The Exiled Robin Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 New on the Exiled Robin: My season review from last season remains my most read and commented on piece to date. Sadly another has had to follow along of a more depressing nature. Would be great to know what you think. http://exiledrobin.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/down-and-out-bristol-city-season-review.html?m=1 Please share it, tweet it if you're on Twitter, comment and reply - it's always great to know how close to the mark you feel I've got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 Perfectly put. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Exile Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 A very fair summary of the season and the current state of play. A good read - if depressing. The only thing I'd take issue with is any sense that the City support had it coming to them...the sense that we had success too soon in the Championship and maybe became greedy and impatient. Like many on here I have watched City for decades. The frustration at not pushing on when GJ left comes not from impatience - it comes from the realisation that from the moment Coppell walked and Millen was appointed a precious opportunity had been missed, one that won't come again for a long time...if ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 Overall, a pretty good blog, maybe could have mentioned Danns positive contribution, but forgetting McManus was understandable. If looking longer term, the lack of Academy players and scouting for young gems (Like Albert and Bolasie) are a lot of the problem. Why bring in Foster when you have Joe Edwards? Endlessly relying on bringing in experienced players and making huge losses will eventually lead to disaster, as proven. For years I've moaned about bringing in quantity rather than quality. Disagree about Coppell/ Millen, I think it was hen SL realised it ain't what you spend it's the way that you spend it. Big name manager who signed a heap of expensive rubbish, and I think it opened his eyes, and closed his chequebook. James, great vanity signing, but ultimately cost us a quality keeper in Henderson. The opportunity missed may well have been Robins, good manager who can organise and motivate teams, working on a limited budget. I just hope that next season we show patience and let the likes of Bryan, Ajala, Burns & Reid develop (Or sink!) so that in 2/3 years we have a younger up and coming side ready for the Championship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cider city red 81 Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 A really great read as always. i look forward to next years piece 'up up and away' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redderland Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 Spot on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeRed Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 Well judged and nicely sumarised review of an awful season that ended in a way we all knew it would. The solution proposed by - well - almost everyone, is to play the best of the U-21's, on the grounds of the current team being so crap the kids HAVE to be better. We've seen Joe Bryan & and he looks the pick of the bunch, ready to step in from the off at left midfield or left back if Cunningham is sold. Burns has pace but from what little I've seen I'm not sure he's ready to play 46 L1 games and be consistent in every game. I think he will feature though & be given a chance. The others I'm not sure about. SOD himself said he watched Reid play for Oldham in his last game and felt he "needed more development" & he's been mainly used as sub by L1 Oldham. I havn't seen the others, so can't judge. I'm sure they will be given an opportunity during pre-season to get into the 1st team squad but if - as I suspect - Burns and Bryan aside, the rest arn't ready (yet) then that leaves us with the current contracted players(!) or whatever SOD can sign in the market which will only bring fresh complaints that signings are blocking the youngsters. It's a difficult one - everyone from the owner down is saying the future is in youth and developing our own players but what if the current crop are not ready yet or even not good enough at all? We would certainly be very fortunate to get 4 or 5 coming through at the same time to make next seasons squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Exiled Robin Posted April 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 Red Exile: that moment was truly pivotal although I think any manager would've struggled to get the season going after that sort of rocky start. I don't think I suggested the fans 'had it coming to them' but I do sense, perhaps assisted by the advent of Twitter and smartphone/pad internet forum access, an ever increasing peak of ups and downs as far as fans are concerned, leading to far loftier ambitions than realistic? Chappers: Yes did have a bit about Danns & McManus in at one point but the article was long enough and those contributions proved neither season-defining nor noteworthy in the end. I plan a follow up in the next few days on what's next, and will certainly be looking at the youth players as part of that - although Codered's point is highly valid. We can't assume they're all good enough and the worst thing would be to pile pressure on young shoulders, something I'm sure SOD is all too aware of. I suspect they will still be drip fed in rather than starting with five of them in August, but it's got to be right to give them a more prominent role than they have until now. Thanks everyone for the positive comments, much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUTOR Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 Excellent. I thought the opening part going over all our championship achievements was brilliant, I would not have thought twice if all those had been offered to me after promotion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 ER - Some of us are also looking at signing younger players, and what I would like to see at the end of next season is a squad that looks capable of moving City forward, and a structure where good Academy players will get opportunities.My great fear is that we sign more journeymen, go up, then struggle again and go down. Or sign more journeymen and just stagnate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl22 Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 Well judged and nicely sumarised review of an awful season that ended in a way we all knew it would. The solution proposed by - well - almost everyone, is to play the best of the U-21's, on the grounds of the current team being so crap the kids HAVE to be better. We've seen Joe Bryan & and he looks the pick of the bunch, ready to step in from the off at left midfield or left back if Cunningham is sold. Burns has pace but from what little I've seen I'm not sure he's ready to play 46 L1 games and be consistent in every game. I think he will feature though & be given a chance. The others I'm not sure about. SOD himself said he watched Reid play for Oldham in his last game and felt he "needed more development" & he's been mainly used as sub by L1 Oldham. I havn't seen the others, so can't judge. I'm sure they will be given an opportunity during pre-season to get into the 1st team squad but if - as I suspect - Burns and Bryan aside, the rest arn't ready (yet) then that leaves us with the current contracted players(!) or whatever SOD can sign in the market which will only bring fresh complaints that signings are blocking the youngsters. It's a difficult one - everyone from the owner down is saying the future is in youth and developing our own players but what if the current crop are not ready yet or even not good enough at all? We would certainly be very fortunate to get 4 or 5 coming through at the same time to make next seasons squad. Think this is spot on. You've identified the two that deserve a chance now in Bryan and Burns. Most of the other 21s were brought in to give us team this year. I think to get proper homegrown talent ready for the first team will take another year or two as the benefits from the revamped academy are realised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Exiled Robin Posted April 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 Good points on signing younger players, I think that's key. I believe there's no turning back for the club re. Journeymen signings now, they've come out & declared their plans so strongly and so often. the new strategy is to go young and hungry & stop wasting money on older players - if they turn now no-one will ever believe anything they say again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 ER - After so many years of journeymen, the change of policy will take time, and may mean a season or two of development. Longer term it will reap benefits as we will be seen as a good club for development, rather than a place to avoid, as now. My fear is that the fans and board will lose patience, and rather than looking at longer-term benefits, just go for a quick fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allyolly Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Interesting and thought provoking stuff! Of most concern is surely the 8 years it took last time to bounce back up - 2021 is a hell of a long time if history is to repeat itself. More reason than ever to keep what we think will give us the best chance of mounting a good promotion challenge and investing wisely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggythecity Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 very impressive and accurate read Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy62 Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 The mentioning of Trundle's goal was hairs on the back of the neck stuff. Good work. Again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy62 Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 DP. And not the good type pornstars like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Exiled Robin Posted April 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Thanks again all, much appreciated comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.