JBFC II

Thinking about it, it would help if there was an identity which could be changed...

Interesting to think, would people be happy with promotion if it meant wearing a blue kit and changing our badge colour and identity? Not sure I would to be honest

Yeh but he scored a good goal v Norwich once, which makes up for everything else right?

I seem to remember 750k being quoted at the time on here, not sure where either fee came from (Looks like I'm 2 hours behind the @Davefevsfont of knowledge!)

Fair enough, would disagree. Didn't feel at the time that he was good enough to be a regular at this level anymore, never mind now, and I think his time at Cardiff highlighted that. But very good servant for us and superb player at his peak. The price tag was disappointing at the time but losing him wasn't a huge loss for me

Perhaps, but then it’s all one big ‘if’. Main point is, the likes of Pack and Palmer wouldn’t improve us right now imo

Don’t disagree. However claiming that having Marlon Pack in our midfield would see us in a better place than we are today is just not true

That’s been pointed out above by @Marina's Rolls Royce, seems like Manning has explained that previously

I’m still not sure it’s a done thing? The purpose of the loan is obvious, so I’m not sure what Manning could add that would help with any unease around it

But none of that highlights anything he could do on the ball that would affect a game. It’s all well and good running around and showing some pace, but that isn’t going to win us a game. He was incredibly raw, there is clear potential but he’s absolutely not at the level to be coming off the bench every week for 20 minutes to change the game. How much of an impact did he actually make? He came off the bench 12 times, in how many of those did he positively affect a match and turn it on its head? Yes, he’s young, but if we were to want to keep him here to make an impact off the bench then he would need to have shown he can do just that, which he hasn’t so far (as expected at only 17). If going on loan has a negative mental impact on him then that speaks volumes about him. It should have the total opposite, this is a chance for him to prove himself while playing men’s football, with the aim of securing a league loan next season. Looks like he’s started off in that vein tonight, which is great to see

Intrigued as to how many loans out the door come with a comment from the manager? I rarely read OS reports on this sort of stuff but I can’t imagine it’s a common occurrence?

If we hadn’t sold Scott and Semenyo there is a good chance we’d be in serious financial trouble right now. Szmodics was a serious mistake from Ashton, especially in the same summer as Palmer. Palmer is ‘running the show’ with 1 goal and 2 assists in just over 1000 minutes of championship football. The ‘prem goalie’ at wolves who people were very nonplussed about seeing leave and has played 4 games in 2 seasons there. The likes of Reid and Webster were sold for huge figures and have helped the club stay financially viable, we can’t keep everyone. Marlon Pack’s legs had gone at this level, whatever he’s doing at league one is irrelevant. It’s easy to bash the club for player sales, when in reality only one of the 8 you mention was a poor sale. The others either weren’t good enough, we’re OOC or we made huge profits off of

I think it’s harsh to judge someone based off of 30 minutes in what was a totally rudderless team performance. Yeboah showed a lot of energy and ran around a lot, but that isn’t enough to make him a championship player. Have we seen anything from him on the ball that makes you think he’s at the standard to be making regular appearances at this level? If so fine, I’d be intrigued as to what, if not then surely it’s much better for his development that he’s playing men’s football at Bath rather than playing for the 18s/21s for us?

Intrigued as to what you saw from him in his limited minutes earlier in the season that makes you think he's good enough to be playing championship football right now?

I'd say the story it tells is one of a manager with so few options that his hand was forced in giving a 17 year old minutes. He was trusted and did well, but let's not pretend he was some sort of world beater when he played and provided a level of performance that made us think he was at a championship level. 'Shunted out the door' is a weird expression to describe a teenager going on loan, its not exactly like that's a rare occurrence. He'll be training with us regularly still I'd imagine, but also playing men's football alongside that, that can only be a good thing. Why does any manager loan out an u18 player? Sometimes improvements come more from being exposed to men's football than they do from the training pitch, is guardiola a poor coach for loaning out multiple players a year?

I find it bizarre that Mebude has been written off after 30 minutes of championship football. If yeboah was good enough to be in our squad he'd have a better loan than Bath, he's incredibly young but clearly not up to scratch. Regular minutes in senior football will only be a good thing, would rather that than the odd 5 minute cameo for us where he gets no time to impact the game

Both topped by this in my book!

Probably just become immune to poor performances, can't remember a consistent run of three good ones in this division for many years! I have no doubt he's a decent coach, and may well go on to be a good first team coach at this level. But there's nothing that makes me think he has the ability to be the level of manager he believes he is. Still can't get my head around that top 6 team quote, absolute lunacy of the highest order

To play devil's advocate, if you'd been given 6 points from the last 4 games would you have taken it? I agree that he's yet to prove himself as having the sort of tactical acumen needed at this level, can't see him being relieved now and if he is, I'd fear about what would happen next

Issue is would we trust the board to make a good appointment? They've made 14 appointments in the last 25 years, how many of those have seen us finish in the top half of the championship? 2? Ultimately if Manning gets sacked will anyone better come in? I heavily doubt it

8 years since Wael took over. This is what he said at the time: 'When we purchased the club we knew about the stadium issue but we know a new stadium is a requirement. This club needs a new stadium.' 8 years on and they've built a stand with pillars and a few tents, slow progress I guess!

Hard to include anyone from pre 1960, as so few will remember those times. Since then, I'd say: Dicks, GJ, Cooper, Jordan, Cotterill. Sad thing is we've achieved so little in the last 50 years, so it becomes quite difficult to pick managers

More like Lourdes, they need all the miracles they can get

Huge numbers again from them

That was before Lee Johnson’s small spells of joy, hence why I didn’t mention it. Struggling to remember being this happy after a performance at home, it may well be as far back as the Man United game