SL Radio Bristol interview

[JoeAman08]

2 minutes ago, Float'n Over said:

I think promotion bonuses were probably on the table but the players may have felt let down by not recruiting the right quality to assist in delivering that.

The players on duty yesterday we all know can play a lot better than that.

You may be right but I have never got the thinking in that. Surely if players come in you could lose your job? Players should worry about football not who the club recruit. The ability was already there. Did they stop trying because we signed Diony? Doesn’t seem like a professional players mindset

[Floatn Over]

Watching the Cardiff interviews and celebrations (no this is not a get Warnock in post) it is our motivation engine that's misfiring.

It needs an oil change, plugs, new filter, gaskets and a retune; trouble is do we have the tools to do that kind of engine service.

[screech]

I was hoping to hear SL say we are going to offload the crap of the squad who have downed tools since January and keep hold of the best who provide the foundations of a good team, Reid, Flint, Bryan, Kelly, Smith and Pack. 

We have plenty of crap that needs disposing of before we agree to sell off the family jewels, Patterson, Baker, Elliasson, Diony, Kent, O'Neil, Pisano, Engvall, Woodrow, Moore, Djuric, Hegeler are all Johnson signings and will be leaving or need to be moved on. 

It scares the crap out of me that we might be looking to cash in on our best and be left with the dross, he needs to be brutal even with his own signings, hold his hand up and make the tough decisions now or he will just be doing himself out of a job sooner rather than later.

[Floatn Over]

Being brutal and nasty is perhaps what's missing.

[JoeAman08]

@BobBobSuperBob

I didn’t want to go back and find your post but you talked about investments made that hold us back a bit financially. Now deals like Hegeler, O’Neil, Engvall and the loans I can agree with. These are deals that have definitely set us back. The loans in particular as GON and Hegeler good signings on paper. 

Some of the young players though, I feel could be tidy investments and that is imo how they should be looked at as investments. Now this is just how I interpret it. While the likes of Moore, Walsh, Bakinson, Hinds, Eliasson, and others have set us back a bit in the short term(ffp over 3 years), I think there was an element of “catching up.” What I mean is what we had was a good 13-14 players when LJ stepped in. I can see logic in a small squad high on quality, no arguments there. Though what if a player is sold? We have to replace while teams know we have money. Point is, think we were trying to beef up academy and fringe young players to develop so in the coming years when players were sold, we already had replacements. It sets us back in the short term but was LJ brought in for that?

Personally, the club was 5 years behind where they wanted to be. They wanted to beef up the academy and squad a bit to help ease departures. They have done well up to this point keeping key players. Now if a Bryan goes there is a Kelly(already here but don’t discount the current group for coaching even if management is suspect). Flint goes there is a Wright or a Vyner. There is no urgent need to replace players now. 

Now you can argue whether they focused too much on that ir not. They probably did. Though the reward for that is now if a player goes we may be able to focus the money on a player we know will be better. Example we get 8m for Bryan and can use 3m on a keeper and 4-5m on a CM while Kelly replaces Joe. Not to mention an U18 replacing LK in the u23s. Again, this is how I see it and while frustrating we have had to use large chunks of funds to do this, we will be reaping the rewards much sooner. 

I know this only works if you recruit well. That hasn’t always been straightforward I admit. Though I would say very rarely do we sign a player for the now wrong. Wright, Djuric, Baker, Diedhiou, Magnússon, Taylor, Paterson, and Pisano have all shown what they are capable of if you take the uncontrollable out like injuries. You could argue some of those are squad players in a good team and you would be right. Though we were not a good team when signed and they have all helped us through tough times. Now have to add better and push some of those down the pecking order. That is the life of football. 

Point is, for me, we are halfway through a conplete rebuild at the club. The early success has perhaps made their jobs harder now we have expectations. Personally, don’t see why this group doesn’t deserve a bit more optimism. If you actually map out the good things they have done I am sure it will outweigh the bad. Doesn’t mean questions shouldn’t be asked. Hell I am not sure LJ is the right one for us to be promoted. He seems too nice and the OTIB buzzword of cosy definitely applies to some aspects of the club. Though part of me thinks the club needed LJ when we got him. Maybe we needed a bit of cosy to build up the young players. The last question would be when do we not need LJ and when do we need to be a little more ruthless? Think the answer is coming but for now think the club are still going about this the right way. 

[ScottishRed]

30 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

With our ethos and philosophy , and off the back off SLs interview I keep coming back to the potential breaker or maker for us for the foreseeable

LOANS

get then right as we did with Tammy (Tomlin was a,ways likely to be a good LOAN signing) they can take us upward , get them wrong (Leko , Woodrow,Diony , Kent ) ( especially in a single season ) and it can destruct us

The quality and success of our loans may well significantly impact on  our destiny in the next few seasons

Totally agree.

Clever and smart loans are a way that a number of clubs have got out of this league - we have been dreadful with this in the main.

There are exceptions clearly , such as Tammy, but in the main we have spent I suspect rather a lot of money on loans that have not worked out.

Woodrow, Diony and Kent will have added up to quite a bit of cash with all three contributing very little - add that sum up and you could afford to bring in one quality loan to get you where you want to be.

[bs3]

10 hours ago, Float'n Over said:

The conclusion is that the club must finish higher than this year and to do that he and others will be looking at what need to do better.

I'm probably totally wrong but I have a feeling that a Director of Football will be brought in, an experienced name to oversee and hopefully stop some of the terrible decisions made between LJ and MA (signings not used, loans not used etc etc)

We had a Director of Football but he was got rid of a few months after Mark Ashton was brought in.

We always seems to be going round in circles at this club. 

[bs3]

20 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

@BobBobSuperBob

I didn’t want to go back and find your post but you talked about investments made that hold us back a bit financially. Now deals like Hegeler, O’Neil, Engvall and the loans I can agree with. These are deals that have definitely set us back. The loans in particular as GON and Hegeler good signings on paper. 

Some of the young players though, I feel could be tidy investments and that is imo how they should be looked at as investments. Now this is just how I interpret it. While the likes of Moore, Walsh, Bakinson, Hinds, Eliasson, and others have set us back a bit in the short term(ffp over 3 years), I think there was an element of “catching up.” What I mean is what we had was a good 13-14 players when LJ stepped in. I can see logic in a small squad high on quality, no arguments there. Though what if a player is sold? We have to replace while teams know we have money. Point is, think we were trying to beef up academy and fringe young players to develop so in the coming years when players were sold, we already had replacements. It sets us back in the short term but was LJ brought in for that?

Personally, the club was 5 years behind where they wanted to be. They wanted to beef up the academy and squad a bit to help ease departures. They have done well up to this point keeping key players. Now if a Bryan goes there is a Kelly(already here but don’t discount the current group for coaching even if management is suspect). Flint goes there is a Wright or a Vyner. There is no urgent need to replace players now. 

Now you can argue whether they focused too much on that ir not. They probably did. Though the reward for that is now if a player goes we may be able to focus the money on a player we know will be better. Example we get 8m for Bryan and can use 3m on a keeper and 4-5m on a CM while Kelly replaces Joe. Not to mention an U18 replacing LK in the u23s. Again, this is how I see it and while frustrating we have had to use large chunks of funds to do this, we will be reaping the rewards much sooner. 

I know this only works if you recruit well. That hasn’t always been straightforward I admit. Though I would say very rarely do we sign a player for the now wrong. Wright, Djuric, Baker, Diedhiou, Magnússon, Taylor, Paterson, and Pisano have all shown what they are capable of if you take the uncontrollable out like injuries. You could argue some of those are squad players in a good team and you would be right. Though we were not a good team when signed and they have all helped us through tough times. Now have to add better and push some of those down the pecking order. That is the life of football. 

Point is, for me, we are halfway through a conplete rebuild at the club. The early success has perhaps made their jobs harder now we have expectations. Personally, don’t see why this group doesn’t deserve a bit more optimism. If you actually map out the good things they have done I am sure it will outweigh the bad. Doesn’t mean questions shouldn’t be asked. Hell I am not sure LJ is the right one for us to be promoted. He seems too nice and the OTIB buzzword of cosy definitely applies to some aspects of the club. Though part of me thinks the club needed LJ when we got him. Maybe we needed a bit of cosy to build up the young players. The last question would be when do we not need LJ and when do we need to be a little more ruthless? Think the answer is coming but for now think the club are still going about this the right way. 

To suggest Lloyd Kelly can replace Joe Bryan is absurd. 

Joe Bryan easily is Premier League class, played over 150 In the League, he have scored some world class goals.

Kelly on the other hand has an handful of appearances.

[The Bard]

1 hour ago, RumRed said:

Whether he's telling the truth or not he was undermining LJ's narrative, which tells it's own story.

Very astute point.  Why do people so palpably in the public eye insist on using their narrative.  It blinds them to what is going on and will certainly eventually lead to their downfall.  

[The Bard]

16 minutes ago, bs3 said:

To suggest Lloyd Kelly can replace Joe Bryan is absurd. 

Joe Bryan easily is Premier League class, played over 150 In the League, he have scored some world class goals.

Kelly on the other hand has an handful of appearances.

Did you see the game yesterday?  With Bryan playing LB we were shambolic and went 3-0 down.  When Kelly was moved there we were more solid and scored 2 goals.  Then our manager decided to remove Kelly and put Bryan back to LB and we lost the momentum we had.

[screech]

12 minutes ago, The Bard said:

Did you see the game yesterday?  With Bryan playing LB we were shambolic and went 3-0 down.  When Kelly was moved there we were more solid and scored 2 goals.  Then our manager decided to remove Kelly and put Bryan back to LB and we lost the momentum we had.

Yeah, it had more to do with what was in front of Joe when he was left back.

[CotswoldRed]

1 hour ago, Major Isewater said:

The big word here is TRUST.

Does LJ trust the players and staff around him and equally does he have their trust ?

I'm not so sure .

He certainly didn't have the trust of our (probably) 2 most most expensive "wages per week" players in our history. One of which will probably go down as the worst player in our history, certainly in terms of value for money. 

[BobBobSuperBob]

1 hour ago, JoeAman08 said:

@BobBobSuperBob

I didn’t want to go back and find your post but you talked about investments made that hold us back a bit financially. Now deals like Hegeler, O’Neil, Engvall and the loans I can agree with. These are deals that have definitely set us back. The loans in particular as GON and Hegeler good signings on paper. 

Some of the young players though, I feel could be tidy investments and that is imo how they should be looked at as investments. Now this is just how I interpret it. While the likes of Moore, Walsh, Bakinson, Hinds, Eliasson, and others have set us back a bit in the short term(ffp over 3 years), I think there was an element of “catching up.” What I mean is what we had was a good 13-14 players when LJ stepped in. I can see logic in a small squad high on quality, no arguments there. Though what if a player is sold? We have to replace while teams know we have money. Point is, think we were trying to beef up academy and fringe young players to develop so in the coming years when players were sold, we already had replacements. It sets us back in the short term but was LJ brought in for that?

Personally, the club was 5 years behind where they wanted to be. They wanted to beef up the academy and squad a bit to help ease departures. They have done well up to this point keeping key players. Now if a Bryan goes there is a Kelly(already here but don’t discount the current group for coaching even if management is suspect). Flint goes there is a Wright or a Vyner. There is no urgent need to replace players now. 

Now you can argue whether they focused too much on that ir not. They probably did. Though the reward for that is now if a player goes we may be able to focus the money on a player we know will be better. Example we get 8m for Bryan and can use 3m on a keeper and 4-5m on a CM while Kelly replaces Joe. Not to mention an U18 replacing LK in the u23s. Again, this is how I see it and while frustrating we have had to use large chunks of funds to do this, we will be reaping the rewards much sooner. 

I know this only works if you recruit well. That hasn’t always been straightforward I admit. Though I would say very rarely do we sign a player for the now wrong. Wright, Djuric, Baker, Diedhiou, Magnússon, Taylor, Paterson, and Pisano have all shown what they are capable of if you take the uncontrollable out like injuries. You could argue some of those are squad players in a good team and you would be right. Though we were not a good team when signed and they have all helped us through tough times. Now have to add better and push some of those down the pecking order. That is the life of football. 

Point is, for me, we are halfway through a conplete rebuild at the club. The early success has perhaps made their jobs harder now we have expectations. Personally, don’t see why this group doesn’t deserve a bit more optimism. If you actually map out the good things they have done I am sure it will outweigh the bad. Doesn’t mean questions shouldn’t be asked. Hell I am not sure LJ is the right one for us to be promoted. He seems too nice and the OTIB buzzword of cosy definitely applies to some aspects of the club. Though part of me thinks the club needed LJ when we got him. Maybe we needed a bit of cosy to build up the young players. The last question would be when do we not need LJ and when do we need to be a little more ruthless? Think the answer is coming but for now think the club are still going about this the right way. 

Very Good post Joe with good points and ‘arguments’ explained - like responses and discussions / debates  like this

You make a decent case and a very decent summary

ultimately everything is an opinion I

[Murraysrightplum]

2 hours ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Accept that , and I’ve highlighted Kodjia

Anyone else ?

 

In the last 3 seasons our overall defecit on transfer dealings is app -£13m) (Brentford’s over same period app +£35)

That also doesn’t take into account for our catalogue of wasted loan fees and wages in the last 2/3 years

You may argue its early days , but Think Im right that to date we are yet to make a profit in anyone signed by MA / LJ

(Tbf a future profit on FD looks likely / possible and COD likely/ possible - 

MT should produce a small profit but the good investments are looking thin in the ground atm IMHO

We look to have more hope of profit / financial balance with the Academy players in LK / ZV etc But again you can’t really expect to keep producing Championship players from the academy , if we can , fair play ...big ask

 

Agree with most of what you say and accept most of it too. Probably looking over a bit longer you can include people like Adomah, bolaise etc. I accept these were before LJ etc were here but I think the club now has that philosophy regardless of who the manager is.

I would also add Diedhiou as I think he’s worth more now than we paid for him, plus the way LJ got Tammy, which by the way this forum was going bananas about and people were happy with his ‘salesman’ work there.

Overall I am cautiously optimistic about our transfer dealings. Obviously disappointed with January but it’s notoriously a hard window especially when we must have been spending most of the time fending off suitors for Bryan, Flint etc

Time will tell, if we struggle up to Xmas next season then he’ll be gone but at the moment he’s breaking even for me. 

[Dullmoan Tone]

2 hours ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

With our ethos and philosophy , and off the back off SLs interview I keep coming back to the potential breaker or maker for us for the foreseeable

LOANS

 

1 hour ago, screech said:

was hoping to hear SL say we are going to offload the crap of the squad who have downed tools since January and keep hold of the best who provide the foundations of a good team, Reid, Flint, Bryan, Kelly, Smith and Pack. 

Strongly agree with both these points, GT did well, but it would have been interesting to see what SL thought about paying penalty clauses and loan fees for players that were simply not up to it. Our future model must rely on loans, as we cannot go toe to toe on transfer fees with many in this division esp the parachutists. I would have like to have heard his thoughts.

I also agree it's a shame we focus on releasing value rather than offloading worthless cost.

The most disappointing thing was that SL thinks LJ can go again and do better - why didn't GT ask on what evidence this was based rather than accepting blind faith and hope?

The grass is greener if you look at Managers who can achieve much greater consistency in this division rather than our boom and bust existence.

Whether you like LJ or not, SL will clearly not allow him to leave as he stood by him - hope this old fashioned loyalty won't come to haunt us.

[RumRed]

1 hour ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

 

Strongly agree with both these points, GT did well, but it would have been interesting to see what SL thought about paying penalty clauses and loan fees for players that were simply not up to it. Our future model must rely on loans, as we cannot go toe to toe on transfer fees with many in this division esp the parachutists. I would have like to have heard his thoughts.

I also agree it's a shame we focus on releasing value rather than offloading worthless cost.

The most disappointing thing was that SL thinks LJ can go again and do better - why didn't GT ask on what evidence this was based rather than accepting blind faith and hope?

The grass is greener if you look at Managers who can achieve much greater consistency in this division rather than our boom and bust existence.

Whether you like LJ or not, SL will clearly not allow him to leave as he stood by him - hope this old fashioned loyalty won't come to haunt us.

Thats not what I took from the interview, i think both LJ and MA are going to be having some pretty difficult conversations with SL in the off season.  The cosiness appears to have subsided somewhat.  Lee will get another window and start of the season (which makes sense in a lot of ways, even if that's not necessarily how I feel) he probably deserves it if you look at league position in isolation.

I no longer feel that he's bulletproof though and that makes me feel more positive, if he performs next season then bloody great.  If he starts the season as he finished this I'm far more confident that SL will be loading his matching pair of Purdeys...

[CotswoldRed]

1 minute ago, RumRed said:

Thats not what I took from the interview, i think both LJ and MA are going to be having some pretty difficult conversations with SL in the off season.  The cosiness appears to have subsided somewhat.  Lee will get another window and start of the season (which makes sense in a lot of ways, even if that's not necessarily how I feel) he probably deserves it if you look at league position.

I no longer feel that he's bulletproof though and that makes me feel more positive, if he performs next season then bloody great.  If he starts the season as he finished this I'm far more confident that SL will be loading his matching pair of Purdeys...

I hope what you're saying is true. 

Given he's another year through his contract it has become cheaper to offload him. 

[JoeAman08]

2 hours ago, bs3 said:

To suggest Lloyd Kelly can replace Joe Bryan is absurd. 

Joe Bryan easily is Premier League class, played over 150 In the League, he have scored some world class goals.

Kelly on the other hand has an handful of appearances.

Disagree

 

2 hours ago, The Bard said:

Did you see the game yesterday?  With Bryan playing LB we were shambolic and went 3-0 down.  When Kelly was moved there we were more solid and scored 2 goals.  Then our manager decided to remove Kelly and put Bryan back to LB and we lost the momentum we had.

Agree

Kelly is very solid at LB. Didn’t even say he was a better footballer but definitely feel more secure with him there. A Kelly and O’Dowda left side could be very good going forward imo. 

[RedM]

Was was listening and texting someone the key points yesterday. I haven’t listened back but my texts were something like this, and I’m paraphrasing:

Will listen to offers ( not saying we wont sell).

Grass isn’t always greener ( for fans or players)

Lee here for the long haul

Not a problem scoring goals, ( very much pointed finger at defence)

Disapponted, but look to the future. We need to finish in better position next season. 

Look at what we can do rather than what we can’t, quoted Pat Lam

Very much bigging up Burnley FC

Praised progress of Lloyd Kelly ( probably will be relying on that route a lot more for players in future)

 

That’s  what I got from the interview anyway.

[JoeAman08]

What bothered me the most about the interview was SL saying he would meet with everyone week after this upcoming week. Not much time in this window and not really a time to take a week off imo. Hopefully still working on things. Need to get a bit of business done before the month is over

[Northern Red]

25 minutes ago, RumRed said:

Thats not what I took from the interview, i think both LJ and MA are going to be having some pretty difficult conversations with SL in the off season.  The cosiness appears to have subsided somewhat.  Lee will get another window and start of the season (which makes sense in a lot of ways, even if that's not necessarily how I feel) he probably deserves it if you look at league position in isolation.

I no longer feel that he's bulletproof though and that makes me feel more positive, if he performs next season then bloody great.  If he starts the season as he finished this I'm far more confident that SL will be loading his matching pair of Purdeys...

I've never subscribed to the theory that a few on here have that he'll never be sacked, but I agree that the interview certainly wasn't the most ringing of endorsements.

Publicly SL is never going to say anything other than that he backs LJ to improve and get us to where we want to be, however you could sense the annoyance with what's happened since Christmas. I suspect the use of the loan market will be up near the top of his list for discussion with LJ and MA.

He'll get this summer and the start of next season, I know that a growing number of people won't like that but it's not even going to be up for debate. However if by October/November we're at the wrong end then all bets are off. 

[Mendip City]

6 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

If LJ goes I can't imagine a change in the type of ' user friendly ' coach that SL likes.

No Warnocks required.

Most likely SL would promote from within and bring back Skuse into the coaching staff.

All very exciting .

Exactly right. It’s become a very comfy club if your deface fits and you say the right thing! 

Makes me laugh people talking about a DoF... employ him, LJ and MA to do the job someone like Warnock can do on his own.

Ultimately the manager isn’t good enough and the model is soft and flawed. 

[havanatopia]

5 hours ago, bs3 said:

We had a Director of Football but he was got rid of a few months after Mark Ashton was brought in.

We always seems to be going round in circles at this club. 

What was his name again? I thought he seemed rather decent myself.

2 hours ago, RumRed said:

Thats not what I took from the interview, i think both LJ and MA are going to be having some pretty difficult conversations with SL in the off season.  The cosiness appears to have subsided somewhat.  Lee will get another window and start of the season,.

I no longer feel that he's bulletproof 

Said he is here for the long term; could have been referring to a position opening up for him in the boot room I suppose.

[bs3]

1 hour ago, havanatopia said:

What was his name again? I thought he seemed rather decent myself.

Said he is here for the long term; could have been referring to a position opening up for him in the boot room I suppose.

Kieth Burt was the DoF , he left in 2016 a few months after Mark Ashton said he was not replacing him and his job was secure.

[Ivorguy]

10 hours ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Have to say - that’s how I would have anticipated this

If Playet A becomes available but his wages are £80k a week plus whatever loan fee

If MA

a) Knows that SL won’t sanction it

or 

b) The numbers don’t fit into or would blow a big hole in the finances/ his ‘allocated budget’ to work with

There would be little point in wasting time discussing any such proposal with SL

 

What SL looks like he might be doing is looking hard at the numbers and value or not , of what we have done / did , particularly in January

He won't have to look very hard, will he?  

 

[cidered abroad]

10 hours ago, ScottishRed said:

And we could all make a pretty educated guess on who a DoF might be.......

No, they please not Daddy. If that happens it's nepotism gone mad! 

[ScottishRed]

10 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

No, they please not Daddy. If that happens it's nepotism gone mad! 

I have a real fear this just might happen

 

[Floatn Over]

10 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

I have a real fear this just might happen

 

And Cotts back to Cheltenham, it all fits.

[RedM]

27 minutes ago, Float'n Over said:

And Cotts back to Cheltenham, it all fits.

Someone I know saw him in Cabot Circus 10 days ago,( shopping). They asked him what his plans were in the future, he said he had nothing more planned than a holiday in Dubai in a couple of weeks, so probably about now. 

[CotswoldRed]

1 minute ago, RedM said:

Someone I know saw him in Cabot Circus 10 days ago,( shopping). They asked him what his plans were in the future, he said he had nothing more planned than a holiday in Dubai in a couple of weeks, so probably about now. 

Always a good idea telling complete strangers when you'll be travelling abroad.