Saturday, August 13, 2011

Chaos behind the scenes at Blackburn Rovers

The customer-facing staff are at the frontline of any business. And at Blackburn Rovers today I spoke to enough of them to see that the organisation is utterly dysfunctional. No-one knows what is going on at the club. There is no leadership or sense of common purpose. Who's fault is that?

Customers in the corporate areas have dropped off; the Clayton Douglas lounge - which is for the shirt sponsor and the match sponsor - wasn't open today. Indeed, the match sponsor was Sportfive the sales agency tasked with selling such deals. I saw one director there today - Bob Coar. There were the executives, sure, but there is no board to host the visiting directors any more. There was no one present from India. For the opening day of the season that is disgraceful. It is a shameful facet of foreign ownership that certain owners lack sufficient interest in something so special to so many people that they don't even go to games. Who's fault is that?

On the pitch the team lost. That is bad enough, but they lost because they were a weakened team. Who's fault is that?

Kean fielded a young midfield player and a rookie at centre back and no holding midfield player. Jamie O'Hara will not dominate another midfield area as easily as he did today. Yes, injuries had a bearing on the options, but a new centre half should have been a priority since the end of last season. A good squad has players in every position and the bench today showed the weakness in the squad. The worst thing I heard today is that despite all the departures there is no money. None from Jones, none from Kalinic. It is all hand to mouth. Who's fault is that?

The answer to all of the above is "Venky's".

But it is also dawning on everyone at the club, and now amongst the supporters that the owners aren't as resourced or as committed as they claimed when the Walker Trust sold it to them. They just buy time with stunts like free pies at Wolves, charity sponsors and renaming the Blackburn End. And if they have got the club in this kind of chaotic mess so quickly and so recklessly, and are so unable to do anything about it, then the ultimate responsibility also has to be with the Walker Trustees who signed over our club to these people.

7 comments:

Martin said...

AMEN

G_Core said...

It's terrifying to think what state the club will be in after another 9 months with these clowns in charge.

Anonymous said...

Great point made in the last sentence. The Walker Trustees are at the root of this hole mess.

Anonymous said...

At the end of the day Venky's lied to the Walkers, just look at the statement they made to the minority share holders. The roa's (Venky's) are incompetent in the extreme or seriously asset stripping our club. They've lied from day one with promises of champions league and gala signings. Its time for the fans to start chanting at games before and after 'VENKY'S OUT'.

Scott Balling said...

It was very tough to read through your "findings" Michael. None of us want to hear about the club being in disarray...which despite the occasional bright spot, it very much is.
While I hold the Walker Trust partially at fault for this, I also feel the Premier League is culpable as well. They continue to let ownership groups, like Venky's, who don't understand what it truly takes to run a football club, buy into this industry. Whether it be money, understanding of the transfer market, dealing w/ agents, sponsorship deals, tv revenue, community outreach, etc., there's a lot to learn, in most cases, for new owners. This is where the Premier League drops the ball.

Blackburn Casual said...

The pies were shit too !

The Full Bob said...

The fault lies squarely with the Walker Trustees who sold our club down the river.

It's my personal opinion that they did this knowing they would not be abiding by Jack Walker's wishes for the future of Blackburn Rovers.

It would be interesting to get learned advice on whether fans could take a class action for negligence and failing, as trustees, to act in a fit and proper manner.

Micheal, you are well connected with the professional services sector - any Rovers fans among the legal profession?

I'd certainly help pay for it.