Most liked posts in thread: Rochdale - 2 points clear of relegation with 5 games to go

The Walsall game killed all hope for me. Agisnt ten men and leading and we just fell apart. Hopkin could have still turned it around had we won that but that defeat was then critical.

Then we pissed about with Drury as caretaker and got hammered 5-1 by Pompey when we needed a shot in the arm and a battling performance. Players were at a low ebb then.

Bowyer did get a reaction in the game against peterborugh. A very good 3-1 win.

However after that the late oxford winner put the final nail in the coffin and we are now on a downward spiral.

I think the thing for me is we can only play one way. Straight down the middle with one average striker and no wingers. We don’t score enough goals and inevitably at this level we will eventually concede a goal. Goals take pressure off the side but we cannot score for fun.

I think another new set of ideas is just a step too far for this poor squad. 3rd possible 4th set of ideas if you look at the caretaker and different personnel used each time. Compare that to Rochdale who have had one manager for a decade and maybe just a freshen up as they have now is working for them. Our chance had already gone before bowyer has had an impact

 

We can analyse until the cows come home. Fact is we just aren't any good as a team at playing football.

 

The main thing now is to plan for next season, We need to get rid of Drury and appoint another coach who is on the same wavelength as the manager along with a good fitness trainer which is essential,
We need to organise a professional pre season work up ready so that we are at full tilt from the first game, Both coaches and the manager need to install confidence in the players remaining in to a winning mentality along with the new players to bond them in to a side that will fight to the last to win on the field.

 

A football clubs culture is deeply ingrained and built over a long time. Look at the very top of the game - Clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool having a winning mentality in their DNA - even where they're having a lean spell, their grounds are packed, their away allocations are always over-subscribed and their fans expect good times to return - they don't settle for mediocrity. Clubs like Man City have billions spent on them, but still can't sell out for an FA Cup semi or for a Champions League tie with Real Madrid. With the quality they have, they should be DEMANDING Champions League success in a way that Real Madrid fans do - not expecting failure. They're shitting money and have bags of talent - but still a small club mentality.

Completely different end of the scale of course, but the attitude that pervades around our club is 'being grateful it still exists' and applauding players who simply put in the effort - rather than demanding effort and a level of skill.

Sheff United regarded every season they remained in League 1 as an embarrassment. When Huddersfield went down to League 2 it was a similar embarrassment and they made sure they went straight back up - it wasn't seen as a major success, it was mildly embarrassing that they'd found themselves in that position to begin with.

As a fan base, we should demand much more. And be willing to pay more for quality. Otherwise we'll continue to get the club we deserve.

 

That is of course your opinion, mine is the opposite a play off is the least I would expect.
Gary Bowyer has had 11 games to see who and what this squad is capable of, he will know from past experiance what is required to get us into a play off position, I for one won't be happy with consolidation and I would hope neither would Bowyer, Rupp or Julian.

 

Agreed. He will have a complete knowledge of the players already here and as has been said he is drawing up a list of those he wants to recruit. Presumably this list will have a 1st choice/2nd choice/3rd choice etc. so we should be either at or virtually at full complement at the start of pre-season. That will also have been worked upon as from now as to who we play/when/ any bonding trips etc. so there should be no excuses whatsoever for the team not to hit the ground running from day one and that should mean being in/around the play off places from the start. Lets make it so that other teams look at the next fixture and think "bloody hell Bradford next, we are on to a hiding there."

 

We know !! .............. AND ? ..............
The schitt was daubed all over the walls in August.

And FWIW ....... Hopkin couldn't wait to throw himself overboard, he just left it a couple of months late. January told him all he needed to know.

 

I guess Moron Math tells us Bowyer is the problem, right?

 

Totally agree, but I'd draw the line at laying the blame strictly at willingness and character.

While there is a deficit of those characteristics, we have a nonsense squad derived of players too similar to each other, and who don't compliment each other in the slightest.

The fact we have assembled the single worst team/squad in the football league in terms of tactical sense almost gives the players a pass from me.

Almost.

 

Your right with this assessment. When we hammered Rochdale 4-0 at Spotland it looked a clear bet we would finish ahead of them at the end of it all. But it proved a hollow victory as things disintegrated under Hopkin and have further under Bowyer.

My question would be if Bowyer had taken over on 01/02 with more games left and had a "like record" as he has now except over more games. Would he still have the support of the fans and been handed a two year contract ? The answers is No ! and No !

Bowyer came in with 11 games that's 33pts and out of 18pts so far as secured just three !. Even allowing for how disjointed this motley squad are those stats reflect poorly on Bowyer. He's basically been given a "bye" into the job by Rhodes on the basis that the players aren't up to it just do what you can.

Rhodes hasn't set Bowyer any target to achieve so he hasn't changed anything rather he's made it worse with some questionable team selections ?

I don't 100% buy that this squad are the "complete lost cause" they're made out to be? Are we saying Payne, Ball, Butterfield, O'Brien aren't decent footballers sure they are. Too similar maybe but not lost causes. The issue is that we failed to add the right sort of players in January. We were promised a striker and it never materialised.

Then Hopkin goes and we just fall into a malaise from which we have never been able to recover. Whatever Bowyer has done ? The players still haven't been motivated by his message. To me it mirror's 2007 when Rhodes sacked Todd and handed the job to Wetherall. He failed miserably and the result was a 7 year stay in League 2 with the club nearly out of the Football League at one stage.

Rhodes and the majority of the support seem to be sold on Bowyer. But he has shown very little to me so far other than being "a decent type" and "looks safe enough". It's seems to have all been "let go" and "it's a lost cause we need to go down and start again".

Rochdale have shown that changing their manager at a later stage than us ? ! has had the desired effect and they are battling to stay in this League. That's not happened with us over a longer period so we can continue to say it's the players. But when do we question Bowyer or in the "World of Julian Rhodes" was that never going to be a question ?

 

Its nothing like the Todd/Wetherall situation.

Wetherall had no experience whatsover, and didnt get the job beyond the summer.

Bowyer has good experience and had success at Blackpool, and has been handed a 2 year deal to turn us around

 

WINNER

ALL Bowyer can do now is assess for next season, and begin his rebuild now. My own view is - City are broken, and GB is only running down the clock and trying to enforce damage limitation. The real time to judge GB will be justified about Christmas.

 

....but nothing knee jerk. Next season is NOT all about promotion like someone on here thinks, its about consolidation and rebuild. I think GB will have already said because of the size of the said rebuild it might be a step too far for an instant return. Personally i can't see us getting all the pieces right in one pre season

 

'Everybody is soft, no excuses, winning mentality, we are all losers' blah blah blah Fordy
But when it is suggested Bowyer does not want to keep many of the existing players, contracted or not, you make excuses that 16 of them are with us next year. Thank goodness GB seems determined to try and address this and move some of them on - no it wont be easy but isnt this the sort of postive mentality you are talking about the club needing?? Just saying

 

I agree with How, the Walsall game defined how far we
have fallen.Any optimism was crushed with that result.

The succession of managers also proves that starting
with a mismatch team will prove too much for most.

Rahic went ahead doing what he wanted and recruited
without knowledge or experience and we are now where
we are.It feels like there is no substance to the team or
club.Teams have bad runs but this season does not feel
like that.It feels the ingredients for success are totally
absent.

The credentials a manager needs is to identify players who
can enhance the squad but rebuilding an entire squad will
not be easy,however,from what Bowyer says,he has identified
the type we do need and what fans have been saying all season!

Div 2 will be a trial but we must give everything to get back at first
attempt to start the repair and look forward to better times.

 

I agree. ANY player can perform as an individual, but not in a dysfunctional team as a collective.

 

How old are you? Genuine question. The reason I am asking a personal question like that is, you come across as having only limited experience. There is more than one way to skin a cat! Just because ppl wish to work in an amicable atmosphere it does not mean the job is not being done. Edin had a bullying mentality and a way of working that stood no rebuke, that worked out well. I am not in favour of chumminess if it prevents the job being done. You also accuse fans of being soft! Have you read some of the postings on here and twitter far from soft.

 

Parky's first season was a success!!! He took a team hurtling in to the bottom 4 and in to what looked like certain non league football and turned us round first to avoid relegation and then on to promotion and Wembley.

Bowyer has taken the team from possible relegation but with lots of games to improve to what now looks like certain relegation,

 

One thing for sure he will be quiet if we are winning