New signings needed for promotion?

[Michael McIndoe]

16 hours ago, Up The City! said:

Thinking back now, NW was entrenched in war with BCFC, did he sign him simply to try and weaken us? Although that back fired big time.

Either way it did BC a HUGE favour! 

[forbespm]

17 hours ago, Michael McIndoe said:

Ha. I'd like to take all the credit but I actually have Paul Merson, The Priory and Lennie Lawrence to thank for that! 

Thanks! Top man @Spoons

15 years myself!always good to see fellow teetotallers(although I hate that expression)

Been great to read your comments and observations on here

[Michael McIndoe]

17 hours ago, simon uk said:

Cool thread, always though mcindoe was top quality for us, a very energetic and quality hard running left winger!!!

Can i ask what the mood was, and how nervy it was before wembley??

 

 

 

 

@simon ukThank you! Of course. I wouldn't say it was overly nervy. In fact I think the lads were quite confident we could win the match even though we weren't playing well as a team at the time. After watching the match back you can clearly see we struggled to put 5 consecutive passes together throughout the game. 

[Kid in the Riot]

10 minutes ago, Michael McIndoe said:

I would try to sign Gary Madine from Bolton Wanderers, Gary Hooper from Sheffield Wednesday, Martyn Waghorn from Ipswich Town.

There seems to be a bit of a 'players that have played well in Scotland' bias here Michael! 

[Michael McIndoe]

16 hours ago, BCFC_Dan said:

Carle was our first real exotic foreign signing since the days of Sebok and Testimetanu so I think a lot of people wanted him to be a big improvement on what we had and knowing little about him assumed that he would be. Our foreign recruitment seems to have improved since those days but it’s still a lottery.

It’s very interesting reading what you have to say @Michael McIndoe, certainly the most interesting thread I’ve read on here in a while. Got your book for Christmas so I look forward to learning a lot more.

Appreciated @BCFC_Dan. Hope you enjoy reading it. I think there is a lot in there that people don't know about me especially in my early life. Be good to know your thoughts when you're done. 

[Michael McIndoe]

13 hours ago, bcfcfinker said:

If your knowledge of the Internet is anything to go by, maybe your musings about what's needed for promotion aren't really worth listening to?

You might think Internet Proxy, TOR, public WiFi hotspots blah blah blah.

As to your legal team being good, that might be the case when it comes to law, however, most legal types I've met have difficulty turning on their own computers let alone understand the intricacies of Cyber naughtiness - look to the latest leaks by lawyer types who have difficulty keeping their own data safe e.g. Panama

BTW, you thinking of being a football agent, proxying for one or something else?
I don't have you down as someone who has a real interest in BCFC - yes you played for City but footy players tend to be a rather mercenary lot.

Good luck with your book.

Do you know many football players personally then? 

[Michael McIndoe]

3 hours ago, alexukhc said:

@Michael McIndoe another question who’s better Lee or Gary? Who will go further in the game?

At the moment I'd have to say Gary because he's taken a Championship team to a play-off final and has more trophies in his cabinet than Lee at present. It is very difficult to say who will go further. A month in football is a long time and with the % of managerial sackings per season I think it would be very difficult to answer that question. However Lee does have age on his side. 

[Spoons]

@Michael McIndoe

Out of interest when you played for city where did you live? In bristol or surrounding area's? Just being nosey! 

[Michael McIndoe]

4 hours ago, BRISTOL86 said:

@Michael McIndoe I’d be interested to know about the dynamic between Lee and Gary. Would a casual observer have had any idea he was his son? Treated differently etc? Was there any ill feeling from anyone about it?

You would never be able to tell Lee was the manager's son while in the dressing room. Treated differently - no. But in my second season at City there were quite a few grumblings about why Lee hadn't been dropped throughout the season when most of the other players had been at some stage. 

[Michael McIndoe]

2 hours ago, Robinito said:

This is turning into one of my most favourite threads in recent years. Great to hear the views of a former player of this club on matters past and present, especially one of my favourite players from that team. Hopefully Michael McIndoe will be a regular poster here in the future.

Many thanks @Robinito Greatly appreciated. 

[Michael McIndoe]

32 minutes ago, forbespm said:

15 years myself!always good to see fellow teetotallers(although I hate that expression)

Been great to read your comments and observations on here

Congratulations! 

There have definitely been some interesting points raised. 

[Michael McIndoe]

8 minutes ago, Spoons said:

@Michael McIndoe

Out of interest when you played for city where did you live? In bristol or surrounding area's? Just being nosey! 

I lived by the waterfront up in Clifton Village. It was a lovely place to live! 

[ExiledAjax]

Let's say we make the play-off final and the same thing happens as in 07/08 - we lose. What should Lee and the current team do to make sure that we don't begin another slide down the table? Is there anything that happened during your spell here that stands out as being a reason for the disappointing seasons that followed?

[Michael McIndoe]

37 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

There seems to be a bit of a 'players that have played well in Scotland' bias here Michael! 

Madine hasn't played in Scotland. But of course Hooper and Waghorn have...however @Ska Junkie asked if I was in charge who would I approach and these players would all be approachable because of their team's current league position. On top of this their accumulated goals and assists tally is 44 which is obviously 4 more than City have got all season. 

[Michael McIndoe]

5 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Let's say we make the play-off final and the same thing happens as in 07/08 - we lose. What should Lee and the current team do to make sure that we don't begin another slide down the table? Is there anything that happened during your spell here that stands out as being a reason for the disappointing seasons that followed?

Signings. I cover this exact topic in my book as I felt quite strongly about it. 

[LC_]

@Michael McIndoe a more general question if you don't mind but something you touched upon in a round-about way with your reasons for moving on from City. 

The press are jumping on West Ham's performance last night and how it was anti-football to just shut up shop against Spurs. As a player what impact does it have being effectively told by a manager that you're not as good as the opposition, and rather than go out and express yourself and to play football in a positive way, we need to defend deep and grind out a point at best? Do you buy into it in the short term at least, or does it severely effect team morale? Be interesting to hear a footballers viewpoint.

Appreciate you speaking openly on here, all the best with your book and future career 

 

[Kid in the Riot]

46 minutes ago, Michael McIndoe said:

Madine hasn't played in Scotland. But of course Hooper and Waghorn have...however @Ska Junkie asked if I was in charge who would I approach and these players would all be approachable because of their team's current league position. On top of this their accumulated goals and assists tally is 44 which is obviously 4 more than City have got all season. 

Good knowledge. Waghorn has done particularly well at Ipswich given they are a side that do not create bundles of opportunities. However, personally I've never forgiven him for a horrendous late tackle on Jamie McAllister when he was at Leicester City which he got red carded for! Leicester were 3-1 down and it was late in the game. No excuse for that

[Merrick's Marvels]

53 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Let's say we make the play-off final and the same thing happens as in 07/08 - we lose. What should Lee and the current team do to make sure that we don't begin another slide down the table? Is there anything that happened during your spell here that stands out as being a reason for the disappointing seasons that followed?

It won't be the same as 07/08 as that was the ceiling of Gary's ability and his son - probably - hasn't reached his yet.

By that I mean Johnson snr was either unable to attract enough better players to upgrade the 07/08 team or didn't make best use of those he did sign - I'm not sure he has the tools to manage a team of high profile big egos and is better suited to making a team of lesser talents greater than the sum of their parts.

Lee didn't do well with Tomlin, a high profile big ego type, but I think he might have the capacity to learn how to.

And another thing that's very different from 10 years ago is that BCFC is now a far more attractive proposition for potential signings and in a much better place to fund them too.    

[BCFC_Dan]

4 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

It won't be the same as 07/08 as that was the ceiling of Gary's ability and his son - probably - hasn't reached his yet.

By that I mean Johnson snr was either unable to attract enough better players to upgrade the 07/08 team or didn't make best use of those he did sign - I'm not sure he has the tools to manage a team of high profile big egos and is better suited to making a team of lesser talents greater than the sum of their parts.

Lee didn't do well with Tomlin, a high profile big ego type, but I think he might have the capacity to learn how to.

And another thing that's very different from 10 years ago is that BCFC is now a far more attractive proposition for potential signings and in a much better place to fund them too.    

I don't know if that was the ceiling of Gary's ability, though Michael clearly feels that the signings made were inadequate and that ultimately lies at GJ's door.

I do think we're in a better place in terms of the age of the squad at the moment. The 07/08 squad was older than the current one and I don't believe any of them really went on to better things, with the possible exception of Orr, who was promoted with QPR. Time will tell how much the current batch can improve, but I'd say they've got more scope for getting better without new signings than the 07/08 lot were (that's not to say they don't need signings to maintain momentum and keep the standards up).

[Iron Acton Red]

Hi Michael do you get much stick from Wolves fans.I seemed to remember when you signed for us in the play off season you said you'd joined a bigger club with better promotion chances.

that must have irked their fans but to be fair you were right about our promotion chances because i think Wolves finished 7th just missing out on play offs.

[Up The City!]

7 hours ago, ciderwithtommy said:

I can answer the last bit, yes there was and still is ill feeling. A few of the more prominent senior pros from the 06 -08 squad talked me and my mates through it once, they had a strong belief certain players held us back and weren't picked on merit.

To this day I'm convinced had LJ not got injured then we would have gone up automatically. No doubts about it at all.

LJ was just one of those players who never stood out but kept the side ticking over. Without him it was a huge loss.

[Olé]

Oh go on then, seems a shame not to ask a question too...

@Michael McIndoe - one player you haven't talked about from the 07/08 season is Steve Brooker. He was pretty much written off, but I often wondered if he had been fit for more of that season, would it have made a difference? I remember walking home in the sun after the last minute winner against Norwich, thinking he'd get us over the line. Probably wishful thinking, it was such a tiny part, but we went back into second, and suddenly it seemed possible we had a new weapon for the final few games.

You could always see that if fit, he was a classic finisher, which we didn't really have at all that season, Byfield ran off people, Adebola won everything, Trundle played from deep, but we didn't have an out and out finisher up front who really knew instinctively where the goal was. By the way, although it took a massive deflection, your goal at Colchester sticks in my memory, we were going well then but the match didn't start well but you turned it around in five minutes, tiny terrace at Layer Road and lots of fun.

I read your book before Christmas - one comment, the transition from football to nightclubs wasn't really justified or explained in the book in a way that is easy to believe. Clearly the experience at Coventry de-motivated you, but for fans like us, it's hard to understand giving up the opportunity to play professional football, and I didn't think your explanation was really convincing (not a criticism, just some feedback about how the book hung together). One minute you're on the way out of Coventry, the next minute you're all in on doing up nightclubs, simply saying you fancied a different challenge. I'm sure the rest of us would have clung onto the career of a professional footballer for as long as we could, but perhaps I'm being naive....... In any case, would be good to know who Mr. G is though, I'd like to avoid being shafted in business.

[Chappers]

Good to hear some honest views from an Ex-City player, and totally agree on the type of signings needed. For me, the key this season has been the work rate and unity of the team, with players covering for each other, and apart from Leko, rare to see a player standing still for long when the ball in play. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Frankie, get stick on here, but personally, I think he is one of the better Championship keepers, and for all the efforts to bring in new keepers, none have been anywhere near as good as him.

Thanks for your contribution to BCFC, been watching nearly 40 years, and you were here during some entertaining times. I stull maintain that Basso had a direct link to above, as our rise and fall coincided with his arrival, then his falling out with Gary. Was the issue there just that Basso was holding back on signing a new contract? Always seemed petty to me.

[Red Exile]

Respect to @Michael McIndoe for coming on here and making a real contribution. The analysis of ex-players is something that the local media - Radio Bristol in particular - haven't made as much of as they might, Geoff apart. The analysis, as opposed to match commentary, is usually from the reporter. Travel up north and local radio often has an ex-player who is prepared to tell it like it is. I've enjoyed reading your perspective Michael...we travelled all over the country to watch the side you were part of...happy days.

[CyderInACan]

It's great to see an ex player on here prepared to use their real name and tell it how it is (and was!) in their eyes. Certainly a genuine doff of my cap in @Michael McIndoe 's direction for having the cojones to get involved and engaging with openness  and candour. THAT season will hopefully no longer be remembered as our "last big chance" at the end of this season but it's fascinating to read this thread; must genuinely be one of the best discussions on OTIB. Thanks for getting involved. Book sales have just gone up by one! 

[Mr Popodopolous]

@Red Exile

Out of likes but certainly agree! Ex pros definitely offer a good insight that most of the rest of us certainly wouldn't know. Always interesting to hear.

@Chappers Agreed. Frankie is rather good I think, at one point this year he had one of the highest saves of a keeper in the division, I think so he's doing something right for sure!

@Olé Oh for a fit and healthy Steve Brooker that year- I also am of the view that moving forward him and Maynard could have been an excellent pair but that's for another day...Quite agree on Brooker that season also.

@BCFC_Dan Certainly agree. This squad age profile is terrific, and looking back now I feel that it was coming towards the end of a cycle a bit that year- great times yes, but the age profile meant that it was kind of imminently with those guys or not at all. This squad though, has an excellent age profile and still room for growth, many reasons to be optimistic.

Gotta say, this thread is excellent and definitely interesting to find out @Michael McIndoe thinks of our progression and where we are as a club in general. As well as his views and insights into the year we were so near yet so far...

Definitely thought he was a fine player for us too- the goal v Palace in that 2nd leg obviously sticks out.

[Michael McIndoe]

On 04/01/2018 at 20:05, ChubStixx said:

Hi @Michael McIndoe. It's great to see you on here. You we're obviously a fan favourite when you were here and never gave less than 100%. Full credit there. 

Why isn't Nicky Maynard in your best XI team?? I would have thought he'd be an easy pick, and I'm surprised he never progressed in the premier league. 

Hi @ChubStixx ! Thank you. I did think about putting him in but I picked my XI based upon who would play well together. 

[Michael McIndoe]

5 hours ago, LC_ said:

@Michael McIndoe a more general question if you don't mind but something you touched upon in a round-about way with your reasons for moving on from City. 

The press are jumping on West Ham's performance last night and how it was anti-football to just shut up shop against Spurs. As a player what impact does it have being effectively told by a manager that you're not as good as the opposition, and rather than go out and express yourself and to play football in a positive way, we need to defend deep and grind out a point at best? Do you buy into it in the short term at least, or does it severely effect team morale? Be interesting to hear a footballers viewpoint.

Appreciate you speaking openly on here, all the best with your book and future career 

 

No I don't mind at all. Funnily enough I mentioned this on Twitter last night. I'm really glad you brought this up as it's something I've been banging on about. Premier League teams setting themselves up to see if they can possibly squeeze a draw out of a game, if I was a Hammers fan watching last night I'd be pulling my hair out. I think it can only ever have a negative affect on your players and teams in any division that set up like this inevitably will only ever be scraping near the bottom of the leagues. Also creative players in a dressing room who have been coached all their lives on how to break opposition defences down, almost feel like they are being kept on a leash and restrained from what they are, in theory paid to do. So you tend to find it will be the attacking players that start to moan in the dressing room through the week. Plus strikers' goals tend to dry up as they are getting very little opportunities. 

[Owl Visiting]

6 hours ago, Michael McIndoe said:

Madine hasn't played in Scotland. But of course Hooper and Waghorn have...however @Ska Junkie asked if I was in charge who would I approach and these players would all be approachable because of their team's current league position. On top of this their accumulated goals and assists tally is 44 which is obviously 4 more than City have got all season. 

Hands off our Gary! Would take a really big offer for us to part with him, probably our best player. 

[Michael McIndoe]

5 hours ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

It won't be the same as 07/08 as that was the ceiling of Gary's ability and his son - probably - hasn't reached his yet.

By that I mean Johnson snr was either unable to attract enough better players to upgrade the 07/08 team or didn't make best use of those he did sign - I'm not sure he has the tools to manage a team of high profile big egos and is better suited to making a team of lesser talents greater than the sum of their parts.

Lee didn't do well with Tomlin, a high profile big ego type, but I think he might have the capacity to learn how to.

And another thing that's very different from 10 years ago is that BCFC is now a far more attractive proposition for potential signings and in a much better place to fund them too.    

This is a great point. There's no getting away from the fact that City are a far more attractive proposition now but players will talk to each other and if they don't feel they're going to get treated properly they won't sign for a club. If managers are not capable of managing big egos then the truth is that they won't last long in the PL or the Championship. With the bigger wages come the bigger egos. You have to be able to take a player who thinks he is the best footballer in the world and know when to stroke his ego, put an arm around him or give him a rocket. This is why the top managers get paid so much. What's the incentive for a 22 yr old kid on £100k per week who's sat on a long 5yr contract to run harder and improve? This is where the top managers earn their money. 

Back to your point about Gary - I do feel he struggled to manage me and Trunds at times. I don't know if that's because we had the biggest egos or because we were the highest paid players at the time. But in Gary's defence we banged heads a few times at Yeovil when I wasn't earning big money in relation to football. I'm very opinionated so probably just my big ego then!  I wrote a story about Gary losing it on the training ground in the second half of the 07/08 season when the pressure, I felt was getting to him. He threw me, Trunds and several others off the training ground.