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The issue here is the mindset of the players. Prior to the opening goal we were playing well and competing, then missed a great chance followed soon after by conceding a poor goal. We were still in the game until the second went in and lack of confidence thereafter was visible.
Criticising Cook for his team selection, primarily for not playing certain players, Grigg and McManaman especially, is of course what punters like to do regardless of the fact they have no idea what injuries they may be carrying or how well they are performing in training. Grigg has hardly set the place alight when he’s started and McManaman is a shadow of the player he was when last here. Are they really any better than Vaughan, Garner or Windass.
Cook’s position is certainly under threat not least because he’s not made any real headway in changing the mindset and instilling confidence. Once the rot has set in it’s the most difficult challenge a manager has to face. And the lack of quality players at his disposal, whether that’s down to him or the constraints placed on him by Whelan during the summer, makes his task even more difficult.
I like Cook. I want him to succeed. Whether he will get that opportunity remains to be seen. Changing managers, as we are only too well aware of, is no guarantee things will improve.
Absolutely spot on Sammy.
DW spent plenty of his own personal cash on us. I’m not too sure that these guys will be willing to do that TBH. I know I certainly wouldn’t.
I can see them quein up n all sh77
Your problem is you have such desperately low expectations for this club we could sink into the bottom three and you’d say, “Well, what more can we expect”.
This club has facilities the envy of many. Stadium facilities which haven’t been maximised since the purse strings started to be tightened. At least 10k empty seats in the home end, no attempts to bring in schools, youth groups, as in the old days of the JJ’s Club. Each season we’ve seen season tickets (relatively) drop off, the number of youngsters drop away, corporate boxes and sponsorship slashed. The club is slowly dying before our eyes because the previous ownership had been looking to sell ever since we failed to make it back to the PL before the parachute money ran out.
Away from the spotlight we have great training facilities and excellent youth teams throughout the age groups. If we don’t invest to at least Cat 2 status, something likely reliant on remaining in the Championship, many of our brightest prospects could to be lost for a pittance. Given the crazy transfer prices who knows how much some of those players could be worth if they continue to shine at U18 & U21 level.
No one is asking to gamble away our future chasing a PL dream. We need sensible investment to establish ourselves at this level. Because quite frankly, the footballing and commercial realities, demand it. If we think Cook can do it, back him.[/quote]
I agree entirely and I think most fans do, but we can only back him with what we have. Hopefully the new owners can make money out of the stadium which is now owned by the football club which technically it never was so any profits from that would have been hard to transfer to the football club aspect. With the 10,000 empty seats as you say we can’t be going round splashing out £15m on one player like some sides in this league will.
I accept that and obviously our form is a major issue, but when you consider the injuries we have had (losing our entire front four for example) and the fact that our squad is worth less than half of most squads at this level we will always be up against it. Cookie has had to change our style of play to some extent because the players we have available are not able to play the fast paced attacking game that we set out to play at the start with Powell, Massey and Jacobs running at defences.
The new owners have already said that they won’t be throwing money around willy nilly so I don’t expect us to be suddenly bringing top level players in. It will be the usual risks from lower leagues and Scotland with loans from the Prem that will either work and be heralded as genius or won’t.
I want him to stay because realistically we are having the season I expected to have. Some have got a little excited by our start I think.
One and only warning about language
When did the language rule come in? I’ve posted on here for years and never been pulled up as much about language that is common place in most pubs I drink in and football grounds! You need to get a fucking life! Megalomaniac and a rugby fan just to take the piss![/quote]
Always been an unofficial rule Fil, my following of the other code having very little to do with it
I agree in a way, but with the sport the way it is at the minute we never seem to take the risk. Chelsea have a superb youth setup but would rather buy to ensure they stay near the top.
One thing the new owners have said they are keen on is promoting our youth so I do expect to see more lads given a chance but I think it will be in a year maybe 2 years time once we have consolidated at this level
Knew it was match day as only time I ever went through those revolving doors of the Pagefield with a hand full of fixed odds coupons.
In this day of internet betting and being able to bet on absolutely anything, are the ‘Pools’ or ‘Spot the ball’ still going?[/quote]
Spot the ball was always my favourite.
Suppose the pools are just accas nowadays aren’t they.
Wish we still had a front 3 of him Lidds and Haworth.Best front line in England until Benson decided to drop Barlow.
Who was better:
Jones/Lancashire
Liddell/Haworth/Barlow
Ellington/Roberts
