SimplyRed Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 I refer, of course, to John Ward's famous resignation as manager when he openly admitted he was out of his depth and didn't know what to do to put things right. In my personal opinion, I think he is rapidly approaching a position where he is not sure what to do to improve things. The difference between him and Ward is that Ward was man enough to admit his shortcomings and step down. Something I think the egotistical Johnson will never do. 1 point from 2 home games against poor opposition is relegation form. If Johnson is the manager some think he is, he needs to turn things around pretty fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Watts Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 I refer, of course, to John Ward's famous resignation as manager when he openly admitted he was out of his depth and didn't know what to do to put things right. In my personal opinion, I think he is rapidly approaching a position where he is not sure what to do to improve things. The difference between him and Ward is that Ward was man enough to admit his shortcomings and step down. Something I think the egotistical Johnson will never do. 1 point from 2 home games against poor opposition is relegation form. If Johnson is the manager some think he is, he needs to turn things around pretty fast. I have to say that I'm heading toward agreeing with you completely. We often say that Jamie McCombe is a League One player. He did a bloody good job for us at that level and took us up. He had a good first Championship season with us, but I think we all agree that that first season up here was a very weak league. He's now been found out and it really is apparent that league one is the highest that Boom Boom will ever realistically be able to perform at. And as much as I hate to say it, there is no reason whatsoever why the same thing may not be applied to GJ. He is an excellent lower league manager (and before anyone mentions it, Latvia may be international, but it's certainly lower league equivalent!), but there is still no evidence to suggest that he has the foggiest idea how to manage at this level. (Odd decisions that spring to mind are sending out the only fit right back in the squad on loan, giving the completely inept Ivan Sproule a new contract, selling our only left winger without a replacement lined up, turning down a £2m bid for a player who has only performed for half a season since signing, and signing players for big (for this club) fees and then not playing them or playing to their strengths (Clarkson and Trundle). This season in particular, our displays - despite the level of ability in the squad - have been inconsistent at best. Often it is those teams that feel that they are in no danger who are the ones to find themselves ingrained in a relegation dogfight, and our performances recently suggest that we fit the bill perfectly. We are in real danger of finding ourselves sucked into a battle. How 10,000 fans can see the problems that GJ is seemingly oblivious to is simply baffling. I still get that sense of excitement and anticipation on the morning of every match I attend, but I honestly cannot remember the last time I actually enjoyed myself while I was at the Gate watching the match. Our style of football is appallingly bad, and clearly does not suit the players we have. We have very good footballers, who have been reduced to kick and rush players, and that is just not we're about. I love the City - they are my biggest passion in life (besides family), but I do want to be entertained when I see them, which for the last two to three years, I cannot hand on heart say that I have been on anything like a regular basis. I so desperately want us to do well (though not necessarily go up) but I just cannot see that happening without a change at the top, which we cannot afford unless he falls on his sword. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macedonian_Red Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Mt first post here on the forum - been a reader for a number of years. I would be inclined to say that GJ has reached or is close to reaching his Danny Wilson moment. GJ has been fantastic. The word is has. Steve Lansdown has indicated that the club has gambled financially to reach the Premier League this season, but is the Manager capable? In my opinion, maybe not. Danny Wilson was sacked for not taking us to the next level; despite us being a competent competitive team in this league, we're not looking like going up, and I would keep GJ til New Year or end of the season, and then sack him. Sorry to say, but in real terms, we cannot afford this squad in this division. Everything is pointed to the Premier League. Johnson is not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Ferret Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Some of the kneejerk reaction on here is extraordinary We are only 2 points of the play offs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markman Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Some of the kneejerk reaction on here is extraordinary We are only 2 points of the play offs But that is the problem RF - yes we are - but it does not change the fact that we have played in a clueless fashion for 10 months now - we cannot live in the past - this Division is very very poor - the fact that we are 2pts off the play offs is the papering over the cracks problem - it does not makes us a good team, nor show that we are playing well or have good tactics - we don't have any of that and we are still 2pts of the play offs - the problem remains that it is a false position in a really poor Division - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windmillhillred Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 But that is the problem RF - yes we are - but it does not change the fact that we have played in a clueless fashion for 10 months now - we cannot live in the past - this Division is very very poor - the fact that we are 2pts off the play offs is the papering over the cracks problem - it does not makes us a good team, nor show that we are playing well or have good tactics - we don't have any of that and we are still 2pts of the play offs - the problem remains that it is a false position in a really poor Division - It's nowhere near as poor a division as it was in the season we finished fourth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Some of the kneejerk reaction on here is extraordinary We are only 2 points of the play offs Thats not the point. Its the lack of flair and entertainment that many fans are complaining about. Johnson has stuck so far with pretty much the same tactics all season and its worked for about an hour in all those games. Some one posted yesterday that City's style of play is predictable, hard to beat but predictable all the same and thats quite right. Yeaterday Roy Keane would have know exactly what his team were up against and set them out accordingly. I'm pretty sure that Johnson will go with the same against at Leicester on Tuesday night even though they got stuffed 5-1 yesterday and an early City goal would likely shatter their fragile confidence. He'll be ultra cautious, try not to lose and point out that Leicester will be a wounded animal and want to bounce straight back from an embaressing defeat. He'll adopt the same stratagy that worked at Forest which means that City will barely threaten Chris Weales goal. I'm glad I'm not able to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Hitler Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Macedonian Red's comparison to Danny Wilson is the better one. We stuck with Danny for a long time and eventually changed because he was unable to take the Club up to the next level. He was a decent manager for us, and for other clubs, but we stalled. He was given every opportunity until his contract expired and then it was not renewed. Are we in the same boat with GJ? Possibly, but unless he looks like taking us down he will be given this season and next season and probably the season after that. The current tactics are baffling, but if he signs a decent left winger in the January window and goes for width, in the 4-4-2 formation we all love, then with the squad we have we should storm up the table and all this will be forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Are we in the same boat with GJ? Possibly, but unless he looks like taking us down he will be given this season and next season and probably the season after that. Not yet but if the criticism from the stands continues and begins to get louder Johnson position would eventually become untenable. If it looks like he's run out of idea's and City are struggling in the wrong half of the table then, in this results buisness Lansdown would not be able to ignore that. He could ignore the discontent of the fans, decreasing attendences and ST sales next season but not poor results. We have cause to be gloomy at this moment in time but a couple of wins away and decent peformance against Reading would soon cheer us all up. To achieve that of course Johnson would have to re-think his stratagy, play players in their best positions, adopt some width and send out the team with instructions to adopt a pacy attacking style.......No-one I spoke with yesterday could see that happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimplyRed Posted December 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Some of the kneejerk reaction on here is extraordinary We are only 2 points of the play offs Sure, but we're heading downwards. If we're 'only 2 points off the playoffs', why didn't we pick those up yesterday at home against a poor side who will struggle against relegation this year? We have been stagnating for months and our home form is neither attractive or effective. Hardly 'kneejerk'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bully Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 I refer, of course, to John Ward's famous resignation as manager when he openly admitted he was out of his depth and didn't know what to do to put things right. In my personal opinion, I think he is rapidly approaching a position where he is not sure what to do to improve things. The difference between him and Ward is that Ward was man enough to admit his shortcomings and step down. Something I think the egotistical Johnson will never do. 1 point from 2 home games against poor opposition is relegation form. If Johnson is the manager some think he is, he needs to turn things around pretty fast. I'm not sure why people are surprised at GJ's shortcomings- or seek to defend them. He's never managed at CCC level until he went there with us, and only experienced any success from the age of 47 with Yeovil after having been fired by Cambridge and Kettering and walking out on Latvia. He, like some of 'his players' have punched above their weight for a few seasons now for which they should be commended, but I do believe he is out of his depth, as they are. That sounds critical I know, but just like McCombe and LJ, its not his fault - he does his best i'm sure but it isn't good enough for a club that (according to the chairman) has plans to play at the highest level. I do not believe he can improve - but if SL is happy then thats that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_BCFC Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Sure, but we're heading downwards. If we're 'only 2 points off the playoffs', why didn't we pick those up yesterday at home against a poor side who will struggle against relegation this year? We have been stagnating for months and our home form is neither attractive or effective. Hardly 'kneejerk'. Ipswich will not be down there at end. They haven't lost for 7 games and are beginning to win a few as well. They were far from one of the worst sides I've seen. But we aren't heading anywhere fast either at the moment until we get some wingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunley Legend Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Some of the kneejerk reaction on here is extraordinary We are only 2 points of the play offs We haven't won for five matches, have not won at home on a Saturday since August, have only won away once this season, have only won 6 out of 19 matches (albeit we are solid enough not to lose many) and are playing uninspiring football MOST weeks. Hardly a kneejerk reaction is it? The fact that we are still only two points off the play offs is leading me to think that the Championship is a mediocre division with very few quality teams to be honest. What I find truly extraordinary is that there really are people out there who truly believe that we are playing good football most of the time. Words fail me on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City_pete1 Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Some of the kneejerk reaction on here is extraordinary We are only 2 points of the play offs If you take the opinion that everything is based on the league table, then you are correct. However, If you base it on the football that has been played by city and the flaws that are not being addressed - then most would agree it has been poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipdawg Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 I have to say its worrying that Johnson doesn't seem to be learning the lessons that seem obvious to the rest of us (4-4-2 with no wingers, playing LJ when he has the option not to, letting McCombe anywhere near the pitch, etc), but to get rid of him now seems ludicrous to me. GJ and Mr Lansdown have obviously gambled on possibly getting up this season and we've made quite a few signings that have excited this forum. But we are not even half way through this season and still in with a decent chance of the play offs and i think we have to let Gary play his hand, as it were, over the course of the season Anyway, who would replace him? If we brought someone in to replace him they would be hamstrung by the wage bill and unable to make the changes they would invariably want to make until the summer and no one really stands out as a candidate to come in anyway Let this season play out and see where we stand in May; while I think the inconsistency we suffer from at the minute is troubling, i still think Gary Johnson is our best chance of going up this season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan Tansley Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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