56 Degrees Below - Our Philosophy could need changing.
Sept 8, 2014 18:59:19 GMT
dazza and parsonstgas like this
Post by Jon the Stripe on Sept 8, 2014 18:59:19 GMT
.
Please bear with me
A few seasons ago i did some research, taking into account our historic positions in the football pyramid, using average League Position and Home Crowd Attendances.
I found our average position was 51st which puts us at 7th in League One (as a comparision/guide Bristol City came out 36th - 16th Championship)
So, at present we find ourselves 107th, 56 places below our average!
Which means since 1992 we have basically under achieved (obviously i hear you cry). Now this is where in my opinion our biggest problem lies.
Bristol Rovers have traditionally done well when they have to raise their game, indeed we still perform better against top teams. I think our whole spirit and togetherness came from being underdogs, we took up the challenge and lifted our game both on the pitch and in the crowd.
So since around '92 we have regularly been playing teams we should beat or at least be on a level with. We struggle with that, again both off the field and on it. The last few seasons we have found ourselves at a level where we can't help but feel we SHOULD be better than just about all of our opponents. we just don't handle it.
Even in recent years we tend to play our better football against the better sides or teams who we should struggle against, it's the "Rovers" way. We need strong competition that we have to work tooth and nail to compete against. The best example of this in my mind is 89/90 we were struggling to keep up with our bigger/better (supposedly) nieghbours. I think we won that title because it was City leading the way, if Tranmere for example were top those last few weeks we probably would have settled for 2nd.
We need to STRIVE to beat teams, underdogs suits our ethic. Unfortunately the last 4 years has seen us as one of the supposed better teams, we should be winning more at a level below our natural one. It doesn't suit our mentality. I'm not sure how we overcome it, but in my opinion it is monkey on our back being favorites. We don't play well when we're "Expected" to win.
Did our friend Mr Buckle have a point? Have we listened to Luton's advice of "It will be bloody hard and you'll struggle, but you must stick together if you're gonna get anywhere". Well, i like everyone else understand we need to be patient but just can't help being the opposite. When we were relegated i had chats (as well as plenty of watertaking) from other clubs supporters. They unaminously said one constant - "you're club is gonna need your support more than ever". Which is another thing Luton told us.
I have no answers by the way, i just feel as a club until we start really thinking about where we are and how to handle it we will continue to see a team, club, directors and supporters all in a state of anxiety. The picture at the weekend of trouble flaring behind the goal summed us up very well - Frustration, Dejected Anger, Sadness, Embarrassed, Bitterness, Shell Shocked and all feeling Bloody Hopeless.
I'm the same as every other Gashead i don't want to bloody accept where we are, i want us back up nearer where we (think) we belong. But maybe, just maybe until we do come to terms with it we won't or can't move forward.
It's not unique to us by the way, many clubs suffer similar fates especially in Cup Competitions against the so-called "Smaller Clubs". Most come out with the "we respect our opponents" line before a game, but when they struggle or go behind the whole atmosphere changes to one of "we should be beating these" which causes unwanted panic all round. We need to find a way of competing with strength and passion both on and off the pitch no matter who the opponents are.
Anyway, that's just a few of my thoughts, i'm not defending anyone because the whole club has failed miserably and there are no excuses, we are where we deserve to be - end of. But in my opinion our philosophy will need to change before we have any chance to move on.
Thanks for reading. And as usual, what the hell do i know!!! UTG
Please bear with me
A few seasons ago i did some research, taking into account our historic positions in the football pyramid, using average League Position and Home Crowd Attendances.
I found our average position was 51st which puts us at 7th in League One (as a comparision/guide Bristol City came out 36th - 16th Championship)
So, at present we find ourselves 107th, 56 places below our average!
Which means since 1992 we have basically under achieved (obviously i hear you cry). Now this is where in my opinion our biggest problem lies.
Bristol Rovers have traditionally done well when they have to raise their game, indeed we still perform better against top teams. I think our whole spirit and togetherness came from being underdogs, we took up the challenge and lifted our game both on the pitch and in the crowd.
So since around '92 we have regularly been playing teams we should beat or at least be on a level with. We struggle with that, again both off the field and on it. The last few seasons we have found ourselves at a level where we can't help but feel we SHOULD be better than just about all of our opponents. we just don't handle it.
Even in recent years we tend to play our better football against the better sides or teams who we should struggle against, it's the "Rovers" way. We need strong competition that we have to work tooth and nail to compete against. The best example of this in my mind is 89/90 we were struggling to keep up with our bigger/better (supposedly) nieghbours. I think we won that title because it was City leading the way, if Tranmere for example were top those last few weeks we probably would have settled for 2nd.
We need to STRIVE to beat teams, underdogs suits our ethic. Unfortunately the last 4 years has seen us as one of the supposed better teams, we should be winning more at a level below our natural one. It doesn't suit our mentality. I'm not sure how we overcome it, but in my opinion it is monkey on our back being favorites. We don't play well when we're "Expected" to win.
Did our friend Mr Buckle have a point? Have we listened to Luton's advice of "It will be bloody hard and you'll struggle, but you must stick together if you're gonna get anywhere". Well, i like everyone else understand we need to be patient but just can't help being the opposite. When we were relegated i had chats (as well as plenty of watertaking) from other clubs supporters. They unaminously said one constant - "you're club is gonna need your support more than ever". Which is another thing Luton told us.
I have no answers by the way, i just feel as a club until we start really thinking about where we are and how to handle it we will continue to see a team, club, directors and supporters all in a state of anxiety. The picture at the weekend of trouble flaring behind the goal summed us up very well - Frustration, Dejected Anger, Sadness, Embarrassed, Bitterness, Shell Shocked and all feeling Bloody Hopeless.
I'm the same as every other Gashead i don't want to bloody accept where we are, i want us back up nearer where we (think) we belong. But maybe, just maybe until we do come to terms with it we won't or can't move forward.
It's not unique to us by the way, many clubs suffer similar fates especially in Cup Competitions against the so-called "Smaller Clubs". Most come out with the "we respect our opponents" line before a game, but when they struggle or go behind the whole atmosphere changes to one of "we should be beating these" which causes unwanted panic all round. We need to find a way of competing with strength and passion both on and off the pitch no matter who the opponents are.
Anyway, that's just a few of my thoughts, i'm not defending anyone because the whole club has failed miserably and there are no excuses, we are where we deserve to be - end of. But in my opinion our philosophy will need to change before we have any chance to move on.
Thanks for reading. And as usual, what the hell do i know!!! UTG
