Valerien Ismael insisted he was the man to turn around Blackburn’s fortunes after a 2-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough played out on a night of sustained fan protests against the club’s ownership and his own management.
Boro moved into the play-off places with a fifth win in seven as they make a late promotion charge, but it is a very different story for Blackburn who have dropped out of contention with this a fifth straight defeat, and Ismael yet to taste victory in six since replacing John Eustace in late February.
Fans began chanting against the Venky’s Group that have owned Rovers since 2010 before kick-off and their anger only grew as Boro scored twice in the opening eight minutes, the first a superb goal from Tommy Conway and the second a Samuel Iling-Junior strike that deflected off Danny Batth.
Conceding early has been a theme under Ismael, who then also received the fans’ wrath as his side showed little sign of getting back into the match.
“I understand,” he said of the fans’ frustrations. “It’s not like we are happy with the situation. We expected more results. I don’t take it personally. I know how it works in football. The coin has two sides. At the minute it is the ugly side but I know the other side of the coin is nice.”
Ismael retains the backing of the club’s board and said he had no doubt he could get results, but said it would take time to implement his ideas and re-shape the squad.
“I still believe,” he said. “I work with the possibilities we have at the minute. It’s not like we have a transfer window in front of us and can just compensate for all the injuries. The focus is on the next game…
“I understand when we are not winning the doubt but I’m not doubting myself. It’s just a tough period for everyone, for myself, my family, but we stick together and focus on what we have to do better.”
Boro were able to capitalise on the tension inside Ewood Park, which only grew as Conway fired them in front with just 74 seconds gone, a superb bit of skill to flick the ball past Joe Rankin-Costello before firing in left-footed.
“It was an ideal start,” Boro boss Michael Carrick said. “You couldn’t really ask for much better than that. I thought it was fantastic, great movement, a great finish from Tommy and we built on that really.
“Credit to Blackburn, they made us work, it was never really dead. One goal would have flipped it so the boys stayed on it, stayed really focused. A third goal would have been ideal to finish it but I’m really happy with that.”
It was a 12th goal of the season for Conway, with the 22-year-old summer signing from Bristol City the club’s top-scorer.
“Tommy’s quality,” Carrick added. “He’s still young, he’s still learning and he’s still adapting and developing.
“I think it’s really exciting. He’s only been here a short period of time and when he’s played his goals to minutes ratio is pretty impressive. The exciting part is I think there’s still a lot more to come.”
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