sadoldgit

Perhaps if the club replaced some mangled pigeons with some graceful doves we would see a bit more magic?

Nobody is “worshipping” Ralph so stop using silly language. As far as I can see, the comments about both Ralph and Howe have been realistic. When Ralph leaves I think we all want him replaced with a decent manager, not a lesser one. Ralph’s record is better than Howe’s. That has nothing to do with “worship” or being in a “cult” and everything to do with applying common sense.

Ralph is clearly a quality manager and I’m pleased that the club are standing by him. Whether he had what it takes to bring the club on within the obvious financial constraints remains to be seen, but he has earned the right to try after his work here in 2020. As for Howe or the next manager, they will have exactly the same problems here as Ralph, so until we get some investment any manager faces a tough job.

For someone like you to call another poster a “bellend” just proves 100% what I have thought of you for years. You have zero self awareness.

I his eyes, when there is an opportunity to play away, he has never “been married”.

Why would anyone sign a player after one good performance?

Front? Not a mariner then MLG 😉

So are you suggesting that we draw up a list then discard the first 6 and only go after no 7 onwards?

Why would anybody buy a football club?

There was an element of hyperbole in my comment but there is only so much you can do with a weak squad. Did Sheffield United, Fulham and WBA all go down because Wilder, Parker and BFS are crap managers or because the squads aren’t good enough? Despite all the bed wettery we were never in a relegation fight (as you pointed out) and one more win and we finish 12, solidly mid table. All thanks to an excellent first half of the season, granted, but mid table is mid table and we are a mid table club. I still maintain that a better manager would have struggle under the circumstances we found ourselves in from Christmas onwards. I don’t believe that, in the same situation, someone like Tuchel would have got this squad into the top 8. A few places higher maybe, but that’s it. Any other manager might have got us a few places higher under the same circumstances. Any other manager might have got us relegated. Every game RH and the coaching staff have to turn a cow’s ear into a silk purse, something they were able to do in the first half of the season, but became harder once beset by injuries and dreadful decisions from the officials which left us short of confidence and ideas. Take away his only right back for a number of games his best defensive midfield player and give Tuchel Verstergaard, Bednarek and McCarthy (throw in Redmond and Stephens for good measure) and let’s see where he finishes. He was sounded out for our job when Koeman left but we weren’t “big enough” for him according to his agent. Why have a sow’s ear when you can go for a silk purse? So, we agree that another manager might achieve more with a weak squad, but we don’t have another manager, so we either support him and provide him with a better squad or bring in someone like “Red Adair” Alladyce who, apparently, can work wonders with poor players and in any circumstances (apart from at WBA). I know which option I prefer.

Please do. Perhaps you should be our new manager 😉

Do you think that Tuchel could get more out of this squad over a full season?

Why should anyone excuse showing emotion? I shed a tear when MLT scored that last goal at the Dell and again when Lambert scored with his first touch for England. It was a very hard fought win and it clearly meant a great deal to him. It’s nice to have a manager who obviously cares.

I’d bet Ralph would love to cherry pick several players from Nigel’s team in their prime.

Booing when others are making a point they don’t like isn’t kicking off? Complaining constantly about it isn’t kicking off? What would you call it? Oh, I forgot, you just come on forums on the wind up.

I am struggling to understand why any decent human being would have a problem with anyone else supporting the move against racism. I can only imagine that people who spend lots of their time and energy kicking off against those protesting against racism probably harbour racist tendencies themselves.

It wasn’t that long ago that you were telling us all that racism in football wasn’t such a big thing anymore. Got that wrong didn’t you! As for losing, I think most right minded people think that any kind of bigotry is wrong so you keep on kidding yourself that the fight against racism is misguided.

Do you? I see you are still getting yourself worked up over people who object to racism hypo. You are just going to have to get used to the fact that a great many people think it is wrong and some of those people are trying to do something about it. There is racism in America just as there is racism here. Ignoring what is happening in America might work for you but I think you will find that a great many people can see that we are not isolated by what is happening across the pond.

No need for racism in football either. These people are trying to kick that out.

Goalkeepers are still players. I was just curious as I couldn’t think of many players signed from relegated teams in the past.

How many players have we bought from teams relegated to the Championship in the past?

He did have a good game (apart from his usual brain fart that led to a goal) but it doesn’t mean than he is any better than 4th choice. He is fine as a squad member but should not and won’t be starting every game.

Depends on the nature of the mistake.

The problem with Stephens is that you can guarantee that he will give at least one or two clear goal opportunities to the opposition per match, even when he has a good game. At this level you can’t afford regular starters to do that.

Alternatively he has assessed everyone and doesn’t think he should start above others yet. But let’s just assume that he is a rubbish man manager shall we? Jankewitz had a golden opportunity to show what he had when picked against United and blew it big time. He needs to show that he has what it takes in training. Perhaps he hasn’t shown enough so far?