|
|
Post by Finnish Gas on Jun 3, 2014 10:10:45 GMT
BRISTOL ROVERS BLOG: G is for Gas - Catch 44By The Bristol Post | Posted: June 03, 2014 By MARTIN BULL What‘s Catch 44 I hear you ask? It’s Catch 22, but twice as fiendishly problematic. Last week we had our first definite news of whether any of our players are staying or leaving, and as we are now into June I suspect we may hear more news this week. To borrow a Clash song, the dilemma of ‘should I stay or should I go?’ is as knotty as a labyrinthine contract drawn up by Wycombe Wanderers. You have to question the ambition of any players, except maybe the young lads, who would want to stay at Rovers now that we‘re in non-league. And surely we don’t really want to retain any players with such a lack of ambition or self belief? But we need some players. If they did all leave there will be trouble, and if they stay it will be double. That’s Catch 22. So, as a logical progression from Catch 22, if a player does stay you are left doubting if inflated wages or their own lack of ability to play at a higher level could be the reason they haven’t left? And then you would naturally ask yourself why we would want players like that and what negative influence this state of affairs could have on the team, especially on new, hungrier signings, whose bellies aren’t full and whose pay is lower. Players, and agents, talk. They get to know what each other earns. That’s Catch 44. Maybe I’m being too harsh and have forgotten to factor loyalty into this equation? Unfortunately loyalty only seems to work one-way in football at the moment. If a player has a contract, his club will loyally support him, even when injured, under investigation by higher powers, or going through a personal nadir. Conversely, if a player wishes to turn his back on the club, it seems he can quite easily engineer a move away and suffer no consequences for it, except maybe a few choice songs from the terraces if they ever dare return. In addition a cynic may insinuate that the few players who do show ‘loyalty’ are merely displaying inertia, especially if they have a settled family and children here, and / or are from the area. In a week where Rickie Lambert has moved to one of the most successful clubs in the world, and will be on a plane to Brasil, it reminds me of the old adage that you need to keep your best players in order to progress. Fortunately it seems like a few of our best players are genuinely pleased to stay and fight, although I suspect an attractive salary may still be a factor in any evaluations made. Slightly bizarrely we had two players named in the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) League Two Team of the Year, whereas all the other nine were from promoted teams. One of course was the brilliant Michael Smith. The other was John-Joe O’Toole. Are these awards a source of pride, or did they just highlight the overall under achievement at Rovers? Although Gasheads expected JJ to solicit a move away, and take his questionable mindset with him, I think we were shocked that we didn’t even receive a bag of magic beans for him as some naïve yokel had allowed a ’get out of jail free’ card to infiltrate his portly contract. That just about sums up the confidence he had in us and why we should never have appeared so desperate to give him the golden egg the goose had laid. As one twitterer remarked “helped take you down but doesn’t have the guts to stay and help you back up”. A test case in loyalty (from either side; our club is equally dis-loyal to us fans if it constantly flogs its finest prospects) may be Ryan Brunt. I sense Gasheads would be irritated if the alleged interest in Ryan Brunt led to a transfer after his infinitesimal contribution to the side last season. He didn’t score a solitary goal, although he never looked wholly fit to me and later had a succession of operations. He showed his potential the previous season though, and as long as his injuries don’t lead to another Dominic ‘sick note’ Blizzard scenario, I think his heady mix of strength and skill could tear defences apart in the Conference. Read more at www.bristolpost.co.uk/BRISTOL-ROVERS-BLOG-G-Gas-Catch-44/story-21180127-detail/story.html
|
|
|
|
Post by mehewmagic on Jun 3, 2014 10:28:29 GMT
thanks for posting that up Finnish.
|
|
|
|
Post by Finnish Gas on Jun 3, 2014 10:36:37 GMT
thanks for posting that up Finnish. Very well written - thanks. JJT seems to have a number of clubs chasing him including Southend, Burton, Scunthorpe and Walsall. If there is no fee he could be negotiating a massive wage to the "highest bidder". |
|
|
|
Post by peterparker on Jun 3, 2014 10:40:34 GMT
thanks for posting that up Finnish. Very well written - thanks. JJT seems to have a number of clubs chasing him including Southend, Burton, Scunthorpe and Walsall. If there is no fee he could be negotiating a massive wage to the "highest bidder". Which makes his comment about it being such a hard decision to leave even more hollow |
|
|
|
Post by malmersgas on Jun 3, 2014 10:48:51 GMT
Fantastic post.
Agree with the lot.
|
|
|
|
Post by Finnish Gas on Jun 3, 2014 10:50:24 GMT
Very well written - thanks. JJT seems to have a number of clubs chasing him including Southend, Burton, Scunthorpe and Walsall. If there is no fee he could be negotiating a massive wage to the "highest bidder". Which makes his comment about it being such a hard decision to leave even more hollow Also felt his timing was suspect - burying "bad news" with our "good news" re Rickie. |
|
|
|
Post by mehewmagic on Jun 3, 2014 10:54:04 GMT
thanks for posting that up Finnish. Very well written - thanks. JJT seems to have a number of clubs chasing him including Southend, Burton, Scunthorpe and Walsall. If there is no fee he could be negotiating a massive wage to the "highest bidder". JJ is a maverick and actively encourages that label. I don't have a problem with that. It'll catch up with him one day though as he'll run out of places to go. Remember the old adage to 'be nice to people on the way up because you might meet them on the way down'. My only problem is that we won;t get a bean for him. Dreadful business sense to have a player in the PFA team of the Season, and one of the top scorers in the division, and have to let him go for free. Other clubs must be rubbing their hands with glee. |
|
|
|
Post by malmersgas on Jun 3, 2014 10:56:00 GMT
I think it would be beneficial for JJ, one day, to meet Sir Rickie, and have it explained to him just what it means to be a Gashead, to be committed, show some loyalty, and actually PROVE that you are as good as you think you are.
That said, he would probably still think he`s the mutts.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Catch 44
Jun 3, 2014 11:12:22 GMT
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2014 11:12:22 GMT
I really despair at the comments and bile towards a football player who, if I remember correctly, the majority were clamouring for us to get. John Ward even said we could get 2-3 players instead of him. Many, me included, thought he could be the final piece in the jigsaw to gain promotion.
Facts are he came to us when we were bottom or thereabouts, he knew we had the chance of repeating that so his agent included the clause.
This is not prem football and he is not set up for life. It's his job to get the best job he can. He scored 15 goals because we had no one seemingly capable of scoring. Yes, he was watered off, rightly so. We had a manager who was the most defence minded I have seen and a team in crisis. Alleged drug and drink binges, poor training, god awful injury rate and fans who expected him to be the messiah.
The season was a true example of how to ruin a club and yet many see JJ as a scape Goat.
Yes, he made mistakes in what he said and in the manner it was said but I ask any of you, if you were trying to improve your lot but were hindered by the many examples of gross mismanagement and just schoolboy behaviour then would you feel any loyalty ?
Personally I have no problem with him going. He was one of the few who was honest and showed his anger at the toy town set up.
If anyone is to blame then it is our club for allowing us to allow ANY player to come here calling the shots. This was never going to end well.
|
|
|
|
Post by mehewmagic on Jun 3, 2014 11:33:15 GMT
I really despair at the comments and bile towards a football player who, if I remember correctly, the majority were clamouring for us to get. John Ward even said we could get 2-3 players instead of him. Many, me included, thought he could be the final piece in the jigsaw to gain promotion. Facts are he came to us when we were bottom or thereabouts, he knew we had the chance of repeating that so his agent included the clause. This is not prem football and he is not set up for life. It's his job to get the best job he can. He scored 15 goals because we had no one seemingly capable of scoring. Yes, he was watered off, rightly so. We had a manager who was the most defence minded I have seen and a team in crisis. Alleged drug and drink binges, poor training, god awful injury rate and fans who expected him to be the messiah. The season was a true example of how to ruin a club and yet many see JJ as a scape Goat. Yes, he made mistakes in what he said and in the manner it was said but I ask any of you, if you were trying to improve your lot but were hindered by the many examples of gross mismanagement and just schoolboy behaviour then would you feel any loyalty ? Personally I have no problem with him going. He was one of the few who was honest and showed his anger at the toy town set up. If anyone is to blame then it is our club for allowing us to allow ANY player to come here calling the shots. This was never going to end well. not sure there has been a lot of bile directed at him in a personal way. if there was that seems wrong. maybe twitter warriors or a few clowns on the pitch after I feel it's more been that he's not as good as he thinks he is, and that his attitude at times stank. I hope that isn;t making him a scape goat as he obviously isn't to blame overall for our relegation. yes he scored goals, but he also got himself stupidly suspended for 2 games when we really needed him. No-one else in the entire squad got a 5 yellow or 10 yellow suspension, not even so-called tough tackling defensive midfielders or centre-backs. Show me a booking he got for a yellow that probably stopped a goal scoring chance ('taking one for the team') and I'll let him off. Lots of goals. yes. thanks. we did need that. but if we'd had a decent strike force he'd have scored less, and he took pens. 1 assist. That shows he was either selfish, couldn't pass for toffee, or was rightly fed up of strikers not scoring so tended to keep the chances for himself. prob a mixture of the 3. I certainly don;t blame him for sometimes having a pop himself. The get out clause etc is totally our fault. As was the embarrassing Constable-esque chase for him. I doubt anyone is blaming him for those. My moniker is obviously referencing David mehew. not completely comparable to JJ's game of course, but that's what you call an attacking midfielder! None of the histrionics of JJ. Loyal to the core. To this day I still have no idea why other clubs didn't come in for him (or maybe they did and they were refused). in today's game he would be a million £ transfer target. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Catch 44
Jun 3, 2014 11:58:20 GMT
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2014 11:58:20 GMT
I really despair at the comments and bile towards a football player who, if I remember correctly, the majority were clamouring for us to get. John Ward even said we could get 2-3 players instead of him. Many, me included, thought he could be the final piece in the jigsaw to gain promotion. Facts are he came to us when we were bottom or thereabouts, he knew we had the chance of repeating that so his agent included the clause. This is not prem football and he is not set up for life. It's his job to get the best job he can. He scored 15 goals because we had no one seemingly capable of scoring. Yes, he was watered off, rightly so. We had a manager who was the most defence minded I have seen and a team in crisis. Alleged drug and drink binges, poor training, god awful injury rate and fans who expected him to be the messiah. The season was a true example of how to ruin a club and yet many see JJ as a scape Goat. Yes, he made mistakes in what he said and in the manner it was said but I ask any of you, if you were trying to improve your lot but were hindered by the many examples of gross mismanagement and just schoolboy behaviour then would you feel any loyalty ? Personally I have no problem with him going. He was one of the few who was honest and showed his anger at the toy town set up. If anyone is to blame then it is our club for allowing us to allow ANY player to come here calling the shots. This was never going to end well. not sure there has been a lot of bile directed at him in a personal way. if there was that seems wrong. maybe twitter warriors or a few clowns on the pitch after I feel it's more been that he's not as good as he thinks he is, and that his attitude at times stank. I hope that isn;t making him a scape goat as he obviously isn't to blame overall for our relegation. yes he scored goals, but he also got himself stupidly suspended for 2 games when we really needed him. No-one else in the entire squad got a 5 yellow or 10 yellow suspension, not even so-called tough tackling defensive midfielders or centre-backs. Show me a booking he got for a yellow that probably stopped a goal scoring chance ('taking one for the team') and I'll let him off. Lots of goals. yes. thanks. we did need that. but if we'd had a decent strike force he'd have scored less, and he took pens. 1 assist. That shows he was either selfish, couldn't pass for toffee, or was rightly fed up of strikers not scoring so tended to keep the chances for himself. prob a mixture of the 3. I certainly don;t blame him for sometimes having a pop himself. The get out clause etc is totally our fault. As was the embarrassing Constable-esque chase for him. I doubt anyone is blaming him for those. My moniker is obviously referencing David mehew. not completely comparable to JJ's game of course, but that's what you call an attacking midfielder! None of the histrionics of JJ. Loyal to the core. To this day I still have no idea why other clubs didn't come in for him (or maybe they did and they were refused). in today's game he would be a million £ transfer target. Fair comment and a well reasoned post. When I read it with that perspective it certainly looks bad but I still do not understand the frankly vile stuff aimed at him. Yes, could well be keyboard warriors but to physically attack him made me sick. I ALWAYS felt we held the high moral ground over the Red half, not now. I have been through a plethora of emotions since that dreadful day but I am totally ashamed that we had some who felt that physical attack of a player was somehow right. Yes, some if his comments were very poor and seemingly seemed directed to inflame but most realise how interviews can be edited to look how the interviewer wants it. I felt his body language was the worst I have seen but I am a 50 yr old guy who has learned just a little about sometimes reigning it in ( I know, I know lol) Yes, he did not fit in as a team player but I do feel that this became more apparent as we sunk further. He said we had the players good enough to challenge for a play off spot & that if we got relegated then they should ALL hang up their boots. I think he just lost it, lost his way and saw that no one was prepared to set it right. Players like JJ need very strong leadership. What we got was Ward saying " I have tried everything I know" that is unacceptable for me. If that was the case then we needed to have NH intervene and call the shots. What we got was apathy and buck passing, soundbite PR and subsequent relegation. I accept JJ was poor but I do not blame him for our demise and, in reality, a part of me is sympathetic to him. Why do our board and some fans seem to fear a player stating that he has ambition ? I think that if and when we can answer that truthfully, we will be a big part of the way to understanding the underlying rot that has set in. All of us have to accept responsibility for our actions and face up to our own frailties in life if we are to move on and function well and with maybe a little pride in our convictions. No one can move on if certain groups look to pass the proverbial buck. We need people to be real leaders now, more than ever. I think that if some actually opened up their human side that we are a forgiving bunch. I just cannot see that happening with our current guardians. |
|
|
|
Post by malmersgas on Jun 3, 2014 12:46:07 GMT
Like most I thought he was the final jigsaw piece, and certainly, in some games he did play very well and agreed, chipped in with some important goals. What got to me was the stuff that came out in the press, just when we needed him to be keeping his head down and going for it all guns blazing, encouraging those around him.
Nothing wrong with ambition, that's a great thing, but there are ways of doing/going about it. Certainly don't blame him for our demise, but just think he could improve his attitude an awful lot.
As for the physical attack - that's just disgusting and I hope they throw the book at whoever did it, with a very heavy hand indeed.
|
|
