We Have To Get Out Of This Division

[potbelly]

[newboy]

I do wonder if the team is trying too hard.

Against WBA for the first 20 mins and against portsmouth (ok, it was a testimonial, but cut me some slack) the team really flowed and the passing and movement was excellent.

That seems to have gone under the pressure. Some may say that it's because the formation wasn't tested thoroughly enough under those games.

I wonder if it's because the team is freezing and playing under par because (especially the newbies) they're not comfortable in a real game.

[mercury]

Good points there potbelly, I agree, I think we, as supporters are also a lot to blame, personally, a season where we win the majority of matches and are in with a shout of promotion in this division, is far more exiting than losing the majority of matches, and battling relegation, which i'm sure we would be, in the championship.

Money for tv is ruining the very essence of what we love about football, prima donna footballers, earning obscene amounts of money, and no loyalty to the clubs. BT should be given at least two seasons to get us where we would like to be, the championship, but with a team that is good enough to stay there. I will be patient, i'm not sure most supporters will be though.

If the official line from SL was " BT has two seasons to produce a team that will get us in the championship, and keep us there", a lot of the pressure would be lifted, and the players could relax, enjoy, and perform better on the pitch.

Better to get to the championship and stay there, than get there and come strsight back down.

[potbelly]

If the official line from SL was " BT has two seasons to produce a team that will get us in the championship, and keep us there", a lot of the pressure would be lifted, and the players could relax, enjoy, and perform better on the pitch.

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I`d second that. Might stop some of the knee jerk reactions on here and take a bit of the pressure off everyone, us included.

[Gerry Gows' Tash]

Personally I think the weight of expectation and the negative comments - here and at the Gate - are bad for the team, the manager and morale at the club generally. Would u perform well at work if people were shouting how #### you were all the time ? they need support and encouragement not mindless criticism.

This team is more than capable of getting out of this Divison, if only some some "fans" get off their back and realise that we are not going to win every game, knock it around like Arsenal, or get auto promotion by Christmas. We need to get out of the mindset that it is somehow our "right" to be promoted or we "should" be in this or that Divison, fact is we are in this Division this season. Back to basics, one game at a time, early doors, game of two halves, marathon not a sprint,(pick your own cliche). Whatever, we need to concentrate on supporting the team to win every matche and sticking with them when they don't, that is the way to win.

I need a drink now !

[Lordofthebling]

great post potbelly... excellent lunchtime reading

[RedTop]

Sorry, Potbelly. Great post and well argued, but I disagree on this one.

As far as I'm concerned, our aim every season should be to achieve the best possible position. There is no point in playing any sport unless you want to win. Imagine a match where both managers told the team: "Don't bother about whether we win or not. Just do some tricks, spray the ball about and entertain the fans."

Much of the entertainment and enjoyment from football comes from the fact you want your team to win so much. That's why it feels so good when they do, and so badly when they don't. If you just want to appreciate people enjoying the sport they play and doing it to the best of their ability and for the love of the game, go down Keynsham leisure centre and watch some people play badminton.

Me, I'd rather watch City play at the highest possible level. The higher the level we play at, the better quality players we can attract and afford to employ. Do you think we'd ever have seen Jacki or Andy Cole play for us if we were in the basement like the Gas? No, they came because we were in Division One and gave them the best offer they had on the table.

Of course there is so much money in the game that the pressures are multiple. The chairman and theboard are putting loads of money into the club, and it's only right they should expect results for their investment. Tinman is under pressure to perform to keep his livelihood, and so are the players. But then, so am I. There were a number of redundancies at our place a few months ago, and like many other people fortunate enough to have jobs I am well aware that if I don't perform, I'm more likely to be in line for the push. That's life.

I appreciate your romantic image of Gillespie. But he didn't shoose us. He chose Liverpool. When they booted him out, he looked around for the best deal and we offered it. Sure, he was long-sighted enough to appreciate it was not just about money but about enjoyign his work environment and getting a chance to play first team football. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that - it's no different from the decisions we all make in our lives. But the days of jumpers for goalposts and players happy to play for a few quid of beer money are long gone. I fight to get the best pay and conditions for my job, even though I love it - why expect footballers to be any different. That's just unfair.

Anyway, I digress. The point I wanted to make is that football, and the enjoyment and tension we all get out of it, is all based on the premise that we want to WIN. We want promotion. The chairman wants promotion. The players want promotion and the managers want promotion. The rewards are there for all, and there are no benefits I can see from not wanting promotion, and wanting it badly. And there's nothing wrong with that - that's how football should be.

[Guest Rikku]

The desire to win is an absolute must - football is a highly competitive sport and it's crucial that ability and talent are supported by a hunger for success. That said, I do think that, as a result of recent failings, money spent and the general reactions and opinions of the supporters, there is a hell of a lot of pressure being placed on city this season.

Over the last few seasons, the patience of the fans has been steadily decreasing - to the point where there is widespread concern, even panic, after failing to secure a win in the first two games of the new campaign. I am not saying that this isn't understandable, but it means that the team aren't just playing with a healthy desire to win - they are also playing with a genuine fear of losing: something I believe can have a negative effect as it is difficult to perform to the best of your ability when you are under that kind of pressure.

There is an argument that these are all professional footballers who should be mentally and physically prepared to deal with such pressure but, at the end of the day, they are human beings. The difference is (for the majority of us), if we underachieve at work, we don't carry the burden of letting thousands of people down who, in turn, vent their frustrations and anger at us.

Time is a luxury that Brian Tinnion has not been afforded - everyone involved in the football club knows that promotion is both expected (even demanded) to be achieved this season. Regardless of a poor start, this is still very much an attainable goal but I do think that a bit more patience is required on behalf of the fans. Of course, there has to be a limit to the amount of patience we can offer, but I think it needs to be appreciated that the team are already well aware of the demands placed upon them from all corners of the club.

A desire for success is one thing; but the level of expectation and the anticipated intolerance of failure means that success is not only desired for the rewards it brings, but also because the alternative is extremely daunting.