Sod Out!

[Taylor10]

Neil Warnock?

(That was a joke, by the way)!

I detest the bloke and he's one of my most hated people in football....yet before SOD's appointment he was the man I wanted ?

Fickle fans eh!?

[AshtonGreat]

In my opinion he was. We were nailed-on for the drop in January regardless of who was in charge. And he was given no money to help him and no scouting system to provide thoroughly researched players who might be available for a loan. The club was a mess and it would have been a miracle to keep us up.

Whilst I appreciate your opinion, why do you think he should have been expected to keep us up last year?

I'm kind of going over old ground here but my opinion is that we weren't nailed on for the drop. When SOD came in, we had half the season left to salvage our season. While everyone insists the squad he inherited was garbage, they were of sufficient quality to produce some excellent results in the early part of his tenure. So they DID have it in them – all it needed was good management to consistently get the best out of them. SOD failed to provide it and the performances, in crucial games, were woeful.

The club is a mess? Is it though? It seemed in pretty good shape when we were 90 minutes away from the Prem five years ago.

[WolfOfWestStreet]

ame="iScoreWheniWant" post="1872581" timestamp="1379200446"]

You have a right to voice your opinion even if it is perceived as negative fella. I just think there are fans who lack intelligence for reasons I have mentioned which doesn't help things.

For what's its worth I'm not a happy clapper pretending all is ok....very concerned at the moment in fact and extremely frustrated.

Hope you're wrong about SOD as I don't want us to be going through yet more change but I guess only time will tell.

Good post mate and I totally agree. Sound me out at swindle and ill buy you a cider. Then I can rant you till the moon shines about SODs in -effectiveness

[Stephen Lewis]

He critised fans today. Are we both idiots?

We only have 2 fans?

I know i'm an idiot but who is the other one.

[Aizoon]

I would (rightly) be shot if I quoted Harry's post on full, but well said, mate. Finally a post worth reading.

+several million

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

TBH I'm on the anti-SOD camp. Criticises fans, doesn't seem to understand the fact WE HATE the GAS! Apparently when we beAt then we were celebrating wining the first round of the JPT.

No SOD we ain't botherd about the most pointless cup in the history of football. We ******* beat Rovers I'd quite like it if you understood that!

To be honest mate, his reaction to that pissed me off a bit but in fairness given the fact that all eyes would've been on the club at that point I don't suppose he really could've said anything else.

I'm sure as a football man he was well aware of the importance of local rivalry, any other 1st round JPT fixture probably would've seen a load of youth players sent out.

[Aizoon]

To be honest mate, his reaction to that pissed me off a bit but in fairness given the fact that all eyes would've been on the club at that point I don't suppose he really could've said anything else.

I'm sure as a football man he was well aware of the importance of local rivalry, any other 1st round JPT fixture probably would've seen a load of youth players sent out.

Judge him by his deeds not his words, a concept alien to some of the children on here (not their

fault, blame their teachers). He put out our best team against the Gas and they played their arses off. You can't ask any more.

[SimplyRed]

I have a simple comment to make...

This manager will get us relegated this season...

[tiz]

I also have a simple comment to make ......no one better than Sod to change the club which he is doing. If we get relegated it wont just be because of sod or the team it will also be us............sick to ******* death of all these if we had this or that etc. I hated watching that today that said, the difference they took thier chances we didnt and a big question over fielding ........though he saved a penalty. For me fielding and jet had thier worst performances in a city shirt ....and my problem with sod is simple once we are behind we have no passion or belief. I had no problem with flint today and conor was ok murdered outside. For me our shining player was Pack.

[HoldenBall]

I also have a simple comment to make ......no one better than Sod to change the club which he is doing. If we get relegated it wont just be because of sod or the team it will also be us............sick to ******* death of all these if we had this or that etc. I hated watching that today that said, the difference they took thier chances we didnt and a big question over fielding ........though he saved a penalty. For me fielding and jet had thier worst performances in a city shirt ....and my problem with sod is simple once we are behind we have no passion or belief. I had no problem with flint today and conor was ok murdered outside. For me our shining player was Pack.

Completely agree, was going to post this on an individual topic, strong, won his headers against tyrone Barnett.. decent passing range

[WTFiGO!?!]

He stands there with his arms crossed looking into space. He never really points and shouts to the players on the pitch.Secondly, he makes subs that are too late, put subs on in 50-65 mins, not 80, give the player to get into the game and make a impact.Thirdly, he comes out with some crap, we won the Bristol derby, slats THE FANS! Not the game, you're getting paid to manage the team, not spend a whole interview slating fans.He's never had anything about him, we need a manager who has motivation, don't change a winning team.Yeah I know we've won all our cup games, so why don't we keep the winning team on???Abuse me, whatever, I don't care.What do you think about it?

Tinnion - OUT! Johnson - OUT! Millen - OUT! DMAC - OUT! SOD - OUT! Read somewhere I can slat you all I like.. also read somewhere you slating him for folding his arms and not acting a clown on the touch line... anyway, next bloke - OUT! Bloke after that - OUT! Ad nauseum - OUT! PARROTS - OUT! City bucking the trend and giving a guy the same time Fergie, Dicks and Moyes got - OUT!

Over and out.

[Loderingo]

I'm kind of going over old ground here but my opinion is that we weren't nailed on for the drop. When SOD came in, we had half the season left to salvage our season. While everyone insists the squad he inherited was garbage, they were of sufficient quality to produce some excellent results in the early part of his tenure. So they DID have it in them – all it needed was good management to consistently get the best out of them. SOD failed to provide it and the performances, in crucial games, were woeful.

The club is a mess? Is it though? It seemed in pretty good shape when we were 90 minutes away from the Prem five years ago.

The problem last season was that the other teams at the bottom kept winning. In the season before last we were adrift when McInnes took over but closed the gap fairly quickly as other teams at the bottom were losing more games. When SOD took over we had a good run but so did Peterborough and Barnsley and we could never close the gap. In the end I think the players gave up after the Wolves defeat. I think the only way we could have stayed up is if McInnes had been sacked earlier.

[havanatopia]

Very good post Harry.

I was not aware we had been in for Assombalongawonga or whatever his name is. Is there a thread on that or are you simply quoting from a reliable source. Anyway, no matter, we cannot always bring in a player, that's life.

[havanatopia]

Found the Sean remark about Assombalongawonga .

[NickJ]

I'm not gonna have a pop at the OP as he is as entitled to his opinion as everyone else. However, in my opinion, he is wrong.

Harry mate I don’t think the OP is wrong in this:

“He stands there with his arms crossed looking into space. He never really points and shouts to the players on the pitch”.

Correct. I watched the game yesterday from the Premier Seating – a sad reason for that – and so got to observe the SOD style close up. During the entire game SOD stood in exactly the same corner of the technical area with his arms crossed. I think he may have moved his right foot (shoes with a tracksuit?!) six inches sideways at one point. He also turned round to the 4^th official to question a referee decision (what’s the friggin point of that) and at the end of the game he gave Ferguson a warm smile and a very firm handshake. Oh he also had a bit of a go at a fan who questioned him walking down the tunnel.

In short, SOD offers nowt in terms of encouragement and motivation and instructions to the players while they are on the pitch.

So what is he good at?

Player evaluation and selection? You say he tried to bring in Assombalonga – yes, on loan. Peterborough came up with the money to buy him. I’m pretty sure that the cash coming in for Adomah would have been available. So in reality, SOD wasn’t prepared to back his own judgment.

You say he’s restricted by previous mismanagement. Undoubtedly so, but hasn’t he been brought in because he’s a better manager than what we had before, allegedly? We are competing with the likes of Stevenage and Crawley. Our wage constraints must be about 5 times higher than theirs.

Look at one position that isn’t affected by financial constraints and the alleged long term philosophy – goalkeeper. Is Fielding really any better than Gerken who was released and who incidentally played for Ipswich yesterday?

There is supposedly an emphasis on youth but all the recent arrivals are not exactly that. So lets look at them.

Why is Harewood here if he isn’t going to play?

Is O’Connor better than Fontaine? On recent form, anyone is – but just watch Johnson get him playing heroically at Yeovil – using powers of man management.

Why bring in quality like Shorey and then drop him to the bench after a good performance?

Moving on to the alleged possession philosophy. From the games I have seen this season, that is basically play around at the back a bit, move it through to midfield, go backwards again because there aren’t any openings forwards, then a centre half hoof towards Baldock, which any fool can see is a complete waste of time.

There are lots of people yourself included who say this is a work in progress and SOD must be given time. To an extent, I agree with that - but how much time?

He wasn’t, as you suggest, in a lose-lose position when he arrived. Keeping us up would have been very much win-win. When SOD was appointed, we were 6 points away from safety, with a game in hand and 20 games left. Not an impossible situation by any stretch of the imagination. We were relegated by 14 points.

And now we are currently sitting in the relegation places of the division which SOD was supposed to keep us out of. Early days I know, but what happens when we’re still there next May? Because as things stand, with the way we are playing, we will be. How long does the project last?

[054123]

I dont want sod out, but in 25 years of following this club I have never, never known a prolonged period of utter dross on the pitch and lack of leadership and organisation off of it.

The problem is bigger than sod and has been for years.

I have been a fan of Steve Lansdown, feel free to look at previous posts for evidence, but I am coming closer to the realisation that the buck stops with him for this 4 years and counting mess. I know all the pro Lansdown arguments, I've pedalled them, but the buck stops with him. When you run a business that has been failing for a number of years, its most certainly not the different employees who are to blame.

If people want to say 81-83 was worse fine, but is that where were heading?

Its not Sod, its not this season, its just the constant malaise that has swept this club and all who have come in contact over the last 4 years. 4 ****ing years for christ sake. I know I'm near the end of my tether as I find myself caring less.

I said to a mate last night, its not that I stop supporting or going, its just that I dont invest the emotion as you can only give so much for no return.

Derby day was proof of that to me. In the build up I couldnt believe the hype. I remembered when we played them n the league cup about 10 years ago and won 3-0 I think and it was a piece of piss. We were flying under wilson, they were poo and nobody really cared as we had so much more going on. Cut to now and its like the world cup final because Rome is burning all around us.

If sod goes we will go down with everyone spouting rebuilding bollocks. I'm not even saying we will stay up, but looking for stability is the onky thing that will save us. We currently have no belief or rallying point and god knows when it will get better.

Still you cant help who you fall in love with so I'll see you all at Swindon!

[Guest]

SOD are you D Wilson in disquise ............. only 2 danny Wilsons

[054123]

SOD are you D Wilson in disquise ............. only 2 danny Wilsons

If only. Without opening up a Danny Wilson debate, my own personal opinion is that I bloody enjoyed the vast majority of his tenure.

Oh for the feeling on a Saturday that a home meant 3 points. Didnt always happen, but at 11.00am on a Saturday morning, you had no real reason to doubt it.

[Dolman Block B]

I'm not gonna have a pop at the OP as he is as entitled to his opinion as everyone else. However, in my opinion, he is wrong.

Put yourself in O'Driscoll's shoes for a moment.

You arrive at a club half way through the January transfer window, with the club at the foot of the table having struggled for the previous 2 seasons and narrowly avoided relegation the year before. It is a club on the slide and lacking any whiff of positivity.

You are told that there is hardly any money to spend as £50m has been wasted over the previous few years in search of Premier League riches.

You discover that the club has no decent scouting network in place so you don't have immediate access to wheel and deal for thoroughly researched players within the small budget you have been given.

You're made aware that the Financial Regulations being imposed mean that the wages need to be cut from £18m last year to £11m (and if you inevitably get relegated that has to reduce further to £4m).

You are advised that the club has a philosophy to bring youngsters through from the academy and no longer will money be handed out in droves for overpaid, over the hill and overrated players.

So, what do you do? Well, firstly you use your own contacts to arrange a new right back in Maloney and you swiftly follow this by bringing in a trusted head scout (Burt) to work with you. You persuade the board to make Burt a Director of Football because you realise there is Zero footballing nouse on the board.

You then try to see the season out with unmotivated, disinterested players and not surprisingly you get relegated.

You then find that a number of players are out of contract and will leave whilst a number of others who you don't want have to stay. You begin your recruitment by sticking to the club philosophy and signing a number of younger players who have the potential to be moulded into a team.

You are hampered throughout your 1st real transfer window as there is always the looming figure of FFP hanging over you, so you manage to do a bit of wheeling and dealing to bring in some badly needed more experienced heads.

You sell 2 of your players for near £1.5m and you attempt to bring in a striker (Assombalonga) but are informed there is no money for the deal and he goes to Peterborough for £1.3m and scores 6 goals in his first 7 games.

You start the new season trying to mould your new team around a new philosophy which will take time to bed-in.

Sadly you don't start too well and only pick up 1 point in your first 3 home games.

Some fans begin getting on your back and calling for your head.

Do you walk? Do you feel you deserve to be sacked? Or do you feel you need to be given the time to turn things around?

Look, I'm as frustrated as everyone. Today was incredibly disappointing, but even more so because the player O'Driscoll wanted ended up being the best one on the pitch for the opposition.

It was not good today, but it will get better and we must give the manager time. This is not a game, it's not fantasy, it's not the moneybags modern shite that is the premier league - success DOES NOT come by changing your manager every 9 months. Stability is required. But with stability comes a need for patience and an understanding from all of us that things will not always be rosy, we will struggle at times, there are better teams in this division than us. We are not yet equipped to get out of this league, but we are trying to build something that can be. We won't ever put anything onto the foundations of this if we sack the boss every year.

The situation of this club is dire. We are severely hampered by mistakes of the past, not being frugal with our cash and getting through 4 managers in 4 years. We need to sit back, take stock, realise we're up shit street and give the boss the time to do his VERY DIFFICULT job without ridiculing and booing the players. Sometimes it won't be good enough and they might deserve a grilling, but we as fans have to be more educated than this and be patient - this isn't the squad which will end up getting us promoted, but it's foundations are being put in place. Some of the players being brought in now won't end up being good enough and will have to be moved on - that is no different to EVERY other club in the Country. Every transfer O'Driscoll makes will not be the final solution to that position. This is a gradual rebuild and it will take any manager (given the constraints) more than 1 full transfer window to put it all right. There will be one or two transitional seasons where it won't all go our way.

In my mind, this current manager should not even be questioned until at least 20-25 games into the season. If at that point there are no positive signs then rightly questions might be asked. Until that point I can only hope others will allow this kind of patience. Remember where this club is at the moment and remember what we want to become. Continual managerial change will not achieve our ambitions.

Post of 2013!!!

[054123]

Was listening to Gary Johnson yesterday and its easy to see how hw turns around situations like ours and how average Joes exceed their preconceived ability levels. He can galvanise players and them a rallying point, something to fight for.

He may have feet of clay as in the long term he doesn't have the tactical depth to r knowledge to take the next wrep, but at present our club, its fans and the players really need a leader and we simply do not have one.

[sglosbcfc]

Was listening to Gary Johnson yesterday and its easy to see how hw turns around situations like ours and how average Joes exceed their preconceived ability levels. He can galvanise players and them a rallying point, something to fight for.

He may have feet of clay as in the long term he doesn't have the tactical depth to r knowledge to take the next wrep, but at present our club, its fans and the players really need a leader and we simply do not have one.

I am a massive Gary Johnson fan but please remember when he took over City we went on a 9 match losing run before things started to turn around. It is far too early to question SOD reign. It is not all doom and gloom this season, we have a derby victory, we have beaten a Premier League team and we are in the third round of the League Cup for the first time in years. Have a look at the league table in January and I am convinced you will see a much healthier City position.

[054123]

I am a massive Gary Johnson fan but please remember when he took over City we went on a 9 match losing run before things started to turn around. It is far too early to question SOD reign. It is not all doom and gloom this season, we have a derby victory, we have beaten a Premier League team and we are in the third round of the League Cup for the first time in years. Have a look at the league table in January and I am convinced you will see a much healthier City position.

I didnt mean to give the impression that I thought Johnson should be in, only that you can see how those of his ilk get results but that its not a long term solution.

I think im just at the mid thirties phase of life where football isnt the be all and end all at present :laugh:! My uncle assures me it comes back when the kids get slightly older !

[SimplyRed]

Harry mate I don’t think the OP is wrong in this:

“He stands there with his arms crossed looking into space. He never really points and shouts to the players on the pitch”.

Correct. I watched the game yesterday from the Premier Seating – a sad reason for that – and so got to observe the SOD style close up. During the entire game SOD stood in exactly the same corner of the technical area with his arms crossed. I think he may have moved his right foot (shoes with a tracksuit?!) six inches sideways at one point. He also turned round to the 4^th official to question a referee decision (what’s the friggin point of that) and at the end of the game he gave Ferguson a warm smile and a very firm handshake. Oh he also had a bit of a go at a fan who questioned him walking down the tunnel.

In short, SOD offers nowt in terms of encouragement and motivation and instructions to the players while they are on the pitch.

So what is he good at?

Player evaluation and selection? You say he tried to bring in Assombalonga – yes, on loan. Peterborough came up with the money to buy him. I’m pretty sure that the cash coming in for Adomah would have been available. So in reality, SOD wasn’t prepared to back his own judgment.

You say he’s restricted by previous mismanagement. Undoubtedly so, but hasn’t he been brought in because he’s a better manager than what we had before, allegedly? We are competing with the likes of Stevenage and Crawley. Our wage constraints must be about 5 times higher than theirs.

Look at one position that isn’t affected by financial constraints and the alleged long term philosophy – goalkeeper. Is Fielding really any better than Gerken who was released and who incidentally played for Ipswich yesterday?

There is supposedly an emphasis on youth but all the recent arrivals are not exactly that. So lets look at them.

Why is Harewood here if he isn’t going to play?

Is O’Connor better than Fontaine? On recent form, anyone is – but just watch Johnson get him playing heroically at Yeovil – using powers of man management.

Why bring in quality like Shorey and then drop him to the bench after a good performance?

Moving on to the alleged possession philosophy. From the games I have seen this season, that is basically play around at the back a bit, move it through to midfield, go backwards again because there aren’t any openings forwards, then a centre half hoof towards Baldock, which any fool can see is a complete waste of time.

There are lots of people yourself included who say this is a work in progress and SOD must be given time. To an extent, I agree with that - but how much time?

He wasn’t, as you suggest, in a lose-lose position when he arrived. Keeping us up would have been very much win-win. When SOD was appointed, we were 6 points away from safety, with a game in hand and 20 games left. Not an impossible situation by any stretch of the imagination. We were relegated by 14 points.

And now we are currently sitting in the relegation places of the division which SOD was supposed to keep us out of. Early days I know, but what happens when we’re still there next May? Because as things stand, with the way we are playing, we will be. How long does the project last?

This, from NickJ, is how it is, people...

I re-iterate my simple comment... O'Driscoll will get us relegated AGAIN this season...

Last season I said that relegation would be a disaster for this club... and, so far, I am being proved right...

I don't blame O'Driscoll, I blame the senior management - most of whom do not have a clue on how to run a successful football club, including the owner. We've come full circle since Wilson (the beginning of the Lansdown regime) and are now £40m in debt and no longer own our own ground... how anybody can say we are in good hands is beyond me...

[Slack Bladder]

Is it me or does anyone else wonder why Baldock is captain of the team?

I watched him yesterday and with so many players off their game he didn't seem to be barking orders/encouragement across the pitch.

I perfer a captain to be a leader on the pitch and in a good position to bark orders like from midfield or centre back.

I do not claim to be a football genius and i am usually wrong, but just an observation.

[Mr Mosquito]

He stands there with his arms crossed looking into space. He never really points and shouts to the players on the pitch.

Secondly, he makes subs that are too late, put subs on in 50-65 mins, not 80, give the player to get into the game and make a impact.

Thirdly, he comes out with some crap, we won the Bristol derby, slats THE FANS! Not the game, you're getting paid to manage the team, not spend a whole interview slating fans.

He's never had anything about him, we need a manager who has motivation, don't change a winning team.

Yeah I know we've won all our cup games, so why don't we keep the winning team on???

Abuse me, whatever, I don't care.

What do you think about it?

It's time to re appoint The Super Cooper. We were in exactly the same position during the 1981-82 season with the club falling apart around us. Then along came The Super Cooper with the knowledge, dynamism and energy to turn the club around on the pitch. Problem is that Super Cooper is 30 years older now - we need a younger version of him as our manager. Finding an ex England international with the spirit of Terry Cooper wont be easy and wont come cheap these days.

[redfred]

This, from NickJ, is how it is, people...

I re-iterate my simple comment... O'Driscoll will get us relegated AGAIN this season...

Last season I said that relegation would be a disaster for this club... and, so far, I am being proved right...

I don't blame O'Driscoll, I blame the senior management - most of whom do not have a clue on how to run a successful football club, including the owner. We've come full circle since Wilson (the beginning of the Lansdown regime) and are now £40m in debt... how anybody can say we are in good hands is beyond me...

I have to agree with this, and whilst I wasn't expecting us to storm this division, I was at least expecting to win one game by now.

Irrespective of O'Driscoll's footballing philosophy, and whatever time he needs to implement that philosophy on the team, I would have expected by now for the team to form some kind if pattern of play involving some wholehearted home performances, where we pressurise the opposition, as we should expect when we're at home, and for us fans to know that the team have their all.

So far we've seen about 20 mins against Bradford; half hour against Wolves and literally nothing yesterday. If we were to see it for 70 mins on your home turf then we know we're going in the right direction. We've barely seen 70 mins in total.

One other gripe is not playing an obvious back four of O'Connor-Flint-Carey-Shorey. Forget our policy of relying on yoot - we need to stop conceding goals and that experienced back-line would achieve that, IMO, and give the rest of the team a platform to win a game.

I would consider myself a more optimistic sort and I was patient with Millen and McInnes, but I'm afraid to say the same pattern is forming with SO'D and we are only heading in one direction. I hope I'm wrong.

[redeye]

Those wanting SO'D to shout and get angry on the touchline says more about their Bristolian traits than it does SO'D's deficiencies. Then they follow this by berating SO'D for tetchy post-match interviews.

It appears SO'D will become the next person to be hounded out of AG - at least SL has a wealth of knowledge and talent amongst the detractors on this forum to fill the vacancy...

[Mr Mosquito]

I have to agree with this, and whilst I wasn't expecting us to storm this division, I was at least expecting to win one game by now.

Irrespective of O'Driscoll's footballing philosophy, and whatever time he needs to implement that philosophy on the team, I would have expected by now for the team to form some kind if pattern of play involving some wholehearted home performances, where we pressurise the opposition, as we should expect when we're at home, and for us fans to know that the team have their all.

So far we've seen about 20 mins against Bradford; half hour against Wolves and literally nothing yesterday. If we were to see it for 70 mins on your home turf then we know we're going in the right direction. We've barely seen 70 mins in total.

One other gripe is not playing an obvious back four of O'Connor-Flint-Carey-Shorey. Forget our policy of relying on yoot - we need to stop conceding goals and that experienced back-line would achieve that, IMO, and give the rest of the team a platform to win a game.

I would consider myself a more optimistic sort and I was patient with Millen and McInnes, but I'm afraid to say the same pattern is forming with SO'D and we are only heading in one direction. I hope I'm wrong.

.....indeed, when Terry Cooper took over as manager - when we were last in this type of shit - we did bounce off the bottom of the football league with some wholehearted performances even though many of our players were young and inexperienced at that time.

[Mr Mosquito]

What do you think about it?

.....living the dream would be that we get Frank Lampard in or someone similar as our player manager. At times like this I can't help remembering how good Terry Cooper was as our player manager.

[WTFiGO!?!]

Those wanting SO'D to shout and get angry on the touchline says more about their Bristolian traits than it does SO'D's deficiencies. Then they follow this by berating SO'D for tetchy post-match interviews.

It appears SO'D will become the next person to be hounded out of AG - at least SL has a wealth of knowledge and talent amongst the detractors on this forum to fill the vacancy...

Had to do a double take, there. Here's something I partially agree with you on. Has there been research done on relation between manager going apeshit on the touch line and results? Some prefer to sit in the stands, their teams must lose every week by the logic.

Think the Bristolian bit is nonsense, though. We're probably not to dissimilar, as a cross-section, to most other fans in the country so can't support your warped campaign there.

Makes you think; thoughtful, introspective, successful managers...? Bobby Robson springs to mind..Bob Paisley?