"Massive disappointment" - Blackburn Rovers claim issued after Rudy Gestede comments | OneFootball

FLW's Rovers fan pundit has given his views on Gestede's recent appearance on the 'No Tippy Tappy Football' podcast

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

FLW's Blackburn Rovers fan pundit has expressed disappointment at Rudy Gestede's recent appearance on the 'No Tippy Tappy Football' podcast with Sam Allardyce, where he spoke at length about his aims for the club and his relationship with head coach Valerien Ismael and owners the Venky's.

Gestede spent around 18 months as a player at Ewood Park from November 2013 to July 2015, as he bagged 35 goals in 73 appearances for the club in the Championship and earned a £6 million move to Premier League side Aston Villa.

He retired from playing in 2023, and made a surprise return to Rovers in November last year as Head of Football Operations. He is believed to be working closely with the club's Chief Executive, Steve Waggott, as well as alongside head-coach Ismael and Head of Recruitment, John Park.

Rovers fan pundit makes Rudy Gestede 'badly portrayed' claim following podcast appearance

Rovers' fortunes have improved as a whole on the pitch this season, but they were rocked by the resignation of John Eustace as head-coach in February, with many supporters believing that the lack of investment and future planning for his squad was the main reason for him joining relegation-threatened Derby County.

The club's owners, the Venky's, have been protested against numerous times over the years as a result of Blackburn's off-field struggles, but Gestede came out in support of them in his recent appearance on Sam Allardyce's podcast 'No Tippy Tappy Football,' insisting that fans should "try to understand, not with emotions, but more with a pragmatic vision of the football club."

It is fair to say that his comments have not gone down well among supporters, and his impressive stint as a player at Ewood Park is quickly being forgotten amid his lack of clarity and openness with the fanbase.

FLW'S Rovers' fan pundit, Simon Middlehurst, has criticised the 36-year-old's comments on the podcast, as he believes that Gestede has done little to improve relations between the board and supporters, and has, if anything, made the situation worse.

"I heard the podcast (with Gestede) and to be honest with you, it was really disappointing," Simon told FLW.

"It was a perfect opportunity for Rudy Gestede to get the fans back onside, to have a frank conversation with a manager (Sam Allardyce) who was at the start of all of this with the Venky’s.

"Allardyce was the first manager that was sacked by Venky’s for Steve Kean. He was let down by the club’s owners.

"I believe it was a massive, massive own goal in a lot of fans’ opinions, and mine. Gestede is nothing more than a Venky’s stooge.

"Steve Waggott, our current CEO, is basically prepping him to take over. I believe Waggott has got one more year then he is going to retire, and he is building Rudy Gestede up to be the next CEO after his retirement.

"To be honest with you, it is a massive disappointment. He is far too inexperienced in running a football club and its operations, and the way he has come across so far, he is just another stooge, and just a ‘yes man’ for Venky’s.

"It was really, really badly portrayed. He has portrayed himself in a poor light, and he is setting himself up for more failure with the club."

Rovers' off-field struggles can be alleviated by success on the pitch - Gestede has backed Ismael to do well as head coach

Valerien Ismael did not get off to the greatest of starts as Rovers boss following his appointment on a three-and-a-half-year deal in late February - he failed to oversee a win in any of his first seven games in charge, with five losses in that time as his side slipped away from the play-off reckoning.

That form has flipped on its head in recent weeks, however, with four straight victories to lift Blackburn back into contention for a top-six finish heading into the final day of the campaign this weekend.

They now sit eighth in the table, just one point from sixth-placed Coventry City, so a win against Sheffield United would mean both the Sky Blues and Millwall would also have to claim three points to make the play-offs.

His recovery has been vital, after rumours had already begun to emerge that Blackburn's chiefs were plotting to replace him with ex-Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne Rooney just a few months after his arrival.

Rovers' Head of Football Operations, Gestede, moved to rubbish those claims in his recent podcast appearance, and insisted that they are "happy" with Ismael and "want to give him time" to build something at Ewood Park in the months and years to come.

It is clear that things are not in a good place between the board and supporters at Blackburn, but some form of lateral success on the pitch would be able to lift some pressure off the Venky's and Gestede. They will no doubt be hoping that Ismael is able to guide them to a top-six finish this weekend, and therefore put the club in with a chance of returning to the Premier League after so long away.