Johnson out

[Dolman Block B]

Personally think if we get dicked in our next two league games v Reading and Cardiff the board will sack him

In between if Fleetwood embarrass us in the FA cup he could go before the Cardiff game

Reading are on fire so can't see us getting anything there

Fleetwood would love to take us back up north on a cold Tuesday night

And Cardiff  Well we all know what usually happens there!!!

The future is bleak I'm afraid 

 

[RobintheRed Red]

13 hours ago, WolfOfWestStreet said:

We cant keep sacking managers it does not work. 

 

pay the wedge an get real one in

[Spike]

13 hours ago, RedDave said:

Someone tell Chelsea

Difference being they sack a manager and have the choice of almost any replacement, we don't!

All we do is sack managers the second we get a run of poor form, it's getting really old now and it's not helping the club grow at all. 

[Chairman Mao]

Has anyone seen our fixture list?!

Reading 3rd

Cardiff - always lose to them

Aston Villa - on the up

Wednesday - top 6

We are screwed. Going down at this rate.

[EnclosureSurge]

13 hours ago, Red Army 75 said:

I really thought and believed Johnson would take us forward. Especially after our start to the season. I would still give him time but not a lot more . Transfer window he needs to do it . Will we ever get it right. So frustrating 

But if you give him the window, wouldn't we need to give him time to see if he could improve things with those signings? No point in signing players (if we do) and then getting rid of the manager in Feb. Either stick with him and see it through - yes, including relegation if necessary - or change now. No guarantee either way, no guarantee any way of doing things. As to will we ever get it right, Red Army, I presume that means getting to the top division again? In which case, possibly not (or not for a long time). So this may be as good as it gets, more or less, bar a little excursion into the Champ play-offs again. 

[BobBobSuperBob]

Let's be honest - IMHO we look like we are currently in a bit more of a mess than just current form

We romp League 1 playing some great football , We have a (very) slim squad which leaves us in a fantastic position (IMHO) , with SLs backing to add to this squad , without creating a large squad with lots of dead wood and unhappy squad members

(Since then , from the promotion squad , JET , GC , KO , WE , KA , & LA leave , none against the managements / boards wishes it would appear. )

So at that time and since , in theory at least , we should have replaced said players with players , that the management think , are an upgrade on them, especially as we are not cash strapped and having to lose players from that squad without the finances to replace them.

So in theory , there is no real reason that the squad , and the starting eleven should not be stronger than it was when we lifted the Lg 1 trophy , or when we started the Championship campaign under SC (Three transfer windows since that point )

A reasonable expectation ?

Is that fair ?

For whatever reason (And it's been debated to death) we get our recruitment horribly wrong , Cotts gets the hump and ends up losing his job

Of the players recruited there are numerous loan signings , with very mixed results , the advantage to the loans is that we still have a very slim (Owned Players) squad with minimal deadwood to shift

Guess some will suggest otherwise but going into the following two windows IMHO this left us , in at least one aspect , an ideal situation where we could add to what we had , without having to shift players out first

And

In theory we would be adding to the best of our League 1 squad and , at that time , JK

So three transfer windows after the Lg One Title , with some serious £££ spent

Have we improved the starting eleven to any significant degree ?

(I'd say ,in theory yes , ( we do have some players who in theory should have added some quality and were seen to have some pedigree ) but suggest , if anything ,and in reality , on current evidence , questionable

 

 Have we improved the squad to any significant degree ?

In theory when you look at some recruits experience , or how they were described when we signed them , yes

However , and accepting we have bolstered the squad with youngish players ( The way some describe it you'd think these players were 16/17 , most are of an age where they should , if good enough , be making strides IMHO ) I would say we have a bigger rather than better (Accept some may rightly argue that strength in depth does mean better in that aspect at least) squad

To me it's a squad with a fair few players that have gone backwards this season and a squad that's much of a muchness with few standout players ( TA & LT on his day).

When fans come up with literally dozens of different selections before a game , and the manger clearly can't decide on his best 11 ( As he said himself last night on RB) that gives a worrying indication that there are very few players , if any ( TA Id suggest, and AF for a variety of reasons)  that would be nailed on to start (injuries permitting) say, the next 5 or 6 games

(At this moment in time I'd suggest that a player who we don't own is masking the extent of our current problems)

In the meantime we appear to have lost , not surprisingly , that bond that the Lg One title squad had and IMHO have a bigger squad with less spirit , and a fair few knowing they aren't in favour and have no future here, and possibly a few who want away. - suddenly we have what looks IMHO  a bit of a 'messy' squad

After numerous signings and departures and with significant £££ spent , are we really in a better situation, in better shape , as a team / squad than we were when we won the Lg One Title ??

We are still being told it will take three windows to sort it out ( Btw can someone clarify is that three more windows ? or is last Jan (Don't tell me LJ wasn't consulted on signings) and / or last summer included ?

if its three more , that will be six transfer windows to turn our League One Title side / Squad into a competitive Championship Side / Squad !!!

Really ? 

Not convinced we are tbh , to any great degree , and have lost any momentum we had , both after the Lg One Title Season , and the momentum we seem to have had at the end of last season and the beginning of this,.

We suddenly look as if we don't know where our next point is coming from. , and I'd suggest the  current form  is more than a 'blip' in its longevity and indicates something amiss more than bad luck or the rub of the green

 

 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

8 minutes ago, Chairman Mao said:

Has anyone seen our fixture list?!

Reading 3rd

Cardiff - always lose to them

Aston Villa - on the up

Wednesday - top 6

We are screwed. Going down at this rate.

We might as well give up now then, eh?

[samo II]

1 hour ago, petehinton said:

We went 442 and went in 1 down so he changed it to 352 and we still lost so I don't personally think it's harsh. 

Hes still playing JB left back one week, left wing the next. Treatment of Golbourne has been pretty harsh. LT is still out of position. TA is 99% of the time upfront on his own being dominated by two centre backs. We have a striker on the bench who he signed and won't play.  We have a different midfield 2 every week. We don't even know our best goalkeeper. 

Theres why my issues are. He's had 5 months to figure it out and we're still no clearer than we were in August. 

I'm not disagreeing with any of that; he clearly is not sure what his best set up is, or who are his most effective personnel.

I guess my view is that what you've detailed is the opposite of not changing - Cotts got the bullet because because he was flogging the same formation every time with no change; LJ has literally the opposite problem in my eyes!

[Mr Popodopolous]

13 hours ago, chinapig said:

Then they will be bombed out not LJ. I'm convinced SL will stick with him even if we are relegated.

Doesn't happen in football in general especially the modern era- manager tends to get it in the neck even if is players to blame more. Easier and cheaper to sack the manager so that is what clubs do.

[Ivorguy]

1 hour ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

We might as well give up now then, eh?

Or plan sensibly for division one next season !!

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

1 hour ago, Spike said:

Difference being they sack a manager and have the choice of almost any replacement, we don't!

All we do is sack managers the second we get a run of poor form, it's getting really old now and it's not helping the club grow at all. 

The "poor form" has been going on for 10 games now, 10 games is not a second, it is 10 seconds, that's almost a quarter of the season and apart from the transfer window, where I can't see any decent experienced Championship players joining us, what does SL do?  just let the slide continue or eventually, before it's too late,  accept that BCFC will be playing L1 football again next season. If he has to sack LJ then Pemberton should be put in charge, he managed to stop the slide last season in only 4 games and should be given the chance to do it again.

[Gert Mare]

Knives are being well and truly sharpened now.

It doesn't matter how many goals we are losing by, we are losing at home and away 0 points.

We are now losing to the only team we convincingly beat in the last 14 games....that's progress is it? How much more 'bad luck' is there going to be? How many more dodgy refs? Didn't we hear about dodgy refereeing decisions week in week out when we sank like a stone with SC? Deja-vu isn't it?

Not good enough, not fit enough, not quick enough, no leaders, no shape, no formation idea, no best personnel idea, wasteful, not strong enough, poor signings, better players aren't stepping up to the plate.

1 win in A QUARTER OF A SEASON. 

Over 10 million spent (One of the highest spenders in the last transfer window)

Grind out a draw, stop conceding ffs. Just get a point and then start to build - that is what a good manager does - stops defeats. That is the number 1 priority and LJ can't stop that happening. More of the same every single week.

Little Lee and you band of rose-tinted bullshit buying happy clappers.......your time is up!

1 WIN and 1 DRAW in 14 GAMES. That is NOT progress. 

God knows who we will get to replace him mind, but this haemorrhaging has to stop NOW.

[Fiale]

You can't keep twisting, at some point you need to stick. 

 

 

15 hours ago, Ivorguy said:

And the reason ? They were never the right choice.

The failure lies firmly with one man - SL who has made those appointments

We need, and fast, professional input at Board Level

Can anyone name our Board? When did a member of the Board last make a public statement?

Therein lie our fundamental problems, plus the sheer arrogance of the Bristol Sport project

 

If your board members become commonly known to your fans then I would suggest it's not for good reasons. Who's on the board of McDonalds, Apple, PWC - no on cares when things go well. In football the board members people know are usually because they are colourful individuals with more personality than ability, or because they can't stop interfering with the club.. what difference does knowing the name of the board going to make to you or us ? And if you really wanted to know, just look it up.

[havanatopia]

On 31/12/2016 at 06:08, Mr Hankey said:

Not done too much harm for Chelsea, Man City, Leeds, Reading and Huddersfield lately

I don't think we can say Leeds are out of the basket case category just yet.

On 31/12/2016 at 06:12, ChippenhamRed said:

As much as I want agree with this, sometimes not sacking managers doesn't work either.

Would we have survived last season had Cotterill stayed? It seems unlikely. Would we have been promoted if SOD had stayed? The reality is that our recent history has shown that sacking a manager DOES work.

Not wanting to keep sacking managers is a noble aim but not in itself a reason for not sacking Johnson. Reading to me now feels like do-or-die for him.

Alan Dicks had a poor patch before he got us promoted. Alex Ferguson almost got the sack before making Man Utd a tour de force.

On 31/12/2016 at 06:37, Nogbad the Bad said:

That was my impression of LJ before City appointed him -  or a bang average and completely unproven lower league manager at very best.

Nothing to recommend him for City in the Championship except being known, and liked, by the Lansdowns.

What a huge risk to take when the likelihood was always that he'd be miles out of his depth. 

Why on earth did SL appoint him?

I think a lot of us were somewhat underwhelmed when Lee was appointed having been chatting about Moyes, Pearson, Di Matteo and others; the last two have not done too well of late and Moyes is in a dog fight. All I can say is this; on paper it looks like he should have been sacked a couple of games ago. In reality, this is a project for the long term. That, at least, is how it has been sold to us. A lot of us agree with it in principle at least. 

On 31/12/2016 at 06:44, BobBobSuperBob said:

From what I've heard , and I trust where I heard it very strongly

LT not only senior player to voice his opinions to LJ

and LJ has lost respect of dressing room 

I don't know the reasons why , tactics ? Selections ? Outing players publicly ? ( ROD Sheffield Weds for example )

One things for sure not many sides with a happy dressing room go on this sort of run

In the event this is true then the club are likely investigating it very thoroughly. And if the outcome of that suggests the situation is beyond repair then a couple more bad results and his position will be untenable if not before. However, I suspect it is either not true or is fully repairable at least for now. That said I think we will get hammered by Reading on Monday.

Happy new year everyone.

[AshtonGreat]

On 31/12/2016 at 08:42, Coin-op said:

I know, lets over react and sack Johnson, get someone else in, change everything and then sack them when a few results don't go our way.  Then we can get someone else in and do it all over again. 

Some managers I agree it is time to go, (Johnson senior, stupid question man & Cotterill).  I just don't think the time to panic is now.  I feel we need to give L.J. time.  I have always thought that good things come to those who wait and really struggle with the short termism in football.  Feels like L.J. has only been here a few mins.  Rant over sorry!

 

Oooh, just noticed spudski's thread

I don't see why anyone with that record deserves more time. If anything, it's the fans who deserve an explanation as to why we've got so little return for our ticket money

[ChippenhamRed]

25 minutes ago, havanatopia said:

Alan Dicks had a poor patch before he got us promoted. Alex Ferguson almost got the sack before making Man Utd a tour de force.

Of course there are examples like this, I'm not denying that. We all know about Ferguson. 

But it doesn't make my previous statement any less true; our last two sackings have proven to be the right decision. And I stand by my assertion that not wanting to keep sacking managers - noble though it may be - is not in itself a reason for not getting rid of someone, if the current incumbent is failing to perform.

[havanatopia]

7 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Of course there are examples like this, I'm not denying that. We all know about Ferguson. 

But it doesn't make my previous statement any less true; our last two sackings have proven to be the right decision. And I stand by my assertion that not wanting to keep sacking managers - noble though it may be - is not in itself a reason for not getting rid of someone, if the current incumbent is failing to perform.

Nothing to disagree with the thrust of your remarks although sacking Cotterill may or may not have been the right decision; how the incumbent pans out might have a bearing on some people's opinions on that even if somewhat unrelated. All I am saying is holding the nerve is preferable, in my view and at least for now. That said something clearly has to change positively pretty darn soon .

[ChippenhamRed]

24 minutes ago, havanatopia said:

Nothing to disagree with the thrust of your remarks although sacking Cotterill may or may not have been the right decision; how the incumbent pans out might have a bearing on some people's opinions on that even if somewhat unrelated. All I am saying is holding the nerve is preferable, in my view and at least for now. That said something clearly has to change positively pretty darn soon .

I think we're on the same page @havanatopia. I am certainly of the opinion that we should stick with Johnson for now. I don't think we've reached the point of no return yet and I would love to see him turn it around.

[Flagon]

I don't feel sacking LJ right now would be right. I don't feel like the players have lost faith in him, that's one of biggest indicators, although I could imagine a couple like Goldbourne being a bit hacked off at being in and out the team after he helped so well last season. To an extent I don't think the players had lost faith in SC either so it's difficult to predict whether given the opportunity to strengthen in that January window we would have been ok too. 

One thing I think we all need to be realistic on is  though is that some of players since being promoted have not stepped up enough. They're decent enough but not enough for where we want to get to.

Are people saying we should sack LJ because they believe the team is good enough and he's not. I'm not convinced they are and I don't think LJ does either, which is why whether you would like to see LJ stay or go that I'm sure we would all agree we need more and better players that can come straight in. That is part of progressing the team beyond what it currently is and I don't think a change of manager is needed to do that at this stage.

It would however be inexcusable to be relegated so if that were to happen if he stays on to the end of season I wouldn't be expecting him to be here for the start of the following season.

[Swede]

On 30/12/2016 at 22:22, INCRED said:

LJ won't be sacked and won't resign, SL will back him in the January transfer window and we won't be like other clubs who follow the sacking cycle - not this time

Admittedly we are on a poor run and the squad need a boost, bit of luck, rub of the green just something to snap us out of this run. We are not getting hammered week in week out like 12 months ago and the first 12 games of the season many were patting LJ on the back and saying what a bright young Manager he is.

Give the team and club your support as they need it more than ever at the moment

Absolutely correct.

LJ fits into the club's hyerarchy.

Withough the new rules on transfers I am convinced we would have loaned in a few before now to bolster the squad.

What is also clear is that he has lost patience with a few players.

I wouldn't be surprised to see ROD LF AM JEKstr gone.

AF sold Premier bound & poss Pack too.

[AshtonGreat]

33 minutes ago, Swede said:

Absolutely correct.

LJ fits into the club's hyerarchy.

Withough the new rules on transfers I am convinced we would have loaned in a few before now to bolster the squad.

What is also clear is that he has lost patience with a few players.

I wouldn't be surprised to see ROD LF AM JEKstr gone.

AF sold Premier bound & poss Pack too.

I don't see why he would sell Freeman. He's done alright this season. And also I would be surprised if Prem clubs were in for Flint

[Flagon]

20 minutes ago, AshtonGreat said:

I don't see why he would sell Freeman. He's done alright this season. And also I would be surprised if Prem clubs were in for Flint

It's interesting when people say it's a doubt any prem clubs would be interested. I don't think it's wrong as such but then I wonder why people think LJ should be doing any better with the current team as it is. We are where we are for a reason. It's possible some players could make it in the prem but realistically how many of our current first 11 would be able to hold down a place. Tomlin is arguably our best player and was hardly given a chance at Bournemouth. The players as much as I might like them who can be seen to be trying their best are not quite there, which is why we need to continue recruiting I feel under a stable management team. 

Everyone's entitled to their view of course but I'm not 100% sure what people are expecting from LJ or any manager to get out of this team without some new and better players.