Dean Holden (Merged)

[Warwickshire Red]

16 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Yes. He also came up with this corker:

"If Bristol City fans don't want me here anymore, then I'll go, but I won't do that" 

Think he stole that from Meatloaf.

[Superjack]

17 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

Sorry but we have had this explained to us by Mark Ashton and by Lee Johnson. I'm sure the other coaches also get involved and offer their opinions. They would not sign a 'keeper without speaking to the specialist goalkeeping coach, for example.  DH will be "in the know".

We also had Lansdown explain to us a month ago that they were after someone new that could take us to the "next level".

Feel free to carry on believing everything that the club tell you.

[Bat Fastard]

Just now, lenred said:

Not ‘cutting the mustard’ and not agreeing to work within a budget (a very very handsome budget if what LJ had is anything to go by) and develop youth are two different things so which is it? You are just talking absolute crap - bending every argument to the nth degree to suit. With all due respect of course.....

With all due respect we are all simply shooting the breeze because we have no real idea what goes on behind the scenes. We take our clues and construct our theories. Maybe people have different ideas about the usefulness and size of budgets and just maybe the budget for the new season is way less generous than in previous seasons on account of Covid. 

[Bat Fastard]

Just now, Superjack said:

We also had Lansdown explain to us a month ago that they were after someone new that could take us to the "next level".

Feel free to carry on believing everything that the club tell you.

You appear to exclude the possibility that they believe DH could take us to the next level.  They have had the advantage of working with him over the last four years. Maybe they know something of his capabilities?

[Superjack]

18 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

We all want great football and it remains to be seen what DH would deliver. I believe he will find it easier to manage if he is well supported by the fans.  I expect lots of young players on the pitch next season and they will all do better if they are enthusiastically supported and given the confidence to strut their stuff. Choosing a manager is not a democratic exercise - so support whoever we get and put the past in the past.

I have never said that I won't.

 

But it's my continued opinion that this board will never progress this club.

[lenred]

1 minute ago, Bat Fastard said:

With all due respect we are all simply shooting the breeze because we have no real idea what goes on behind the scenes. We take our clues and construct our theories. Maybe people have different ideas about the usefulness and size of budgets and just maybe the budget for the new season is way less generous than in previous seasons on account of Covid. 

And again, that would be understandable and would not be a reason not to appoint a manager with a proven track record as opposed to another stooge.  Plenty of managers work with small budgets. It’s a bullshit excuse - if that’s what it comes to. 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

8 minutes ago, TomThumb84 said:

If, and I mean if this is true, then buckle in because it’s about to get worse.

What I would also say off the back of this (if true) is that I’ll probably view LJ’s time at the helm in a different light. If he had to put up with this kind of megalo/egomaniacal behaviour from the top then he actually didn’t do as much of a mediocre job as it appeared. This has the hallmarks of a vanity project appointment which has been overthought and over complicated to secure positions of influence.

Makes you wonder how much LJ may have been hamstrung by other vanity projects during his time which were thrust upon him that he then got criticism for:

Kent (looks great to get around a table with Liverpool) - costly and ineffective signing.

Nketiah (twice) (let’s get around a table with to Arsenal) - all eggs in one basket and ultimately cost us (Benik was a late and great addition unfortunately scuppered by injury, but a wonderful guy to have around the club - but more luck than judgment in that, the timing of the deal on deadline day will tell you that).

Palmer (Chelsea, great we are dealing with these guys) - LJ clearly never fancied him, rightly or wrongly (for my money he should have played more last year).

Of course, the three examples above could be LJ signings, although I think it’s widely accepted now who has sign-off and negotiation on final targets.

I may be way off the mark, but the fact I am even thinking these things now is an indication that the whole thing is askew and possibly has been for a while.

If this is true, strap in everyone! Could be a bumpy couple of years.

That’s a huge amount to assume with no official confirmation of anything.  Maybe you are way off the mark.  After all, Lee had a relationship with Liverpool before he joined us, and we’ve had a relationship with Chelsea ever since Tammy.  I take all these signings, or attempted signings, at face value.  Anything else is pure conjecture bordering on fantasy.

[ReggyRed]

Holden, JMC and Ashley Williams...if true I am done

[Superjack]

2 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

You appear to exclude the possibility that they believe DH could take us to the next level.  They have had the advantage of working with him over the last four years. Maybe they know something of his capabilities?

Anything is possible.

But given their track record, I would rather they went with the probable.

[Bat Fastard]

1 minute ago, Superjack said:

I have never said that I won't.

 

But it my continued opinion that this board will never progress this club.

I respect your view. You may be right because of the number of wealthy clubs in the Championship still receiving the benefit of parachute payments. To compete we must be very lucky with our youth policy and also in the transfer market, We cannot compete on finances alone at this stage. I believe the board know this and that is why they have a plan, to which they are sticking.

[ScottishRed]

This is happening - FFS.

Next season will be horrendous.

What a dreadful decision.

 

 

[BrizzleRed]

9 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

Sad to hear that. I hope you will forgive the club whatever you feel are their mistakes and get behind the boys on the pitch.  I'm not sure about you, but I was very happy watching our promotion season in League 1.  It is not just the level but the matchday magic, atmosphere, Feed the Goat nosh and the whole experience that I love.  I cannot go back until vaccinated but I hope that will be as soon as possible.  Not sure about you, but I need my fix!

Oh yes there have been some great memories Bat and luckily I’ve been at a large proportion of those most memorable games in that time.  

I’ll always support the team, but not necessarily the structure behind it.  This just doesn’t feel like OUR club any more and it doesn’t help when we have the likes of MA in control.  I’m tired of being fed bullshit and I said on here weeks ago that this appointment will be SL’s statement of intent.

Well, it’s looking increasingly like he’s made his statement and if it is DH, he’s taken this club a good few years backwards and made us a laughing stock over the last few weeks.

This board are going to have to seriously tone down their bluff and bluster about the Premier League, as few will take them seriously after this fiasco and massive own goal.

[QuedgeRed]

5 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

You appear to exclude the possibility that they believe DH could take us to the next level.  They have had the advantage of working with him over the last four years. Maybe they know something of his capabilities?

Capabilities that he hasn’t yet used since he joined the coaching staff!!!

[Superjack]

6 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

You appear to exclude the possibility that they believe DH could take us to the next level.  They have had the advantage of working with him over the last four years. Maybe they know something of his capabilities?

Anyway, we are not going to agree.

But I hope that you, I, and everybody else can disagree at AG in the near future.

[Bat Fastard]

5 minutes ago, lenred said:

And again, that would be understandable and would not be a reason not to appoint a manager with a proven track record as opposed to another stooge.  Plenty of managers work with small budgets. It’s a bullshit excuse - if that’s what it comes to. 

Not mant teams win promotion on very small budgets. Not an excuse a fact.

[IAmNick]

8 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

You appear to exclude the possibility that they believe DH could take us to the next level.  They have had the advantage of working with him over the last four years. Maybe they know something of his capabilities?

But in your view we had Lee doing a great job considering the selling / injuries we had, and backed up by Holden a premier league manager in waiting. So what we were doing playing bloody awful football bobbling around mid table for the last few years?!

[ScottishRed]

1 minute ago, Bat Fastard said:

Not mant teams win promotion on very small budgets. Not an excuse a fact.

You do talk some nonsense.

[TomThumb84]

8 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

That’s a huge amount to assume with no official confirmation of anything.  Maybe you are way off the mark.  After all, Lee had a relationship with Liverpool before he joined us, and we’ve had a relationship with Chelsea ever since Tammy.  I take all these signings, or attempted signings, at face value.  Anything else is pure conjecture bordering on fantasy.

Hi and thanks for your reply, I think if we were to going to start to label posts as “pure conjecture bordering on fantasy” then we probably wouldn’t have a forum. I accept much of my post is assumptive and felt like I offered a caveat in it to counteract that.

A small amount of my thinking did come from a couple of direct quotes from LJ last year including having a very different team in mind whilst sat on a sunbed in Dubai than the one he put out, and also that he could write a book about the things that have gone on this year.

Appreciate your view, but maybe if I had stated 5 weeks ago that Dean Holden will be our next manager, in 5 weeks time, I could have also been accused of bordering on fantasy.

[lenred]

1 minute ago, Bat Fastard said:

Not mant teams win promotion on very small budgets. Not an excuse a fact.

Sorry you’ve lost me. We’re talking about appointing a manager here aren’t we?  

[Bat Fastard]

2 minutes ago, BrizzleRed said:

Oh yes there have been some great memories Bat and luckily I’ve been at a large proportion of those most memorable games in that time.  

I’ll always support the team, but not necessarily the structure behind it.  This just doesn’t feel like OUR club any more and it doesn’t help when we have the likes of MA in control.  I’m tired of being fed bullshit and I said on here weeks ago that this appointment will be SL’s statement of intent.

Well, it’s looking increasingly like he’s made his statement and if it is DH, he’s taken this club a good few years backwards and made us a laughing stock over the last few weeks.

This board are going to have to seriously tone down their bluff and bluster about the Premier League, as few will take them seriously after this fiasco and massive own goal.

They may well give an indication of the matters that influenced the choice. It may not be as straightforward as you think.  Keep the faith. The boys on the pitch will still wear City shirts and still need supporting.

[Hazelboy]

6 minutes ago, ReggyRed said:

Holden, JMC and Ashley Williams...if true I am done

Lansdown x 2 & Ashton truly deserve relegation if this is the route they go down. 
 

[Will b11]

Does anyone still think we’re trying to go after Hughton , I don’t think we would wait 5 weeks just to then go for Holden ? 

[Kid in the Riot]

Which stage of grief will I start finding this funny? 

[Taylor10]

Holden in isolation would appear to be a very poor appointment but Ashley Williams as well? Very surprising. But then nothing should be a surprise anymore I guess.

[RedorDead BCFC]

14 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

You appear to exclude the possibility that they believe DH could take us to the next level.  They have had the advantage of working with him over the last four years. Maybe they know something of his capabilities?

If they known of his abilities from working with him over the past four years. Then why take 5 weeks to decide? 

[Lrrr]

1 minute ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Which stage of grief will I start finding this funny? 

Bargaining?

[Bat Fastard]

2 minutes ago, IAmNick said:

But in your view we had Lee doing a great job considering the selling / injuries we had, and backed up by Holden a premier league manager in waiting. So what we were doing playing bloody awful football bobbling around mid table for the last few years?!

I have covered this several times but my theory (for what it is worth!) is that vital players were sold and not adequately replaced last season. Several key injuries meant that Lee was in difficulties finding a team that worked as he would have liked. We have consolidated and have not been relegation candidates. We are a continual work in progress.

[mozo]

Just now, Kid in the Riot said:

Which stage of grief will I start finding this funny? 

The point where you're alone, rocking in the corner of a darkened room...

[CyderInACan]

1 minute ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Which stage of grief will I start finding this funny? 

When we finally announce Pulis 

[HoldenBall]

Like everyone else I am gobsmacked on what is about to happen. It is weirdly comforting though to know theres a good 20,000 or so people feeling the same way I am. Denial, anger and now just finding this all hilarious.. as fans we have been totally hamstrung by David Brent and the boy wonder..