Author: admin


MATCH UP

Bournemouth and Blackburn Rovers will be facing each other for the first time in nine years this week, and Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has said that he is very much looking forward to the match. Back in 2004, the two sides met each other in the League cup. Bournemouth managed to stun their opposition, who were in the Premier league back then, by beating them on penalties. Howe was playing for Bournemouth back then, and he is now managing the club. He has said that he has fond memories of the game because they played extremely well.

Bournemouth and Blackburn managed a 3-3 draw and the game went into penalties. Bournemouth managed to win the match courtesy of the winning penalty from Howe after the shootout had gone into sudden death. Bournemouth had managed a 7-6 victory on penalties. Howe has said that he has always regarded the match as the best ever he had in a Bournemouth shirt. Now, he is looking to repeat the feat as a manager knowing that Blackburn are not in the best of shapes right now. Blackburn have since been relegated from the Premier league into the Championship and they are in the mid-table right now.

Gary Bowyer’s men come into this match on the back of a winless run of three matches.

“When you play well, you tend to remember it and forget the bad games. I have good memories, let’s hope we have some more on Saturday. I didn’t want to take a penalty, it was not one of my strengths, thankfully Tugay missed and that took the pressure off and I didn’t have anything to lose. It was a fantastic advert, we showed great character which was a hallmark of that 2004 team and is also a hallmark of this team,” said Howe.

OLSSON MAY STAY

Blackburn Rovers manager Gary Bowyer he wants to keep defender Martin Olsson at the club, but he has admitted that it may be extremely difficult to keep the Swedish international in the Championship. Olsson has been linked with a move away from Ewood Park ever since the relegation of the club from the Premier league. He has been linked with the likes of Norwich in the past, while there was even a time when he was linked with a move to Chelsea as well. Now, he appears ever closer to leaving Ewood Park after the club failed to secure promotion last season.

The defender, who is also capable of playing in the midfield, has not officially requested for a transfer away from the club. However, it is very well known that he is not happy at Blackburn right now. The club will also have to reduce the wage bill and selling Olsson will help them achieve it. The Swedish international has been at Blackburn since 2006. During this period, he has made 146 appearances for the club in all competitions. Given his age and talent, he has found no shortage of takers since the relegation of Blackburn from the Premier league.

“He might have ambitions to play in the Premier League, and I do understand there’s a World Cup coming up as well. Martin is still valued by ourselves. He’s a quality player and a full international. I had a good conversation with him on Friday. I said it would be up to him in terms of what he wanted to do, and if things don’t work out for him where he wants to possibly go to, he’d be welcomed back into the squad,” said the Blackburn manager. Pressure is on Bowyer to deliver the results and get the club into the top flight once again.

DESERVED A POINT

Blackburn Rovers caretaker manager Gary Bowyer has said that his team deserved at least a point from the match against Birmingham city during the weekend. He also said that the match had an end of the season feeling to it especially given that both teams did not have anything to play. Blackburn had just secured safety in the division after flirting with relegation for most of the campaign. They went behind just before half-time when former Manchester United striker Ravel Morrison scored for the home team in the 42nd minute.

However, the £ 8 million signing for Blackburn – Jordan Rhodes – managed to score yet another goal and help Blackburn equalise the match. It stayed that way till the end and Blackburn got a point that moved them further away from the relegation zone. The club has now finished the season in the 17th position after having taken 58 points over the course of the campaign. The three victories since the arrival of Bowyer were extremely crucial in their survival. After a season of turmoil, it is thought that the Blackburn owners are extremely impressed with the way the team has been playing since the arrival of Bowyer.

He could be offered a job on a permanent basis in the summer.

“We were poor in the first half as we didn’t play to the tempo and intensity as we have done over the last couple of weeks. I thought it was very much end of season but, in the second half, we deserved a goal and in the end we might have nicked the game. It was a great finish from him being in the right place at the right time. He has been outstanding for us all season. Rightly so he has got all the plaudits,” said Bowyer after the match.