Hearing From Players & Raci

[Olé]

Maybe I just don't sit through hidden away paid for videos, but one thing that bothers me over the last few seasons of successive managerial drudgery, is how after games, at least in the prominent places (City OS home page, press, even radio) only the manager is held accountable (with regular new-boy sympathy).

Players are rarely quoted until a few days after and the dust has settled - unless they've done something individually wondrous that they need an immediate pat on the back for. BCFCPlayer videos are formulaic, non public-domain irrelevance. Years of cost-cutting at the EP make it diluted second hand comment.

There isn't a high profile public medium where players have to explain their performances meaningfully to the widest number of City supporters. Maybe I just listened more, but I'm sure 5-10 years ago the likes of Millen (as captain under Pulis) and many others since, actually had to account for themselves too.

As so many have said, the players are the constant, so why aren't we hearing from them. If Sam Baldock is our captain I honestly haven't got a clue what he thinks of his team performances, let alone his own. I am not advocating a soundbite culture, but he is invisible when it comes to explaining incompetence.

In business there is a chart known as a RACI matrix that more organised and less sarcastic people than me use in projects and initiatives. It ensures everyone has agreed for each participant person/role whether someone is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and/or Informed. It gives you a right to challenge.

There is always debate about how roles are each categorised, but one of the more common annotations, particularly in smaller groups, is R&A - R Responsible for carrying out the job and A Accountable for the outcome. In our world the manager is inevitably A (Accountable) but not R (Responsible).

The problem is the players, they seem to have become R (Responsible for carrying out the job - or at least trying) but not also A (Accountable). Where is the platform that players know they will have to account for themselves from after every game, that challenges them to perform in a way they can justify?

You'll say the manager is guarding them from that pressure, yet it doesn't seem to make a lot of difference to performances, and the players are outlasting all of the managers, so probably not the smartest move. Just maybe we're past the point of protecting players, we can't carry on sacking managers forever.

And you'll say Twitter is that platform for accountability - but how many at Ashton Gate over the age of 18 actually know what players have said, and in any case their contribution is relative silence compared to what they had for lunch - and a subset of 140 characters is not much of a meaningful explanation.

I just think it would help if our players knew they were more accountable. They might, just might, not throw five throw-ins direct to the opposition if they had to explain it afterwards.

[GrahamC]

Problem is Rob they are all so transient now. When Marv doesn't play this is basically a side put together over the last 15 months.

As a result the disconnect with the fans gets wider and the perception grows that they are all here simply to pick up easy money, though my view is that there are some for whom that doesn't apply.

The other part of this equation is our own in house media, understandably not hyper critical but which now seems due to cuts to regularly have interviews conducted by a tea boy, perhaps we simply can't afford better now?

Interesting you mention Baldock too, I saw an interview with him very early this season when he did apologise for last season's relegation but (by footballer's standards) intelligent chap that he is, it came across as incredibly glib and matter of fact.

We are at a stage where actions on the pitch would say much more but I do take your point.

[swanker]

What can the players say ? If they were totally honest they would have to echo the words of the Brentford fan who said he felt  sorry for our supporters. This has been going on for about four years now and there doesn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel.