shurlock

Superfan

Forget Pardew and move on. He was nothing special. And please stop hammering on about Bristol Rovers - if you were there, you would have seen that it was not exceptionally different from the way we've played all season. Alas a good number of people weren't there. Anyway, all that matters is Saturday, Colchester and how the current crop of players can start to turn things around.

Isnt he on loan to Derby - if so, he isn't in tonight's starting line-up

yeh, thought so too - nice rebuttal to the idea that he's just a mr. nice guy who risks being swallowed up by the job, the pressure, the 'superstars' at the club. always thought somewhat odd that Pards was loose-tongued when it came to discussing injuries.

Lets see how long it takes to turn around our team of hoofball specialists. And the idea of Schneiderlin and Hammond bombing on when in possession, somebody must be tripping... Good stuff, though. The emphasis given by the OS to NA's preferred playing style says alot about why he was appointed and why Pards ultimately fell out of favour.

I miss pilchards first training session by the new manager report...

Any names? By higher level, you mean the prem, since Adkins has established himself as a NPC manager. That said, neither Holloway or Avram (the two prem managers linked to the job, according to the rumour-mill) stood above the crowd. I liked Tony Mowbray but there were again question-marks over him. Once the pie-in-the sky names are discounted, names do not readily spring to mind and NA looks increasingly like a decent choice - yes a gamble but who isn't when they're up and coming - he's certainly not in the one-season-wonder mould of Eddie Howe.

Assuming that MoN and KK were never starters (I dont think the latter has it anymore at any rate), who would you have gone for?

http://soccerlens.com/nigel-adkins-profile/6223/ -shame its two-and-a half years out of date - his achievements since the article was written have if anything been greater.

Mr ITK - i can't see any of your predictions EVER coming true.

Already bought a ticket when the assumption was that we were going to storm the league, so it would be a waste not to use it...

I assume you've got a ticket from the original game or are you purchasing on the night?

I like Dickson - think he has a good engine, a nice cross and is always looking for the ball, though he's been caught out a few times at LB. 4 players ike himacross the midfield of the park and we would be sorted. That said, wonder if Adkins comes in, Mills will be the one of the players to propser. Was at loan to Scunny the season we were relegated from CCC and by all accounts did well. Was close to moving there until he had a good preseason under Pards but then faded...

Were you actually at the game? Martin and Connolly were two of our best players.

No idea - perhaps NC buckled under public opinion and held back. That we didnt sign anyone and strengthen is largely AP's responsibility - and you're joking if you think that the Brizzle result -one result- showed that we had turned the corner (btw just look where Argyle and Leyton Orient are in the league, notwithstanding its early days). There are more similarities than differences between DW's three games in charge and AP's reign as a whole. Yes the urgency and determination that AP brought may have gone but this is an unbalanced squad and playing style that has AP's sweaty fingerprints all over it.

Totally: some proper morons on this forum. To expect anything from somebody thrown on in a game that was fast disappearing - about which nobody seemed particularly bothered in what had been a totally shapeless and disjointed performance is unfair. The guy has had just over 100 mins playing time (most of which has been out of position) and he's meant to hit the ground running - dream on. As i said, some proper, proper morons here.

****e game - typical of the league in general. Like last season, it doesn't take much to win a game or string together a run. Hammond and Harding were very poor today. Pericard got the better of Fonte (especially) and Martin - looks good at this level (shame we didnt get him when we were linked to him in Jan). Connolly and Schneiderlin were the only ones who had half-decent games. Lambert, who looked a bit better today but still miles away from his form nothing last season, dropped deep far too often, isolating Connolly and forcing him to lead the line. Connolly coped as best he could thats not his game. Incredible that even when we were losing, nobody pushed up. OXO who blew hot and cold (I wouldnt start him away from home) enjoyed much more possession in the 2nd half. Nonetheless, crosses had to be repeatedly delayed so that the odd renegade body could amble into the box. While the tactics and one-dimensional play are a direct inheritance from Pardew -so today shouldnt obscure a deeper rot, at least he was able to inject a bit of urgencyin to proceedings. That and Barnard and AL's absence ae the major difference between the two managers. Time to ask some tough questions of players like Hammond. At the very least, a new manager will bring a fresh eye to the squad and not featherbed players who under AP and DW have had it far too easy.

There was no structure in place - Cortese, having done an internal audit of what the club needed and where its strengths and weaknesses lay, then decided on a structure. Perhaps if NC knew what he knew after assessing the club, he might not have hired Pardew. As it was, the deal for the club literally went through weeks before the new season, so nobody had that luxury. While the relationship made sense at the beginning, AP and NC grew apart over time as short-term firefighting became less important than a long-term strategy Hard to fault anyone under these circumstances. Sometimes people have different views of the world and you just agree to disagree.

Supposedly Holloway and our friend Avram

Lets not forget that Wharton is pretty loathed up in S****horpe - the idea that he is trying to extract as much for a poor, little family club doesn't wash with their lot in that - in recent years, proceeds from transfers etc have rarely been reinvested in the team. He is regarded as a mercenary and blamed for not allowing NA to kick on and push the team up the league. There a difference between takingthe p i$$ and doing the best for your club. Given his previous, playing hardball with Wharton has probably not been as disruptive or futile as you suggest. At any rate, negotiations were held up a day or two - no skin off anyone's nose- it wasn't as if NA would have been installed and ready to have a material influence on the Swindon game.

that you should think before you post

A very poor man's roy hodgson.

Alternatively are there any suitors willing to invest as much or have the same ambitions as Cortese? Hardly. So you have to factor that in. The problem is that people like to make massive traumatic everests out of piddling little molehills. Questions aren't only asked but dark ulterior motives have to be found (Dear Leader- give it a break). Questions are fine but not where they lack proportionality or perspective? Some of the allegations and references that have been made over the months have been truly disgusting.

The personality profile of most headcase right-wingers.