| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important 07:38 - May 3 with 1969 views | Dubtractor |
Numerous occasions over the season where fans have thrown toys out of the pram, occasional threads wanting McKenna out, players written off who then come good etc etc.
And yet, here we are, promoted in 2nd at the end of the season.
I get that football is a game of emotions, and I think a bit of a vent after a poor performance is cathartic, but I genuinely hope (probably in vain) that people can learn to show a bit more patience with our team moving forward.
A football season is a long slog, there will be ups and downs for every team, results won't always go to form, the best teams will have games where they sh1t the bed, but after 46 (or 38) games you end up where you deserve to be.
COYB! |  |
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| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 13:10 - May 3 with 274 views | Blue_Heath |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 12:42 - May 3 by Radlett_blue |
I think the big problem for the fans this season has been the level of expectation. We have parachute money & some of the best players in this division, plus by far the strongest bench. So we expect the team to win every week and play well. I think if we had been able to find a better striker (Akpom has been the biggest disappointment) we'd have been promoted comfortably.
The on field leadership was being questioned by me (& others) when we put in one or two feeble performances, usually against lesser opposition, but O'Shea & the team really seem to have come through this, especially after the 5-3 debacle at Wrexham, by losing only 1 of the last 15 & I'm prepared to put the Pompey shipwreck down to fall-out from the derby intensity. |
100% the money has a huge bearing on the expectation.
As I said elsewhere my expectations next season will be very different. I'd snap your arm off right now for 4th bottom on GD!
I just hope us STH's get more than one win next time around but other than that expecting another brutal season for the most part. |  |
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| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 14:43 - May 3 with 220 views | patrickswell |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 10:36 - May 3 by HighgateBlue |
And the person with the most patience, season after season, has been McKenna.
Trust the process. I've hated that expression so much. And yet I was so wrong. You don't trust the process because it brings results EVERY time. You trust it because it /eventually/ brings you results when you get to the finish line.
I get that now. Rationally, I've always understood that, but many of us are impatient, easily frustrated, and overly human.
Our superhuman leader shows us where it's at. He's a real one-off, especially in this century.
And it's not just we fans who have insufficient patience. Chelsea and Spurs seem to have a new manager every week. It's demeaning to them, to the clubs, to the sport, and to the fans. And it influences fans' thinking.
I do think that at times those who criticise the criticisers were wrong, in that they would argue that certain results or performances were not bad, or that we were not underperforming relative to cash spent, when actually their better argument was just: yes, things are not yet there. Have patience. We will get there.
And that argument was quietly, resolutely, correct. Just like McKenna.
It's funny to see him laughing and smiling isn't it? Uncomfortable almost. Here's to being uncomfortable again next year. |
Trust the process worked with McKenna because he has always managed the balancing act of building slowly and incrementally while keeping results ticking over, and that always gave him time and credit with the fans and the hierarchy. It’s such a hard thing to do. George Burley managed it and got success with it. Royle and Magilton kept results ticking over but could never make that final step. McCarthy was the only one of Evans’s picks that got close to striking that balance.
McKenna’s achievements are all the more remarkable given the volume of managers we had through the 2010s and early 2020s, who gave you no grounds to trust anything because they couldn’t get the basics right, let alone any other grand process. [Post edited 3 May 14:49]
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| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 14:48 - May 3 with 217 views | BeachBlue |
I'm holding my hands up to an almighty strop after losing at home to Charlton, calling the season a relegation scrap.
I stand by my words at Christmas that Kieran Mckenna was right about squad rotation to keep players fit and ready. |  |
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| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:18 - May 3 with 202 views | LA_Tractor_Boy |
I do agree and we need to show the same patience as 2024/25.
But this season has been far from perfect for multiple reasons. I think we've been a bit lucky that Soton made the wrong managerial appointment last summer and Boro only collected 4 points from 7 matches recently. Otherwise 84 points wouldn't have got us over the line. | | | |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:23 - May 3 with 190 views | Dubtractor |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 14:48 - May 3 by BeachBlue |
I'm holding my hands up to an almighty strop after losing at home to Charlton, calling the season a relegation scrap.
I stand by my words at Christmas that Kieran Mckenna was right about squad rotation to keep players fit and ready. |
I'm not sure anyone didn't throw a strop about that Charlton game. I certainly did, and it was the only point that my faith wavered a bit. | |
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| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:27 - May 3 with 192 views | Churchman |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:18 - May 3 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
I do agree and we need to show the same patience as 2024/25.
But this season has been far from perfect for multiple reasons. I think we've been a bit lucky that Soton made the wrong managerial appointment last summer and Boro only collected 4 points from 7 matches recently. Otherwise 84 points wouldn't have got us over the line. |
After 46 games, you are not lucky. You are exactly where you belong.
Every club makes good and bad decisions. You get fortunate one week, a kick in the nuts the next. Bad games, good games. Teams putting their best performance of the season out against you, teams stinking the place out. It’s why this division is so interesting, even if the quality ranges from excellent to pitiful. |  | | |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:52 - May 3 with 168 views | Axeldalai_lama |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 13:10 - May 3 by Blue_Heath |
100% the money has a huge bearing on the expectation.
As I said elsewhere my expectations next season will be very different. I'd snap your arm off right now for 4th bottom on GD!
I just hope us STH's get more than one win next time around but other than that expecting another brutal season for the most part. |
The trouble is that quite a lot of the same people that would 'take 4th bottom on gd' are the same ones who moaned all this season but 'would have taken second place and promotion'.
Coming '4th bottom on gd' may involve losing 8 on the bounce, getting trounced a few times, quite a few games where we look lacklustre and others where we play chunks pretty well.
I think for all the talk of it being different next season from the fans, the same expectant people will get properly annoyed and lairy about why we can't *always* play like we may do in one or two games, why we couldn't have bought *all* players as good as the 1 or 2 who inevitably do better than others, and cherry pick other teams and players that we should have copied and been ahead of when buying. And that's going to be bloody annoying! |  | | |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:07 - May 3 with 158 views | Blue_Heath |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:52 - May 3 by Axeldalai_lama |
The trouble is that quite a lot of the same people that would 'take 4th bottom on gd' are the same ones who moaned all this season but 'would have taken second place and promotion'.
Coming '4th bottom on gd' may involve losing 8 on the bounce, getting trounced a few times, quite a few games where we look lacklustre and others where we play chunks pretty well.
I think for all the talk of it being different next season from the fans, the same expectant people will get properly annoyed and lairy about why we can't *always* play like we may do in one or two games, why we couldn't have bought *all* players as good as the 1 or 2 who inevitably do better than others, and cherry pick other teams and players that we should have copied and been ahead of when buying. And that's going to be bloody annoying! |
I can only speak for myself, whilst of course next season is going to be frustrating it will be expected. Yes you have a 8 point in that an 8 game losing streak may well bring out the worst in people but what kind of fan is happy when we lose? The difference is we were well capable this year of beating every team in the league whereas next year there may well be the odd shock win like Chelsea etc but I see very few nailed on winnable games hence my expectation is very different to this year.
Taking 6 of Coventry and hopefully Millwall or Hull is an area we must improve on this time around along with our home form, if we don't win against the promoted sides then I will be annoyed, however, hopefully we do and then we can only hope an established team has a fall from grace or Sunderland/Leeds suffer second season syndrome. | |
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| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:09 - May 3 with 153 views | jasondozzell |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:18 - May 3 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
I do agree and we need to show the same patience as 2024/25.
But this season has been far from perfect for multiple reasons. I think we've been a bit lucky that Soton made the wrong managerial appointment last summer and Boro only collected 4 points from 7 matches recently. Otherwise 84 points wouldn't have got us over the line. |
'This season has been far from perfect'
I'm trying to imagine saying that with a straight face, especially the idea of saying it during the dark days had we been automatically promoted! |  | | |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:19 - May 3 with 145 views | LA_Tractor_Boy |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:09 - May 3 by jasondozzell |
'This season has been far from perfect'
I'm trying to imagine saying that with a straight face, especially the idea of saying it during the dark days had we been automatically promoted! |
I think you know what I mean. Even KMc has admitted it. | | | |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:22 - May 3 with 138 views | jasondozzell |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:19 - May 3 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
I think you know what I mean. Even KMc has admitted it. |
I know what you mean but no season is ever 'perfect'. | | | |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:29 - May 3 with 130 views | StokieBlue |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 11:51 - May 3 by Churchman |
We are not as fluid as two years ago but i suspect there was a bit of design in that. Two seasons ago, the number of times we were carved open with a cross field ball to Clarke/Tuanzebe side of the pitch was almost embarrassing.
We have been solid this season that side, not least because Furlong has been consistent. He rarely gets caught wrong side, is robust and a good reader of the game. Limited attacking wise, he really has given the side better balance.
I hoped we’d start hammering teams second half of the season. Whist we beat some teams up, we never truly ripped them to bits Wednesday/Exeter/Charlton style. I think thats more about the way we play rather than ability.
But specifically with regard to your last sentence, I reckon if the season had lasted another ten games wed have seen more and more periods of games like last 20 v Saints and first 20 v QPR |
It's also harder to be fluid when most teams are sitting back against you. The previous team just didn't have that obstacle which I think is overlooked by many.
SB |  |
| Avatar - M101 - Pinwheel Galaxy |
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| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:30 - May 3 with 125 views | StokieBlue |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:23 - May 3 by Dubtractor |
I'm not sure anyone didn't throw a strop about that Charlton game. I certainly did, and it was the only point that my faith wavered a bit. |
That was the first match Matusiwa missed this season I believe and it made a huge difference.
SB | |
| Avatar - M101 - Pinwheel Galaxy |
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| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:32 - May 3 with 120 views | Kieran_Knows |
Yeah, but why did McKenna sell all the 23/24 lot?! What about Woolfie? He’s miles better than O’Shea? Philogene? Couldn’t even lace Broadheads boots.
Boooo McKenna out. |  |
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| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:37 - May 3 with 109 views | SuffolkPunchFC |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:23 - May 3 by Dubtractor |
I'm not sure anyone didn't throw a strop about that Charlton game. I certainly did, and it was the only point that my faith wavered a bit. |
I was disappointed, and a little shellshocked after Charlton, but I didn't overreact - the stats in that game showed that we should have walked it, and been 3 or 4 up at half time. I was putting my trust in the McKenna process, and still do.
In reality I'd have liked it to click sooner, but whenever I watch us, I see what what they are trying - even though sometimes it doesn't come off, and puts us in trouble. We play high risk balls (often attempted balls, as they sometimes fail/get cut out or players aren't fully in tune), but when they work, they cut the opposition wide open. And the balance has been improving between when it works, and when it doesn't. | | | |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:40 - May 3 with 93 views | TractorJack |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 15:18 - May 3 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
I do agree and we need to show the same patience as 2024/25.
But this season has been far from perfect for multiple reasons. I think we've been a bit lucky that Soton made the wrong managerial appointment last summer and Boro only collected 4 points from 7 matches recently. Otherwise 84 points wouldn't have got us over the line. |
Nonsense to cite those factors as lucky for us. How about they were lucky that we had a poor start? They were lucky that we lost Hutchinson late in the window? |  | | |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 17:11 - May 3 with 68 views | Axeldalai_lama |
| This season was a perfect example of why patience is important on 16:07 - May 3 by Blue_Heath |
I can only speak for myself, whilst of course next season is going to be frustrating it will be expected. Yes you have a 8 point in that an 8 game losing streak may well bring out the worst in people but what kind of fan is happy when we lose? The difference is we were well capable this year of beating every team in the league whereas next year there may well be the odd shock win like Chelsea etc but I see very few nailed on winnable games hence my expectation is very different to this year.
Taking 6 of Coventry and hopefully Millwall or Hull is an area we must improve on this time around along with our home form, if we don't win against the promoted sides then I will be annoyed, however, hopefully we do and then we can only hope an established team has a fall from grace or Sunderland/Leeds suffer second season syndrome. |
Everyone's different and good luck to you.
I can just never see it as clear cut as you clearly do and are planning to do next season too! 'We should have won nearly all our games this season so when we didn't it made sense to pick at everything and get really annoyed no matter the context or the lottery of life. Next season I'll only get annoyed and proper lay into them if we don't beat x y or z because we should beat x y or z so I'm allowed, and if we lose loads I will too but that's the right thing to do too.' 'But next year is a free hit and everyone will be more chilled'. Hmmm.
Like I said there is no right or wrong answer, everyone is different I just see people already thinking they'll be different when the reality is that they probably won't. And that's fine. Meh, we'll see.
Uppa towen. | | | |
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