I can't take it anymore...

[I 8 Razor]

i feel at least reeves or woan as manager would play wingers on the wings and thats a start.  There would also be more desire, reeves loves this club and king seems like he couldnt give toss at the moment, playing players all over the place and getting loans of players we dont even need. kings a clown.

[normy]

My main moans about King are his team selection policies, and apparently his arrogance, which I have not experienced personally.

However, arrogance is not unknown among managers, and team selection is a matter of opinion, not fact. The forum postings tell us that all our players, except perhaps Heaton and Fallon this season, have both critics and supporters who feel that their choice would make the difference, perhaps. Therefore, why should we expect our particular choice to coincide with King's?
For example, I prefer 4-4-2 at all times, home and away, and I would  play  for several games unchanged as follows:

Heaton, Gurney, Collins, O'Hanlon when fit or Ifil, Smith, Shakes, Pook, Migs, Nicolau, Fallon, Roberts.

But there are several more good choices in my view whichI I could accept:

eg  Heaton, Jenkins, Comyn Platt, O'Hanlon, Nicho, Heath, Whalley, Pook/Migs, Roberts, Fallon, Thorpe.

And so on. Some of us comment that we have a good set of players, others say most of them are cr*p, but don't agree on which ones.

Why am I saying all this? Perhaps because I  have cooled down after watching the awful first half today, trying to keep a sense of perspective. Perhaps our expectations are too high. Remember the enjoyment of Forest and Yeovil, it is practically a new team and still bedding down.

We are stuck with King, we would do better to try to influence him to improve his obviously bad decisions, like Pook on the wing today ( that's only my view again!), and refrain from King Out. And I criticise him as much as most.
However, the time to sack managers is close season, not after a few games. Most of us approved of most of his transfer  dealings I believe, I did not call for his sacking then, and I know his record here, so having bought a season ticket, what is the point of a manager change even if it is possible? Very fickle.  I think that sackings in mid-season is bad for the game. I thought that King would do well to keep us up, and I haven't given up that hope.

While I agree with sonic youth's sentiments, I can take it, because I've got to........                



 :old:

[STFCere]

gray doesnt run the club though, she is just dimandis' spokes person  :x


nonsense! shes the club's chief executive !!!!

[sonicyouth]

A very sensible and well-reasoned post normy, then again I'd expect no less from you.

There's no good time to sack a manager, but the best time is around Easter - if you're safe by then you'll know it and it gives a new manager chance to judge the current squad of players in competitive football to suss out the weaknesses and strengths, then how to address those weaknesses accordingly.

However, when you're looking down the barrel of a loaded gun you don't have the luxury of waiting and picking the best time to do something. Admittedly, King should perhaps be given a little while longer to get it right but he's had five years.

[Kinky Tom]

I reckon we need to get in someone who's never been a manager before, otherwise we'll be left to choose from the same sort of dross we already have.  Experienced managers at our level who are unemployed are generally crap, and would make the same mistakes as King, an untried rookie would have a completely new approach.

Just a point about Northampton too, they are calling for CC's head apparently according to my mates.  He's spent loads there and has done bugger all - I know none have you have mentioned him, but I bet some are thinking of him.

Just a point about the pitch too, when we got into the play-offs we were voted to have the second best pitch in the division.

Basically though all my above thoughts have sod all to do with it, King must go, but he won't. :evil:

[DV]

Normy, I understand what your saying about formation. There is no correct choice, just because I think of a formation doesnt mean its right.

However when the forum does indeed pick their formations before the match, we dont have players needlessly playing out of position.

I've picked Heath at left wing once or twice, because after Nicolau who has been injured we have no left winger. However, none of have been stupid enough to suggest dropping a right in winger in Shakes and then playing Pook who is a central midfielder on the right.

I dont think its right to play players out of position, some times you dont have a choice but today was clearly a example of King playing players out of position, for no real reason what so ever.

[sonicyouth]

nonsense! shes the club's chief executive !!!!

The club doesn't have a chief exec anymore, the role is split between Sandy Gray, Linda Birrell, Andy King, Bob Holt and possibly James Wills.

[DV]

How long before your Chief Exec as well Sonic :roll:

[Crozzer]

Being detained at her majesty's pleasure means I don't get to see the games, there appear to be major problems (apologies on stating the obvious):

  The manager has stated that he sees the game as players having to win battles against their oponents, hence Pook is put on the right wing.  In the book of Clough (his autobiography), you play your own game, you don't worry about the opposition much.  Without a settled team, and without a settled system, you are at a disadvantage (didn't we win the League cup with a settled team, and settled system).  The book of Clough also states you put a spine in your team (goalie, center half, central midfield, and center forward, you don't change it unless you have to, our spine is short of Seano, and Pook was out on the freakin' right wing).  If you check out the Rothmans (Sky) handbook, you will notice, the more successful sides play basically the same side week in week out, barring injuries of course.

  The players are not doing the basics, marking, passing, shooting.  This could arise from not being settled, not being comfortable (too stressed before and during the game), lack of confidence, lack of fitness, or combinations thereof.  The book of Clough states that players must be relaxed and have no worries before games.  In short, the Swindon players are not properly prepared to play.  Conceding early goals, at home, should not happen.  The first fithteen minutes should be played conservatively, especially against decent opposition, just to suss 'em out.  At half time, haveing figured out weaknesses, instruct how to exploit them.

  The manager alienates fans.  The fans are the customers.  The manager should be the one with a good rapport with the fans, the players less so.  The players job is to play to the best of their ability, and not pontificate.  "It's my way or the highway," is not the basis for a successful customer relationship.


  The manager singles out players for criticism.  I cannot remember Cloughie ever doing that.  This is an absolute no-no.  How are players going to be comfortable, and relaxed, for the next game if they are slagged off immediately after the finish of the previous game (see above).  Surely, players know themselves if they have made mistakes, they are not children.  Not only does it make the players uncomfortable, it makes the fans uncomfortable.

  Shot shy, and over elaborating, smacks of lack of confidence, or a bollocking for a miss.  The team are too afraid to make mistakes, so they make them.  The team has to take collective responsibility, and support eachother.  Lou Macari was very clear on that, the team won, lost or drew, entirely as a team.  No surprise given his Celtic and Manchester Utd. pedigree.


Overall, we are back in the death spiral again, the fans are getting apathetic, angry, the players aren't playing well, and the manager is chopping and changing the team too much.  This is not helped by having Seano out.  If the team amange to win again confidence will rise, the players may take charge.  Does Tony Thorpe, or Jamie Cureton, or Gareth Whalley need a coaching course, heck no, they've all recently (not in the Seventies) played hundreds of games, most at a higher level and know the game inside out.

Conclusion, it is time for a change.  Given that Thorpe has apparently protested the most, and probably cares the most, include him in the interviews for manager/player manager.  Quite frankly, I am tired of hearing the same old story, especially as totally different sets of players have ended up playing in the same way, with the same discussion from the fans, season after season.  Reeves, and Iffy, sound articulate and intelligent, Woany's under a cloud, unfortunately.  It is time for a cahnge, there is no need to go outside, because the one's inside have the most at stake to turn it around.

[Reg Smeeton]

nonsense! shes the club's chief executive !!!!

The club doesn't have a chief exec anymore, the role is split between Sandy Gray, Linda Birrell, Andy King, Bob Holt and possibly James Wills.

 Originally it was to be split between King, Mike Sullivan and Sandy Gray.

 Then Gray started to seem to be the sole occupant of the role....hence why she appeared in the team photo.....even though an announcement had never been made to my knowledge.

 Getting back Devlin....would be a good move.

[DV]

So, in conclusion to Crozzers acurate rant...

Lets all chip in and buy Andy King that Clough book for xmas, if he is still here!!

[Crozzer]

Normy, I understand what your saying about formation. There is no correct choice, just because I think of a formation doesnt mean its right.

However when the forum does indeed pick their formations before the match, we dont have players needlessly playing out of position.

I've picked Heath at left wing once or twice, because after Nicolau who has been injured we have no left winger. However, none of have been stupid enough to suggest dropping a right in winger in Shakes and then playing Pook who is a central midfielder on the right.

I dont think its right to play players out of position, some times you dont have a choice but today was clearly a example of King playing players out of position, for no real reason what so ever.

I don't know for sure, but based on previous comments from King, he thinks that the game is about winning the personal battles against their opponents.  Possibly, he wanted to snuff out the threat of a particular Southend player, with a ball winning Swindon midfielder.  Unfortunately, this approach upsets your own team playmost of the time.

[normy]

Normy, I understand what your saying about formation. There is no correct choice, just because I think of a formation doesnt mean its right.

However when the forum does indeed pick their formations before the match, we dont have players needlessly playing out of position.

I've picked Heath at left wing once or twice, because after Nicolau who has been injured we have no left winger. However, none of have been stupid enough to suggest dropping a right in winger in Shakes and then playing Pook who is a central midfielder on the right.

I dont think its right to play players out of position, some times you dont have a choice but today was clearly a example of King playing players out of position, for no real reason what so ever.

Dead right DV85, and illogical decisions like this frustrates the hell out of me, and those I sit with in Nationwide.

[Kinky Tom]

Why don't we all buy one (is it hard-back?) and chuck them at his feet? :twisted:  

[sonicyouth]

Being detained at her majesty's pleasure means I don't get to see the games

 :shock:

You're allowed to use the net though? Or am I being daft?

Good points about Clough though.

Originally it was to be split between King, Mike Sullivan and Sandy Gray.

Then Gray started to seem to be the sole occupant of the role....hence why she appeared in the team photo.....even though an announcement had never been made to my knowledge.

Getting back Devlin....would be a good move.

Apologies, I got mixed up. That's pretty much all of the people who work at the club mind.

I was under the impression that Bob Holt was bought in as acting chief executive but stepped down due to the fact he has his own business (or another of Diamandis') to run on the I.O.W. Instead of giving the role to one person, the responsibility was split between a number of people to cut cost and presumably blame.

As a result, Gray's ended up being the media spokesperson due to the fact Bob Holt is never around, King makes a fool of himself often enough and Sullivan is only commercial manager.