Anthony O’Connor .. & any other 'Off Topic' Issues!

Far too seriously .

 

I actually think it is a fair digression that started with the possible influences Drury might have had on AOC's performance and attitude

 

Just have a look at the old thread on the vote for bringing back the ratings, it tells you all you need to know about the acceptance of 'banter' by some forum users.

 

As Marvin Gaye would say
"What's Going on"

 

Actually... as Marvin Gaye said...
"Dad... don't shoo..............

 

Brilliant! Could be added to most posts

 

How do you know this stuff?
You seem to have a lot of knowledge about what went on in the dressing room and who made decisions about what.
In what sense was Armbandgate Drury's making? What makes you think that the ridiculous stitching excuse originated from Drury? Where are you getting this information about what went on behind the scenes?
Most supporters have no idea about this stuff. How come you do?

 

What have I said that makes you think I've got some inside knowledge? I said the armband thing was Drury's making IN MY OPINION. I said I SUSPECTED Drury had an input into the stitching excuse. It's conjecture, I don't know and never claimed to. It's like 95% of the posts on here - people offering their take on the facts as they are presented. Good god, most posters confidently inform us what every player is earning - why don't you have a go at them.

 

Well, I know the square root of feck all about Drury's role in what goes on behind the scenes, in common with 95% of City fans. So I naturally assumed you must have some rational basis/insider knowledge to make such a suggestion. You described him as 'the real architect' of the disastrous day. That's a very bold, emphatic statement which strongly suggested that you must know something that the rest of us don't.

What exactly is it about Drury that makes you think that he had anything to do with it? Do you know anything about his character that leads you to this view? What 'facts' are presented that support it?

You didn't just speculate; you went as far as complaining that no one else is giving him flak for an incident that only you have ever suggested he had any role in. That's bizarre.

It appears you've completely fabricated a moral outtage about something you know nothing about. You've decided you don't like Drury, for whatever reason, and feel that gives you the right to manufacture a conspiracy theory about him based on no evidence whatsoever.

And no, 'most posters' actually don't speculate on what our players are earning. A very small minority do. Not sure why that gives you the right to conjure up a baseless allegation against someone who may be entirely innocent of what you're suggesting.

 

We're going back a long time so forgive me if I don't remember all the facts rights. The arm band incident happened just after Hopkin walked and Drury was made caretaker manager, right? He took the decision to strip AOC of the captaincy and give it to Caddis. (Now we'll take a time-out on stating facts while I just interject my own opinion here based on no insider knowledge). IMO that was a poor decision. At HT Caddis is injured and AOC gets the armband back. (Reasonable to assume that this decision is Drury's since he is in charge). As others have speculated AOC was now very confused as to why he wasn't good enough to be captain in the first half but suddenly is again now. (My opinion again..returning the armband compounds the original mistake of taking it off him.) Pretty much all of what has happened so far has been orchestrated by Drury decisions and I haven't felt the need to fabricate any of it. We all know what happens next. This is the bit that everyone focusses on and AOC has been universally condemned for it. What I am merely trying to point out is take Drury's decisions out of the equation and AOC remains captain. He doesn't therefore feel aggrieved and throw the armband in the net. Why should he? He never felt the need to throw it in the net on all the previous occasions he's been captain. I remember the post match interview with Drury when he was asked about the armband incident. He claimed to not know about it and stated he was off to get to the bottom of it. Not long after came the apology from AOC along with the stitching excuse. I was tempted to put the *@?$-and-bull stitching excuse but that's merely my opinion based on my assessment of it's credibility. I have stated previously that I suspect that this stitching excuse was cooked up by Drury although I also left the door open to the possibility that it was all AOC idea. I am happy to withdraw this accusation as it is based on no firm evidence and has clearly caused offence.

AOC has had plenty of criticism. My point is merely that if Drury hadn't have taken the decisions he took the incident doesn't happen and in that respect I think AOC is unfortunate. I don't know any of the protagonists in this episode so I cannot claim to either like or dislike Drury. I believe it's reasonable, based on the facts as they are reported, to make an assessment of Drury's role. I believe it's reasonable to be critical especially as we lost the game by a big margin and Drury himself invited the blame for that on himself. I find it bizarre that you're taking my points as some sort of outlandish conspiracy theory allegation especially when compared to some of the language used on here. I am very sorry if I have caused offence.

 

It wasn't a question of causing offence. Now that you've explained your reasoning your original post makes more sense. Your first reply to my questioning just made it sound like you were making things up but I can now see that wasn't the case. I still think it's a leap to suggest he should be getting flak for something that we don't fully know about, but at least I understand where you're coming from.
Let's leave it there.

 

The lack of anyone knowing anything about what happened hasn't abated the flak AOC received though has it. Even now we're getting far more outlandish claims saying it was part of a much larger campaign that AOC waged to undermine everything at the club. No-one challenges this though. Hippo voices his thoughts on the subject that dares to put forward alternative ideas in a fairly passive way and exacting levels of scrutiny suddenly apply.

 

To be honest, I'd completely forgotten that Drury was caretaker manager for that game, which is why I couldn't understand why you were so adamant that he was likely to have been responsible. So I'm sorry if I gave you the Spanish Inquisition over-zealously!

I agree with you about AOC. Some people seem to have a vendetta against him based on hearsay and supposition. Who really knows what went on in that dressing room last season? It must have been horrendous. The club was a total basket case and I'm sure that there is masses that we don't know about. No doubt when some of last season's players have retired and are less bothered about upsetting anyone we'll start to get first hand insider accounts about the real horrors of last season.
In the meantime I think we have to cut those who are still with us some slack if they are knuckling down and grafting to get us back to L1, which AOC clearly is.

 

I'd say you'd have been in a very big majority @Bigrod, most fans would have been delighted to see most of last season "losers" shipped out, all credit to Anthony for buckling down and showing us his true potencial.

 

I can name 3 for sure:

@Park bantam @Bronco and @RonnieBrown

The golden- we don't care trio.

 

Change the record, and grow up, Fordy.

 

All well and good when we're at the right end of the league though, it's easy to show character when you're first choice and winning games.

For me the crunch will come once we've either been on a poor run or perhaps been promoted and find ourselves at the wrong end the season after.

Can a leopard change his spots?

 

You can change your mind as often as you wish, that's your prerogative. It does seem premature though considering the complete reversal of the situation the team finds itself in.

Me? Im going to give it longer than 3 months in a relatively successful team before revising my opinion.