Silvio Dante

Should toughen the side up. Unimaginative nickname though.

It’s about 50:50 between optics and power. Essentially they’re doing the same job but calling Manning “Head Coach” gives the optic he’s doing more coaching and therefore meets the model they want. On a power basis, someone called “manager” generally has (or is seen to have) more heft even if that doesn’t happen in practice, so the title reinforces the seniority structure. No practical difference IMHO - mainly around the hierarchy feeling more comfortable in their roles

@Davefevs about to dish out some justice, pivot table style:

You’re kind of saying something he didn’t say. Tinnions quote is “We got Taylor when we lost Scotty and I remember having a conversation with Nige “do you want us to try and get one more” and he was like “Tinns I’m happy, I’m really happy with the squad” That belies a few things: - The fact we were told there was a plan if we sold Scott and a plan if we kept Scott. That plan swiftly novated to a “nest egg” and a very uncomfortable Phil Alexander interview - Niges subsequent comments, some detailed earlier in this thread, where he more than indicated he’d like a replacement/more players but was aware it wasn’t down to him. (For avoidance of doubt a Scott replacement isn’t another Scott. It’s improving the squad elsewhere - which Nige did in January when Semenyo went). Inherently, I’m worn down with the lies and the bullshit in the last 10 months - and the Scott “Plan” is one that may have now been forgotten in the misinformation that’s been spewed since Nige went. But it’s a reason why I find it hard to believe anything Tinnion says - inherently if they’ve been bullshitting you for the year, why would they tell the truth now? Compare that to Pearson who was accused by many of lying about Scott’s knee injury - and he was being totally honest there, and from what I can recall, in pretty much every occasion. (NB Again, none of this is any reflection on Manning who I hope does fantastically but anyone taking Tinnion as gospel is naive in the extreme!)

Point being, I’m not sure that “culture” metrics are even measurable. And certainly wouldn’t be by a team of analysts. It’d be about knowing the person and that makes it a Pearson decision. I’d have no objection if Manning thought he needed a senior character to influence the dressing room that didn’t hit tangible metrics either.

I’d almost certainly imagine that’s the case. If I take the players recruited from (or via) Leicester I can see James being one that was fine per the data, I can even make a case for Simpson (get me an experienced RB), but I’d find it hard to see how King - and this isn’t a knock at him - would fall top of any analytical metrics based on how he’d been in the seasons prior to us. As it is he’s been a decent signing at likely minimal cost, but I’d stake my house that was a pure Nige decision.

Good article, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from Piercy. However, I find it hard - nigh on impossible - to believe a word Tinnion says in general, so I’m certainly in the camp of Pearson would have wanted a Scott replacement. What it does do is crystallise expectation. They’re not spending money in January so Manning has to do better than Pearson with the squad Pearson had. If he doesn’t, as someone almost once says “It’ll be judged on Tinnion”

Strictly speaking Barney Sumner said that and I’m not sure of his ability ; Barnes said… You’ve got to hold and give but do it at the right time (Sound advice here. At times you need ti retain the ball, at times pass it, almost ahead of his time) You can be slow or fast but you must get to the line He falls down here. A very one dimensional old school tactic of getting it in the box after reaching the byline, and at the expense of all else. Likely to be countered. They’ll always hit you and hurt you, defend and attack Clearly he’s not seen Sam Bells support of his fullback to assume players always do both. Either way, he’s into noise and slogans now with no real meaning Theres only one way to beat them get round the back Again, very one dimensional - involves just a simple down the side and to the byline tactic - easily countered Overall I think we can say John was lacking on process having maybe seen the above be successful on outcome. Which shows the importance of the former and why Celtic lost to Caley.

You’re just jealous because you didn’t get there first.

What Would Nigel Do!!

Agree with a lot of that - I certainly think it’ll help nobody if every game we get a WWND comment. The “potential” future Nige would have given us is irrelevant now. For me, the merits have to be that LM improves on where Nige was as opposed to where he may or may not have been going. By anybody’s money, that’s either an improvement in the squad playing style/trajectory (even if no improvement in results) or an improvement in points. I think that is really judging him on his own merits as we know where this squad were based on alternate management so, rightly or wrongly, he has to be better than that. And I’ll again say until I’m blue in the face, that isn’t his fault. It’s how Lansdown and Tinnion have handled it. Had they positioned it as “Nige stabilised the club, we now need to look at the next long term appointment” etc as opposed to the bulk of “should be doing better with this squad” then the expectation on Liam wouldn’t be anywhere near as much. As it stands he’s been appointed that his merits are he could get more out of the squad than was being got out, so judging him on that is totally fair. Make no mistake though - a win on Saturday would definitely help, and if he fails on those metrics, unless it’s cataclysmic, I won’t be calling for his head - I’ll be calling for those above him.

Kind of what I meant by “performance”. If it’s more entertaining football and the results are on a par with Nige and there is continued signs of upward trajectory then I’ll be content. But I will still retain issues with the board as that isn’t the remit he’s come in with. @italian dave I do get the point, however the nature of the game is to compare what is with what went before. As John Ward didn’t start with a poor squad so took Joe Jordan’s players up, as Sean O’Driscoll was left with a mess by McInnes so expectations were different so it is that Manning has been left with a very good base by Nige. On that basis it’s pretty unrealistic to judge him just on his own merits - he has to be better than what went before. And again, the circumstance isn’t his fault.

To be fair, you also seem like you’ve spent a fair bit of time in France…

Yep, and to be clear there is nothing against Manning here - he’s walking into a situation not of his making and I’d hope everyone gives him full support. You however just have to look at the last time we sacked a popular manager (Cotts - for whom I think the decision was warranted) how long it took his successor to win fans over - and for some, he never did. I don’t think Manning is another Johnson like some but the base scenario does have some echoes - however this time the volume is turned up to eleven.

In a lot of ways, Mannings walking into a hiding to nothing. - Performs at the same level as Pearson (so bobbing around 10th this season) - doesn’t meet the remit of kicking on - Performs better than Pearson but is allowed to add players - board are seen as even more complicit in sabotaging Pearson and he gets little credit - Performs worse than Pearson - nuff said The only way Manning will get credit (and in turn justify JL and BTs decision) is to significantly outperform Pearson in results and performance with the same squad - and even then for some it’ll be tempered by the fact he’ll have injured players back. I want him to do well, and am cautiously optimistic. But I also fear that the way the clowns in charge have handled things have left him in a position where he can’t win unless he does something spectacular.

Yup. You can find the thread in the “Classics” section (entitled “Together”). Quite emotional when you see in there a few forum members who have since passed on. Interestingly, it shows Tinnion knew at the time of him being appointed/Wilson sacked he knew that it was controversial and tried to do positive PR. Contrast that with this time.

When I say tin, you say pot.

Gone back in time 19 years.

As a generic point I agree with this. Players who aren’t as gifted naturally have to work harder, and that often gives an insight into how they and others need to improve. It’s getting the “small percentages” to go all LJ for a moment. I’ve seen the “unknowingly incompetent to knowingly competent”model more times than I care to mention and there is something in it, although it’s not an “absolute” The contrary to this is that the worse the player, the less likely they are to have experienced a high level and understand the mentality needed. For Manning, my concern is how far down that “competency” model he is. I’ve been consistent that I don’t inherently dislike the appointment but think there are (reasonable) questions about the MK Dons proximity. Against that, if his trajectory had continued he may be out of reach so I get striking while the irons hot. It’s a gamble, no doubt, but not one that is LMs fault and he has my full support (the board and Tinnion not so). I don’t think he is necessarily a “yes” man from what I’ve seen and for JL and BT it may be a case of being careful what you wish for

Anyone with nothing to do on Friday, Yate Town are having a Friday night fixture to see how it affects attendance - 7:45 k/o. You can get one of these beauties.

Nearly forgot they were playing tonight. Sam Smith has just put Reading one up. I’m guessing a deflection off the thigh.

Now Liam Manning is appointed, and I join the chorus in wishing him to be a great success, I’d like to take a moment to wish “adieu” to our recent army of Bristol Sport bots. Hopefully, Liam is a roaring success and we won’t see you again but if things go wrong, I look forward to welcoming you all back in six months time. Safe travels and take care.

True - there’s Summit about him. I’ll get me coat.

So…as that’s about 30% of the squad can I assume you disagree when Jon says we have a squad that should be challenging….

There is a human angle here as well - most of us take pride in the company we work for, and in the case of BS employees, they’ll have seen Tinnion, Lansdown and to a lesser extent Kelly and Marshall get a shoeing and be predisposed to defend them - maybe in view of supporting the company but moreso on supporting people they like and work with. If people have signed up with BS addresses and real names it is beyond moronic, but the sentiment I kind of “get”. It is a fact though that we’ve had a number of posters sign up who are posting views contrary to the majority. That doesn’t mean the majority are right, but in view of what the new posters are posting, there are clear and obvious signs that something doesn’t look entirely normal when I think about how this forums been used (with a variety of viewpoints) for 10 plus years. It looks coordinated but I can see how it would be accidentally so.