Although the more recent elation surrounding the club has seen the players and supporters unite as one to recover from a seemingly impossible position, as the title of this article suggests, the past 8 years have been quite the rollercoaster for us Roverites.
From the highs of securing Premier League survival at Molineux in 2011, hosting Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool and getting to the FA Cup Quarter Finals, to the lows of corrupt agents, players being turned over for millions with no reinvestment, the loss of the 35-year record against Burnley, and a 300-mile round trip to Plymouth Argyle, where we ultimately fell short of victory; we really have endured it all…
Many fans have debated the various reasons behind the ‘Pride of Lancashire’s’ demise, but one thing which can be agreed on, is the reason behind our revival; Mr. Tony Mowbray.
After inheriting, what seemed like a poisoned chalice, Mowbray admitted that the job at Ewood Park would undoubtedly be one of his toughest as a manager. Despite disclosing that fellow managers enquired as to why he took over, what at the time, looked like to be a sinking ship, the, then 53-year old, confessed that his love for the game and his want to turn Rovers around and back into the Premier League powerhouse of yesteryear, forced his hand.
Said ‘poisoned chalice’, was arguably refilled during the summer of 2016 – after several seasons of stability under Gary Bowyer – when Owen Coyle was appointed, and although such a negative event is something which shall quickly be glossed over, the importance to highlight the pre-Mowbray era to demonstrate the brilliance of the job he’s done, is necessary.
After Coyle’s appointment, which seemingly came off the back of some shoddy work from the board after reportedly failing to agree a deal with Neil Warnock, Rovers’ campaign went from bad to worse after being battered 4-1 at home on the opening game of the season to newly-relegated Norwich City. It then took 6 games before Rovers notched up a victory – and like London buses – they got 2 on the bounce after beating Rotherham United 4-2 and then a stunning victory 2-1 away at Derby County which saw Rovers score one of the goals of the season after a move which saw 25 passes culminate in a Danny Graham finish. These 6 points were unable to kickstart our season which, despite doing the double over eventual champions, Newcastle United and narrowly losing to Manchester United in the FA Cup, courtesy of Zlatan Ibrahimović, Rovers fans got their wish as Owen Coyle was sacked and replaced by Tony Mowbray.
As with any new manager, Mowbray’s arrival garnered mixed reviews, but the former Middlesbrough man promised two things to the fans; hard-work and desire, and he delivered, despite not being able to avoid relegation. Mowbray’s revamped Rovers picked up an impressive 22 points from a possible 45, which averaged to around 1.5 points per game, however the seemingly inevitable circumstance of relegation occurred, as we dropped down to the third tier for the first time since 1979-80, on goal difference.
With relegation becoming a reality, Mowbray devoted his future to Rovers by signing a new 2-year deal, which had the opportunity to be further extended to 3 years. With his future committed, the manager set out to re-build the club and duly did so after a successful summer of transfers which saw Rovers finish the season with an immediate return to the Championship sealed. With the experience and organisation that Mowbray brought, he was able to pass on his wisdom and his tactical nous onto his players as they delivered with eye-catching performances which brought the smile back onto the faces of the Ewood Park crowd/ With shrewd business in the transfer market to bring in the likes of Bradley Dack and Richie Smallwood, who – among others – were revelations within the Rovers ranks, the Blues took the third tier by storm.
Despite a shaky start in League 1, as we fell to a disappointing opening day 2-1 defeat away to Southend United before a 3-1 defeat at home to Doncaster Rovers, which saw Mowbray try and deploy his favoured 5-3-2 system, before he was forced to change his approach into a 4-2-3-1. Following the change in formation and the increase in both, fitness and chemistry between the players, Rovers were able to go on an unbeaten run which lasted for 18 games, as Mowbray’s men clawed back from a 12-point gap to cement their place among the top 3, which eventually saw Shrewsbury Town fall off the pace as Rovers only finished the season second to Wigan Athletic. Despite that slight, and ultimately meaningless dampener of not winning the league, Rovers’ and Tony Mowbray’s target for the season was achieved as the Blues lifted their runners-up trophy in-front of 27,600 supporters, following their 2-1 victory over Oxford United on the final day of the 2017-18 season.
With pre-season ahead of the 2018-19 season set to get underway in Austria, which is aimed to be a fitness and bonding trip despite there not being a scheduled game, us fans will be hoping that Mowbray’s magic can continue into the Championship and with the recent signing of Joe Rothwell from Oxford United, we will be hoping that the manager’s eye for talent will see more players enter through the Ewood Park doors.
From the perspective of new players, Mowbray recently announced that funds have been made available by the Venky’s following his trip to India towards the end of May. This ability to secure the funds where other managers in the past haven’t, shows that Mowbray’s impressive tenure at the helm of the club has been rewarded through his ability to garner the trust of the once reluctant owners. As already mentioned, the addition of Joe Rothwell has seen some funds being spent, but there’s no doubt that Mowbray will once again will be getting his pen out to write more cheques.
In terms of what Rovers need, a right-back who could compete for a first-team spot alongside Ryan Nyambe, who could sure up the defence and provide a solid replacement will surely be near the top of Mowbray’s list, especially if the 20-year old – who seems to be Mowbray’s preferred choice at full-back – does pick up a knock, or a serious injury. As shown by last season, when Nyambe was out for a few weeks with a hamstring problem, Mowbray preferred to opt for Elliott Bennett at full-back, rather than the perceived logical choice of Paul Caddis, which may suggest that the 30-year old’s days as a player at the club are potentially numbered. Alongside a right-back, another back-up centre-back wouldn’t go a miss, particularly if Mowbray opts to loan out Scott Wharton again, which would then leave Rovers with only 3 recognised centre-backs in Lenihan, Mulgrew and Downing, despite Derrick Williams also having the ability to slot in the middle. Such a predicament would mean that, if injury similar to that of Lenihan’s last season, struck again, then not having acquired a back-up, would cause serious issues defensively.
With the possible defensive issues outlined, there can be a case to suggest that a pacey winger could be what Rovers need to unlock the more stringent Championship defences. With the centre of the park solid, due to the likes of Bradley Dack, Richie Smallwood and new signing Joe Rothwell among others, the wide areas are looking slightly short of numbers, with just Elliott Bennett and Craig Conway being our only recognised wingers. Despite Conway earning a new deal a few weeks ago, his lack of pace due to his age, would suggest that, to get the best out of him, would be to play him centrally as he would be able to use his technical ability to unlock defences. If another winger who had the experience of playing in the second tier, but also had the ability to provide the service, was added, then there’s no doubt he would be welcomed with open arms.
As we all know, goals win games, and with Rovers only having 3 registered strikers on their books, in Danny Graham, Joe Nuttall and Dominic Samuel, this is an area that Mowbray needs to prioritise, if he’s intent on making us Rovers fans dream. Despite us notching 82 goals in the league; 14 of those being from Danny Graham, there is an argument to say that, due to his lack of pace, he won’t have the ability to take on the more agile defenders of the Championship, despite his prolific record. Following a successful 6 months at the club, Adam Armstrong, as many have suggested, would be the perfect choice to either, lead the line on his own, or be the perfect support act to the presence of Danny Graham. The Newcastle man, who has yet to cement himself as part of the furniture in the North-East, has been linked with a permanent return to Ewood Park, as Rafa Benítez looks to garner some funds for his own player pursuits.
With all the discussion, hard-work and effort from the season just gone over, here we are. Sunday, 24th June 2018. Exactly 2 months after Rovers secured their return to the Sky Bet Championship following a 1-0 victory away at Doncaster Rovers, courtesy of skipper, Charlie Mulgrew, which has put the Blues, one step closer to a return to the Promised Land of the Premier League.
