The way the Blackburn fans and the board have treated him is appualling. The fans have done nothing but protest against him, they should've got behind him and the team and may be it could've been a different story. The board have just left him out in the old to take all the blame and have offered very little backing. I have nothing but respect for the fella, he could've easily had a dig at the fans and leave but he stuck at it and the players seemed to be behind him. The scenes at the end were pretty uncomfortable to watch and you can't help but feel sorry for the bloke, an impossible job really.
I agree. The whole organisation at the club stinks and the way he was appointed was another example of that, but it's no excuse to treat him like that. What team could have performed when their own fans are worse than the opposition's?
He was doing his best with the resources available! I really hope he stays and is allowed to rebuild. (But some how I doubt it)
I'll copy and paste my view from another thread: They put a clueless man in charge, it was like hot potato. Had he walked, they'd only have put another incompetent clown in charge. Right to protest against Venky's but harsh on Kean even if he does take a portion of the blame.
I would agree, but that would make me a hypocrite. I know that I, like many other fans, really got onto the back of Jan Poortvliet for those 6 months he was in charge of us. And in the end, it didn't really help did it?
I don't wish that on him; the situation is too toxic. Best thing for him would be to drop down to a club at a lower level that has some ambition, put together a record of success and work his way back up the ladder.
I wouldn't say he was clueless but maybe he was dipped in the deep end a bit too early. I agree that he should let it be now and move on to something else.
Admire Steve Kean for the dignity he has shown under very difficult circumstances but at the end of the day he couldn't keep them up. Blackburn fans haven't covered themselves in glory but saying that would any other fans have acted much differentlly, probably not. Like the poster above said when we had the inept Poortvliet in charge we weren't happy chappie's. Remember a home defeat against Palace in the Branfoot era, only 14000 at The Dell that night but believe me he got horrendous abuse. I was in the West Stand when he was escorted off by stewards, with objects and spit hurled in his direction.
Good of iConman to admit his and a few other saints fans behaviour during our relegation/administration season. (only 3 years ago!) I myself never had a go at the manager or the young players(because i'm perfect lol) but would regularly join in the not so savoury chant of hanging our ex chairman from a local landmark. The trouble for the Blackburn fans is that the Venkys are so anonymous. Which makes Steve Kean the face of the owners. I expect look-a-like Paddy McGuiness would be careful not to walk the streets of Blackburn. It's easy to be critical but as we know all too well it's hard to watch your club slowly implode and that passion and anger can come out in ways which are regrettable. Hey it's nearly 20 years since Branfoots death threat. We're not so Saintly
The Blackburn fans that protested against Kean have got everything they deserved. The manager needed 100% support from the fans and he didn't get it. Their behaviour tonight was disgraceful as well.
[video=youtube;v6euXX-pkCA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6euXX-pkCA[/video] Maybe why they got relegated, eating chicken just before a game can't help.
I went on the Blackburn forum and the 4 most recent threads are titled: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha Welcome to the Championship Cheerio Good Riddance Which says it all really!
From what I've read Steve Kean has some kind of secret and damaging information regarding the Venky's, hence why they have kept him in the job so long...! That club has so many issues it's unreal, and for a while they even looked like they may stay up. Kean has obviously been handed a difficult hand, but he's proved to be quite naive and a little arrogant (e.g - being surprised to be in the relegation places). Unfortunately having no focus or unity has cost them, I have a feeling it may be a few years before we see them back in the top league.
As for Branfoot, my first ever game was watching us play Port Vale in the cup, and we were awful. Needless to say it was some experience..I was delighted when we finally got rid of him, no need to go into details but selling Shearer and bringing in Dixon and Speedie was one of the most stupid acts of any Saints manager.
I have a lot of sympathy for the supporters of Blackburn Rovers. It is only a minority who have openly protested against Steve Kean and owners, Venkys, but I can understand their anger. Clearly, some of the supporters couldn't hold back from showing their anger when they knew their club was being allowed to quietly disappear into relegation without so much as a whimper. I remember being just as angry when Rupert Lowe promoted Steve Wigley, a coach so clearly unqualified to manage a Premier League team, practically anyone could see it. The issue in question is, should any person, who has never managed before be allowed to take charge of a Premier League club..? It's one thing to coach, and another to manage, and Steve Kean was given a free hand to manage, albeit one that was held in a tight financial vice. Any experienced manager would have found it difficult. A totally inexperienced one is going to find it almost impossible. Saying all that, Kean has conducted himself with dignity, and I think should pop off to a nice club to learn how to manage without having to massage PL egos all the time. I know there will always be exceptions in management, and some people will fast track themselves into a top job. But I think inexperienced managers should start at or near the bottom and learn their trade, just like everyone else. Besides, totally new managers like Paolo Di Canio can bring a little extra excitement, and attention in their own way, to the lower leagues. Like him or loathe him, he has been a revelation for Swindon, this season. But I wouldn't let him near Saints, even if Barcelona tempted Nigel** away. ** Yes, I am aware I broke my own rule. It was just for fun.
Couldn't agree more. The Premier League is unforgiving, and appointing someone with no experience is always taking a huge risk. Why Kean was appointed is something only he and the owners can answer, but needless to say it was a strange decision. It's also interesting to think why these new managers think they will be able to perform at the highest level with no previous experience? Belief is always good, but not blind arrogance, and if you don't have the capacity to learn quick and make the right changes when needed you have no chance. Looking at the table and all clubs except the bottom two have manager's in charge who have learned their trade somewhere first, which says it all.
I couldn't believe that at nil-nil in agame they had to win, there was so little support for the 11 men on the pitch. Forget Kean, forget the owners, this was a game they needed to win. The chanting and abuse could have been done before the game, at half-time and even in the last 5 minutes when it was over, but during the game that team needed to feel like the fans were with them. Having said all that, I still sat listening to Saints fans giving abuse to certain players of ours against Coventry!!
I did my FA badge under Branfoot and I guess because I knew him, I always liked him and understood what he was trying to achieve. Do you think he wanted to sell Shearer? No, Shearer always had ambitions way beyond Southampton. However, Branfoot would have helped make Shearer the player he was. His biggest 'crime' of course, was to drop Tiss. In this he was just like many other coaches who wanted a hardworking team ethic. For all his brilliance you could never accuse Tiss as being hardworking. What Branfoot misunderstood though, I think, was that Tiss still had a team ethic. He was aware that he could best serve the team simply being himself. He's not the only manager to have got that wrong. Ball came in and proved that to be the case. Anyway, my point is that the likes of Branfoot and Keene are generally knowledgeable chaps who have to work with the resources they have available and (back to the thread) both were harshly treated.
