Sack the manager

Thorowing money at it yet where are the in the league? He's been given a couple of loans, Andy King and the young lad from Arsenal. Throwing money at it isn't the answer.
Look at this article from a few weeks back. The championship is knackered and it's completely unsustainable.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50674331

You have no idea if Bowyer is respected at all. You are making it up and the long term vision of your our football club is exactly the same as all 92 clubs in the football league. What makes us so special that we feel we are too good for league 2. Our squad is a league 2 squad. Thats all we can hope to attract.
What half decent footballer is going to want to play in league 2 in Bradford?? It's a shit pool we are fishing from.
I'm not saying lower your expectations but I am saying be more realistic. Football doesn't work in the way you are hoping it does. We are fighting it out week in and week out with 23 other teams and while so far it's not pretty we are still only 2 points from the top 3 despite numerous injuries and a whole new team of players to gel together.

 

As Gary Jones said yesterday players need to show endeavour and commitment at the moment the team is showing neither now who's job is it to instill this into the players. Bowyer may be a good "manager " but is he leaving this to the coaching staff and they aren't capable.

 

I think we need to see how the Doyle situation is addressed as well as the desperate need for a formation that suits the players available. Next week is crucial, two hard away games. Then a tough home game against one of the better sides in Cheltenham. Two playoff rivals in three games. Need at least a point in these two games and three at Mansfield. Lose either of the Cheltenham or Colchester games and it starts to the pressure will get worse. We could be seventh by Tuesday if results go against us.

 

I was on the fence on Bowyer, the club needs stability but to me it is now plain Bowyer is not the man for us. We are serving up utter dross , does anyone really think the manager is getting the best out of this squad, which is good for L2 despite the injuries? It would be great to have manager with us long term like Parky was but it's also foolish to keep someone who is no where near getting the potential out of the squad. To outsiders it may look daft to sack a manager with us in 5th, but to those watching the team play (or not play) its plain a change is needed, be that in approach or manager. Time for Julian to tell Stefan the truth, he should appreciate it after the guff Edin gave him.

 

I certainly would't try and talk you around @Here's Johnny I can see your point, although I'm far from sure his sacking would bring the immediate change that many fans are hoping for.
Lets take yesterdays game as an example are Scunthorpe a better team than us, on yesterdays performance most would agree they were on the day yet at training you see these same Bradford City players running into space and screaming for the ball how many times recently have we witnessed that, is it an easy option for a player to hide for want of a better word so they can't screw up, again yesterday players had the ball in midfield and they were gesturing to their players to make a run into space, embarrassing at times.
To me yesterday Scunthorpe had far more faith in their own ability and were prepared to make runs making the play makers job a lot easier, looking at Scunthorpes recent form they were hardly tearing the league up.
That formation yesterday was deemed by some as being a defensive line up but if played correctly with Mellor and Wood getting forward as much as possibly it could also be classed as an attacking formation, without doubt once Gilliead scored those two were far more defensive minded.
Bowyer brought Connolly on after 67 minutes a couple of minutes on after they had equilised, then introduced McCartan 10 minutes later why not a double sub at 67 minutes Connolly giving us width and McCartan holding the ball up in the final third and trying to get other players involved.

 

The 'tide' has changed.
Yesterday, the 'Don't sack' had over half the votes. It is now a situation of 'Do sack' ....... and growing. (View the top of this thread for upto date developments regarding a swing in voting.)
ME ?? I'll wait until around 10.00 PM Tuesday.

 

Imo our squad is massively over rated by some on here, as if some other coach just walks in plays 442 and we win every game. We played 442 last week and were totally out classed to a lower end of the table team. This week we go two up at home to a mid table side and make them look like Liverpool second half, Bowyer might be crap, but the players need to start making simple balls and simple runs something they’re failing to do. And don’t get me started on the midfield ambling around most of the game, Palmer reminded me of Wright yesterday just jogging back for their second.

I remember McCall getting pelters from plenty before he was sacked, then we went and got even worse. Maybe we’d improve, maybe we wouldn’t. But I do know the players need to do far better than they did yesterday no matter who’s in charge. As Gary Jones alluded too yesterday after the game.

 

Why you waiting mate?

You not seen enough already?

 

Fickle football fans............................who'd have thought it .

 

Sorry Dave ............ But even I've had enough of GB. An' that's sayin' sommat

 

It's a tricky one Broncs, I would love to be at training to see things for myself. As you say, a change doesn't mean there would be an improvement, it would have to be the right change. From what you are saying when it comes to match day the players don't seem to have the confidence to put training into practice. However, if players go out every week and don't put tactics gone through in the week into practice to me they don't have faith in either their own ability or what they have been asked to do or both. I would love a long term manager but equally would wouldn't want to keep the wrong manager long term. Bowyer plays rubbish football, I have watched city since 1969 and apart from John Docherty when I gave my season ticket to an unfortunate stranger on the kop this is the worst footy the supporters have had to witness. From a team I think could play, its criminal.

 

Maybe they are overrated or maybe they are trying to carry out orders from their manager..

It is not about the formation but more the application and tactics employed. I think fans see the 4-4-2 as one that at least gives some width and therefore more attacking intent than the 5-3-2. I don’t necessarily agree but what is definitely required is a change in philosophy and it is pretty clear that this will not happen under the current regime.

You and many others have picked out Palmer (myself included) the only reason I can think of why he remained on the pitch was because Bowyer was happy with what he was seeing from him.. hence why I believe the players attitudes and decisions on the pitch are what GB is requesting/coaching despite what he says in his interviews.

 

If the players aren't putting the training into the matches, then I'd suggest the training isn't good enough.

And if this was the case, I'd like to know why Bowyer has sat back and allowed it to happen for 27 games this season, because yesterday was not a one off performance.

I'd wager the training is piss poor, geared on stopping the opposition and defensive shape, with zero focus on attacking shape and patterns.

 

You and I (plus many others too, I expect) bro'
WE have endured periods of failure, but always tried to act against it.
I don't feel this recognition or unity anymore. City are currently a ripped raft heading toward 'white waters'.

 

Agree.

I think if we don't go up this season we will look back and think did we really try? What a missed chance.

I really thought after the fans on Boxing Day at Carlisle were having a go at Bowyer he would of changed and we would attack this league but no.

A new manger would at least be more positive and give it a go. We have the squad.

 

I dont think he knows how to attack. He clearly cant coach the players to play with the ball, so he reverts to being solid and going long. Its outdated football.

 

It's nothing short of pathetic on the attacking front. @banbrotam will be along shortly to tell us it's the right way to play but the stats are clearly pointing towards that the best footballing sides are going to be the successful ones and get out of the division. We are getting left behind and we are going to slide into mid table obscurity with GB at the helm. He needs to go before it's too late. He's been handed the best tools in the league and can't get any sort of pattern of play or any goals in the side. He should hang his head in shame.

 

For what it’s worth I don’t like 532 one bit and don’t think we have the players for the system, however you’ve just said it yourself about lack application. And yesterday imo that’s what it was, at times especially in midfield the amount of 50/50 challenges we lost and the lack of pressing when they were in dangerous areas was criminal and that’s on the players. Obviously Bowyer deserves stick for the dull football. However it should have been 3 points yesterday at 2 up and we missed a glorious chance for 3, that’s on the players.

 

Banbrotam has never said there is a "right" way to play. I have said (or alluded) that in L2, been the one of the four best footballing teams doesn't have a significant bearing on who gets promoted and that, by the way, is based on facts (remember our footie in 2008/9 and who eventually got promoted). Teams should never limit themselves into one style of football, anyway. People talk about Man City and Liverpool, but forget that they fight for every ball regardless of the situation - we pfaff around two much

And yes, for 70 of the 90 minutes yesterday we were terrible and the problem is becoming apparent that we have any players who have the nerve to get hold of the team on the pitch and grab it by the scruff of the neck.

I noticed that Tony MacMahon is available. We should sign him up to the end of the season and play him at RB/RWB, not least for his character

And for 20 minutes, we played the right way - the post, a dubious ruled offside goal and some good goalkeeping, stopped us from going up 3-0. But I would agree, that at times attack doesn't seem to be natural to this team, the transition from defence to attack is at times poor and has been for most of the season - something Bowyer must sort out

Fans, needs to stick together - instead of all this gleeful 'told you so' negativity. At times, on these boards, posters seem to have more delight in yesterday's 'kick the dog, in fact kick everything in sight' poor performance - than us winning

 

Agree. Yesterday was worrying, because we went a goal up against the run of play and then actually upped our game - scored again, really could have another two (and yes I think Crewe and Swindon would have done so) made a bad error, conceded a goal and then lost any will to fight

It was like last season

The only two who were fairly blameless, were the keeper, Anthony O'Connor and the front two. In fairness to Cook I thought he looked good for 50 minutes, but perhaps understandably faded due to a lack of recent matches

Palmer summed us up. Once he got going he gave his best 30 minutes and then faded from view when the going got tough