Leaving my spat with @colin1961 to one side for the time being...I think we have a massive problem with RD/KM behind the scenes. Look at the facts, CP couldn't work with them - gone, AD left at end of season, Nathan Jones and Ben Roberts moved on, Riga did very well but not retained or decided not to stay, in came Big Bob, out went Big Bob, in comes GL now he is struggling as well, common denominator RD/KM,....... coincidence?
Some people used to think our old backroom staff were being just bitter, how wrong they were!
If you release 14 players at the end of one season you need to bring in more than 8 by the start of the next one.
The merry go round of hog-tied managers is embarrassing as much for us as it is them.
I've never been on board with this whole experiment and it gives me absolutely no joy to keep being proven right. I wasn't enamoured with our start. We played 2 teams who had some good players but had just been jettisoned from the division above. Typical early season results and as it turned out we have been sussed out, again, very early on.
What I will say is anyone hoping for relegation has a very short memory. The division below us is not an easy one to get out of. The best we can hope for unfortunately, is that we stay up somehow and when we inevitably lose our decent squad members and Duchatelet buggers off there is some magician with a brain and a cheque book prepared to support us amd start again.
I don't know how many fall into the same boat as me, but I have stood in defence of RD/KM for a while because I wanted it to work and was grateful for them picking up the bill post Slater/TJ and the financial mess we were in at the time.
End of Dec/Jan will be two full years since they took charge, and over a full year since RD graced us with his presence at a home game. Unfortunately whilst RD is a very successful businessman, I fear that his leadership style adopted in his businesses and to (likely) delegate to trusted lieutenants, isn't one that will work with a football club. Yes we like a business make a profit or a loss, yes, you can apply sound principles such as operational excellence, lean, cost control etc to parts of the operation, but you cannot treat the fans, the history, the culture and the soul like an item to be audited for EBITDA. This is where RD and KM are missing the point.
RD has via KM spoken of this 'improving the match day experience'. The only thing that will improve mine, and I believe the majority of fans' match day experience is a good performance from the team. I don't care what new pies or outsourced catering arrangements are in place, I care that the training ground at youth set up is academy status ONLY if there is likely to be a team and a club competing in a decent league when it all comes to fruition.
We've had many false dawns that I have wanted to believe in. I put the mess of when they first arrived down to an awkward first date. They arrived with Thuram et al and we lost Powell, but I thought, well Powell's time was probably up anyway, it didn't look like he could keep the team up and I was willing and open to give Riga a chance. Riga's subsequent competence and success led me to believe, hang on, maybe these guys do know what they're doing. Then Riga goes and Peeters comes in. Again, what's going on? Everyone at this point would've taken Riga I think, yet we pluck an unknown from the depths of the Belgian 2nd division and we all wonder what the hell is going on (again).
Yet, Peeters is backed with some investment and we start the season very well. So well that again I am led to believe, hang on, it might work (again). Fast forward to Xmas and the very silly statements about re-investing in the team if we are there or thereabouts in Jan. We weren't, Peeters got fired and the inner workings of how bad we are being run begins to show again with the appointment of GL. The appointment was farcical and lies were an insult. Yet (again), and with the help of some decent results and good end to the season I believed it might be okay.
I was also willing to believe sufficient business had been done and our club was actually on an upward curve given the results and performances up until the end of August. Stupidly I think back to some of my post match comments after Hull referencing potential play off challengers.
I won't fall for it again because RD through KM said that when GL arrived we had got our man. The stability and success starts now (or words to that effect). I feel sorry for Luzon and wasn't one of the fans joining in with the 'sacked in the morning' chants last night. Yet after his bizarre decision to start 3 left backs last night and in the process destroy the morale of another young prospect, questions have to be asked. Questions also have to be asked of our signings this season. Yes we don't seem to have bought in a great number of players, but it appears to me, 2 of them in Bergdich and Ba aren't good enough.
Ba had I think mustered 20 odd games in 3 years of football, and he gets a 3/4 year deal? Others may differ in their opinion of these 2, but for me they are not good enough.
If GL does go, which based on last night wouldn't bother me (Jackson didn't even acknowledge him when he came on), my biggest fear is who they have lurking in the shadows. I won't fall for it again though. We might get a bounce from a new manager, we might get the odd loan and free transfer in Jan. However there are too many things that the current regime have not learnt or aren't interested in understanding about us, the history of the club and ultimately lack of skills they don't seem to have, that makes me think it's best they aren't part of us anymore.
Why do we have players out on loan? Guy Luzon crying over lack of a winger. What's wrong with Harriott tearing it up in L1? Poor management of the club as a whole at the moment. From the fitness/coaching team down to the tactics and the transfers, it's all amiss and quite frankly embarassing.
Bet you was one who was slagging Harriott off when he played have you stopped to think that the few good games he had might be because he is at the right level ....... Not good enough for championship
I've never once slagged him off... feel free to prove me wrong and I will swallow my words but don't falsely accuse someone of something without backing it up. Your opinion is that he's not good enough for Championship, but he's a whole host better than playing a inexperienced LB there or similar.
If you release 14 players at the end of one season you need to bring in more than 8 by the start of the next one.
Don't forget we're still over budget though so the new contract to JBG & Cousins ate up the other 6 footballers wages....The owner has a year on year plan to reduce the wage budget, next summer it will only be enough for 8 actual players
Comments
The merry go round of hog-tied managers is embarrassing as much for us as it is them.
I've never been on board with this whole experiment and it gives me absolutely no joy to keep being proven right. I wasn't enamoured with our start. We played 2 teams who had some good players but had just been jettisoned from the division above. Typical early season results and as it turned out we have been sussed out, again, very early on.
What I will say is anyone hoping for relegation has a very short memory. The division below us is not an easy one to get out of. The best we can hope for unfortunately, is that we stay up somehow and when we inevitably lose our decent squad members and Duchatelet buggers off there is some magician with a brain and a cheque book prepared to support us amd start again.
RD is a total fuckwit.