Steve Watts

Couldn't see a thread on it and nothing on the OS either. 

Who/what won what?

Guessing Rob Dickie player of the year and Tommy (by default) as young player of the year? Who got players player, champagne moment etc?

Did they have a Teknical Director Son of the Year award?

1 hour ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Why would another forum member accuse another forum member of commiting a criminal offence? How bizarre. 

46 minutes ago, MC RISK77 said:

What was going on with the first half pitch invader- can’t believe his Dad didn’t see him creeping towards the pitch area

I heard it was WSM Seagull, hoping for a 3 year (M/B)anning order. 

On 19/04/2024 at 20:46, City Rocker said:

Oh dear Thangham, what were you thinking?!

My MP for the past nine years and really popular locally. I certainly voted for her. 

Bad show by her party research staff though, have they not realised that ~98% of her constituents, even those of us who live in spitting distance of the Tinpottery, are anything but supporters of that shower? More City than gas in this neighbourhood. 

Such trivia wouldn't sway my vote in a general election, but what a lack of judgement from a senior politician.

Anyway, as it happens, due to the boundary changes I believe Thangham has been moved to contest the new Bristol Central constituency at the next election, where there's a good chance she will lose out to the Green candidate. Unless the huge Sag vote can save her

 

To be honest, whoever bases their vote on what team an MP supports should have their right to vote removed....this is exactly how we ended up with Brexit!

24 minutes ago, Taz said:

Based on what!? That's like us saying we're targeting a top 2 finish next year, but not putting any extra money or players into the squad.

Wishful, hopeful, deluded. Whatever you like, silly gastards.

Strictly speaking everyone targets a top of the league finish.  In an ideal world you set your team up to try and win every game you go into.... unless you're a manager who just sets your team up to not lose.....

13 hours ago, Silvio Dante said:

It’s a conversation me and @Steve Watts have had a few times - there is a real thing in both youth coaching and as a parent where you have to realise that going x way is not the best both long term and short term even if it’s the accepted route. In a way, not being approached is the best thing as it means the kids enjoy it - if they’re good enough they will make it eventually as everyone gets watched.

Steve would probably agree though that we might take losing the one who could make it as he’s just so bloody annoying!

He's annoying because he takes after his old man....

I just hope the club haven't shot themselves in the foot leaving it so late. Getting so late in the day does a massive disservice to what he's offered this season. If not for Rob Dickie he'd have had my shout as player of the year. 

To have played so well and then had either Manning or Tinnion (can't remember which) saying they've got to be playing for a contract was hugely disrespectful considering their performances (Williams and Jamo). 

He's the breaker in midfield and the fly in the ointment of this clubs soft underbelly. He's this squads Marlon Pack - right down to being both the best passer of the ball in the club whilst also being the worst passer of the ball at the club!

He absolutely has to be offered a new deal. I just hope he takes it.

On 05/04/2024 at 08:10, 22A said:

It appears City signed the wrong Palmer. 

Meanwhile is Cole related to Carlton Palmer, who according to some papers, was the worst player to ever play for England.

He is. He's the illegitimate lovechild of Andy Cole and Carlton Palmer.

On 06/04/2024 at 14:01, ChippenhamRed said:

How on earth anyone has time to watch six games plus City in one weekend is absolutely beyond me.

The extra 6 games are therapy after an afternoon watching Manningball....

He's a quality player and should be in the England team. Unfortunately Southgate seemed to like his comfortable pairs of slippers so I would expect him to be used sparingly...

As an aside, the penalty incident was embarrassing last night, but fair play to Palmer for shrugging it of and calmly slotting it away.

5 hours ago, IAmNick said:

I get what you're going for, but I think we need to be a bit careful here - has he really never blooded youth in his career? Do you mean a team's own academy specifically, as that's a very different claim. What is "youth", what is "blooding" them?

(The remainder of the post edited out just to avoid long quote boxes)

Yeah, I guess my definition is that of utilising the clubs academy to bring through first team players.  I concede that we've had a good few years of productivity from the Academy and maybe we're in slight downward trend at the moment.  I think Silvio has addressed the examples you make quite well, and as such I think it meets the criteria of not wanting to bring through academy prospects.  I accept that he has signed and/or played youth, but none that were given a real chance from the academy.  EFL trophy games are as much (or more) about resting the first teamers than giving academy kids a game.  

I just can't see SPH in particular making it here.  Tommy may well (probably will) leave in the summer, but I still can't see him being given a chance over Nakhi or Sammy.  And Manning has shown that a chance won't come alongside them.  

It's obviously been discussed to hell and back about JKL not being given a chance in a dead rubber (for us) and instead shifting a number of players into weaker positions.  For my money, JKL has always looked like a player who could shine in the limited exposure he's had.  Was excellent at Forest for example, and I don't recall him looking like a fish out of water any other time either.  Looking at it (without the benefit of seeing them in training day in day out), but going with a depleted bench (several times) and going with a makeshift defence instead of playing a dedicated centre half who's been with the first team for most of the season (Saturday), does look like a lack of intent by Manning to utilise the tools at his disposal. 

I just certainly don't have any faith that another Tommy or Sam Bell for example will emerge under Manning.  And if he's going to continue to buy youth rather than nurture it, then the Academy becomes a very expensive piece of window dressing.

17 hours ago, redkev said:

Whilst on the subject of academy players coming through has anyone watched enough of palmer Holden to think he would be for a first team squad place next season 

Seb has no prospects in a Liam Manning led Bristol city and would be better off going elsewhere. As would any young striker. You would have to be of an exceptional standard as a young striker to break into a Championship first team that only plays with one striker. Even moreso for a head coach who has never blooded youth in his career. 

11 hours ago, Back of the Dolman said:

I don’t think you’ll find LM is willing to sacrifice results, especially with the fan base feeling about him.

As for senior players not liking a youngster being picked ahead of them, I’d say suck it up.

They’re all part of the squad and they don’t have a god given right to be in the first 11

The trouble with that argument is that it's been demonstrated that results aren't massively more important than performances to fans. Indeed the latter feeds the former. We set up and play like we did against Blackburn, against Southampton, against Watford then we get both performances and results. It's perplexing that he doesn't see that.

10 hours ago, The Constant Rabbit said:

I might actually give him a bit of credit here.

 

Maybe it was as simple as he wanted to be fair to Huddersfield by playing the same quality of players as he did against Blackburn as both are locked in a end of season relegation battle.

 

Probably wrong, but maybe?

I don't think that's the case personally. If he felt like that then he'd have played the same style and system as he did on Wednesday. Instead he pulled another Southampton/QPR trick which almost gifted another team fighting for their Championship lives a golden opportunity to pick up some much needed points.

13 minutes ago, Super said:

Yes you are forced to buy beer and food.

To be fair I was thinking £30 might not be enough to get you through 90 minutes of Manningball!

5 minutes ago, Nescot said:

You’re the person who tried desperately to get a role in the club only to get knocked back - that’s when you started slagging off Tinnion and the club. Very transparent and now your main hobby is slagging off Ian Gay because he gets the info you licked desperately for only to get knocked back.

 

You really are a strange little troll, aren't you? I just don't get the point....

6 minutes ago, Nescot said:

No they weren’t, it was 4231 

So it's taken you all this time to say that you either weren't at the match or don't understand the game? 

At least you've confirmed that you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

42 minutes ago, reddogkev said:

I know you're a genuine City fan, but for me what you've said is strange, as the pull to watch your club is usually stronger than not enjoying the odd game here or there and blaming it on the gaffer's style of play.

It is crap sometimes, perhaps like today, I didn't go.  But the Blackburn and Leicester games were fantastic, enjoyed them both.

I bet you ten grand you'll be back to watch games next season! 

 

Hmmmm... You're offering ten grand to not watch Manning-ball next year....? I might have to take you up on that offer!!!

On 11/04/2024 at 11:15, Steve Watts said:

We need to pretty much carry on where we left off, rather than the last false dawn after beating the southerners and then reverting back to type a few days later against QPR.

Just leaving this here...... 

On 07/04/2024 at 17:45, phantom said:

Wouldn't want to be upsetting that fan base :laugh: 

I honestly don't think last night told us anything we didn't already know. As we showed against Watford and some team beginning with S that I heard we may have bested, when we play the system that the squad was built to do we look good.  Many of us have been saying this for bloody ages and last night just reaffirmed that.  Yes, it helped that Blackburn were terrible, but we attacked at pace and with purpose and was not a typical "Manningball" style yesterday and the substitutions, as utterly predictable as they were, paid off handsomely. The big question now, is can we do it all again on Saturday.  That will be key to us building some momentum, especially given that for once we're the bogey team.  We need to pretty much carry on where we left off, rather than the last false dawn after beating the southerners and then reverting back to type a few days later against QPR.

Very pleased with last night however and was nice to enjoy the match for a change.  Long may it continue.

5 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

"Easter Lights" aren't even a thing. One gets the impression Lee Anderson is utterly ignorant of British traditions.

Of course they are a thing!  They represent the stars that were shining when Jesus rehatched from a chocolate egg that had been laid by a big bunny...

23 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

The irony / hypocrisy!

+++++

FWIW, I thought this was a fairly amicable discussion, not too far in either direction, posters putting their side across without the need to slag off the person their responding to.

And then your post!

T'was ever thus...

Some come on this forum simply as wind up merchants.

As for what constitutes success.  For some, many perhaps, it will be an improvement in league position.  That obviously comes with an improvement in results.  For me though, it has to be aligned with the spectacle on show as well.  If we get a season of boring scraped victories resulting in us finishing a couple of places higher then it will be a hollow improvement emotionally.  Many of the matches I've seen us win under Manning I've not enjoyed.  Pleased with the result of course, but I can't say I've enjoyed/been entertained by the 90 minutes that led us there.  Being the most bored I've ever been in 40+ years of watching us, I've felt a massive disconnect with the experience of supporting us this season.  That saddens me, and unfortunately I have no faith in the person charged with taking us forward to change that.

13 minutes ago, mozo said:

Well the journalist asked was silly mistakes that cost us previously and ask what City had done better. The answer was 'we had time to work on it'.

He praises how the players have executed it, says they've done a great job 

If that's Manning peacocking in your eyes fair enough. 

 

I think that's the thing though. It's been heavily weighted to implying that "coaches win matches, players lose them" since the turn of the year at least. Three games unbeaten (and Max saving us from a tanking in two of them) may have given him a chance to relax a little, but sadly I've no faith in him to offer anything different moving forward as soon as we start to concede again. 

And yes, I accept writing him off with seemingly no chance of redemption may be harsh, but I genuinely believe his tenure has been that bad. The quicker it ends the better.

3 minutes ago, Midred said:

Complimentary season ticket?

Rumour has it he started the petition to get the Dolman Stand built so his descendants didn't have to witness Manningball...!

5 minutes ago, WessexPest said:

That’s dubious to say the least - BRFC have never had 8 people witnessing anything they’ve been doing.

If true then the real story here = new record attendance.

Yeah, but 5 of those 8 were gert Teds in the away end...

3 hours ago, phantom said:

I would imagine it is to sort any flares on the pitch, hence why he has boots on so he can run onto the pitch easier

Oh, shut it with the logical replies ffs.

7 minutes ago, IAmNick said:

Why's the centre circle / middle strip of the box a different colour? Just as it gets more wear so has newer/harder wearing grass there or something?

I think they were the parts of the pitch that would be re-turfed at various times due to wear, as you suggest.

Haven't seen either of these pics before that I can recall.  Thanks for the share.  Love things like this.