Phileas Fogg

1 hour ago, Robbored said:

My understanding of what LM means when referring to ‘emotions’ is saying not to get too low when losing or too high when winning - try to keep as balanced as is possible during any match.

Basically, it’s clear you have a very basic understanding of the game - which is fine. Just makes it all the more amusing when you mansplain to people.

I respect it (in a way) even if it’s not that funny. 

On 17/03/2024 at 14:31, Davefevs said:

Nah, no invite in the in-tray this time.  I think they know my opinion, and the listener(s) do too.  I was only on 2 weeks ago.

Will be interesting what fans they do get on.

Ellie Jones is quite fiery, she’d be good to listen to tomorrow evening.

I hope Wilkins isn’t on though.

Get Wilkins, our undisputed most intelligent and insightful fan, on every single week! 

4 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

I guess it depends what kind of supporter you are as well.

As someone that did lots of England away games and counts those days as some of the best of my life, I find the idea that a lifetime of Middlesbrough and Rotherham away being comparable to regular European trips to Camp Nou and Westfalenstadion, absolutely absurd.

5 minutes ago, glynriley said:

Sorry but that sounds crazy to me. Everything to achieve? If you reckon we’ll be in a Champions League quarter final and top of the premier league at any time before every contributor to this forum curls their toes up, I’ll have a pint of what you’re on. 

very well, I think differently. 

I think an interesting barometer to judge Manning by is Joe Edwards at Millwall.

Similar sized clubs with similar expectations, both appointed within a day of each other.. Manning slightly better win % but inflated by FA Cup games.

Very similar in age, both allegedly highly thought of.. just that Millwall cut their losses ASAP.

1 minute ago, lenred said:

Fair enough.  Give me looking forward to Champions League finals, top 4 finishes, serious title tilts, semis at Wembley, cup finals and cup wins etc etc any day. I disagree massively but like I said fair play to you. 

It’s all relative though - Arsenal are expected to achieve those things. We aren’t - thus, in my view, it would be more satisfying to support a club like ours with everything to achieve than support a club where - given the invincibles season - that’s probably as good as it’ll ever be.

Saying that though, generally winning must be fun. Regardless of 2016, I imagine supporting Leicester this season is fun.

1 minute ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Arsenal?! That's a ballsy shout. Sure things went stale in the latter Wenger years, but christ I bet their fans have had some amazing times over the past 30 years. 

I’m not so sure - I feel like the club culture at Arsenal has been infiltrated by the reactionary YouTuber generation which has cheapened it. Highbury was a proper stadium, but the Emirates (like the Etihad) epitomises a soulless bowl.

Personally i’d find it very boring to support them. This season being an outlier.

4 minutes ago, lenred said:

Really?! Blimey.  To each their own but for European trips and the memories made alone I’d take any of them (bar palace who I don’t think have been there any time recently - even then you’d be getting better away day experiences and at least winning when you get relegated). 

I’m only saying those clubs because I imagine the novelty of European away days has probably worn off for Arsenal/Spurs fans - ok, Everton admittedly is a bit different.. but you get my point. Clubs that can always predict where or whereabouts they’ll be in the table and what they’ll achieve.

6 hours ago, Glen hump said:

No chance’ premier league and won a major cup final and a few games in Europe 

Proper club anthem too

6 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

I'm not sure having brief spells in the top flight in the last 30 years makes a club "not dull".

Reading are a dull club in a dull town with a dull stadium and could yet drop into the bottom division. 

What we are, is the consistently most underperforming club in the land, given some of the advantages we should have. 

Exactly - a club like Reading or Watford; with very little identity, would be boring.

Likewise a Fulham or Burnley; yo-yo club who’s best aspiration realistically is survival or lower-mid table prem. Like being in eternal purgatory. It must be worse to support a club that has a ceiling.. for example, Watford (barring huge investment) can only get so big. We’ve got the luxury, perhaps a curse, of being in a relatively unique situation of being a massively under achieving club relative to our catchment area.

7 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Turning 40 last year really put into perspective just how little City has given me over the years. Four decades of bouncing between the second and third tiers for a club our size is just so depressing. One notable cup run.

I look at fans of other clubs and I’m jealous of the journeys they have been on. Swansea made their way through the leagues and played in Europe. Luton have made it all the way from lowly divisions. Huddersfield, Blackpool, Barnsley, Bournemouth and even Swindon have tasted top flight football. Bradford, Portsmouth and Cardiff have all made it to a cup final. Some of these clubs have suffered since, but at least they’ve had genuinely exciting periods.

I actually think we must be one of the dullest clubs to support in the entire league. I think you could reasonably say that City fans of my generation have seen the least achievement against potential and expectation of ANY set of fans in the entire country. I’m really fed up with it!

Is there any club out there more dull than us when you consider size and potential?

I think actually we’re fairly exciting - granted, success is rare.. but it’s not boring. I’d much rather support City than Arsenal/Spurs/Palace/Everton.. actually an awful lot of Prem sides. Even Man City.. despite all the success I imagine it feels a bit hollow.

I think it must be fun to support Liverpool under Klopp.. Rangers upon returning to the SPL.. Villa under Emery and initially Newcastle under current regime..  and smaller team that gets to the prem against the odds (Luton, Swansea).. I think on this front we’re ok. Our failure is always augmented by the idea that, theoretically, we could be a pretty big club with our catchment area.

48 minutes ago, Ashton Fete said:

Part of me wonders with our PR department that they’re so inept that they did this months ago and didn’t have the common sense or bothering to sense the mood and just tweak it to just have players/past greats.

Like the team photo in Feb/March. It’s just embarrassing. 

It was a shame that the club lost Adam Baker in the media department - at the very least there should be a fan in there.

Winning "social media club of the year" or whatever it is is seen a real KPI for the club - JL is creative director of "Fever Pitch" which is a Bristol Sport media agency. I believe this means that JL will ultimatlely have sign-off on bigger projects like this.

Lots of very snazzy social media stuff, but I've always felt since Baker left the social media team often fail to read the room - and occasionally can be pretty rude to fans in doing so. In the same way the team's management/board misses having some experience and expertise - having a media agency without enough actual fans of the club is always going to cause issues. 

1 hour ago, TinMan's left peg said:

 

for reference.  Actually found it hard to find, seems to have dropped off the club website’s news feed.  

Even having Zak Vyner is a bit odd. I get that he's a home grown talent - which is probably what they're trying to convey - but the other players they've chosen are cult heroes. Just an weird graphic.

1 hour ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

Sums up the issue. Who is the real manager? It’s 2004 all over again. Both must go, but Tinnion being in that role means whoever we appoint will not be the required level. If you really loved this club of 30 years as you say Brian please step down and the fans will again show our respect for your playing career.  

I did think it was a very odd choice for the poster. I can understand the manager to an extent.. but Tinnion? How many other clubs would put someone in his role on a season ticket graphic?

3 minutes ago, Robbored said:

I can’t comment for the ‘majority’ but no matter how much whinging and complaining that we do it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. I learnt thru experience many managers ago that the best approach for me is no adopt a philosophical attitude - it is what it is……..

That's quite a claim considering your personal vendetta about Gary Johnson - which clearly still exists.

3 minutes ago, Robbored said:

I’d be absolutely amazed if Manning isn’t our manager come the start of next season.

We also need to remember that we otib posters are a small percentage of Citys fanbase and whilst the views on here probably reflect the general feeling amongst the fans our impact is minimal on the powers that be.

It doesn't matter if it's minimal or not, this isn't change.org - it's a place for people to exchange ideas.

9 hours ago, alexukhc said:

Osman, Pulis, Smith, DmC, Sod, Millen, Holden and now Manning… 

is he really our worst out the bunch?

Taking this on a slight tangent - from when I've been watching (roughly 05' onwards) I think this is my list of best/worst appointments taking into account the context of the time they were appointed

1) Cotterill (Was exactly what we needed at the time to galvanise the club)

2) GJ (Longest period of sustained success - probably here 2 years too long in hindsight)

3) Pearson (Brilliant ambitious appointment.. frustratingly exactly the calibre of manager we needed after Cotterill)

... then it gets a lot harder

4) SO'D (Tricky one - didn't warm to him, football was turgid and club on a downward spiral.. only 4th by virtue of making some excellent signings (pound for pound) and being able to identify that the club needed a root and branch review)

5) LJ (Been discussed on here more than any other - some real highs and some real lows - there will always be a "what might have been" question regarding the funds he was allowed compared to other managers)

6) Millen (Uninspiring choice, remember him doing ok but not a particularly memorable period)

7) Manning (Only above the others as this is still an ongoing situation - to date though, boring football, uninspiring interviews, controversial appointment.. but who can forget Southampton!)

8 ) McInnes (Similar to Millen's tenure, fairly unremarkable. At the time was seen as a fairly exciting choice if I remember correctly - lower than Millen by virtue of some of the terrible signings he lumbered us with) 

9) Holden (Just a ridiculous appointment. Likeable guy, and really wanted him to do well - but was clearly out of his depth).

10) Coppell (Textbook Lansdown marquee appointment - big name, on paper very ambitious - but that trumps the substance - clearly shouldn't have been anywhere near the role)

8 hours ago, exAtyeoMax said:

Nigel pearson’s cider army?

It would be quite funny if the crowd started singing various songs about previous managers - I wonder how obscure we could get?

Would be a real achievement if the crowd starting singing in appreciation of erstwhile caretaker manager Steve Wigley.

If this was a former City player people on here would be celebrating it - doesn’t matter that much really.

13 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Where did hear that Graham?     

If he was approached and wasn’t interested I wonder if on the managerial grapevine that the Landowns have a reputation for having a poor understanding of how to run a football club?

Just speculation of course.

You’re not allowed to speculate i’m afraid. OS or nothing for you.

3 hours ago, The Journalist said:

This might be an unpopular opinion but I’d much rather listen to Lee Johnson than Liam Manning.

He came out with some absolutely mental stuff and became almost a parody of himself by the end, but I never felt he wasn’t honest.

Liam Manning has been here months and I’ve still absolutely no idea what he really thinks about basically anything. It’s just a series of sterile, meaningless stock phrases and media-trained nonsense.

Even Keith Millen and Dean Holden were preferable.

That said, I do think it’s made worse/harder for Liam that he’s followed Nigel Pearson, who really is the polar opposite and not your typical football manager.

Exactly - people like to lump Johnson and Manning together regarding interviews, but stylistically I think they were actually very different. 

4 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Just on the logistical front.

*2k minimum for that corner.

*What if we ever go up, 10% capacity or 3k whichever lower.

Cup is also a question mark.

Going back a decade and doing it all again which stand do away fans go in and will it medium term cover and future proof.

Sorry my friend, I appreciate your in depth input but I’m only really interested in the macro so forgive me for not engaging with your in depth knowledge of the micro. 

1 hour ago, steviestevieneville said:

The system needs to be more effective in sorting the wheat from the chaff . As I’ve written there are many people (there you are Chippenham red . didn’t put a specific number on it  so you’re not offended ) 

Some of it is ridiculous . My Mrs every year would get a letter from the benefits office asking why she doesn’t work . Every year she would show all the paper work showing her son being autistic . They would still insist on meeting him . although , bloke down the pub would get signed off for saying OW my leg hurts. I’m exaggerating a point to make a point . The system is too easy to exploit . 

 

Tory election strategists would be delighted with this post - unequivocal proof that ‘nudge theory’ works.

2 hours ago, T R said:

During the redevelopment this either came up between fans and club but sadly the club didn't follow through for some reason. Maybe something to do with safe standing at the time. But I just feel all this has been lost now too many fans have got comfortable on their seats for which they do not own. Except for Brian Tinnion cause he has been there for 30 years!

picture of safe standing: https://ibb.co/5534Qn5

P.S we could all move to the park!

That would’ve been so much better.

The ideal solution would be to have a home ‘end’ behind a goal, with away fans in nearest adjacent corner. 

With a solution like the above, I have no doubt it would’ve produced a much better atmosphere - even if the away support location is the same.

On 14/03/2024 at 16:01, CyderInACan said:

There is a home end - the South Stand - surely? Plus the amount of time we pass the ball sideways we're more often kicking towards the Lansdown or Dolman stands anyway. 

This whole "standing creates a better atmosphere" is a myth anyway. Equally, atmosphere only really matters to the fans, not the players. 

You really think a vociferous atmosphere isn’t an advantage?!

2 hours ago, Lrrr said:

Just realised he’s gone Toney over Solanke, Solanke has been great this season where Toney has barely showed anything since the ban ended 

Toney has done well imo. He’s also one of the few in the squad who I feel has a genuine winners mentality.

I’d probably want him on an important penalty ahead of anyone else in that squad. 

Haven’t read the whole thread so i’m sure im repeating others - however why on earth is Henderson being picked?

Should’ve been the end of his England career the day he moved to Saudi. Just blocks the opportunity for other midfielders.