Former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Hope Akpan has candidly pulled back the curtain on the club’s tumultuous 2016/17 campaign, shedding light on the controversial management tenure of Owen Coyle that ultimately led to the Lancashire side’s agonizing relegation into League One. His revelations offer a poignant, insider perspective on a season etched in the memory of every Rovers fan for all the wrong reasons.
Coyle, who presided over the bulk of that fateful season, implemented a coaching philosophy that sharply contrasted with traditional professional football standards. Accounts from within the dressing room, now reinforced by Akpan, paint a picture of a manager seemingly disengaged from fundamental tactical preparation. Instead of structured, rigorous training sessions, players recall an over-reliance on informal five-a-side games and a series of light-hearted “fun” drills, a stark departure from the intense regimen required to compete in the Championship.
This unconventional approach inevitably fostered an environment of confusion and dissent among the squad. Players, including former teammate Elliott Bennett, had previously voiced concerns regarding Coyle’s perceived lack of desire to conduct formal coaching. Akpan’s recent comments strongly corroborate these earlier sentiments, highlighting a growing disconnect between the manager and his players, which undeniably manifested in the team’s on-field performance.
The simmering tensions boiled over during a particularly egregious incident that Akpan vividly recounted. He described heated discussions erupting in the training rooms, yet Coyle was conspicuously absent. What followed was even more astonishing: a disembodied voiceover from the manager, informing the players that their Christmas dinner was getting cold and they should simply leave the meeting. This bewildering dismissal, Akpan asserts, marked the definitive moment Coyle lost the respect and belief of his squad.
Following a string of disheartening results, Coyle’s tenure concluded in February, leaving Blackburn Rovers three points adrift with just fifteen games remaining. The unenviable task of rescue fell to Tony Mowbray, who swiftly took the reins. Under Mowbray’s guidance, there was a palpable shift in intensity and focus, as the team embarked on a spirited fight for survival, instilling a renewed sense of hope among the faithful supporters.
Despite Mowbray masterminding an impressive haul of 22 points from those final remaining fixtures, the damage inflicted earlier in the season proved insurmountable. Rovers’ valiant efforts culminated in a bitter finale at Brentford, where, despite securing a victory on the final day, they agonizingly fell short of Championship survival, succumbing to the harsh reality of relegation by the narrowest of margins.
In the aftermath of relegation, Akpan held discussions with Mowbray about potentially remaining at Ewood Park. However, driven by the ambition to further his international career, he ultimately opted for a move to Burton Albion. His decision underscores the profound personal and professional impact of that tumultuous season, a period of chaos and regret that continues to resonate within the club’s history and the players who lived through it.
