Sod To Liverpool?

[AshtonGreat]

Amazing how many people try to refute the proposition that SoD was a decent coach by saying, rightly, that he was a lousy manager.

I would be annoyed if someone criticised my ability as a programmer by saying I was a lousy ice-skater...

Er, that's because he was a terrible coach for us

[Sixtyseconds]

;

But apart from 4 years in the late 70's that is our history..

Bristol City was a steady ship.

It got promoted.

And spent more and more.

Starting signing.

Signing ex International diving pant models.

Nicky Hunts who looked like hapless pub drunks.

Managers and coaches came and went and one went after just one game a duffing up v Millwall, such were his bad waves of paranoia of whatever it was that was haunting those eyes.

Tens of millions were spent.

Monopoly losses.

But O'Driscoll is the witch.

[Guest]

Amazing how many people try to refute the proposition that SoD was a decent coach by saying, rightly, that he was a lousy manager.

 

I would be annoyed if someone criticised my ability as a programmer by saying I was a lousy ice-skater...

 

Maybe partly his own doing in asserting he was not a manager but that he was 'Head Coach' and therefore he is judged on all aspects of his performance as a 'head coach'.

 

Personally Aiz I can accept players under his watch players at other clubs have developed, some very well indeed. However, he didn't show that here and a number of players did regress at alarming rates. That was in spite of him having here the best facilities to work with, perhaps but for his short spell at Forest. 

 

Therefore I have some reservations as to whether he was/is a great coach or was it rather the backroom staff at his previous gigs, who if I remember didn't really come with him down here (happy to be proved wrong on that one, memory could be hazy).

 

I'm not saying his isn't a good coach, far from it, but I'm far from convinced that this must be the case.

[Guest]

;

Bristol City was a steady ship.

It got promoted.

And spent more and more.

Starting signing.

Signing ex International diving pant models.

Nicky Hunts who looked like hapless pub drunks.

Managers and coaches came and went and one went after just one game a duffing up v Millwall, such were his bad waves of paranoia of whatever it was that was haunting those eyes.

Tens of millions were spent.

Monopoly losses.

But O'Driscoll is the witch.

 

Far from it. Start a thread on GJ, on Coppell, on KM, on DMc, on SL, JL, on Sextone and you'll find the same: some staunchly in support and some very much so against. SOD is no scapegoat, but what he didn't have which the others did is some success.

 

All of those are culpable in their own way and no-one blames SOD totally for the position the club was in. But I and many others do believe he was dragging us further down and that's where the difference of opinion lies.

[Sixtyseconds]

Far from it. Start a thread on GJ, on Coppell, on KM, on DMc, and you'll find the same: some staunchly in support and some very much so against. SOD is no scapegoat, but what he didn't have which the others did is some success.

Nope.

I would like to agree with RED4LIFE and that Spudski chap as they do this type of thing so much better.

City were a steady ship.

Mr Laycock and then Mr L were steady.

Then Mr L went a bit radio rental just like one of the chaps who looked like he was haunted by ghosts was.

City went into a steep decline.

Millions were lost like subs numbers being held up, six, seven , eleven ...

No success there.

[Guest]

Nope.

I would like to agree with RED4LIFE and that Spudski chap as they do this type of thing so much better.

City were a steady ship.

Mr Laycock and then Mr L were steady.

Then Mr L went a bit radio rental just like one of the chaps who looked like he was haunted by ghosts was.

City went into a steep decline.

Millions were lost like subs numbers being held up, six, seven , eleven ...

No success there.

 

SL has had no successes.... well I've read it all. Let's get Tan in and have a party!

 

New ground, top class training facilities, commercially grown beyond recognition, we are in a better league position now than when he took the helm, we have succession planning post Lansdown with his son, and we now have a complete change in operational structure including DoF and ties up elsewhere.

 

Spudski etc may do it better, but you are talking from your rectum here and focusing on one responsibility to highlight a complete nonsense. There have been bumps and it isn't plain sailing and it cost more than it should or could've. Doesn't make nil success under Lansdown less bollocks though.

[myol'man]

I'm convinced that the SOD defenders never actually go to Ashton Gate. It was painful to watch 

[Gazred]

He clearly has his failings as a manager, most of which were evident here.

 

He knows his stuff though, id encourage anyone to listen to the series of podcasts he did (with I think the ST) whilst he was here. The man is football philosopher.

 

Can't see him managing anyone again but you don't get to coach for England and become Assistant Manager at one of the biggest clubs in the country without some ability surely?

[Sixtyseconds]

SL has had no successes.... well I've read it all. Let's get Tan in and have a party!

New ground, top class training facilities, commercially grown beyond recognition, we are in a better league position now than when he took the helm, we have succession planning post Lansdown with his son, and we now have a complete change in operational structure including DoF and ties up elsewhere.

;

Spudski etc may do it better, but you are talking from your rectum here and focusing on one responsibility to highlight a complete nonsense.

Sounding like a young kid in a thug cap .. EH.

Losing forty million and signing past it guff to go backwards is not success.

It is loss and failure.

It is daft to attempt to dress that up.

The rest ...

Its a pity so much stumbling around was done to find the light switch ... Err well done finally.

Personally my rectum would put money put into things like Sportscode/techno stuff [Off you Spudski ATTACK] for the City kids instead of wages for one walking hairstyle in goal .. Silly dreamy ideological hippy nonsense that might be.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Sounding like a young kid in a thug cap .. EH.

Losing forty million and signing past it guff to go backwards is not success.

It is loss and failure.

It is daft to attempt to dress that up.

The rest ...

Its a pity so much stumbling around was done to find the light switch ... Err well done finally.

Personally my rectum would put money put into things like Sportscode/techno stuff [Off you Spudski ATTACK] for the City kids instead of wages for one walking hairstyle in goal .. Silly dreamy ideological hippy nonsense that might be.

 

The problem is thus and has not been mentioned so far in this thread about another failed BCFC manager and shows a hypocrisy.

 

The people who constantly berate SL are in general the same ones that blow smoke up SOD's arse and also won't acknowledge Coppell's part in our recent failure, just imagine the field day that they would have enjoyed had SL not backed GJ after firstly a promotion and then a near miss and his subsequent backing of subsequent managers, which ran up up the 40 mil debt in the first place?, just imagine their anger had he interfered with the football side of the club and said 'NO'?.

 

The highlighted sentence is absolutely spot on and not only is the club finally in a better place and progressing, why not just celebrate that?, SC does not seem to me to be the sort of manager who would panic in the same way that some of predecessors did in signing highly paid journeymen.

 

Yes the last 3 have gone on to bigger and better things, albeit apart from DMC as number 2's and do we really care about Scottish football?.

[Aizoon]

Maybe partly his own doing in asserting he was not a manager but that he was 'Head Coach' and therefore he is judged on all aspects of his performance as a 'head coach'.

 

Personally Aiz I can accept players under his watch players at other clubs have developed, some very well indeed. However, he didn't show that here and a number of players did regress at alarming rates. That was in spite of him having here the best facilities to work with, perhaps but for his short spell at Forest. 

 

Therefore I have some reservations as to whether he was/is a great coach or was it rather the backroom staff at his previous gigs, who if I remember didn't really come with him down here (happy to be proved wrong on that one, memory could be hazy).

 

I'm not saying his isn't a good coach, far from it, but I'm far from convinced that this must be the case.

 

Thanks for a reasoned answer to my post.

[Sixtyseconds]

The problem is

.

Nah not reading all that.

Its this.

Steve there is an iceburg.

Carry on, more steam, put some more money on.

Steve iceburg!!

More money.

Iceburg Steve!!

Shit what have we just hit?

Like to think in future the light at the end of will be looked after a bit better.

[AshtonGreat]

He clearly has his failings as a manager, most of which were evident here.

He knows his stuff though, id encourage anyone to listen to the series of podcasts he did (with I think the ST) whilst he was here. The man is football philosopher.

Can't see him managing anyone again but you don't get to coach for England and become Assistant Manager at one of the biggest clubs in the country without some ability surely?

With respect Gaz, 'knowing your stuff' is pointless if you are incapable of putting it into practice. A lot of people seem to 'know their stuff' when they have job interviews, but then singularly fail to deliver when it matters. Ironically, the opposite is true in Steve Cotterill's case. Because he's not especially articulate when he talks, some people dismiss him as an idiot. But his record - far superior to SOD's - proves otherwise.

[Gazred]

With respect Gaz, 'knowing your stuff' is pointless if you are incapable of putting it into practice. A lot of people seem to 'know their stuff' when they have job interviews, but then singularly fail to deliver when it matters. Ironically, the opposite is true in Steve Cotterill's case. Because he's not especially articulate when he talks, some people dismiss him as an idiot. But his record - far superior to SOD's - proves otherwise.

I knew someone would mention this and I do totally agree.

I think the putting into practice bit was clearly not present in his time here but he is rated by people in the game and I think he will fit in well with Rodgers.

When he joined us, I thought we were going to be the next Swansea.

For the record, I prefer our brand of high energy football more than a slick passing game - not that we every really reached that under him.

[Aizoon]

I knew someone would mention this and I do totally agree.

I think the putting into practice bit was clearly not present in his time here but he is rated by people in the game and I think he will fit in well with Rodgers.

When he joined us, I thought we were going to be the next Swansea.

For the record, I prefer our brand of high energy football more than a slick passing game - not that we every really reached that under him.

 

TBF, the passing game under SC is pretty slick, too. We baffled Crewe, who specialise in that sort of thing.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Nah not reading all that.

 

 

Well that's me convinced then, a well reasoned and cogent riposte to my opinion as a reply to your opinion, I thank you.

[jsmith]

All i can say on this is that i didnt miss a home league game for over 30 years, until i could take no more

of the football on display under SOD, and i know alot of people who felt the same.

[Gazred]

TBF, the passing game under SC is pretty slick, too. We baffled Crewe, who specialise in that sort of thing.

You're not wrong mate, we have been unplayable at times. We have an identity again in terms of playing style, been a while since we could say that.

[Red-Robbo]

You and I have both been round the block long enough to know, that we have employed over the years, many managers that were quiet capable of doing a good job for us...and they had shown it previously and after being with us.

It isn't Sean who needs to learn from mistakes, but our Club...regardless of how we get their...I hope we have.

Well I think both, Spud. You can hardly characterise his time here as anything other than an abject failure.

And it wasn't Lansdown or the club hierarchy sending a side out that was unable to defend and had the basic tactic of long punts up to the back of a small striker's head, was it?

[Three Lions]

Well I think both, Spud. You can hardly characterise his time here as anything other than an abject failure.

And it wasn't Lansdown or the club hierarchy sending a side out that was unable to defend and had the basic tactic of long punts up to the back of a small striker's head, was it?

That wasn't a tactic it was where City had ended up due to how badly a lot of money had been spent for years. The hierarchy wrote the cheques for rubbish players costing the club millions anmd millions. It neglect. Point spudski and others have tried to make is it should not happen again. city should have good players already in the building via the academy and spending on smaller squads instead of bulking squads up to thirty plus with journeyemen.

[Red-Robbo]

That wasn't a tactic it was where City had ended up due to how badly a lot of money had been spent for years. The hierarchy wrote the cheques for rubbish players costing the club millions anmd millions. It neglect. Point spudski and others have tried to make is it should not happen again. city should have good players already in the building via the academy and spending on smaller squads instead of bulking squads up to thirty plus with journeyemen.

I did say both sides had to learn.

I don't think you can just say rubbish players (and we had some not rubbish players too, as was proved as soon as SOD departed) is entirely the fault of the board. The manager chooses them, coaches them and sends them out with instructions on how he wants them to play. And he inspires them - or fails to inspire them in Sean's case.

[Three Lions]

I did say both sides had to learn.

I don't think you can just say rubbish players (and we had some not rubbish players too, as was proved as soon as SOD departed) is entirely the fault of the board. The manager chooses them, coaches them and sends them out with instructions on how he wants them to play. And he inspires them - or fails to inspire them in Sean's case.

I did say both sides had to learn. Only one side signs cheques. Great bloke SL but it borders on neglect as it took years for SL to say via his son no more clear the decks. Mcinnes and Sod cut a budget that was allowed to get out of control. Steve Cotterill thanfully has a budget in control and could buy class acts like Freeman. City bought rubbish for years and lost millioons for years. Pity is they didn't use it to redevelope Ashton Gate or put it into facilities to fight off clubs like Cardiff Southampton WBA taking players from the region.

[Red-Robbo]

I did say both sides had to learn. Only one side signs cheques.It tooks years for SL to say via his son no more clear the decks. Mcinnes and Sod cut a budget that was allowed to get out of control. Steve Cotterill thanfully has a budget in control and could but class like Freeman City bought rubbish for years and lost millioons for years pity is they didn't use it to redevelope Ashton Gate or put it into facilities to fight off clubs like Cardiff Southampton WBA taking players from the region.

I don't disagree with that, TL.

I came into this thread of very well-worn arguments to suggest a theory as to why Sean O'Driscoll lost his way here. Not to condemn him as an idiot.

[Aizoon]

I did say both sides had to learn. Only one side signs cheques. Great bloke SL but it borders on neglect as it took years for SL to say via his son no more clear the decks. Mcinnes and Sod cut a budget that was allowed to get out of control. Steve Cotterill thanfully has a budget in control and could buy class acts like Freeman. City bought rubbish for years and lost millioons for years. Pity is they didn't use it to redevelope Ashton Gate or put it into facilities to fight off clubs like Cardiff Southampton WBA taking players from the region.

 

+ several million

[RedRock]

SoD was an unmitigated disaster.

Football is a simple game. He made it sound like a game of advanced chess. It's all very similar to the England set up. ***** thinking that possession is the name of the game. It's utterly meaningless unless you do something with the ball and put it in the opposition's net.

Players became paralysed by analysis. They were thinking so hard what to do they forgot the friggin basics.

I'm fed up listening to all these who go on about coaching this and that. Was talking to a Portugese lad last night, no formal training or coaching just played 5 a-side's since he was 8 years old. He had far more skills than any on display from our England under 21's combined.

Pride, passion, belief and a team 'will to win' - everything that was missing from SoD's team and the under 21's. I bet those who scoffed at Cott's 'I'm a winner' quote are the same now who are defending SoD as it doesn't fit in with their elitist view of how the game should be played. If you don't believe me, just look at the England cricket team performances freed form the shackles of high tech analysis of their every move.

[GodEmperor Palpatine]

Absolutely.

It beggars belief that people can still possibly remotely defend the utter dross that idiot brought to the club.

To quote Lansdown in the pub at Crewe "I came back into the country and found we were celebrating drawing at home with Leyton Orient, I thought goodness me where have we come to...."

He droned on about passing and tactics, then we'd be treated to 90 mins of hoofball rubbish and a side with zero confidence frightened to death every time an opposition attacked until surprise surprise they'd score.

His interviews were awful.

"That's what an ugly 1-0 feels like" - after we had drawn 1-1.

He was a total failure. The football was rubbish to watch and we were at the foot of the league.

I have no doubt we'd have gone down with that idiot.

 

To be fair Lansdown was the main part of the reason why we were 'celebrating' a draw against Orient....

 

He's learnt from his mistakes now (or so far) but lets be honest, its been 15 years of mediocre football and poor decisions from the board. Noone can be above criticism...

[EmersonsRed]

The cult is still going strong

21 games without a win (including 1 and a half transfer windows and 2 loan windows)

Yes I blame sod fully he was a shit manager with no man management who brought in journey men played hoof ball and had the man management skill of hitler

You could argue Hitler had fantastic man management skill.

[Aizoon]

You could argue Hitler had fantastic man management skill.

 

You could argue the moon is made of green cheese but it doesn't make it so.

 

Oh, and you've been disqualified under the Godwin Rule.

[Aizoon]

To be fair Lansdown was the main part of the reason why we were 'celebrating' a draw against Orient....

 

He's learnt from his mistakes now (or so far) but lets be honest, its been 15 years of mediocre football and poor decisions from the board. Noone can be above criticism...

 

Never liked the Hermits myself

 

Seriously, you're quite right, and I think SL would admit it.

[sodburyred]

Why is this thread still top of the page? It just goes round in circles. 5 or 6 "in the know" SOD fanatics who think he was the best thing ever for our club(despite the horrific football) Vs 6 or 7 vocal fans who were happy he left as he was the worst manager in our history.

No one ever backs down. So very repetitive.

He probably did help set the groundworks following on from all the good work Mcciness did. But he wasn't a good fit for our club, that's just the way it is. A plan B may of helped, a better attitude to everyone may of got him longer, or even radically winning games or even the odd win in 3 would of helped.

He was taking us down to league 2 without doubt, this myth that he was turning it around was just that a myth. 1 win in 7 is not turning a corner. Having s good half against leyton orient is also not turning the corner.

He's gone let's all move on.