Big Nige post match comments

[Harry]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Highlights for me:

- they’re fit enough, so I’m not giving them an excuse

- didn’t make QPR work hard enough / let the game pass us by (not something he likes in his teams)

- midfield unable to bring positivity in and out of possession

- passive feel / reflects on him / it’s his team (shows he’s owning it)

- got to set standards / players individually got to accept responsibility / to drive standards collectively

- we were over-run (shame after 3 positive performances)

- won’t be afraid to give young players their chance (Sam can be proud)

- not gonna be tempted to rush injured players back

- players who had a difficult day to today need a chance to respond (watch out in training!!!)

 

What stood out for me was the use (frequently) of the term ‘collective passivism’, as well as the comment ‘I’m sure they don’t go out to play poorly on purpose”. 
 

Wow!! Those are the sort of comments that you might hear from a manager who’s been in the job for 3 years and is under immense pressure. Those are comments that an under pressure manager would be accused of ‘throwing the players under a bus’. 
 

Given that he’s only been here for 11 days, and he’s already pretty much said this group are lazy and disinterested, I’m massively impressed by his balls!! He knows that some players aren’t gonna like that but he doesn’t give a toss. You either put in the effort or you are out. Good on you Nige. 

[SouthS22]

I like that he was prepared to make changes early.  Our midfield was terrible today, slippers on from the start, with the exception of KP who was probably our best player.

I would have taken the other 3 off together if we had other options.  The problem is that we didn’t and it wasn’t just them who didn’t turn up.  He said that the subs put in an honest performance- I disagree.  Lansbury was shockingly bad, worst player on the pitch. Semenyo worked hard and so did Pearson but without any product.  Not surprising for a player on his debut, but Semenyo needs to sort his decision making out.

Really need to get some of the injured players back to give us more options and competition.  

[GrahamC]

Thought it was a very revealing interview.

He seemed angry yet kept himself under control and as others have pointed out, took responsibility even though it would have been very easy for him to say I’ve only been here 5 minutes.

He is also deliberately refraining from using having to play youngsters as any sort of excuse but I’ll bet within the confines of the dressing room he is making the senior players more than aware of his actual thoughts on their shortcomings.

[Ostrich]

3 minutes ago, Harry said:

What stood out for me was the use (frequently) of the term ‘collective passivism’, as well as the comment ‘I’m sure they don’t go out to play poorly on purpose”. 
 

Wow!! Those are the sort of comments that you might hear from a manager who’s been in the job for 3 years and is under immense pressure. Those are comments that an under pressure manager would be accused of ‘throwing the players under a bus’. 
 

Given that he’s only been here for 11 days, and he’s already pretty much said this group are lazy and disinterested, I’m massively impressed by his balls!! He knows that some players aren’t gonna like that but he doesn’t give a toss. You either put in the effort or you are out. Good on you Nige. 

He won’t take any player that isn’t giving it their all. When he first came back from Hull to us, he was quite open about players being disruptive in the dressing room, thinking they’re bigger than they are and not giving it their all. Matt Mills had the captaincy taken off him within a a couple of months, Beckford and Neil Danns were phased out as quick as possible, Gelson Fernandes’ loan was cancelled. Mostly replaced by younger, hungrier or people with something to prove, even the poorer signings he made were far better professionals. 

[firstdivision]

His most interesting interview so far.

‘Too passive’ - actually summed up the whole season on the pitch. We wait and see rather than make it happen. 

[Davefevs]

35 minutes ago, Ostrich said:

He won’t take any player that isn’t giving it their all. When he first came back from Hull to us, he was quite open about players being disruptive in the dressing room, thinking they’re bigger than they are and not giving it their all. Matt Mills had the captaincy taken off him within a a couple of months, Beckford and Neil Danns were phased out as quick as possible, Gelson Fernandes’ loan was cancelled. Mostly replaced by younger, hungrier or people with something to prove, even the poorer signings he made were far better professionals. 

Hey, “Recruitment Team” - here’s your remit!

[ralphindevon]

There are a few players that must now decide do they want a potentially difficult, testing but ultimately successful time in their career...

....or get a move somewhere where they can coast along picking up a wage, eventually get found out and repeat. 
 

Some will definitely choose the second option, I hope players like Bakinson choose the first.

[The Constant Rabbit]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

What stood out for me was the use (frequently) of the term ‘collective passivism’, as well as the comment ‘I’m sure they don’t go out to play poorly on purpose”. 
 

Wow!! Those are the sort of comments that you might hear from a manager who’s been in the job for 3 years and is under immense pressure. Those are comments that an under pressure manager would be accused of ‘throwing the players under a bus’. 
 

Given that he’s only been here for 11 days, and he’s already pretty much said this group are lazy and disinterested, I’m massively impressed by his balls!! He knows that some players aren’t gonna like that but he doesn’t give a toss. You either put in the effort or you are out. Good on you Nige. 

Pearson has just put every single player on notice that they are playing for their jobs.

About bloody time.

[Swede]

This season is all about staying at this level. 

I think today showed Nige where our problems are. We're a soft touch, the slow build up. Teams get in amongst us and impose their game on us and it's no surprise that we've lost five in a row at home. I actually thought we were starting to get on top and Mariappa loses Chair on a diagonal and bang it's 1:0.

In fairness his hands are tied with all of the injuries but I like how he's honest and has identified the passive touch that is Bristol City.I like how he identifies that it's his team but the players have to take responsibility for the performances and it's clear that he won't tolerate it.

[Olé]

2 hours ago, Harry said:

What stood out for me was the use (frequently) of the term ‘collective passivism’, as well as the comment ‘I’m sure they don’t go out to play poorly on purpose”. 

That word stood out an absolute mile when I heard it (passive). He must have said it at least 5 times in a few minutes, and I agree that it is an extraordinary admission so soon after taking over. It stuck out for me most as he put his finger on the word I've been looking for. 

I like to think I'm one of Bakinson's biggest fans but he was as bad example of being "passive" as any and not surprised he was hauled off. Floated around waiting to be given something, not actually trying to make anything happen. Passive was exactly the word for it all.

This team can have good days, but by god are we soft, often waiting for things to happen or get given to us. At a club that made a thing out of "needing busy bees" we seem to need a lot of motivation just to turn up and graft - how often do we spectacularly underwhelm.

And this campaign seems to be by far the worst for it. I don't know if the players have written off the season, are exhausted, or decided there is enough mitigating excuses (injury), but we've exposed a very soft underbelly that results in them picking when to put a shift in.

I know the injuries today didn't help (removing two of the busier bees) but I doubt a team shouted at by Pearson has ever been so flat. My hope is he has been studying and quietly encouraging without significant intervention yet, but will now start to destroy and rebuild.

PASSIVE. I'll say it again only because it's just such an incredibly honest but also alarming word to describe your players.

[Davefevs]

5 minutes ago, Olé said:

That word stood out an absolute mile when I heard it (passive). He must have said it at least 5 times in a few minutes, and I agree that it is an extraordinary admission so soon after taking over. It stuck out for me most as he put his finger on the word I've been looking for. 

I like to think I'm one of Bakinson's biggest fans but he was as bad example of being "passive" as any and not surprised he was hauled off. Floated around waiting to be given something, not actually trying to make anything happen. Passive was exactly the word for it all.

This team can have good days, but by god are we soft, often waiting for things to happen or get given to us. At a club that made a thing out of "needing busy bees" we seem to need a lot of motivation just to turn up and graft - how often do we spectacularly underwhelm.

And this campaign seems to be by far the worst for it. I don't know if the players have written off the season, are exhausted, or decided there is enough mitigating excuses (injury), but we've exposed a very soft underbelly that results in them picking when to put a shift in.

I know the injuries today didn't help (removing two of the busier bees) but I doubt a team shouted at by Pearson has ever been so flat. My hope is he has been studying and quietly encouraging without significant intervention yet, but will now start to destroy and rebuild.

PASSIVE. I'll say it again only because it's just such an incredibly honest but also alarming word to describe your players.

I’ve been using that word for the past 2 years, about certain players and the team....but it’s got worse.

[Red Exile]

6 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I’ve been using that word for the past 2 years, about certain players and the team....but it’s got worse.

'Passive' is a word that could have described the latter seasons of the LJ regime...coaching staff stood in the technical area watching events unfold while the Warnocks of this world managed their teams in real time by tweaking, adjusting, and often winning.

Players recruited apparently in the hope that they would carry whatever stats past performances suggested they had into action on the pitch today - with insufficient attention paid to how exactly they would interact with the players around them. Constant chopping and changing as though throwing everything in the air would miraculously reveal a new and winning combination...

The word I'd previously used to decide it was 'observing' - watching on as though events were just taking their course...

...and there was little that could be done - until the 60th minute!

[Bazooka Joe]

11 hours ago, steviestevieneville said:

The passive side was massively telling for me. It’s a reflection on the last 2-3 years at the club which has led to the easy feel at the club that I think SL saw. Alarm bells rang for me when players were tweeting how happy they were that Holden got the job . Holiday camp feel about the place . 

From holiday camp to boot camp.

And for certain players, a boot up the arse, and get out of here camp.

 

[Will Rollason]

I worry for bakinson. I think he's a player for another era. languid... talented...and his whole deamenour is "passive"

I'm nor sure he can play any other way. I really like him as a footballer and want him to succeed but I can't see it playing in a Nigel Pearson team.. not after his comments yesterday. 

[Shuffle]

17 minutes ago, Will Rollason said:

I worry for bakinson. I think he's a player for another era. languid... talented...and his whole deamenour is "passive"

I'm nor sure he can play any other way. I really like him as a footballer and want him to succeed but I can't see it playing in a Nigel Pearson team.. not after his comments yesterday. 

The worrying thing with Bakinson who seems incapable of playing 3 games in a week. He hits a great pass but has no pace or desire to make a tackle. Clearly got ability but needs to do more to kick on 

[mozo]

The thing with Bakinson's passive performance is why weren't his teammates screaming at him to get stuck in? Imagine he had Roy Keane alongside him in midfield!

I watched a Keane interview yesterday in which he said he feels insulted when people heap praise on him for having always given 100% on the pitch, team player etc. He said that's just doing your job, the minimum expected of a player.

[RedRock]

10 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Thought it was a very revealing interview.

He seemed angry yet kept himself under control and as others have pointed out, took responsibility even though it would have been very easy for him to say I’ve only been here 5 minutes.

He is also deliberately refraining from using having to play youngsters as any sort of excuse but I’ll bet within the confines of the dressing room he is making the senior players more than aware of his actual thoughts on their shortcomings.

In other words, a ‘proper manager’.

Maybe he also reads OTIB. How many of us have used the term, ‘passive’, over the last few years.
 

We’re soft, mentally and physically, lacking in leadership. Only Kalas and Bents stand out from the anonymous crowd - the worst culprits being the non-existent, non-entity midfield. 
 

The positive, as we move sideways, is that at long last we have a manager who not only identifies the problems but has the capabilities of sorting them. At ****** last.

Massive change required in the Club’s DNA from top to bottom. Can’t come soon enough for me.

 

[Harry]

17 minutes ago, mozo said:

The thing with Bakinson's passive performance is why weren't his teammates screaming at him to get stuck in? Imagine he had Roy Keane alongside him in midfield!

I watched a Keane interview yesterday in which he said he feels insulted when people heap praise on him for having always given 100% on the pitch, team player etc. He said that's just doing your job, the minimum expected of a player.

I think that’s likely what he means by the ‘collective passiveness’. Some players not putting in the effort whilst others around them are not picking them up on it. Nige works very much to the ‘team’ ethos. 
 

Interestingly I noted at one point, Mariappa having a right pop at Hunt, and Hunt turning round as if to say “what’s your beef?”  I think his beef was that you didn’t do your job Jack. So get with the programme! 

[Silvio Dante]

Bakinsons an interesting case. It’s been pointed out before that in his loan spells the pattern was start excellently, then fall away - maybe as teams figure him out, or maybe complacency. This season, pre Pearson, he followed that pattern for us.

Its revealing he got hooked so early yesterday, but as revealing that he was the one player on Weds who NP criticised (losing his player on second goal). I get the distinct impression that NP both rates Ty, but also feels he needs to be bollocked. You don’t do what he’s done to players you don’t rate - he’s testing him mentally to see how he reacts, and if he’s worth a place in the squad on an ongoing basis

[Jerseybean]

13 hours ago, Robbored said:

Very Frank and honest appraisal of what he sees the areas in which we need to improve. I’ve certainly not heard any previous manager be as astute after such a short time in the club.

I really like this guy already and see why he’s been successful at other clubs.

 

My synopsis and comparisons of post-match interviews following a poor performance and defeat:

LJ: Often with an incongruous smirk, Lots of riddles, jargon, box entries, fine margins, players singled out and sometimes refereeing decisions questioned. Translation: not my fault, I’ll tinker again and let’s see what happens next game. Never a post-match evaluation which resonated with what fans or anybody else had witnessed.

DH: Often with a look of being caught in the headlights, we weren’t good enough, we will regroup and go again, I’m not using injuries as an excuse, we need to perform better. Translation: I know that was poor but to be honest I don’t know what to do about it. Generally an honest and authentic attempt to sum the game sum up.

NP: An honest and genuine focus on the presenting issues, without singling anybody out, with considered and thoughtful insight being shown. An emphasis on the collective responsibility required, ‘us’ not me and them. Articulate, interesting, incisive, straight-forward, values-based and action-orientated. Translation: I know what I’m talking about, I know what good looks like, I know what needs to be done to sort this out and I am not phased by the challenge. Although I’ve used ‘I’ it isn’t ever an egocentric ‘I’ it’s a confident, experienced and grounded ‘I’. He says what he sees and pulls no punches.

[Phileas Fogg]

3 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

Bakinsons an interesting case. It’s been pointed out before that in his loan spells the pattern was start excellently, then fall away - maybe as teams figure him out, or maybe complacency. This season, pre Pearson, he followed that pattern for us.

Its revealing he got hooked so early yesterday, but as revealing that he was the one player on Weds who NP criticised (losing his player on second goal). I get the distinct impression that NP both rates Ty, but also feels he needs to be bollocked. You don’t do what he’s done to players you don’t rate - he’s testing him mentally to see how he reacts, and if he’s worth a place in the squad on an ongoing basis

I agree. I notice that Bakinson was one of the players who made a social media post about Holden going - the general point being he was grateful that Holden gave him the opportunity.

I get the impression with Bakinson (from the way his form is patchy both here and at loan clubs) is that he can get a bit complacent. He has that languid style that can make him appear lazy so that doesn't help. I reckon Pearson has sussed him out pretty quickly and hauling him off like that so early in the game is all part of a long term strategy for managing his development. 

I suspect subbing on Pearson was also symbolic rather than tactical - showing the more seasoned pros that he's not afraid to replace them.

[steviestevieneville]

1 hour ago, Will Rollason said:

I worry for bakinson. I think he's a player for another era. languid... talented...and his whole deamenour is "passive"

I'm nor sure he can play any other way. I really like him as a footballer and want him to succeed but I can't see it playing in a Nigel Pearson team.. not after his comments yesterday. 

I’m not worried for him at all . He just can’t have days off like he did yesterday & so he shouldn’t . Yes he has a languid style but he’s proved in the past he can press with intent . His mind was on the beach yesterday & he can’t afford to do that & neither can any of them 

[Son of Fred]

11 hours ago, SouthS22 said:

Semenyo needs to sort his decision making out.

If Pearson stays to orchestrate the 'shake-up Semenyo gets nowhere near the first team next season..

Along with several others!

[Robin101]

I’m old enough to remember Dean Holden’s refreshing post match interviews, err, six months ago.

But seriously, you do just get a sense that someone who knows what they’re doing is finally in charge. No guarantee of success of course.

[Robbored]

4 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I suspect subbing on Pearson was also symbolic rather than tactical - showing the more seasoned pros that he's not afraid to replace them.

I think you’re spot on there  PF

Big Nige is an experienced guy, been there and done it and yesterday was an example of him showing not just Bakinson but the whole team that he’s the boss and if you’re not performing then you get replaced.

An important message for TB who’ll hopefully learn from the experience.

[RedRock]

3 minutes ago, Son of Fred said:

If Pearson stays to orchestrate the 'shake-up Semenyo gets nowhere near the first team next season..

Along with several others!

Yes.

This is where for all the plaudits The Academy/Player Development gets, I worry that the culture right through the Club is seriously and fundamentally flawed. What I call the ‘Honda ok’ principle (for those of you old enough to remember the adverts).

We are not breeding fighters, leaders and winners.
 

To use a GJ phrase ‘ they are not affecting the game’. 

[ScottishRed]

#toocosy

 

Not for much longer.

[LondonBristolian]

1 minute ago, ScottishRed said:

#toocosy

 

Not for much longer.

I think "too cosy" is the major thing.

Over the next few months, we'll find out which players are willing to use this as a challenge to push themselves as players and which ones aren't up for putting the work in. I think we will find there are players who were allowed to coast a bit under Johnson and Holden who do up their game but the ones that won't will not be around long under Pearson. 

[Wiltshire robin]

4 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

#toocosy

 

Not for much longer.

Has been the main problem since cotts left

everyone is too comfortable here to fight to get in the team because they know they’ll get played anyway 

[Northern Red]

27 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

Bakinsons an interesting case. It’s been pointed out before that in his loan spells the pattern was start excellently, then fall away - maybe as teams figure him out, or maybe complacency. This season, pre Pearson, he followed that pattern for us.

Its revealing he got hooked so early yesterday, but as revealing that he was the one player on Weds who NP criticised (losing his player on second goal). I get the distinct impression that NP both rates Ty, but also feels he needs to be bollocked. You don’t do what he’s done to players you don’t rate - he’s testing him mentally to see how he reacts, and if he’s worth a place in the squad on an ongoing basis

Spot on.

Bakinson was pretty good for the most part on Wednesday but he does have a tendency to drift in and out and switch off, which resulted in him losing his man on the goal. Stuff like that will need to be sorted out if he wants to progress any further because managers at a higher level won't put up with it, Pearson has already made that clear.

If the player wants to improve and is prepared to put the work in then Pearson will do everything he can to help him. I've no doubt he'll have picked out the good things that Bakinson did against Bournemouth and showed him that he is capable, but he will challenge him too.