Gj's 2009

[bully]

The problem with Stewart was that at the time Gary Johnson was only in his first season managing at any level higher than League 2.

Since then his stock has considerably risen, so much so that many outsiders view him as one of the best managers outside the top flight. This helps generate a respect from players that clearly wasn't there in the Stewart case. Without the respect of your workforce it is very difficult to be a manager in any vocation.

I think we will be better placed to judge on how he is viewed at the end of January, if a player/players have actually chosen City over comparable rivals .

It doesn't really matter who he has or had in his squads, because everyone (I think) knows that changes must happen, and where those changes are needed.

GJ has made mistakes in his buys, but all managers do - we don't have the finances to make too many of them, as the quality and cost of players needed to compete at this level is high.

If he buys right, ships out pragmatically, and has a good second half to the season, then his job in squad building will be easier next summer, as City will be regarded as a more attractive proposition by players who aren't close to their sell by date, or unwanted by anyone else.

[Port Said Red]

Theres a list of players that we know GJ failed to sign or got rid of, it's quite interesting to note where they are now.

Grant Holt - League 2

Jermaine Easter - On loan somewhere at a level below us I believe

Michael Mifsud - 1 goal in 16 games for Coventry this season, lighting up the league....

Moteab (or whatever you want to call him) - on loan to some Saudi side, clearly chasing the money instead of the dream.

Stewart - What did he really do after he left us that warrants his name being raised every 5 minutes?

Bridges - Back at Carlisle, actually scored a goal over Xmas, some people shouldn't really leave home should they?

Flapper - Nuff said!

There are probably other examples, and now doubt people will come up with a list of players that will make an alternative point. Everyone of those I have named, there was criticism in some quarters of his inability to reach an agreement with them.

Of the players that are here, I would suggest that McIndoe appears to have an ego that exceeds his ability but not many others. I certainly wouldn't put Trundle in that category, he appears to be confident enough in his ability which is a good thing.

Johnson has made it clear from day one that he wants players that can improve themselves as well as the squad, that has led to him signing players with "something" that he thought he could get out of them, but ultimately he failed to do (Bas Savage or Kerr). In the case of Bas though, I would suggest that thanks to his time here he is now playing and scoring at a level far beyond the one many thought he was capable of.

The important thing isn't whether they have an ego, (all players need one to play well) but whether the ego gets in the way of them doing what they are told, or improving their game.

[Drew Peacock]

It just seems we have a squad made of lower league players,

So has Mick McCarthy!

[Rednready]

To me his challenge is to move us forward now whilst also reducing the average age of the squad.

I can't see Adebola being with us beyond the summer, whilst whether John is will surely depend on how he fares in 2009 and also if we can move Trundle on.

Not at all worried about Basso's age, 34 is nothing for a keeper and McAllister being 30 is less of an issue to me than his recent tendency to miss increasing numbers of games.

Carey will get another deal, I'm sure, whilst Murray's future with us has to be off the field.

Sorry for the delay, been sick for a couple of days. I agree about Basso but I am concerned about Carey and McAllister and their increasing time off with injuries/cards. They will not get faster or fitter. Adebola, Trundle and John will have their next contracts decided by Akinde and the new signing Shriver In any event, if we wish to progress, Adebola, John and Trundle will need to be elsewhere next season, we cannot be a refuge for old pros on the slide.

[SimplyRed]

You said that Johnson couldn't handle players with big egos - surely your "opinion" must be based on something to make such a claim. All that's being asked is how you came to such a conclusion. Is that really an unfair request? If you tell us why you think that then maybe we will all agree with you!!

I have no evidence to support my opinion. Unlike some of the moderators and posters on this forum (it seems), I do not have a direct line to the information and business of a privately owned company.

However, I do read the papers and reports on the club website and, from my own gut feeling and attempting to read between the lines of the stories that are made public, I honestly believe that Johnson has an enormous ego that must be massaged by his minions, or suffer the consequences of his wrath.

You don't have to have a bigger ego than the players you manage, but it seems to me that Johnson needs that dominance. For that reason, I don't think we will ever see top quality players at our club while Johnson is in charge.

I've always been honest about my opinion of Johnson. While nobody can deny the success he has brought to the club and the progress we've made, I've never warmed to him and he's never convinced me to trust him, or to accept that everything he says and does is for the good of the club.

I don't know the man at all on a personal level and he may well be the nicest chap you could ever meet, but his public face always seems to project that "cockney wide-boy" image to me, and I don't like that.

Sorry, call me deeply cynical if you wish, but it's just how I feel

[cheese]

I have no evidence to support my opinion. Unlike some of the moderators and posters on this forum (it seems), I do not have a direct line to the information and business of a privately owned company.

However, I do read the papers and reports on the club website and, from my own gut feeling and attempting to read between the lines of the stories that are made public, I honestly believe that Johnson has an enormous ego that must be massaged by his minions, or suffer the consequences of his wrath.

You don't have to have a bigger ego than the players you manage, but it seems to me that Johnson needs that dominance. For that reason, I don't think we will ever see top quality players at our club while Johnson is in charge.

I've always been honest about my opinion of Johnson. While nobody can deny the success he has brought to the club and the progress we've made, I've never warmed to him and he's never convinced me to trust him, or to accept that everything he says and does is for the good of the club.

I don't know the man at all on a personal level and he may well be the nicest chap you could ever meet, but his public face always seems to project that "cockney wide-boy" image to me, and I don't like that.

Sorry, call me deeply cynical if you wish, but it's just how I feel

Fair enough. Thanks.

[windmillhillred]

I think we will be better placed to judge on how he is viewed at the end of January, if a player/players have actually chosen City over comparable rivals .

Fine, but we need to start realising that our comparable rivals in this league aren't Reading, Wolves or Brum. In terms of fan-base, history etc etc we are still a small club at this level, and we also have a wage structure that is quite correctly strict. It's like the stuff about Mancienne coming on loan - I'm sure there were some saying that it was Johnson's fault he didn't come, and an example that players don't want to play for him, whereas the truth is simple - Wolves are a bigger club than us. Not saying that will never change, but it's certainly a fact right now.

[bully]

Fine, but we need to start realising that our comparable rivals in this league aren't Reading, Wolves or Brum. In terms of fan-base, history etc etc we are still a small club at this level, and we also have a wage structure that is quite correctly strict. It's like the stuff about Mancienne coming on loan - I'm sure there were some saying that it was Johnson's fault he didn't come, and an example that players don't want to play for him, whereas the truth is simple - Wolves are a bigger club than us. Not saying that will never change, but it's certainly a fact right now.

Fair comment - I wouldn't sign for City if Wolves, Brum or Reading were interested.

We aren't a small club though - our attendances make us at worst 'average' I think, and there's not many better places to live.

We need to be seen as a club going places though, and that's why I think if GJ does the right things this month and we end up in a credible position, we will be able to attract decent players more easily next summer.

[Robbored]

I honestly believe that Johnson has an enormous ego that must be massaged by his minions, or suffer the consequences of his wrath.

You don't have to have a bigger ego than the players you manage, but it seems to me that Johnson needs that dominance. For that reason, I don't think we will ever see top quality players at our club while Johnson is in charge.

I've always been honest about my opinion of Johnson. While nobody can deny the success he has brought to the club and the progress we've made, I've never warmed to him and he's never convinced me to trust him, or to accept that everything he says and does is for the good of the club.

I don't know the man at all on a personal level and he may well be the nicest chap you could ever meet, but his public face always seems to project that "cockney wide-boy" image to me, and I don't like that.

Sorry, call me deeply cynical if you wish, but it's just how I feel

I don't think that your view is cynical at all. You are not alone in views on Johnson and his ego and how much it might get in the way of top quality players signing for City. The 'Johnson's ego' topic is one that I have heard being discussed amongst fans plenty of times.

You have put very clearly how his public image leads you to percieve Johnson and certainly his run-in with Marcus Stewart (like it or not Stewart had been a quality player who had been there and done it) didn't help his public image.

I've met Johnson plenty of times and apart from once never had a problem with him. He is quite rightly very professional in his dealings with fans, the press and TV and he never discloses anything that won't be the press next day. I once had a very interesting chat with him about substitutions and he was very accomodating and informative. I remember another informal chat I had with him in the Atyeo car park sometime ago and once again he was very pleasant and down to earth.

He has an 'inner circle' of people close to him at AG. His brother, Pete. Kieth Millen and just a few others. They are people who he respects and trusts completely which is why very few clues about transfer ins and outs ever leak out.Thats the way it should be imo.

I would say that he's a decent bloke who would make a loyal mate but would be your worst enemy should you cross him. I'm not sure that I'd want him to be my boss.