Appleton tips Orr for big role at Blackburn Rovers (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Appleton tips Orr for big role at Blackburn Rovers
9:39am Friday 8th February 2013 in Football
By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter
MICHAEL Appleton is backing Bradley Orr to play a key role in Blackburn Rovers’ promotion push after hailing the full back as an “infectious character”.
Orr’s Rovers career looked doomed when he was allowed to leave on loan to tomorrow’s opponents Ipswich Town in November with global advisor Shebby Singh ready to extend the deal until the end of the season.
Appleton’s appointment as Rovers boss though saw the 30-year-old immediately recalled and Orr has been tipped by his boss to play an influential role at Ewood.
Orr returned to the line-up in Saturday’s comfortable 2-0 victory overBristol City and is expected to continue at right back against his former team-mates tomorrow.
Since being brought to the club by Steve Kean from QPR in January 2012, Orr has struggled to establish himself having received criticism from sections of supporters for an interview supporting Kean and subsequently falling out of favour with Singh. Now though, back at Ewood Park and offering competition to the currently injured Adam Henley, Appleton is relishing having him as part of his squad.
Appleton said of his performance against Bristol City: “It was a solid performance from Brad against one of the clubs he was at for a long time.
“I am delighted for him. He is one of those players who everybody loves at the football club. He is good company as well and it is good we have him back at the club.
“He is an infectious character. Although it may not have been a great start to his career at Blackburn, I don’t think he can blamed for any part in that.
“I think there are other people out there who can be blamed for a part in it. He has done nothing wrong as far as I am concerned and he will come in and do well for us until the end of the season.”
The Rovers boss has also again stressed the importance of being hard to beat after seeing his side record two successive clean sheets.
“I am delighted with two clean sheets,” said Appleton. “Jordan Rhodes will have got all the plaudits the other day but there were some very good performances in the back four.
“We have had to deal with a lot of long balls. Scott Dann and Grant Hanley were unsung heroes at times, Brad and Martin Olsson as well in dealing with a lot of diagonal balls.
“It was never going to be pretty. It is impossible to be pretty when you come up against a side that play like Bristol City did. I am not worried about that in the slightest little bit.
“Ipswich will be a different game, as Brighton was, and we treat every game as it comes. But it is like anything, if you play really, really well but lose no one cares.”
Meanwhile Rovers will today hope to add the loan signing of DJ Campbell from QPR but West Brom are reluctant to allow Jerome Thomas to leave The Hawthorns.
Comments are closed on this article.

Comments (69)
9:45am Fri 8 Feb 13
Angry From Accrington says...
9:46am Fri 8 Feb 13
dangerous dave says...
ship material - this is the first load of rubbish to come from Mr Appletons mouth and I hope its the last!!!
Orr just is not good enough and I hope this is not the first sign of cheap second raters to be playing for the club!!
OUT WITH SHAW AGNEW SINGH HENDRY VENKYS COAR
9:47am Fri 8 Feb 13
lancs1985 says...
GET HIM OUT THE CLUB HE IS USELESS
GO N GET 2 MIDFIELDERS AND GET LOWE BACK TO RB N LET HIM AND HENLEY BATTLE IT OUT
9:49am Fri 8 Feb 13
RoverTheHill says...
When Rovers is in decline,
There's an App for that
Bring on the dingles!
9:55am Fri 8 Feb 13
rovers india says...
9:58am Fri 8 Feb 13
Harwoodstblue says...
10:03am Fri 8 Feb 13
dangerous dave says...
OUT WITH THE LOT OF THEM
10:10am Fri 8 Feb 13
Venk Off says...
For the first time since Big Sam left I am looking up the table not looking down it
Lets give Orr a chance - if he can show that he fits into Appletons team it can only be good for us
10:11am Fri 8 Feb 13
chez rover says...
COYB!!!!!
10:12am Fri 8 Feb 13
Harwoodstblue says...
10:13am Fri 8 Feb 13
crammed as a wasp says...
10:16am Fri 8 Feb 13
1952 rover says...
10:17am Fri 8 Feb 13
1952 rover says...
10:18am Fri 8 Feb 13
1952 rover says...
10:20am Fri 8 Feb 13
1952 rover says...
10:22am Fri 8 Feb 13
1952 rover says...
10:26am Fri 8 Feb 13
angryandy says...
COYB the future's a lot brighter than it was 3 or 4 games ago...
10:41am Fri 8 Feb 13
angryandy says...
10:42am Fri 8 Feb 13
A Darener says...
10:54am Fri 8 Feb 13
ChrisDeBerg says...
Just stop being so negative all the time... And get yourself down to a rovers game so you can actually comment on rovers players and their performances!
DANGEROUS DAVE OUT
RTID
10:58am Fri 8 Feb 13
A Rover 45 years and over says...
11:02am Fri 8 Feb 13
Wez_SHEBBYOUT says...
11:04am Fri 8 Feb 13
moh says...
11:06am Fri 8 Feb 13
matt00 says...
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=7PO4f3ppO
z8
I'd find it hard to forgive a great player but as Orr is only average at his very best and I have no problem disliking him. That said once he pulls on the shirt he should get full support and if he fails its up the the manager to put final nail in his coffin.
sure henley when fit will keep orr on the bench so fingers crossed he is only a temporary measure
11:09am Fri 8 Feb 13
A Darener says...
11:12am Fri 8 Feb 13
dangerous dave says...
11:13am Fri 8 Feb 13
Tatts says...
11:18am Fri 8 Feb 13
To.guy says...
11:22am Fri 8 Feb 13
Lancs - pensioner says...
MA has done well so far even without the Venkys full backing.
11:25am Fri 8 Feb 13
RTID says...
11:26am Fri 8 Feb 13
French Rover says...
PS - Let's plough through the tractor boys this weekend!
11:41am Fri 8 Feb 13
lusorover says...
It just goes to prove what we all suspected.
They know nowt!
It could just be that the 'moaners' are running short of things to moan about now that there is actually some good news coming out of Ewood.
Surely, they can't all be Dingles - can they?
1:23pm Fri 8 Feb 13
madrover says...
1:28pm Fri 8 Feb 13
Wild Rover says...
Whatever they are Rovers fans they ain't
3 more points tomorrow will choke em though...
Onwards
1:46pm Fri 8 Feb 13
ChrisDeBerg says...
Problem is dave, you site there ranting all your cr@p day in day out about something that you seemingly know very little about and it makes you sound a right t1t... Seriously, I'm saying this for your own good!
RTID
2:01pm Fri 8 Feb 13
srvp28 says...
Anybody saying that he's a poor player at this level needs to get themselves down to Specsavers. Either that or just stop judging players on last season's performances. Orr has been a solid player in the Championship all season, for us and Ipswich. If you don't agree perhaps you should check both teams stats and compare results when Orr has and hasn't been in the team.
I know everybody is entitled to their opinion but it seems to be the same people slating Orr who are still slating Dann, despite both playing well this season. It's glaringly obvious that people are still judging both based on last season's performances.
2:07pm Fri 8 Feb 13
Bolton Rover says...
Orr played ok in the last game, not outstanding but ok given its his first game back.
2:33pm Fri 8 Feb 13
MxMave says...
2:34pm Fri 8 Feb 13
noddy57 says...
3:04pm Fri 8 Feb 13
Hovis1945 says...
3:37pm Fri 8 Feb 13
fishcake 75 says...
3:53pm Fri 8 Feb 13
Is Eckersley playing? says...
4:05pm Fri 8 Feb 13
Whydidtheybanme? says...
4:10pm Fri 8 Feb 13
srvp28 says...
No defender, not even the likes of Vidic or Piqué, can go a couple of games without getting caught out by the opposition, that's part of the game. If every defender was perfect at their job then every game would finish 0-0.
The problem with some fans is they only seem to be happy when they've got something or someone to moan about.
4:50pm Fri 8 Feb 13
greenscreener says...
I watched him on TV earlier this season, playing for Ipswich in this league and he was directly at fault for at least 3 of the goals they conceded.
On what I've seen on the pitch I rate Hanley and Lowe as quicker and more effective defenders.
4:52pm Fri 8 Feb 13
greenscreener says...
5:10pm Fri 8 Feb 13
BRFC75 says...
Leave DAVE ALONE you nincompoop.
5:39pm Fri 8 Feb 13
trueblueaccy says...
5:51pm Fri 8 Feb 13
ChrisDeBerg says...
RTID
6:17pm Fri 8 Feb 13
intothevalley says...
6:32pm Fri 8 Feb 13
MattNewcastle says...
Bradley Orr is not the answer...
1 - He was and is limited in his ability.
2 - Not once did he or does he offer good service from the flank.
3 - His lack of pace means its easy for opposition to defend and attack our right flank.
4 - He does not have the pace to get beyond the right winger to get to the bye line in order to then pull the ball back for Rhodes / supporting box to box midfield players etc.
At least Kane Lowe and Olsson are all capable of doing this thus posing far more of a threat.
6:36pm Fri 8 Feb 13
MattNewcastle says...
West Brom and Portsmouth the limits of his ambition?
Yes I know you will quote Campbell.
Just shows the limit of his knowledge to limit his search for improvements to two clubs.
6:39pm Fri 8 Feb 13
MattNewcastle says...
The facts are that he is an average player at best compared to what we have had even back as far as Hird Bailey etc
No Pace
Offers what any AVERAGE right back would, is that good enough for us with our supposed ambitions.
6:51pm Fri 8 Feb 13
srvp28 says...
6:58pm Fri 8 Feb 13
srvp28 says...
In case it escaped your notice, we are an average side these days. I'd rather have Orr in the side than Henley, he may be quick but, like Martin Olsson on the other flank, he's not a great full-back and would be better utilised on the wing.
7:06pm Fri 8 Feb 13
MattNewcastle says...
Pick out the best photo fit full backs and what do they all have in common.
Anderson / Baines / Cole / Pearce / Le Saux / Hird / Bailey /
7:12pm Fri 8 Feb 13
MattNewcastle says...
I guess this is what this forum is for to express differing views.
As for being an average side I hope that is not the case and we move up the table to a play off place and then who knows what may await us.
7:13pm Fri 8 Feb 13
MattNewcastle says...
7:14pm Fri 8 Feb 13
bburnrover says...
8:11pm Fri 8 Feb 13
greenscreener says...
So we have different opinions on this, no big deal, personally I'd be happy if he improved and had some good games for us, just not my idea of a good defender.
8:25pm Fri 8 Feb 13
dallydally says...
8:44pm Fri 8 Feb 13
Neilb13 says...
8:46pm Fri 8 Feb 13
Angry From Accrington says...
10:06pm Fri 8 Feb 13
srvp28 says...
10:08pm Fri 8 Feb 13
CheltRover says...
10:23pm Fri 8 Feb 13
srvp28 says...
9:23am Sat 9 Feb 13
dangerous dave says...
No other investment what so ever other then freebies/loans
OUT WITH THE LOT OF THEM
12:32pm Sat 9 Feb 13
CheltRover says...
Maybe he'll learn this time around
2:16pm Sat 9 Feb 13
srvp28 says...