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Post by Malcolm Clarke on Jan 2, 2018 12:35:05 GMT
I'm not trying to be diplomatic, cobham ( lord knows I've been undiplomatic enough times about people who run football clubs) but I'm wary about expressing very firm opinions when ( to misquote Donald Rumsfeld) I know that I don't know a lot of the key information, and I trust the motivation and acumen of the person who does. I think that Wimmer looks over-priced (which I would imagine is down to the recruitment team), although I don't think he's anything like as poor a player as some claim, but I think recent injuries have shown that it was right to get an additional central defender in. And we did get an experienced midfielder in - whether you think Fletcher was the right choice is another question. I was puzzled by your comment about going with youth being the wrong decision. I would say we haven't gone with youth, despite a lot of fans calling for more of the young lads to be given game time. The obvious exception recently is Edwards, who it looks to me may be here to stay as first choice right back, which is a success and a good managerial decision, isn't it ? The thing for me Malcolm is that the whole board (because like you I don't know the details) have just watched this happen. The end of last season for the first time just hung up a big illuminated sign for me. Okay I understand why they may have given him one more go. But did no one ask basic questions, such as why are we playing three at the back with no recognised wing backs? maybe that is not the place or role for Mr Banks or Mr Smith? But apart from the Man United game the whole thing just felt not right. Now we find ourselves in a environment where loyalty has produced a situation where it would appear we have little alternatives, which is not a good place to be. Half that team have stopped playing for whatever reason. I do think the accountability goes much higher and wider than the manager and some of those players need a hard look at themselves, along with those who are the guardians of the club. The bottom line is they now have to do something Neither Gordon Banks nor Denis Smith ( I assume that's who you were referring to) are on the Board, Suffolk, so in fairness to them, we should make that clear. Arguably, a bit of advice from Denis right now on how to defend wouldn't go amiss ! I am sure the Board will be as worried as the rest of us, and I will be very surprised if they don't, as you say, do something, either change the manager and the coaching team or authorise significant player recruitment early in the window. The problem of course is that both of those things are much more difficult to do effectively in January rather than the summer.
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Post by crapslinger on Jan 2, 2018 12:39:38 GMT
The thing for me Malcolm is that the whole board (because like you I don't know the details) have just watched this happen. The end of last season for the first time just hung up a big illuminated sign for me. Okay I understand why they may have given him one more go. But did no one ask basic questions, such as why are we playing three at the back with no recognised wing backs? maybe that is not the place or role for Mr Banks or Mr Smith? But apart from the Man United game the whole thing just felt not right. Now we find ourselves in a environment where loyalty has produced a situation where it would appear we have little alternatives, which is not a good place to be. Half that team have stopped playing for whatever reason. I do think the accountability goes much higher and wider than the manager and some of those players need a hard look at themselves, along with those who are the guardians of the club. The bottom line is they now have to do something Neither Gordon Banks nor Denis Smith ( I assume that's who you were referring to) are on the Board, Suffolk, so in fairness to them, we should make that clear. Arguably, a bit of advice from Denis right now on how to defend wouldn't go amiss ! I am sure the Board will be as worried as the rest of us, and I will be very surprised if they don't, as you say, do something, either change the manager and the coaching team or authorise significant player recruitment early in the window. The problem of course is that both of those things are much more difficult to do effectively in January rather than the summer. Massive mistake keeping Hughes and his team here this season, the writing was on the wall 18 months ago I feel the board have waited far to long to address these recurring problems, statements from Coates recently have been unbelievably naïve at best.
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Post by sufolkstokie on Jan 2, 2018 12:40:22 GMT
The thing for me Malcolm is that the whole board (because like you I don't know the details) have just watched this happen. The end of last season for the first time just hung up a big illuminated sign for me. Okay I understand why they may have given him one more go. But did no one ask basic questions, such as why are we playing three at the back with no recognised wing backs? maybe that is not the place or role for Mr Banks or Mr Smith? But apart from the Man United game the whole thing just felt not right. Now we find ourselves in a environment where loyalty has produced a situation where it would appear we have little alternatives, which is not a good place to be. Half that team have stopped playing for whatever reason. I do think the accountability goes much higher and wider than the manager and some of those players need a hard look at themselves, along with those who are the guardians of the club. The bottom line is they now have to do something Neither Gordon Banks nor Denis Smith ( I assume that's who you were referring to) are on the Board, Suffolk, so in fairness to them, we should make that clear. Arguably, a bit of advice from Denis right now on how to defend wouldn't go amiss ! I am sure the Board will be as worried as the rest of us, and I will be very surprised if they don't, as you say, do something, either change the manager and the coaching team or authorise significant player recruitment early in the window. The problem of course is that both of those things are much more difficult to do effectively in January rather than the summer. I know they are not but one would hope that Mr Coates would take advice of footballing people, especially those who have the club in their dna. However my issue is that this probably could have been averted and to just to blame the manager (if that is what they do), is not getting to the nub of the problem. There should be a root and branch review of why we find ourselves in this precarious situation. To that end I do hope Mr Coates asks for the input of the likes of Banks, Smith and Pejic (for at least he says what is on his mind regardless if one agrees with his views or not).
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Post by riproaring on Jan 2, 2018 13:03:12 GMT
Apparently tv Crewe with live broadcasts unit at the ground now setting up
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Post by Rednwhitenblue on Jan 2, 2018 13:03:44 GMT
There was a very pertinent comment on the BBC HYS comments section beneath their coverage of Hughes predicament from a Man City fan.
It said that Hughes doesn't understand why his teams eventually fail and that is because he doesn't get the importance of having a good defence. It was the same at Man City apparently. You could argue that we have always been ridiculously open since changing from Pulis's cage midfield to Hughes's style of play but in our first three seasons under Hughes that was somewhat masked by our increased ability going forward with the likes of Bojan, Arnie and latterly Shaq providing much more of an attacking threat. And that's why we managed three 9th place finishes. We don't have that threat up top any more so the openness of our defence is more obvious.
I also think it was a mistake to offload Walters. Yes, ok, he was getting on a bit and has not featured heavily for Burnley as a result of injuries which could easily have happened while he was with us. But, what Walters gives you is a harrying presence up front which sets the tone for the rest of the team. At the moment we are ridiculously easy to bring the ball forward against. It's all very well trying to play nice football all the time but if you don't have the personnel to compete you're going to fail. And you could argue that we're not even trying to play football these last few games have been smash it to Crouch!
Tony Mowbray is exactly the same. They both have a set way of playing which eventually gets found out.
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Post by jarvinski on Jan 2, 2018 13:06:05 GMT
Whats 6.5 million compared to 110 million
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Post by armitagestokie on Jan 2, 2018 13:10:18 GMT
One reason is we don't have an assistant who is any f***ing use to be interim boss, before we appoint a successor
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Post by gibby1409 on Jan 2, 2018 13:44:35 GMT
MH was a breath of fresh air when he came to the club. I was fed up with TP talking down our chances, and defending a one nil defeat rather than trying to win/retrieve the game. I was never anti TP, but it was the right time to move him on, and equally, I have always liked MH, but I think now his time is probably up. For me, he's a honourable proud man, who is trying everything to get us out of this mess, but it's not working.
PC is a ruthless businessman, and if supporters are thinking he's being indecisive, then imo, they are badly mistaken. What he's not being, is knee-jerk, chopping and changing the manager does not work, history tells you this, but when the time for change comes up, then someone like PC will act, which is what I believe he'll do over the coming days.
We've been on an upward curve since 2002, and it's only natural for a club of Stokes size for the odd dip and plateau. We would never maintain a top ten position for years and years, and it's to MH's credit, that we did it three years on the bounce, and if you remember, many Stoke fans were concerned he'd leave for a bigger club at that point!
I trust PC with our club's future, and I believe he'll make the right decision when he's got the right alternative. This may prove to be our biggest issue, because who are the alternatives? There are very few mangers who are both available and viable, so we might need to approach a manager already in work. But are SCFC going to be attractive enough? I'm not sure they are, because we would struggle to ever finish higher than 7th, and if the big clubs take the cups seriously, even winning one of them would be a challenge, so maybe someone like Dyche or Rogers, or similar might not see us in the greatest light?
Some of the nonsense written on here about Hughes is just that nonsense, he wants the same things that we do, and is trying to rectify this. It's fine margins, and the first goal yesterday was always going to be vital. Anyway, as I said, I think MH's time is up, and we do need someone to freshen things up. This will cause another dilemma for me, because if all of a sudden the players find another gear and results pick up (Which we all want) it will be both great and infuriating in equal measure to me! They are professionals, and should put there heart and soul into playing for our club whilst they are here, Shaq take notice of this one!
Being in a relegation scrap shouldn't be a surprise, because our club is of a size then this is going to crop up periodically, so we need to deal with it, and unite behind whoever is steering the ship. If we do this then I think we are a force, if we don't, then we will struggle. On this final point, Newcastle's record is much the same as ours this season, but I'm sure we all heard how they supported the team and the manager yesterday? I have family in the north east, and they came with me to the game yesterday, and they couldn't understand the fans booing the players (I usually sit in the Boothen, but we all sat in the new corner yesterday......Never again for me!) I'll moan and groan, it's part of being a footie supporter, but ffs, some of the "fans" around me yesterday were almost willing us to lose!
Anyway, sorry for the long post, and lets hope the next couple of days things get sorted out, and we have a clear plan of who and how the club is being steered over the coming months.
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