Off pitch

I don’t like Bowyers football or football that requires a target man, you’re missing the point. At least people like you have been consistent you didn’t like Parkys football and stated so and didn’t defend him, where as those that did then suddenly turn on Bowyer for playing the exact same style I find bizarre.

 

Bring back our Geoffrey, at least he had drive and ambition!

 

Short memory syndrome again. In the league he rarely if ever entertained, people on C and B constantly called for his head. Which is fair enough but don’t slag a manager for a style which you defended another manager for playing.

 

Unfortunately with other people’s money

 

All successful business people use other peoples money, It is why they still live in big houses and have luxery cars even after going bust!!!

 

We were 4th after the Arsenal game people weren’t making the excuse of a cup run then.

Put it another way what excuse did he have when he won 1 in 21 the season after? Imagine a run like that now!

 

I'm not having that. Parky's football was ugly, no question, but we got the ball forward and created chances. We had direct wingers and overlapping fullbacks and were a genuine threat from set pieces.

Bowyer on the other hand, is reluctant to play the wingers he has, or if he does they're out of position. The fullbacks are instructed to not go past halfway. We're useless from set pieces, even with the height we have in the squad and the midfield produce next to nothing going forwards.

The biggest difference between the two, is Parky had an attacking plan. A plan that was ugly and not my preference, but a plan that still produced results and some entertainment nonetheless. Bowyer has no plan going forwards.

 

Parkys time at the club give me some of my best times supporting city where as bowyer is making me never want to go again

 

Spot on. I was no fan of the long ball game but you could guarantee we would make a go of it in the last 20-30 mins and have teams pinned back. PP's players knew the game plan and was coached and well drilled to do the job. These players look lost and badly coached. I don't think I've seen us have a spell of pressure at any point under Bowyer. He's out of his depth and this job is too big for him. He has no game plan except get everyone behind the ball. That works if you have lightning pace through the side to break out or striker who can bring others into play. We have neither. Why he's persisting with it I'll never know. Supposed to be a professional coach and can't see the blatant lack of quality on the pitch. Baffling. The fans in the ground booing speaks volumes to me. If he manages to fluke promotion he still needs to go.

 

Overlapping fullbacks

Darby never went over half way and Meredith got as many assists in a season with McCall as in 4 with Parkinson, be serious.

I’m not having a go at Parky he did great things, but I’m specifically talking style of play. Both are dull, both are out dated and both require a target man. You can’t slag one manager off for style of play without doing it to the other it’s hypocritical.

 

You're having a laugh if you dont think Meredith was an overlapping fullback under Parky. Just because his end product was better under McCall doesn't mean he wasnt constantly getting beyond Reid and Reach under Parky.

Both managers' styles are ugly, no debate. Both are long ball merchants, but that doesn't mean you have to treat them the same. There's also no question that Bowyer's approach and style is much much worse. Bowyer is more negative, defensive minded, cautious and has less ability to coach a team in the attacking third. It's as simple as that.

 

Bowyer's style isn't even in PP's ball park. I wasn't a fan but we kept it solid for an hour and at least had a go in the final half hour. Bowyer doesn't even have a go. Don't know what you were watching but the full backs were always an outlet and we had plenty of width further forward in Reid/Thompson/Yeates/Hines. If you think this is the same style it's not even close. Bowyer hasn't created an identity or a game plan/system that works. It's not even comparable.

 

Things that should be not acceptable to the fans. Collectively we should say deal with the picth and ticketing or go sing for ST sales.

The pitch, we've known about the drainage for decades, but here we are 2020 in one of it's worst phases.
Ticketing, it's just pathetic compared to many tiny sub 1000 fanbase clubs. WTF can't I choose a seat, buy a ticket and then download it to my phone?
Publicity of games, there is none and club "noise" came and went with BFG.

IF we go up, I'll buy an ST but that'll mean I put less cash into the club, some will be happy about that, their minds will be at rest once I have an ST again, says a lot about our fans "suck it up no matter what" mindset.

 

There were plenty of games under Parky we didn’t have a go. One in 14/15 against Chesterfield stands out when a win would have seen us end in the playoffs. We lost with a McKenzie own goal, and made little effort to come back. Oh and the loss at home against Colchester the year after when he subbed Wes Thomas off and was booed for subbing a striker off. But you remember tho ha how you want lol

 

His end product improved under McCall. Some argument that when you’re proven wrong. Who can remember him dropping Meredith for Sheehan or playing to RBs on the right. Yeah real overlapping wing play.

 

Love a bit of Harrogate Town and their virtual tickets don't you? Up the Sulphurites.

 

Regarding the actual topic. I agree changes need to be made both in personnel at the top and a change in mentality at the club.

Rupp bought this club and let’s be honest has little interest in football, he’s not going to be the sort of owner with the sort of ambition and interest to drive us forward. There might not be a queue of buyer lined up but I hope he’d sell to if a decent enough offer came along, but we need promotion at all costs so the value of the club can increase as I doubt he’d sell at what we’re worth in league 2.

As for Rhodes, he’s Bradford through and through which at times has been huge. But we aren’t in the admin years now, we should be looking to push on. His practical approach, almost austerity at times will hold us back. Footballs changed in the last 23 years since he started, the words manageable debt isn’t something to fear, as long as it’s done with a plan in mind to progress the club. People would pay more for the product at a higher level, and the stadium would still be mostly full in the championship even at higher prices.


As for the coaching side. We’ve scrimped since Rahic picked his dream team at the start of our relegation season, and haven’t looked a cohesive team once since. Blame Bowyer, Blame Hopkin or blame whoever but it won’t change until it’s changed at the top and we get a structure off the field which can help improve things like getting more and better qualified coaches in. Because atm we’ve more or less got Bowyer, Drury and a bunch of cones. Change Bowyer and the rest will still be there for the next poor sod who comes in.

 

I can't honestly believe you don't think Meredith was an overlapping fullback under Parky. Good grief.

 

I can’t believe your own comeback was his end product improved under McCall. He did the odd overlap as does wood now. But he wasn’t someone who constantly did it as under McCall, not a chance.

 

I think Reid and Meredith combined well under Parky it was a good combination