supercidered

Or maybe you were being more subtle than me? 

38 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

Talking of which, if the FA want to treat women equally they should really consider making their kit the same. 

I don't know where she will put her cards... 

 

I have an idea but I'll leave it right there.

Wasn't she in One Million Years BC ?

7 minutes ago, bearded_red said:

Don’t let the sad little troll ruin this thread about Nige.

To whom are you referring?

1 minute ago, Robbored said:

It’s refreshing to see such a ‘love-in’ for our former manager. Such accolades are rare indeed. 

I guess we’ll never know the real reason he was sacked. The club announcement wasn’t based on hard Championship evidence. City were handily placed at the time.

The same kind of decision applied to Danny Wilson, sacked during off season whilst on holiday……not even DW himself knew the reason………..

I think he was told the reason but he was too pissed to remember.

12 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

He was the Manager I wanted, the Manager I thought we needed and the Manager I didn't think we would get because of the owner(s) . The fanbase seemed fully behind him ( as fully as it gets ) , even through those fallow times losing loads of players and cutting the wage bill.
I didn't particularly like the pressers early on, but grew to enjoy them as he seemed to mellow or relax.  Gutted he went earlier than I wanted, the summer would have made more sense  , but there you are. 
Cheers Nige 

Anything would have made more sense!

If they were really that bothered about progress or a perceived lack thereof, they could've offered NP another 12 months on top of where his existing contract was due to end. I think that would be June 2025? Then review where we are before either offering a new contract or not.

JL and whoever else could make this clear to NP and the fans that this was the strategy and what the expectation would be at that point i.e. May / June 2025.

At least this strategy would be understandable and more importantly known by all including the fans. If a change was then needed, then everyone would at least have an understanding of why.

Apart from that, top class X / Twitter post NP. Hopefully Tins will get to see if from somewhere.

3 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

This appointment is on Jon and Tinnion's heads. There's no hiding place. Manning can't be allowed to fail, so plenty of funds will be made available. 

I await with baited breath.

6 minutes ago, Harry said:

I think it’s unfair to say that he just “lost his best player”. 
He lost his goalkeeper Fisher to Swansea, he lost his midfield playmaker O’Reilly to Celtic. He lost his creative talent Twine to Burnley. He lost his ball playing centre back rock Darling to Swansea. He lost his energetic CM, Kasumu to Huddersfield (who many say was Hudds best player aging is last week). 
Total of around £8million. 
He spent £150k on an Irish youngster and then the rest were nominal fees or compensation fees. 
 

Was it a failure? Yes it was. And he was deservedly sacked. But the circumstances were absolutely NOT that he only lost 1 player! 

I did say he lost his best player rather than just one player but I do get your point about the other ones that were sold.

I will caveat the the players that were sold with this.

LM and his team must have been aware of the potential of the departure of his best players. As such, should have had some plan B's or C's lined up. Unless, he was aware but was told that funds wouldn't be made available in any case (sounds familiar).

1 minute ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

The difference is that, here, he will be given money to throw at improving us.

Either in January or next summer, depending on how panicked they are by our form - currently running at 50% loss rate over the last dozen games or so.  

Firstly, I hope you are right that he will get money. Secondly, I'm not convinced the hierarchy will make the funds available.

I'm also worried that targets previously identified may now be more reluctant to come to us if this current run of results is replicated.  Results could turn and things could look much better come January. I really can't see it though. 

Here's to hope more than expectation!

3 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Every club loses players, my point is it is incomplete to fail to acknowledge the playoffs bit but mention that he was sacked when they were struggling.

I have no idea of the background at MK as to how much money he was given to replace the likes of Twine but whatever I think of his appointment it is surely fair not to focus entirely on a very small part?

His overall record (MK, Oxford) is decent but is also at a lower level.

That’s just being balanced.

He got to L1 Play Offs and lost.

He got the same team minus his best player in to L1 relegation zone by the following December.

I keep hearing and reading 'too early to judge' 'it's only been 6 games' which of course is true. However, every part of his 'career' has been small or short term because in senior football as a whole, his record is being sacked or jumping ship at the next opportunity.

These are just the facts and if they upset people or if you feel they are unfair and unbalanced then so be it.

2 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Whilst I’m on the fence about appointing Manning that is a very selective view of his time there.

Made the playoffs, lost his best 3 players next summer then struggled is far more accurate.

Not massively selective. We have lost players also, including an irreplaceable one.

The difference being LM knew this before he came in.

Hopefully we won't end up in the relegation zone and hopefully not get relegated. Soooooooo, hopefully, history not repeating itself.

15 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Just onto the Oxford part of it, Elek reckoned that we didn't need to worry about a switch from a back 4...erm- is all I can say to that so far.

Interestingly he also said Oxford were quite transitional and cohesive.

We definitely seem to have lost cohesiveness here, is Manning aiming more at his MK Dons rather than Oxford side here.

I hope not Mr P.

Didn't MK Dons get relegated after he guided them in to the relegation zone in December 2022?

Hopefully, history not repeating itself.

26 minutes ago, mason said:

IMO next 2 games are pivitol in our season, we have to really beat Sunderland and Hull as cant see us getting much from Watford and Brum.

Goalscorer would be good about now, Conway and Bell seem lost without their mate Scott pulling the strings in midfield.

 

So you think we are more likely to beat Sunderland and Hull than getting much from Watford and Birmingham? IMO I can't see us getting much from any of those games apart from the latter.

'Goalscorer would be good about now'. No sh!t Sherlock !!

You aren't The Spaniard under a different name are you?

13 hours ago, Sheltons Army said:

 

As a young coach , and pretty young man , Manning has been put under ridiculous pressure by their embarrassing interviews and the way they sacked Pearson

 

I'm sorry Shelts, I can't see that, he's not really my type I have to say.

5 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

And the step up from League 2 football to League 1 won't be such leap for him. 

Biting satire MM.

Very naughty. 

13 hours ago, TheSpaniard said:

Pearson lucky to get a 3 year deal and did f all with it - glad he’s gone and someone else will get the pennies.

We really need to get a bell end emoji as a reaction on here.

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

That is true, and I know I’m being selective, but ignoring the end of 20/21 season (we know the context), we won games away from home to avoid it being a big problem.  It meant we never really got momentum, but we didn’t go backwards either.  I don’t care where we win our games, I’ve always said that, so I never got too down about the home form.  Nige had an uncanny knack for winning games before a bad run was established.  He might not have won back to back too often, but he kept us ticking over.  In the position we were in that was fine.

 

Oh how I long for the days when we were in a position of being fine.

26 minutes ago, TV Tom said:

Not as depressing as having to sit through 16 home games without a win

How depressing would a relegation battle be or worse?

25 games to go. You may well be sitting through worse.

1 hour ago, robinforlife2 said:

I feel sorry for Manning. Most new managers are given at least a chance by the fans, but it really does feel that a number are wishing him to fail because of their displeasure at what the board have done. This is not Liam's fault. I don't think we've played badly, and I think over time, when we get a couple of additions and key players return from injury, the way he wants us to play, will improve us. It's going to take time, but I think in the long run he'll come good. Yes vent and have a go at powers at the helm, but we should be giving Manning full support, and chants about Nigel Pearson as nothing but disrespect towards LM. 

Should we feel sorry for LM? For me, no. He has taken on a job that I can't blame him for taking but he must've considered best and worst case scenarios. 

I've made no secret on here that I felt pre-appointment and post-appointment that LM is not the right person for the job for reasons I've given many times. Many times I've been given grief by posters on here that seem to be conspicuous by their absence lately.

Did and do I want him to fail. Absolutely not. Is it his fault. Absolutely, at at least in large part. If you play key players out of position, leave key players out and substitute players that seem to be our better players several times in his first 6 games. Then of course it's his fault!

You and others have mentioned 'the long run', 'injury returns', 'additions'. None of those have any certainty and in particular, a long run in the Championship will not happen if the last 6 games is replicated across the remainder of the season. We don't have time.

I won't be chanting about NP or the Board on Saturday but LM needs to earn some respect before he can be disrespected.

9 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Of course it is possible but we have a number of the bottom third side a still to play at home.

Now the fact we are even having to think about it a bit is fairly disgraceful and massively self-inflicted but we likely have enough home games that are winnable for one.

Trouble is if we don't get points against those down the bottom then we really are in the sh!t.

1 minute ago, East Londoner said:

Theres barely any decent one for home fans 

May have to make a pit stop in and around Paddington beforehand then. 

Any decent Away Fans Pubs near the ground?

30 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

I think the biggest issue will be people buying tickets because they're cheap and then deciding if they'll go closer to the day, so we might sell a lot more than we end up taking.

I'm guessing that there will be a few OTIB posters that may sell their 'unwanted' tickets on here via DM. Will have to wait and see I guess.

21 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I'm a member and I'm definitely worried I might not get one. Seems to be a lot of interest - cheap tickets, first visit to a big and iconic stadium (albeit more for the Olympics than football).

Which is why the "can we buy more than one each" posts always boil my p1ss!

Totally agree with you.

1 minute ago, Bristol Rob said:

Yeah, a fortune.

I'm selling a kids ticket... want DOUBLE THE FACE VALUE.... okay, two quid heading over.

We won't sell out.

I'm not so sure. Pretty much every ST and Member that I've spoken to seems to be going. Being on a Sunday with a 2pm ko may put a few off. Going to be a nervous wait for those who aren't ST holders.