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I really liked Lambert when he came in. He has to be given credit for recognising how low morale and enthusiasm around the club was and he did a lot to try and improve things. It may well have been dismissed as simply good ‘PR’, but inviting the ex players back to training, improving the look of the ground and training ground, meeting Blue Action, talking about the support, even showing a bit of passion at Carrot Rud (better fighting them than giving us two fingers!) was much needed after the acrimony at the end of Mick’s time.
The football improved too. We played some good stuff initially and we were unlucky not to take more from some games. Reading away sticks in the mind for some reason - Sears was v good that day. I think Lambert had the right philosophy and it was much better to watch than the football we had to endure towards the end of Mick’s reign (I liked Mick, but he had to go).
The trouble was that for all his enthusiasm (and it was nice to see Lambert so active on the touchline) and his desire to see us play good football, it became apparent that when this didn’t succeed Lambert didn’t quite know how to respond. He’s an experienced manager, but it increasingly looks like the ‘Culverhouse was the tactical nous’ theory may be correct. We went down playing some good stuff but not being able to take chances. Don’t forget that he did inject some pride back though. WBA away in the relegation season was great - real defiance and the club felt together.
I think he did some good things, and I was still behind him this season, but it’s clear that the same problems are raising their heads. He has had injuries, but like last season we haven’t looked convincing for a while. He has continued to become increasingly defensive and I suspect it’s because of the pressure. I don’t blame him for trying to get the best contract etc that he can. It’s just a shame that now the wheels are falling off again it is going to get increasingly nasty. Banning Phil is a really poor move and shows terrible judgement. But I blame the club more than Lambert. Lambert is reacting to the pressure, but the club should know better. Ultimately that’s our real problem - the club has been drifting for so long that there is no real structure or control from the top. Evans doesn’t want to be involved, everything is done on the cheap, there’s no heart anymore.
The club could be doing so much more, but I think the truth is that Evans has accepted we’ve fallen and is more or less happy to keep us going on a reduced budget and hope for a miracle.
It’s been grim watching this over the last decade. Barring a good couple of years from Mick, it’s been woeful really. I’m not convinced that a change of manager is enough. We need the whole club to change. Can Evans do that? Has he got the stomach for it? Sadly the current evidence suggests not.
We’ve got some really promising young players but If we don’t get back up this season I really worry that we’ll be stuck down here for the long term, with the wage cap essentially relegating us to position of one of those clubs who will always be a shadow of their former selves. It’s so depressing.
I’d be all for Burley now. It may not be realistic but he should be given a chance if he still wants it. The trouble Iis can anyone see Evans acting?
[Post edited 29 Nov 2020 10:36]
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Reflections on Lambert and the state of the club over past decade on 10:44 - Nov 29 with 1396 views
Nor sure Burley is the answer but agree with everything else in your post, very well put.
There is far more problems in this club than just Lambert. I think he has realised the situation is hopeless and doesn't know what to do.
5 managers have failed. This is the most worrying thing. The majority of fans want a new manager, and i agree, but there is no reason to expect things to change long-term because so much within the club is broken. Sure we have to start somewhere but i think without new ownership that can commit money, re-structure the club, and make the right appointments, all in itself a hell of a combination of things to get right, the club will stagnate at this level, if not lower, for many years to come.
A lot of good points well put, although Burley isn’t the answer for me.
I have never been sold on the Manager particularly. There was a massive love in on here early on, which I personally didn’t buy. Equally I didn’t buy the clamour to have him removed last season, because as you say the problem here is more deep rooted than the manager. Don’t get too high when we win, don’t get too down when we lose - it’s a fair mantra to be honest.
I have not been in the Lambert Out camp this season either. He appeared to have learnt from the mistakes of last season and we remain handily placed despite a chronic injury list.
However, the relationship now just feels irretrievably broken. His press conferences are becoming increasingly inconsistent (is Dobra a kid or not?), and now everything that he says and does is pulled apart even though actually a lot of it makes sense (bringing Norwood off against Hull - not that it did us much good). Hamgate is just another example of the disconnect. I can understand PL being annoyed at the leak and whoever thought it was ok to post it on here needs to take a long hard look at themselves, but the banning is a massive overreaction.
So I’ve reached the stage where I won’t lose any sleep if he goes. However will it get any better? Any new manager is going to inherit a squad with very little quality that you can rely on week in week out. There’s a mix of ageing pros who are beyond their best, players who are made of glass and youngsters who are largely unproven. I reckon that only 2 or 3 of the squad are capable of the step up to the Championship at the moment, so we may need longer in this division to regroup and have a real clear out. That will take time because we will need contracts to expire.
I have no faith in the owner at all. It feels like he’s trying to run the Club on the cheap ( in comparative terms, because every all know that running a club is a money pit) and you have to question in particular the sports science and whether this is being properly funded.
Personally I don’t seethe situation improving until he sells up.
Reflections on Lambert and the state of the club over past decade on 11:45 - Nov 29 by N2_Blue
Nor sure Burley is the answer but agree with everything else in your post, very well put.
There is far more problems in this club than just Lambert. I think he has realised the situation is hopeless and doesn't know what to do.
5 managers have failed. This is the most worrying thing. The majority of fans want a new manager, and i agree, but there is no reason to expect things to change long-term because so much within the club is broken. Sure we have to start somewhere but i think without new ownership that can commit money, re-structure the club, and make the right appointments, all in itself a hell of a combination of things to get right, the club will stagnate at this level, if not lower, for many years to come.
Agree re Burley - maybe as a DoF as others have mentioned, but not as manager/coach.
We have to remember that we're not the only club to have ever gone through this, some clubs have had more managers in 5 years than we've had in the last 50. Of course it's easy for us to say, "change the manager" every time things appear to be going pear-shaped, but there's so much more involved, with backroom staff and such, but as it stands I would be worried about getting the 50-odd points we need to avoid relegation, rather than another 50-odd points for promotion.
It pains me to say it, but if we need to sell a player in Jan to be able to afford Lamberts payoff, then so be it. The cost of keeping him (and the current backroom staff) for the rest of this season or more will be much, much higher.
If Burley is the solution of our problems why then wasn't he able to sort out the mess he had created back in 2002? Joe Royle had to pick us up.
We played like a bunch of pussies and scared to make a tackle in 2002. George Burley was the man. The manner in which were relegated then? George Burley. Bad transfers? George Burley? Grimsby away and 0-3 defeat that left us close to the bottom of 2nd tier? George Burley.
All of sudden he looks like a saviour for some. Stop being SOPPY and SENTIMENTAL
[Post edited 29 Nov 2020 12:11]
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Reflections on Lambert and the state of the club over past decade on 12:27 - Nov 29 with 1085 views
Agree with all of this apart from Burley. It seems Lambert is fine as long as he has several weeks to think and reflect. The last two seasons have begun well but as soon as there is a bump in the road he seems unable to adapt and react. This was plain to see last season both in games and between games. Whether this is stubbornness, a lack of intelligence or some other reason, it means he is not going to get us promoted or even in the play-offs. He is not helped by a similarly ponderous Evans.
We must always be aware that Marcus Evans is asset rich but cash poor so cannot just pump cash into the club. And considering his business in event management has taking an absolute pasting he is unlikely to out further cash in. Best bet is that he sells a percentage of his stake in the club to raise the revenue to progress the club.
We are a club that does things on the cheap, our stadium is well past its best and the training ground probably needs a significant upgrade.
I would also like to see him invest more in the woman's team as let's be honest that's the team that is on the up, is progressive and has the potential to be a team that is admired across the country.
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Reflections on Lambert and the state of the club over past decade on 12:45 - Nov 29 with 1040 views
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