Most liked posts in thread: Andy Cook

I'm still puzzled how you argue that our former managers weren't backed when they had one of the best budgets in L2.

We've underachieved vs our spending. Simple. Even in L1 when we got relegated it was a Top 6 budget.

Rupp carries the can, because ultimately he's taken on the managers who've wasted the money - but I don't get why some on here constantly moan about the money we've had.

Out of the clubs promoted during the last couple of seasons, Cambridge, Cheltenham, Crewe and Morecambe all got promoted whilst, spending less than us, Northampton won't have had much more if at all.

Only Bolton, Plymouth and Swindon - probably exceeded ours and that nearly put the latter out of business.

But other than Bolton they also all had managers that had a least 15 matches before their promotion season, to have a good look at the players they inherited and make changes. And that trend is likely to continue this season.

Unless you think that Rupp should be gambling on purchasing players, i.e. like Salford have (and where has it go them?) - I don't get what more you want.

I get the frustration - but we cannot moan about a lack of funds as the chief reason for our troubles. It's been a lack of foresight, i.e. changing the manager every 9 months that's been the issue.

And yes. That is 100% on Rupp.

So we hold our nose and like Jewell in 1998, allow the manager to make as many errors as they like from now until the end of the season (whilst keeping an eye on the bottom two) so he can make a proper assessment as to who he wants to keep, retain and recruit.

We then don't get all sniffy if next season starts slowly. Remember some fans actually wanted Jewell out just prior to that memorable sunny and hot September Sunday win at West Brom.

That of course means Rupp and Sparks need to keep their nerve. Back the manager like Lawn / Rhodes were doing with Parky ten years and actually run the club according to some kind of plan as opposed to reacting to the fan atmosphere, as though it was some kind of Hughie Green clapometer game show (sorry for those too young to remember )

 

Patience from the fans? The fans are just about the only part of this club that are actually doing their bit.

How about patience from the CEO that's now had 4 managers in a ridiculously short length of time at the helm?

 

There's a reason manager after manager fails. Hughes will have a plan but if the club don't back that plan we are back to square one.

 

I'd be careful. You'll have a load of notifications next time you log in from people telling you that, 20 years on, it's still Geoffrey Richmonds fault.

 

Did you pick this picture because of contestant No 4?
I'd have him in our team in a heartbeat....

 

Why should people be patient with players who are clearly not up to league 2 standards, are the fans meant to be happy losing all the time and seeing some of the worst players ever to play for city.

 

Yeah OK Ryan, it's the fans fault. We'll all clap harder next season m9.

 

Fans don't get rid of managers, results do.

It's really not that difficult.

 

Unfortunately, we don't have many other options.
I've been saying for a while, we cannot press and put teams under pressure because the guy who starts the press cannot run.

 

I would gladly pay £50 more for my season ticket (even though I am 65 in May) if the extra cash went to Mark Hughes playing budget.
Yes we should do deals for families and father and young son/daughter tickets but Fordy is right on this one (hope he isn't reading this), we do need to start paying more. However the money does need to be spent well.
Andy Cook didn't have that "kebab gut" at the start of the season. His injury layoff and diet probably haven't helped. Players are generally where they are for a reason lifestyle (Andy Cook), attitude (Danny Rowe).
Having said all that we can criticise Andy Cook's weight/fitness/limitations but it really does amaze me how often defenders want to exchange shirts with him during the game rather than at the end of it. And when did it not become a foul for a defender to have a player in a headlock, probably because it is in the penalty area.

 

Your bottom paragraph sums up the basic need for this club.
Work to a plan. It's why clubs like Harrogate and Sutton with limitations are above us in the table. Because they work to a plan. We haven't had one of those for years. Guess what? That's seen us regress year on year without one.

 

This idea that Cook is overweight is blown all out of proportion. Nobody mentioned his weight when he was scoring regularly. If people look closely he's actually carrying very little weight at all.

 

Cook shouldn't be wrestling with defenders for 90 minutes every week hoping to create a chance by bringing down the ball, we should be creating chances for him in the box at least 1 percent of the time

Better (any) wingers can improve his usefulness next season

 

Yeah results and CEOs get rid of managers. This idea that fans are that influential is a myth, clubs base their decisions on what they think is best not what us fans think.

Fans were booing becuase they had had enough. A club in complete disarray and a deluded manager coupled with a non existent transfer policy. For crying out loud stop blaming the fans for all the ills this club imparts on itself.

 

This just shows how badly this club has been run over the last few years. Players being brought to the club with no real idea of how or where to play them. And these players being coached and conditioned that's lead to more injuries than I've ever seen at Valley Parade. Hughes is a welcome change at the club but there are still others I'd like to see replaced and I'm not talking players.

 

For all intents and purposes, Rupp said for some time that he would invest in the club and get us back to where we were.

Then, Julian Rhodes came along and suddenly it's sustainability & spend only what we make.

We all agree with sustainability, but the Rhodes-style mantra has crippled us.

As has been pointed out sooooo many times by all and sundry, you can still be sustainable even if you spend a little bit, as long as you spend well.

Rhodes, for some reason, always seemed to be the one wrist-wringing, and given everything changed in his very brief tenure as 'consultant', it appears to be his fault.

 

He was very unlucky with the header second half, the keeper has pulled off a blinder. Can't disagree with your post.

 

I agree and if he sets a style of play to entertain whilst making progress that's fine by me. Hopefully his experience and contacts in the game will enable him to bring in the talent we need.

 

I sensed certain limitations budget wise in MH's initial interview, but it is essential to success that he has the FULL financial backing he needs to do the job he was engaged to do. As you say Dave the Club can't afford anymore failures in accomplishing our objectives.