Steve Watts

Whilst not untrue regarding the complexities of the charges brought against Man City, it's frankly reprehensible that these weren't dealt with as they occurred rather than more than a decade later. The Premier League have been massively negligent here and have effectively created a situation whereby "What about Man City?" is asked so often.

Absolutely no short memory in play here. Feelings are feelings, and like I said, I've never felt so despondent about the club. No, we're not likely to be relegated this season, but it's not even about that. You say about the academy players in the first team. None of those have been blooded by Dumblebore, and considering Tinnions comments a year or so ago about the next batch, then where are they? He's not even giving them matchday experience to fill the bench. The pride and belief has been sucked out of the players and the supporters. There's no expectation that we're going to win any match and there's no expectation that we'll be at least entertained by trying to. The whole club is rudderless. Communications are clumsy at best, season ticket price increases inflammatory and fans being told that we have to suck it up and support the club whilst being driven away in our thousands. The trouble with potential is that in it's current guise the club is stripping all of that potential away. Unless big changes happen then this club is only going one way.

Manning is doing a lot behind closed doors as well....sadly none of it is positive and the only thing this whole failed experiment has succeeded in is creating division between fans and the club and between fans and other fans. Supporting this club has never felt so difficult as it does now. Usually you can find some things to be positive about. Youth coming through, players playing with pride even if they're not getting the rub of the green etc, but right now there's literally nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. And it's bloody soul destroying it really is. I've given over 40 years of my life to supporting this club. Others have given even more. But I have never in those 40+ years felt as despondent as I do now.

I'm so glad you said that....I was about to post the same thing. The hypocrisy of moaning about others trying to silence peoples views on a thread they started that was trying to silence people's views is quality even for him! Pun completely intended, but the OP has (once again) had a gert mare here!

Almost absolutely spot on. And I agree with S'oD laying the foundations for what followed. Also a really interesting manager to read an interview with, even if he was dour to listen to. The only thing I'd disagree with is that for my money the football is even worse than Penis. And yes, that does take some doing, but for my money he's somehow managed it.

Tinnion is not our academy leader. We were far better off when he was. As for "current", as much as I'd hate Warnock anywhere near our club it's a discussion about replacing the manager who is currently failing miserably at his job. So as boring as you find the threads, they ARE current. Seeing as you're happy with how things are going I wait with bated breath for you to start an invigorating thread on current topics...

But by then he'd have spent a chunk of the nest egg. So this is a manager you already have doubts over being allowed to spend money on players the next manager possibly won't want... Seems a risky strategy that...

No, no and thrice no! And also, echoing the question as to what the point would be. He's not a long term option (I hope) and we should just about have enough to avoid the drop, so he's not saving the club from anything. Would much rather have Mannings permanent successor in place for the run-in to allow him to assess the squad ahead of the summer. I've always said that he'd be the reason I wouldn't renew my season ticket and that remains...though it already hangs in the balance with this plum in charge as it is!

As I've said elsewhere in this thread, I doubt very much that his contract would need to be paid up in full - my guess is there'll be provision for a year severance pay in the event of dismissal due to poor performance.

At least if we beat Leicester they'll shut up about Southampton! Sounds like a West Country Erling Haaland tribute act! I wouldn't put too much stock in that, as I doubt his contract entitles him to the remainder of his contract being paid up in full, especially in the event of performance related dismissal. Probably a year I'd imagine. (Though this is a guess, admittedly).

Manning would be safe if thrown under the bus... There's a whole team that he's thrown under it for the bus to get past before it reaches him. As for Tinnion. I'm sure he was quoted recently as admitting that going into management was the wrong career path for him. I'd be surprised if he manoeuvred himself into that role. The worry for me is that Manning resorts to more Nige style of play and keeps his job before reverting to type next season and getting sacked after spending all of the nest egg over the summer.

Ignoring the maths, but "One Three Amigos, there's only one Three Amigos..."

No. Absolutely not. Not because sacking Nige wasn't the worst managerial decision in decades, because it was. Arguably it's been superceded by the appointment of Manning. The trouble with singing this is that they will take it as sour grapes and only being sung because we liked Nige. They need to realise that it's because of how things are going NOW, under the new guy. If Nige was replaced by someone who took us to that next level then there absolutely wouldn't still be this level of anger, but he wasn't. And we can all see that we're sleepwalking to relegation in a years time. All, that is, except those with the power to do something about it. Leicester will be toxic, of that I'm sure. The "hierarchy" will be hoping that the international break gives them some breathing room so we can all remember that we beat Southampton.

I bet you would....then again, he'd probably bet you would as well....

I hope they take this on as well and that I'm Mannings final call of the day. What better way to beat insomnia and get a good night's sleep?

You mean to tell me you don't feel rewarded?!?

Mannings first pick would be Mehmeti!

One of my all time favourite players. That season with Murray's goals in particular he was ridiculous. But....he's worn away all of his credibility since taking on this role. Guilty of treating the fans with no respect whatsoever and thinking he's omnipotent enough to pull the wool over our eyes with blatant falsehoods. He showed on Monday in particular how unaligned the board are with the feelings of the fans. He thinks we're so simple that we look only at results and decide if we're happy based on that. Absolute epitome of a fallen idol.

I'm confused - they have had far better resources available to them.... I explicitly recall someone commiserating us on being smaller and worse than they'll ever be because they were the sixth richest club in the country...."Unlucky da shit" I believe was the phrase he used.....

Just on this, what is the significance of this comment? Sykes never played under Manning at Oxford. Phants, we're used to the underwhelming, but I honestly do not remember being as bored as I am now when I'm at a match. We've been poor, we've been clueless, we've been hapless, but never boring. The last few months seem to have fostered an awful amount of apathy among the fan base with regards to the matches, the likes I've never seen before. But he persists with his methods even though it results in these kind of outcomes. Didn't they say that was the first sign of madness? (I always thought it was "Hey you, don't watch that watch this.....!") Nick, a wise man once advised to never argue with an idiot. They'll just bring you down to their level and beat you with experience...

The recent increase in the volume of the Hum has been linked to 16,000 people snoring on a weekend in BS3!

Did you even see the Leeds match?!? Yes, they were a class above, but we rolled over and had our tummies tickled live on TV.

I think possibly the bit where he's repeated the same phrase multiple times. I had to read it twice...to be sure, to be sure....

That's foinal turd, thank you very much!