Thetownend.com

A Quick Poll!

I'll judge him when he has had a full season with his own players and a pre-season to prepare.

KNEEJERK !!!!!!!!!

Yep, me too. It is clear he wants his players to play a certain way, different to Wise. He has had to deal with the players that he inherited and I reckon if we don't go up, we'll have a much better chance next season when he gets rid of the players not willing to give 100% and gets the players he wants in.

Exactly Fred.

You've got to think who else would we get in as well. People called for an experienced manager who had done the lower leagues before, now we've got him people don't like him.

His miles better than any manger (save Wise and King) we've had in a long while. Let's give it time.

100% behind him - without a doubt

I dont know what to think to be honest.

Not convinced is the best way to put it.

I thought he would be the man for the job, good track record, been there done that and got the t-shirt plus he was taking over a very good squad who were capable of winning this division at a canter.

However, since Sturrock has come in the performances have got worse, the squad has got significantly weaker. I dont know who had the final say in January but we let alot of players go and replaced them with nothing.

His signings havent been inspiring, and unlike Wise' signing they havent got any consistency about them thus far. I'd much rather have a consistent Monkhouse then a good month/bad month Zaaboub.

Also, maybe not down to Sturrock at all....but there is now much more talk of off the field actions then when Wise was here. I dont mean board room stuff I mean players personal lives and their drinking habbits. Again, no proof in this at all but all that stuff seemed to go away under Wise (or maybe no one cared because we were winning every week?)

Tactics, fuck me I think Sturrock is shocking at them. If plan A doesnt work he has no plan B, so he just swaps everyone around and sometimes its bloody difficult to work out who is playing where and what their role is. Peacock is not a midfield at all, I reckon he could do a job in defence (last 15 minutes Franchise away!) but he isnt a midfielder in the slighest, yet Sturrock insists on dropping him back there when we need to push forward and score to win games? I dont get it. Where as if it wasnt working under Wise rather than change formation he'd change personel. Bring on Onibuje as he's something different, he works the channels bit taller etc. Everyone knew their role under Wise....and back to Sturrock left wingers on the right and right wingers on the left is fucking stupid.

Start of the season, I thought we had the best manager, squad and starting 11 in the league. I thought we win the league.....up untill January I still believed it. Only a few weeks ago we could have gone top with our game in hand, now its worthless....winning it wont do a damn thing we've fallen that far behind.

Sturrock took over the best squad in the league and made it worse. Anyone and their dog should have been able to take over from Wise and get this side promoted, I dont think Sturrock will.

Part of me is begining to wish Ince had stayed around a few weeks longer....who knows eh!

So yeah.....not sure on Sturrock, not convinced. If he fails to get us promoted I will have serious reservations as to whether he is the man for the job.

Anyone thought that Sturrock was told to get rid of players before getting any in? i.e. for budgeting reasons. I can't blame him for his decisions. It may have been high risk, but we have to look long term.

If Stuurock fails to take us up then he has failed.  He hasnt lived up to our expectations.  He deserves to be able to change the team into what he wants however I am also concerned at the whole club at the moment.

Didnt go yesterday and I tell you what, I had a great day.  Im not enjoying going to games at present.  One of the lads summed it up at barnet, great day out bar teh 90 minutes of football

Another season in this league is what we are looking at.  The football under sturrock has been total rubbish

That could be the case....and I have certainly had that thought.

However, in that situation I would have made sure I had a replacement lined up before shipping the players out.

Infact I bet Sturrock like all STFC manager, was told to cut the wage budget by x amount.

No new players in, just get some more out.

I'm unconvinced. I have been since day one.

The signs we were coming off the rails were happening before he got here (for me anyway).

Loss at Peterborough followed by our spell of four 1-1 draws. It didn't look good. We did pick up after that, but imo, I was starting to worry then. The only reason we stayed up so high is because other teams were fucking up, which is still the case.

would be interesting to see if wise would have got us promoted with the same restraints sturrock has. mind you the little shit is doing a great job at leeds. i would say failure to win promotion this season if it hapens would fall equaly at the feet at the board and sturrock. the decision to let a player go to our rivals who then scores the winner against us and then they go on and win the league falls at sturrocks feet. a bad decision does he have the balls to admit it.

Sturrock picks the team.
Sturrock picks the tactics.

He has no one to blame but himself for the shambles of a demoralised, confused and alienated set of players.

I voted Yes, 100%.

You've got to give these things time. I don't believe we would be doing any better under Wise.

Whoever voted that he should be sacked are just cunts.

similar to mcmahon by the sounds of it.

best man for the job.

So the reward you lads will get for promotion is a huge reduction in your bonus scheme..ie a paycut...not the most creative bit of motivation I've seen!

A period of diplomatic silence and concentration on a loan or two and team morale and tactics seems in order.

We have got a nice referees room though!

Spot on.

Agreed... :wink:

still with him 100%
wise had the players fitter than any other side in this league at the start of the season.this i feel is why we came out of the blocks flying.heavier pitches,other teams players getting their games going,injuries,suspensions, lack of form ect have all taken their toll with our side.
i really hope we go up this year,i think we will just have enough.but whatever happens i expect the deadwood to get the boot in the summer.

So far

Crap tactics, crap decisions in the transfer market, crap choice in coming out and appearing to verbally support the incumbent board.

In his defence, injuries, presumably shoestring budget, boardroom and financial uncertainties may be putting off potential signings.

The guy does actually appear to give a toss which is good, but then so did Andy King. Sturrock really needs to pull something out of the bag in the next couple of weeks or I fear we may struggle to even retain a playoff position we have been that shit recently.

On his record, and going by what he says I still think he's a decent manager and i'm sure given a full close season to build his own squad we'll see a better team in the long term. Just hope the club is still here to field that team.

But King would be able to bring in a James Milner, a Lee Holmes or a Hamuer Bouazza on loan. Maybe Jamie Slabber and Eddie Howe if your lucky.

Sturrock doesnt seem to have many contacts, and has trouble getting people in I think.

wise is a top manager a great tactition great motivator good judge of players just ask leeds fans. :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

im losing patience with Sturrock but i wont be calling for his head. i still rate him as a manager and i think we are lucky to have him here but he seems to be losing the plot a bit. but to call for his head would just be silly really. we are still forth and we have the off the field matters which are more important. i want Sturrock here next season under Bill Power and Co. i dont think he'll be here much longer under the current regime if im honest

You can tell everyone's getting worried cos nobody's calling him Luggy anymore.

Ooooo lovely cuddly Luggy and his manager's updates, how can we fail?!

Nobody could have kept Leeds up this season, they were doomed from day one.

I think that the club needs a period of managerial stability, I've got my doubts about Sturrock, but my fears about having another person coming in and changing everything around would be worse.

Our best seasons so far this millennium have come from the only period of consistent management, and that was with King (although I do think everyone's a bit harsh on the bloke.)

I know that Sturrock will want to change things about this summer anyway, but at least he's had 2/3rds of a season judging the players we've got and that's got to be better than a random newcomer.

The current crisis with the club isn't with the footballing management.

I agree with the comment from someone earlier about Sturrock making a serious mistake by aligning himself with the board. He does have the credentials to be successful for us but he needs to focus on the job in hand and quit with the amateurish mistakes on and off the field before it is too late.

It's so fucking obvious that he had his head turned by the 'feel the love for Luggy' bollocks thrown at him by our shit scared board who were desperate for him to side with them, so much so that he was even giving it large on the radio before the snow-cancelled forum about how he would have to step in to the politics and implying that he would crack some heads together. I don't blame him for adopting that line as he'd been 'got at' by the board and stupidly allowed his judgement to be swayed.

I'll forgive him for that. He's human, they pay his wages, shit happens. I hope he doesn't make the same mistake again.

Not signing players while letting others go was a big fucking error though. I am surprised that he let so many players go or froze them out without signing better replacements.  He definately fucked up by saying that the players win bonus scheme would be reduced next season - how the fuck was saying that in public EVER going to do anything other than demotivate the players, Paul?

Delta message to Sturrock:

1: Do the job you are paid to do Paul. Presumably the club pay tradesmen to do things like putting paint on the walls at the ground. I dont want you wasting your valuable time with shit like that. Go out and find some capable loan players that can do a job for us (your mate Andy King might be able to help out in that department). Iffy Onoura didn't have many obvious football contacts to tap up for players. Please don't give the impression that you are in that oh so sad postion as well.

2: Ignore off-field politics. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen with or without your involvement in the propoganda war. I want you to be our manager whoever runs the club. You have the support of the majority of town fans at the moment. Sure, there are questions being asked for obvious reasons but 3 points on saturday and a convincing and passionate performance will restore a lot of faith in you and the players.

I think most town fans are just looking for some leadership in all this, Paul. Please start leading us.

Not surprisingly to most of you I dont back Sturrock at all.

Not just because I think he has weakened the side but mainly because he has OVER backed the current board.

I mean not disagreeing with them is one thing .. but getting overly involved with board room politics has shown where his true loyalties lie.

To me backing the current board is going AGAINST the majority of fans IMO - therefore rightly or wrongly I feel unable to back Paul Sturrock.

How has he over backed his employers?

by constantly backing them on the radio over EVERY issue - not always just when he is asked a direct question either - it is clear to me he is VERY Pro board and not just to keep his employers happy

sturrocks hardly going to slate his employers is he?

With his experience and credentials, why would he be ass kissing his employers?? I think we have been bloody lucky to get a manager of his calibre and he is certainly one of the best managers in our division. Peterborough had something like 120 managers applying for that job (ok, according to barry fry) and who did they come up with?? Yep, Darren Fuckin Ferguson who is 34/35 with fuck all experience-Barry Fry would have snapped Sturrock up if he was available for sure and there are teams in League 1 who he certainly could do a job for.

Yes, I agree his substitutions/changes in formation are sometimes a bit random, but he hopefully can learn from his mistakes. I didn't go saturday, but he wasn't scared of owning up to the fuck ups that he made which, from memory, Mr King was totally against doing.

Have you heard some of wiseys interviews lately?? blaming the officials, saying how the point they should have earnt in the week against Brum will cost em champ football next year. And what is happening to their squad? No, I dont care about leeds either, but those who are wishing we still had wise, TAKE AWAY YOUR EMOTIONS AND LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE! e.g. he made that Nicholls bloke from luton club captain, and he's had enough and what with 'the mole' story the other week, that gives me some idea of what morale is like there.

Sturrock was the best man for the job at the time and still is imho, so get off his back and get behind the team and the management, as without doing that, we aint going anywhere.

When Sturrock's contract is up and end of next season, lets see what numptys we get wanting to manage our club and then start saying that we should have offered an extension to sturrocks contract earlier.

I think I probably agree with all of that :nod:

Me too.  

However not managing promotion this season will be a failure - no doubt about that

He needs to assemble his own team and have a pre season with them before any sort of defining judgement is made. His track record demands that he is given some time.

http://www.voidspace.org.uk/gallery/silly/big_cup_of_STFU.jpg

Why not? Slating your employers is a great British tradition! Anyway managers are always moaning about their boards cos they aren't able to strengthen their squads or such and such a player has been sold and they haven't been given the funds to replace them. Didn't Mark Wright have a moan after we played Chester  because their 2 top scorers had been sold? Sturrock's in a position where he can have a right old whinge if he wants, it's not as if the board would get away with sacking him. If I was him I'd be photoshopping various board members heads into some porn and emailing it around faster than you can say play-off disappointment.

Dont get me wrong....i'm all for the consortium....but this is why there will always be fans and suchlike who would wholeheartedly disagree with having fans run the club..... Kneejerk reactions galore.

We have to stick with Sturrock a) cause its in his contract that he is here until at least the end of next term and b) because he is a great manager and any manager, no matter how good he is would struggle to get our lot to perform week in week out.

I hope and pray we go up this year however possible, but in fairness if we stayed down I don't think I would be sweating my pants off that we were stuck down here as I think with a summer to himself in the transfer market, Sturrock would create a VERY good team to walk this league.

He needs more time and we should be getting behind the team AND the manager if we want any hope of going up this term. IMO

I agree with the majority of your post Sharky

BUT

What is he going to restructure a squad with...................shirt buttons ?

Spacey for Manager 8)  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Sorry....I didnt put that in my post as I get bored of talking about it sometimes....but I fully expect you consortium lot to have taken control by that point or i'd have lost all hope for anything from this club in the future.....

Can anyone in 'the know' give us a brief update as to what the consortium are currently doing with their time and a rough timescale on the next phase of takeover talks?

Sure

Just popping out for a meeting so if pauld doesnt jump on this in the meantime i'll do my best later mate

I still support the appointment of sturrock, I do believe he will carry us to success in the future when he can build his own team, with his own players.

I do however believe that he is messing things up at present. As others have mentioned - players bonuses and the like, morale really can't be all that high. A number of off form players (roberts, shakes) and troubles with Brown will be leaving these players low on confidence. Fans booeing and have a go at these players just makes it worse. Footballs a confidence game - these players confidence is shattered.

I also strongly disagree with his tactical decisions. Wise often relied (perhaps too heavily) on the individual player - sometimes worked, sometimes didn't. But sturrock seems to opt to take off players that give the team a bit of structure and bring on strikers, moves players all over the place and relies too heavily on the (often ridiculously altered) system

Bonuses should have nothing to do with it. I mentioned on another thread that the players are going to get paid the bonuses in their contracts (assuming they achieve something) this season regardless of weather the board like it or not.

Any renegotiation will take place for next season, and 3/4 of our current squad dont even have a contract for that period as things stand.

I've taken up alligator wrestling while Fred is showing great promise with his new tapestry .... which is to say as and when we've got something concrete to say, we'll say it. Sorry, I know that's not wildly helpful, but it's the best we can do at the moment.

sturrocks never been convincing imo
since luggy took charge all our league games that weve won, except macclefield and walsall, weve only won by 1 goal.and alot of those reults were lucky eg:
1-0 torquay penalty win
2-1 vs  wrexham roberts penalty
hardly convincing results against shit teams
oh yh there was 1-0 ( a penalty)vs morecombe in the cup aswell
add a few draws and 5 or 6 defeats in there and youve got sturrocks record so far.not convincing best describes it

No different to Wise though.

Sturrock wants things done his way and wants his players to play a certain way, and he's been let down a lot of the time. He's a decent manager, but we don't have that great a set of players and we play in a shite league so we can't really expect great performances week in/week out. TBH I don't think we played any better under Wise at all.

If the wheels continue to fall off there will be no bonuses to pay ... what a great idea!!

Would you put it past them?

I said this in an earlier thread Santini old chum

Conspiracy theories abound

perish the thought

I dont buy the conspirasy theory. Footballers being footballers will want the cash.

This conspiracy theory is crap.

so we don,t back the board we don,t back the manager the stadium is out of date the players are all lazy shits the penalty areas are all boggy it costs too much to go to the games.swindon town top of the league--- stress league that is. :soapy tit wank:

You see whilst I do find you amusing and I do not in any way wish to sound disrespectful as I think yourself and Fred Elliott do seem to be doing a lot.....It would be nice, concrete or not for the fans to have some form of update as to what is going on at present.

As I understand it, there is nothing in place as yet to stop you from telling us what is going on as the board haven't entered into due dilligence with you yet.....but at the same time, for me and some of the other fans, it would appear that things are stagnating and that perhaps more could be done?

Maybe I am wrong and there are further stadium plans being drawn up or strategies and suchlike being planned for future use whilst the current board get their affairs in order, but to an outsider looking in, it appears that nothing is happening after such a promising start.

I mean, don't take this the wrong way, but how hard is it for lawyers to make the intention to buy the club know formally and for the deal to then be discussed with the club?......what other than the accounts having yet to be published is standing in the way of progress?
Are all the consortiums affairs in order? Are you ready for when the board say "ok lets talk"..............what if they value the club much higher than you believe it is worth and will not accept a bid any lower than that valuation? will the consortium be held to ransom or simply give up on the bid?

I know there are a lot of questions and I do not expect answers straight away as I am sure you have plenty yo be doing yourself......but from someone who wants to wholehearted support the consortium (me) I am finding it hard to see the stumbling blocks other than the accounts as to why there has been no progress or update for so long now.

Like our season, I am starting to wonder whether all the hype will end in shattered dreams and what if's???

Please correct me and instil me with the confidence I once had for the consortium.....I need something to believe in as do all the fans and I don't want it to be a fading dream.

Sorry if my reply was somewhat light-hearted. However, to repeat, at this moment in time, we are not in a position to provide any update on the status of talks between the Fans' Consortium's lawyers and the Clarke Willmott, the lawyers representing the Wills family/the club.

I can understand why you are a little frustrated by the lack of news and updates but your just going to have to be patient like the rest of us and I am sure we will be put in the picture sooner rather than later.

I believe it would be inappropriate for anyone to make a statement until they know that all avenues have been approached and unsuccesful.  Remember the stick the consortium got for being too vocal earlier in the year, well now they are respecting/observing a spell of silence.

There is no need for further stadium plans the ones that have been drawn up were excellent and have been widely acclaimed by local councillers, the actual council and local residents so there would be no need to develop these further as once finance is in place they can start building.

I have no doubt that the Trust are not sitting back doing nothing there is constantly stuff going on behind the scenes which we will be updated on in due course.  

As far as how hard it is for lawyers to be able to do an offer etc, I would say very hard when the seller is putting obstacles in the way by no co-operating with the consortium on a number of fronts including not showing them the books, which in itself worries us all because you question why do they not want to show the accounts?

After seeing Phil Emmel at the last trust meeting he said they were in it for the long haul and determined to see the takeover through so for me that was good enough for me and exactly what I wanted to hear.  He also stated that they want to turn this into a fans club and takes us to the championship so my optimism for the consortium is still very high.

It is no fading dream let me assure you, we can all make it happen.  Make sure you wear Orange on Saturday and show the board who your backing.  Keep the faith 'we will get our power back'.   8)

No problem Paul I appreciate that there must be issue's outside of your control that prevent you from answering my questions.

I look forward to further details as and when they are available and remain nervously on the edge of my seat for now.

Oh Fuck off of course I "still back Sturrock" what a fucking question is that?
Do you still support Swindon Town FC?

For fucks sake if anyone has seriously convinced themselves that Paul Sturrock is the problem at this fucking Football Club they need shooting.

Fucking ridiculous question.

Oh and that conspiricy theory is bullshit too. The players get paid their bonus depending on league position every week/month so they've been getting bonuses all season so if we were to finish eighth the club wouldn't suddenly get back all the bonuses they'd already paid thus saving a shit load of moolash.