have a chat over a cup of tea and a biscuit, because you need some home truths
1. You made a mistake with Halford both at CB and as captain, move him to midfield or drop him and give the captaincy to smallwood
2. Your summer recruitment has been very poor, Collins passed his best, Maddock always injured, Maguire is a striker not a winger so many more but where is your quality
3. Eric Black was a mistake
4. Raynor maybe your friend but what is he really adding and is he a championship coach
5. Your captain is criticising you for no plan B, so tactically you are struggling
6. Stop playing players out of position
7. Strikers out of form can be dropped and let them rebuild their confidence you aren't helping derbyshire
8. Stop with the excuses you are accountable end of
9. Ask yourself why JCH doesnt celebrate when he scores
Overall you seem out of your depth in the championship, accept your limitations get some help, make some changes and be honest to yourself, this is an intervention
Despite my alias, I can't find much to smile about today. The signs are bad.
The first eleven today was made up largely of players who couldn't cut it last season. Of the 'quality' SE has added six were on the bench, Maguire and Newell came off at half-time and Collins and Halford both looked like accidents waiting to happen for 90 minutes. The manager has signed a whole new team and five games in he says we need to add further, which (whichever way you look at it) is an admission that the 'quality' he has signed is actually not good enough. It all smacks of panic.
As soon as we went a goal down the players were arguing with each other and we looked beaten. More worryingly, I don't think we have played against a team yet this season that is going to even threaten the play-offs.
As a Miller of many years I know how to accept defeat and I can live with losing, but today I saw a team crumble and that is hard to take.
I have never been a fan of SE. I acknowledge his successes but think he is an embarrasment to the club we all love. Having said that, his succes to this point means that he deserves a chance to show us whether or not he really can cut it. I hope he can, but I fear for him. TS has backed him and he will have been a very worried Chairman today.
Welcome Smiler, Yes it was embarrassing today and as I said on another thread, TS and the other backers have to decide what they want from this club. Being in the Championship and not being able to compete is a waste of time and effort and will not endear anyone to become a regular supporter or sponsor, no one wants to be associated with failure.
I think SE has gone as far as he is capable and is now making the club look a laughing stock, we're only here at the moment to provide points for the rest. Its time for TS to make some big decisions and quick/
Today is indeed the beginning of some serious questions being asked and if the team is improved I cant see SE holding on to his job given the lack of support coming from supporters.
It seems to me that the players from last season do really care and as you say there was arguing from early doors that continued throughout the game. Collins tries but is woeful really and he is seriously gone past his best before. Halford is a joke.
Thing is what on earth has got into the rest of em.
Smallwood, Green, JCH and Derbyshire were all giving what they could to the cause and Maguire is naturally full of aggression and effort.
The rest?
If we are totally honest no one can really say why its so bad in many departments but it is. Every game its Evans, or Black, or Raynor, or the players-this player and that player. If its not the players its tactics and if its not tactics its moral.
I cant be untrue to myself and jump on the bandwagon to really say I believe this or that because how can I know. There are far too many examples of poor starts and great starts only to turn into something totally different as the season goes on.
Look at holloway last season. Awful. He was blamed despite a great record previously. How have Millwall started in L1. Exactly. They got the manager they loved and begged for but so far its tripe at the den.
What about Rodgers at Liverpool. One great season-one woeful. A great half a season and a dire next half. So close last year but messed it up. Look at Mourhinio this season. Look at Southampton last season. Look at the incredible criticism Wenger has endured from fans. No! Its just too bloody simple and lazy to blame what everyone can see on the pitch onto the manager and suggest hes crap when the facts dont back it-FACTS=EVIDENCE. Look at the things used to blame the management-he doesnt dress right, he shouts, he annoys refs, hes a disgrace, he employs his brother, hes brought in another coach, he keeps saying we are going to buy good players. I mean, its hardly evidence is it. It sounds more like panic and prejudice to me. I dont think he deserve this at all. He has been loyal to us as fans and to RUFC. He lives and breathes the club and football and stands up for us. What on earth has he actually done to us?
It is true that the chemistry sometimes just isnt right and Im prepared to think that the club have brought in too many players who dont blend well with RUFC. History is littered with examples of players and managers who were very successful in one place but awful somewhere else. For a stunning example of this in todays world look no further than Eddie Howe and compare him to Sean Dyche.
SE, does deserve mush more time and there is absolutely no point getting rid of him. Who on earth do we think we are going to get and as yet there is little evidence (5 games).
We know its ****, but we dont know the cause, so stop pretending we do and scapegoating. Give him more time. There is absoultely no guarantee anything will get better if he is sacked and his record still speaks louder than any one with a chip.
By all means we should be critical and vent but lets not shoot the wrong guy because he might just be the guy who is working hardest to save us.
-- Edited by ian on Saturday 29th of August 2015 09:40:17 PM
-- Edited by ian on Saturday 29th of August 2015 09:46:59 PM
Fair comment Ian. It could well be turned round by SE and I hope it is. I have not said I want him out. I am really just making three points:-
1. In my opinion the constant badgering of officials form the touch line doesn't do us any credit as a club. Just my opinion and one I have always had whether results have been good or bad.
2. A lot of players have come in recently with big write ups but with very few exceptions they have found themselves behind last seasons players in the pecking order. (Oddly the two centre backs seem to be fixtures when they have on my view been the poorest of the new
additions. Is Wood any worse?). In my opinion that is worrying when we regularly hear that players will only come in who represent an improvement on what we already have, quality over quantity etc.
3. There seems to be a lack of cohesion and team spirit. Today we bore all the hallmarks of a relegation outfit.
I hope we improve and I hope SE does it for us but I am worried for us for this season based on what I have seen so far. That's all.
Ian at what point in the opening post do I say he should be sacked? I don't
The trouble is with the pro evans people is they don't read the posts before they jump to his defence, he is the manager he is accountable for the football side of the club. He needs to think about it, go outside his inner circle and get some help and advice, be brave and make changes where he has clearly got it wrong. Also you want evidence, did you go today I saw 100 mins of evidence that he is struggling, also I think the comments people make around tactics, player selection and positioning are not subjective they are facts
Firstly, I'm actually as critical of both players and tactics as any fan and in this thread I'm critical too
Also, Derby, I don't think I've used the word sack in the context of any one saying it and certainly didn't mention you. I'm not sure why you think I didn't read these posts correctly. My post is fairly balanced as I criticised both players , management and supporters in it.
However it's a strange thing to be accused of supporting the manager after 5 games.
Also, it's simply a matter of opinion regarding evidence and action. All I am pointing our are facts but it's not for me to say what opinion people should have but it's mine.
The facts are: Evans has been great for us; it's only been 5 games; sacking managers is risky; we have the lowest budget by such an enormous chasm that it's mind boggling; critics point to 5 games and everything personal about evans and suggest tactically he is not up to it. Only the last point seems possibly valid to me but I don't really see it.
I see 3 very poor players and a team that's losing its confidence. I don't blame the manager at this point simply because it's a normal cycle for any team and manager and not, at this moment, any reason for me to not support him.
I
-- Edited by ian on Sunday 30th of August 2015 12:50:48 AM
Welcome Smiler, Yes it was embarrassing today and as I said on another thread, TS and the other backers have to decide what they want from this club. Being in the Championship and not being able to compete is a waste of time and effort and will not endear anyone to become a regular supporter or sponsor, no one wants to be associated with failure.
I think SE has gone as far as he is capable and is now making the club look a laughing stock, we're only here at the moment to provide points for the rest. Its time for TS to make some big decisions and quick/
I completely agree here. It sounds awful but I cannot see us with a win.
If we cannot get points from Fulham etc., then we are looking at serious beatings during the next few weeks.
Our players are cast-offs and do not have the heart of the club. Wage slips seem to be the only motivator.
Our players seem to be a yard slower the their opponents. IT'S VERY EMBARASSING.
Decision time Mr Stewart as our fat controller is now out of his depth.
Please do something before we go the way of an embarrassing Blackpool/Portsmouth
Look at the difference in managerial styles yesterday Evans and raynor ranting raving gesticulating to players during the game not saying Fulham were world beaters but symonds was calm,thoughtful and his players knew there individual roles if Evans needs to coach players during the game what are they working on tactically in training it reminds me of Sunday morning football at times overweight bloke on touch line ranting and raving bit embarrassing really
Look at the difference in managerial styles yesterday Evans and raynor ranting raving gesticulating to players during the game not saying Fulham were world beaters but symonds was calm,thoughtful and his players knew there individual roles if Evans needs to coach players during the game what are they working on tactically in training it reminds me of Sunday morning football at times overweight bloke on touch line ranting and raving bit embarrassing really
It was the same against Norwich, actually its the same every game
We lack a team mentality.
We lack an onfield leader.
We lack tactical knowledge about how to counter tactical changes by the opposition.
We lack someone who can win a header.
Step forward Mr Kirk Broadfoot and be the man we need. Start every game imagining you are playing against 11 McLeans and threaten the hell out of any teammates who fail to put a shift in.
I personally don't mind watching us lose a game of football. I don't get too upset if we get relegated. It boils my blood when our players don't try.
I've been in teams where we have been losing 4 nil and the captain has said okay we are going to lose but let's push for a goal. At least we have something then.
Never ever give up. Never stop trying. If you do feel like giving up then be honest and tell the manager so he can get rid of you mardy overpaid wimps and replace you with fighters.
I agree with Heman (12.19) about attitude. Most football supporters will forgive players for mistakes and defeats as long as players are giving it 100%. The players need to man up individually to get their jobs done, especially defensively, and need to be brave enough try and play in the right areas instead of disappearing into a predictable pattern of risk-free long ball stuff. That requires a different sort of courage. It also needs the manager to allow you to play with a bit of freedom.
