Jan issues wake-up call. OS.

[66East]

I'm liking this guy more and more.

 

 

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=10490

 

"We're aiming for the play-offs. As a coach it's important to have a goal to aim for. To motivate players it's no good just aspiring to not get relegated.

[SO16_Saint]

i seriously like this man and the way he's running the team

[Thedelldays]

I'm liking this guy more and more.

 

 

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=10490

 

"We're aiming for the play-offs. As a coach it's important to have a goal to aim for. To motivate players it's no good just aspiring to not get relegated.

that is the same goal burley had after spending 7m+...

[InvictaSaint]

It's certainly a breath of fresh air after GB's 3-year negative diatribe. I'm with 66East - am liking JP more and more. Good luck to the guy.

[Mr X]

He talks the talk but can he walk the walk

[Colinjb]

Excellent to hear. That is all.

[66East]

that is the same goal burley had after spending 7m+...

 

 

I think GB was only hoping for the play-offs. This guy is aiming for them:)

[Legod Second Coming]

that is the same goal burley had after spending 7m+...

 

I admit DD, at the time I supprted GB because he had achieved the target set him.

 

But in hindsight (and with maximum apologies to my old mate CB Fry) the idea of having £7m to spend (however it was raised) and not aiming for automatic promotion is criminal.

 

Absolutely criminal.

[ladysaint]

Would have preferred for him to say we are going all out to win the championship, but then I suppose he is setting a target which can be beaten and will motivate the team to achieve it. Pleased though he is not going with the attitude of just survival or mid table mediocre like a lot on here were.

[Iowsaintsfan]

Have to see he definatly says the right things and he is motivating the supporters as much as the players, lets hope he keeps delivering.

[RobM]

Would have preferred for him to say we are going all out to win the championship, but then I suppose he is setting a target which can be beaten and will motivate the team to achieve it. Pleased though he is not going with the attitude of just survival or mid table mediocre like a lot on here were.

 

He has to be a little realistic though, or else nobody will take him seriously. With teams like Birmingham in the league, the chances of achieving automatic promotion is very slim with a team that's playing only it's first season together with a manager who is still learning the league.

 

The playoffs is realistic, if everything goes according to plan and the entire squad act as a team. It's something to aim for, without making JP sound like a loon

[lee_saint]

I admit DD, at the time I supprted GB because he had achieved the target set him.

 

But in hindsight (and with maximum apologies to my old mate CB Fry) the idea of having £7m to spend (however it was raised) and not aiming for automatic promotion is criminal.

 

Absolutely criminal.

 

I know that maybe we should of gone up under GB, but the season he spent £7m other teams were spending the same and even more. That season Birmingham spent £10m+, Derby spent a fair bit, Sunderland also spent, we all know that spending a vast amount in this league dosen't promise you anything!

 

*Before someone points it out, all three of those teams mentioned went up.

[Andy_Porter]

I know that maybe we should of gone up under GB, but the season he spent £7m other teams were spending the same and even more. That season Birmingham spent £10m+, Derby spent a fair bit, Sunderland also spent, we all know that spending a vast amount in this league dosen't promise you anything!

 

*Before someone points it out, all three of those teams mentioned went up.

 

Did Derby really spend much money?

 

We had to go up that season, it was poor from Burley. Spending 8m on a team which already contained the likes of Jones, Bale, Lundekvam and Baird was **** poor.

[Thedelldays]

Did Derby really spend much money?

 

We had to go up that season, it was poor from Burley. Spending 8m on a team which already contained the likes of Jones, Bale, Lundekvam and Baird was **** poor.

dont forget, unlike the others, burley spent most/all of that money in the summer and had the pre season with his new players etc...which is a big advantage...

[BridgnorthSaint]

He talks the talk but can he walk the walk

 

An away win at Derby is a good start

[Saint_clark]

"Wake-up call" is an odd way to put it. That suggests that we are being brought back to reality, and is usually applied when the manager/player says "we are in a relegation battle now - we have to accept that" or something similar.

[Arizona]

Yes. It's also nice not to hear the words "I had to sell my 3 best players" after every game. I hated that excuse.

[lee_saint]

"Wake-up call" is an odd way to put it. That suggests that we are being brought back to reality, and is usually applied when the manager/player says "we are in a relegation battle now - we have to accept that" or something similar.

 

Does seem odd, maybe it's a 'wake-up call' to how good we can be if we play like that every week.

[Saint_clark]

Yes. It's also nice not to hear the words "I had to sell my 3 best players" after every game. I hated that excuse.

 

Apart from Davies, i'm not too bothered about the others who have left.

[Arizona]

Apart from Davies, i'm not too bothered about the others who have left.

 

I'd like to have hung on to Rasiak and Saga aswell. By the sounds of it, either of them could have put 4 past Derby on a good day. Also, to a lesser extent, Licka, as I think our new style would have suited him, but he was fairly average overall.

[ladysaint]

I would like to have kept Cedric Baseya this style would of suited him and we need another young forward, he was a big powerful lad.

[lee_saint]

I would like to have kept Cedric Baseya this style would of suited him and we need another young forward, he was a big powerful lad.

 

He exercised the right in his contract to go back to France, I can only assume he was a little homesick. I mean, you don't want players who don't wanna be here........oh.

[66East]

"Wake-up call" is an odd way to put it. That suggests that we are being brought back to reality, and is usually applied when the manager/player says "we are in a relegation battle now - we have to accept that" or something similar.

 

I think it's a wake-up call to the likes of BWP, Dyer and John, and the other older so-called stars. You only get in the team if you show you want it enough.

[Wes Tender]

Targets are a good thing provided that they are realistic. It is good to have a stated ambition and I agree that GB wasn't very forthcoming with much bravado when it came to predicting where we might end up at the end of a season. The important thing is that the players believe that the target is achievable. If they don't, they won't strive to attain them. Positive results are crucial to instill the belief with youngsters. JP probably realises that he has plenty of ready made excuses which hold water if he fails, whereas GB had much higher expectations to live up to.

[Steel City Saint]

Really happy with the way JP talks to us. No nonsense, sensible comments. Unlikely a recent manager he seems to have seen the same game we have. Also think he is handling the players well, showing the youngsters they will be given a chance and keeping the 'established' players on their toes.

[Glasgow_Saint]

that is the same goal burley had after spending 7m+...

 

Burley got us to the playoffs - in fact we were a penalty shoot out away from the PO Final! :tonqe:

[Arizona]

Burley got us to the playoffs - in fact we were a penalty shoot out away from the PO Final! :tonqe:

 

We scraped into the playoffs on the last game of the season, mainly thanks to Preston's catostrophic end to the season. Burley really achieved the absolute minimum I'd expect given £7m to improve a fairly decent squad.

[buctootim]

Burley got us to the playoffs - in fact we were a penalty shoot out away from the PO Final! :tonqe:

 

With the resources he had GB did okay getting us to the playoffs in 2006/07 and massively underperformed last season. I say that as one of the people who, at the time, wanted him to stay.

[stevegrant]

We scraped into the playoffs on the last game of the season, mainly thanks to Preston's catostrophic end to the season. Burley really achieved the absolute minimum I'd expect given £7m to improve a fairly decent squad.

The season is played out over 46 games. We had a similar run to Preston in March that season, Sunderland had it at the start of the season, Birmingham had a terrible run at one point as well. Burley's target was to get in the play-offs (whether that target was too low is another debate, but it's clear that that was the target) which he achieved. How he did it is fairly irrelevant, IMO. That's like saying "I passed my driving test but I'm ****ed off that I got 6 minors on the marking". The end goal is the important factor. Given a bit more luck (Leon Best could attempt that clearance from the corner 10,000 times and he wouldn't find the far top corner again once, for example) and a bit more bottle from 12 yards, we'd have been at Wembley and then who knows what might have happened.

[Glasgow_Saint]

We scraped into the playoffs on the last game of the season, mainly thanks to Preston's catostrophic end to the season. Burley really achieved the absolute minimum I'd expect given £7m to improve a fairly decent squad.

 

How we got there is irrelevant! We got there...

[Glasgow_Saint]

The season is played out over 46 games. We had a similar run to Preston in March that season, Sunderland had it at the start of the season, Birmingham had a terrible run at one point as well. Burley's target was to get in the play-offs (whether that target was too low is another debate, but it's clear that that was the target) which he achieved. How he did it is fairly irrelevant, IMO. That's like saying "I passed my driving test but I'm ****ed off that I got 6 minors on the marking". The end goal is the important factor. Given a bit more luck (Leon Best could attempt that clearance from the corner 10,000 times and he wouldn't find the far top corner again once, for example) and a bit more bottle from 12 yards, we'd have been at Wembley and then who knows what might have happened.

 

My exact point - just in detail

[Arizona]

The season is played out over 46 games. We had a similar run to Preston in March that season, Sunderland had it at the start of the season, Birmingham had a terrible run at one point as well. Burley's target was to get in the play-offs (whether that target was too low is another debate, but it's clear that that was the target) which he achieved. How he did it is fairly irrelevant, IMO. That's like saying "I passed my driving test but I'm ****ed off that I got 6 minors on the marking". The end goal is the important factor. Given a bit more luck (Leon Best could attempt that clearance from the corner 10,000 times and he wouldn't find the far top corner again once, for example) and a bit more bottle from 12 yards, we'd have been at Wembley and then who knows what might have happened.

 

Sunderland and Brum had poor runs, however over the season they were far more consistent than us, hence they ended up with more points.

 

I do think Burley aimed too low. With the resources he had available, he should have been aiming for a top 2 finish.

 

To the fact that we only scraped in on the final day of the season is relevant, just like avaoiding relegation on the final day of the season was relevant last season. Had we performed better and not blown several chances, we'd have been comfortably in the playoffs/safe long before the season ended.

[forever a red and white]

the "wake up call" obviosuly referred to the more senior players who need to show more enthusiasm and effort to be in the team ala BWP, John and Dyer.

 

I think Jan is expressing that they need to work harder and perhaps look at the example of younger more eager players.

[Thedelldays]

Sunderland and Brum had poor runs, however over the season they were far more consistent than us, hence they ended up with more points.

 

I do think Burley aimed too low. With the resources he had available, he should have been aiming for a top 2 finish.

 

To the fact that we only scraped in on the final day of the season is relevant, just like avaoiding relegation on the final day of the season was relevant last season. Had we performed better and not blown several chances, we'd have been comfortably in the playoffs/safe long before the season ended.

 

 

we never really looked like we were in contention at all for auto promotion, despite all the money burley had spent in that summer, which was a huge advantage over the likes of brum, derby etc...

 

Im sure we never even got into the top 3 at all that season, which is a crime really...

[Wildgoose]

I think it's a wake-up call to the likes of BWP, Dyer and John, and the other older so-called stars. You only get in the team if you show you want it enough.

 

I agree. That's what he meant in the context of the article, so not strange at all, but good in that he is wanting to motivate the players on the fringe of the first team. Good management I would say!

[Thorpe-le-Saint]

I do like this guy, and even though in my eyes (at the moment) he is still a 'Lowe Cronie', I wish him all the best because in every interview I've seen it's almost as if he can't beleive he is allowed to manage Saints!

[Guest Dark Sotonic Mills]

Does seem odd, maybe it's a 'wake-up call' to how good we can be if we play like that every week.

 

If you read the report, it's a wake-up-call to the older ones who weren't playing.

 

Saints' head coach Jan Poortvliet has praised his young team's efforts at Pride Park, and issued a wake-up call to the rest of his squad.

[Navyred]

Definitely a wake up call to the older pros in the squad. With the likes of White, Thomson, Paterson, Hatch and Mills outplaying them in training and showing more in the Reserves I can only see more of these youngsters coming through. Hats off to JP so far, he talks a good game and seems to be a very good motivator.

[66East]

I do like this guy, and even though in my eyes (at the moment) he is still a 'Lowe Cronie', I wish him all the best because in every interview I've seen it's almost as if he can't beleive he is allowed to manage Saints!

 

Why should it matter? I couldn't care less who's cronie he is as long as he continues to do the job the way he has started.

[Gorgiesaint]

the "wake up call" obviosuly referred to the more senior players who need to show more enthusiasm and effort to be in the team ala BWP, John and Dyer.

 

I think Jan is expressing that they need to work harder and perhaps look at the example of younger more eager players.

 

Agreed, and also to those players who may have been offloaded by now but who will still be here at the end of the transfer window (eg Skacel & Euell)

[alpine_saint]

I admit DD, at the time I supprted GB because he had achieved the target set him.

 

But in hindsight (and with maximum apologies to my old mate CB Fry) the idea of having £7m to spend (however it was raised) and not aiming for automatic promotion is criminal.

 

Absolutely criminal.

 

Amazing the amount of people coming to this conclusion.......finally.

 

Better late than never, but I am feeling somewhat vindicated as history unfolds.

 

George Burley will be looked back on as possibly the worst manager in SFC history.

[Nutwood2]

He talks the talk but can he walk the walk

 

So how many World Cup Finals have you played in Mr X?

[Mr X]

So how many World Cup Finals have you played in Mr X?

 

It was tongue in cheek not serious, but I have been in three world cup finals no less

[Nutwood2]

Ok mate' I'll use up one of my three posts in order to forgive you. I just think this guy is so enthusiastic and clearly knows what he's doing that we must get 100% behind him.

[St Landrew]

There's a peculiar thing about the Dutch. Everybody likes them. And I like Poortvliet, and his style. I certainly like the style of play he tries to get Saints to play, and that's half the battle with getting me to be pleased. I would quite happily take boring 1-0s all the way to automatic promotion, but this is much better. Just keep it going for the next 43 games Jan.

[stevegrant]

George Burley will be looked back on as possibly the worst manager in SFC history.

Only by those with absolutely zero perspective.

 

Branfoot, Gray, Wigley and Redknapp would feature before Burley even registered on the scale.

[alpine_saint]

Only by those with absolutely zero perspective.

 

Branfoot, Gray, Wigley and Redknapp would feature before Burley even registered on the scale.

 

I didnt really define "worst", I suppose.

 

Branfoot didnt get us relegated - its just that certain sections of the fan-base didnt like his playing style, a bit like Chelski fans didnt like Avram Grant.

 

Gray and Wigley simply werent up to the job - they werent incompetent, inebriated and disinterested.

 

OK, maybe Redknapp runs Burley close, but I seem to recall Redknapp was only allowed loans and £90K for Fuller. He wasnt given £7M and the chance to build his own squad, either when he took over or at the start of the following season. Burley was thoroughly (over-)indulged by 2 SFC boards.

[stevegrant]

OK, maybe Redknapp runs Burley close, but I seem to recall Redknapp was only allowed loans and £90K for Fuller.

Redknapp CHOSE to only spend £90k on Fuller, plus plenty more in wages and signing-on fees for free transfers like Dennis Wise and Darren Powell (who we've only just managed to get shot of). In January of the relegation season we had a £4m bid for Forest's Andy Reid accepted, but he chose to not even speak to us because of the style of play Redknapp was employing at the time.

 

He wasnt given £7M and the chance to build his own squad, either when he took over or at the start of the following season. Burley was thoroughly (over-)indulged by 2 SFC boards.

Redknapp was given plenty of money to spend (see above), he chose to bring in loans as well as an attempt to get pie-man Reid. Oh, and of course if he hadn't made out that he was doing us such a favour by staying after we were relegated and instead made it look as if he was remotely interested in getting us promoted, he might have been given more to play with.

 

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the vast majority of Burley's signings did contribute at one stage or another (admittedly not on a consistent enough basis or all at the same time). Unfortunately we over-paid for a lot of them (Burley wouldn't have been the one to blame there, Jim Hone and Lee Hoos would have done the negotiations on transfer fees and wages) and are now paying the price for that.

[offix]

the "wake up call" obviosuly referred to the more senior players who need to show more enthusiasm and effort to be in the team ala BWP, John and Dyer.

 

I think Jan is expressing that they need to work harder and perhaps look at the example of younger more eager players.

 

That's exactly how I read it. Very refreshing to have a manager (oops, coach) come out and say it that clearly!

[alpine_saint]

Redknapp CHOSE to only spend £90k on Fuller, plus plenty more in wages and signing-on fees for free transfers like Dennis Wise and Darren Powell (who we've only just managed to get shot of). In January of the relegation season we had a £4m bid for Forest's Andy Reid accepted, but he chose to not even speak to us because of the style of play Redknapp was employing at the time.

 

 

Redknapp was given plenty of money to spend (see above), he chose to bring in loans as well as an attempt to get pie-man Reid. Oh, and of course if he hadn't made out that he was doing us such a favour by staying after we were relegated and instead made it look as if he was remotely interested in getting us promoted, he might have been given more to play with.

 

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the vast majority of Burley's signings did contribute at one stage or another (admittedly not on a consistent enough basis or all at the same time). Unfortunately we over-paid for a lot of them (Burley wouldn't have been the one to blame there, Jim Hone and Lee Hoos would have done the negotiations on transfer fees and wages) and are now paying the price for that.

 

Wow, and people accuse me of having anti-Burley tinted glasses....