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Post by Jon the Stripe on Aug 13, 2014 16:47:37 GMT
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Well for the 4th season running we've not got out of the blocks, of course we can improve but already we are 5 points off top position which let's be honest is where everyone feels we should be in this division. No we don't want to pile pressure on, but we must be looking to win automatic promotion - and why not.
Our fault these last few years appears to be "Failure to Prepare" we just simply aren't ready. I won't go into previous seasons otherwise i'll be here all day.
My concerns are:
The Budget - Well apparently we didn't have one until halfway through the summer! The reasoning was we didn't have the exact info regarding Conference payments, TV Money etc. Tough! We should have dealt DC a minimum budget (that could always have been added to later to gain bonus players). Give him a budget, whatever it is and tell him to do what he's paid to do - MANAGE.
Squad - We were told by DC he would have a full squad in place by June so as a FULL PRE-SEASON TRAINING regime could be done (therefore confirming players need time to gel, get match fit, learn the new tactics etc). We didn't do it and they have arrived slowly (some unfit) and two games in we are still short. By the time we have what Darrel wants or needs we will be ten games in and most likely the Automatic Promotion ship will have sailed.
The season has begun and sorry, but we are not prepared! I've heard the battle cries, but i don't see the substance.
So, Where has it gone wrong from the days in May when we were all told Darrell is the man, he knows what he wants and is going to get it, and we will have a top budget for this season.
This is where we the fan's are left in the dark so often. The club seem to be saying "There's money in the pot". Darrell seems to be saying "I had a decent budget, but it's been cut more than once"
What worries me most i think is, we were a proud league club for so long. now we have dropped through the trap door we seem to be almost converting ourselves into a non-league set up. We have gone for Non-League Manager, Non-League players and a Non-League Budget. If we want to be a League Club i think we may have twisted too soon. I hope i'm wrong and the new vision of "Win the Conference with Conference Players" works. I just worry we've lowered our expectations and standards a little quickly for my liking.
I don't want to criticise or slag off anyone, i want Bristol Rovers to rise again. My genuine biggest concern is the apathy that surrounds our club, we're constantly settling for second best, we can and should do so much better. I think the club is for want of a better word "Stale" and it needs waking up sharply, maybe some people involved with the club have been here too long and the drive has gone. As i say i'm not singling anyone out. As i look at Directors, Staff and Supporters i see tiredness, shrugs of shoulders and disappointment followed by defensive behaviour and comments. I want to see optimism, fight and determination in everyones faces from Box 1 to the Family Enclosure and until we do you can forget the nitty gritty of where or how its going wrong. This club needs a damn good shake up. I don't care who does it and i hope the present leaders can do it.
We need action, We need it now. It wont just " Be OK"
It's time to "STEP UP AND PLAY"
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Post by BishopstonBRFC on Aug 13, 2014 17:01:12 GMT
Problem is that last season the break even crowd was 9000. The amount of staff cuts/budget cuts plus all the losses in revenue have left us with budget which clearly is not great.
Why couldn't they address these issues while we were still a league club?
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Post by WeAreTheGas on Aug 13, 2014 17:02:50 GMT
Agreed Jon. Once again we've gone into a season with a squad that isn't finished, and I'd suggest a squad that is actually missing 2 of the most vital players for any squad (out-and-out winger and creative midfielder).
I think our strikers have more goals in them than last season, but our central midfield is lacking in both goals and creativity, and our wings are no stronger than last season IMO.
However, the only thing I don't agree with you about is feeling that we should be in top position. Personally, I don't think that's realistic for this season (and believe me, I hate myself for saying that). We need to have an average season before we can push on from that and aim for promotion IMO. Does this look like a realistic five seasons to you:
Relegated from league One Dire Dire Relegated from League Two Promotion
To me, it doesn't. Not in the slightest. We haven't consistently won games for 5/6 seasons? We have zero momentum. Zero winning mentality at the club. Those things don't happen in a summer. They build through having a decent season (not a promotion one) and then building on that. The only thing we're trying to 'build' on this season is the last four years of failure.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 17:03:08 GMT
Totally agree and this is what I have been trying to say for the past 6 weeks. We as a fan base are going to have to do something. Its almost worth starting again as we would only drop one division, would have no debt, would be rid of these mugs and would be able to run things properly from scratch. The only thing telling me that would be a bad idea is the board would flog the mem and we would have nowhere to call home. It would be a long hard slog. Why not spare us all this effort Mr Higgs and sell up.
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Post by Jon the Stripe on Aug 13, 2014 17:09:18 GMT
Olly, I have to say my friend that is exactly why we are where we are.IMO.
"I don't think it's realistic" "We need an average season" "Building" - I'm sorry buts its Apathy again. We need to see action - "We will succeed!"
All this "Ok" flows down to the team, imo. The whole club is lethargic.
UTG
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 17:12:34 GMT
Olly, I have to say my friend that is exactly why we are where we are.IMO. "I don't think it's realistic" "We need an average season" "Building" - I'm sorry buts its Apathy again. We need to see action - "We will succeed!" All this "Ok" flows down to the team, imo. The whole club is lethargic. UTG Agree again, the O.F last year was full of posts about how we should not have expected to get a point at Burton and daft negative stuff like that. Now I'm seeing people getting told off for daring to think we could beat a Grimsby team with 6 players out.
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Post by WeAreTheGas on Aug 13, 2014 17:16:25 GMT
Olly, I have to say my friend that is exactly why we are where we are.IMO. "I don't think it's realistic" "We need an average season" "Building" - I'm sorry buts its Apathy again. We need to see action - "We will succeed!" All this "Ok" flows down to the team, imo. The whole club is lethargic. UTG I understand where you're coming from, but saying we should win the league is ignoring the cold, harsh reality of the situation IMO. When has it ever happened before? In the history of football, when has a club ever dropped through the leagues like a stone (as we basically have) and then straight away won promotion? (Baring in mind this is a league with ONE automatic promotion place). It just doesn't happen. Portsmouth weren't promoted from League Two last season, not even close. They had the sort of average season we need to have this season, and no doubt they'll hope to go for promotion this season.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 17:19:36 GMT
Olly, I have to say my friend that is exactly why we are where we are.IMO. "I don't think it's realistic" "We need an average season" "Building" - I'm sorry buts its Apathy again. We need to see action - "We will succeed!" All this "Ok" flows down to the team, imo. The whole club is lethargic. UTG Loved your first post JTS. I'm too far away to know what the real problems are but you are absolutely right to set the bar high. People around the club, and you are right, it's everyone need to pull together and expect more than we are seeing. I think we lack inspirational leadership and you my friend are providing it. Thank you so very much for seeing through some of the negativity and encouraging everyone to be might I say....ground breaking! Jon I Love your balanced posts. Thanks again.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 17:23:56 GMT
Olly, I have to say my friend that is exactly why we are where we are.IMO. "I don't think it's realistic" "We need an average season" "Building" - I'm sorry buts its Apathy again. We need to see action - "We will succeed!" All this "Ok" flows down to the team, imo. The whole club is lethargic. UTG I understand where you're coming from, but saying we should win the league is ignoring the cold, harsh reality of the situation IMO. When has it ever happened before? In the history of football, when has a club ever dropped through the leagues like a stone (as we basically have) and then straight away won promotion? (Baring in mind this is a league with ONE automatic promotion place). It just doesn't happen. Portsmouth weren't promoted from League Two last season, not even close. They had the sort of average season we need to have this season, and no doubt they'll hope to go for promotion this season. It's OK to be ground breaking and aim high. If it's rarely done, why can't Bristol Rovers be that team that breaks the mould and does it. We have been too used to failure and setting the bar too low and then not achieving it. Bristol Rovers can be winners and don't need to play it small.
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Post by Hugo Admin on Aug 13, 2014 17:25:28 GMT
I have to say I disagree. We have been anything but steady for years. Free fall really. We should be aiming for promotion yes but we are here on merit. A solid foundation to build on is needed. Stop the slide. Then build.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 17:37:58 GMT
Get out of jail free card for DC and the board with that attitude
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 19:16:13 GMT
Olly, I have to say my friend that is exactly why we are where we are.IMO. "I don't think it's realistic" "We need an average season" "Building" - I'm sorry buts its Apathy again. We need to see action - "We will succeed!" All this "Ok" flows down to the team, imo. The whole club is lethargic. UTG On the other hand, there are a group of fans who I fully expect will want DC out if we don't achieve promotion first time round. People are calling for it after two games against two of the strongest outfits in this division*. There has to be a balancing act. I hope (and to be honest I'm relatively optimistic) we'll win the next two games to settle the nerves a little bit and calm the fans down. I'll accept a top-half finish this year with DC staying in charge the whole season. We haven't had a manager who's stayed in charge for a whole season since the last decade!! Obviously I hope for higher but we need a bit of proper stability. Call me 'a realist', 'apathetic', whatever. *And I'm not buying 'Grimsby had players out' because a lot of them were attackers, and Grimsby set up to be boring and preserve a point on Saturday - maybe snatch three if they got a lucky break. Very little attacking threat.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 19:27:51 GMT
Olly, I have to say my friend that is exactly why we are where we are.IMO. "I don't think it's realistic" "We need an average season" "Building" - I'm sorry buts its Apathy again. We need to see action - "We will succeed!" All this "Ok" flows down to the team, imo. The whole club is lethargic. UTG On the other hand, there are a group of fans who I fully expect will want DC out if we don't achieve promotion first time round. People are calling for it after two games against two of the strongest outfits in this division*. There has to be a balancing act. I hope (and to be honest I'm relatively optimistic) we'll win the next two games to settle the nerves a little bit and calm the fans down. I'll accept a top-half finish this year with DC staying in charge the whole season. We haven't had a manager who's stayed in charge for a whole season since the last decade!! Obviously I hope for higher but we need a bit of proper stability. Call me 'a realist', 'apathetic', whatever. *And I'm not buying 'Grimsby had players out' because a lot of them were attackers, and Grimsby set up to be boring and preserve a point on Saturday - maybe snatch three if they got a lucky break. Very little attacking threat. Again... Again......... Its not because of two games !!! He promised a squad ready for pre season and hasnt even got a squad together for the start of the season.
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Post by Topper Gas on Aug 13, 2014 19:41:02 GMT
Great post JTS interesting you say the whole club is lethargic, because that's not true as our Chairman is apparently having a great time in Italy!
It seems the only people really interested in Rovers getting back into the FL are the fans, DC, an handful of players plus Boycie & the fans Directors.
Unless DC can bring in a couple of new faces, which won't happen whilst NH is on holiday, and we then win one of our next two games I can see us having another poor season, even possibly another relegation battle.
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Post by dragonfly on Aug 13, 2014 19:59:39 GMT
the lethargy which has descended on our Club has persisted for over a decade, punctuated by brief periods of euphoria as in the last few months of 2006/07 season and the arrival of MM and JW. There is no motivation to speak of other than from the Supporters. The Players should have been well up for the two games played but we have really only witnessed a timid performance as we waited to see what our opponents would do and at Barnet lumped the ball up field in sheer panic and fear of the likes of Akinde. New Players arriving at BRFC may well pick up that not too much is expected here from the apparent disinterest (Watola syndrome} from many of the Directors and therefore react with a similar attitude.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 20:09:24 GMT
On the other hand, there are a group of fans who I fully expect will want DC out if we don't achieve promotion first time round. People are calling for it after two games against two of the strongest outfits in this division*. There has to be a balancing act. I hope (and to be honest I'm relatively optimistic) we'll win the next two games to settle the nerves a little bit and calm the fans down. I'll accept a top-half finish this year with DC staying in charge the whole season. We haven't had a manager who's stayed in charge for a whole season since the last decade!! Obviously I hope for higher but we need a bit of proper stability. Call me 'a realist', 'apathetic', whatever. *And I'm not buying 'Grimsby had players out' because a lot of them were attackers, and Grimsby set up to be boring and preserve a point on Saturday - maybe snatch three if they got a lucky break. Very little attacking threat. Again... Again......... Its not because of two games !!! He promised a squad ready for pre season and hasnt even got a squad together for the start of the season. Hmmm... okay, that's fair enough. However, I get the impression he's been sold down the river re: his budget for this season. And yes, I know he should account for that, but it's not easy when we're 'a team who pays well' (Jeff Hughes, c. 2008?) - that's another reputation we've got to shake off. When other managers have been backed to the extent that they have been allowed to bring in crocked players on 3-year-deals, DC's target to bring in a loan winger for three months has been pushed back because of finances.
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Post by Topper Gas on Aug 13, 2014 20:42:42 GMT
Surely if we offer a player a decent wage now he will join us, regardless of the fact we played high wages in 2008?
It's odd JW got the blame for not signing a striker in January but DC's now having exactly the same problems!
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Post by Strange Gas on Aug 13, 2014 21:58:37 GMT
You have to ask why we are struggling to recruit. Quick few things I think people in any role might look for when looking for a job:
Location - doubt it's an issue Pay - possibly, but we seem to have good budget for this level Benefits - doubt it's a problem Conditions - possibly (easy life / good challenge / too much lie hard work?) Career prospects - definitely (are we a field of dreams or a dead end?) Heard good things - very definitely (what recruitment / agent will tell their clients to come here?)
So I think DC and the club have to create the sort of place people want to come to work or this problem won't go away. Ambition and being on the up us crucial in my view and that has to come from the top. Oh dear!
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Post by lincolnfan on Aug 13, 2014 22:09:02 GMT
I can't say in your case of course but a couple of comments. Location can matter if you are trying to recruit a player based a long way away. We lost the chance of signing a good player some while ago because we were "too far from London" and the players other half did not want to be marooned in Lincolnshire. There is nothing you can do about that.
I've seen on here (I think) that you are predominantly offering one year contracts and while there is nothing wrong in that it might affect someone moving to the area from a long way away and definitely if they have family/kids at school.
The other point to be honest is that many players will do all they can to avoid having Conference on their CV. Most supporters really don't want to be here and I suspect that also applies to a fair number of players.
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Post by meader on Aug 14, 2014 11:51:54 GMT
There is no doubt, that, after reading all the previous posts on this subject, that the next 2 games are MUST WIN GAMES! I would also say that we need to win 3 out of the next 4 games. If we dont win the next 2 games, then i hate to think of what the reaction will be on this forum. Everyone is saying what needs to be done. Maybe there is someone out there who got stacks of money to invest in the club. But at this moment in time, it seems no one is interested in getting involved. WHY? Is there something or someone in our club that other dont like seeing? We need some kind of change now....but who is going to lead us in the change? Maybe the fans should form a Fans Trust and find money to buy out the board! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE! IF WE DONT WIN THE NEXT 2 GAMES, THEN IT WILL PROBERLY START THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF BRISTOL ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB.
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