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Post by TugPhase on Apr 23, 2021 12:50:52 GMT
This is his best interview since the first couple of weeks. Calm, level headed, taking some responsibility. I still worry if this is the right appointment and the last few weeks I have really been put back into the position thinking we got it wrong big time, but we need to give him the summer and the vast majority of next season to prove himself. I want him to succeed. I liked bits and not others. I didn't like him bringing the chewing tobacco up again and setting low expectations for L2. I did like him saying he wants to build a squad with Anssi, Leahy etc. It's quite telling about the last 16/17 months that both those 2 were signed before Garner had arrived. Completely agree. Some weird bits where he is almost thinking out loud and rambling, but then some bits that are really positive. His mentality of "we have got to secure" players like Anssi if we are going to be successful is good to see. It's stating the bloody obvious, but it is nice to see some real grit and determination behind it. And his feedback on the conversations with Wael supporting that also sounds positive. So he listed Jaakkola and Leahy that he definitely wants to keep. I interpreted him saying Jonah won't feature just because he is injured as him saying he will probably stay too?
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 22, 2021 19:57:21 GMT
Failure probably isn't the right word, but I don't think Rickie set the world alight in his first season
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 22, 2021 14:02:27 GMT
I feel like this thread needs some torches and pitchforks
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 21, 2021 14:57:09 GMT
The positive thing about L2 is there are 4 promotion spots. It will take a big rebuild job but even if we start badly then we've got a lot of opportunity to catch up. Unlike the conference where there was less margin for error. I'm optimistic that it won't take us too long as think Wael will give enough backing to get us back up but under no illusions that it won't be easy and I will review again after the summer's activity. Success is so few and far between for this club that I’m not expecting it next season. However, we’ve got to look at Plymouth and have that as a model to aspire towards. Modest redevelopment of their stadium, backed their scouse manager to bring in his type of players, went back up in their first season in League Two. Just think if we get into that mindset of failure, we’ll end up happy finishing 12th in League Two, which personally I wouldn’t be. Accepting League 2 is 'our level' doesn't mean accepting mid table. Based on the last twenty seasons our average finishing position is 4th in League 2. So we are realistically a good League 2 team. I think we are therefore entitled to expect to do well next season but we also shouldn't be shocked that we have been relegated. However, because we all still think of ourselves as rightful, and decent, League 1 team (myself included!) it always feels much worse going down.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 21, 2021 13:00:46 GMT
One thing's for sure. It wont be easy. This is now our level unfortunately. I think this is a really interesting point. I, and am sure many others, see League 1 as 'our level', which makes dropping into League 2 always seem really depressing. But if we are being brutally honest, League 2 probably is our current level, at least until we can progress off of the pitch. If our mindset changes and we accept that as 'our level' then the stints in League 1 and subsequent relegations would be a lot less painful.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 20, 2021 11:44:41 GMT
I don’t just think it is dark time for us, I think it is for many clubs.
It is the same thing over and over. For twenty years we have been somewhere between a poor League 1 team and a decent League 2 team. We haven’t even flirted with anything higher (nearly 30 years since we were in the Championship!), but unfortunately we have with lower. The only way we can really make meaningful progress from where we are is with significant investment – see Brentford, Bournemouth, Swansea, City etc. This isn’t a sustainable model though, not everyone club can be pouring money in to progress. That’s why I welcome the news about the Super League. Not because I like the idea, but I hope it might lead to a shake up and some significant changes to make things more sustainable and more of a level playing field.
On our current cycle we are in the downward curve. I do believe we can do well next season and will bounce back before long. But that’s it, that’s the cycle. And the real kick in the teeth? To stay ‘competitive’ in this mediocre cycle and avoid dropping further is costing us a fortune and we accrue massive debts. We are just lucky to currently have Wael to save us from those debts as not all teams do.
Something in football needs to change.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 19, 2021 20:05:15 GMT
I've heard nothing to suggest Barton is going to walk out, in fact in most interviews he says the complete opposite. I'm not predicting anything but I'm optimistic we can have a good season after the big changes planned for the summer. If not, Barton will be gone in October / November. He's hardly likely say in interviews that he is going to walk at the first opportunity though, is he? You're right though, there is no evidence to say that he will, I just hope our board sit down with him and they all think hard about it. Because him rebuilding our club over the summer then being "gone in October/ November" would be a disaster.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 19, 2021 15:21:22 GMT
My main concern with Joey looking after the 'restructure' would be whether he is likely to be here long term. I genuinely think he believed he would keep us in League 1 and managing in League 2 was not in his plan. The last thing we want is for someone to oversee a complete restructure and bring in all their own players for them to then disappear a few months later. That could be for any reason; court case, head turned by a League 1 team, or poor performance. I know that's a risk with any manager, but I still think it is prudent that we reassess things before opening the cheque book for him to make wholesale changes.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 19, 2021 12:32:15 GMT
Part of the reason they want to go it alone is that they want to create their own laws, that means no financial fair play, no squad cap limits. That’s one of the most dangerous aspects of this move. That dangerous lack of FFP would only apply to the Super League though. The FA/ PL/ Football League would still be able to set sustainable FFP for everyone that remains. There would be gulf between the Super League and the rest, but I don't see the issue in that. Players either make the cut in the Super League or don't and play in the PL/ Football League. That's no different from now really with young PL players either making the grade and getting PL wages or not and having to drop to L1 wages.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 19, 2021 11:55:59 GMT
Don't want to be 'that guy', but... Football is so broken anyway. Money drives it already. 17/20 PL teams are owned by billionaires. That's not a coincidence. There are Championship teams chucking around obscene amounts of money. I think let the six go and have their fun and then take the opportunity to reset the rest of English football. Introduce severe FFP that works. Encourage fan ownership. Now I know none of this is straightforward. Your Evertons etc. who are spending vast money to try and get into the elite would be screwed. But this is already happening. Teams are disappearing in L1&2. It's all on course to break anyway. So let the six go and let's hope this is an opportunity to fix what is left. The six want to stay in the PL and English Football, they just want to say a big f**k you to all the other sides with European aspirations by making it an exclusive members club. This is why we need the 50+1 ownership system in England so fans get overall voting rights. No fans in their right minds would ever endorse this sort of thing it’s just so out of touch with how we run and govern sports in Europe. I don’t think kicking them out of English football is necessarily the answer as smaller clubs would end up feeling the financial brunt of such a decision just as much as the bigger clubs. Would be all for fines and points deductions. I can't see how they would do both. They would just end up playing reserves in the PL and it would become a complete farce. Regarding financial hit for our level; there would undoubtedly be a period of instability but eventually I think it will be better for it. Players wages and transfer fees would decrease; so the hit on income (not sure how big this would be for us - how much of Premier League TV money filters down?) would be more than offset. It would become far more sustainable. Players would lose out, but remember they are being overpaid now (ahem, Kyle Bennett) and they would still be paid well. Also the rules would prevent the likes of Salford buying their way up the divisions - the irony of Neville talking about fair competition. Like I said, English football is already broken and needs a chance to reset and this could be just the opportunity. The way things are going more and more clubs are likely to disappear. Where would we be if we didn't have a wealthy owner to bail us out... Completely agree on ownership. Not saying the German model is perfect, but it's closer than we are.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 19, 2021 11:25:10 GMT
On a positive note, I think it’s nice to see a European uprising that doesn’t involve Germany for once. On another positive note, I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people in a Gaschat thread agree on the same thing. After all the bickering recently, nice to have a topic we can all agree on, f**k the Super League. Don't want to be 'that guy', but... Football is so broken anyway. Money drives it already. 17/20 PL teams are owned by billionaires. That's not a coincidence. There are Championship teams chucking around obscene amounts of money. I think let the six go and have their fun and then take the opportunity to reset the rest of English football. Introduce severe FFP that works. Encourage fan ownership. Now I know none of this is straightforward. Your Evertons etc. who are spending vast money to try and get into the elite would be screwed. But this is already happening. Teams are disappearing in L1&2. It's all on course to break anyway. So let the six go and let's hope this is an opportunity to fix what is left.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 16, 2021 22:09:16 GMT
I agree with Ollie an think WE WILL stay up 👍 Me too. I’ve had a little wager, and am planning to buy a bottle of celebratory champagne with my winnings. UTG. I can't deny Tuesday was a body blow, but I still believe. Three wins from five should do it. Still very possible
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 13, 2021 15:54:46 GMT
I am with you Hugh Jarsole I just don’t c anything in this squad that fills me with confidence that we can get out of this mess Look at the other team's squads and you might be a bit more confident. We should be cut adrift at the bottom already, but we're not. That tells me we aren't the only team in this situation. Based on our recent games against them; Wigan were dross. Wimbledon were awful for 80 mins. Swindon were pretty dire. Northampton didn't have anything that concerned me and don't think they would have scored without the penalty. I'm not saying we are anything special, but I'm pretty sure if you spoke to the fans of these teams they would all be saying the same thing as us. We don't have to be great, we just have to be better than the others.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 13, 2021 15:11:13 GMT
Im all for being positive but what the hell are you guys seeing based on how we've played all season to think we will finish 20th. PLEASE repost this and rub my face in it if we do All six teams are terrible, that's what everyone seems to forget. We just have to be a little bit less terrible than the others.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 13, 2021 10:56:49 GMT
I don't think anybody is safe. Wimbledon have games in hand but that is worth a lot less at the bottom of the table than the top. They have Ipswich twice, Oxford, Portsmouth and Lincoln (all chasing playoffs) and then two against the bottom six (Swindon and Rochdale).
Northampton, who are currently top of the six, weirdly are the ones that I feel most confident will go down. I can only seen them getting 1-2 points from their remaining games.
For us I think it comes down to the three home games - Lincoln, MK and Crewe. 7-9 points there - hopefully enough. 5-6 will be tight. Anything less and we're gone. The two away games are tough and will be a free hit - any points gained will be a bonus.
I think we have a good chance of getting 7 more so 45. Northampton? 42. Wimbledon? 45. Wigan? 45. Swindon? 43. Rochdale? 41. Staying up by goal difference...
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 5, 2021 5:58:42 GMT
Bottom two in the form table; should be a classic.
We have to get something today, and I think we just might.
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Post by TugPhase on Apr 1, 2021 7:20:48 GMT
Anyone confident of results this weekend? Fear we could be as good as down before we even play on Monday. Swindon and Northampton have very winnable games, AFCW will be looking for at least a point. If we lose to Ipswich we could easily be 6 behind Swindon and 5 behind Nton. Wigan already losing, and Rochdale also facing a tough game, the tree of us could look doomed. Swindon have Blackpool who are chasing the playoffs (one point off with four games in hand) and in very good form (not lost in 11). I would much rather be playing Ipswich. Not saying it will be easy but, given Ipswich's form, I think we could get something. As for Cobblers and Wimbledon, I think we just have to hope that Plymouth and Shrews pull through for us. I would take them both drawing.
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Post by TugPhase on Mar 30, 2021 9:40:52 GMT
Really think if we could get an unlikely win at Ipswich, it would lift the mood and confidence to keep us up going into the remaining games. Everyone else is picking up points if we are going to survive need something to happen imminently. This weekend is make or break. Ipswich and Donny aren't easy, but their form gives me hope. Ipswich have taken 5 points from the last 5 games. Donny have taken 2. (Yes, I know we have taken 1...). My blind optimism says we'll pick up 4 points and, like you say, the mood will be lifted and things will look brighter going into Northampton the following week.
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Post by TugPhase on Mar 29, 2021 10:47:54 GMT
Just did the Fishy calculator for the bottom 6; 19 AFC Wimbledon 46 -20 45 20 Swindon 46 -26 44 ------------------- 21 Bristol Rovers 46 -22 43 22 Northampton 46 -28 40 23 Wigan 46 -29 39 24 Rochdale 46 -29 38 I noticed whilst doing it that Ipswich have SIX games left against the bottom six (Wimbledon twice). They could easily build up a head of steam so glad we're playing them first. Also Wigan v Swindon last game of the season looks like it could be massive already. I put draw so just need Wigan to sneak a winner like they did against us and we're safe... does that count as positivity? If anyone wants to have a go: thefishy.co.uk/football-calculator.php
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Post by TugPhase on Mar 26, 2021 13:57:29 GMT
An 8 and a half minute interview from two questions! Certainly likes to talk.
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