In the future, it will become a typical Charlton theme. The youngster asks his patents 'can you remember what you wete doing when Karl Robinson left us?'. The reply being 'yes lad, I was stuck on Charlton Life along with 1800 other sad sacks, all waiting for Oxford Utd to announce their new manager'. 'Yes dad, thats why we put you in the nursing home aged 53. You just lost it'.
That’s what you get for calling Roly a Bastard Karl!! You couldn’t write it!! I do think a takeover is imminent still though. Roly doesn’t want to sack him (money) would rather the Aussies do so instead ..
Robinson is in denial of the part he has played in his own downfall. He relied too heavily on certain key players rather than tactics, strategy, rehearsal of set pieces, counter-attacking, and general teamwork (the things a coach does) He had a good eye for a decent player except for Reeves who never delivered for him. He failed to build a team however and having Mavididi Holmes etc papered over the cracks of an incoherent, one dimensional, vulnerable side with no leadership. It’s a sad end to what looked like a promising season and he leaves having learnt little, delivered less. and been less than honest with himself and even less with the fans especially when this team is crying out for leadership on and off the pitch. Sad.
Never understood when someone resigns only for it to be rejected why they don't just walk. What's the difference?
Only conclusion in such instances is that either the individual is gunning for something else (pay rise, longer contract, new chair) or it's no more than a public gesture with the aim of winning someone over (workforce, customers etc).
If he wants out, then go. If he wants to stay then stop throwing up endless smokescreens and excuses and knuckle down to trying to salvage the season.
He'd be in breach of contract if he walked out. Has to work out his notice period.
for me the only one who could turn this round at least short term is Alan Curbishley in some role
but being realistic bert that's not going to happen. It has to be Euell, Jackson, Bowyer and the players pulling together.
Or, ahem, someone with close family links to Jimmy Seed, who will reintroduce the much lamented 'W' formation, and stick with it through thick and thin.
I'm not sure what 'offered to resign' means. He either resigned or he didn't - and if he resigned then Roland can't refuse to accept it. Resignation is a unilateral act.
'I offer my resignation' is something you say when you're not thinking clearly (from previous experience of other people). He may have offered to resign if he's given some compensation, but why would RD accept that.
If RD truly cared about his interim role overseeing management whilst we are in the process of being sold, he’d be more on top of this
I suspect he’s simply a mouth piece if Roland asks him to do something
Whilst I feel for KR on the basis I think he put a shift in over the summer and wants it to work, I think he’s probably talked himself into a situation whereby he’s losing credibility. I look at his whole approach versus someone like Chris Hughton for example, and think that the mantra less is more would be ample here. He loves to talk, but I think he talks so much he says things that contradict on a regular basis. It’s not this, it was the car park as well
If he's at Northampton tonight, that doesn't suggest anything is about to happen imminently
I dunno.
Nip home back to MK tonight from Northampton. Cup of cocoa, bit of home comfort from the missus and sleep like a log.
Coffee, toast and marmalade for breakfast - and not too far to be at Oxford ready for tomorrow's press conference. It's all been worked out, doncha know?
I think the Oxford away game was telling - we played some terrific football, scored a goal then let them back in it! In the end we could have lost it. I got a sense they were really impressed with us listening to fans as we walked back to the car. But despite that, we nearly lost it. When a team is on top you have to try to make changes, and sometimes they work - except when you make changes against us and I think they always work.
A home example that was equally telling was the Bradford game. I thought for the first 25 minutes we were so superior to them it was embaressing. They looked at least 2 divisions below us. Then they changed tack and almost beat us! These are two examples that sum up many more games. This is not the sort of thing that is normal,except this season it is normal for us! For me a big factor is that we are a team of missers as I call it. Nobody scores a reasonable amount of goals for their position, and mostly not even a million miles away from reasonable. Holmes was the only player who could claim to and we sold him at a time when a play off place looked a decent bet!
Never understood when someone resigns only for it to be rejected why they don't just walk. What's the difference?
Only conclusion in such instances is that either the individual is gunning for something else (pay rise, longer contract, new chair) or it's no more than a public gesture with the aim of winning someone over (workforce, customers etc).
If he wants out, then go. If he wants to stay then stop throwing up endless smokescreens and excuses and knuckle down to trying to salvage the season.
He'd be in breach of contract if he walked out. Has to work out his notice period.
for me the only one who could turn this round at least short term is Alan Curbishley in some role
but being realistic bert that's not going to happen. It has to be Euell, Jackson, Bowyer and the players pulling together.
Or, ahem, someone with close family links to Jimmy Seed, who will reintroduce the much lamented 'W' formation, and stick with it through thick and thin.
I'm not sure what 'offered to resign' means. He either resigned or he didn't - and if he resigned then Roland can't refuse to accept it. Resignation is a unilateral act.
'I offer my resignation' is something you say when you're not thinking clearly (from previous experience of other people). He may have offered to resign if he's given some compensation, but why would RD accept that.
If RD truly cared about his interim role overseeing management whilst we are in the process of being sold, he’d be more on top of this
I suspect he’s simply a mouth piece if Roland asks him to do something
Whilst I feel for KR on the basis I think he put a shift in over the summer and wants it to work, I think he’s probably talked himself into a situation whereby he’s losing credibility. I look at his whole approach versus someone like Chris Hughton for example, and think that the mantra less is more would be ample here. He loves to talk, but I think he talks so much he says things that contradict on a regular basis. It’s not this, it was the car park as well
I think the Oxford away game was telling - we played some terrific football, scored a goal then let them back in it! In the end we could have lost it. I got a sense they were really impressed with us listening to fans as we walked back to the car. But despite that, we nearly lost it. When a team is on top you have to try to make changes, and sometimes they work - except when you make changes against us and I think they always work.
A home example that was equally telling was the Bradford game. I thought for the first 25 minutes we were so superior to them it was embaressing. They looked at least 2 divisions below us. Then they changed tack and almost beat us! These are two examples that sum up many more games. This is not the sort of thing that is normal,except this season it is normal for us! For me a big factor is that we are a team of missers as I call it. Nobody scores a reasonable amount of goals for their position, and mostly not even a million miles away from reasonable. Holmes was the only player who could claim to and we sold him at a time when a play off place looked a decent bet!
The match I always bang on about, and the match that to me sums up our season, was this 4-3 win up at Oldham. Apart from the result of course. That doesn't sum up our season.
For thirty minutes were were sublime. Magennis was missing and JJ was left back. KAG was up front, Clarke was pulling the strings. The group I was sitting with/near were all saying it was the best we'd played for years, and we were running rings around them. Then Oldham switched it up and brought Fane on (when they were 2-0 down) and he went round kicking any of our players who got too near him, and had he not got sent off the tactic would have worked. We just about clung on to the 4-3 win and we looked disjointed and lightweight. The game highlighted Karl's lack of a plan B and the vulnerability we clearly display when the opposition resorts to the rough stuff. Also our lack of an alternative striker, as KAG was fairly anonymous. I've always wondered if other league one managers would have noted this match and used the info to work out their tactics when playing us. Although we played well in a few other games, we never again looked like we did in that first 30 mins.
I think the Oxford away game was telling - we played some terrific football, scored a goal then let them back in it! In the end we could have lost it. I got a sense they were really impressed with us listening to fans as we walked back to the car. But despite that, we nearly lost it. When a team is on top you have to try to make changes, and sometimes they work - except when you make changes against us and I think they always work.
A home example that was equally telling was the Bradford game. I thought for the first 25 minutes we were so superior to them it was embaressing. They looked at least 2 divisions below us. Then they changed tack and almost beat us! These are two examples that sum up many more games. This is not the sort of thing that is normal,except this season it is normal for us! For me a big factor is that we are a team of missers as I call it. Nobody scores a reasonable amount of goals for their position, and mostly not even a million miles away from reasonable. Holmes was the only player who could claim to and we sold him at a time when a play off place looked a decent bet!
The match I always bang on about, and the match that to me sums up our season, was this 4-3 win up at Oldham. Apart from the result of course. That doesn't sum up our season.
For thirty minutes were were sublime. Magennis was missing and JJ was left back. KAG was up front, Clarke was pulling the strings. The group I was sitting with/near were all saying it was the best we'd played for years, and we were running rings around them. Then Oldham switched it up and brought Fane on (when they were 2-0 down) and he went round kicking any of our players who got too near him, and had he not got sent off the tactic would have worked. We just about clung on to the 4-3 win and we looked disjointed and lightweight. The game highlighted Karl's lack of a plan B and the vulnerability we clearly display when the opposition resorts to the rough stuff. Also our lack of an alternative striker, as KAG was fairly anonymous. I've always wondered if other league one managers would have noted this match and used the info to work out their tactics when playing us. Although we played well in a few other games, we never again looked like we did in that first 30 mins.
I've said it before, but KR is a League One level manager, and it's things like thinking through options in the squad that's let him down.
But. It's clear to me that he didn't expect to end up with one senior striker in his squad - we were linked with 3 at the end of the window and Igor's return was also mooted. He was clearly promised investment if we were challenging in January, and that didn't happen either. Thrown in a few injuries and the same old depth-lacking squad is exposed.
So I think blaming him for where we are is a bit misplaced, as it was with every other manager since Powell was unceremoniously dumped. I'm far from KR's biggest fan, but whilst the football has been frustrating to say the least recently, he's not the issue here.
And everyone knowing he's on death row regardless of what happens re takeover has hardly helped either.
I really feel that if he was a bit more fortunate with injuries and we had a goalscorer we would be talking differently. It's all such a shame. I really like Karl. He's had a very tough job, think our angry and frustrated we all feel with Roland and this protracted takeover. Now consider that's your day job. Pretty tough. We've played some lovely stuff at times and he very nearly turned the club around despite Roland. Perhaps it's over for robbo. Perhaps not. I personally hope he gets to manage Charlton under an interested owner who backs him. If so I think the results could be really good.
I think the Oxford away game was telling - we played some terrific football, scored a goal then let them back in it! In the end we could have lost it. I got a sense they were really impressed with us listening to fans as we walked back to the car. But despite that, we nearly lost it. When a team is on top you have to try to make changes, and sometimes they work - except when you make changes against us and I think they always work.
A home example that was equally telling was the Bradford game. I thought for the first 25 minutes we were so superior to them it was embaressing. They looked at least 2 divisions below us. Then they changed tack and almost beat us! These are two examples that sum up many more games. This is not the sort of thing that is normal,except this season it is normal for us! For me a big factor is that we are a team of missers as I call it. Nobody scores a reasonable amount of goals for their position, and mostly not even a million miles away from reasonable. Holmes was the only player who could claim to and we sold him at a time when a play off place looked a decent bet!
The match I always bang on about, and the match that to me sums up our season, was this 4-3 win up at Oldham. Apart from the result of course. That doesn't sum up our season.
For thirty minutes were were sublime. Magennis was missing and JJ was left back. KAG was up front, Clarke was pulling the strings. The group I was sitting with/near were all saying it was the best we'd played for years, and we were running rings around them. Then Oldham switched it up and brought Fane on (when they were 2-0 down) and he went round kicking any of our players who got too near him, and had he not got sent off the tactic would have worked. We just about clung on to the 4-3 win and we looked disjointed and lightweight. The game highlighted Karl's lack of a plan B and the vulnerability we clearly display when the opposition resorts to the rough stuff. Also our lack of an alternative striker, as KAG was fairly anonymous. I've always wondered if other league one managers would have noted this match and used the info to work out their tactics when playing us. Although we played well in a few other games, we never again looked like we did in that first 30 mins.
Agree entirely, except KAG started that game very brightly, should have scored in fact, but picked up a knock and faded after that as we had less and less of the ball in the attacking third.
Why would Roland not let him resign. If you resign you don't get paid off do you?
Either;
a) Roland thinks he can hold on a few days and get paid off by Oxford b) Robinson's resignation was conditional on getting paid out by Roland c) Roland doesn't like to be told when it's over - he wants to be in control of events
I think the Oxford away game was telling - we played some terrific football, scored a goal then let them back in it! In the end we could have lost it. I got a sense they were really impressed with us listening to fans as we walked back to the car. But despite that, we nearly lost it. When a team is on top you have to try to make changes, and sometimes they work - except when you make changes against us and I think they always work.
A home example that was equally telling was the Bradford game. I thought for the first 25 minutes we were so superior to them it was embaressing. They looked at least 2 divisions below us. Then they changed tack and almost beat us! These are two examples that sum up many more games. This is not the sort of thing that is normal,except this season it is normal for us! For me a big factor is that we are a team of missers as I call it. Nobody scores a reasonable amount of goals for their position, and mostly not even a million miles away from reasonable. Holmes was the only player who could claim to and we sold him at a time when a play off place looked a decent bet!
The match I always bang on about, and the match that to me sums up our season, was this 4-3 win up at Oldham. Apart from the result of course. That doesn't sum up our season.
For thirty minutes were were sublime. Magennis was missing and JJ was left back. KAG was up front, Clarke was pulling the strings. The group I was sitting with/near were all saying it was the best we'd played for years, and we were running rings around them. Then Oldham switched it up and brought Fane on (when they were 2-0 down) and he went round kicking any of our players who got too near him, and had he not got sent off the tactic would have worked. We just about clung on to the 4-3 win and we looked disjointed and lightweight. The game highlighted Karl's lack of a plan B and the vulnerability we clearly display when the opposition resorts to the rough stuff. Also our lack of an alternative striker, as KAG was fairly anonymous. I've always wondered if other league one managers would have noted this match and used the info to work out their tactics when playing us. Although we played well in a few other games, we never again looked like we did in that first 30 mins.
Yes, my issue with Karl is that he only seems to be able to set up the team in one way, he's recruited a squad of players to play "nice" football and when the opposition find a way to nullify this, often with a more physical style, or with fast counter attacks, we struggle. It's notable that some of our better performances (e.g. Walsall home, MKD away) were against "soft" teams, ones who play a similar way to us.
I really feel that if he was a bit more fortunate with injuries and we had a goalscorer we would be talking differently. It's all such a shame. I really like Karl. He's had a very tough job, think our angry and frustrated we all feel with Roland and this protracted takeover. Now consider that's your day job. Pretty tough. We've played some lovely stuff at times and he very nearly turned the club around despite Roland. Perhaps it's over for robbo. Perhaps not. I personally hope he gets to manage Charlton under an interested owner who backs him. If so I think the results could be really good.
I've always said He's been unlucky almost from day one. And he was clearly lied to by RD, and indirectly, through KM. Yes he said supportive things about them, but they probably spun him a good line. I never really got the 'should have known better' line. What he should have known was the golden rule, don't say anything that might loss off the fans. He lost a lot of support from the day he made those statements.
in all this, I can't see why Oxford want the mouthy git. He eventually failed at The Franchise. With the quality of the players at his disposal, you have to say he's failed here. That's hardly the job description of someone you'd headhunt, is it?
in all this, I can't see why Oxford what the mouthy git. He eventually failed at The Franchise. With the quality of the players at his disposal, you have to say he's failed here. That's hardly the job description of someone you'd headhunt, is it?
Or someone you'd describe as having a "wow factor". But he's still here and Oxford's amazing Tuesday announcement still hasn't been made, which suggests that he is probably the man they're after.
I really feel that if he was a bit more fortunate with injuries and we had a goalscorer we would be talking differently. It's all such a shame. I really like Karl. He's had a very tough job, think our angry and frustrated we all feel with Roland and this protracted takeover. Now consider that's your day job. Pretty tough. We've played some lovely stuff at times and he very nearly turned the club around despite Roland. Perhaps it's over for robbo. Perhaps not. I personally hope he gets to manage Charlton under an interested owner who backs him. If so I think the results could be really good.
I agree with a lot of this other than him staying on. He needs to go now because his limitations are being horribly exposed at a time when improvisation and new ideas are needed to cope with the injury list and lower confidence levels. I do feel sorry for him though and certainly don’t see his offer to resign as a sign of him turning his back or being disloyal-he’s about to get the sack anyway so he may as well go. The circumstances of it all are a tad fishy though but I’ll let that go as it’s best for all parties if Roland does just let him leave.
After all of this, I definitely won’t be there on Saturday as I won’t enjoy all the stick he is going to get if he is on the touch line.
If fact, other than Plymouth fans and Seb, why the hell would anyone want to attend on Saturday? It’s going to be horrible.
I know he is probably not going to be in the job by the time we play them, but are people completely disregarding the fact we play Northampton away on Good Friday and he was there to watch them for us to prepare, just in case he is still here?
Feel like going into hibernation for about two months, waking up and finding a whole new world!! New owners giving a new manager squillions of pounds with guarantees of winning the premier league in 2021.
I'm still not sure about this 'our squad is better than your squad' thing. Are we sure it's not just a mixture of us knowing our own players more than we know those of other teams, and of us believing that as we're a bigger club, we must have better players? Hadn't seen that much League One football before 2016, but most other team's players looked of a similar level to ours imho, and in some cases better, particularly their strikers. I know playing one up front hasn't helped though. Solly has been a weak link in that he's lost the speed required to put in tackles, so he backs off, and backs off until his winger has crossed or taken a shot. Hate to say it, but he's living off past glories. Fleetwood's number two looked excellent in contrast, last Saturday. At our best, when playing the lesser teams, we look quite good, and our technical players can change a game, but up against the better teams, we look less impressive.
I'm still not sure about this 'our squad is better than your squad' thing. Are we sure it's not just a mixture of us knowing our own players more than we know those of other teams, and of us believing that as we're a bigger club, we must have better players? Hadn't seen that much League One football before 2016, but most other team's players looked of a similar level to ours imho, and in some cases better, particularly their strikers. I know playing one up front hasn't helped though. Solly has been a weak link in that he's lost the speed required to put in tackles, so he backs off, and backs off until his winger has crossed or taken a shot. Hate to say it, but he's living off past glories. Fleetwood's number two looked excellent in contrast, last Saturday.
Wages are a proxy for quality of players - an imperfect one, but not useless. Charlton will be paying about three times as much as half to two thirds of the teams in this division.
I think the Oxford away game was telling - we played some terrific football, scored a goal then let them back in it! In the end we could have lost it. I got a sense they were really impressed with us listening to fans as we walked back to the car. But despite that, we nearly lost it. When a team is on top you have to try to make changes, and sometimes they work - except when you make changes against us and I think they always work.
A home example that was equally telling was the Bradford game. I thought for the first 25 minutes we were so superior to them it was embaressing. They looked at least 2 divisions below us. Then they changed tack and almost beat us! These are two examples that sum up many more games. This is not the sort of thing that is normal,except this season it is normal for us! For me a big factor is that we are a team of missers as I call it. Nobody scores a reasonable amount of goals for their position, and mostly not even a million miles away from reasonable. Holmes was the only player who could claim to and we sold him at a time when a play off place looked a decent bet!
The match I always bang on about, and the match that to me sums up our season, was this 4-3 win up at Oldham. Apart from the result of course. That doesn't sum up our season.
For thirty minutes were were sublime. Magennis was missing and JJ was left back. KAG was up front, Clarke was pulling the strings. The group I was sitting with/near were all saying it was the best we'd played for years, and we were running rings around them. Then Oldham switched it up and brought Fane on (when they were 2-0 down) and he went round kicking any of our players who got too near him, and had he not got sent off the tactic would have worked. We just about clung on to the 4-3 win and we looked disjointed and lightweight. The game highlighted Karl's lack of a plan B and the vulnerability we clearly display when the opposition resorts to the rough stuff. Also our lack of an alternative striker, as KAG was fairly anonymous. I've always wondered if other league one managers would have noted this match and used the info to work out their tactics when playing us. Although we played well in a few other games, we never again looked like we did in that first 30 mins.
It summed up Karl Robinson as a manger he was a disgrace to our club that afternoon his attitude and behavior towards the oldham fans was disgusting
I think the Oxford away game was telling - we played some terrific football, scored a goal then let them back in it! In the end we could have lost it. I got a sense they were really impressed with us listening to fans as we walked back to the car. But despite that, we nearly lost it. When a team is on top you have to try to make changes, and sometimes they work - except when you make changes against us and I think they always work.
A home example that was equally telling was the Bradford game. I thought for the first 25 minutes we were so superior to them it was embaressing. They looked at least 2 divisions below us. Then they changed tack and almost beat us! These are two examples that sum up many more games. This is not the sort of thing that is normal,except this season it is normal for us! For me a big factor is that we are a team of missers as I call it. Nobody scores a reasonable amount of goals for their position, and mostly not even a million miles away from reasonable. Holmes was the only player who could claim to and we sold him at a time when a play off place looked a decent bet!
The match I always bang on about, and the match that to me sums up our season, was this 4-3 win up at Oldham. Apart from the result of course. That doesn't sum up our season.
For thirty minutes were were sublime. Magennis was missing and JJ was left back. KAG was up front, Clarke was pulling the strings. The group I was sitting with/near were all saying it was the best we'd played for years, and we were running rings around them. Then Oldham switched it up and brought Fane on (when they were 2-0 down) and he went round kicking any of our players who got too near him, and had he not got sent off the tactic would have worked. We just about clung on to the 4-3 win and we looked disjointed and lightweight. The game highlighted Karl's lack of a plan B and the vulnerability we clearly display when the opposition resorts to the rough stuff. Also our lack of an alternative striker, as KAG was fairly anonymous. I've always wondered if other league one managers would have noted this match and used the info to work out their tactics when playing us. Although we played well in a few other games, we never again looked like we did in that first 30 mins.
It summed up Karl Robinson as a manger he was a disgrace to our club that afternoon his attitude and behavior towards the oldham fans was disgusting
Moving on ... I do hope this Aussie syndicate isn't going to stuff our side full with Aussie hopefuls, as was rumoured from right from the off. Mention of Harry Kewell already has me feeling slightly queasy.
This. This is a big concern for me. Just as RD treating us like a feeder club for Leige/young Belgian talent was bad, so would be the approach of hiring Aussie first. Especially if it means giving people like Kewell and/or, say, Mark Schwartzer their second/first job in management solely because they're Australian. It didn't work with Fraeye, we can argue to what extent it worked with Riga and Peters, but if nothing else Australia is not a nation who has shown it can produce top coaches and players.
We have covered this on here previously - would be very hard for them to get work visas for young Aussie players.
The exception would be Aussie players with UK passports and - for now at least - Aussies with EU passports.
Kewell has UK citizenship so he is fine - and Schwarzer has German citizenship so he would be OK as well - but any young kid coming through without UK/EU passport would have next to no chance of getting a visa.
This is all very well understood in football circles here in Oz, players with EU backgrounds have a much better chance of progressing in the professional game as they can play in Europe with no issues at all.
I actually know a kid here in Brisbane who is an outstanding talent but has already been advised that his professional career options are going to be limited if he only has an Aussie passport as it will be much harder to get him into Europe.
An Aussie mate of mine here played professionally with Dunfermline as a keeper but had to leave the UK in the end as the Home Office wouldn't renew his visa as he was not a full international.
I really feel that if he was a bit more fortunate with injuries and we had a goalscorer we would be talking differently. It's all such a shame. I really like Karl. He's had a very tough job, think our angry and frustrated we all feel with Roland and this protracted takeover. Now consider that's your day job. Pretty tough. We've played some lovely stuff at times and he very nearly turned the club around despite Roland. Perhaps it's over for robbo. Perhaps not. I personally hope he gets to manage Charlton under an interested owner who backs him. If so I think the results could be really good.
I've always said He's been unlucky almost from day one. And he was clearly lied to by RD, and indirectly, through KM. Yes he said supportive things about them, but they probably spun him a good line. I never really got the 'should have known better' line. What he should have known was the golden rule, don't say anything that might loss off the fans. He lost a lot of support from the day he made those statements.
He said we were a "basket case of a club" before he took over.
Comments
Nip home back to MK tonight from Northampton.
Cup of cocoa, bit of home comfort from the missus and sleep like a log.
Coffee, toast and marmalade for breakfast - and not too far to be at Oxford ready for tomorrow's press conference.
It's all been worked out, doncha know?
A home example that was equally telling was the Bradford game. I thought for the first 25 minutes we were so superior to them it was embaressing. They looked at least 2 divisions below us. Then they changed tack and almost beat us! These are two examples that sum up many more games. This is not the sort of thing that is normal,except this season it is normal for us! For me a big factor is that we are a team of missers as I call it. Nobody scores a reasonable amount of goals for their position, and mostly not even a million miles away from reasonable. Holmes was the only player who could claim to and we sold him at a time when a play off place looked a decent bet!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41058184
For thirty minutes were were sublime. Magennis was missing and JJ was left back. KAG was up front, Clarke was pulling the strings. The group I was sitting with/near were all saying it was the best we'd played for years, and we were running rings around them.
Then Oldham switched it up and brought Fane on (when they were 2-0 down) and he went round kicking any of our players who got too near him, and had he not got sent off the tactic would have worked. We just about clung on to the 4-3 win and we looked disjointed and lightweight.
The game highlighted Karl's lack of a plan B and the vulnerability we clearly display when the opposition resorts to the rough stuff. Also our lack of an alternative striker, as KAG was fairly anonymous.
I've always wondered if other league one managers would have noted this match and used the info to work out their tactics when playing us.
Although we played well in a few other games, we never again looked like we did in that first 30 mins.
But. It's clear to me that he didn't expect to end up with one senior striker in his squad - we were linked with 3 at the end of the window and Igor's return was also mooted. He was clearly promised investment if we were challenging in January, and that didn't happen either. Thrown in a few injuries and the same old depth-lacking squad is exposed.
So I think blaming him for where we are is a bit misplaced, as it was with every other manager since Powell was unceremoniously dumped. I'm far from KR's biggest fan, but whilst the football has been frustrating to say the least recently, he's not the issue here.
And everyone knowing he's on death row regardless of what happens re takeover has hardly helped either.
Incidentally, is anyone with Robinson art Northampton tonight?
The world of football is a very strange place.
After all of this, I definitely won’t be there on Saturday as I won’t enjoy all the stick he is going to get if he is on the touch line.
If fact, other than Plymouth fans and Seb, why the hell would anyone want to attend on Saturday? It’s going to be horrible.
Hadn't seen that much League One football before 2016, but most other team's players looked of a similar level to ours imho, and in some cases better, particularly their strikers. I know playing one up front hasn't helped though.
Solly has been a weak link in that he's lost the speed required to put in tackles, so he backs off, and backs off until his winger has crossed or taken a shot. Hate to say it, but he's living off past glories. Fleetwood's number two looked excellent in contrast, last Saturday.
At our best, when playing the lesser teams, we look quite good, and our technical players can change a game, but up against the better teams, we look less impressive.
The blokes a scummy maggot
The exception would be Aussie players with UK passports and - for now at least - Aussies with EU passports.
Kewell has UK citizenship so he is fine - and Schwarzer has German citizenship so he would be OK as well - but any young kid coming through without UK/EU passport would have next to no chance of getting a visa.
This is all very well understood in football circles here in Oz, players with EU backgrounds have a much better chance of progressing in the professional game as they can play in Europe with no issues at all.
I actually know a kid here in Brisbane who is an outstanding talent but has already been advised that his professional career options are going to be limited if he only has an Aussie passport as it will be much harder to get him into Europe.
An Aussie mate of mine here played professionally with Dunfermline as a keeper but had to leave the UK in the end as the Home Office wouldn't renew his visa as he was not a full international.
He knew the score, no sympathy.