Why Johnson should be sacked

[BobBobSuperBob]

40 minutes ago, bobby kellard was go said:

Totally agree with the op.

Football forums are poison,full of nasty bitter people.

Thats why only a tiny weenie percentage of any clubs fan base ever post on them.

That’s very honest of you 

 

Acceptance  the first step 

Well done

[NickJ]

On 27/12/2018 at 22:42, Robbored said:

You repeatedly fail to have any understanding of what SLs strategy is........sadly you’re not alone with that shortcoming.

Its usually the anti LJ brigade that expose their ignorance of said strategy.

 

On 27/12/2018 at 22:58, Robbored said:

By comparing LJs situation with Leeds and Watford managers simply amplifies your lack understanding.

 

22 hours ago, Robbored said:

I already responded BS4.........perhaps it’s you who can’t debate?

 

20 hours ago, Robbored said:

You’re another one who doesn’t understand what SLs strategy is.

You and BS4 should meet up for a pint..........

 

17 hours ago, Robbored said:

You should meet up and then you can talk about SLs long term strategy...............

 

9 hours ago, Robbored said:

That’s three who don’t understand SLs long term strategy. You could join Red Lion Lad and BS4 for pint to discuss it........

 

9 hours ago, Robbored said:

Based on your comments earlier today.

 

9 hours ago, Robbored said:

We all knew that..........

 

9 hours ago, Robbored said:

I went along to watch the same boring stuff game after game under Senior - why? because I’m CTID.

 

9 hours ago, Robbored said:

I can’t be arsed to scroll thru looking for a post that you made.

 

9 hours ago, Robbored said:

Must have been yesterday then.

 

8 hours ago, Robbored said:

If it wasn’t today as you pointed out then it must have been the day before..........

Interesting debate on this thread, apart from pointless posts such as above. But RR I do understand the strategy, one strand of which is to invest in the infrastructure, which I totally get, even if its now SL's infrastructure, not Bristol City's, even though Bristol City's infrastructure was initially used to support the additional investment which was made (ie the lender, SL, putting his funds in secured on Bristol City's assets, ie Ashton Gate).

The other main strand of the strategy as I understand it is to invest in young players, which we can develop and eventually sell at a profit, as a means of competing with clubs with more resources. This is where the strategy is not necessarily flawed, but proven so far as being badly executed. This is not opinion, but based on simple arithmetic. Given that is the strategy, the acid test is to calculate whether we are indeed selling the players which LJ has purchased and/or developed (not the ones he inherited) at a profit.

Simple arithmetic in respect of those players which have been both bought and sold by Johnson (Engvall, Djuric, Tomlin, Hegeler, Magnússon) shows that we have not made a profit, but a significant loss. That's just plain fact and therefore the complete opposite of stated strategy. I'd argue also that the wages wasted on the pile of garbage that was Diony, and paying Liverpool not to play Kent, should also be factored in.

 

Moving on to those others who have been bought and are at the moment still here, this is where it comes down to opinion.

Webster and  O'Dowda in my view are good signings relative to the fee paid, who could definitely be sold at a profit; probably also Brownhill and Paterson.

Probably not - Taylor, Eliason, Walsh.

Definitely not - Moore, Diedhiou, Baker, Weiman, Eisa, Hunt, Watkins.

 

So there we have it. Johnson's current P&L is in deficit, and his projected P&L, IMO, is looking likely to worsen to a considerable degree.

That's why, despite the current mid table position, Johnson's position should be in jeopardy, for failing to successfully execute the strategy. Of course Ashton has to come into the line of fire also, but in the final analysis, as Johnson himself has said, he has the final say on any signing.

We are about to move into Johnson's 6th transfer window, and he hasn't got much of the family silver which he inherited left. Flint, Freeman, Ayling, Kodja, all gone and all sold at a massive profit, thereby funding Johnson's accumulated and projected losses. Ironically therefore, the managers who preceded Johnson, Cotterill and even O'Driscoll, were sacked even though they are proven to have successfully executed the current strategy.

 

What it amounts to is, Johnson will have to massively over achieve in this next window, to turn around the dismal performance so far.

 

 

[Numero Uno]

41 minutes ago, NickJ said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting debate on this thread, apart from pointless posts such as above. But RR I do understand the strategy, one strand of which is to invest in the infrastructure, which I totally get, even if its now SL's infrastructure, not Bristol City's, even though Bristol City's infrastructure was initially used to support the additional investment which was made (ie the lender, SL, putting his funds in secured on Bristol City's assets, ie Ashton Gate).

The other main strand of the strategy as I understand it is to invest in young players, which we can develop and eventually sell at a profit, as a means of competing with clubs with more resources. This is where the strategy is not necessarily flawed, but proven so far as being badly executed. This is not opinion, but based on simple arithmetic. Given that is the strategy, the acid test is to calculate whether we are indeed selling the players which LJ has purchased and/or developed (not the ones he inherited) at a profit.

Simple arithmetic in respect of those players which have been both bought and sold by Johnson (Engvall, Djuric, Tomlin, Hegeler, Magnússon) shows that we have not made a profit, but a significant loss. That's just plain fact and therefore the complete opposite of stated strategy. I'd argue also that the wages wasted on the pile of garbage that was Diony, and paying Liverpool not to play Kent, should also be factored in.

 

Moving on to those others who have been bought and are at the moment still here, this is where it comes down to opinion.

Webster and  O'Dowda in my view are good signings relative to the fee paid, who could definitely be sold at a profit; probably also Brownhill and Paterson.

Probably not - Taylor, Eliason, Walsh.

Definitely not - Moore, Diedhiou, Baker, Weiman, Eisa, Hunt, Watkins.

 

So there we have it. Johnson's current P&L is in deficit, and his projected P&L, IMO, is looking likely to worsen to a considerable degree.

That's why, despite the current mid table position, Johnson's position should be in jeopardy, for failing to successfully execute the strategy. Of course Ashton has to come into the line of fire also, but in the final analysis, as Johnson himself has said, he has the final say on any signing.

We are about to move into Johnson's 6th transfer window, and he hasn't got much of the family silver which he inherited left. Flint, Freeman, Ayling, Kodja, all gone and all sold at a massive profit, thereby funding Johnson's accumulated and projected losses. Ironically therefore, the managers who preceded Johnson, Cotterill and even O'Driscoll, were sacked even though they are proven to have successfully executed the current strategy.

 

What it amounts to is, Johnson will have to massively over achieve in this next window, to turn around the dismal performance so far.

 

 

Maybe Robbored needs to have a pint with Steve after the next Senior Reds lunch to discuss the likely “success” of his long term “strategy”?

[Robbored]

34 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

Maybe Robbored needs to have a pint with Steve after the next Senior Reds lunch to discuss the likely “success” of his long term “strategy”?

Oddly enough I did have a chat with him after the Senior Reds Xmas lunch.

[Suffolk Red]

Be careful what you wish for.

I live in Ipswich where the fans moaned about Mick M Because the club was in mid table and the football was not that exciting. 

They Got their wish Mick went and look at them now.

This is a season for us of rebuilding adter city decided to cash in on their crown jewels. I am quite happy with 12th this term. We have some good midfield players. The club must go out and get a goal poacher in Jan or more likely the summer.

We looked really good against Norwich and for long spells it was hard to discern which team were the promotion chasers. 

Personally don't want to see a manager change yet.

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

18 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Oddly enough I did have a chat with him after the Senior Reds Xmas lunch.

I bet he felt weak-kneed to be in the presence of such an exalted legend.

[RedLionLad]

5 minutes ago, Suffolk Red said:

Be careful what you wish for.

I live in Ipswich where the fans moaned about Mick M Because the club was in mid table and the football was not that exciting. 

They Got their wish Mick went and look at them now.

This is a season for us of rebuilding adter city decided to cash in on their crown jewels. I am quite happy with 12th this term. We have some good midfield players. The club must go out and get a goal poacher in Jan or more likely the summer.

We looked really good against Norwich and for long spells it was hard to discern which team were the promotion chasers. 

Personally don't want to see a manager change yet.

Better the devil you know.

1 minute ago, Mike Hunt-Hertz said:

I bet he felt weak-kneed to be in the presence of such an exalted legend.

A bit different to how most of us would feel...

[BobBobSuperBob]

15 minutes ago, Mike Hunt-Hertz said:

I bet he felt weak-kneed to be in the presence of such an exalted legend.

Now the full story / circumstances of SL crashing thro and breaking the exit barrier on the way out emerges

He was heard muttering as he went down the stairs having suffered the troll

’ No wonder I moved to Guernsey ffs’

[cidered abroad]

29 minutes ago, Suffolk Red said:

Be careful what you wish for.

I live in Ipswich where the fans moaned about Mick M Because the club was in mid table and the football was not that exciting. 

They Got their wish Mick went and look at them now.

This is a season for us of rebuilding adter city decided to cash in on their crown jewels. I am quite happy with 12th this term. We have some good midfield players. The club must go out and get a goal poacher in Jan or more likely the summer.

We looked really good against Norwich and for long spells it was hard to discern which team were the promotion chasers. 

Personally don't want to see a manager change yet.

We do not have good midfield players.

No defensive capability from them as opponent's walk past them and our back four left to deal with the problem.

Not a clue in attack. Very poor goal scoring record and how often do you see any forward passes that split a defence open for a striker to score?

 

[Nogbad the Bad]

21 minutes ago, Suffolk Red said:

Be careful what you wish for.

I live in Ipswich where the fans moaned about Mick M Because the club was in mid table and the football was not that exciting. 

They Got their wish Mick went and look at them now.

This is a season for us of rebuilding adter city decided to cash in on their crown jewels. I am quite happy with 12th this term. We have some good midfield players. The club must go out and get a goal poacher in Jan or more likely the summer.

We looked really good against Norwich and for long spells it was hard to discern which team were the promotion chasers. 

Personally don't want to see a manager change yet.

Fair point, but Lee Johnson is hardly Mick McCarthy, and he doesn't work under the financial restrictions McCarthy had to at Portman Road.With the greatest respect living in Ipswich you probably don't sit through this soul destroying rubbish every other week. Having said that, if you do travel to AG every home game and still feel like this - fantastic, great support.

If not, your patience and acceptance of the situation from afar is perhaps understandable but for regular attendees going to AG is bloody hard work these days, and has been for a while.

If we're not to have a change of manager - absolutely nobody expects we will btw. - we need the present manager to change his ways and give us a team, and a much more entertaining style of football, that reignites our enthusiasm for the club.

Could McCarthy or another different manager produce a better team out of this squad? That should be uppermost in SL's mind imo.

[Robbored]

16 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

He was heard muttering as he went down the stairs having suffered the troll

That’s not what happened Bob.........oddly enough otib wasn’t mentioned....

[NickJ]

51 minutes ago, Suffolk Red said:

Be careful what you wish for.

I live in Ipswich where the fans moaned about Mick M Because the club was in mid table and the football was not that exciting. 

They Got their wish Mick went and look at them now.

This is a season for us of rebuilding adter city decided to cash in on their crown jewels. I am quite happy with 12th this term. We have some good midfield players. The club must go out and get a goal poacher in Jan or more likely the summer.

We looked really good against Norwich and for long spells it was hard to discern which team were the promotion chasers. 

Personally don't want to see a manager change yet.

Johnson has been given one strategy to execute and one performance related target.

Strategy - turn a profit on signings.

Target - play offs.

By the end of this season it is quite likely that after 6 transfer windows, 3 and a half seasons, and having sold off at a significant profit most of the assets which he inherited, the performance related target will not have been achieved and the strategy will have been executed very badly.

Unless SL is happy with poor to mediocre, I think it would be very difficult to justify not sacking him.

[Robbored]

5 minutes ago, NickJ said:

Johnson has been given one strategy to execute and one performance related target.

Strategy - turn a profit on signings.

Target - play offs.

By the end of this season it is quite likely that after 6 transfer windows, 3 and a half seasons, and having sold off at a significant profit most of the assets which he inherited, the performance related target will not have been achieved and the strategy will have been executed very badly.

Unless SL is happy with poor to mediocre, I think it would be very difficult to justify not sacking him.

A very simplistic and, dare I say it one eyed view Nick.

[RedLionLad]

43 minutes ago, Robbored said:

That’s not what happened Bob.........oddly enough otib wasn’t mentioned....

Wouldn't be the first time you've lied or made something up though, would it?

[RedLionLad]

1 hour ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Now the full story / circumstances of SL crashing thro and breaking the exit barrier on the way out emerges

He was heard muttering as he went down the stairs having suffered the troll

’ No wonder I moved to Guernsey ffs’

Post of the Day and it's not even 10 o'clock

[Robbored]

2 minutes ago, RedLionLad said:

Wouldn't be the first time you've lied or made something up though, would it?

Yesterday you were looking for the post that showed your lack of understanding of the strategy - it’s in NickJs dissertation.

[NickJ]

20 minutes ago, Robbored said:

A very simplistic and, dare I say it one eyed view Nick.

Not when read in conjunction with my less simplistic post from earlier today.

Read that one for the detail behind my conclusion, and, if you can, come up with a reasoned argument why I am incorrect, specifically in relation to the area I have analysed, ie Johnson's failure to execute a profit on his signings.

[RedLionLad]

2 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Yesterday you were looking for the post that showed your lack of understanding of the strategy - it’s in NickJs dissertation.

The post that you couldn't find........because there wasn't one?

Show me the proof and I promise not to communicate with you ever again.

 

Until then, I will continue to call you a liar who talks bollox.

[RedLionLad]

7 minutes ago, NickJ said:

Not when read in conjunction with my less simplistic post from earlier today.

Read that one for the detail behind my conclusion, and, if you can, come up with a reasoned argument why I am incorrect, specifically in relation to the area I have analysed, ie Johnson's failure to execute a profit on his signings.

He can't come up with a reasoned argument for anything.

Every time he's proved wrong he just posts a laughing emoji.......the sort of thing a Gashead would do on a City forum.

[Robbored]

8 minutes ago, RedLionLad said:

The post that you couldn't find........because there wasn't one?

Show me the proof and I promise not to communicate with you ever again.

 

Until then, I will continue to call you a liar who talks bollox.

It’s in the overlong post that NickJ posted earlier.........part of which was comparing other bosses to SL.

Btw - you can call me whatever you like. I’ve heard it all before and it’s just water off a ducks back to me and you’re not very good at it anyway.

Remember I have the hide of a rhino....

[glynriley]

3 hours ago, NickJ said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting debate on this thread, apart from pointless posts such as above. But RR I do understand the strategy, one strand of which is to invest in the infrastructure, which I totally get, even if its now SL's infrastructure, not Bristol City's, even though Bristol City's infrastructure was initially used to support the additional investment which was made (ie the lender, SL, putting his funds in secured on Bristol City's assets, ie Ashton Gate).

The other main strand of the strategy as I understand it is to invest in young players, which we can develop and eventually sell at a profit, as a means of competing with clubs with more resources. This is where the strategy is not necessarily flawed, but proven so far as being badly executed. This is not opinion, but based on simple arithmetic. Given that is the strategy, the acid test is to calculate whether we are indeed selling the players which LJ has purchased and/or developed (not the ones he inherited) at a profit.

Simple arithmetic in respect of those players which have been both bought and sold by Johnson (Engvall, Djuric, Tomlin, Hegeler, Magnússon) shows that we have not made a profit, but a significant loss. That's just plain fact and therefore the complete opposite of stated strategy. I'd argue also that the wages wasted on the pile of garbage that was Diony, and paying Liverpool not to play Kent, should also be factored in.

 

Moving on to those others who have been bought and are at the moment still here, this is where it comes down to opinion.

Webster and  O'Dowda in my view are good signings relative to the fee paid, who could definitely be sold at a profit; probably also Brownhill and Paterson.

Probably not - Taylor, Eliason, Walsh.

Definitely not - Moore, Diedhiou, Baker, Weiman, Eisa, Hunt, Watkins.

 

So there we have it. Johnson's current P&L is in deficit, and his projected P&L, IMO, is looking likely to worsen to a considerable degree.

That's why, despite the current mid table position, Johnson's position should be in jeopardy, for failing to successfully execute the strategy. Of course Ashton has to come into the line of fire also, but in the final analysis, as Johnson himself has said, he has the final say on any signing.

We are about to move into Johnson's 6th transfer window, and he hasn't got much of the family silver which he inherited left. Flint, Freeman, Ayling, Kodja, all gone and all sold at a massive profit, thereby funding Johnson's accumulated and projected losses. Ironically therefore, the managers who preceded Johnson, Cotterill and even O'Driscoll, were sacked even though they are proven to have successfully executed the current strategy.

 

What it amounts to is, Johnson will have to massively over achieve in this next window, to turn around the dismal performance so far.

 

 

Spot on Nick. 

My feelings also are that, whilst Reid,Bryan and Flint were keen to try their hand at a higher level, there was also a necessity for them to leave to cover those losses you have highlighted.

Will be surprised if we make more than a couple of loan signings this window, I reckon our pot is pretty empty. 

[MelksRed]

On 28/12/2018 at 04:45, Whites said:

I blame Dunder for not investing in the team...... 

I think the point of a sponsor is to advertise their wares on the shirt.....not to invest in the team itself.....could be wrong......I'm pretty Sure that's How it works.

[RedLionLad]

11 minutes ago, Robbored said:

It’s in the overlong post that NickJ posted earlier.........part of which was comparing other bosses to SL.

Btw - you can call me whatever you like. I’ve heard it all before and it’s just water off a ducks back to me and you’re not very good at it anyway.

Remember I have the hide of a rhino....

.....and the brain of a Dodo.

 

You said it was a post that I had made, did you not? You know, the one you can't find.

Nothing to do with @NickJ's post whatsoever. You're talking bollox.

[NickJ]

43 minutes ago, Robbored said:

A very simplistic and, dare I say it one eyed view Nick.

 

19 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Yesterday you were looking for the post that showed your lack of understanding of the strategy - it’s in NickJs dissertation.

 

8 minutes ago, Robbored said:

It’s in the overlong post that NickJ posted earlier.........part of which was comparing other bosses to SL.

Btw - you can call me whatever you like. I’ve heard it all before and it’s just water off a ducks back to me and you’re not very good at it anyway.

Remember I have the hide of a rhino....

I really shouldn't get dragged into responding to your more idiotic posts but...

1. You criticise my post as simplistic but complain that the earlier one is overlong.

2. And you are claiming that the proof that Red Lion was requesting as to what he is alleged to have said by you yesterday is contained within my post today.

My earlier post today reproduced 9 posts by you just trying to wind people up.

Seriously, there is something wrong with you.

Is there any chance you could properly debate the points? Cheers.

[cidered abroad]

Thank you Robbored for turning another sensible thread into a complete mess. You are a self centered, selfish egomaniac.

Go away and play Solitaire where you can be the winner every time.

[Robbored]

20 minutes ago, RedLionLad said:

You said it was a post that I had made, did you not? You know, the one you can't find.

The one you can’t find.....despite me pointing out earlier that NickJ had copied it for you to see.

[Redmycolour]

14 hours ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Nothing whatsoever.

We go again under LJ next season.

I will have to rethink my seasons tkt for next season if he's still here, not sitting through this sxxt again, 

[Robbored]

22 minutes ago, NickJ said:

1. You criticise my post as simplistic but complain that the earlier one is overlong.

2. And you are claiming that the proof that Red Lion was requesting as to what he is alleged to have said by you yesterday is contained within my post today.

Is there any chance you could properly debate the points? 

Correct on the first two points Nick.

Third point - I only debate a thread if I think the poster has made reasoned, balanced and well through  points.

Not many of those in recent times Nick. Too many threads are unnecessarily negative with not so well hidden agendas. Sometimes I challenge them but more often simply can’t be arsed.

[Davefevs]

28 minutes ago, glynriley said:

Spot on Nick. 

My feelings also are that, whilst Reid,Bryan and Flint were keen to try their hand at a higher level, there was also a necessity for them to leave to cover those losses you have highlighted.

Will be surprised if we make more than a couple of loan signings this window, I reckon our pot is pretty empty. 

Indeed.  

In reality he shouldn’t have been allowed to buy Baker unless he knew Flint was going.  He had Wright, Magnússon, Hegeler and even Vyner and Moore as CBs already, under the strategy he shouldn’t have ended with both.  He knew the strategy, in fact you could argue SL was weak in letting him sign Baker.  The bids for Flint were too low.  Flint himself didn’t want to go to Birmingham, so there was no need to sign Baker last summer.  Flint even got a new contract out of it!!

There was continued interest in Bryan, but nothing other than a stupid joint bid with Flint from Redknapp.

The question was should LJ have been allowed to break the record on Diedhiou, knowing our P&L (loss) projection for last season?  Probably not.  We had Taylor, Djuric, Reid (still a gamble at that point), McCoulsky...and Engvall.  Not a strong front line I grant you, but may be LJ should’ve been told to just buy cheap or get a loan in like Tammy the season before.

So he did, brought in England u21 striker (played with Tammy) Cauley Woodrow (Loan with option to buy).  But he had his cake and eat it, because he had Diedhiou too.  He then let his slices of Woodrow and Engvall (£1.6) go stale.

Had we gone realistically with Djúric, Taylor, Woodrow, Engvall and Reid would things have been much different?  Injuries would e meant stumbling on the same Reid / Pato combo anyway.

SL was weak again, let LJ have what he wanted.  I don’t think LJ is a yes man, I think along with MA, they use SL’s absence to their advantage.  

Ultimately we end up with having to lose 3 players in one window.  That could’ve been smoothed through summer 17, winter 18 and summer 18 windows.  There would’ve been an easing in process.

Back to Flint, he’s moved on, and we have Baker.....that should’ve been it.  But we also now have Webster (great) and Kalas (great), and still Baker, Wright, Moore and Vyner.  Baker is no longer first choice, yet he was the choice to replace Flint.  We did sell Magnússon but LJ rarely played him CB last season if at all.  It’s extravagant to say the least.

With Bryan, He could’ve utilised Magnússon more, but ultimately he had his successor there.  He’d already integrated Kelly last season, so not a rebuild necessary there.  I don’t argue that he couldn’t expect LK to play 46 games, but he now has Dasilva as an extravagant England u21 bench warmer (sometimes not even making the 18).  I don’t expect succession planning to run smoothly, but we had two LBs in Bryan and Magnússon who both wanted to leave.  

[glynriley]

15 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Indeed.  

In reality he shouldn’t have been allowed to buy Baker unless he knew Flint was going.  He had Wright, Magnússon, Hegeler and even Vyner and Moore as CBs already, under the strategy he shouldn’t have ended with both.  He knew the strategy, in fact you could argue SL was weak in letting him sign Baker.  The bids for Flint were too low.  Flint himself didn’t want to go to Birmingham, so there was no need to sign Baker last summer.  Flint even got a new contract out of it!!

There was continued interest in Bryan, but nothing other than a stupid joint bid with Flint from Redknapp.

The question was should LJ have been allowed to break the record on Diedhiou, knowing our P&L (loss) projection for last season?  Probably not.  We had Taylor, Djuric, Reid (still a gamble at that point), McCoulsky...and Engvall.  Not a strong front line I grant you, but may be LJ should’ve been told to just buy cheap or get a loan in like Tammy the season before.

So he did, brought in England u21 striker (played with Tammy) Cauley Woodrow (Loan with option to buy).  But he had his cake and eat it, because he had Diedhiou too.  He then let his slices of Woodrow and Engvall (£1.6) go stale.

Had we gone realistically with Djúric, Taylor, Woodrow, Engvall and Reid would things have been much different?  Injuries would e meant stumbling on the same Reid / Pato combo anyway.

SL was weak again, let LJ have what he wanted.  I don’t think LJ is a yes man, I think along with MA, they use SL’s absence to their advantage.  

Ultimately we end up with having to lose 3 players in one window.  That could’ve been smoothed through summer 17, winter 18 and summer 18 windows.  There would’ve been an easing in process.

Back to Flint, he’s moved on, and we have Baker.....that should’ve been it.  But we also now have Webster (great) and Kalas (great), and still Baker, Wright, Moore and Vyner.  Baker is no longer first choice, yet he was the choice to replace Flint.  We did sell Magnússon but LJ rarely played him CB last season if at all.  It’s extravagant to say the least.

With Bryan, He could’ve utilised Magnússon more, but ultimately he had his successor there.  He’d already integrated Kelly last season, so not a rebuild necessary there.  I don’t argue that he couldn’t expect LK to play 46 games, but he now has Dasilva as an extravagant England u21 bench warmer (sometimes not even making the 18).  I don’t expect succession planning to run smoothly, but we had two LBs in Bryan and Magnússon who both wanted to leave.  

Absolutely. Throw in Leko and Geifer and probably one or two I've forgotten and we've spunked some serious wedge up the wall.