Kevin Blackwell

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

bricktop

bricktop

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2007
Messages
9,568
Reaction score
11,406
Location
Ecclesfield
I’ve listened to the excellent Undr The Cosh podcast earlier, and the episode with our former centre half Matthew Kilgallon.

He said Blackwell was one of the better managers he ever worked under, he said we very solid, kept an excellent shape, made sure everyone knew what was expected of them and if we had kept Beattie in 08/09 we would have been promoted, and I’m inclined to agree with him. As a coach he has done well at Cardiff working with Warnock.

Personally I think our recent history looks relatively unkindly on Blackwell, as he steadied the ship after the Robson debacle, got rid of quite a few players who weren’t what we needed at the time, almost got us promoted and did well for us despite frequently having had players sold from underneath him.
 

brownie said:
I’ve listened to the excellent Undr The Cosh podcast earlier, and the episode with our former centre half Matthew Kilgallon.

He said Blackwell was one of the better managers he ever worked under, he said we very solid, kept an excellent shape, made sure everyone knew what was expected of them and if we had kept Beattie in 08/09 we would have been promoted, and I’m inclined to agree with him. As a coach he has done well at Cardiff working with Warnock.

Personally I think our recent history looks relatively unkindly on Blackwell, as he steadied the ship after the Robson debacle, got rid of quite a few players who weren’t what we needed at the time, almost got us promoted and did well for us despite frequently having had players sold from underneath him.
Click to expand...

Ask any youth players that were under Blackwell and they will tell you about a culture of bullying.
 
The football was [at times] abhorrent to watch but I have never known a period where we could play so badly yet still win relatively consistently. He was a results man alright.

I agree with the post above too, that he was quite an unpleasant character in terms of man management, but all that being said, the timing of his dismissal remains one of the more bizarre decisions the club has ever made.
 
I always struggled to interpret the shape under Blackwell..It appeared to me to be just a mess at times.I did think him a breath of fresh air at first but his awful on the eye style soon turned me.I think Matt Killgallon is a lone trumpeter of Blackwells managerial skills,too many have spoken out of his bullying ways..No smoke and all that.
 
jono_t2000 said:
Ask any youth players that were under Blackwell and they will tell you about a culture of bullying.
Click to expand...

Have any of those complaining youth players made a successful career, or is this just the culture of blame again? Not saying that it didn't happen but there are two sides to every story. Walker, Naughton and Lowton didn't do too badly after being given their debut and integrated into the first team under Blackwell.
 
brownie said:
I’ve listened to the excellent Undr The Cosh podcast earlier, and the episode with our former centre half Matthew Kilgallon.

He said Blackwell was one of the better managers he ever worked under, he said we very solid, kept an excellent shape, made sure everyone knew what was expected of them and if we had kept Beattie in 08/09 we would have been promoted, and I’m inclined to agree with him. As a coach he has done well at Cardiff working with Warnock.

Personally I think our recent history looks relatively unkindly on Blackwell, as he steadied the ship after the Robson debacle, got rid of quite a few players who weren’t what we needed at the time, almost got us promoted and did well for us despite frequently having had players sold from underneath him.
Click to expand...
Is that you Kev?
 
I'll never forget his unnecessary outrage about Mike Dean prior to the play off final against Burnley.

But also the 3-2 thriller against the porcine neighbours. Jamie Ward et al.
 
jono_t2000 said:
Ask any youth players that were under Blackwell and they will tell you about a culture of bullying.
Click to expand...
I remember witnessing first hand how he spoke to Paddy Kenny when he'd just signed for us, saying, no yelling at him that he'd send him back to Bury if he didn't....
In my eyes Blackwell just made himself look a complete twat because if that was supposed to motivate Kenny.....????
Bully technique not motivational.
 
FMBlade1 said:
Have any of those complaining youth players made a successful career, or is this just the culture of blame again? Not saying that it didn't happen but there are two sides to every story. Walker, Naughton and Lowton didn't do too badly after being given their debut and integrated into the first team under Blackwell.
Click to expand...


Naughton's debut actually came under Robson.
 
If we’d not sacked him we would have stayed up in my opinion (albeit unspectacularly), however the the relegation set in place the chain of events that ended with Wilder appointed.

I think a few of the senior pros will have liked Blackwell because he was an arse kisser by all accounts, it’s the ones he didn’t like that will have had the issues.
 
FMBlade1 said:
Have any of those complaining youth players made a successful career, or is this just the culture of blame again? Not saying that it didn't happen but there are two sides to every story. Walker, Naughton and Lowton didn't do too badly after being given their debut and integrated into the first team under Blackwell.
Click to expand...

And yet at least one of those players that you name will also tell you that Blackwell was a dickhead...
 
I always find the invective towards Blackwell a little bit misguided and sad. He rescued us from the Robson debacle, and but for injuries to key players, we should have got promoted.

People get a little bit personal about him, which I don't like. You might not have liked his style or his tactics. But it all went to pot after he was sacked and no one can deny that.
 
The only time he did well in my book was when he first stepped in. Played with wingers and went for it. As soon as he got a chance to make it his team it was all down hill. The squad he had was more than good enough to get promoted.
 
McGrath said:
I always find the invective towards Blackwell a little bit misguided and sad. He rescued us from the Robson debacle, and but for injuries to key players, we should have got promoted.

People get a little bit personal about him, which I don't like. You might not have liked his style or his tactics. But it all went to pot after he was sacked and no one can deny that.
Click to expand...
It all went to pot when we appointed Robson, Blackwell was part of the decline. Them two seasons were our chance to go back up before the real cutting costs began.
 

It used to wind me up that every week on Radio Pig, Paul Walker and co said Billy couldn't play in a Blackwell Team.So we offloaded him to Donny,instead of getting rid of the idiot in charge.Typical Utd back then.
 
brownie said:
He said Blackwell was one of the better managers he ever worked under, he said we very solid, kept an excellent shape, made sure everyone knew what was expected of them and if we had kept Beattie in 08/09 we would have been promoted, and I’m inclined to agree with him.
Click to expand...

I would go one further and say if we hadn't sacked him, we wouldn't have got relegated in 2011.

The footy was shit but he knew how to beat teams playing that way.
 
I also find the personal criticism and almost hatred of Blackwell bizarre.

In my book his style of football was very similar to Warnock.

Generally poor quality percentage football. some games were terrible to watch
BUT high tempo and usually plenty of goal mouth action, so some games under Warnock or Blackwell could be exciting if you like action.

Also regards Blackwells bullying style......I understand it was very similar to the bully style Warnock used. Warnock fell out with players all the time.....but he had the charisma to make up and bring them back on side, whereas Blackwell wasn’t naturally as much as a charmer as Warnock.
 
Last edited:
Far from the worst of the managers we had sans Warnock and Pre Wilder but I can not, and will never, forgive him for playing Billy Sharp on the right wing.
 
Not had much of a management career, you would have thought if he was any good he would've been in demand. Maybe more a coach / No. 2 than a manager???

Either way, not my cup of tea. Should've gone when he offered to after Burnley PO defeat rather than a few games into the new season.
 
What always baffled me was watching the warm up, they'd be doing one touch passing drills yet in the game it was hoof it to Hendo then Quinn and Monty try and gather the scraps...wash, rinse, repeat
 
brownie said:
I’ve listened to the excellent Undr The Cosh podcast earlier, and the episode with our former centre half Matthew Kilgallon.

He said Blackwell was one of the better managers he ever worked under, he said we very solid, kept an excellent shape, made sure everyone knew what was expected of them and if we had kept Beattie in 08/09 we would have been promoted, and I’m inclined to agree with him. As a coach he has done well at Cardiff working with Warnock.

Personally I think our recent history looks relatively unkindly on Blackwell, as he steadied the ship after the Robson debacle, got rid of quite a few players who weren’t what we needed at the time, almost got us promoted and did well for us despite frequently having had players sold from underneath him.
Click to expand...

One out of ten I'm afraid. You'd maybe have gone to a three if you'd mentioned Henderson the Lesser as his major signing.

Must do better, although fair play at snaring a few.
 
Grecian2000 said:
One out of ten I'm afraid. You'd maybe have gone to a three if you'd mentioned Henderson the Lesser as his major signing.

Must do better, although fair play at snaring a few.
Click to expand...

He slides one in now and then, doesn’t he? :)
 
HoodedClaw said:
Not had much of a management career, you would have thought if he was any good he would've been in demand. Maybe more a coach / No. 2 than a manager???

Either way, not my cup of tea. Should've gone when he offered to after Burnley PO defeat rather than a few games into the new season.
Click to expand...
That is my feeling too. One must know and play to one's strengths. That is why he has had a level of success back doing so with Warnock.
At the Lane we have the CWAK team showing how successful it can be when it is played out at it's best.
 
Presty said:
Far from the worst of the managers we had sans Warnock and Pre Wilder but I can not, and will never, forgive him for playing Billy Sharp on the right wing.
Click to expand...

Agree...but my memories are Beattie was the main man
When ever Sharp had the ball and tried a shot....Beattie would be moaning why he didn’t pass.
In them days (believe are not) Sharp was used as a creator out on the wing and wasn’t really allowed to shoot.

Would love to know what Sharp thought of Beattie playing his centre forward role.
 

BettingBlade said:
Him bringing Leon Britton in was like a vegan putting bacon on their shopping list.

Let’s not forget how he’d rather leave an empty space on the bench than give one of the younger lads a match day experience.
Click to expand...

Agree...it was as though Blackwell had done no research.....or didn’t even sign him.

Britton played a similar game to Coutts.... excellent first touch followed by very simple short passing.
At Swansea he looked great....he comes to us and looks rubbish.....we sell him back to Swansea then he looks great again.
Fortunately for us....Wilder knows a team is about putting round pegs in round holes....playing to their strengths.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

Back
Top Bottom