Often Partisan

The Kiernan Foofaraw.

The fiasco surrounding the non-signing of Rob Kiernan has once again semi-erupted some six weeks after he signed for Rangers.

Gary Rowett talked to Radio 5 Live last night on a range of matters – including transfers and made comments about a player “disappearing halfway through a medical” to “sign for a team in Scotland”. You can hear that interview here (although it might be time limited).

Suffice it to say, although Kiernan wasn’t named it was obvious that it was he who Rowett was referring to and the Rangers defender obviously wasn’t impressed with what Rowett said, taking to Twitter.

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As much as I can understand why Rowett made reference to the situation, I’m curious as to why he did – it’s something that has passed now and we should have moved on. By stirring it up again – as an offhand comment like that was bound to do – it’s caused some fans to wonder out loud again what really went on – something I have to confess I am curious as to myself.

Kiernan wouldn’t be the first player to walk out on a medical to sign for someone else. Scott Dann walked out on Wolves to come to Blues back in 2011 – which as you can imagine didn’t please Wolves chief exec Jex Moxey, who decried Dann’s “attitude”. Indeed, I can recall it being reported Dwight Yorke actually taking a call from Blues in the Celtic boardroom when about to sign for the Bhoys and changing his mind to come to B9, completing his move to Blues while still at Celtic Park.

As much as managers complain about “tapping up” the reality is it happens – sometimes more overtly than others – and I think every single manager out there would do it if they thought they could get a good deal out of it. I think as much as the fans were encouraged to let it go I think Rowett needs to too – it might have been just an offhand flippant remark on a radio show but Kiernan bit back when it happened, confirming on twitter (in a tweet which has since been deleted) that he hadn’t failed a medical.

I like Rowett – I like his straightforward nature and I’d hate to live in a world where everything in the media was anodyne for fear of misrepresentation – can you imagine a world where managers and players spoke about nothing but “new projects” and the like – but I think he has to be more careful.

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53 Responses to “The Kiernan Foofaraw.”

  • AF says:

    I disagree, I think Gary Rowett has every right to explain what happened and its now obvious that Kiernan didn’t fail a medical (which was a ridiculous story to put out) but walked out because he had a better offer with more money elsewhere.

  • Richard W says:

    Not finishing a medical sounds like failing it to me. Still, if he’d rather play pub football in Scotland . . .

  • Tony E says:

    Could it be that Gary is reacting to criticism of the club not doing enough to bring players to the club and showing how the best laid plans can still fall flat, even after many weeks effort.

  • Swedish Bluenose says:

    I don’t understand the fuss about Kiernan. He was a player who did well for us, but not extraordinary well. If he wants to follow his mentor Mark Warburton to Scotland, so what? Why should the club just claim medical reasons?
    I think that BCFC did the wrong thing here by claiming that he failed the medical. This was early in the silly season and they just wanted to deliver positive things.
    Anyway, let’s just hope there could be another Kiernan around the corner. That’s where I think we are the weakest at the moment.

    • Andrew says:

      he might not have been that great as you say but hes better than what we have so in my eyes would improve bcfc! I think decent players on free transfers are few and far between and i think we will struggle this season, well that might be harsh but i cant see us finishing anywhere near 10th as it is

  • Me says:

    Kiernan isn’t adding anything new though. He has staed that he got a late offer and decided to go to play for a manager he already knew.

    Panos said he failed the medical. Rowett said he left half way through.

    If you fail to complete a test, you fail. Simple.

    They could both be right, depending upon the timing of the call from the agent.

  • Denis Grant says:

    AF
    I do not think he left for more money for a start

  • Alex says:

    Check the records – the club never said he failed a medical. They said he took a medical and then the club decided not to proceed. Everyone took that to imply that he failed it, but they did not say it.
    Alex

  • Roy Smith says:

    If joining Rangers shows his ambition we are better off without him.
    A second division team in a third rate football competition. Even if Rangers were in the top flight I’d argue that moving there was a backward step, only having to try in 4 games a season is hardly testing yourself against the best.

    • bryan says:

      Maybe he wants to play in front of 50k. Tune in to BT on Friday to find why he chose the bears.

    • Billy says:

      Roy, 2nd division team, third rate competition! When was the last time BCFC played in CL or Europe for that matter? Glasgow Rangers much bigger team than any currently in English Championship. Most successful club side in the World. Wake up and smell the roses.

      • almajir says:

        Last time we played in Europe – 2011. We beat Maribor in Maribor – don’t recall Rangers doing that…

        I’ll leave off mentioning how your club is only three years old for the simple reason I cba with Rangers fans plaguing my site. Again, for the record, I’m not Celtic either, can’t abide either club.

      • RichardM says:

        Interesting comment. Can I ask then why both Glasgow teams are so desperate to join the English league and were even prepared to join the CHAMPIONSHIP to gain access? I think if Blues were facing Gretna paper boys XI on a weekly basis then we too would be qualifying for the Champions league on a regular basis!

    • Tony says:

      Kiernan did not leave for more money although Celtic offer may have been slightly higher. Can you name me another country where you are virtually guaranteed a hatful of medals, he could have a cupboard with more medals than Bobby Charlton it doesn’t matter in the record books that there is no opposition to Celtic in Scotland.
      Kiernan is a very ordinary player playing for the only team in Scotland who are themselves very ordinary.

  • AndyP says:

    Unfortunately money does talk.if Kieran ,who is average at best thinks he is better off furthering his career in a tinpot league good luck to him,but instead of reacting to every comment that is made with shrouded rhetoric why doesn’t he explain his real reason why he didn’t sign…MONEY

  • Waycoolblue says:

    The club did not say he failed his medical. The statement was he failed to complete a medical with is true. And who is really bovid anyway he ant some must buy quality player he is just bit park cover or last chance player.

  • ian ambrose says:

    I agree with GR, I don’t understand about Kiernan join to Ranger Fc in Scotland championship league is still small.. Better UK league Premier or Championship is bigger than scotland league!! I don’t understand Kiernan been enjoyed with blues 10th in championship league end season Why he join to Ranger F.c in Scotland???? maybe more wage cos Good Ranger F.c 44,000 support fans always…Blues fans 15,000 less that…I needing bring blues fans 25,000 fans support to GR and bring new players stay up back to PREMIER LEAGUE !!! Come On Blues and GR

  • Paul B says:

    I wrote this earlier… hope you like it.

    This is a song about Robert Kiernan…
    He almost signed for Blues and the deal was near man…
    He had a medical that didn’t go as planned…
    Half way through he walks out and ends up in Scotland !

  • peter bates says:

    If rob kiernan got the move he wanted why all the fuss he ain’t a bcfc player and its obvious it’s all about money couldn’t wait to get to us when he was a Wigan reserve lets move on and get players who do want to play for bcfc kro

  • Blue lizard says:

    Good riddance to him…he wasn’t that good and if we had money he wouldn’t have been with us anyway… If you aren’t going to roll your sleeves up and give 100% then you don’t belong here and the fans won’t accept you

  • Mark H says:

    Can you bring the stethoscope back please? ; )

  • andy says:

    All Kiernan did was the same as Gary Cahill did to Birmingham. The day Cahill was set to complete his medical at Blues he drove up to Bolton and signed for them instead! These things are very frustrating for club and manager, Gary Rowett is quite right to vent his frustration at it, he is a straight forward honest man and said it as it was.

  • Matt says:

    Athletic but poor player, Scott Allan is the most sort after player in the league (just shows how average it is). Move on, Morro & Specs are a lot better.

  • Hillfield Blues says:

    The fact that Rowett has chosen to dig this up bothers me a bit. Kiernan would not have signed for Rangers had Mark Warbutton not being recently installed as their new manager a few days earlier and I’m getting the feeling that the club dragged their feet on this one. Hence GR’ frustration.

  • macca salop blue says:

    If Adam Rooney can end up Top Goal scorer in Scottish Premier League with 18 goals then that tells you all you need to know about the standard up there. Step backwards for Mr Kiernan.

  • Stephen Wood says:

    Im glad GR posted this comment. A lot of Blues fans are becoming edgy due to Blues lack of dealings in the transfer market. They should understand that prospective signings will be attracted to the wages. This is natural. But it the difficulty we have attracting new blood to the team. Because for all the best will in the world , money rules . GR is doing his best !!!!

  • Hendo9 says:

    If Lee Clark had come out and made a comment like that, he’d have been slated for it.

    Remember when he publicly criticised Jake Jervis for no reason? Or the whole Zigic training thing which, obviously wasnt good from Zigic, but there was seriously no need to make it public, only to recall him to the side days later.

    Rowett didnt need to comment, nor stir it up again with, what is a bang average player like Kiernan… just move on.

  • I think that GR is a good manager ,and I am glad he is home, but let’s be honest , he kept kiernan waiting we lost out tesche was kept waiting fabbrini I don’t know, mlapa and Cole have been kept waiting , it seems he is a man that has to be sure in his mind or he is playing mind games , but be honest how many fans wanted to lynch our guru when keeping us in the dark over tesche and fabbrini ,I know I had already ordered the scaffold , we need a striker to be safe ,and I am sure there is still some cat and mouse games to come , he’s not got whiskers for nothing has he …kro

    • Waycoolblue says:

      kept kiernan waiting how’s that the guy was in a medical what was he waiting for a Bus .
      the only person doing all the waiting was GR . He waited so long he moved on to other targets.
      & I believe them to be better players.

  • gary says:

    Glasgow rangers are an institution with a proud history until recently and players with a far bigger pedigree have jumped at the chance to play in front of 50000 fans week in and out and compete in the champions league. The young man seen a chance at having a go at something he would never be likely to get otherwise as Rangers fc will come out of this transition phase and start competing in the tin pot competition up in Scotland and unfortunately this will likely be the last time that a player of this standard has Rangers take a risk on him.If you are a knowledgeable player then you know you may not get a chance like this again so you have to grab it.Good luck Birmingham this season! Scotlands population is less than 5 million so to have 2 of the largest supported teams on the planet in a city half the size of Birmingham you then realise that the passion and honour to represent teams like this is something a football man cannot turn down and the wages he is reportedly on are less than he was being offered at bfc.Somebody mentioned Scott allan and it is true he never made it in England but having seen him play last year (and yes it is a poor league) the boy seems to have grown physically and still has the vision that has always had clubs looking at him since he was a young boy,If he was able to compete atheletically with the best he would be one of the best because he is a proper old time play maker which you do not get the chance to see in England so much nowadays and has been the reason why the worlds best play makers would not come to premiership for any money as they would not be doing what they loved but getting themselves involved in a athletic fight in every game and their reputation would suffer.

  • Ken says:

    I just think that in perspective, Mr Kiernan is a journeyman centre half who’s had more clubs than jack nicklaus….being on loan at Blues was the biggest club hes played for….its a stroke of fortune for him that his former mentor from way back has found himself managing Rangers so when he came in, he was never going to sign for Blues. So he walked out of the medical to hotfoot it to Glasgow. So he keeps carping from the sidelines and deleting his tweets but he has never come out and told the truth….thats football and footballers. Personally I keep hoping that the rumours about Jake Buxton are true!

  • Dude says:

    You’ve got to laugh with some of the comments on here. It was only a few weeks ago that Rowett publically said he was very disappointed to lose Kiernan and now we have fans on here saying that he was no better than average, a journeyman centre half, etc etc.

    Why can we not just accept that he’s moved on and wish him the best of luck? This isn’t the first time and certainly won’t be the last time that a player changes his mind and ends up signing for another club.

    Funnily enough, I am a fan of both clubs and some of the comments on here are embarrassing. Kiernan has clearly been influenced by his old friend Mark Warburton who I must add has made a cracking start to life up north. He’s been offered the chance to play first team football, in front of a massive crowd. He’s got a great chance to win trophies and potentially play in the Champions League.

    Believe it not, whether it’s a tin pot league or not, most neutral footballers with no connections to either club would do the same thing. Only my opinion of course.

  • mark says:

    i really dont see what the big issue is here, bottom line kiernan wants to play for rangers…..move on Mr Rowetts…and put all your energy into the blues rather than tit for tat bs…. Put all your positive energy into blues rather than chasing loss causes… then moaning about it in the press….so much for inhouse confidentiality……………..then still moaning about six afterwards?? obviously didn’t fail his rangers medical did he!!!!!!!!

  • Geoff S says:

    Are you there, Staffs?

    You mentioned something recently about the squad numbers. There is a piece on the club’s website this morning (have you seen it?) referring to Gary Rowett making Paul Robinson Club Captain again for the new season with a bit about squad numbers being announced tomorrow.

  • Geoff S says:

    That said, Team Captain maybe something else again…

  • David L says:

    Irrespective of the rights or wrongs it’s all passed by now, so perhaps best left alone. But it must be quite hard to keep your cool when you’re in a live national debate and the pressure’s on to say something controversial.

    Enjoyed the R5 show with GR last night – several personable managers talking about life in the real world as opposed to fantasy PL football.

    That QPR business was a shocker, though.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Blues squad numbers have been released at last on bcfc.com. Surprisingly, Legzdins is No.1.


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