New LJ poll

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

4 hours ago, JonDolman said:

No one can seriously vote the 5th option.

Or option 1. 

[Jacki]

I went for option 3. I would have got rid after Cardiff, and my God that 23 gave spell was dismal. Even after Preston 4 short games ago I'd have pulled the trigger. 

The last few performances have, however, changed my stance slightly. Not because I'm fickle or daft, but because the effort, style of play, and application shown in the last 4 home games have been superb. In those games we have played better football than at any time this season. Back in August and September, we were sneaking wins we scarcely deserved with a good 10 minutes here or there, and it was only really at Fulham away that we strung together a strong 90 minutes.

Lately though that's changed. We're playing 2 up top, going at teams with energy and pace and at times it's been a joy to watch. Whether that's been forced on LJ in the same way the Barnsley fans speak of prior to his departure there we'll never know.

I would now give him the opening 10 games of next season and see what happens. There are many things we need to improve on, basic defending , eradicating individual errors and our laughable away form amongst them, but at least we're now in a position where we'll almost certainly be sorting those things out in the Championship. LJ deserves a bit of credit for that. 

[Gert Mare]

Had we gone down I would have expected him to be sacked. However, he has survived what can only be described as a living hell and he has got some bollocks for staying put when the heat has been on massively. He has one transfer window left according to what he said, so I voted for the 3rd option, but it looks like there will be a big shake up in the summer where the squad is concerned. Some disappointing performances from a fair few players this season and there will have to be a fair few changes. Number 1 priority is obvious. We have been blessed with a player who though only on loan played with maturity and showed that he actually cared which is rare in football these days. Tammy Abraham take a bow son. Take your goals away and we would be down by now. A future England star for sure. Will always be remembered fondly by all at BCFC!

[Judda]

4 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I voted the third option, although I still have my reservations. But on balance I now think the benefits of continuity and a coach who knows the squad intimately now outweigh the benefits of yet another change with no guarantees that a new manager would do any better.

Johnson will have learnt a lot this season. Those who continue to claim he is "clueless", "out of his depth" and the like appear to base their opinion solely on the very poor spell in the middle of the season whilst completely ignoring his capable management at the end of last season, the beginning of this, and this late part of the season. LJ has a win % at this level as good as any recent manager - even his Dad - which would appear to be an inconvenient truth for some. Following yesterday's win, he now has more wins than defeats overall. He has underachieved this season, but if we finish 17th that's not a million miles from the midtable finish most of us predicted. I'm also willing to give SL credit for sticking with him when most of us would have got rid (myself included). That decision now appears vindicated for this season at least, with recent form that we would have been lauding had the new man we wanted achieved it.

Is he the long term solution to lead a play off push? Doubtful to say the least. But I'd stick for now.

Nailed it

[...]

Steve Lansdown has the casting vote: he stays.

 

[Dredd]

Spent 12 million quid + and nearly got us relegated. Sack for me

[Port Said Red]

9 minutes ago, Dredd said:

Spent 12 million quid + and nearly got us relegated. Sack for me

Did he? Where are you looking to find those figures?

[Red Exile]

5 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I voted the third option, although I still have my reservations. But on balance I now think the benefits of continuity and a coach who knows the squad intimately now outweigh the benefits of yet another change with no guarantees that a new manager would do any better.

Johnson will have learnt a lot this season. Those who continue to claim he is "clueless", "out of his depth" and the like appear to base their opinion solely on the very poor spell in the middle of the season whilst completely ignoring his capable management at the end of last season, the beginning of this, and this late part of the season. LJ has a win % at this level as good as any recent manager - even his Dad - which would appear to be an inconvenient truth for some. Following yesterday's win, he now has more wins than defeats overall. He has underachieved this season, but if we finish 17th that's not a million miles from the midtable finish most of us predicted. I'm also willing to give SL credit for sticking with him when most of us would have got rid (myself included). That decision now appears vindicated for this season at least, with recent form that we would have been lauding had the new man we wanted achieved it.

Is he the long term solution to lead a play off push? Doubtful to say the least. But I'd stick for now.

I also voted for the third option. Tbh I'd defend the accusations that he's been both "clueless" and "out of his depth" for much of this season...clueless at, for example, Rotherham, where we struggled to defend for much of the match against a very poor side, against Reading at home once they had their tails up, at Sheff Weds once we were down to 10...on all those occasions he appears to have failed to do his homework or froze. He looked out of his depth against Warnock's Cardiff, home and away. But I recognise that you're not saying that the accusation can't be made.

I'd say that yesterday's performance is reason enough for the jury to still be out. Despite the resources at his disposal he struggled to get a sufficient performance out of his players to beat a Barnsley side whose approach he must have known very well. Great win, which I enjoyed, but could so easily have been a defeat. I put it down to confidence, the players lack it once they experience a set back. When they dig deep they find it in themselves as a group, I don't think they get it from him. I don't think he's got it in him to manage a successful campaign...yet...but happy to be proved wrong! And for that reason he'll be proving himself from day one. 

That said, I'll be planning away trips as soon as the fixtures come out and will doubtless be at many of the preseason matches. And I'll wish LJ luck.

[samo II]

I chose 3, because think he's pulled things back from the brink, but it was a brink he took us to, and I'm not sure if it wasn't desperation more than vision that saved us.

That has got him the third window he asked to be judged after, and judged after it he will be.  

Another season of casting about for a best first eleven, style of play, and the correct approach to consistently win games isn't something any of us want to see, so I hope the coaching team really have learnt some hard lessons this year, and can apply them in the summer.

We have some work to do on the squad; Tammy will take some effort replacing, and we don't have a specialist right back once Matthews heads back to Sunderland and Little's contract expires - the latter has been key to our turn around in form (and please no one say "play Korey there"; he's too important in the middle).

Think we also need another left back, unless we actually start playing kids and give Lloyd Dyer a shot as back-up next year.

Those crowing about LJ keeping us up need to acknowledge that not crashing a car into a wall isn't the same as being a good driver - LJ has a very small amount of goodwill from me, but he does have that.

[Dredd]

18 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

Did he? Where are you looking to find those figures?

Reported conservatively Tomlin 3 Moore 2 Magnasson 2 Djuric 1.5 Engvall 2 ODowda 1.5 = 12. And that's not including Wright Hegeler Taylor Paterson and Brownhill. At least 12 mil. 

[Port Said Red]

58 minutes ago, Dredd said:

Reported conservatively Tomlin 3 Moore 2 Magnasson 2 Djuric 1.5 Engvall 2 ODowda 1.5 = 12. And that's not including Wright Hegeler Taylor Paterson and Brownhill. At least 12 mil. 

And we didn't sell any players in that time?

[AppyDAZE]

A bit of 1,2 and 3 for me. Voted 3rd choice like most. No.s 4 and 5 are just bleeding stupid, after how the season has ended (imo obviously)

[exAtyeoMax]

3 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

I was torn between 3 and 4. Then I remembered how indifferent I still feel at the moment. 

I'm pleased for SL that his loyalty seemingly paid off for now(with the emphasis on 'for now') but I can't sum it up any better than @Benjam!n Ultra said above, he shouldn't get any praise for getting us out of the shit position we should have never been in in the first place.

And that's not even considering some of the most embarrassing constant public dressing down of players that I've ever seen and never want to see at this club again. 

That was the word that I was trying to find to describe my feeling towards the LJ situation. 

[AppyDAZE]

16 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

And we didn't sell any players in that time?

Ooh, yeah . Who was that forward bloke we let Villa have for next to nothing again?

[AppyDAZE]

2 hours ago, Taxi for Johnson said:

Steve Lansdown has the casting vote: he stays.

 

To be honest, if I had spent a shit load of money on a site that I couldn't build a ground on, and then said o well, let's redevelop AG and spent another **** knows how much,  i might just want the final say you know

 

Funny how so many on here are "socialist" where footbal is concerned, but me first selfish bastards when we were talking about the election the other day

[REDOXO]

The bloke shouldn't be here. He has gone back to the drawing board so many times I it has grooves in it. 

The bloke spent bucket loads on players that hardly feature, turned good players into mush and constantly tinkered with line ups and formations to the point that we went on our historically worst run ever

finally he stumbles on a settled team including six of SCs team all of whom, except Flint, have been discarded at one time or other and has wasted the most talented striker since Andy Cole on a relegation battle. 

All this with millions sitting on the bench he spent, not to mention Engval. 

SL will back him but he has lost me and many others. 

There has been so many last straws I have lost count but now complaining about the size of HIS squad takes the biscuit. Particularly as he has his third window coming up. 

Tombola signings and Tombola selections. Luckily he has a billionaire buddy for him and us!!

[Fordy62]

7 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

 

There has been so many last straws I have lost count but now complaining about the size of HIS squad takes the biscuit. Particularly as he has his third window coming up  

I've been on holiday this last week... tell me he hasn't said his squad is too big? Please!

[kingswood red]

18 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

The bloke shouldn't be here. He has gone back to the drawing board so many times I it has grooves in it. 

The bloke spent bucket loads on players that hardly feature, turned good players into mush and constantly tinkered with line ups and formations to the point that we went on our historically worst run ever

finally he stumbles on a settled team including six of SCs team all of whom, except Flint, have been discarded at one time or other and has wasted the most talented striker since Andy Cole on a relegation battle. 

All this with millions sitting on the bench he spent, not to mention Engval. 

SL will back him but he has lost me and many others. 

There has been so many last straws I have lost count but now complaining about the size of HIS squad takes the biscuit. Particularly as he has his third window coming up. 

Tombola signings and Tombola selections. Luckily he has a billionaire buddy for him and us!!

Nailed it!

[Super]

For me i would sack him at the EOS. We will face the same struggle next season if he is still here.

[Fordy62]

Just now, Super said:

For me i would sack him at the EOS. We will face the same struggle next season if he is still here.

**** me. Why not just acronymise your whole bloody post?

(FM.WNJAYWBP?)

[Judda]

Just now, Super said:

For me i would sack him at the EOS. We will face the same struggle next season if he is still here.

Not necessarily. What if mid season was just a (long) blip? The rest of the time he has had with us hasn't been too bad...

[Spike]

I think he should be sacked, however you look at it, he took over with us battling relegation, we survived and then he had two full transfer windows and....... we ended up battling relegation and just about survived. For me there is no progression and no signs that we'll be better off next season, especially when you look at our goalscorers.

Tammy scored 23 of our league goals, Tomlin 6 and our third highest.... our center back, Flint with 5. When you consider how it seems very likely that Tomlin may not be here next season and it's almost certain Abraham will not be where are we going to get our goals from? Short of a major striker signing and some serious investment into full backs I see us fighting relegation from the start. Also to clarify, when I say major striker signing I'm not talking about a League One player, I'm talking Championship consistent scorer or better.

I honestly think it's about time the board showed the ambition they claim to have, a new manager, a new assistant and some seriously impressive signings that make the league look at us and notice what's going on. All that said I think the far more realistic immediate future we have is LJ at the helm for another near full season, battling relegation because LJ is not tactically as smart as he thinks he is.

[BS4 on Tour...]

After yet another relegation battle I'd like to see an experienced, proven championship manager brought in....

[Dredd]

2 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

And we didn't sell any players in that time?

Not what I wrote is it though.

LJ had final say on players in and out. If you think spending 12 million quid plus and avoiding relegation with two games to go (not that we mathematically have yet) is enough for him to keep him job well then you are entitled to your opinion. But I don't agree with you and I'm not alone. I'd love to see him succeed but would I trust him with another wedge of money in the summer? Not a chance. 

[Port Said Red]

13 minutes ago, Dredd said:

Not what I wrote is it though.

LJ had final say on players in and out. If you think spending 12 million quid plus and avoiding relegation with two games to go (not that we mathematically have yet) is enough for him to keep him job well then you are entitled to your opinion. But I don't agree with you and I'm not alone. I'd love to see him succeed but would I trust him with another wedge of money in the summer? Not a chance. 

Luckily it's not your choice. Or your money 

[Dredd]

3 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

Luckily it's not your choice. 

Or yours. And you are right if it was my money he wouldn't be getting any more. 

 

Whats your our opinion of the money he's spent relating to our league position then. Or are you just happy with snipey comments?

[Port Said Red]

10 hours ago, Dredd said:

Or yours. And you are right if it was my money he wouldn't be getting any more. 

 

Whats your our opinion of the money he's spent relating to our league position then. Or are you just happy with snipey comments?

I feel that he has done some pretty good wheeling and dealing, {at least thats what it would be called if it was any other Manager than LJ). He sold a reasonably successful striker, who didn't want to be here and in my opinion got around 5 times his actual value for him. Freeman probably needed a new challenge and for much of the last season flattered to deceive. Ayling was probably the only one I was not sure about, but I don't know how much the deal was worth and I think he thought there was a right back signing coming in, which didn't come off for what ever reason.

Of the players that have come in. O'Dowda, definitely looks like a player that will develop, Brownhill and Patterson are starting to show real value, Bailey Wright looks a solid no nonsense defender and Hordur and Moore could be the most improved players in the next couple of seasons. I really believe a fit Djuric will be a key player for us and Taylor is absolute bargain in today's market. 

Engvall is a complete mystery and I believe could be a major reason in the chief scout leaving, and Tomlin was a signing that I think was made as a "crowd pleaser" and may not have been his decision. Hegeler needs to adapt  his game for the pace of this league, but I have seen enough to think he would be a good player for us, I'd like to think that Lukic will come back from his loan ready to compete for a place, but that the other guy will disappear at the end of the season.

So I suppose generally I see that he has improved the depth of the squad whilst bringing in players that can progress, and as far as the books are concerned he hasn't really spent any of "our" money yet. Onto window three.

[Super]

12 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

**** me. Why not just acronymise your whole bloody post?

(FM.WNJAYWBP?)

FOF

[Kid in the Riot]

21 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I voted the third option, although I still have my reservations. But on balance I now think the benefits of continuity and a coach who knows the squad intimately now outweigh the benefits of yet another change with no guarantees that a new manager would do any better.

Johnson will have learnt a lot this season. Those who continue to claim he is "clueless", "out of his depth" and the like appear to base their opinion solely on the very poor spell in the middle of the season whilst completely ignoring his capable management at the end of last season, the beginning of this, and this late part of the season. LJ has a win % at this level as good as any recent manager - even his Dad - which would appear to be an inconvenient truth for some. Following yesterday's win, he now has more wins than defeats overall. He has underachieved this season, but if we finish 17th that's not a million miles from the midtable finish most of us predicted. I'm also willing to give SL credit for sticking with him when most of us would have got rid (myself included). That decision now appears vindicated for this season at least, with recent form that we would have been lauding had the new man we wanted achieved it.

Is he the long term solution to lead a play off push? Doubtful to say the least. But I'd stick for now.

Out of interest: why?

If you are very doubtful he's the 'long term solution' then why not get rid now (end of season), why wait and potentially prolong the agony/damage he can do to the club?

Makes little sense to me. Any sensible and objective owner would look at what this season has been (very disappointing) look at what's going on behind the scenes (even worse) look at season ticket sales (not good) and say enough is enough and make a positive and proactive decision to find a better manager than LJ.

[reddoh]

13 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

**** me. Why not just acronymise your whole bloody post?

(FM.WNJAYWBP?)

Nalhsjghiwd

(No and life has just got harder if we do)