Most liked posts in thread: Level Of Optimism For The Rest Of Season

I’m with you Bronco. Looking at the table, as poor as we are, I don’t believe the likes of Port Vale, Colchester and Northampton are any better than us.

That said, the January transfer window was as bad as anything we’ve seen before. I don’t think folk realise how much the loss of Vaughan will affect us. Had we simply replaced Doyle with Novak and signed a quality workhorse for the middle of the park, I’d have been happier.

I just don’t see where the goals will come from.

 

There was no sense to the signing, days later the manager has gone. Honestly we couldn't have made more of a shambles of January if we'd tried. It just shows no one in charge at this time is that bothered about this season. Its one of the reasons a cloud hangs over this club.

 

Jesus, you're a miserable git. You just can't wait for them to fail so you can say 'I told you so'.
Give them a chance FFS. They've inherited a bloated, unbalanced, rather dispirited squad rammed with too many 'incredibly average' (ie poor) players with limited creativity and even poorer finishing. They've had very little chance to get their ideas embedded in training because of the weather and the frequency of matches. They'll need some time to turn things around and it may be that these players aren't able to respond to a more expansive, controlled passing game. In which case we can't really judge until they've had a chance to bin off the dross and bring in players that can play in their preferred fashion.
I haven't written off the playoffs but I'm not optimistic because the raw material they're working with may not be good enough.

 

I agree that financial profligacy isn't good. But I still think allowing Bowyer to release two of the best goalscorers in L2 and replace them with journeymen, days before sacking him, was madness. It has hamstrung the new manager to a huge degree.

 

The whole running of the club through January was pathetic. The return of Doyle, the complete inactivity in the transfer window until we were forced to do something, bringing in players at the last minute then sacking the manager meaning the new manager has no say in those players brought in and is now stuck with them, taking the easy way out and bringing Stuart back. Allowing things to get so bad our leading scorer goes out on loan, no sign of the defensive midfielder badly needed to stop the season petering out. And then bringing in players like Guthrie and Novak. Just so bloody amateurish.

 

Would literally keep ROD AOC and Wood. Wouldn't lose a wink of sleep of the rest going. I would sign Cooke before it's too late. Think he could flourish under McCall and he would be allowed to roam further forward. I would sacrifice some of the playing budget and get the pitch sorted once everyone is released. If we are going to let McCall try stamp his mark he's going to need a decent surface to get us playing the way he wants. Can't keep having full clear-outs year after year but I do think it's necessary this year for us to move forward. The board need to start planning longer term instead of being so short sighted and hoping for the best. Get a plan in place and stick to it.

 

My optimism has totally evaporated for this season. I know it only takes a couple of wins on the bounce to perhaps put us back with a shout, but cannot see it happening.

Most of this squad looked resigned to missing out on play offs and a lot of them know they wont be here anyhow next season

McCall already planning on next seasons recruitment with Rhodes apparently. Despite many been out of contract, not an easy rebuild due to the lopsided balance of who will still be in contract, for example all 4 centre backs and the likes of Novak and Guthrie up front

 

I can't be arsed anymore.

I hate these players... This is lots to do with last season, not just this one.

They don't want to be here, Stealing a wage the lot of them.

Bowyer should never been given the job full time in the first place. There was no improvement when he took over. Warning signs were there. Some say let him build his own team, well look at what he brought in. I mean Taylor... Ffs old has been.. Jobs for mates.

As we all know I wanted him gone sooner.
We should be getting promoted this season and automatically at that.
But we're not. Next season we'll be in league 2. Happyclappers will love it.

And that's on JR & SR

I won't be wasting my time and money while we're in this shite league. Am sure the club won't miss my ££££ oh wait it will!!!

 

Let's be honest, if Anthony O'Connor is our best player, we are punching WELL above our weight to even consider the play offs as a possibility.

Stuart needs to trim the fat big time in the Summer, and bring in some footballers.

 

And why didn't they want to be here? Most footballers in L2 would prefer to play in a stadium like ours in front of bigger crowds than some Championship clubs.
The reason that neither of them wanted to be here was because they were being hung out to dry - forced to play back to goal, drop deep and deal with aerial missiles from the back four. Both are goalscorers who play facing goal and do their work in the opposition penalty box. Expecting them to play as target men is like playing Ismael as a centre back, with similarly poor results. No self-respecting goalscorer would be happy with Bowyer's ultra defensive tactics - putting nine men behind the ball, creating next to no chances and then publicly moaning at the isolated forwards for not clinically finishing every occasional half chance that randomly fell their way.
I'm convinced that McCall, or most other managers, would have found a way to utilise Doyle and Vaughan's talents to far better effect. There are other ways to create and convert chances without a target man, but Bowyer's football vision was too limited to see them. But we'll never know now, because we were never given the chance to enjoy seeing them play their natural game and do what they are good at.

 

And filthy in comparison To my wife

 

I picked the bottom option, my moral with the club is down there as it was at the start of last decade under Jacks and Taylor. I’ll renew next year out of habit, and hope but at this moment in time I can’t think of a single good thing at this club.

If someone said we’ll be playing good football next season and challenging for the title, like a Swindon or Exeter but you’ll have to pay £400 for your season ticket I’d be down there after work today to buy one. As it is I’ll be waiting until the last minute and I can be bothered to go down and sort it.

The January window was the final straw for me with the guys at the top. I don’t blame Bowyer for losing two of if not the best two strikers in this league, it’s on Rhodes and Rupp, the replacements tell you all you need to know. Now we’re stuck with 3 non goal scoring target men for the rest of the season, and that’s why I don’t give us a hope of making the playoffs even if we are only effectively 5 points behind with goal difference.

You either back or sack your manager we did neither then sacked him just after the window, in my opinion it was a deliberate and snide tactic to cut costs and it happened exactly the same 2 seasons ago under the same owner.

I can’t be arsed with Saturday but I’ll be there for the social aspect, but if we get anything I’ll be surprised.

 

Very similar to my mind set. The only thing I may differ from is the renewal of a season ticket. I have given up before and stopped going. I'm at that point. My son wants to continue which may be the deciding factor.

It's very depressing, very cynical on the part of the club and as one who did not advocate the return of McCall, the probable bumpy Road may well continue amongst our fickle fans, who may well use heart instead of head in making a considered appraisal.

 

With 12 games left and us a point off a play off place, it would be premature to write the season off at this stage.

 

It hasn’t disappeared.

You’re just claiming it has to justify your dismay at his appointment

 

Incorrect. I'll take Connor Wood's interview as evidence who played with them on a daily basis and not a total guess. Good management letting 35 league goals leave the club on the basis that the previous manager couldn't get a tune out of them. Then sack him after the window so McCall has no say in the squad for the rest of the season? It reeks of incompetence, not good management to me.

 

Yep. It is a representative sample of what supporters are saying and thinking. I hear similar stuff in the pub and at the ground. Lots of people with different backgrounds and ages all with one thing in common: a sincere love of the club, shouldn’t be ignored.

 

Excellent post.

 

No, the crazy bit was letting them go and then sacking Bowyer only a few days later.
It was obvious that Bowyer had lost the fans and was clueless about how to stop the slide. They must have been already contemplating the chop. To wait until he'd binned off our best goalscorers before acting was utter madness.