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Culture and comms around the club


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Apologies if covered elsewhere, but one thing that in recent times has bugged me no end is the type of talk in interviews around the club. Specifically, the way in which the players refer to seniors and one another - (until Tuesday) ‘Deano’, ‘Simmo’, ‘Downsy’.  Why not ‘the Head Coach’ or - hopefully - ‘the Manager’. 
 

Call me old fashioned (am 32!) but I just can’t imagine this going down well in any professional environment where seniority and management structures are in place and respected and direction, motivation and performance can run deep from within these principles. I understand the importance of the group mentality, be part of the pack, gel together and stick together and so on, but it just seems a bit too friendly, a bit too matey and even a bit too laddy.
 

Not to be a fun sponge, but the idea of having a Manager in rather than a HC, with a management team, commanding respect and managing(!) the group might just eke out that leadership we’re so badly in need of. And I think that starts with the basics of how you talk to your colleagues and your seniors. I don’t necessarily think that the ability to lead was missing from DH’s profile, but if you’re already known by nicknames from those who effectively work for you (or are supposed to, anyway) then does it not undermine your position as the leader from the outset? 

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Agreed. I was always uneasy about that with Holden. He seems a great guy, but he was a coach for several years. It must be hard for him and the players to make that mental transition to see him as the boss. 

Johnson, for all his faults, seemed more of boss than Holden. He was very tough on the players at times and was able to achieve that separation.

Almost all the fan base predicted Holden wouldn’t work out - it’s so frustrating the board were so headstrong. 

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Yup. This sort of relaxed chumminess must leak into the players’ psyche. Would you fear a half time bollocking more from ‘The Manager’ or from “Deano/Simmo”? You’d think for how much LJ used to bang on about marginal gains this sort of thing would’ve been nipped in the bud. Might only be semantics but feel it says a lot. And don’t get me started on how amateur it all comes across on social media. Sacrificing professionalism for retweets and engagement. Gross. 

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I agree. And I’d go a step further as well. 
I think the presentation on Robins TV is horrendous and does the club no favours in terms of displaying professionalism. 
You have Lisa Knights dressed like she’s off to secure a bank loan, Downsy appearing in a baseball cap (its live tv ffs man, make yourself remotely presentable), whomever the summariser is dressed in a tracksuit. Then they’re huddled around a tiny circular table with a laptop open and often a drab grey interior behind. It’s truly shocking. 
 

This doesn’t come from me either. This is from my wife, who has zero interest in football. She just sees me watching it and says “what the actual **** is this”. 
 

Please - at least try to show a modicum of respect for your fanbase and present yourselves smartly. Live tv in baseball caps, tracksuits and huddled round a tiny table. Amateur. Kinda sums up the club at the moment. 

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50 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

It's what happens when a manager tries to be one of the lads and not a leader

From the outside difficult not to get the impression that this lack of professionalism is deep seated , every one is someone else's mate.

Can't imagine that there are angry exhanges at board level over our rubbish signings, it is all to cosy, Now the wheels have come off we are left with a bang average squad with no senior pros who care and youngsters greatful for their opportunity.

Can't imagine another Carey /Orr on the pitch row ,we have no leaders or strong personalities.

Get Nigel Pearson in now , someone who will tell it as he sees it and shake the club up from top to bottom.

No more jobs for the boys or people employed because so and so is their mate.

 

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13 minutes ago, Harry said:

I agree. And I’d go a step further as well. 
I think the presentation on Robins TV is horrendous and does the club no favours in terms of displaying professionalism. 
You have Lisa Knights dressed like she’s off to secure a bank loan, Downsy appearing in a baseball cap (its live tv ffs man, make yourself remotely presentable), whomever the summariser is dressed in a tracksuit. Then they’re huddled around a tiny circular table with a laptop open and often a drab grey interior behind. It’s truly shocking. 
 

This doesn’t come from me either. This is from my wife, who has zero interest in football. She just sees me watching it and says “what the actual **** is this”. 
 

Please - at least try to show a modicum of respect for your fanbase and present yourselves smartly. Live tv in baseball caps, tracksuits and huddled round a tiny table. Amateur. Kinda sums up the club at the moment. 

Don’t mention Trego’s suits...I mentioned it once but think I got away with it. Awful pundit, so dull and wooden.

totally agree with your wife. It just looks so amateur. I’m not a fan of baseball caps at the best of times. I would expect them all to look smart ish. Adam Baker always got it right.

 

 

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The culture is rotten, this much we know. What is needed is a revolution. A cultural revolution. A "violent sociosporting purge" of the entire Bristol Sport omnishambles. 

@Harry, you can take "Knightsy" out, me, I'm going straight for Downsy.

In one employee "Downsy" just encapsulates so much of what is wrong, for me, about Bristol City. I dislike his vacuous, Timmy Mallet matchday thing beyond all rationality and perspective. I know it's ridiculous and perhaps unkind to an undoubtedly decent fellow, and it's to do with change and wanting things to be more like years back, and that to many younger supporters they think completely differently, but I just cannot abide his cretinous matchday banality.

Downsy out (with Ashton).

 

 

 

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1 minute ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

The culture is rotten, this much we know. What is needed is a revolution. A cultural revolution. A "violent sociosporting purge" of the entire Bristol Sport omnishambles. 

@Harry, you can take "Knightsy" out, me, I'm going straight for Downsy.

In one employee "Downsy" just encapsulates so much of what is wrong, for me, about Bristol City. I dislike his vacuous, Timmy Mallet matchday thing beyond all rationality and perspective. I know it's ridiculous and perhaps unkind to an undoubtedly decent fellow, and it's to do with change and wanting things to be more like years back, and that to many younger supporters they think completely differently, but I just cannot abide his cretinous matchday banality.

Downsy out (with Ashton).

 

 

 

It is commercial radio cheese.

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I don’t suppose any of the rugby players call Pat Lam, “Lammy”, certainly not to his face. I doubt they even call him “Pat”. He’s the boss and everyone knows it. He’s strong but appears fair, and you certainly wouldn’t want to mess him around.

That’s generally the type of character you need to lead a sporting team, especially one in trouble that needs to be taken by the scruff of its neck and given a bit of a shake to get it going. Do you think Klopp and Guardiola are all chummy with their players? Have you seen the anger and rage in both of them when things don’t go well? The players know their passion and they respond accordingly and show them due respect.

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4 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

The culture is rotten, this much we know. What is needed is a revolution. A cultural revolution. A "violent sociosporting purge" of the entire Bristol Sport omnishambles. 

@Harry, you can take "Knightsy" out, me, I'm going straight for Downsy.

In one employee "Downsy" just encapsulates so much of what is wrong, for me, about Bristol City. I dislike his vacuous, Timmy Mallet matchday thing beyond all rationality and perspective. I know it's ridiculous and perhaps unkind to an undoubtedly decent fellow, and it's to do with change and wanting things to be more like years back, and that to many younger supporters they think completely differently, but I just cannot abide his cretinous matchday banality.

Downsy out (with Ashton).

 

 

 

David Lloyd v Downsy - there is no comparison!

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34 minutes ago, Harry said:

I agree. And I’d go a step further as well. 
I think the presentation on Robins TV is horrendous and does the club no favours in terms of displaying professionalism. 
You have Lisa Knights dressed like she’s off to secure a bank loan, Downsy appearing in a baseball cap (its live tv ffs man, make yourself remotely presentable), whomever the summariser is dressed in a tracksuit. Then they’re huddled around a tiny circular table with a laptop open and often a drab grey interior behind. It’s truly shocking. 
 

This doesn’t come from me either. This is from my wife, who has zero interest in football. She just sees me watching it and says “what the actual **** is this”. 
 

Please - at least try to show a modicum of respect for your fanbase and present yourselves smartly. Live tv in baseball caps, tracksuits and huddled round a tiny table. Amateur. Kinda sums up the club at the moment. 

Pretty difficult to disagree with this.

Knights just doesn't seem remotely sincere with anything she says, Downsey, whilst vastly improved as a match-day-mouth seems to have more of a connection with younger supporters than most of us (middle aged and cynical) and as for the opinions analysis and overall presentation... it just isn't great.

That said, it's a skilled role and finding anyone better who can do the job and is available might be a task.

 

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23 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

Don’t mention Trego’s suits...I mentioned it once but think I got away with it. Awful pundit, so dull and wooden.

totally agree with your wife. It just looks so amateur. I’m not a fan of baseball caps at the best of times. I would expect them all to look smart ish. Adam Baker always got it right.

 

 

I actually like Trego’s suits. He may not be a great presenter but at least he’s attempted to look smart. The rest are the tv equivalent of an East Street market stall. 

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4 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

Pretty difficult to disagree with this.

Knights just doesn't seem remotely sincere with anything she says, Downsey, whilst vastly improved as a match-day-mouth seems to have more of a connection with younger supporters than most of us (middle aged and cynical) and as for the opinions analysis and overall presentation... it just isn't great.

That said, it's a skilled role and finding anyone better who can do the job and is available might be a task.

 

I don’t have any criticism of the actual content. There’s only so much that can be said / analysed about our rancid football team. 
But at least try to look respectable. Can you imagine Souness or Redknapp turning up on Super Sunday with a tracksuit on, and they cut to Peter Shreeves pitchside and he’s in a baseball cap. 

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6 minutes ago, Harry said:

I actually like Trego’s suits. He may not be a great presenter but at least he’s attempted to look smart. The rest are the tv equivalent of an East Street market stall. 

That's the second time your endorsed 'the Trego'.

I'm tempted to order you a gingham table cloth so you can have a go at knocking one up yourself.

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Cant remember which loss it was but DH interview, was something along the lines of, I told them it was not good enough, and then asked what did they say, he said I did not give them chance like they normally feedback.

All sounded like its normally just a bit of a discussion with mates, 

Its very hard to make the jump from a coach where he is set up to be close and build friendship with players, to suddenly set some distance and even more confusing for new players coming in or stepping up a level, where they are use to having a gaffer but some players are his mates.

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