Kevin Blackwell

[Sheffsteel]

Just listening to Talksport Radio, it's a "My Sporting Life' interview with Clarke Carlisle who is saying some interesting stuff.

1:After his first suicide attempt (drug overdose) he received an offer over the Summer to join Sheffield United. He was considering it as it was his best offer at the time, then Kevin Blackwell of Leeds Utd showed interest and he was instantly attracted to join that kind of club, so he went there for 1 year when Blackwell was manager.

2: He didn't speak well of Blackwell, seems the rumours of Blackwell man management could be true.
Said they has a training ground bust up over something fairly trivial. A player kicked the ball away and KB asked CC to fetch it, so CC jogs over to the ball ans KB shouts 'don't jog, run to the ball", so CC ups his speed and KB shouts 'run faster'. CC thought KB was out of order and told him he was disrespectful. KB told him to go home.

3: After he left CC was told by the other players that KB was telling the team that CC would never play for the team again, so he assumed he'd need to find another club.

4: KB then rings him asking him to report into the club and denied that he'd told the players he'd played his last game. So CC goes into see KB and he starts ranting about how he saved his career when he was on the scrap heap and how no other club wanted him the previous Summer. CC said it was untrue because he could have easily joined Sheffield United.

5: Anyhow he did end up leaving Leeds after only 1 year. He said in fairness to KB Leeds was a difficult club to manage because there were a few players with big egos but he said he never liked how Blackwell was so disrespectful towards the back room staff, kit man, physio etc. He said at most clubs the back room staff are often really really popular with players be he hated how Blackwell treat them.

6: He mentioned the play-off final against Sheffield United. Their manager Eoin Coyle was really good at building up the team. He said that all the Burnley players were supremely confident they would win and for him the result was never in doubt.

7: CC said he has 2 clear memories of the play-off final, He remembers seeing their goal nestle into the roof of the net and he remembers kneeing Greg Halford in the back. Said Greg Halford was always a tough opponent and quite physical who knew how to foul so it felt good giving him some treatment back.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

Does he remember fucking up the lorry drivers life when he jumped in front of his vehicle\?

 

[Sheffsteel]

Does he remember fucking up the lorry drivers life when he jumped in front of his vehicle\?

Yes, he talked about that too towards the end of interview.
Another suicide attempt, said he went into depression after leaving Burnley and gradually decided that he wanted to die.
He's now having help for mental health and tries to raise awareness about it.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

Yes, he talked about that too towards the end of interview.
Another suicide attempt, said he went into depression after leaving Burnley and gradually decided that he wanted to die.

Did he apologise and show remorse?

 

[Sheffsteel]

Did he apologise and show remorse?

Not sure about the specific words but he spoke well, very candid interview.
I would imagine they'll be a podcast or replay of the interview somewhere on the net.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

My point was and is specific.
Carlisle involved a bloke going about his daily work to end his life.
I find that cowardly and inexcusable.
My question is does he have remorse for fucking the guys life up or is he just concerned about Blackwell telling him to run faster?

 

[Bladeaway]

What happened to he van driver is awful, but Carlisle was not 'cowardly' or 'inexcusable'. He was suffering from a serious illness and needed help.

It's attitudes like this (calling someone with depression a 'coward') that prevent people from getting help.

Depression in a serious illness like any other. The fact that it affects the brain makes some people think it is voluntary or a conscious choice. It isn't.

If he collapsed in the road because he had a heart attack, and then the driver had hit him, would anyone think it was his fault then too?

Comedic video about if we treated physical illness like mental illness:

My point was and is specific.
Carlisle involved a bloke going about his daily work to end his life.
I find that cowardly and inexcusable.
My question is does he have remorse for fucking the guys life up or is he just concerned about Blackwell telling him to run faster?

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

What happened to he van driver is awful, but Carlisle was not 'cowardly' or 'inexcusable'. He was suffering from a serious illness and needed help.

It's attitudes like this (calling someone with depression a 'coward') that prevent people from getting help.

Depression in a serious illness like any other. The fact that it affects the brain makes some people think it is voluntary or a conscious choice. It isn't.

If he collapsed in the road because he had a heart attack, and then the driver had hit him, would anyone think it was his fault then too?

Comedic video about if we treated physical illness like mental illness:

Was waiting for this kind of response.

Suicide IS all you say,and actually takes incredible courage.
What it also requires is not fucking up the lives of countless people by involving them. It already fucks up countless family members.

 

[Hodgesleftpeg]

What I find "inexcusable" is him getting nicked for drink driving

Twice!!

 

[Houston_Blade]

Blackwell was widely known as a bully, a couple of ex-Blades youngsters now in their late 20's and plying their trade in L1 and L2 respectively have told me the same. The family of one of these players were considering legal action against Blackwell for bullying but were told it wasn't worth the hassle as the chances of winning were slim.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

My point was and is specific.
Carlisle involved a bloke going about his daily work to end his life.
I find that cowardly and inexcusable.
My question is does he have remorse for fucking the guys life up or is he just concerned about Blackwell telling him to run faster?

I used to think people who committed suicide were ultimately selfish. I've had a bit more exposure to it now and to mental health problems in general (not me personally, but others who are close to me) and I've completely changed my mind about it.

People in this situation are not making rational decisions - they can't - they aren't capable of it. They are ILL. It's nothing at all to do with being "selfish" or "cowardly". It's to do with not being able to process thoughts in a rational way - leading to irrational behaviour.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Was waiting for this kind of response.

Suicide IS all you say,and actually takes incredible courage.
What it also requires is not fucking up the lives of countless people by involving them. It already fucks up countless family members.

You still don't understand it - sorry. Suicide isn't selfish and it doesn't take courage either. To act selfishly requires the person to consider the effects of their actions on others and make a conscious decision to go ahead with an action regardless. Acting courageously requires the person to be capable of weighing up various elements of risk and taking a course of action that requires bravery to see it through. A suicidal person is in no fit state to make such calculated decisions. They aren't thinking rationally. A bit like you mate, only without the suicidal thoughts hopefully.

 

[Triggster]

Does he remember fucking up the lorry drivers life when he jumped in front of his vehicle\?

He was very honest and admitted he hadn't thought about the driver once until after. Another driver who stopped and gave first aid until the ambulance arrived was to later take his own life. CC feels he may have contributed to this through his actions .

 

[S64 Blade]

Blackwell was widely known as a bully, a couple of ex-Blades youngsters now in their late 20's and plying their trade in L1 and L2 respectively have told me the same. The family of one of these players were considering legal action against Blackwell for bullying but were told it wasn't worth the hassle as the chances of winning were slim.

Totally true. I've heard the exact same from maybe the same people.

No wonder we were awful under him. Even when we up at the top end of the league, we never looked quite right as a team. The management explains it.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Totally true. I've heard the exact same from maybe the same people.

No wonder we were awful under him. Even when we up at the top end of the league, we never looked quite right as a team. The management explains it.

Although I still maintain that if we'd have stuck with Blackwell for the whole season we wouldn't have gone down and could have sacked him in the summer and rebuilt, we'd have struggled but wouldn't have been relegated.

I also know someone who was very senior in the Academy Management at the time and he couldn't stand Blackwell, he said he hated the young players and ruined quite a few of them. The guy has worked with Piggy Pearson as well and says him and Blackwell have very similar attitudes and mannerisms. Being likened to Pearson can only be a bad thing in my book.

 

[S64 Blade]

Although I still maintain that if we'd have stuck with Blackwell for the whole season we wouldn't have gone down and could have sacked him in the summer and rebuilt, we'd have struggled but wouldn't have been relegated.

I also know someone who was very senior in the Academy Management at the time and he couldn't stand Blackwell, he said he hated the young players and ruined quite a few of them. The guy has worked with Piggy Pearson as well and says him and Blackwell have very similar attitudes and mannerisms. Being likened to Pearson can only be a bad thing in my book.

Yeah I agree. We were boring, but fairly hard to beat. He should have gone the previous summer in hindsight, giving him 3 games into the season was baffling.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Just listening to Talksport Radio, it's a "My Sporting Life' interview with Clarke Carlisle who is saying some interesting stuff.

1:After his first suicide attempt (drug overdose) he received an offer over the Summer to join Sheffield United. He was considering it as it was his best offer at the time, then Kevin Blackwell of Leeds Utd showed interest and he was instantly attracted to join that kind of club, so he went there for 1 year when Blackwell was manager.

2: He didn't speak well of Blackwell, seems the rumours of Blackwell man management could be true.
Said they has a training ground bust up over something fairly trivial. A player kicked the ball away and KB asked CC to fetch it, so CC jogs over to the ball ans KB shouts 'don't jog, run to the ball", so CC ups his speed and KB shouts 'run faster'. CC thought KB was out of order and told him he was disrespectful. KB told him to go home.

3: After he left CC was told by the other players that KB was telling the team that CC would never play for the team again, so he assumed he'd need to find another club.

4: KB then rings him asking him to report into the club and denied that he'd told the players he'd played his last game. So CC goes into see KB and he starts ranting about how he saved his career when he was on the scrap heap and how no other club wanted him the previous Summer. CC said it was untrue because he could have easily joined Sheffield United.

5: Anyhow he did end up leaving Leeds after only 1 year. He said in fairness to KB Leeds was a difficult club to manage because there were a few players with big egos but he said he never liked how Blackwell was so disrespectful towards the back room staff, kit man, physio etc. He said at most clubs the back room staff are often really really popular with players be he hated how Blackwell treat them.

6: He mentioned the play-off final against Sheffield United. Their manager Eoin Coyle was really good at building up the team. He said that all the Burnley players were supremely confident they would win and for him the result was never in doubt.

7: CC said he has 2 clear memories of the play-off final, He remembers seeing their goal nestle into the roof of the net and he remembers kneeing Greg Halford in the back. Said Greg Halford was always a tough opponent and quite physical who knew how to foul so it felt good giving him some treatment back.

Further evidence of KB, above all else, being a weapons grade Hampton.

And some folks still insist he did a great job for us !!!!!

UTB

 

[Notts Blade 123]

People who are saying he is a coward and excusable you are so uneducated and that's what's wrong with society. Are you relating to a Piers Morgan kind of theory of "manning up"?

When Gary Speed took his own life were you calling him a coward? No I bet you wasn't. Awareness is needed to combat this disease (similar to cancer), look at the support Aaron Lennon got which was a great thing to see.

So please can you stop with your 1970s views and live in 2017 or at least do your research before you make such comments.

 

[Esablade]

CACKWELL.

 

[Blade1771]

I don't understand why Blackwell is lauded as some kind of modern day bogeyman.

I can accept that he wasn't the nicest of blokes, and I can see how his relationship with Warnock worked. Warnock good cop, Blackwell bad cop. When it was Blackwell alone the bad cop became more apparent.

I still think we would have gone down in 07/08 if Blackwell hadn't come in and sorted the mess that Robson had left.

In 08/09 we was still fighting for a chance of automatic promotion on the last day at Palace, and reached a play off final, against a back drop of injuries and the sales of the best players.

He more or less succeeded by keeping us up in the face of cutbacks, the wage bill being slashed and having to rely on selling to survive,

 

[Sean Thornton]

People who are saying he is a coward and excusable you are so uneducated and that's what's wrong with society. Are you relating to a Piers Morgan kind of theory of "manning up"?

When Gary Speed took his own life were you calling him a coward? No I bet you wasn't. Awareness is needed to combat this disease (similar to cancer), look at the support Aaron Lennon got which was a great thing to see.

So please can you stop with your 1970s views and live in 2017 or at least do your research before you make such comments.

I'd withdraw the uneducated jibe if I were you. Just for balance.

 

[Notts Blade 123]

I'd withdraw the uneducated jibe if I were you. Just for balance.

What uneducated about mental health? I don't see the issue

 

[Sean Thornton]

What uneducated about mental health? I don't see the issue

No I guess you wouldn't

 

[SteveBlade]

 

[Woodwardfan]

IMO Blackwell was KM's biggest single mistake, even worse than Robson. We had money then and we put Blackwell in charge of it all.

At least Robson made some good signings and could attract players. Blackwell the opposite I'm afraid. By appointing him caretaker KM was under real pressure to appoint him permanently after he had done well initially.

Still, we are here and he isn't, as is always the case with all managers until we drop dead and we have survived up to now !!

Wilder is the first glimmer of hope since those dark days in 2010 which set us back all these years. I hope he is still with us for the rest of my days, by then we will be in Europe, now that would be nice.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

IMO Blackwell was KM's biggest single mistake, even worse than Robson. We had money then and we put Blackwell in charge of it all.

At least Robson made some good signings and could attract players. Blackwell the opposite I'm afraid. By appointing him caretaker KM was under real pressure to appoint him permanently after he had done well initially.

Still, we are here and he isn't, as is always the case until we drop dead!!

Wilder is the first glimmer of hope since those dark days in 2010 which set us back all these years.

Not so sure about that Woody. I think KM's biggest mistake was not seeking and investing more funding to ensure the club would remain in the Premiership beyond just one season. (I also think Warnock was guilty of spending stupid money, not big money, just stupid money, on players that weren't good enough to compete in the Premiership and spent most of their time watching from the stands. I question whether Warnock had really got what it takes to manage in the Prem?). Whether you agree with the assessment of Warnock or not, the facts are if we'd put more behind improving the quality of the team we wouldn't have been in the relegation scrap in the first place and all that West Ham nonsense wouldn't have concerned us.

Robson had proven beyond any reasonable doubt that he wasn't a successful manager when he came here. But McCabe wanted him for "global ambassadorial reasons" - he should have hired him as a Director of Football then and let him do that international hand-shaking job - but let a proper manager run the team. Another KMcBlunder!

Don't forget that in his second coming, Blackwell was appointed for the same reason that so many other managers have been appointed at our club...he was cheap - first and foremost. Sacked by Luton and out of work. Perfect! He knew the club, he had that going for him at least. Blackwell was working with hands tied but he made us competitive - more so than many give him credit for. But he wasn't a particularly likeable bloke - at least that's the impression I get from his public persona.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

This thread is turning into a typical left vs right debate.

Uneducated is a term that gets thrown from one side to the other in both scenarios, it easier to do than actually explain the core issue.

For what it's worth, I know numerous people who have 'attempted' suicide. I'd say they all were thinking rationally, however the method behind CC's attempt had no thought for the driver at all. By that I mean the driver and his situation wouldn't have even come into the thought process.

 

[CarlingBlade]

I don't understand why Blackwell is lauded as some kind of modern day bogeyman.

I can accept that he wasn't the nicest of blokes, and I can see how his relationship with Warnock worked. Warnock good cop, Blackwell bad cop. When it was Blackwell alone the bad cop became more apparent.

I still think we would have gone down in 07/08 if Blackwell hadn't come in and sorted the mess that Robson had left.

In 08/09 we was still fighting for a chance of automatic promotion on the last day at Palace, and reached a play off final, against a back drop of injuries and the sales of the best players.

He more or less succeeded by keeping us up in the face of cutbacks, the wage bill being slashed and having to rely on selling to survive,

Read Keith Gillespie's Autobiography, i always thought it might have been pampered footballers moaning, Gillespie tells of bullying of younger players and fights with experienced players (plus players taking the piss out of him to his face and a total lack of team spirit).

To make matters worse Gillespie was on £3k a week in the promotion season and £5k a week in the PL, when Robson arrived he gave him a new contract on £9k a week (AFTER relegation).

 

[Sean Thornton]

This thread is turning into a typical left vs right debate.

Uneducated is a term that gets thrown from one side to the other in both scenarios, it easier to do than actually explain the core issue.

For what it's worth, I know numerous people who have 'attempted' suicide. I'd say they all were thinking rationally, however the method behind CC's attempt had no thought for the driver at all. By that I mean the driver and his situation wouldn't have even come into the thought process.

Knowing someone who made a very serious attempt on his own life he said that when he made the decision he knew exactly what he was doing. He'd reached the bottom before and was so desperate not to go through that experience again suicide was the way out. He says that it's believed that's the thinking behind many attempts, having seen the worst, even death is a better option.

My point about the uneducated comment, well read the post. SBT's point was about the driver. Totally bypassed the poster, the cancer comment, well pretty much everything about it. Had it not beens serious issue under discussion I'd have thought it was from Viz Letterbox or Private Eyes "from the messageboards"taking the piss out of students .

 

[RMBlade]

People who are saying he is a coward and excusable you are so uneducated and that's what's wrong with society. Are you relating to a Piers Morgan kind of theory of "manning up"?

When Gary Speed took his own life were you calling him a coward? No I bet you wasn't. Awareness is needed to combat this disease (similar to cancer), look at the support Aaron Lennon got which was a great thing to see.

So please can you stop with your 1970s views and live in 2017 or at least do your research before you make such comments.

I don't believe anyone on here has called him a coward for wanting to take his own life. I have only seen that mentioned regarding the involvement of an innocent truck driver.

Is this a fair assessment? I don't know. Thankfully I have never been in that situation. I thought it needed pointing out because your post seemed to aimed at something that hadn't been posted.