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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 9:12:32 GMT
Make no mistake -automatic promotion is a must for us.
BUT then, DO NOT FORGET a playoff place would illustrate continuous improvement in terms of our league position.
I can well imagine you'll still get some stupid knuckledraggers on here calling for Pulis''s head though, simply because they fail to recognise such obvious facts.
Me Id be gutted too but please please, dont fall into the obvious tirade if we miss out on an automatic spot
WE CAN DO THIS IF WE SUPPORT OUR TEAM PROPERLY
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Post by Butters on Mar 25, 2008 9:22:55 GMT
If we just miss out on the Auto spot, I think that we'll miss on promotion via the play-offs as our team would be pritty gutted they didn't come 1st or 2nd. Maybe that is why so many teams who came 3rd always fuck up in the play-offs. Pritty sure something about it was mentioned in last weeks Oatcake. Still would of been a cracking season  |
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Post by Stick It On Cort's Head on Mar 25, 2008 9:24:57 GMT
What did Derby do? They JUST missed out on the Auto spots and then strolled to the prem via the playoff spots! You can't judge whats going to happen  |
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Post by Butters on Mar 25, 2008 9:26:16 GMT
I'll shut it then  |
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Post by stokeycokey on Mar 25, 2008 9:37:16 GMT
So - if we do miss out on auto who would YOU blame then?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 9:42:39 GMT
Paul Daniels
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Post by Paddypotter on Mar 25, 2008 9:54:52 GMT
My main concerns for missing out on promotion would be the age of Mr Coates and if something should happen to him, either health wise like Gretna or just giving up investing, we maybe more sellable if we're a prem club, heavens knows no one has shown any interest in us in this league.
Considering a couple of years ago a certain Mr Pulis stated that if he had the resources of Stoke city he'd expect the playoffs, well two seasons on and with a lot more of those resources than anyone could have expected failure to get promotion has to be seen as total failure.
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Post by Stick It On Cort's Head on Mar 25, 2008 9:58:02 GMT
We are in between Birmingham and Manchester, we will ALWAYS be a sellable asset .
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Post by knowles on Mar 25, 2008 10:03:15 GMT
WE CAN DO THIS IF WE SUPPORT OUR TEAM PROPERLY Quite right, booing the team is not going to achieve anything. I still believe that we will do it. We have hit a really sticky patch yet remain top of the pile. We have had our luck in that respect. With the addition of a new striker, we can really push on and win a majority of our remaining six games |
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Post by OldStokie on Mar 25, 2008 10:09:02 GMT
Tony, I am not a 'stupid knuckledragger'. If we fail to win promotion from the weakest Championship in my memory then we will find it even more difficult in the future. We've had the luck of the Irish with other results, but now it's time for Pulis to stand up and do what he's paid to do, be successful. If he fails us now then why would you [and others] continue to back a failure?
OS.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 10:18:23 GMT
What Pulis has done for this club should not be ignored. He has spent the money available wisely, this is the best chance of promotion to the premiership we have ever had. He has brought in the likes of Fuller, Shawcross, Cort, Lawrence, Griffin, Creswell, Diao (albeit not in form at the moment), Whelan, Mama…he has moved this club forward leaps and bounds since returning.
It would be hugely disappointing if we blow it now but he’s the man to take us forward regardless.
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Post by OldStokie on Mar 25, 2008 10:21:19 GMT
Opinions eh, Tom.  M. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 10:22:26 GMT
Opinions indeed OS, it just so happens that on this one you are wrong. |
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Post by OldStokie on Mar 25, 2008 10:25:18 GMT
I'm more 'Vincent' than 'Jules' on this one. M. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 10:26:28 GMT
Touché!! You’re still wrong though…… ;D |
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Post by OldStokie on Mar 25, 2008 10:29:09 GMT
The certainty of youth, eh. I love it. ;D
M.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 10:30:40 GMT
Blind faith and eternal optimism, no cynicism here!!!
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devsad
Academy Starlet
Posts: 213
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Post by devsad on Mar 25, 2008 10:43:26 GMT
OS, don't think being top with 6 (7?) games to go can be classed as failure and it's pretty disingenuous to suggest it can whatever happens now.
I think a lot of people (I'm sure including you) predicted we would never get near the playoffs and now we're virtually guaranteed to be in them (at least) the tune has changed to that would be a failure
This thing about the league being the weakest ever gets trotted out every season. Never believe it but so what if it is? We are still playing our peers and our success can only be judged in how we do against them. Whatever the standard is we are part of it and so are other clubs that are bigger or have more resources that us.
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Post by sheikhmomo on Mar 25, 2008 10:43:44 GMT
from the weakest Championship in my memory ................. We've had the luck of the Irish with other results, OS. What scale have you used to quantify this OS or have you been reading the Sunday Mirror? As for the luck of the Irish, hasn’t every team in the top four been as wank and as lucky as each other? |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 11:06:25 GMT
OS, - finishing 6th (or better) after finishing 8th the previous season, does not a failure make (in my book anyways).
Only in a blame culture where, bias and vindictiveness reign, would such logic apply - mind you ! it is stoke on trent we are talking here where, people are very comfortable with being harshly critical, bitter, twisted and extremely venomous - especially towards a manager never recognised for what he has done under our particular circumstances - IMHO)
Plus, there is always an element of luck as well as error involved in any professional sport(as a learned gentleman such as your self OS, would readily realise).
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Post by sheikhmomo on Mar 25, 2008 11:51:17 GMT
I think his point is it's only us who have been lucky that everyones playing shit and not picking up points! ???
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Post by Davef on Mar 25, 2008 12:28:36 GMT
It's a valid point Tone, but if we finish 4th or 5th this season after an 8th place finish last season, would it be deemed an improvement if we finished 3rd next season and didn't go up?
Personally, I think this season is the do or die one for us. If we fail this season then we're sure to be installed as one of the favourites for promotion next season, and I'm not entirely sure that TP would be able to handle that.
I take nothing away from what he's done this season, but his overall record as a manager doesn't suggest to me that he'd be comfortable leading a team into a season in which it is EXPECTED to win promotion.
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Post by OldStokie on Mar 25, 2008 12:31:37 GMT
My point is that I say what i think. He's been here six years now and if he can't get us out of this piss-poor league, which is what this season has been up to yet, then he never will.
Your problem is that you're so far up his arse that the shit he keeps throwing at you has blinded you to reality.
Ey up, Lige is back. Has anyone got a shovel?
OS.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 12:33:42 GMT
I thought we’d had this conversation already OS and came to the conclusion that I was right? |
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Post by slangking on Mar 25, 2008 12:33:50 GMT
It is a piss-poor league every year when there isn't a southern side at the top geddit?
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Post by MrMagic on Mar 25, 2008 12:36:16 GMT
From a purely statistical perspective ukyestony you are correct. However, I'd take issue with a couple of your points.
Firstly we have promotion within our grasp. If we'd edged up the table and ended up fifth it is different to sitting top with single figure games to go and letting it slip.
Secondly, it depends on the reason we fall below second (if we do). If it is because we have failed to recognise that we only have one forward at the club who looks like scoring, then I'd say thats not bad luck myself. This isn't an anti-pulis thing, because he's clearly recognised this fact, but for some reason we've failed to do anything about it.
Your post has a sniff of getting the excuses in early about it.
Finally - some posters have trawled the line around once the players cross the line, the manager cannot be held responsible for their actions. Personally I think this is a little empty. But, if it is the case, is it fair then to point the finger of failure at the support?
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Post by OldStokie on Mar 25, 2008 12:37:14 GMT
I'm dealing with Victor and multi-name AGSF now D. No, it's a piss-poor league because it will probably be a record for the lowest number of points attained to reach the Prem. It has nowt to do with location, location, location. OS. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 12:42:35 GMT
Regardless of what happens this season we will have a much stronger squad next year. To say if we miss out this season we’ll never get a better chance is not accurate IMO.
The team we have is stronger, the players we have are not loanees like in the past. We have a great chance this year and I will be absolutely gutted if we miss out like all other Stokies.
It’s funny how at the start of the season play-offs were what we thought we could achieve at best. Many thought TP couldn’t even guide us that far but as the season has progressed, expectations have changed and now TP is a failure if he doesn’t deliver a top 2 spot.
That’s the biggest accolade you can give him IMO.
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Post by OldStokie on Mar 25, 2008 12:43:39 GMT
Probably the same reason so many of the older, good posters don't post any more....work it out. OS. |
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Post by MrMagic on Mar 25, 2008 12:47:51 GMT
To a point you are right whydelilah. Many people though said that they thought he'd always struggle because he is too nervous and conservative at heart. They were labelled "haters" for this, but based on the performances of the last couple of games, something has gone wrong. If we miss out, and anyone makes comment on this, they will undoubtedly be rounded on and accused of loving the fact that we have failed, but the fact remains that once we hit the top two spots our approach to games appears to have shifted.
We are not playing as effectively as we were 6 - 8 games ago. There could be many reasons for this, but if Tony truely is the manager that many think he is, he ought to be able to stop the rot.
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