A Club In Slow Decline

[tully]

Collectively the football club has been in a slow decline over a long period.

Out of the last 70 championship fixtures we won just 17.

During that time we have had 3 permanent managers and one caretaker manager.

Also during that time we have signed approximately 30 players either permanently or on loan.

Some will say we should have retained GJ however 11 wins out of 50 league games meant a change was needed - after all we keep on being told football is a results business!!

Relegation looms large and it seems that the management/coaching team seem totally unable to organise the team defensively.

We have simply taken a collective eye off the ball and the 'new ground' saga has had an effect.

I hope I am watching championship football next season but I fear not.

[reddogkev]

Why are you posting this?

More doom and gloom. May as well change the name of this forum and attach a number for the samaritans.

You lose games in football, you have bad patches, then you recover, its a non-stop cycle of ups and downs.

You make it sound like BCFC is about to cease to exist!!!!!!!!!!

[tully]

Why are you posting this?

More doom and gloom. May as well change the name of this forum and attach a number for the samaritans.

You lose games in football, you have bad patches, then you recover, its a non-stop cycle of ups and downs.

You make it sound like BCFC is about to cease to exist!!!!!!!!!!

70 games is a little bit more than a 'bad patch'!

However i take your point about adding to the doom and gloom. Its just borne out of frustration that it took 10 years to get back to a decent level of football and we are going to bin it in double quick time!

[chinapig]

Why are you posting this?

More doom and gloom. May as well change the name of this forum and attach a number for the samaritans.

You lose games in football, you have bad patches, then you recover, its a non-stop cycle of ups and downs.

You make it sound like BCFC is about to cease to exist!!!!!!!!!!

So after 17 wins in 70 games (a 75% failure rate), when do you expect the "bad patch" to end? Just as well Keith isn't so complacent. Oh, hang on ...

[Roger Red Hat]

17 wins from 70 games is a particularly sobering stat, when you consider people are suggesting we need to win 15 from the remaining 35 this season just to have a shot at staying up!

[reddogkev]

So after 17 wins in 70 games (a 75% failure rate), when do you expect the "bad patch" to end? Just as well Keith isn't so complacent. Oh, hang on ...

Most of that percentage was the reason GJ was moved on. Keith's percentage isn't that bad yet. I do feel we need a new manager - because this task is too big for Keith, and he would probably acknowledge this now.

A new manager could quickly turn this around, as Coppell would have done if hadn't bailed on us when the going got a little tough.

[chinapig]

Most of that percentage was the reason GJ was moved on. Keith's percentage isn't that bad yet. I do feel we need a new manager - because this task is too big for Keith, and he would probably acknowledge this now.

A new manager could quickly turn this around, as Coppell would have done if hadn't bailed on us when the going got a little tough.

But Keith was coach throughout that period and the evidence is that he is incapable of coaching a defence. The Championship is no place to give someone an apprenticeship in management. And judging by his comments yesterday Keith does not acknowledge at all that he is out of his depth and regards the job as nothing more than a learning opportunity for himself. I see no sign that he would walk so he will have to be pushed. Problem is Steve is so focused on the stadium (and rarely at the club these days) that I don't see that happening any time soon either. Perhaps we should scale the stadium plan down to 10,000.

[Chappers]

Also during that time we have signed approximately 30 players either permanently or on loan.

I think this is a really scary stat.

[reddogkev]

But Keith was coach throughout that period and the evidence is that he is incapable of coaching a defence. The Championship is no place to give someone an apprenticeship in management. And judging by his comments yesterday Keith does not acknowledge at all that he is out of his depth and regards the job as nothing more than a learning opportunity for himself. I see no sign that he would walk so he will have to be pushed. Problem is Steve is so focused on the stadium (and rarely at the club these days) that I don't see that happening any time soon either. Perhaps we should scale the stadium plan down to 10,000.

If I was SL I would give Keith this week to show further improvement. I definitely feel that today was an improvement, yes we conceded 3 again, but we have shown a goal scoring threat. I feel we can beat Reading on Tuesday, based on the players in the squad and not the recent form. If we have 2 more defeats this week, then a change is inevitable and SL would know this.

Put it this way, a win and a draw this week and Keith stays, a defeat and we see a new man in charge for the middlesbro game.

[ralphindevon]

Why are you posting this?

More doom and gloom. May as well change the name of this forum and attach a number for the samaritans.

You lose games in football, you have bad patches, then you recover, its a non-stop cycle of ups and downs.

You make it sound like BCFC is about to cease to exist!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think it's that doom and gloom,

I have supported them for 33 years and seen more relegations than promotions, never seen them win a league, seen them more in the bottom two leagues than the top two, never won a play-off final and hold the record of the worst promotion in history, when after leading the division for ages our local hated rivals beat us 3 0 and pinch the title from us.

We are Bristol City, we're stuck with it and we are miserable.

[old parkender]

You hit the nail on the head ralph!!

Bristol city were made to disapoint!

[bucksred]

Most of that percentage was the reason GJ was moved on. Keith's percentage isn't that bad yet. I do feel we need a new manager - because this task is too big for Keith, and he would probably acknowledge this now.

A new manager could quickly turn this around, as Coppell would have done if hadn't bailed on us when the going got a little tough.

His percentage last season is first class.

This season however its worse than what Paulo Sousa (a better manager as well) got the Mandaric order of the boot for...and it dont look like its gonna get ay better any time soon.

Millen cant sort this out, the two managers hes been assistant to couldnt stop the rot, when it started, so its time to change, BEFORE its too late. Palarse have an excuse for being this shit, having just survived last seasons antics. we on the other hand have a chairman who's always laid out money for all recent managers to get good players in.

Millen doesn't know what a good player is, his immediate predecessor bottled it as soon as he saw the level of work required, and the one before that kept the same players on long after their sell by date, leading to the mess we are currently enduring. the football is as crap as Johnson dying days in charge here

[Martyn Hocking]

Collectively the football club has been in a slow decline over a long period.

Good news Tully - that period of slow decline has ended.

We are now in freefall !!!

[bristolcitysweden]

It's not a club in decline. After decades of dull football leading nowhere we are actually trying to play football. Scary, scary. Besides that we are about to get a new stadium which is far more important than most of the dead meat strolling around the pitch. We are a club on the rise. What's the point in continuing with the former rubbish for another one hundred years??

[chinapig]

It's not a club in decline. After decades of dull football leading nowhere we are actually trying to play football. Scary, scary. Besides that we are about to get a new stadium which is far more important0 than most of the dead meat strolling around the pitch. We are a club on the rise.

Presumably you missed Keith saying we were changing to a long ball game (presumably he thinks we were playing an attractive passing game until now)? The stadium is a big if, and a non-starter if we get relegated. Still if you can spin bottom of the table, shipping goals and our worst start for donkeys years as being on the rise there is a job for you in politics.

[WellRedPhil]

Collectively the football club has been in a slow decline over a long period.

Out of the last 70 championship fixtures we won just 17.

During that time we have had 3 permanent managers and one caretaker manager.

Also during that time we have signed approximately 30 players either permanently or on loan.

Some will say we should have retained GJ however 11 wins out of 50 league games meant a change was needed - after all we keep on being told football is a results business!!

Relegation looms large and it seems that the management/coaching team seem totally unable to organise the team defensively.

We have simply taken a collective eye off the ball and the 'new ground' saga has had an effect.

I hope I am watching championship football next season but I fear not.

A particularly doomy, but equally interesting post. People say all this negativity is bad, but we have to be honest, is that not the point of a public forum? Things are not looking good and there are some particularly startling statistics in this post. We need to improve drastically and very, very quickly.

[Calculus]

I don't think it's that doom and gloom,

I have supported them for 33 years and seen more relegations than promotions, never seen them win a league, seen them more in the bottom two leagues than the top two, never won a play-off final and hold the record of the worst promotion in history, when after leading the division for ages our local hated rivals beat us 3 0 and pinch the title from us.

We are Bristol City, we're stuck with it and we are miserable.

I have pretty much the same emotion about the past ... although if you look at it calmly this isn't of course true. 33 years ago City were a second tier club and still are now. In that time they must have gone up as much as down, just to be at the same level now. I do agree though that it does seem there have been more downs than ups - so why are we all so bl**dy pessimistic at the Gate? (Not criticising by the way, I'm just as bad if not worse).

[bristolcitysweden]

Presumably you missed Keith saying we were changing to a long ball game (presumably he thinks we were playing an attractive passing game until now)? The stadium is a big if, and a non-starter if we get relegated. Still if you can spin bottom of the table, shipping goals and our worst start for donkeys years as being on the rise there is a job for you in politics.

With Rose we are trying to play a passing game. To do that you need football players. Going more straight forward got to do with Cardiff being superior to us. Don't hide away. Tackle the problems.

We need an experienced central midfielder and an experienced centre back. We are as close as that!

[Tales From The Front]

I can see where the OP is coming from, in terms of our current plight forget the real serious stuff of 1982 for a moment.

I've posted before more remedial work should have been done the close season before last, three of the defenders who played today have been good servants but should have been moved on. It cost Gary Johnson his job and it just hasn't been resolved as the signings of Stewart and Hunt have not worked todate so we have returnned to those that shippded goals for fun last season. It really shouldn't be that much of a surprise.

And as for the long ball stuff...its truley is awful. I'll give credit for the way the team came out of the blocks but other than Haynes very bad miss a 2-2 which of course would have changed things, based on the play alone there was only one winner after they pulled a goal back. We simpley do not play a passing game of any sort at all its all channel balls fromt he back and I'm sorry but that begins and ends witht he coaching staff.....it really isnt good enough.

[WellRedPhil]

With Rose we are trying to play a passing game. To do that you need football players. Going more straight forward got to do with Cardiff being superior to us. Don't hide away. Tackle the problems.

We need am experienced central midfielder and a centre back. We are as close as that.

We're really not. Throwing money at the situation is not always the answer, and the fact we've signed around 30 players either permanently or on loan in the last 2 years shows this. The problems go a little deeper than this and we are not getting turned over week in week out because we are trying to play a passing game. We didn't try to play a passing game today, we were direct and scored from 2 set pieces.

[chinapig]

With Rose we are trying to play a passing game. To do that you need football players. Going more straight forward got to do with Cardiff being superior to us. Don't hide away. Tackle the problems.

We need am experienced central midfielder and a centre back. We are as close as that.

Sorry to repeat myself but Keith himself has said we are going long ball. As for Rose he has had no impact at all, though he has largely been played out of position. The fact that Keith was delighted to finally get a left sided player and then doesn't play him there tells us all we need to know about his management imo.

[GrahamC]

His percentage last season is first class.

This season however its worse than what Paulo Sousa (a better manager as well) got the Mandaric order of the boot for...and it don't look like its gonna get any better any time soon.

Millen cant sort this out, the two managers hes been assistant to couldnt stop the rot, when it started, so its time to change, BEFORE its too late. Palarse have an excuse for being this shit, having just survived last seasons antics. we on the other hand have a chairman who's always laid out money for all recent managers to get good players in.

Millen doesn't know what a good player is, his immediate predecessor bottled it as soon as he saw the level of work required, and the one before that kept the same players on long after their sell by date, leading to the mess we are currently enduring. the football is as crap as Johnson dying days in charge here

Too right.

We need someone with experience of getting teams out of the mire and that's why a yard dog like Megson would be my choice and there's a reason why he'd come, too and why the likes of O'Driscoll won't, in that he's out of work and needs a job.

Just to recommend him even more- I loved the story in midweek that Elmander said Megson just shouted at him all the time at Bolton, exactly what our shower need.....

Plus as much as I'd like to see Howe or Tisdale in the frame they'd be much better bets next summer when there would be plenty of time to bulid- something anyone coming now just doesn't have.

[Economou]

Too right.

We need someone with experience of getting teams out of the mire and that's why a yard dog like Megson would be my choice and there's a reason why he'd come, too and why the likes of O'Driscoll won't, in that he's out of work and needs a job.

Just to recommend him even more- I loved the story in midweek that Elmander said Megson just shouted at him all the time at Bolton, exactly what our shower need.....

Plus as much as I'd like to see Howe or Tisdale in the frame they'd be much better bets next summer when there would be plenty of time to bulid- something anyone coming now just doesn't have.

Sort of agree, do you think Megson would bring his own players in or are the players here tough enough and just need an experienced hand to guide them ?

[Tales From The Front]

We're really not. Throwing money at the situation is not always the answer, and the fact we've signed around 30 players either permanently or on loan in the last 2 years shows this. The problems go a little deeper than this and we are not getting turned over week in week out because we are trying to play a passing game. We didn't try to play a passing game today, we were direct and scored from 2 set pieces.

That is very true, spot on if fact but the problem is, that was the sort of football that Puils was abused for and still is. I dont like it but if you are going to play that style at least sign players that can play it, nobody can tell me the BIG squad we have will accumilate to mnay more points playing that way. Managers who go for this style depend on a water tight defence ours as I know you will agree is anything but.

[bristolcitysweden]

Sorry to repeat myself but Keith himself has said we are going long ball. As for Rose he has had no impact at all, though he has largely been played out of position. The fact that Keith was delighted to finally get a left sided player and then doesn't play him there tells us all we need to know about his management imo.

A superior side forces you to play long ball. It's nothing to be ashamed of going more long ball against a side like Cardiff. Rose is a creative football player. I don't mind having him central as I expect a game of football.

[chinapig]

A superior side forces you to play long ball. It's nothing to be ashamed of going more long ball against a side like Cardiff. Rose is a creative football player. I don't mind having him central as I expect a game of football.

Dear me, so if Johnson plays long ball he's crap but if Millen does he's being clever? He did not say we would just go long ball against Cardiff but that we were going long ball full stop. Rose may be creative but we are not going to see much of that given the tactics and selection. He was explicitly signed to play on the left as Keith said at the time. In midfield he has neither the strength nor the stamina for Championship football and looks a fish out of water. Much like Keith in fact.

[GrahamC]

Sort of agree, do you think Megson would bring his own players in or are the players here tough enough and just need an experienced hand to guide them ?

I think we can get more out of what we have and Megson would certainly organise and motivate them much better, but we simply don't have 4 defenders of our own good enough for this level now, in my opinion.

[bristolcitysweden]

Dear me, so if Johnson plays long ball he's crap but if Millen does he's being clever? He did not say we would just go long ball against Cardiff but that we were going long ball full stop. Rose may be creative but we are not going to see much of that given the tactics and selection. He was explicitly signed to play on the left as Keith said at the time. In midfield he has neither the strength nor the stamina for Championship football and looks a fish out of water. Much like Keith in fact.

Dream on. We are not going play long ball full stop. We have not got the team to do that.

Rose is 21 and a very good player in coming.

[chinapig]

Dream on. We are not going play long ball full stop. We have not got the team to do that.

Rose is 21 and a very good player in coming.

So Keith was lying? Perhaps you should tell him to dream on. I may not rate him as a manager but I have no reason to believe he is a liar.

[Tales From The Front]

I think we can get more out of what we have and Megson would certainly organise and motivate them much better, but we simply don't have 4 defenders of our own good enough for this level now, in my opinion.

That is the problem this football club has been obseessed with signing strikers, contiunally beleiving that s where the problems was, we are all getting a right kick in the pants becuase we still do not creat enough and more imoprtantly we just cannot defend and are relaint on defenders that are past their best.