| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n/t) 18:01 - Jun 16 with 26140 views | BryanPlug |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:50 - Jun 17 with 2816 views | Wickets |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 19:12 - Jun 16 by chrismakin |
likewise everything the club does will be wrong, by some |
Maybe but not by Joe , as he is one of the most sensible and balanced posters on this forum . For me i have not seen too much Panic on here the odd poster with a bit of concern that things perhaps are not as yet going as smoothly as we all would have hoped . Still plenty of time but with training about to start and perhaps about a dozen more new faces expected , these will take time to blend in lets hope some of these deals get finalised soon . |  | | |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:57 - Jun 17 with 2777 views | itfcjoe |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:39 - Jun 17 by hype313 |
Rotten is probably too strong, but the morale around the place (non footballing staff) was at a very low ebb. As you say years of under funding and a general feeling of maliase was causing general apathy around the whole club.
I've said this before, thank christ people like Chambers and Skuse tried to keep the professionalism at a level we all expect, even if they were p1ssing in the wind, dread to think if they hadn't kept up standards where we would be...
But for me, the complete overhaul and reset was desperately needed, again, I think it could have been handled better with the releasing of players, but we have new owners and whether you like it or not, sentiment goes out of the window.
I'm kinda in the middle, happy we have a structure, happy we have people wanting us to succeed, the right people in the right roles, but I'm waiting until the end of the summer before I pass judgement, because all we can go on right now is words. |
That's about where I am to be fair - the key thing is what is being built off the pitch.....and it really hammering home just how far behind we had fallen.
I think the playing staff were similar to the non-playing - a bit like the fans the spirit had just been ripped out of everyone.
I think that was Cook's first mistake, going in heavy on an emotionally fragile squad who had just got something working.....but ultimately if he didnt and we pushed on to play offs would Evans have resisted the sale?! SO all that has happened has done so to get us where we are! |  |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:03 - Jun 17 with 2716 views | chrismakin |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:57 - Jun 17 by itfcjoe |
That's about where I am to be fair - the key thing is what is being built off the pitch.....and it really hammering home just how far behind we had fallen.
I think the playing staff were similar to the non-playing - a bit like the fans the spirit had just been ripped out of everyone.
I think that was Cook's first mistake, going in heavy on an emotionally fragile squad who had just got something working.....but ultimately if he didnt and we pushed on to play offs would Evans have resisted the sale?! SO all that has happened has done so to get us where we are! |
This is why I personally find your take frustrating.
Despite it being shown and backed up how PC went in and put his arm round the squad etc - that is still ignored and you've carried on with the going in heavy on an emotional fragile side. It took a fair few weeks before he got frustrated with the players.. this is ignored as it doesnt help the argument that he upset the pro players. |  |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:06 - Jun 17 with 2719 views | hype313 |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:57 - Jun 17 by itfcjoe |
That's about where I am to be fair - the key thing is what is being built off the pitch.....and it really hammering home just how far behind we had fallen.
I think the playing staff were similar to the non-playing - a bit like the fans the spirit had just been ripped out of everyone.
I think that was Cook's first mistake, going in heavy on an emotionally fragile squad who had just got something working.....but ultimately if he didnt and we pushed on to play offs would Evans have resisted the sale?! SO all that has happened has done so to get us where we are! |
Yep, ironically that draw against Rochdale could be one of the most pivitol results in our history, if we had nicked a win I think Evans would have held off on the sale and we would be in a far worse situation going into this season.
Even if we had reached the play offs, we would have struggled as we just couldn't score, so indirectly it benefited us hugely by tailing off at the end of the season.
Think this thread has gotten out of hand somewhat, its has gotten unnecessarily personal, we all have our views, and whilst I am over the moon Evans has gone, I'm going to give it some time before I start gushing at the new owners, and they have it all to do going forward to prove themselves (which I've no doubt they will)
I just still remember the Euphoria when Evans took over... |  |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:08 - Jun 17 with 2699 views | Churchman |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:31 - Jun 17 by itfcjoe |
I personally don't think it was rotten, it was just massively underfunded and understaffed - there were/are good people in there trying their best on and off the pitch without the support required. Think that came clear from Skuse and Chambers exit interviews with regards to filling roles left by Milton and the like.
It was the right time for a rebuild this summer, undoubtedly, just think it could have been done in a better way with regards to nott aking options on players who aren't good enough, and not p155ing off everyone with time to run on their deals who we intended to sell.
Baby out with the bathwater for me |
I have to disagree Joe. The club was rotten to the core. Underfunded, understaffed, yes. But in addition when your only objective is mediocrity at the lowest possible price, you are going to head one way and it ain’t up. There was no pride in the place, no organisation, no hunger no anything. Just inexorable decline. It’s lost it’s identity and everything that once made it a good club.
It depressed me to see a massive squad of players, for a lower league club, who were, with the odd exception, not good enough and definitely worse year on year. Mostly hasbeens stealing a living, journeymen, bang average loanees wheeled in to get fit - some chance at a club where 45 mins without oxygen is as good as it gets. Below the first team, young players who are not good enough - see KDs interview. Four managers in five that could manage a drink up in a brewery. Laughable.
Old fading stadium, zippo medical care by modern day standards, pitch (once the best in the league) propped up with a box of Smartprice seed and a rake once a year. All we got for our trouble was the annual empty promise from Mr Faceless to con money out of people for season tickets. For years, everything we’ve done has been poor because in addition to epic incompetence, quite frankly, the senior management didn’t care.
Now, the situation is completely different. New ownership, new structure. I hoped Cook would have had his signings in place by now, but was that unrealistic? Quite possibly. Are Wigan doing ‘better’ than us (implication by some that Cook’s success was all down to Richardson)? That depends on where we are next May. Am I bothered about not signing a player Sunderland didn’t want? Nope.
In fact I’m not bothered at all at the moment. I don’t envy Ashton and co the amount they’ve got to do, but I’d rather they were patient and build than do a Hurst and sign another load of misfits and dross. If we are struggling in September I’ll start getting worried. |  | | |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:12 - Jun 17 with 2674 views | itfcjoe |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:08 - Jun 17 by Churchman |
I have to disagree Joe. The club was rotten to the core. Underfunded, understaffed, yes. But in addition when your only objective is mediocrity at the lowest possible price, you are going to head one way and it ain’t up. There was no pride in the place, no organisation, no hunger no anything. Just inexorable decline. It’s lost it’s identity and everything that once made it a good club.
It depressed me to see a massive squad of players, for a lower league club, who were, with the odd exception, not good enough and definitely worse year on year. Mostly hasbeens stealing a living, journeymen, bang average loanees wheeled in to get fit - some chance at a club where 45 mins without oxygen is as good as it gets. Below the first team, young players who are not good enough - see KDs interview. Four managers in five that could manage a drink up in a brewery. Laughable.
Old fading stadium, zippo medical care by modern day standards, pitch (once the best in the league) propped up with a box of Smartprice seed and a rake once a year. All we got for our trouble was the annual empty promise from Mr Faceless to con money out of people for season tickets. For years, everything we’ve done has been poor because in addition to epic incompetence, quite frankly, the senior management didn’t care.
Now, the situation is completely different. New ownership, new structure. I hoped Cook would have had his signings in place by now, but was that unrealistic? Quite possibly. Are Wigan doing ‘better’ than us (implication by some that Cook’s success was all down to Richardson)? That depends on where we are next May. Am I bothered about not signing a player Sunderland didn’t want? Nope.
In fact I’m not bothered at all at the moment. I don’t envy Ashton and co the amount they’ve got to do, but I’d rather they were patient and build than do a Hurst and sign another load of misfits and dross. If we are struggling in September I’ll start getting worried. |
I think we are in a difficult situation because so much that needs sorting on and off the pitch, with an immeadiate pressure of mounting a promotion campaign.
Hopefully Ashton and Cook are able to thrive on this pressure, and Ashton is able to get Cook what he wants/needs in a timely manner to give him a chance.
Feels like we are walking a bit of a tightrope with how much needs to happen - but how great will it be if we can nail the short and long term straight away? | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:12 - Jun 17 with 2669 views | tractorboy1978 |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:47 - Jun 17 by clive_baker |
Not particularly. We may have missed out on players, we may not, but no club is going to sign every one if its targets, it doesn't work like that. You have to put a few prospect in the top of the hopper to get one out down the bottom.
It's a bit like waiting for a bus, you wait ages for one and then 2 or 3 will rock up in very quick succession.
As we sit here today we've still got our #1 keeper (albeit hopefully we can upgrade), we've got a fit KVY, Woolfy, Nolan, Harper imminent, Downes, Evans, Bishop, Burns, Dobra, El Miz, Norwood, Jackson. We've got rid of a lot of the dross we needed to that were eating up some punchy salaries, and no doubt more of those will 100% move on, but we can do that as and when we have the replacements. There are certainly gaps, especially defensively, but it's not panic stations. See where we're at in 3 or 4 weeks I say, I would wager we'll have a fair few more in by then. |
I think that's right. We are clearly spinning several plates and signings won't necessarily arrive in a linear fashion. We could easily end up with 4/5 coming in by this time next week after a relatively quiet week.
As we seem to be shopping at the higher end of our possible capabilities we will be talking to players that will likely have other options and probably aspirations to play a league higher. Not easy deals to get done this early on. I know PC wants players in for pre-season/not long after pre season starts but I do wonder if we could be prime beneficiaries of the type of players that are currently thinking they can get a Champ move but a couple of weeks down the line haven't. |  | | |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:15 - Jun 17 with 2640 views | N2_Blue |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:31 - Jun 17 by itfcjoe |
I personally don't think it was rotten, it was just massively underfunded and understaffed - there were/are good people in there trying their best on and off the pitch without the support required. Think that came clear from Skuse and Chambers exit interviews with regards to filling roles left by Milton and the like.
It was the right time for a rebuild this summer, undoubtedly, just think it could have been done in a better way with regards to nott aking options on players who aren't good enough, and not p155ing off everyone with time to run on their deals who we intended to sell.
Baby out with the bathwater for me |
I think it just an attitude of we are not going to be a soft touch anymore and they want to send out a message to all that come in....you are either with us or not, only those with a certain mentality are going to be successful here now, for too long mediocrity and coasting along has been accepted.
It may also see more players turning us down to come here, but it will be a good thing because it will prevent players signing that are happy with coasting. We need those that are ambitions, driven and give everything time and time again.
The club was rotten so we are going to disagree there. Every time there was new start change of manager the same things happened....all through Evans reign. It just wasn't good enough. I think we've forgotten what basic levels of performance are. The off pitch attitude and behaviour of players has been the biggest indicator of this. Every manager who has come in has slated the fitness of this squad....its so telling when you see that most of our squad are not working at the club outside of training sessions.
Rather than do a half-hearted job, sometimes you have rip out everything even if you end up throwing some aspects that are not rotten, but that's where we find ourselves and we can't take risks in leaving any deadwood in place. As you've said yourself, the owners want promotion this season, almost at any cost...but i don't have an issue with that because its grim being at this level. [Post edited 17 Jun 2021 10:19]
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:29 - Jun 17 with 2576 views | itfcjoe |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:15 - Jun 17 by N2_Blue |
I think it just an attitude of we are not going to be a soft touch anymore and they want to send out a message to all that come in....you are either with us or not, only those with a certain mentality are going to be successful here now, for too long mediocrity and coasting along has been accepted.
It may also see more players turning us down to come here, but it will be a good thing because it will prevent players signing that are happy with coasting. We need those that are ambitions, driven and give everything time and time again.
The club was rotten so we are going to disagree there. Every time there was new start change of manager the same things happened....all through Evans reign. It just wasn't good enough. I think we've forgotten what basic levels of performance are. The off pitch attitude and behaviour of players has been the biggest indicator of this. Every manager who has come in has slated the fitness of this squad....its so telling when you see that most of our squad are not working at the club outside of training sessions.
Rather than do a half-hearted job, sometimes you have rip out everything even if you end up throwing some aspects that are not rotten, but that's where we find ourselves and we can't take risks in leaving any deadwood in place. As you've said yourself, the owners want promotion this season, almost at any cost...but i don't have an issue with that because its grim being at this level. [Post edited 17 Jun 2021 10:19]
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The only thing I'd say with fitness levels, is it is just the most obvious new manager trope out there - every new manager comes in and says it at every club so wouldn't read too much into it. Although was clear last year the conditioning of the players was not good, but maybe with a caveat of it being a very compact season especially at the time when Cook came in. We seemingly haven't had players, Chambers aside, who have been able to take care of their own bodies consistently.
I agree, and think most fans do, that a big overhaul was needed this summer, and with all the out of contract players was always happening - but think we needed to protect values of those in contract a bit more | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:29 - Jun 17 with 2571 views | clive_baker |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:12 - Jun 17 by tractorboy1978 |
I think that's right. We are clearly spinning several plates and signings won't necessarily arrive in a linear fashion. We could easily end up with 4/5 coming in by this time next week after a relatively quiet week.
As we seem to be shopping at the higher end of our possible capabilities we will be talking to players that will likely have other options and probably aspirations to play a league higher. Not easy deals to get done this early on. I know PC wants players in for pre-season/not long after pre season starts but I do wonder if we could be prime beneficiaries of the type of players that are currently thinking they can get a Champ move but a couple of weeks down the line haven't. |
Quite. We could sign players tomorrow, but it's about signing the right players.
For me I would've liked to see a few more move on by the time pre season starts. I would've focussed on it truly feeling like a really fresh slate and new era, and some of the fringe players like Hawkins, Drinan, Kenlock, Donacian are ones I particularly don't see a role for. I'm pleased with the bigger names & earners that have gone so far, I think we needed it, but I was surprised we extended the contracts of some of those we did.
That would leave a group of 14-15 coming back for pre season, some of which will probably move on too (Downes / Jackson etc), but they can do so as and when the interest is there, managing the replacements accordingly. As I've said before, the abruptness to some of the players that can still be valuable to us surprised me, I certainly wouldn't have played it as 'you can all go'. Cook's challenge will be engaging some of those he's told he doesn't want, but can't find a home for. There's a few scars there still, I know that much. It doesn't matter too much if it's a Drinan or a Hawkins, but if you've got a Downes or Bishop that could still add some value, I never quite understood the approach. |  |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:30 - Jun 17 with 2562 views | itfcjoe |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:29 - Jun 17 by clive_baker |
Quite. We could sign players tomorrow, but it's about signing the right players.
For me I would've liked to see a few more move on by the time pre season starts. I would've focussed on it truly feeling like a really fresh slate and new era, and some of the fringe players like Hawkins, Drinan, Kenlock, Donacian are ones I particularly don't see a role for. I'm pleased with the bigger names & earners that have gone so far, I think we needed it, but I was surprised we extended the contracts of some of those we did.
That would leave a group of 14-15 coming back for pre season, some of which will probably move on too (Downes / Jackson etc), but they can do so as and when the interest is there, managing the replacements accordingly. As I've said before, the abruptness to some of the players that can still be valuable to us surprised me, I certainly wouldn't have played it as 'you can all go'. Cook's challenge will be engaging some of those he's told he doesn't want, but can't find a home for. There's a few scars there still, I know that much. It doesn't matter too much if it's a Drinan or a Hawkins, but if you've got a Downes or Bishop that could still add some value, I never quite understood the approach. |
Drinan is apparently one of the four we want to keep! | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:43 - Jun 17 with 2510 views | N2_Blue |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:29 - Jun 17 by itfcjoe |
The only thing I'd say with fitness levels, is it is just the most obvious new manager trope out there - every new manager comes in and says it at every club so wouldn't read too much into it. Although was clear last year the conditioning of the players was not good, but maybe with a caveat of it being a very compact season especially at the time when Cook came in. We seemingly haven't had players, Chambers aside, who have been able to take care of their own bodies consistently.
I agree, and think most fans do, that a big overhaul was needed this summer, and with all the out of contract players was always happening - but think we needed to protect values of those in contract a bit more |
That's all fair.
I was probably unduly harsh in my first post aimed at you (so my apologies), but i do see you as a sensible knowledgeable supporter I just wish you'd be a little bit more positive and less critical of some of the decisions that have been made until we see the impact of them first. I'm certainly not spoiling for a with you :) but i hope fans don't dwell too much on the end of last season and get get fully behind PC for start of season. If after 10 games its not looking good then criticise and pull his decision making part.
Re signings, I'd rather we have 2 players we really want than 5 in the door but we're not 100% sure of. We could easily see 3 or 4 come in in one week. The market is still very slow and will be while the Euros runs on.
I know we want players in before pre-season but sometimes we have to be patient. as Clive Bakers says we've till got a core of a squad based on Holy, KVY, Woolfy, Nolan, Harper imminent, Downes, Evans, Bishop, Burns, Dobra, El Miz, Norwood, Jackson...and we are only going to improve and add this over coming weeks - still lots of time and we are clearly looking at decent players! | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 11:30 - Jun 17 with 2429 views | Churchman |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:12 - Jun 17 by itfcjoe |
I think we are in a difficult situation because so much that needs sorting on and off the pitch, with an immeadiate pressure of mounting a promotion campaign.
Hopefully Ashton and Cook are able to thrive on this pressure, and Ashton is able to get Cook what he wants/needs in a timely manner to give him a chance.
Feels like we are walking a bit of a tightrope with how much needs to happen - but how great will it be if we can nail the short and long term straight away? |
Yes, it’s one heck of a tightrope. Do I think they’ll get it right in the medium/long term? Yes, I’m confident. Short term? I very much doubt it tbh. It’d be brilliant if we can nail the short term straight away. All I ask for though is to see progress and some momentum in the right direction and this is why I believe a certain degree of patience is necessary. | | | |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 12:30 - Jun 17 with 2362 views | itfcjoe |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:43 - Jun 17 by N2_Blue |
That's all fair.
I was probably unduly harsh in my first post aimed at you (so my apologies), but i do see you as a sensible knowledgeable supporter I just wish you'd be a little bit more positive and less critical of some of the decisions that have been made until we see the impact of them first. I'm certainly not spoiling for a with you :) but i hope fans don't dwell too much on the end of last season and get get fully behind PC for start of season. If after 10 games its not looking good then criticise and pull his decision making part.
Re signings, I'd rather we have 2 players we really want than 5 in the door but we're not 100% sure of. We could easily see 3 or 4 come in in one week. The market is still very slow and will be while the Euros runs on.
I know we want players in before pre-season but sometimes we have to be patient. as Clive Bakers says we've till got a core of a squad based on Holy, KVY, Woolfy, Nolan, Harper imminent, Downes, Evans, Bishop, Burns, Dobra, El Miz, Norwood, Jackson...and we are only going to improve and add this over coming weeks - still lots of time and we are clearly looking at decent players! |
I think there will be a need for patience in the first few months of the season - as we aren't going to get what we want sorted before pre season and things will be going to the wire no doubt.
It's strange to think this way, but I think it is more likely to be those who think Cook can do no wrong that will turn quicker than those who already have their doubts - guess we'll see.
But his previous body of work means he deserves a full and fair crack of things here, I hope/think he'll get that - but I wouldn't be surprised to see us in upper midt table at Xmas or so because there is just so much to get done | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 12:35 - Jun 17 with 2331 views | chrismakin |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 12:30 - Jun 17 by itfcjoe |
I think there will be a need for patience in the first few months of the season - as we aren't going to get what we want sorted before pre season and things will be going to the wire no doubt.
It's strange to think this way, but I think it is more likely to be those who think Cook can do no wrong that will turn quicker than those who already have their doubts - guess we'll see.
But his previous body of work means he deserves a full and fair crack of things here, I hope/think he'll get that - but I wouldn't be surprised to see us in upper midt table at Xmas or so because there is just so much to get done |
"as we aren't going to get what we want sorted before pre season and things will be going to the wire no doubt."
Is that based on next Saturday being the cut off for pre season, or the end of pre season which gives us over 6 weeks to go before we actually start the season
There isn't a team in the whole of the football league who will have what they want sorted before pre season [Post edited 17 Jun 2021 12:37]
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 14:32 - Jun 17 with 2257 views | chrismakin |
Just had a gander through previous years of Bristol City Forum, and under Ashton, there's a lot of transfers that came out of nowhere or first time linked in the morning of papers being signed. There wasn't much leaked info about medicals etc or being linked with a lot of them. So Ashton could well have various sorted, we just don't know yet. Of course that wasnt the case for all of them, but certainly was the case for a lot of them.
He also tied in some of the transfers with kit releases - and we still have the away one to do... | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 14:56 - Jun 17 with 2227 views | Steve_M |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 12:35 - Jun 17 by chrismakin |
"as we aren't going to get what we want sorted before pre season and things will be going to the wire no doubt."
Is that based on next Saturday being the cut off for pre season, or the end of pre season which gives us over 6 weeks to go before we actually start the season
There isn't a team in the whole of the football league who will have what they want sorted before pre season [Post edited 17 Jun 2021 12:37]
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"There isn't a team in the whole of the football league who will have what they want sorted before pre season"
That isn't the point, the point is that Paul Cook has told most of our players they can leave. We aren't starting from the base of an established squad here. |  |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 15:02 - Jun 17 with 2204 views | chrismakin |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 14:56 - Jun 17 by Steve_M |
"There isn't a team in the whole of the football league who will have what they want sorted before pre season"
That isn't the point, the point is that Paul Cook has told most of our players they can leave. We aren't starting from the base of an established squad here. |
it is the point
There are clubs with new managers, clubs about to lose managers, players turning down extended contracts. a raft of squad changes happening at clubs across the UK not just town | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 16:21 - Jun 17 with 2149 views | RadioOrwell |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 10:08 - Jun 17 by Churchman |
I have to disagree Joe. The club was rotten to the core. Underfunded, understaffed, yes. But in addition when your only objective is mediocrity at the lowest possible price, you are going to head one way and it ain’t up. There was no pride in the place, no organisation, no hunger no anything. Just inexorable decline. It’s lost it’s identity and everything that once made it a good club.
It depressed me to see a massive squad of players, for a lower league club, who were, with the odd exception, not good enough and definitely worse year on year. Mostly hasbeens stealing a living, journeymen, bang average loanees wheeled in to get fit - some chance at a club where 45 mins without oxygen is as good as it gets. Below the first team, young players who are not good enough - see KDs interview. Four managers in five that could manage a drink up in a brewery. Laughable.
Old fading stadium, zippo medical care by modern day standards, pitch (once the best in the league) propped up with a box of Smartprice seed and a rake once a year. All we got for our trouble was the annual empty promise from Mr Faceless to con money out of people for season tickets. For years, everything we’ve done has been poor because in addition to epic incompetence, quite frankly, the senior management didn’t care.
Now, the situation is completely different. New ownership, new structure. I hoped Cook would have had his signings in place by now, but was that unrealistic? Quite possibly. Are Wigan doing ‘better’ than us (implication by some that Cook’s success was all down to Richardson)? That depends on where we are next May. Am I bothered about not signing a player Sunderland didn’t want? Nope.
In fact I’m not bothered at all at the moment. I don’t envy Ashton and co the amount they’ve got to do, but I’d rather they were patient and build than do a Hurst and sign another load of misfits and dross. If we are struggling in September I’ll start getting worried. |
Worrying in September might be a bit premature.
I'd give them a bit longer than that. It's not going to be all samba football straightaway.
Maybe November before wetting the bed ? That's when I'm ordering nappies. |  | | |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 16:35 - Jun 17 with 2113 views | RadioOrwell |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:31 - Jun 17 by itfcjoe |
I personally don't think it was rotten, it was just massively underfunded and understaffed - there were/are good people in there trying their best on and off the pitch without the support required. Think that came clear from Skuse and Chambers exit interviews with regards to filling roles left by Milton and the like.
It was the right time for a rebuild this summer, undoubtedly, just think it could have been done in a better way with regards to nott aking options on players who aren't good enough, and not p155ing off everyone with time to run on their deals who we intended to sell.
Baby out with the bathwater for me |
If the baby was good at football you might have a point.
The League table ( and the last 3 years ) tells me that we are losing little by having a massive clearout. | | | |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 16:39 - Jun 17 with 2106 views | Funge |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 09:13 - Jun 17 by footers |
Let's be frank.
You're just bent out of shape now most of your slacker mates have been shipped out and you're no longer the ITK bod you used to be.
Simple as that.
It's a new era and time to move on. |
This is piss-poor, to be fair.
Fair to say that I don't agree with Joe's assessment of Cooks tactics this summer, by a long way; however, he spends rather more time analysing our stupid football team than most on here. Mans deserves a lot more courtesy than you've given him. |  | | |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 16:52 - Jun 17 with 2072 views | hype313 |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 14:32 - Jun 17 by chrismakin |
Just had a gander through previous years of Bristol City Forum, and under Ashton, there's a lot of transfers that came out of nowhere or first time linked in the morning of papers being signed. There wasn't much leaked info about medicals etc or being linked with a lot of them. So Ashton could well have various sorted, we just don't know yet. Of course that wasnt the case for all of them, but certainly was the case for a lot of them.
He also tied in some of the transfers with kit releases - and we still have the away one to do... |
Well, we do know that we are talks with at least 6 at the moment from the latest KOA pod. | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 17:16 - Jun 17 with 2011 views | clive_baker |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 14:56 - Jun 17 by Steve_M |
"There isn't a team in the whole of the football league who will have what they want sorted before pre season"
That isn't the point, the point is that Paul Cook has told most of our players they can leave. We aren't starting from the base of an established squad here. |
Steve do you envisage Cook having to row back on some of those abrupt conversations he was quick to have? That's my nervousness, if he a) can't get the players he wants that are a genuine step up vs. what he inherited, and / or b) can't find a home for all of the players he's told don't have a future here. It was my nervousness then and it still is now, I can only presume the benefit was intended to be to create some awareness that they're available? I would've kept my powder dry I think, told them to come back in good shape and ready to prove they've got what it takes to get in the team. There still would've been nothing stopping him offloading. The suggestion that it's a motivational technique is absurd, he firmly wants rid, but finding a buyer is no guarantee on some of them I would imagine.
Personally I'm not too concerned with how things are shaping up, there's enough reasons to believe we'll get a good few more in the door. I think the harder bit is actually finding new clubs for the ones he's told are surplus. I wouldn't want them around the place as I'm trying to instil the new culture. Perhaps we'll ship them out on loan. | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 17:51 - Jun 17 with 1939 views | Steve_M |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 17:16 - Jun 17 by clive_baker |
Steve do you envisage Cook having to row back on some of those abrupt conversations he was quick to have? That's my nervousness, if he a) can't get the players he wants that are a genuine step up vs. what he inherited, and / or b) can't find a home for all of the players he's told don't have a future here. It was my nervousness then and it still is now, I can only presume the benefit was intended to be to create some awareness that they're available? I would've kept my powder dry I think, told them to come back in good shape and ready to prove they've got what it takes to get in the team. There still would've been nothing stopping him offloading. The suggestion that it's a motivational technique is absurd, he firmly wants rid, but finding a buyer is no guarantee on some of them I would imagine.
Personally I'm not too concerned with how things are shaping up, there's enough reasons to believe we'll get a good few more in the door. I think the harder bit is actually finding new clubs for the ones he's told are surplus. I wouldn't want them around the place as I'm trying to instil the new culture. Perhaps we'll ship them out on loan. |
Ultimately, that depends on the exact nature of those discussions - the EADT reporting suggests it was pretty blunt in most cases - but I do think he might have to in some cases. It's a lot of change for one Summer.
I'm yet to be convinced by Cook's decision making since he's been here though, team selection was generally erratic and his post-match comments largely contradictory. That just seems to have been compounded by blaming the players for everything but then taking options on players like Nsiala and Donacien and trying to keep Edwards.
We certainly won't get every player we're in for, things like Bradley happen and we'll have other targets. It is too early to be unduly concerned - and I'm not - but there are echoes of Paul Hurst's solitary transfer window at the moment where we didn't get players in as good as those we lost and are yet to recover. Cook is a better manager and he'll get far more out of whatever team is here in August than Hurst managed - but he might have made things a lot harder for himself. | |
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| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 17:56 - Jun 17 with 1923 views | chrismakin |
| Anyone getting the feeling this squad rebuilding isn’t quite going to plan? (n on 16:52 - Jun 17 by hype313 |
Well, we do know that we are talks with at least 6 at the moment from the latest KOA pod. |
Yes Ashton told us that last week.
Who.. that's what we dont know | |
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