| Everything is awesome 21:52 - Aug 15 with 17198 views | Mullet |
Having seen both league games thus far, it's pretty clear that Cook's decision to be "Demolition Man" might well render his time here a cult classic, rather than the blockbuster we are budgeting for.
It wasn't necessary to rip apart the whole team, it was a decision and direction decided upon, and the first few steps have seen us in the gutter haven't they? Overloaded with attacking depth but unable to find a front 4 that doesn't limit Piggott to playing second balls to new runners or empty spaces for most of his time on the pitch.
He and Fraser have been devastating at this level for smaller teams, as with most of the individuals you can see the potential there but that doesn't mean we are yet. Lots of possession and a clear intent to strafe wide and overload fullbacks. It's ironic we conceded in that way against Burton. KVY finding himself further forward than he managed prior, the whole side gets caught out and once again it's one shot and we are behind.
Cook has been here months, he couldn't make it work with what he had, he has been given way more than anyone else for a long time. It's all well and good pointing to his past at other clubs, but his past at Ipswich and thus his present, is closer to the bloody woeful we've been accustomed to. Pointing that out is not the TWTD equivalent of going to the Vatican and giving the Pope a kick up the ass.
You can probably be assured Cook and his staff will be unhappy with the points tally and the manner in which we've been so generous to teams with far smaller budgets and even more churn in the case of Morecambe.
More worryingly for them might be Ashton and the higher ups. They clearly didn't appoint Cook, they perhaps didn't see prudence in removing him right away either financially or morally when taking over. This is a marriage of convenience in some respects and this summer seems very much like Cook is backing himself, using the dollars available. That could all change very quickly without promotion on the table.
Pretending promotion is beyond this club is equally laughable, especially given all the chiding about "ambition" in recent years and when we were looking to do it in the league above. It absolutely must and should be the minimum we expect. 3 teams will go up, we should be one of them preferably as champions - otherwise this recall to Cook's CV is fairly moot. Let alone the fact we've got rid of Evans' approach and been told everything we wanted to hear for years.
Harper and Edwards look like they belong on the path to being in the league above already, and will hone that claim with game time. The lovely shapes Harper made when we got the ball down and he broke the play up were even better than the few times Dobra and Fraser did it. The fact we then didn't see players getting off shots and were reduced to hoping that flashes across the goal might be turned in yesterday, speaks to how disjointed we are.
The manner in which we conceded a second against Morecambe, seemed to plague us up top yesterday and with so many personnel changes it's not that surprising. Adding Burgess in will help breed some confidence amongst players and fans alike, it's a late but welcome addition in my opinion.
Woolfenden won a fair amount yesterday, Donacien again showed he's incredibly dependable but will never really excel. Given KVY seems to have lost a yard in his feet and another in his head, whether it's fear of getting hurt or a lack of fitness, the idea of replacing him with JD makes the whole system Cook is trying to employ, severely hampered. Regardless he hasn't managed many games for us yet and assuming he should or will is risky still.
Penney like many others seems to have the right ideas but not the right amount of belief or understanding around him. Sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe sh1t seems to be the pattern of play we've settled for so far. But that will improve as time goes on. If it doesn't then we truly are a managerial graveyard and need something else drastically.
Fans haven't been in the grounds for over a year and that seems to play on everyone concerned. When we concede the atmosphere whooshes out and away almost instantly. People either side of the lines are unsure about what to say and do, particularly when things don't go as we'd like. But no amount of thought-policing and insistence on being cheery about failing to beat not one, but two teams, we'd never consider rivals to promotion is as wrong as it is tiring.
Just as it seemed there was a place for Toto and Norwood, there now doesn't unless they cycle in as others replace them on the treatment table and the timescales to get the spine sorted makes it little wonder why we've come out of the season crawling along.
Pointing to when and what side X or manager Y did is fairly irrelevant. There isn't a context which lends itself to ITFC completely changing in a matter of weeks and with it expectations and the ability to meet them.
Hladky has looked a far more rounded keeper, our central midfielders as good as those we just sold to promotion chasers in the league above, there's an abundance of threat up top but so far less return than we needed. But we've failed to keep teams out with barely a fight.
This has the makings of the most exciting season since the playoff campaign (because of where it sets us up to be) and there is enough about us to see us do well, but thinking we can just will that into existence is stupid. The longer we ponder and fail to produce wins with regularity the speed with which this league will leave us behind is the one thing we should have gotten used to in the years we've been down here.
It's a massive stain on this club being relegated to this level. It's still very much all over us for now. There's nothing wrong with facing up to that regularly either is there? They've been pretty open with us how long it will take to sort off the field, but on the field it should definitely be a much shorter timescale. |  |
| |  |
| Everything is awesome on 11:58 - Aug 16 with 2498 views | Coco |
| Everything is awesome on 11:48 - Aug 16 by timothyeo |
Yeah, nah, Phil def knows more than you. Deary me, cringe. |
not the point I'm making you boot-licking melt. |  |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 12:08 - Aug 16 with 2470 views | ITFCBlues |
| Everything is awesome on 22:24 - Aug 15 by BryanPlug |
[content removed at owner's request] |
If we're making early calls on players and management this season, it's worth mentioning thay Dozzell, sold to the league above, hasn't started in the league yet and was described as playing a couple of nice passes before going missing in their cup game. Sound familiar?
The two we've got playing now are far better than those that we've sold & over a period of time, we will see that. |  |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 12:30 - Aug 16 with 2438 views | timothyeo |
| Everything is awesome on 11:58 - Aug 16 by Coco |
not the point I'm making you boot-licking melt. |
Boot-licking melt?
Have a word with yourself. You're a constant embarrassment to society when you post on here. |  | | |
| Everything is awesome on 12:44 - Aug 16 with 2418 views | Keaneish |
| Everything is awesome on 08:43 - Aug 16 by PhilTWTD |
One report said Cook would come in as part of the takeover. It was wrong, he was Marcus's appointment at a time Marcus hadn't decided to sell the club, indeed he was trying to work a situation where investment came in rather than a takeover. Once he was in position, Gamechanger weren't too unhappy, hence their public backing, but from what I was told prior to the Cook story their preferred candidate was Michael Appleton, who MA and MOL had previously worked with at West Brom and Oxford.
Cook very definitely didn't know anything about the takeover, other than what had been reported, until it happened. He was shocked when it went through as he'd not been kept in the loop while discussions were ongoing.
This post has been edited by an administrator |
I do remember O'Leary saying him and the Game Changer crew (advisors) had compared notes and, "Cook was top of both their lists". This may just be PR and lip sync but O'Leary seems to be trustworthy and has come across very well so far so i don't see any reason to disbelieve him.
Also, at the time (and still now) Cook was clearly a very strong candidate. Other than The Cowleys, there weren't too many other unemployed managers in the mix after Pearson when to Bristol City. |  |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 12:45 - Aug 16 with 2413 views | Coco |
| Everything is awesome on 12:30 - Aug 16 by timothyeo |
Boot-licking melt?
Have a word with yourself. You're a constant embarrassment to society when you post on here. |
ooooh right where it hurts. | |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 12:53 - Aug 16 with 2389 views | Meadowlark |
Piggott was our best defender on Saturday! |  | | |
| Everything is awesome on 12:56 - Aug 16 with 2383 views | Keaneish |
| Everything is awesome on 12:53 - Aug 16 by Meadowlark |
Piggott was our best defender on Saturday! |
Ian Rush was Liverpool's best defender too. | |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 13:01 - Aug 16 with 2373 views | Pinewoodblue |
| Everything is awesome on 12:30 - Aug 16 by timothyeo |
Boot-licking melt?
Have a word with yourself. You're a constant embarrassment to society when you post on here. |
Do you have any evidence to show he isn’t an embarrassment off of TWTD? |  |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Everything is awesome on 13:03 - Aug 16 with 2364 views | Moriarty |
Mullet in your opening post - "we've failed to keep teams out with barely a fight".
You've nailed it in those few words. And it's a significant worry.
When Mick came in, we beat Birmingham 1-0 and Mick's post match comments were (I'm paraphrasing) "if they defended like that under PJ, PJ would still be manager". It's a very telling comment.
Many years ago (I can't remember the exact season) Crystal Palace were loitering in the lower echelons in the Championship. They appointed Ian Dowie. They went from relegation candidates to promotion via the play offs (iirc).
We've lost genuine quality in Dozzell, Downes and Gibbs. Part and parcel of the hatchet job as the manager laid all the blame on the players. That hatchet job may be his undoing.
One poster has suggested that the reason things may not have started as we might like is because Ashton brought in some players and not Cook. We're at that level unfortunately.
I'm double Pfizered and I understand my immunity will start to wane after 6 months. Hopefully a top up jab before December. Not sure how long Cook's immunity will last but the new signings have generated an exuberance on here which condemns valid questions as churlish and childish. That will wane too.
We need results. Winning breeds confidence.
Burley united this club from top to bottom. That's the challenge facing Cook. |  |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 13:12 - Aug 16 with 2338 views | Vic |
Lovely bit of prose - defo in line for an A if you keep this up.
However, a short summary paragraph at the end that distilled your point down to a sentence or two would be helpful. I came away from this not really knowing what it is you’re saying, apart from that you’re being realistic about where and what we are. |  |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 13:31 - Aug 16 with 2296 views | Stu_Magoo |
Do we get a TL;DR? |  | | |
| Everything is awesome on 13:34 - Aug 16 with 2287 views | FBI |
| Everything is awesome on 10:06 - Aug 16 by BlueOsterClub |
We have been building an amazing team and have not had a great deal of luck yet on the Pitch. We also have not had our new defenders playing( a part from Penney) yet but once we do we will see a huge difference.
Our great team of 79/80 got off to a poor start , I think we were changing our style of play and it took a little time to get used to it. We then went on an amazing run of wins and beat Manchester United 6 -0 who where second in the league at the time. The following season we were chasing the treble and won the UEFA cup.
We are at the start of something amazing so embrace and enjoy the ride because its coming , look at the quality of the players we have signed.
I do feel Frazier should play more central which is his natural position and we will get much more out Piggot once Cook moves him there.
We will get promoted as Champions |
Spot on. Funnily enough, I just looked at our results in 78-79, my first regular season going to PR. On the heels of the FA Cup win we let 5 in at Wembley to Forest in the Charity Shield, lost the first two, beat Manchester United 3-0, lost to Blackpool in the League Cup, then didn't win another game until September 16th - and finished 6th in D1.
Nobody apart from the HMS P!ss The League brigade thought we were going to hit the ground running: the management team actually said so and some of the new players are probably still living in hotels and barely know each other's names yet. But they're a vast improvement on the squad PC had to work with when he took over: broken emotionally and physically, rightly fearful of their futures because of previous failures and either ageing or having failed to fulfil their early potential from three years before.
Give it time and trust the process. |  |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 13:41 - Aug 16 with 2261 views | reusersfreekicks |
| Everything is awesome on 08:06 - Aug 16 by flibbertigibbet |
Why are you all so mad with Cook? He’s not going anywhere for a long time. A brand new team loses to a few soft goals and it’s the fault of the manager? The players don’t even know each other’s names yet, it’s a long term project with him at the helm and he has to be given a season to prove himself. If they’d played the same way but won the last 3 games, everyone would be all over him as a saviour. They are playing well, just haven’t got the results yet. If we are still losing every game in 3 months then I think we can start complaining. But right now, we should be supporting them and not screaming for his head every time the result doesn’t go our way. It was never going to be instant success with so much upheaval in the squad. |
ffs what is the matter with you people. Pls point me to where people are "screaming for his head."
Again - a manger in post for long as he has been is open to scrutiny and opinion not just 100% blind support. |  | | |
| Everything is awesome on 13:49 - Aug 16 with 2234 views | reusersfreekicks |
| Everything is awesome on 11:58 - Aug 16 by Coco |
not the point I'm making you boot-licking melt. |
Meant to give a downie - gave an uppie - not coming out of this thread in a great light really .... | | | |
| Everything is awesome on 13:50 - Aug 16 with 2231 views | itfcjoe |
| Everything is awesome on 13:41 - Aug 16 by reusersfreekicks |
ffs what is the matter with you people. Pls point me to where people are "screaming for his head."
Again - a manger in post for long as he has been is open to scrutiny and opinion not just 100% blind support. |
Stuart Watson noted on todays KoA pod that for every post saying Cook Out there are 25 posts moaning about the fanbase being too demanding....think that is about right on there too |  |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 13:52 - Aug 16 with 2222 views | Keaneish |
| Everything is awesome on 13:03 - Aug 16 by Moriarty |
Mullet in your opening post - "we've failed to keep teams out with barely a fight".
You've nailed it in those few words. And it's a significant worry.
When Mick came in, we beat Birmingham 1-0 and Mick's post match comments were (I'm paraphrasing) "if they defended like that under PJ, PJ would still be manager". It's a very telling comment.
Many years ago (I can't remember the exact season) Crystal Palace were loitering in the lower echelons in the Championship. They appointed Ian Dowie. They went from relegation candidates to promotion via the play offs (iirc).
We've lost genuine quality in Dozzell, Downes and Gibbs. Part and parcel of the hatchet job as the manager laid all the blame on the players. That hatchet job may be his undoing.
One poster has suggested that the reason things may not have started as we might like is because Ashton brought in some players and not Cook. We're at that level unfortunately.
I'm double Pfizered and I understand my immunity will start to wane after 6 months. Hopefully a top up jab before December. Not sure how long Cook's immunity will last but the new signings have generated an exuberance on here which condemns valid questions as churlish and childish. That will wane too.
We need results. Winning breeds confidence.
Burley united this club from top to bottom. That's the challenge facing Cook. |
...we also went on to get tonked 5 and 6 by palace and Leicester several games later so it was a short new manager bounce.
You mention we've lost genuine quality in Downes, Gibbs and Dozzell but that's a little bit of revisionism there (Mullet's favourite phrase) given Dozzell is still a prospect despite all his appearances and we only saw a glimpse of Gibbs. I'm disappointed Downes went but we have brought genuine quality so you can't have it both ways.
This thread feels like its harping back to the fan split, the MM camp and the non-MM camp; no wonder given Mullet's undertones, as is always the case.
Can we all agree to settle in for the ride, accept what has happened and look forward to this season? Can't believe the dampers that have been put on it after one poor-ish performance! | |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 13:57 - Aug 16 with 2194 views | fergalsharkey |
Calm down dear.
[Post edited 16 Aug 2021 13:58]
|  |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 14:00 - Aug 16 with 2183 views | Blue_Moses |
| Everything is awesome on 08:11 - Aug 16 by gordon |
Pretty sure I haven't screamed for anyone's head, gone mad with Cook, complained about anything, or said anything was the fault of the manager. |
I can't see anyone doing any of those things in this thread. | | | |
| Everything is awesome on 14:14 - Aug 16 with 2150 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| Everything is awesome on 07:55 - Aug 16 by Mullet |
But the fact remains they did not appoint him. Even if that list definitely was real, and right after throwing huge sums of money about, experienced football men thought better of undermining Cook when they had so much goodwill and a big enough job on.
That doesn’t mean they are against him, but again this sort of nuance has been driven off the board lately in favour of this sort of stuff. |
Gamechanger had been in talks for 14 months before purchasing the club. If you think they had nothing to do with the appointment of Cook then you're the naive one. |  |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 14:14 - Aug 16 with 2148 views | Chocorange |
| Everything is awesome on 08:16 - Aug 16 by Coco |
The rumours months before we even dreamed of a takeover stated the new owners want Cook in as the new boss. What a mad coincidence. The takeover was 99.999999% done when Lambert was sacked! I’m sure Evans thought “how can i best screw this deal up!”
Of course they can’t say they were scheming behind Lamberts back and that it all kinda just worked out how they all wanted. Really is naive to think Gamechanger played no part in it. Lol. |
This ….spot on!
Add to that , that Holden was sacked at Bristol City on 17th Feb , Do a Google search and you will find lots of stories on Cook and Bristol City dated 18th Feb and onwards. Then all of a sudden it goes cold .
Why? Was it because dear old Marcus sold the club so well to a championship manager with his stock at an all time high that he couldn’t wait to get here ?
A club with no budget , an inflated playing staff ,and Marcus to work for … or did Cook know more ?
Do people really believe Ashton who would have spoken to him hadnt any contact with Cook or Town by then ? And then less than 2 weeks later with the takeover in the final stages ( which Ashton knew) ,Cook is appointed here.
What a happy happy coincidence.
Naive in the extreme to believe anything else. |  | | |
| Everything is awesome on 14:16 - Aug 16 with 2138 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
"you can see the potential there but that doesn't mean we are yet."
No. Because we've only played 2 league games.
This was a load of verbosity to basically say "I'm not patient enough to wait and see if this new team clicks." | |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 14:26 - Aug 16 with 2095 views | itfcjoe |
| Everything is awesome on 14:14 - Aug 16 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Gamechanger had been in talks for 14 months before purchasing the club. If you think they had nothing to do with the appointment of Cook then you're the naive one. |
Everything is awesome by PhilTWTD 16 Aug 2021 8:43One report said Cook would come in as part of the takeover. It was wrong, he was Marcus's appointment at a time Marcus hadn't decided to sell the club, indeed he was trying to work a situation where investment came in rather than a takeover. Once he was in position, Gamechanger weren't too unhappy, hence their public backing, but from what I was told prior to the Cook story their preferred candidate was Michael Appleton, who MA and MOL had previously worked with at West Brom and Oxford.
Cook very definitely didn't know anything about the takeover, other than what had been reported, until it happened. He was shocked when it went through as he'd not been kept in the loop while discussions were ongoing.
| |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 14:31 - Aug 16 with 2060 views | Coco |
| Everything is awesome on 13:49 - Aug 16 by reusersfreekicks |
Meant to give a downie - gave an uppie - not coming out of this thread in a great light really .... |
It's the manner on here write up their own conjecture to fit their own narrative with such self assurance is what grates me. Then the usual gaggle of TWTD overlords round up and totally dismiss anyone else that dares question that narrative.
"but so and so has 67 followers on YouTube and drives past the training ground each morning so their opinion must count for more and thus you're a total imbecile."
So tiresome. And as for the waffle in the OP - Jesus H! Too much time on your hands to force feed a personal agenda with astounding misguided authority. [Post edited 16 Aug 2021 14:46]
| |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 14:41 - Aug 16 with 2020 views | Coco |
| Everything is awesome on 14:26 - Aug 16 by itfcjoe |
Everything is awesome by PhilTWTD 16 Aug 2021 8:43One report said Cook would come in as part of the takeover. It was wrong, he was Marcus's appointment at a time Marcus hadn't decided to sell the club, indeed he was trying to work a situation where investment came in rather than a takeover. Once he was in position, Gamechanger weren't too unhappy, hence their public backing, but from what I was told prior to the Cook story their preferred candidate was Michael Appleton, who MA and MOL had previously worked with at West Brom and Oxford.
Cook very definitely didn't know anything about the takeover, other than what had been reported, until it happened. He was shocked when it went through as he'd not been kept in the loop while discussions were ongoing.
|
It's wrong itfcjoe.
Cook didn't know how far down the line a takeover was or if it would 100% happen but was fully aware that one might. Paul Lamber KNEW a takeover was very possible but not the actual details of it. Cook was appointed with FULL knowledge and agreement of the new owners if the takeover should go through. Choose to believe what the hell you want but do not flat out dismiss anyone else who may know otherwise. Appleton AND Cook were the two wanted by the new owners hence Appleton getting a bumper new contract. [Post edited 16 Aug 2021 14:50]
| |
| |
| Everything is awesome on 14:47 - Aug 16 with 2004 views | itfcjoe |
| Everything is awesome on 14:41 - Aug 16 by Coco |
It's wrong itfcjoe.
Cook didn't know how far down the line a takeover was or if it would 100% happen but was fully aware that one might. Paul Lamber KNEW a takeover was very possible but not the actual details of it. Cook was appointed with FULL knowledge and agreement of the new owners if the takeover should go through. Choose to believe what the hell you want but do not flat out dismiss anyone else who may know otherwise. Appleton AND Cook were the two wanted by the new owners hence Appleton getting a bumper new contract. [Post edited 16 Aug 2021 14:50]
|
I haven't dismissed anyone - my post on this above was saying that it seems the most logical thought to think that it had happened but those most ITK about things - i.e. Phil plus the EADT journos - have insisted that despite that seeming obvious that it isn't the case.
EADT even gone further to suggest that it wasn't until the Rochdale game that Evans fully decided to sell as really wanted to keep control but just have extra financing (which is mad as it is his control, not his money, that was the issue.)
Hopefully we just start winning games and a lot of this goes away, we never need to find out how long/short a leash he is on as may not be 'their guy' etc. | |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
