
davbo911 wrote:Well said that man, win or loose today this is an occasion to celebrate all Rovers as one, to be honest I expect to return home from the game today with no voice because it Will have been spent supporting our team...... COYB!
Arte1875 wrote:here here
It looks like there will always be an excuse for some rovers fans not to come back to ewood. First Kean must go before they'll come back, now that's not enough, black and hendry have to depart (i don't recall ever hearing anti-black or anti-hendry chants). Then, no doubt, a new manager will disappoint some people, that always happens with new appointments anyway. No doubt for some, venky's have burnt every single bridge, so they won't come back till they've gone. For others, the lack of the prem, deep down, will cause them to stay away.
I'll be embarrassed as a rovers fan if the attendance is under 18,000. The only thing this will do is giving the national journo's (and other fans who read them and swallow every word) more ammunition to fire at us.
All true rovers fans should join as one this afternoon, assuming they're able to make the game, and show the footballing world that we're back, supporting the team as we always have through the Kean years, but united as one with a common cause - the greater good of the greatest team I know - Blackburn Rovers.
I for one, will be returning to Ewood today but that stay will only become permanent if someone worthwhile is appointed... Be it my first choice or not. Black would be seen as another Kean type appointment, he wouldn't be treated with quite the same distain BUT when it inevitably goes wrong that might change.
Today, i'll enjoy looking over at the dugout to not see the one I hate so much. Tomorrow, new manager please.
Captain Dreckley
says...
12:53pm Sat 6 Oct 12
Dr Zinc
says...
1:05pm Sat 6 Oct 12
ronnie clayton wrote:Totally agree, the line in the sand can only be drawn when Black and Co have gone
Black , KEEP QUIET , you are a Keanite and partly responsible for what we have been going through , "draw the line " we will when you have gone.
Why don`t you just do your job today then after the game will you please go with Hendry empty your lockers , pick up your p45 and leave Ewood for ever.
Surely you must be aware with all the comments on this and other Rovers forums we do not want any of Keans chums around any more.
His ties to Anderson does not help, if Black was given the job it would be a case of same s**t different shovel.
I have nothing against him personally, but for Rovers to move forward he needs to go
A new start with the majority of fans in agreement
In footballing terms he does not deserve the job anyway
Since his arrival has anyone seen an improvement in our play ?
The two games in which he has been in charge were there for taking
Poor opposition not even at full strength
Tactically very poor, with a packed defence and huge gaps between midfield and attack
Why play two strikers when you cant get the ball to them
The system he played against forest relied on Orr playing wingback, getting forward and supplying the forwards…Orr is not capable and one of the worst players I have seen at the club.
Blacks previous efforts at management have been abysmal, he has to go
Venkys have to get this right and the fans should not settle for anything like Eric Black
baldie
says...
1:26pm Sat 6 Oct 12
A Darener wrote:Cryer is saying 15k at the moment.If there isnt another 3k on top then it will be a poor effort.
Well Black seems to be as relieved as us that Kean has gone. Now is the time for ALL Rovers fans to get down to Ewood and raise the roof. Let us show the world how we support the team. Hope the figures quoted above are way below what the actual attendance will be.
Get into em!
Come on you blues!!
jogalot
says...
7:10pm Sat 6 Oct 12
YOU SAID IT, ERIC BLACK! The thing is you CAN'T because YOU DON'T KNOW HOW!
Black, you are a Kean legacy. You are in the same mould. You haven't got a clue. COME ON ROVERS! COME ON VENKYS - GET A PROPER MANAGER WHILE YOU HAVE THE CHANCE!!!!
Dingle Infiltrator
says...
4:46am Sun 7 Oct 12
Not impressed.
PS Black no need to sh*it yourself quite so much. You ain't gettin the job so you may as well go for broke it's a no lose gamble.
Dingle Infiltrator
says...
4:46am Sun 7 Oct 12
a bald mug - not unlike Kean really
Second, I was at Forest mid week and Eric Black and the Orc Colin Hendry stood about like stuffed dummies not having a clue. this as you know is 100% true
But do you know who that reminded me of?
Alan Shearer when he managed Newcastle for 8 games! He used to stand on that touch line like an absolute fool who didn't know what to do next. A spectator, just hoping that his side would stop getting their a.rses thrashed,
Shearer is no Steve Kean. He is worse. He isn't HALF the man Steve Kean was. I am not kidding and you know in your hearts that it is true.
kiwipom73
says...
8:21am Sun 7 Oct 12
THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME AND THE NEEDS TO RE-BUILD THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE CLUB IS A CONCERN (a bad combination)
..TO THE STRUCTURE/CULTURE WITHIN THE CLUB
...TO THE QUALITY OF PLAYER,S IN THE SQUAD RIGHT NOW
...TO THE POOR COACHING STAFF WITH NO CREDIBILTY, BROUGHT IN BY KEAN
It is going to take strong/experience leadership PLUS complete new team of backroom staff PLUS lots of movement in & out of players to bring the team up to "promotion" standard...likely take 1/2 seasons.
DO THE VENKY,S HAVE THE DESIRE AND THE MONEY NEEDED TO SUCCEED
OR...
WILL THEY GO "CHEAP" WITH LOTS OF BROKEN PROMISES COMING TO S VIA MR.SINGH (the man who has poised HE will find the right Manager....)
...
i8dingles says...
10:19am Sat 6 Oct 12