Nogbad the Bad

Expect there to be a few more 'incidents' before the 90 minutes are up, this is Ferguson's team after all.

Wouldn't be surprised if they make every effort to get another City player sent off, and we saw how they get 'stuck in' last season.

Anyone at the game comment on the El Abd red?

 

Don't want to cast stones before it's confirmed he was being what I think we all suspect, i.e. a prat.

 

Not disappointed that he's suspended, mind.  Just hope Flint is back soon.

Sounds like a few weeks at least.

of course the club entertainment officer Mr Carey, might still have a pair of boots?

Sent off for the u.21's yesterday.

Assombalonga yellow carded after Williams felled and left rolling around holding his face.

Linesman didn't see this one then.

Fantastic play from Wade Elliot sets up Baldock for a tap in.

Sounds like he outjumped a 6' 2" defender at the back post.

Great start, well done Sam.

Little clears a yard from the line after Baldock's shot over the keeper lacks sufficient pace.

Uninterrupted coverage please Radio Bristol - SHUT UP about the gas.

Flint dislocated his knee at Shrewsbury, Bobby Reid injured knee in training on Sunday.

its all coming flooding back now.. i had temporarily forgotten how dirty and direct a side they can be.. motivation enough at least for Greg to pop up and score one of the 3 tonight .. and i am off for some shut eye.. fingers firmly crossed.

 

Safe travels there Davros and hope the red army are in significant numbers like saturday... that was truly magnificent support and half of the 1200 going tonight would be equally impressive given its a mid week night game.

 

We'd need about 500 to pay at the gate to get those sort of numbers! I reckon about 250 tonight, and that's not bad for the distance on a midweek night and straight after a well attended away match.

Not expecting anything but a defeat tonight, probably 3-1. What I hope though is the performance is not a big anti climax after Saturday's great win. If we're to lose we must go down fighting to retain the confidence of players, and fans, for Swindon. A big defeat would be disastrous.

No doubt many will disagree but we'll miss Flint tonight if he's ruled out.

Dropping Cunningham is a ******* stupid move

How did he play last week?

Fielding?!

Moore injured.

Both Burns and Pearson will start I think. Last game no good, changings. Very important game today, 2-0 City I hope and think. Come on you reds.

In a previous prediction thread I've got us down to win 2-1 today.

Stll confident of the win.

Blue skies and sunshine in Bristol today, perfect setting, just need the City players to stand up and be counted and really go for it today.

Sounds like a few changes today whether enforced - a couple of players doubtful apparently - or some of last week's underperforming players being replaced.

SC has stressed the AG pitch is much wider than Gilingham are used to and we mean to use it to full effect.

Burns and Pearson to start perhaps?

Uh oh - someone hasn't seen the infamous thread on the Forest forum when SC joined us! I think you'll find I've summarised the views expressed by 95% of the posts on that thread very succinctly!

 

And I'd add I know several Forest season ticket holders who said exactly the same.

I said a significant number - that means of a fanbase, not a forum thread.

They are just a small number of fans who didn't like him for whatever reason, just like yourself, so took pleasure to take the opportunity to write scathingly about him. You will always find fans with a grudge to bear against an ex-manager - look at some of the comments GJ gets on here - and these Forest fans don't exactly sound intelligent themselves, do they?

As I said 1 or 2 threads on a club forum by strongly opinionated individuals is not indicative of fans' views in general and this very thread is a prime example of how unrepresentative they can be.

Either way, Cotteril has been very well liked by fans of some clubs he's managed, and moved on undespised from others, so the views of those Forest fans need to be balanced against that.

As Barrs says, nothing to do with Notts C - it's hardly one of the bigger city football rivalries. Forest/Derby is the biggie in those parts.

 

He was despised at Forest due to his ridiculous, bullshit post-match interviews, his massive unjustified ego, his "direct" anti-football style of play, his lack of intelligence, persevering with tactics/players that don't work, bringing in physical "can do the dirty" types as opposed to play footballers with ability and nearly taking them down but for the saving grace of SOD coming in as coach.

 

Think that just about covers it.

Your views on Cotterill are very well known and you've simply repeated them again there, rather than summarising the thoughts of Forest fans.

Neither of us know if a significant number of Forest fans share any, let alone all of those views.

SC is absolutely despised by Forest fans, Nogbad.

If you say so Kid - perhaps being a former successful manager of Notts. County, leading them to a storming promotion and being idolised by their fans, didn't help him to get off on the right foot in that respect. 

It makes no difference really what a few vocal Forest fans on forums say, if a neutral read OTIB they would think Cotterill is absolutely detested here at BCFC, when of course that isn't the opinion generally held by City fans at all.

That's an extremely rose-tinted view, Nogbad.

 

If you ask Pompey fans for their opinions of him, the majority will be unfavourable. Forest staying up was more down to SOD, hence why he was appointed there manager at the end of that season. Burnley fans are a mixed bag, most say he at least stabilised the club but the football was very poor on the eye. His record at County was good, but even County fans say the team was far too good for that level, however, you do have to credit him for the win ratio he got there (albeit only for a small amount of games).

A bit perhaps Jordan, but it was an attempt to get some balance in response to a negative resume from Fiale.

Cotterill did a good job over all at all the clubs mentioned, and was outstanding at Cheltenham and Notts, County.

When you talk about the opinions of fans of former clubs they are often jaundiced by the way the manager left, or short periods of struggle just beforehand.

I'd maintain that his managerial record is pretty good, he certainly wasn't a failure or 'loser' at any of those 5 clubs, and the more balanced fans - the less bitter and reasoned majority with no axe to grind - would almost certainly credit him with doing a good job.

There are one or two other clubs where he had less of a positive effect, but perhaps a few ups and downs, and leaving critics in your wake, are to be expected in a managerial career spanning some 18 years.

For me the worrying thing about his career are he went to Stoke but resigned after 13 games, he went to Sunderland as asst mngr but him and the manager were sacked after 27 games, he had no managerial position for 2.5 years, he went to Notts County leaving after 3 months, and lasted only 9 months at Nottingham forest (getting a nice club record along the way of 10.5 hours of play without scoring at home (7 games or 2.5 months with no goals).

 

 

Even in a job with such a short life span as football management that is a worrying CV. I would never hire someone with that resume.

Or, looking at it another way.

He was very successful at Cheltenham with two promotions, and he became the Championship's longest serving manager at Burnley,

He is still revered by Notts.County fans after taking them to promotion. The Chairman's parting comments when Cotterill left to join Portsmouth, 'The job that Steve did here will live long in the memory of Notts. County fans, and, as is the mark of all great managers, he leaves the club in a much better position than when he arrived.'

He went on to stabilise Portsmouth when they were in complete turmoil.

After being in the relegation places he eventually preserved Forests' Championship status by a ten point margin.

Now, that doesn't sound so bad, does it? 

Ok, running with your theory then. Next question is, how do you know those 3 out of 10 not attending were solely down to the manager? There could obviously be many reasons why people don't attend after purchasing a season ticket.

 

And the question after that is, how many have returned now SC is in charge taking into consideration that obviously some may have already been disenchanted with his appointment and left already!

The crowds at AG were noticeably bigger after SO'D's departure.

I don't remember ever saying City should appoint Cotterill, and I'm not convinced by his appointment now, but the initial response at least was largely positive and reflected in increased attendances.

I don't know how many have left already - some, no doubt - but it struck me as an overwhelming thumbs down to SO'D immediately prior to his departure, and the crowds have certainly seemed larger and livelier since.

I don't think anyone has said SC (or SOD) were dishonest.    I expect most people understand why (or agree) that SOD had to go, results at the end of the day are king, but for me (and many others) it did feel like we could have have stuck with him (we will never know if it would have paid off or not). 

 

Of all our recent managers I would have been happy to give any of them more time. SC is the first I am just full stop unhappy with being appointed, that does not mean I want him to fail, or us to lose, you do not have to like the manager to support the club - hell I sincerely wish/hope he does prove me wrong, but in my heart I do not feel he can progress the club (even if we avoid relegation) in the way SOD/DEL could have if given long enough.

 

The fans have been starved of any success for years now, relegation battles for 4 season in a row (when we all felt we could finally be a decent Championship club) has embittered a lot of people. SOD was torn apart, and every word he said scrutinized to suit peoples view of him, and SC is suffering the same fate - if it was Roman times then SL would throw some slaves to the lions to sate our appetites. Instead we have the only visible face of the club, the manager, to scrutinize, blame,  and I fear SC will come under the same pressure (as he probably should) to get results and move the club forward.

Fiale - I have seen SC quite openly being labelled 'a liar' on this forum.

You said we want honesty from the club and we got it from SO'D. No problem with that, but I don't see any diminishment of honesty under SC. If he says things that might at the same time ingratiate him to the fans, but MEANS them, what's the problem?

As for Del, I was one of his biggest supporters on here and yes, I still believe we would be far better off now had we kept him and got rid of certain players instead at the first opportunity.

We've had 4/5 years of misery now and SO'D, and now Cotterill are feeling the resentment and disillusionment of fans built up over many years. It is very difficult for a manager to preach patience when so many supporters are at their wits end at the constant disappointment and failure from the club, particularly when that patience is given but little tangible progress is seen on the pitch.

I certainly don't recall anything like this level of abuse for SO'D - certainly not at this stage of his tenure when he was almost being given a free pass by many to oversee relegation.

If you thought SO'D had to go due to terrible results and the likely outcome, wouldn't the new manager - whoever he was - by avoiding relegation intrinsically progress the club. even if by dint of stabilising our status and not regressing further?

I absolutely agree that Cotterill should be scrutinised and be under extreme pressure to move the club forward - it comes with the job - but he is being pilloried more than any other I can remember at such an early stage.

I am not a fan of SC, I don't hate him either. I'm neutral but determined to be supportive rather than look for ways to tear him to shreds.

I do object to a manager who is clearly working hard for the club, doing his best, and showing some passion for our plight, being savaged on here before he's had a real chance to show whether he's going to benefit the club or not.

And before you say it, I remain convinced SO'D had ample time to show he was not going to do that.

Interesting, but SOD isn't allowed the same excuse I take it?

 

He was asked about his views of the fans at the Q & A and was full of praise for the fanbase. I suppose you will just come back with "well he would say that" but if SC had said it, it would've been oh so sincere and wonderful!

 

 

I think that to suggest a minimum of 2,500 season ticket holders were not attending due to SOD is laughable. Approx 30% of season ticket holders...na.

So you've said..

I think to suggest more than 7 out of 10 were turning up is equally ludicrous.

SC is a happy chappy and gets a bye, SOD was miserable so everything he did was an attack on the club / fans - Fans always say they want the club to be honest with them, along comes SOD, fans suddenly realise they don't like honesty after all - bring back the cliched, one of the lads, happy chappy manager, because for fans at the end of the day ignorance is bliss............   

SOD also said the same about the away support being "magnificant" "a shame the fans did not get the result they deserved" etc - 

 

It just reads that almost identical situations because one manager is a happier upbeat chap you choose to think all the possible best for him, and yet almost identical situations all the possible worst of another manager. It is so biased, and unfounded that it's shocking to actually read - all the moreso as you are usually a level headed decent poster.

I don't see anything dishonest in what SC has said.

I seem to be in the minority (on this thread certainly!) but's that's fine by me - those most disparaging of Cotterill seem to be those most embittered by SO'D's departure. 

I'm not. I'm very glad he's gone and though I'm far from convinced by Cotterill, it's obviously in our best interests now to support him and at least reserve judgement until we see whether he can keep us up.

If you think what I say is shocking I can only say I find the criticism of Cotterill, and everything he says and does, is absolutely mind blowing to me.

By what I normally consider to be level headed posters, as well.

And you know this how exactly??!! Pure speculation once again like your absurd comment that SOD was responsible for 2,500 season ticket holders not turning up! Face it, a manager attending a Q & A at a supporters pub and appearing on a fans' podcast is unprecedented and clearly an attempt to have dialogue with all aspects of the fanbase in a proactive manner.

 

 

Er...I seem to remember SOD being scathing of our performances on a couple of occasions, Wycombe springs to mind. So what? SC's charm offensive doesn't seem to be working, does it?

I said the 2,500 not turning up was a conservative estimate, and I absolutely stand by that.

It's not exactly difficult to look around such an empty ground and make such an estimate, whether you agree with it or not.

If you were there during SO'D's final games presumably you accept that a very significant amount of STH's were not attending?

strange you feel SCs words are being unfairly interpreted yet are using other supporters who unfairly interpreted SODs comments as proof he was no good with fans.

 

If SOD had no interest / did not care about fans he would not have done the Q&As and podcast that fans invited him to - he was not expected to do them, did not have to do them, no other manager I know of has done them like this - so he obviously wanted fans to know what was happening, what he was trying to do - which is the important thing.... so he wasn't a happy chappy you'd want a pint with moving pepper pots around showing you his formations.... so what, that doesn't make you a better manager.

 

 

Did Sc acknowledge fans on Saturday ?

I suspect on this occasion he was so furious and disappointed that his mind was firmly on getting into the dressing room quickly and laying into the players.

He did though make a made a point of saying, 'we had a great following here today, a great following, and we let them down big time.'