Blackburn Rovers Blog: David's not Dunn yet

2:33pm Thursday 13th September 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter

DAVID Dunn has endured a frustrating start to Blackburn Rovers ’ Championship se-ason, leading to inevitable whispers from some quarters that his Ewood career is coming to an end.

The Rovers midfielder has made just one start in all competitions so far this campaign and was surprisingly left out of the squad completely for the 3-3 draw at Elland Road last time out.

You can see why some believe it may be time for Dunn to look for pastures new. After all, with the likes of Nuno Gomes, Ruben Rochina, Mauro Formica (pictured) and Diogo Rosado able to play in a ‘second striker’ role, Kean is spoilt for choice.

With Danny Murphy and Dickson Etuhu seemingly fixtures in the central midfield role, Dunn’s best chance is in a more advanced ‘free’ role.

The 32-year-old is far from finished. He is a player who bleeds blue and white and who will give you everything in every minute he plays. His fighting spirit will still prove important this campaign.

Leaving him out of the squad entirely at Elland Road was a bizarre decision, perhaps even to him, as a quick glance at who else was on the substitutes bench didn’t exactly fill you with confidence that there were a host of ‘game changers’ available.

As it happened, the one who could change the game from the bench, Ruben Rochina, did. But the Spaniard’s tricks and flicks are just as likely to lose you a game on another day.

Imagine the likes of Fabio Nunes, Rochina, Edinho, Paulo Jorge, Rosado on a cold Tuesday night during the long winter months. Give me a David Dunn any day.

Dunn has not lost his ability. He may have lost a yard or two – or three – in pace but his brain is as sharp as ever and his desire to succeed for the club he loves still remains.

I’m not for one minute suggesting he should start at Bristol City. He shouldn’t. But I would feel a lot better having someone like Dunn available to change a game.

It would be sad if the influx of random Portuguese players forced Dunn onto the periphery, or even out of the club.

At 32, the player will still believe he has a good couple of years of football left in him and won’t want to spend them sitting around in the stands.

A number of Championship clubs would take Dunn on loan in a heartbeat and, unless he comes back into contention, he may start to consider that route.

Dunn has a part to play at Ewood still as long as the people who matter realise it.

Comments(18)

inflightmagazine says...
2:50pm Thu 13 Sep 12

andy I have to disagree with this one, Dunnie has been a great servant for the club and is a local boy, but the years have not been kind, I saw him in Preseason against Accrington stanley and he looked heavy and sluggish and against Hull he looked like he was chasing shadows. He has lost a mile of pace which is why he keeps giving free kicks away. To me he has that same look Emile Heskey did when he came on for his last England game ( What am i doing here ), the club should not just throw him away though , they should be looking to honour is loyalty and start shifting him into a coach role, someone told me he is on daily injections for his achilles, if its true he may well end up with serious issues later in life. If he carries on fro much longer all he will be remembered as is the fat fella that tried a round the back of his leg kick and fell over at Birmingham.

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MxMave says...
3:00pm Thu 13 Sep 12

To be fair Dunny is in the pub most nights. A decent manager would restrict his alcohol consumption to the benefit of the player. A player has to be perfect for Kean to get the most out of them since he has absolutely no personality.

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DanBlackburn says...
3:18pm Thu 13 Sep 12

I think to a certain extent we have all looked at Dunnie with local tinted glasses. if he had not been from Gt harwood would we really have been as sympathetic to his sparodic appearances, lack of fitness and weight issues?
For me he cooked his goose by supporting Fester. I can only think of him now as "Get Real Dunn".
I will not be sorry if he leaves.

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Riverside 7 says...
3:38pm Thu 13 Sep 12

Sorry Andy, but I also disagree.

He was very, very lucky to get an extension to his contract - possibly because he was one of the few players to accept the Kean / Venkys regime.

He has been struggling for fitness / pace for years now and can only last around 60 mins at most.
In addition we now have Nuno Gomes who can similarly only last approx 1 hour. We can't afford to keep both.

If he had not been a local lad and a Rovers fan, he would have been released a good while ago.

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Forever-Blue says...
4:05pm Thu 13 Sep 12

Sorry Andy, but i disagree also.

Dunny upset a lot of fans last season by siding with the odious one.

We know he only did it to prolong his Ewood career but he has lost it big time.

As mentioned by mXmave earlier hes in the boozer most nights and looks heavy.
Hes far to slow and has not been fit for ages.

Hang your boots up lad and go graciously, unlike a certain other individual.

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French Rover says...
4:11pm Thu 13 Sep 12

Dunny has always been a sound player for us and always a true blue rovers fan. He is the type of player that should be encouraged to concentrate still on his playing career for another couple of years and then slip into a coaching role at Ewood.

He really needs to take it serious though and get fit, but if he can do that then he would certainly be excellent still at this level.

His skill set and football vision is as good as anybody we have on the books and he is probably the only other player apart from Rochina who would have the ability to score a goal with a back-heel like Ruben did at Leeds.

Give the lad one more shot I say....

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makaveli96 says...
4:29pm Thu 13 Sep 12

Murphy isnt fit to lace Dunnys boots!

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bburnrover says...
6:08pm Thu 13 Sep 12

Dunn looked great in the early part of las season he just hasn't got going this year at all and does look as slow as Murphy.Kean may realise he cannot afford two snails in midfield and is paying Murphy a fortune so its got to be Murphy even though Dunny has a better eye for goal.
I agree with Andy I would prefer Dunny on the bench to some Portugese no mark.

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4youreyesonly says...
6:13pm Thu 13 Sep 12

His heart is there but his body isnt , go gracefull before the scotch clown makes a fool of you . KEAN OUT

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J.C - Rishton says...
7:08pm Thu 13 Sep 12

Its time for Dunny to "GET REAL" - and move on.

He's too fat, slow and not good enough.

As for some fans calling for him to "get a job at Rovers as a coach" - WHY ???

So, the guy is a Rovers fan and a Rovers player - does that qualify him for a role as a coach - surely we need coaches like Mark Bowen or Karl Robinson - tallented coaches who had no connection to the club before they were given a job but who can make a difference - not someone who's only qualification is 1 - Rovers fan, 2 - Ex-Rovers player and 3 - Ability to sup 10 pints of beer, night after night !!

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RUinsane says...
10:27pm Thu 13 Sep 12

Gotta agree with the Mack, Dunny may be slow and a bit injury prone, but murphy couldn't lace his boots. Murphy has been pants and I wouldn't mind dunny getting 45 along side etuhu and then murphy coming on, or the other way round because neither can manage a full game and Murphys displays have been poor.

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OnePostThenTheOther says...
11:54pm Thu 13 Sep 12

"a player who bleeds blue and white" my rse. Yep, he loves Rovers so much that he engineered a move to play under Steve Bruce, for gods sake, at that famous club (who?) Birmingham City. Why? Because Souness didn't want him to play in the middle of the park, but preferred to give him a game (not sit on the bench, no, give him a game) on the right. Please find me any true Rovers fan that would say "Nah mate, I'd rather go and play me football in the Midlands with Birmingham's second biggest club"

Get real. He is perennially overweight and isn't even that good any more. It's a side indictment on the ineffective Murphy that most of us would have him in the team before that swansonging chancer.

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kiwipom73 says...
9:49am Fri 14 Sep 12

Goodness, you real do print some "s...t" with regards Dunn.
Why not speak the truth rather hn this PC bul.....t !!!!!
Dunn has always thought of no one else other then himself.
I rely do,n know how he gained an extension to his contract because he has been the WEAKEST LINK or well over two years...and just because he comes from Gt Harwood everyone overlooks this fact.
He "lost it"...is fitness..pace...and sits comfortable on his distant reputation and fat paypacket...NO WAY COACHING MATERIAL !

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makaveli96 says...
12:39pm Fri 14 Sep 12

kiwipom73 wrote:
Goodness, you real do print some "s...t" with regards Dunn. Why not speak the truth rather hn this PC bul.....t !!!!! Dunn has always thought of no one else other then himself. I rely do,n know how he gained an extension to his contract because he has been the WEAKEST LINK or well over two years...and just because he comes from Gt Harwood everyone overlooks this fact. He "lost it"...is fitness..pace...and sits comfortable on his distant reputation and fat paypacket...NO WAY COACHING MATERIAL !
Some class Harwood as Blackburn.....

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madrover says...
6:28pm Fri 14 Sep 12

not exactly a dedicated pro fat overweight big drinker always injured .should be plying his trade in the lower leagues. get the a**e licker off the payroll. you are finished dunny

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PersianRover says...
9:56am Sat 15 Sep 12

I agree with Andy. I would play him on the wing however, he used to be quite effective there when he used to play wide for Blackburn Rover, he can then support the 2 centre midfielders when they need it.

I also agree with some of the comments he gives away a lot of free kicks, but playing on the wing should limit that.

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MatthewCA says...
1:18pm Sun 16 Sep 12

Too many good players cannot win the game, Dunnie is a good player, But missing in action for a long time. He is little old to stay in the ground, where young energatic players are ready with Kean, the options are more in the bench. A quick fair on last 10mts, If murphy need a change - then yes. he can back in action.

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handyamBRFC says...
12:07pm Thu 20 Sep 12

We cannot bring the past back and we need to accept the present reality.
We BRFC have assembled a good championship side....yes.....!
I think we are okay for the championship and should be going up hopefully.
But I Know we'll need better players for the Premiership NEXT YEAR.
Dunn is finished as a player and Pederson is getting slower by day.
We will need good quality YOUNG players as football is a fast game and no place for pensioners.
Orr is not good enough for Premiership and a replacement needed.
We will need a quality central defender to replace Dann as he is not good enough....!!!!
We need another fast central midfielder alongside Etuhu as Murphy is old and not sure if he can perform at premiership next year.
We will also need another top quality striker alongside Rhodes for next year in premiership.
What do you think...? Do let me know your views..?? Thanks
YES.....We are going up for sure...thanks

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