Dman

What’s your point?

The general feel is that the rot started a long time ago and has continued to fester to a point where confidence is so low it’ll take a significant amount of time to turn it around. I do agree though, it’s never ‘too late’ so to speak, clubs in much worse positions than ours have had a manager change and turned things around. I don’t see a way back under Ralph though. My opinion not something I’ve been told. Situation reminds me of Howe at bournemouth where he lost the dressing room and stayed a season too long. We all know how that ended.

You know what, as much as I am a firm believer in fans being able to moan and groan, especially after, in general, being served up total shit for the past 6 years and suffering 2 humiliating defeats with an ownership / board with absolutely 0 ambition, they do have a point. Everything is toxic at the minute, the tide has turned so that the majority want the manager out and some are very very against him. We know there is 90% chance we’ll serve up a pile of shit. We know we take the lead early, we throw it away. We make the same mistakes week after week. the fans go into games with a sense of doom and there is no way that doesn’t rub off on the players. It must be bloody awful for the players knowing that the fans have 0 confidence in you. After all, regardless of how much they’re rightly or wrongly paid, they’re still people and not robots. In a way, credit to the club for loyally sticking by the manager, but we absolutely should have pulled the tigger in the summer. A fresh start, new owners, new coach and exciting crop of youngsters etc. But any optimism was completely sucked out by a dismal performance we’ve become accustomed to. We’re delaying the inevitable by keeping him. Even if he puts a run of 10 wins together, we’re only 2 losses away from everyone turning again.

Had an interesting catch up last night with a current first team player. Although, not a regular starter however, so potentially views may be biased. Basically said, moral is rock bottom and the dressing room Is a bit of a mess. Positive towards the new coaching staff and ownership but “it’s come too late”. That being said, he naturally wouldn’t comment on Ralph. Not really anything new but interesting to hear it from the horses mouth, so to speak. imo we need a full clear out, Ralph and a significant number of the legacy playing staff. I knew we were in trouble, but based on what was said, I’ll be amazed if we stay up… unless something changes.

If the fucking CEO is a loser and considers us ‘lucky to be there’, then what message does that send to potential, high profile signings? Like a new striker as an example. Club is rotten, Gao and the coaching staff have gone but a bigger clean out is needed across the board. Starting with the 2 idiots running the club and given free reign to pick the new owners, of whom conveniently didn’t get rid of him. A huge conflict of interest there.

I know I bang on about the 9-0’s but this is exactly why. It’s a terrible thing to happen, like really ducking terrible.

Would take him here. Benrahma, Aribo & Armstrong would make a nice 3 behind a half decent striker. Benrahma previously of Brentford as well 👀

Bottom of the league, spanked on Saturday and the club think people give a flying fuck about the new ‘safety officer’ who’ll do absolutely nothing about people standing, regardless of whatever threats they send out. As said above, this club is run by a bunch of out of touch wankers (on the non footballing side).

What we need is a Jose Fonte. Perhaps not the best player technically, but no nonsense and knew how to defend, whilst being a leader at the back. That would allow the likes of Salisu, ABK and even Lyanco to learn and grow beside them. Cody would have been perfect for that. Arguably, so would have Ben Mee. Unfortunately, we’re more concerned / obsessed with making profit on players and have a transfer policy like a Jimmy Savile audience. The younger the better.

The thing is, in a system like Ralph’s, you defend from the front, in a unit. Our CB’s are shambolic, but so is the plan ahead of them. So disjointed, so easy to bypass our midfield. To be fair, I don’t even know what our identity is anymore. We don’t really press, we don’t really attack, we don’t really keep the ball, we don’t really defend deep and counter attack. we’re just a bit of nothing.

When supporter / club relations are at a recent low, what a way to reward arguably your most loyal supporters. who on earth is running this club on a day to day basis making decisions like this. Idiots.

Knowing Ralph, we’d get him a 30m experienced CB and he’d play him up top

In which case, if true, we’re as good as down then. If we’re pinning our survival hopes on someone with absolutely no managerial experience at first team level, we’re fucked. 2005 all over again. It’s almost so ridiculous, I can’t see it.

Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t make it stupid. I personally wouldn’t pick Dyche as my first choice, but I’d listen to arguments for and against as him, rather than making my mind up based on a perception from a previous role. After all, if he came in, we wouldn’t be getting battered every week, so there is an improvement there, I guess…

I’d argue we’ve stayed up in spite of Ralph, mainly due to a freak run of form from ings and then Broja, rather than because of him. Dyche, like Howe, done a fantastic job. His biggest downfall was staying a season too long. Burnley we’re a mess post take over, would read too much into what happened there.

Pointless question which clearly won’t get an answer. I would be very interested to know if ‘the play book’ has been impacted since the new ownership - it seems that way, for example the sudden change to a back 3. That would be a very good indication of what the new ownership think of Ralph. If someone going could ask that, I think that would be a good question.

More of an indication of the shite that is behind him to be honest. We know stephens, Bednerak and arguably Lynaco aren’t good enough

This, please… begging for this.

It’s getting to the point where it looks as if he’s trying to get the sack. Ridiculous tactics recently.

I can’t help but think we’re in for that lad in Germany that we, along with United I think, have been linked with. From the highlights he seems very similar to Che, but just better. It’s the only thing I can see being logical.

It’s difficult to predict which way we’ll go. Historically we’ve been restricted in only being able to offer the job to those who are unemployed, but we don’t know how SR will approach things. Outsider for me, van bronckhorst. After all, The last Ducth manager we had, who had also managed Feyenoord done alright….

If that table is accurate, then it would take a brave man to turn down a 4.5m per year increase, so we offer him what we’re paying ralph. I guess it would come down to how much he would believe in the SR plan… That being said, I’m not sure Frank in the right man.

Spot on, I’ve been banging this drum for ages. The ‘who could we get / do better’ argument is fucking ridiculous. We may be a bit of a shambles, but there would be hundreds of top level coaches interested In taking the job, should it come up. They might improve us, they might not. But at this stage, it has to be worth the risk.

Agreed on all accounts mate. As for Ralph; i just can’t see that he can turn it around from here. Far too much water under the bridge.

You can only sell what people want to buy. No one wants AA, because he’s fucking pony.