Every Supporter Should Read This....

[Natty Red]

Newbie here. Not getting into any arguments but the gaffer has a good track record and the sags would have loved him but looks like they could not give him the power he wanted. I truly believe he will get us playing very good football but not what many want to see with wingers and physicality. His style is pragmatic and in keeping possession and he is a great coach going by the Donny forum. Give the guy a real chance.

[Eco]

V interesting notes especially the bit about changing it slightly for the Derby game, begs the question of how they'll approach Burnley, will he revert to Plan A or maybe he's got a Plan C.

You can see why SOD prefers the Head Coach title, think he sees himself as an educator, he'd be brilliant in the classroom but maybe one of those teachers you respect rather than have affection for.

[Welcome To The Jungle]

Blimey the man can't win can he. He gets slated for the recent tactics and results, and when he comes out and explains what he is trying to do (which by the way im sure 99% of managers wouldnt feel the need to do) he gets accused of being condesending. My take on that article is that odriscoll is fully aware this crop of players arent capable of much, very intelligent man and I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing his first full season, even if it is very likely it will be in league one.

This, This and More This. How many other managers take the time to write that after a devastating defeat the day before all but condemning relegation. The man talks nothing but sense. He's only been here a few months and has made our shower of shite resemble a football team. Some fickle fans on here who can't see the shit for the inner lining of their own ass

[Brizzle Jordan]

SOD is possibly the best manager we could wish for in League One. He will be probably the most impressive manager in that division and with some funds and backing from us fans, we will be well prepared for giving League One a right good go.

[Clevedon Red]

An excellent insight.......worth a read.

[DancinDannyD]

So he can talk a good game ... One of the reasons McGhee lasted so long across the city was because he was actually quite likeable and also talked very well about football. However, 'on the field' he couldn't deliver despite all the rhetoric. As a result he was probably relieved of duties at least a month too late.

Surely any new manager joining a team rock bottom has to go for a 'quick fix' for getting emergency results first to climb out of danger, and THEN consider a nice longer term plan to build bottom up. Dare I mention John Ward across the city : we were 92nd at Xmas. If the league had started on the day he joined, Rovers would be top of the table. Fact. No other side can match our record in the last 19 games.

He came in, looked at the issues and fixed them.

What I hear from SOD is nice sensible mid to longer term plans, but sadly (for you) nothing that will keep you in the Championship this season. Nice sound bites, but nothing that has halted your demise.

And as I think someone has already said on here, ALL new managers come in with great ideas and 'talk the talk' when being appointed. Only time will tell if SOD can 'walk the walk' as well ...

[garlicbread]

So he can talk a good game ... One of the reasons McGhee lasted so long across the city was because he was actually quite likeable and also talked very well about football. However, 'on the field' he couldn't deliver despite all the rhetoric. As a result he was probably relieved of duties at least a month too late.

Surely any new manager joining a team rock bottom has to go for a 'quick fix' for getting emergency results first to climb out of danger, and THEN consider a nice longer term plan to build bottom up.

The easiest way to shed a squad full of overpaid underachievers and completely build again is to go down, shed all you want and then build

[Milo]

The written word is easily misinterpreted and it’s a shame that Ralph and some others have interpreted it as condescending. I read it as an attempt by the new man to communicate with supporters and to try and explain some of the points that, judging by conversations I’ve had, radio phone ins I’ve listened to and posts on this forum that I’ve read, have not yet been widely understood. For a manager often accused on here as being not media friendly I’ve been impressed by how much he communicates and hope he continues to explain what he’s doing and why.

Ralph, on the point about not feeling praise is due for players getting the basics right I recommend you read the article, especially as you are asking for points of view that might challenge your own. In the article SOD addresses your point specifically:

“Can we always display the right attitude, show enthusiasm and be energetic even in the face of adversity? People may think those things should be a given, but trust me, when things are going against you they can be unbelievably difficult to do.”

For me, this touches on a point that I feel has gained traction amongst supporters – that the players haven’t been giving their all. While I’ve seen the individual and team performances that have led to supporters reaching this conclusion it has never felt logical to me that players would willingly choose to put in a poor performance. A far more likely explanation is that stress, pressure, negative self-talk, fear, shouts from the crowd etc. have a cumulative and damaging effect on performance.

Don’t you ever find that sometimes you yourself in your own work don’t achieve what you should or perform as well as you know you can? If so are there periods of time when you underperform for a sustained period? Because I think that’s human nature if you do. You might find some ways yourself of dealing with it and those of us who have experienced good management know that there are ways that a good boss can help you get through it. That’s what I think SOD is explaining he’s trying to do and I suspect he recognises that he might achieve this more quickly if one of the potential detractors to this (the understandable negativity of supporters of a relegated football team) can understand this too.

[elhombrecito]

Always very impressed with everything I read from O'Driscoll. Very happy that he's in charge whatever division we're in next year (okay, League 1).

[italian dave]

Very impressive read. The bit that really struck true to me, and hadn't thought of, was the change of tactic at Derby, gave us more possession than any other game, but our worst defeat. It's quite obvious that shutting up shop isn't SOD's preferred tactic, but it's the most effective given the current squad of players and their evidently limited capabilities.

[bucksred]

SOD is possibly the best manager we could wish for in League One. He will be probably the most impressive manager in that division and with some funds and backing from us fans, we will be well prepared for giving League One a right good go.

I suspect the cheque book will not be opened too often. Most of SOD's spending money will come, I feel from the sales of any of our numerous piss takers, and the smaller number of decent players we have who WILL bail out next season. We will have to create a substantially new team, and thus next season will be a struggle, but the following season will be a whole lot more interesting.

First task is getting rid of the numerous wasters/underperformers which seriously afflict City, and by some fantastic flue hanging onto our good uns.

SOD is quite likely to be the best manager in the division next season, our squad however is far from it..