The new owners of Blackburn Rovers, the India-based Venky’s group, have not done much to endear themselves to the supporters since their take-over last November.
They started by sacking Sam Allardyce, citing a desire to compete in the top six rather than at the bottom (despite Allardyce leading them to 10th on a meagre budget last season).
They then appointed coach Steve Kean as caretaker manager, despite Kean having no managerial experience, and declared a desire to see Rovers push for Europe with a budget of just £5million.
Meanwhile their association with Kentaro sports advisory group has led to suggestions they are being told who to buy – with Kentaro clients top of the list.
To add to this increasingly bizarre tale news has emerged this week that the club are prepared to spend in excess of £6million on Brazilian striker Ronaldinho.
The 30-year-old is set to leave AC Milan and had been linked with a move back to Brazil, before Rovers stepped in. On the face of it it is a bold statement of intent by the Rovers owners and one that dismissed fears that they would only give Kean a meagre budget to work with.
But even if they persuaded the former Barcelona star to make the move (£20million over three years might help) is it the right move for the club?
After all it seems like the decision has been made purely by the owners rather than Kean and one designed to boost shirts sales rather than through any footballing idea.
Blackburn don’t have unlimited riches like City, so a scattergun approach to signings will not work like it did at Eastlands. They would be far better using the money for the Ronaldinho deal on three or four players who can improve the squad than one marquee player shoehorned into the side. Is he really going to relish playing up front alongside Jason Roberts?
It is a similar story, albeit on a smaller scale, to when Man City tried to buy Kaka. At that stage City were still a mid-table team and despite their riches on offer were laughed out of Milan by Kaka and his representatives. Should City go on and qualify for the Champions League this season they will have far more to offer the now Real Madrid playmaker. It’s the same with Rovers; they need to walk before they can run.
But sadly it seems my initial hunch about the Venky’s group – that they have no idea about how to run a football club – seems to be accurate.
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