Match Thread Away v Barrow 31 October

Let's be honest, you could see after 5 minutes today that we just weren't interested..

 

Really good question that the interviewer asked was "did they deal with the conditions better".

"No, didn't think so" said Stuart.

Sorry Stuart but I watched it and they did. They kept the ball on the floor which meant they had more possession and were able to use it to score and prevent us from scoring by making sure we had less of the ball.

In both halves we hoofed it up the pitch or up the sides or some diagonal effort, none of which worked.

That was the problem Stuart, they knew how to pass and we didn't.

 

I never wanted him back, but I’ve no doubt when we sack the next one after McCall walks again ,Width of a post will be campaigning to bring him back again

 

Well that was truly appalling to watch we're heading for a relegation battle if we're not careful. Sutton wants shooting for that challenge, cousin Dawson was totally anonymous how Pritchard is behind him is beyond me and leaving Watt out who is easily the best if not the only player comfortable on the ball in the middle of the pitch was criminal, Donaldson will be lucky to hit double figures he looks well past his best constantly offside or on his arse, the kid Samuels has shown nothing yet, this might not be popular but Staunton is nothing to write home about either gives away stupid free kicks or misplaces passes would much rather see BRE in there. It was a good job there weren't any fans in the ground I'm sure the players would be able to hear exactly what people think. The amount of times we gift possession from a throw in is an embarrassment! Comes to something when the only player your really interested in watching is the youth loanee right back who to me was the best player on the pitch today absolutely appalling!

 

None of us want this to be the case. None of us want to see a City so bereft of ideas and footballing intelligence. None of us want McCall to fail. But this is where it is. And the truth is, McCall just isn't a very good football manager. Hate to say it, but the stats throughout his management career don't lie. They're sub mediocre.

 

I think some of our players appear anonymous, for example Finn, Samuels, Sutton before his red card, because the ball is being hoofed everywhere. They don't get possession of the ball. That's down to how the players are coached and told to play.

 

Staunton was a big culprit in the first half. Just booting it down the park. That comes from his inexperience. OD should have been giving him a rocket, but that's never gonna happen. Perhaps his centre mid should have had a word with him?Oh no, he's inexperienced too.
Lots of people slating Donno for being over the hill and falling over and missing goals and that, but if he can't hit the back of the net, at least he should be out there giving the rest of the team the benefit of his long (glorious) football career. Instead, he's too busy running offside (and falling over). Samuels is not the answer. He reminded me of Rhian Brewster in todays game vs Man City. Looks lost.
This is team is most certainly up there with the worst I can remember for a long time. Even Wood is now looking very below par.

 

We have no structure when attacking and no structure to fall back into when defending.
McCall is back into the same rut he was in before he got sacked last time, losing game after game after game. People on this board said he was sacked too soon but on all evidence, it was probably the right decision. He hasn’t learnt anything from the last time and the fear is, he doesn’t have the same calibre of personnel available to him to turn it around. Whatever the budget he was given, he hasn’t spent it wisely at all. We needed leaders, a captain, he said he didn’t need one. He said he was happy with the squad when 99% of supporters could see the blindingly obvious deficiencies. Samuels was the final piece in the jigsaw. What jigsaw? He’s not ready for the U18’s never mind hairy arsed league 2 football.

This squad has heaped total embarrassment on the club. Harrogate and now Barrow. Losing doesn’t hurt enough and until the club is completely honest with its supporters, it’s heading onto the scrap heap.

Give us the truth, we CAN handle the truth....

 

I can't believe in training Stuart just tells them to hoof it. Looks to me like there's a very serious confidence issue among the squad we can barely string together a passage of play against bog standard league 2 team like Barrow. You can literally see the frustration I. Watt and Hossanahs body language. I've no rose tinted glasses we wouldn't have done that under Parky either but he was pragmatic enough to recognise that if we couldn't do that we had to be too defensively strong that we wouldn't get beaten we aren't that at the momentwhich does sit with Stuart.

 

McCall said he left Watt out because of the conditions. He thought the more physical stature of FCD Would be better suited, you couldn't make it up.

Sorry but there is no chance of McCall getting us out of this mess. We need to act now, get this new CEO in pronto, look for a new manager who can come in and assess in time for the opening of the transfer window, and act accordingly.

If not, going to be a very long hard winter slog trying to keep us above 23rd in the league

 

have you ever seen him kicking off on the touchline telling them not to hoof it? me neither. if he doesn't tell them to, then he sure makes it look like he does.

 

What is the general role of the CEO? Genuine question. Rhodes, while I am sure does a lot, doesn't seem to really make much difference. If it is going to be Sparks as rumours have suggested, then I think he's going to be more focused on getting the Twitter accounts to trend, rather than this team to the top of the table. I can't see him sacking McCall. Wasn't he our media manager a while back, and then got promoted? Doesn't strike me as a serious, hard nosed businessman. Are the rumours serious about him being given the job?

 

Surely you're not claiming exclusivity Park?!

 

Just being in a tiny minority

 

You may well be very disappointed with the new CEO would settle for 22nd now

 

Forgetting who said what at the time, I just find it very sad what is happening. I hate seeing the comments being made against Stuart's managerial status and abilities because he is Bradford through and through - but I accept it is hard to defend anything that is going on at present. But Stuart goes on trying to defend the indefensible, and I now despair when he is covering for his players (like his interview today). Worse than that, the issues and shortcomings facing this team were apparent to virtually everyone (yes by us fans who are supposed to not really understand whats going on) and that damning 'final piece of the jigsaw' comment is going to haunt Stuart as we can all see what a mess we are.
Radio Leeds made a good comment in the aftermatch analysis that it is very hard to see which of Stuart or Allotment Black plays the bad cop role - who is getting into the players re their feeble efforts. Stuart said he looked into their eyes and they had given everything today and we will be clinical on Tuesday - but there is just no evidence of this.

But I still hold out that there is little value in changing managers (as he would still have to work with this sad collection of players) until we sort the issues higher up the club, this is now becoming critical as the apathy and ridicule is growing

 

Except the hierarchy are not changing any time soon. The longer this shit show continues the nearer we get to national league status. Todays after match interview was cringeworthy. Again.

 

Stop the abuse.....

 

Rupp needs to cut his losses and get the hell out, and invest his money in something more profitable, like Venezuelan Bolivars. Thanks to him and his 'business partner' Bradford City AFC is going the same way as Bury and Macclesfield. Can't see myself coming back any time soon (last game AFC Wimbledon, 27/01/18, 0-4). Happy watching non league football now, stress-free.

 

What he was given of the remaining budget as existing players already signed under contract and the two contract extensions to Donaldson and sick note Ismail will have taken up a fair chunk of it.