Rhodes is planning to improve (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Rhodes is planning to improve
7:51am Monday 19th November 2012 in Sport
By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter
HAT-trick hero Jordan Rhodes admits he is trusting his instincts after insisting he has not thought about the Championship step-up.
Blackburn Rovers’ £8million man took his tally to nine goals in just 14 games with a treble in Saturday’s 4-1 victory at Peterborough – insisting he isn’t doing anything different from his League One days.
The 22-year-old already has nine career hat-tricks to his name but, while dreaming of testing himself in the Premier League, is staying focused on Rovers’ promotion challenge.
Saturday’s win, Henning Berg’s first as boss, has moved Rovers back to sixth in the Championship as Rhodes targets being in the top flight next campaign.
This season has seen Rhodes continue last season’s League One prolifics in the league above and, also scoring twice in midweek, seen his reputation grow again.
Rhodes said: “I haven’t really thought about it too much (playing in the Championship). I have just tried to take it in my stride and go with my instincts as much as possible.
“I still try to make the same runs and apply the same touches as ever. I am working hard on the training field to better my all round play. I am not really doing anything different, I am just trying to improve and trying to better myself.
“I don’t know if I could do it in the Premier League. We will not know that until it is tried and tested. It would be fantastic, it would be a dream one day to play in the Premier League and see myself on Match of the Day, that would be fantastic.
“But we have a job in hand to do this season and come the end of the season hopefully we will be in the top six at least, at best top two.
“There are strikers I look up to all the time and strikers I still watch today, no matter how high the game is, there are still aspects of a game that some strikers have and I don’t that I would like to improve on.
“It is a dream to pull on the Blackburn Rovers shirt. It is very pleasing to come away and score goals.”
Rhodes has had a roller-coaster start to life at Rovers, with turmoil behind the scenes and a change in manager making life tough at the East Lancashire outfit.
Rovers have also struggled to hit top form for most of the campaign but, after Saturday’s most emphatic win of the season, Rhodes is confident there is even more to come.
“In spells that was more like it but there is still room for improvement in every aspect of the game,” he said. “ It is always pleasing when you have come off and scored more goals than the opposition because that means you are doing something right.
“After last week, not getting the results we wanted, coming here live on Sky it was terrific to put on a half decent show, get a few goals and get a win for the manager.
“As footballers you get paid and you love doing what you do. In my opinion there is no better job in the world.
“What happens on the field we can’t affect that, we just have to stick at our job and be as professional as we can be.”
Comments are closed on this article.

Comments (69)
8:13am Mon 19 Nov 12
bryan nelsen says...
8:29am Mon 19 Nov 12
Keith Myath says...
8:38am Mon 19 Nov 12
kiwipom73 says...
The power of one..very important.
COYB
9:07am Mon 19 Nov 12
hasslem hasslem says...
i am no glory hunter but the whole thing at ewood and the money grabbing/john terry/diving and cheating tosh etc associated with football in general has progressively worn me down.
despite our false league position any sensible rovers supporter could plainly see that the rovers team was
1) unfit (only lasting 65-70 mins)
2) tactically clueless
3) a group of players who didn't want to be there
4) lions led by donkeys
none of this was helped by supporters who felt disenfranchised by the club, management and some players.
what a difference 2-3 weeks has made. don't get me wrong we have only won one game.....but it seems that the club is moving forward.
1) a manager who may not be a genius - but talks sense and has got the players playing like a team again
2) supporters feeling that they have a relationship with the club again
3) fitter players (an improvement that started with eric black)
4) inexplicably marginalised players being given a chance to show what they can do
5) the beginning of the trickle of youth team players being given a chance to show what they can do
6) players clearly relishing playing for themselves, the team, the club and supporters for the first time in 2 years.
7) other players who were negative about the club being shipped out
8) and blooming heck! even danny murphy looking like the player we all wanted him to be - and talking sense in his interview last week
9) jordan rhodes getting the service he needs to score the goals we all know he has got in his locker
10) OPTIMISM about and around the club as opposed to maniacal delusion.
a long way to go yet before we are out of the woods (personally don't think we are good enough for promotion - yet, but that may change) but at least for the first time in ages there is light at the end of the tunnel and for once it isn't the light from the train coming in the other direction.
onwards and upwards!
9:13am Mon 19 Nov 12
greenscreener says...
10:00am Mon 19 Nov 12
MatthewCA says...
All the best, God Bless.
10:21am Mon 19 Nov 12
Dukes says...
10:42am Mon 19 Nov 12
True_Blue says...
Coyb!!!!
10:55am Mon 19 Nov 12
rovers82 says...
there are much better defense line in the league we used to be in, so Rhode still has a lot to learn
11:03am Mon 19 Nov 12
French Rover says...
11:07am Mon 19 Nov 12
bluerob says...
11:35am Mon 19 Nov 12
merlinrabbit says...
11:55am Mon 19 Nov 12
Is Eckersley playing? says...
12:33pm Mon 19 Nov 12
Road Runner Road Runner says...
What, you been on a sabbatical there Mr Hasslem ?
Arte et labore
12:40pm Mon 19 Nov 12
greenscreener says...
Its simply not a concept they can comprehend.
12:41pm Mon 19 Nov 12
Harwoodstblue says...
12:51pm Mon 19 Nov 12
Harwoodstblue says...
It seems we're no better than a load of Chai Whallas to the Venkys, so arrogant are they.
1:21pm Mon 19 Nov 12
Lancs - pensioner says...
If half of what you have stated above is true Hendry should be sacked on the spot.
Come on HB weald the Axe again, clear the club off Drunk/Pension robbers/violent bullys.
1:54pm Mon 19 Nov 12
adcr says...
3:55pm Mon 19 Nov 12
Return of the Magnificent se7en says...
Do you have an opinion on anything to do with Rovers except Colin Hendry?
What about Jordan Rhodes who himself is a celtic fan, can you not comment on him instead for a while? Does your every waking moment revolve around stalking Hendry?
I have no loyalty to anyone except Rovers and find his conduct not very pleasing at all, but, he has had issues and I tend to give people a chance to redeem themselves and so will ignore anything printed in a Celtic biased newspaper, just as I ignore the Daily Man United Mirror.
and as far as drunkards go, it appears scotland has cornered the market in that department.
Bye.
4:34pm Mon 19 Nov 12
jogalot says...
I'd like to echo everyone else's positive comments about Rhodes, Berg and the team. It's great to feel normal again and lose some of those paranoid thoughts. Football's for enjoying! Thanks Henning, Jordan and all for helping my life return to normal!
5:10pm Mon 19 Nov 12
AshirMan says...
7:12pm Mon 19 Nov 12
merlinrabbit says...
8:16pm Mon 19 Nov 12
kazluvsrovers says...
Youre doing an amazing job Henning!
Keep up the good work.
Come on you Blues!!!!!
8:29pm Mon 19 Nov 12
blueblooded says...
Rhodes, Rhodes, Rhodes. I hope some of the other self-serving greedy players learn from the maturity and humility you have displayed in the short time you have graced our club. Hardworking, well-liked by team mates, admired by fans and feared by the opposition.
Wait till you reach your best, one hopes and believes the best is yet to come from this young man.
9:28pm Mon 19 Nov 12
A Darener says...
9:41pm Mon 19 Nov 12
merlinrabbit says...
10:12pm Mon 19 Nov 12
French Rover says...
3:15am Tue 20 Nov 12
JPB says...
he DESERVES a job at rovers, he`s EARNED it.
4:39am Tue 20 Nov 12
Roverthere says...
8:53am Tue 20 Nov 12
blueblooded says...
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" as the good book says..
12:08pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Keen O to Get Kean Out says...
12:10pm Tue 20 Nov 12
A Darener says...
Ps got my ticket for Sat can't wait,
Get into 'em!
12:17pm Tue 20 Nov 12
benal13 says...
1:02pm Tue 20 Nov 12
blueblooded says...
Get behind the team.
Get excited about the future.
And let go of the past so we can build our club back to where we belong. Those stay aways who will turn up for the Burnley game - and no doubt when we look to be in the PL play-offs - will be seen for what they are. Glory hunters and nothing else, as no matter which direction the club goes in npw, at least two things are irreversibly true:
You cannot reverse whats happened.
You dont need to forgive or support the owners to support your team.
So I say, things are changing, Embrace the change.
Kean is out Berg is in. Theres a new dawn, a new hope and a new future for the club, one that the players and fans are all feeling and you can see the results now on the pitch.
As Yazz and the PP would say:
"The only way is up baby!"
1:10pm Tue 20 Nov 12
forever blue and white says...
At least I have not seen smellthecoffee on here for a few days so thats good
1:13pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Harwoodstblue says...
1:16pm Tue 20 Nov 12
A Darener says...
1:20pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Harwoodstblue says...
1:22pm Tue 20 Nov 12
makaveli96 says...
But surely Minesh proves more of a pull than Lineker?
1:23pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Harwoodstblue says...
1:25pm Tue 20 Nov 12
blueblooded says...
1:31pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Harwoodstblue says...
1:36pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Harwoodstblue says...
s like opinion is well and truly split on Hendry.
1:37pm Tue 20 Nov 12
benal13 says...
1:51pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Return of the Magnificent se7en says...
2:06pm Tue 20 Nov 12
French Rover says...
Then one year later BFS got sacked and in Dec 2010 Samba was quickly pushing to get away again (said he couldn't play under Kean and who could blame him but in reality just another convenient excuse) and suddenly he was being linked with everyone under the sun it seems.
In the end he got what he wanted - and the Rovers got a decent tranfer fee. But that was nothing to do with anyone forcing him out. Samba opened the door and exited on his own initiative. He is just one of many footballing mercenaries (not many of them from the Congo) who are making money their god and saying "well it is a short career and we need to get as much out of football as possible before we retire or get injured'.....
Well that may have been true twenty five years ago when only a handful of really top players get paid well - but now even medium guys are getting paid thousands every week and are content to sit on the bench for it. No pride or work ethic - just hands out for some of the plentiful cash that is circling within the game these days.
2:11pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Harwoodstblue says...
2:20pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Harwoodstblue says...
We will just have to face the facts at Rovers as our top players will be cherry picked at will by the top clubs.
Phil Jones for example, Utd only needed to wave the cheque book under his nose and he was off.
2:24pm Tue 20 Nov 12
greenscreener says...
Although from the way he writes I dare say Ronnie is pretty happy to provide an oral version for anybody who asks.
2:37pm Tue 20 Nov 12
blueblooded says...
Its not just players though. Who can honestly say hand on heart that Berg won't be bidding to junmp ship the moment he makes a name for himself?
When Sparky left the club, I took it really hard. He played for the club, he had it in his blood, we thought he would be our Fergie.
But Alex Ferguson has proven it time and time again. There will only ever be one Fergie.
it of course works both ways, look at Sparky now, they're calling for his head and no doubt the fickle fans amongst us would be calling for Berg's if after getting us promoted, he got us demoted again and his luck went sour.
its the way of the world unfortunately.
2:37pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Return of the Magnificent se7en says...
2:40pm Tue 20 Nov 12
benal13 says...
2:46pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Return of the Magnificent se7en says...
4:20pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Return of the Magnificent se7en says...
1 I am not what you call a wee boy, it would be the first time that a guy of my stature could be described as wee.
2 Where did i refer to the polce as polis? I think you've got the wrong poster.
3 I'm Welsh and I have never been to Dundee. This statement confirms you are of scottish origin to even think of it. So you are no more from Blackburn than I am.
4 If Hendry is a women, plural, beater he would have been charged at some point and he hasn't, he hasn't even been cautioned for it.
All I am saying is stick to facts, thats all, or you may find yourself at the end of a libel action. You could probably get away with calling him a thief and a swindler, just.
5. Do you have an opinion on anything relating to Blackburn Rovers with the exception of Colin Hendry?
I must say you are compliling your very own dossier on your cyber stalking at ever increasing velocity.
Ever thought of breaking the freefall record?
4:49pm Tue 20 Nov 12
greenscreener says...
Just when you wanted someone play with ......
5:06pm Tue 20 Nov 12
morleyclaret says...
Know him personally do we?
5:07pm Tue 20 Nov 12
blueblooded says...
I'll ask again as I did Smelly, your other tin foil wearing counterpart.
We've seen your allegations now where's your proof?
5:12pm Tue 20 Nov 12
greenscreener says...
If you could make this stuff up nobody would believe you !.
5:42pm Tue 20 Nov 12
blueblooded says...
Austin
5:59pm Tue 20 Nov 12
roverfor60years says...
Under the headline "£8,000-a-week Colin Hendry: I can't pay my debts" three weeks ago, the Scottish Sun reported that Hendry ‘has sparked fury after wriggling out of settling his debts. He had agreed to cough up £1,000 a month for three years — paying just two per cent of the £2million he owes.’
A letter from Hendry’s Trustee in Bankruptcy Louise Brittain said: “As a result of poor performing pension investments and adverse publicity affecting his ability to obtain commentary work, Mr Hendry’s income suffered a substantial reduction and he was no longer able to make voluntary contributions.”
It may be of course that he is separately repaying his pensioner neighbours out of his brfc salary. I hope so.
6:09pm Tue 20 Nov 12
French Rover says...
6:22pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Wild Rover says...
And its as much a Glasgow word as any, I should know...
You are no Scot Ronnie Dingle, so stop trying... Dundee ha!
However, on ye go as we say, keep giving me ammo.kk
6:28pm Tue 20 Nov 12
Return of the Magnificent se7en says...
5:58am Wed 21 Nov 12
whappen says...
When was this statement made? It could be a case of why let the facts get in the way of a good headline - not unique to the Scottish Sun. He may well be on £8k a week NOW, was he when they said this?
If Hendry is working the system then so be it. The only problem is the couple he borrowed the money from - and his behaviour towards them afterwards of course. If he was giving the finger to just the likes of BetFred, Bet365 and William Hills, companies which thrive on addiction, then I couldn't give a monkeys whether they get any of it back..
8:14am Wed 21 Nov 12
halfhearted says...
Its all well and good for you to hide behind the identity of one of Rovers all time greats,h would never have or did write or peak with such venom.
The article is about a young playr with great potential. Stic with the article or get lost.
8:25am Wed 21 Nov 12
halfhearted says...
Its all well and good for you to hide behind the identity of one of Rovers all time greats,h would never have or did write or peak with such venom.
The article is about a young playr with great potential. Stic with the article or get lost.
9:54am Wed 21 Nov 12
A Darener says...
't worry Abramo... Kean's available to start right away!
7:37pm Wed 21 Nov 12
whappen says...
Didn't he say he wanted to leave because they had lied to him about what they were going to do at Rovers? Maybe he was referring to what they had told him just to keep him there.