Apparently the Economic Times of India, and a TV channel are interviewing fans etc. about Venky's ownership of the club, and taking in the Newcastle game. They seem to be keen on interviewing someone who goes by the name of Kamy100 on BRFCS.com and Northern_Rover on Twitter. So with this interest in our club I sent the editor an e-mail so they knew the situation. I'll warn you all it is long: Dear editor, It has come to my attention that The Economic Times is to interview one or more Blackburn Rovers fan(s) as part of an article about Venkys ownership. I am sending this e-mail to hopefully help in some background reading. When they took over in 2010, some were quite hopeful about the future, some were sceptical, but all of us were surprised at being the first Indian-owned Premier League team. We did not dream that we would spend eye watering sums of money like Manchester City, but at least be able to improve the team and compete for a place in the top 8 in the division, and keep hold of our better players. We saw the initial claims of Champions League football as naive optimism, and saw the bid to sign Ronaldinho a Brazilian superstar as unrealistic but many thought it was worth a try (see link 1). However, the storm clouds were already gathering by then, as they had removed a capable manager in Sam Allardyce, and settled for Steve Kean who is represented by the SEM agency (more on that later). This was after scaring the life out of the fans by attempting to hire the eccentric reformed cocaine addict Diego Maradona (see link 2). At a similar time to the removal of Sam Allardyce, the very well respected and able boardroom members John Williams and Tom Finn, who have been key to the clubs' success were forced out of the boardroom as they were ignored and bypassed by Anuradha Desai, Balaji and Venkatesh Rao in favour of advice from outside the club. There have been strong rumours that the SEM agency, who represent Steve Kean,and its head Jerome Anderson has head a pernicious and unwelcome influence in many parts of the club. Indeed, a letter has emerged with John Williams and Tom Finn's concerns about the presence of SEM in transfer matters, and how much involvement they have at the club in the last week or so (see link 3). It is also worth pointing out the FA rules on football agents, and their relationship with clubs (see link 5). This may explain the signing of Myles Anderson, a very poor player who just happened to be the son of Jerome Anderson. He has not made 1 first team appearance to my knowledge, despite many injuries to other players. Fast forward to the current season, and after a last day escape from relegation and numerous false promises about the transfer budget, which players will be coming and so on Blackburn found themselves with a novice manager incapable of winning a 1 ticket raffle a boardroom structure that is incomprehensible (for example, we have a deputy CEO in Paul Hunt, but no CEO). When results were spiralling ever downwards, and it was obvious that Steve Kean was not capable of the job as manager, rather than get rid of him and bring in a new manager, something almost every fan would have wanted by then, they actually gave him a pay rise (see link 6). This complete devotion to someone who has been a complete disaster, and has lied in a court of law (see link 7) is just one reason why the Venkys group is so unpopular amongst fans. It makes one think that there is something more sinister and corrupt going on behind the scenes, or that both Mrs. Desai and her brothers are seriously lacking in judgement and intelligence in business matters. Another reason for fans' increasing hatred of the Indian owners is the complete detachment of the owners from both the club, the fans and indeed reality itself. As I have previously mentioned, the board structure has been ripped up and no-one on the outside really knows who is in charge of the running of Blackburn Rovers Football Club. It sure isn't the board, as they seem to have no power in making decisions about things like hiring new staff (i.e. replacing Steve Kean). Ultimately it could be Anuradha Desai, as the head of the whole VH Group, but then she shows no interest in addressing any issue with this club. Could it be either of the two brothers? Possibly, as they were the people who were the public face of the takeover, but then Mrs Desai is said to hold the purse strings. From the outside, this complete lack of clarity about who is in control has created a very chaotic structure in which fans do not know what is going on, and the club seems to be completely rudderless and has a big hole in the bottom of it. Added to this is the complete contempt that the Venkys regime has for the fans, by failing to communicate to the fans, or the public at large about what they are doing. For instance, when the protests against Steve Kean really got going, in return for a 'truce', Venkys promised to answer questions put forward to them in an effort to open up a dialogue with the fans. As link 8 demonstrates, it was indefinitely cancelled at the last minute. No-one has any idea what is going on inside the club, or what the intentions of the owners are at all. In fact, this is the way in which they have treated one of the main sponsors of the club (see link 8) and a Member of Parliament representing the Blackburn area (see link 9). It gives the impression that they could not care less about the very real concerns of fans and the town, and just want to be able to say they own a football club at some dinner party with other paid jesters like Brett Lee and Akon. This lack of communication and interest in talking about stories about the lack of funding and the issue surrounding the £100m loan taken out against the club's assets (see links 10,11,12 and 13). It is these financial issues that are causing the most concern at the moment as it has the appearance of staking the very future of the club on the hope that they and their so-called 'brilliant manager' (see link 14) who has as many assistant managers as has had home wins this season. So this is another issue that leads many to think they are either incompetent buffoons or cynical asset strippers willing to destroy the club for a bit of brand recognition and a few quick bucks (probably with Jerome Anderson and Steve Kean getting some money). And to think they were promising a top 8 finish and one of the domestic cups this season, and they got rid of Allardyce because they wanted to reach the top 5 (see link 15). Thanks to them Blackburn Rovers would be lucky to reach the top of the bottom 5 teams. When the reality of our situation is contrasted with the claims you have made since you have taken over the club, along with that deluded manager Steven Kean, whom you steadfastly support, you seem to be living in another world. The fact that the few times you have made public statements, they seem to have been divorced from reality has made many fans think of you as cynical liars who think we are idiots who can be duped by a few warm words (See link 5). Many simply don't believe the statement issued last month about continuing funding, when the club has not been funded on the pitch at least, at all (See link 6). The sale of Phil Jones has covered all the fees for players since then. And with the continuing stories that Salgado and Roberts are being frozen out because of contract issues and not because they're either too old or simply not good enough, a picture emerges of a club with no money, owned by people who either don't have the financial power to back up their ambitions, or are petulant liars who are bored with their new toy and want to extract as much money as possible before putting the club in the bin. Those are harsh words, but that really is how you have presented yourselves since you have owned the club. So to sum up my attitude, and probably those of the vast majority of fans, the Venkys takeover has been an unmitigated disaster, Mrs. Desai and her brothers have appeared divorced from reality, complacent, naive and simply incompetent, and many of us wish they had never bought the club. If this is the wrong editor to approach, and you are not involved in the trip over to Blackburn, please could you either forward to the correct person, or provide me with the correct e-mail address. Yours Sincerely, Tom Heywood. Links: 1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackburn_rovers/9336036.stm 2. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...dona-about-Blackburn-Rovers-managers-job.html 3. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...pions-League-in-four-years-article776453.html 4. http://www.sportingintelligence.com...he-history-of-blackburn-rovers-crisis-150102/ 5. http://www.sportingintelligence.com...-watching-brief-on-blackburn-transfers160106/ 6. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo.../Steve-Kean-signs-new-Blackburn-contract.html 7. http://www.sportingintelligence.com...estions-but-blackburn-postpone-meeting201201/ 8. http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.u....WEC_Group_chief_in_Blackburn_Rovers_meeting/ 9. http://www.people.co.uk/sport/footb...lks-with-blackburn-officials-102039-23625663/ 10. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ays-Bank-demands-reduction-in-clubs-debt.html 11. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-have-taken-out-major-loans-against-club.html 12. http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2011/12/11/blackburn-funding-crisis-what-next-for-rovers-111201/ 13. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ar...ace-sale-10m-deadline-missed-NICK-HARRIS.html 14..http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...ean-is-a-brilliant-manager-article808966.html 15. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-and-to-be-fourth-or-fifth-in-the-league.html