“If the performance was poor from minute one, I’d have accepted that as a potential criticism, but we were at it on Saturday."

[Perryqhill]

I like the idea of Ross more than the reality. Young, intelligent, calm. I’m very concerned at some of the stuff he’s said over the summer, though, as it’s completely at odds with modern football. It might be that he’s a bit of a contrarian. The nagging doubt I have, though, is that I think his influence over signings has been overstated. It would not surprise me in the least if his approach is his best attempt at working with what he’s been given by a football structure that has way more power than it has genuine competence. It’s a bit tinfoil, I admit, but there you go.

In a nutshell this. Everytime Donald speaks he says the same thing about the manager having final say and largely being in control. Then he and other pod casts on Roker Report contradict it speaking about players identified by the scouting team, his comments on the Grigg money, alternatives at the time, comments on players like Maguire previously and Coton, Hill speaking - even the recent comments by Hill on Maddison. Even the comments on Honeyman leaving he asked Hill or Coton if he'd spoke to the manager about it when the offer came in and they phoned him recommending the deal went through. Sounded more like an afterthought than a process where the manager had a large influence.

The comments on our scouting team being cut back also highlights why we've largely gone for players playing in areas known by Ross on a few occasions and Coton especially with large numbers of players with north west or Midlands links where coton has been working in the last 5/6 years as well.

Two seasons running Ross has tried to play his way from the start and we haven't been able to do it. We then change to a more pragmatic, somewhat turgid style which I think is his way of grinding out results and for me its doomed to failure as were not getting the best out of what we have as a result.

 

[SAFC 83]

It was one of the worst performances you’ve ever seen? Really?

I was at Ipswich and it was nowhere near as bad as that like.

The first half against Ipswich was one of the worst performances I’ve saw at any level by any team. Saturday we were just poor in the first half but as it happens so were they.

I don’t know how anyone can actually defend our performances tbh. Results have been good lately but if you perform at the level we do you can’t keep producing results throughout the season.

 

[chuckyroll]

Hopefully ross has been made aware he is surplus to requirements

 

[Slow joe]

Not at all, but refusing to have an honest debate on the club and shouting down posters with genuine concerns is. There’s got to be light and shade for both sides. Simply because people are questioning Ross doesnt mean they’re any less of a supporter

It’s great that you’re always so positive, I remember the days when I was I’m chuffed when we win, but will also question the performances at times too.

Other than Portsmouth second half when we controlled it, and Wimbledon we haven’t really performed yet in the league. We were very fortunate with 4 points against Ipswich & Rochdale. In isolation that is fine, you take points where you can, however there’s a pattern that we haven’t been performing particularly well since last Autumn. We fell away badly last season, and a few results aside the performances haven’t improved this time around yet either.

Is Ross the right man? I’d love him to be, however I’m starting to wonder if I was wrong to back him so much last May

Ok well I'll stop posting positive stuff then if it's putting me in a bad light and making me a troll.

 

[Chewit]

This has nothing to do with money = success...this has everything to do with money = failure...we have to outspend an entire league just to finish 5th. We have to spend 10 - 20 times more than say Rochdale just to get an even performance. How do you not understand any of this?? We are not succeeding right now...it’s just a continuation of the last 10 years. There’s no one on this squad who will fetch any cash, we will have to lose money again to offload players. This is not how you succeed, this is the same formula that got us here!!!

So so much of the money we spend is a legacy of what went before, it’s the established cost base of the club.
You can peel this back to the point you lose all your best players or you do it gradually at a rate you forecast will allow you to compete whilst balancing the books and staying within the leagues financial regulations.
The idea that the players we are buying are being paid out of sync with this division or are not worth what we bought them for as a total is just wrong. Additionally none of them are on contracts which can sink the club.
For sure the longer we are in this division the more we will peel back costs. Does that mean we will be less competitive? probably and it’s why we have to get promoted this season.
The unsustainable cost base is a legacy and trying to manage an organisation in decline financially whilst delivering success is a difficult balancing act.
By all means just keep looking at the total figures involved if you want to keep it simple but it’s not as simple as that.

That was down to his bizarre 3-4-3 formation, not the players.

Fair point, but I still think he took them out of the firing line and put stronger mentality and experience in there

 

[G Force]

Ok well I'll stop posting positive stuff then if it's putting me in a bad light and making me a troll.

Sigh. It always just seems you’re itching for an argument. I’ll leave it there

 

[Chewit]

In a nutshell this. Everytime Donald speaks he says the same thing about the manager having final say and largely being in control. Then he and other pod casts on Roker Report contradict it speaking about players identified by the scouting team, his comments on the Grigg money, alternatives at the time, comments on players like Maguire previously and Coton, Hill speaking - even the recent comments by Hill on Maddison. Even the comments on Honeyman leaving he asked Hill or Coton if he'd spoke to the manager about it when the offer came in and they phoned him recommending the deal went through. Sounded more like an afterthought than a process where the manager had a large influence.

The comments on our scouting team being cut back also highlights why we've largely gone for players playing in areas known by Ross on a few occasions and Coton especially with large numbers of players with north west or Midlands links where coton has been working in the last 5/6 years as well.

Two seasons running Ross has tried to play his way from the start and we haven't been able to do it. We then change to a more pragmatic, somewhat turgid style which I think is his way of grinding out results and for me its doomed to failure as were not getting the best out of what we have as a result.

Very well articulated mate, sums up my concerns. If it’s not that the manager does not think his players can handle the pressure of defeat at this club... or indeed he himself can’t.

 

[The Breen Machine]

We were poor throughout, the only difference was the Peterborough were equally as poor for the first half an hour. Once again we barely had a shot in anger or played with any attacking intent. Even when we have plenty of possession (Most games), we usually go absolutely nowhere with it and meander aimlessly passing between our 2 deep sitting midfielders and the back four. There's only usually Gooch who tries to get his head down and run with the ball but unfortunately he has incredibly poor footballing vision and tries to do everything himself.

If Saturday was us "at it", then Ross has worryingly low standards.

 

[ODIN]

He's off his tits that bloke

 

[SAFC Wilks]

Should show the new owners the full match again and tell them that our manager thought we were at it.

They’d be f***ing baffled and want shot of him.

 

[LineTrash]

So so much of the money we spend is a legacy of what went before, it’s the established cost base of the club.
You can peel this back to the point you lose all your best players or you do it gradually at a rate you forecast will allow you to compete whilst balancing the books and staying within the leagues financial regulations.
The idea that the players we are buying are being paid out of sync with this division or are not worth what we bought them for as a total is just wrong. Additionally none of them are on contracts which can sink the club.
For sure the longer we are in this division the more we will peel back costs. Does that mean we will be less competitive? probably and it’s why we have to get promoted this season.
The unsustainable cost base is a legacy and trying to manage an organisation in decline financially whilst delivering success is a difficult balancing act.
By all means just keep looking at the total figures involved if you want to keep it simple but it’s not as simple as that.


Fair point, but I still think he took them out of the firing line and put stronger mentality and experience in there

It’s exactly why you need to get the football straight! It’s exactly why you need recruitment right. We’re not doing that!! We’re papering over cracks trying to get promoted while failing to get the foundation squared away. If you can’t see that, then that’s not my problem.

 

[Exapno Mapcase]

We did ok and then they scored more or less on the break then we just faded into nothingness. McGeady was out of sorts (think he gets a bye for the odd poor game) but in his absence nobody at all was adding sny imagination or creativity. McNulty looked canny until the goal.
Power and Leadbitter were slow and didn't get any grip on the game. Power looked like a f***ing tanker turning. Gooch ran into trouble shortly after wasting a good chance to pass. Wyke battled away with scraps and nobody to work with. At least their centre backs knew he was there. I like O'Nien but he isn't a full back - he gets pulled out of position too often. The two centre halves looked pretty sound but were put under pressure by the full backs and midfield. Conor McLaughlin offered little eith way. Jon McLaughlin kept the score down. Ross has to accept it was a shit performance and should be concerned

 

[Father Jack Hackett]

We weren't at it in any way,shape or form

 

[AC Mack]

Yes, I think because of his technical ability he'll pair up well with Dobson who would be the one doing the energetic forward stuff. Offers more than any of our other DMs; not quick but he does have stamina.

Okay. How does McGeouch fit in better than Leadbitter (for example)?

 

[ontap]

We are a legitimate division three side. The failure from some to accept this is putting untold pressure on things.

This will go straight over the heads of most of em on here am afraid. Even though it's a perfectly legitimate view point.

We did ok and then they scored more or less on the break then we just faded into nothingness. McGeady was out of sorts (think he gets a bye for the odd poor game) but in his absence nobody at all was adding sny imagination or creativity. McNulty looked canny until the goal.
Power and Leadbitter were slow and didn't get any grip on the game. Power looked like a f***ing tanker turning. Gooch ran into trouble shortly after wasting a good chance to pass. Wyke battled away with scraps and nobody to work with. At least their centre backs knew he was there. I like O'Nien but he isn't a full back - he gets pulled out of position too often. The two centre halves looked pretty sound but were put under pressure by the full backs and midfield. Conor McLaughlin offered little eith way. Jon McLaughlin kept the score down. Ross has to accept it was a shit performance and should be concerned

Well of course he's concerned , it's called "man management", am sure he will be relaying his concerns to the players behind closed doors, something the loud minority on here seem incapable of understanding. That's not aimed at yourself btw.

 

[No7]

Good results so far this season, including beating a strong Burnley team. Went wrong at the weekend, obviously. It's going to happen in this league.

People forget this is now a league 1 squad in league 1

 

[Morse]

dear god. The people who like the manager and think he will get us promoted this season are pleased to see us get beat. Your post is the biggest load of shit I've ever read on these boards. Read it back man, you will agree too. It's obviously been posted in a fit of rage and without any thought but Christ what a mess.

Your lack of self awareness is staggering. It makes as much sense as your perspective on Ross outers, but you can’t see it.

I simply turned the tables on you, and this is your response. I guess you posted in a fit of rage, without any thought.

Failure is what we experienced in the previous 10 years leading to this point. By all means add this period to it if you can’t handle being in this division. Personally I see it as stopping the rot and resetting the ckub as something the fans can relate to.
You talk like a bank manager not a fan and yet the unsustainable cost of running thus club is why we are where we are.
Maybe you have played to much championship manager to understand this is not a one dimensional situation whereby money = success.

Unsustainable cost? How has anything changed, then? Outspending the entire division combined just to put in displays of mediocrity is sustainable? That’s the very definition of just making the same old mistakes - spending lots of cash to get nowhere, it’s just we’re doing it in the third tier.
Brilliant.

Good post.
The club was completely broken when the owners and Ross arrived
They’ve rebooted us and we are on the way back. There is no quick fix - ask a Leeds United fan. It might take two or three years to get out of league 1, it might take another 10 to get back to the PL. there is no divine right because of it name or history.

I’m surprised at you, tbh. This post is not worthy of you at all.

Good results so far this season, including beating a strong Burnley team. Went wrong at the weekend, obviously. It's going to happen in this league.

People forget this is now a league 1 squad in league 1

Better sack Ross and the scouts, then. We paid more than the entire division combined on players just to have an L1 squad. A one that finished 5th last season and consistently puts in poor performances.

Oops.

 

[Deleted member 26022]

Your lack of self awareness is staggering. It makes as much sense as your perspective on Ross outers, but you can’t see it.

I simply turned the tables on you, and this is your response. I guess you posted in a fit of rage, without any thought.


Unsustainable cost? How has anything changed, then? Outspending the entire division combined just to put in displays of mediocrity is sustainable? That’s the very definition of just making the same old mistakes - spending lots of cash to get nowhere, it’s just we’re doing it in the third tier.
Brilliant.


I’m surprised at you, tbh. This post is not worthy of you at all.


Better sack Ross and the scouts, then. We paid more than the entire division combined on players just to have an L1 squad. A one that finished 5th last season and consistently puts in poor performances.

Oops.

Lots of good points made again.

 

[Morse]

Lots of good points made again.

Cheers.
It’s like shooting fish in a barrel, to be honest. These posters are having a mare.

 

[Deleted member 26022]

Cheers.
It’s like shooting fish in a barrel, to be honest. These posters are having a mare.

Middle ground for me in recent years always been the right way to go, things will change of that i have no doubt once the new owners take control, what that change is however, i don't know.