Flowers backs former Rovers pal Berg (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Flowers backs former Rovers pal Berg

9:40am Friday 16th November 2012 in News By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter

HENNING Berg is one of several of Blackburn Rovers’ title-winning squad to go into management, and Tim Flow-ers believes the Norwegian has ‘the perfect mentality’ to succeed as a boss.

Flowers and Berg were both key members of the Rovers side that won the Premier League title in 1995, and 10 of that squad have since had roles as a manager in some form or other.

After a brief spell as caretaker boss of Northampton Town last year, Flowers returned to his role as the club’s goalkeeping coach and was back in familiar surroundings last week when the Cobblers trained at Rovers’ Brockhall training ground ahead of a win over Accrington Stanley.

The 45-year-old is pleased to see Berg appointed as Blackburn boss and believes all of the squad that won the league at Ewood will be hoping the Norwegian, who previously managed Lyn and Lillestrom in his homeland, enjoys success on his return to Rovers.

“Of course, 100 per cent,” Flowers said ahead of Rovers’ trip to Peterborough tomorrow.

“We were a really tight group, we had a fantastic team spirit.

“One or two of the boys have had a little go in management and it’s nice to see Henning come and get his chance back atthe club that he represented so well.

“I was really pleased for Henning, I think it’s a great job for him.

“He will be very well liked by the supporters and quite rightly so, he was a fantastic player for the football club.

“As a player he was very cool and very calm under pressure and someone you could rely on week in week out without a shadow of a doubt.

“He was always one of those seven or eight out of 10 players every week, very rarely did he have a poor game.

“He quietly got on with his job, he didn’t flap, he was a very pragmatic sort of character. Being a manager is an incredibly tough job to do and I would say he has got a perfect mentality and outlook to be very good. “I sincerely hope he does succeed.”

Flowers left Rovers after the club’s relegation in 1999, having lost his place to John Filan.

The club returned to the Premier League in 2001 and enjoyed 11 years back in the top flight, with Flowers confident Rovers can bounce back once more.

They currently sit seventh in the Championship table after 16 matches.

“It’s a super club, we came up before our game at Accrington and trained at Brockhall, so it brought back a few memories,” Flowers said.

“It has been difficult for Rovers, no-one likes getting relegated but things happen. They’ve been relegated before and come back.

“They’re in a nice tidy position in the league, they’re there or thereabouts coming towards the end of the year and if they can hang around there then I’m sure they’re in with a good shout.

“They’ve got a good squad of players, fantastic facilities, a great ground and great support, so everything is in place.

“I’m sure they’ll do really well.”