Reflection

[Loosey Boy]

4 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Speculation with a hint of fact. 

There has not been any serious conversations about relieving Nigel of his duties. Pearson was brought in to overhaul the club. Results haven't always been great but those with the power are happy with the work Nigel has done at the club and there is actually a lot of optimism. 

Hope you’re right @W-S-M Seagull - give him the time and he will get us sorted and on the right track from a long-term perspective

[Top Robin]

17 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Speculation with a hint of fact. 

There has not been any serious conversations about relieving Nigel of his duties. Pearson was brought in to overhaul the club. Results haven't always been great but those with the power are happy with the work Nigel has done at the club and there is actually a lot of optimism. 

Genuinely, are you ITK or do you have higher level contacts within BCFC?...sounds like you may. 

[spudski]

2 hours ago, robinforlife2 said:

There is a lot of difference in watching planes to flying one, now had you sat in the cockpit for ten years observing and so on, there is a chance you could have a better placed understanding, so I think it's a poor anology.

By the same token, to be a good manager at something doesn't mean you needed to be good at that sport. You can watch a lot of football and some to assessments of players who play well and so on, who they link up well with, what sort of player the club has been missing. That's not to say you would be a brilliant manager but by the same token you might have ideas or understands which could be beneficial.

In my job, I had no practical or academic involvement in it, but I am now in a consultancy role, which means I go to places and advise what people want and so on. This has come from years of being a guinea pig in a situation which has led to me being asked what they are doing right or wrong in this sphere. So by your token, because I spent years watching and being a guinea pig, you feel my input would not be very good, however it has led to me having a job where I now advise people on what is needed and I analyse what they are doing.

I don't pretend to say I am a better football manager than big Nige, I mean I wouldn't kick a ball 10 yards if I tried, I would toe poke it left right and centre and I would not be good enough for a pub league team, but that doesn't mean I can't read players, situations, and so on, and use that judgement to forge an opinion when something or someone is doing it wrong.

 

I have just read Devsfavs response to my OP, and I appreciate Dev as he is someone who attacks the post and not the poster, too often people resort in getting personal, rather than what people post, which is why I value his opinion, I may not agree with it, but I value it.

He say's one thing I don't agree on and that's quite simple, 

4 - Quickly understand that Nahki Wells is our best striker, it should be him and one other, not a case of Nahki as an impact sub. It doesn't work that way. Nahki and Tommy or Nahki and Antoine, one of the other to come off the bench. We will not score goals without Nahki on the pitch.  you have to rotate.  You want us to press from the front don’t you?

This is where I differ from most fans. Whilst many are happy to be entertained even if we get beat, as I said last night, I would rather it be ugly and scrappy and win 1-0 or draw 0-0, as there is only one thing that keeps you in this league and that's getting points.

If our team is too fragile and unable to play the press from the front, then no I do not want us to press from the front.

I would be happy if we went out and played dirty with cynical challenges, a few leg breakers here and there to get teams on edge thinking Jesus this guys gonna tear me in half I aint getting close to him. The fact is our squad can't play week in week out trying to play this press from the front, it gets too many injuries and players don't see out 90 minutes, and that is part the reason, why we have a better first half record than second half record.

So no, I don't want us to play in a manner where it means we get more injuries, players are knackered after 70 minutes and we've not got the squad to replace them on the bench. If anything the constant trying to play to a way we don't have the luxury of players to support is partly why we are where we are in the table.

 

I respect Nige likes his 3-5-2 / 5-3-2 but we don't have the side to cover it, we don't have a squad to implement and we don't exactly have a physically strong squad.

But we have some players who can be demanding and a nuisance and get under players skin, and this is what we should be doing, plus playing a bit tough at the back. There is nothing wrong with a few dirty challenges to get a team on edge. It works for so many teams in this league and I don't get why we don't do it. You gain nothing for being a nice club or soft. 

So I would rather we won ulgy / dirty call it what you like.

I would rather results than entertainment, which is why I would not be adverse to a Warnock type manager.

We've tried pretty football for so long and its got us nowhere.

Now I know the main reason I want Pearson gone, it's mainly on I don't think he is a terribly nice person. I mean I liked Gary Johnson, I liked Cotts, I even liked Lee Johnson, but I have never warmed to Nige, the same way I never warmed to S'OD.

I guess this makes me be more judgemental, but I don't like the way Nige comes across.

To me and it may just be me, but I feel he sees this football club as a club who are lucky to have him. like he is better than us, and he is doing us a favour being here, and that he is the all singing and dancing and has to have sorted out the mess, and he feels no one else of his calibre would have wanted to. With this I think he has this hard persona and therefore nothing is ever his fault, it's like we are fortunate to have him.

I might be on my own with this opinion, but I have never seen him come across as gracious, passionate, spirited and his praise for the fans now and again feels like he says it because he is pushed into saying it and not that he means it.

Maybe he just has a cold persona, and is not a people person, but to me he comes across as very arrogant and like he thinks he is bigger than the club, and I think its because of this, I want him gone.

Some of the sly digs he has, some of the comments re fans, players and so on, to many may seem innocent, but I think it's his personality. 

I get the impression he doesn't give a rats about the club, and he is just picking up his pay packet, which wont be a small one. He will blame everything going on around him at the club and he has never once actually taken responsibility for the awful tactics and shocking performances, and always has someone to blame.

If he came out and actually said I got it wrong, I made the wrong decisions, I could probably accept that, as its the truth, but I genuinely feel he thinks he is bigger than the club.

Maybe I am seeing too much, or over thinking, but when your Pep, Klopp, Mourinho etc you can afford to be arrogant, because you get results, you win things and you have proven you perhaps are bigger than your club and they are lucky to have you, but when you carry that air of arrogance, yet on the pitch you're failing for me, you make yourself unlikeable and you will lose support of some quickly.

I also think too much has been made of the financial situation, and comparing to LJ and the war chest he had. I actually think Covid has changed football, the fees arent being paid like they were and it is now harder to move on players as every club is feeling the strain. The deals LJ made mirrored a lot of clubs pre covid and had it not been for the pandemic, we would have probably sold another player for good money and the whole buy to try and make profit model may have continued. I don't think it's fair that LJ is blamed for a model he was being asked to follow and pushed into the direction of. He made signings such as Massengo, Diedhiou and others who were expected to be sold on for profit to fund the next players in. I don't think it's fair to blame him for what transpired, when it was a directive the club was asking him to take. He was of course identifying players, it was the recruitment team who agreed their wages and so on.

I also felt with GJ, SCotts and LJ that we looked a good side, I felt there was times when we could beat anyone and felt we were on the cusp of something. I am not saying had we stuck with LJ we wouldn't be where we are now, but I will also say, I wasn't calling for his head when he was sacked, as I actually felt and do still feel, LJ was a good manager for us, I feel it was a case of the right man at the wrong time. I actually think LJ is a good manager, I think it should be noted the foundations of the side Sunderland have which are in the playoff zone in the Championship now are core Lee Johnson signings. He also had them high enough in the table to be challenging for automatic promotion when he was relieved of his duties. He had a 51% win rate at Sunderland and I dare say his sacking was a shade unjust. The team he was building has not had huge change to the team that now sit 4th in the Championship. I don't think that is a surprise. 
I also think he is doing a decent job at Hibbs. In a league where you can't compete with the top 2, he has taken over one of the poorer clubs who have struggled for seasons on end, and whilst they aren't doing brilliant in the league in 8th, he is doing better than where they were in recent seasons and he is building a young competent side.

I feel Johnson was unfortunate to have his time here with MA, I think LJ is a good coach, I actually think he is good at identifying talent and I think he plays good attacking football and I think he is very knowledgeable. I personally would not be adverse to him having another go with us in the future, but I wouldn't want him right now as I think its too soon , but I do think there is a case of unfinished business and I do think we looked a better side under Johnson than we do under Pearson.

I don't know who can steady the ship, who can help us progress.

Last month I wrote a long piece about why I would look at John Aloisi, a 46 yo manager who has worked wonders on a shoestring budget at Western United, has the team matching top teams, has given youth a chance played top flight football in England, represented his country in a World Cup, and has caught the eye in the A League in not only the miraculous job he has done at Western United, but in the way he turned around a failing cash strapped Brisbane Roar and also turned around the youth development at Melbourne Victory which has led to several youth players breaking into the first time and the Socceroos.

People wont of heard of him unless you follow the A League, but here is a manager who took the team tipped for bottom place and no money to even attempt to buy a marquee player, to winning the A League last season, and despite losing his best players and having no money to replace them has continued to develop players. Having had a rough start to the season, they even went 80 minutes with 10 players to win the other day in a game they were tipped to lose and have won 3 and drawn 1 of their last 5, and the new youth he has promoted is now geling and I am sure Western United will be up there again at the business end.

This is a manager who has had to work with youth, no budget, makes teams hard to beat, can identify talent and has won a league title with a team tipped for bottom place. A manager who in his first role as a manager obtained a 40% win rate, and struggled for personal reasons before leaving the game on a poor season. After 18 months out and working back in youth football, he returned to have a 38% win rate in 3 and half years at a club tipped for mid table , yet got them top 4, 2 years running and then since joining the smallest club in the league has won a league title and has a 49% win rate.

Now John Aloisi, may not be a name many know about, but everyone keeps asking who?

Who could work on no budget, work with youth, help a club through a transition and build a club to win something.

Why not a man, who has transformed 2 of the biggest youth set ups in Australia, took a bottom of the league Brisbane Roar to be a top 4 team, then took on another bottom of the league cash strapped club and over 2 years made them A League champions, all on a budget where he couldn't even sign one marquee player ! Had to use youth and had his best players sold underneath him every season, whilst still getting results.

A manager who can work on a nothing budget, get teams playing good football and has a 49% win rate in his current role at the team with the least money in their league.

Because he is a manager of a team in a league people don't really know and all that, people will laugh at the suggestion, but he is exactly the sort of manager we need.

He is a winner, he can work on a shoestring budget, can recruit well, and can transform teams. He is 46 and no dinosaur, he played at the highest level, albeit not for the biggest clubs and he represented his country at the highest level.

He is the sort of appointment that wouldn't stand out, but like GJ, like Cotts, he is the sort of manager who knows how to do a job, and I genuinely believe if Lansdown went out and poached him from Western United, not only would we stay up this season, but he'll build a team that within 3 years would be in the premier league. 

True...the flying the plane analogy is a poor comparison.

Everyone learns and pretty much fly's a plane the same way. The same with riding a bike or driving a car.

Finding a way of winning at football is a totally different scenario.

Every Coach and manager is trying to find a way of doing it differently...and then you are competing against someone else, who's doing it their way and trying to stop you.

Some many different conundrums.

They say football is a simple game...yet it's become so contrived and complicated. 

You can have two teams playing tactical football for 90 mins, complex patterns etc...yet a game can be won from pinging in a free kick, to a crowded box and relying on a 50/50 situation.

Funnily it's crossed my mind that because football has become so focused on' tactics, game plans etc etc etc'...and rules regarding hand balls in the box, easy penalty's given for very little in the box, VAR etc...that it's screaming out for a Wimbledon scenario. Pack the box, keep playing direct and into the box. Something will give eventually. An astute manager may pick this up.

Why not....teams play complex football trying to keep possession and shape. Yet get a free kick just inside the opposition's area...what do they do. Fill the box and ping in a cross. Leaving it open to a 50/50 ball to win and defend or attack against. Yet they don't do it in open play! What's the difference...there is no difference. 

Do it in open play and you are accused of being a direct football team with no culture. Yet win a free kick, you become a direct football team. If playing complex football was paramount...when gaining a freekick you'd set up play as you would in normal open play...not ping it into the box.

Football is a simple game made complex. 

It's an art form. 

Regarding Pearson...I don't see him as arrogant. I see him as a person with experience, who doesn't suffer fools gladly. 

Just because fans have an opinion, think they know better ( they are entitled to), pay their money and expect...it doesn't give them the right to give a shit load of bell end opinions and abuse, and not expect to be looked down upon with contempt. 

If you give it and can't take it, and moan like a bitch when the opposite reaction is given, then people need to man up and stop being so offended. 

Ooooh Nige said this, said that...and I'm offended...yet they've called him a C uNt and told him to f e CK off. 

So many football fans can be right dicks...they give it but can't take it back.

 

 

 

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, robinforlife2 said:

I have just read Devsfavs response to my OP, and I appreciate Dev as he is someone who attacks the post and not the poster, too often people resort in getting personal, rather than what people post, which is why I value his opinion, I may not agree with it, but I value it.

He say's one thing I don't agree on and that's quite simple, 

4 - Quickly understand that Nahki Wells is our best striker, it should be him and one other, not a case of Nahki as an impact sub. It doesn't work that way. Nahki and Tommy or Nahki and Antoine, one of the other to come off the bench. We will not score goals without Nahki on the pitch.  you have to rotate.  You want us to press from the front don’t you?

This is where I differ from most fans. Whilst many are happy to be entertained even if we get beat, as I said last night, I would rather it be ugly and scrappy and win 1-0 or draw 0-0, as there is only one thing that keeps you in this league and that's getting points.

If our team is too fragile and unable to play the press from the front, then no I do not want us to press from the front.

I would be happy if we went out and played dirty with cynical challenges, a few leg breakers here and there to get teams on edge thinking Jesus this guys gonna tear me in half I aint getting close to him. The fact is our squad can't play week in week out trying to play this press from the front, it gets too many injuries and players don't see out 90 minutes, and that is part the reason, why we have a better first half record than second half record.

So no, I don't want us to play in a manner where it means we get more injuries, players are knackered after 70 minutes and we've not got the squad to replace them on the bench. If anything the constant trying to play to a way we don't have the luxury of players to support is partly why we are where we are in the table.

To clarify, when I say press from the front…I don’t mean heavy press, I don’t mean gegen-press.  Not aimed at you, but so many fans hear the words “High press” or “press from the front” (two different things themselves also) and think Klopp / Rangnick type “heavy metal football”.

I wasn’t prescribing this at all.

In fact, if you read Gary Rowett’s post-match interview you’ll hear how he commented about how Semenyo and Conway dropped in.  They didn’t “high press / gegen press”, they dropped in generally, moved side to side with intensity but blocked passing lanes into the central areas.  They did occasionally High press, off of a trigger, crap touch by defender or wayward pass to keeper.  But that’s just executing the trigger well.  We needed energy and smartness last night to do that, Conway and Semenyo, coupled with Weimann flitting between no10 and RM3, provided that.  It’s why Diedhiou couldn’t press, being harsh, a combo of lack of intelligence and intensity.  He often allowed opposition defenders to progress their team up the pitch.

Therefore our press started from the front…and it’s success made life easier for our defence.

Having referred to GR’s post-match, listen to Dinosaur Nige’s club interview.  Lot of talk about maybe selecting a more defensive side, but he felt that inviting pressure wasn’t the way to play this game, hence the decisions he made.  Although we’d obviously not like to give the ball away there is often a good argument for pinging it in the channel, turning their defence and midfield around and make them start again from their own third, especially if we can then condense half the pitch vertically.  Only once from a throw in deep in their own half, did they within two passes get it out the other side in space.  It was a throw-in from McNamara into Mitchell who controlled and spun an excellent volley out to the CB, who quickly fed Wallace.  The way Semenyo and Conway (and then Wells) split 3 opponents from throws was great.  Their keeper kicked from his own box, not from 20 yards outside like at AG.  Little things, by pressing from the front.

Hope that clarifies what I meant.

As for you “win ugly” couldn’t agree more.  I’ve posted many times before that I can take a lot of pleasure out of a dull 0-0 or a scrappy 1-0, if I see the intent / tactic / endeavour behind it.  Last night was one of those.  So many little things we got spot on, and then you hear the opposition manager call out those things…that’s satisfying.

Finally rotation doesn’t have to happen with subs…it can just be in who starts.  As we know, players who don’t play at least 30-45 minutes do a session to give the impression they’ve not just prepped to play, but have played too.  So I don’t think we are holding players back or they are knackered at 65-70 minute mark, but players like Conway will also be feeling the physical nature of fitness, bumps, bruises, he won’t have got in the 23s (21s now).

I believe this team / squad is physically fitter than at any point since we came back up.  Injuries are now down to more than sensible levels.  Pressing from the front, is about intelligence, drilling, etc, not just fitness.

[Davefevs]

4 hours ago, robinforlife2 said:

 

Now I know the main reason I want Pearson gone, it's mainly on I don't think he is a terribly nice person. I mean I liked Gary Johnson, I liked Cotts, I even liked Lee Johnson, but I have never warmed to Nige, the same way I never warmed to S'OD.

I guess this makes me be more judgemental, but I don't like the way Nige comes across.

I’d say it is clouding your judgement…and making you see the negative side of everything he dies.  I was chatting to Mat Withers on twitter the other day about this, and I think when you get to a point on a person, everything is shit about them.  An old boss of mine once said, “Dave - when everyone you work with is an arsehole, it’s time to leave - because they aren’t, but you’ve just reached a level you can’t tolerate anymore”.  It’s a bit similar with you and Nige I think.  It’s human nature too.  For info I was working with @Clevedon Redat the time, and he is an arsehole.  Only joking

To me and it may just be me, but I feel he sees this football club as a club who are lucky to have him. like he is better than us, and he is doing us a favour being here, and that he is the all singing and dancing and has to have sorted out the mess, and he feels no one else of his calibre would have wanted to. With this I think he has this hard persona and therefore nothing is ever his fault, it's like we are fortunate to have him.

I might be on my own with this opinion, but I have never seen him come across as gracious, passionate, spirited and his praise for the fans now and again feels like he says it because he is pushed into saying it and not that he means it.

I think there are others on here who agree with you.  I don’t, but that’s fine.

Maybe he just has a cold persona, and is not a people person, but to me he comes across as very arrogant and like he thinks he is bigger than the club, and I think its because of this, I want him gone.

Again, if you go and listen to / read about Nige from others, it appears the complete opposite…they are very fond of him.  He most certainly appears to be to be a people person.  Look at the way he talked about Adam Nagy going to Pisa.  He did what was best for the player to the detriment of the club’s finances and his own team building.  He was asked by BP whether Nagy leaving was similar to Tyreeq Bakinson.  He shut down that thought as quickly as possible, saying Adam was a great guy, situation different, players wife just had a baby, was in another country and they did the best for Adam.  That sounds like a people person to me.

Some of the sly digs he has, some of the comments re fans, players and so on, to many may seem innocent, but I think it's his personality.

As above, you’ve reached an opinion, where you will want to put a negative slant on it.

I get the impression he doesn't give a rats about the club, and he is just picking up his pay packet, which wont be a small one. He will blame everything going on around him at the club and he has never once actually taken responsibility for the awful tactics and shocking performances, and always has someone to blame.

it’s all coming out now!  only joking, but this is a guy who’s been very ill, who could’ve walked at any point.  I don’t think money is driving him, but his professionalism to try and turn around a club that called for him to help.

If he came out and actually said I got it wrong, I made the wrong decisions, I could probably accept that, as its the truth, but I genuinely feel he thinks he is bigger than the club.

But he probably thinks he’s making the right decisions.  That’s just your opinion that he’s making wrong decisions.  I understand why you would claim that too.  We all think he’s made mistakes.

Maybe I am seeing too much, or over thinking, but when your Pep, Klopp, Mourinho etc you can afford to be arrogant, because you get results, you win things and you have proven you perhaps are bigger than your club and they are lucky to have you, but when you carry that air of arrogance, yet on the pitch you're failing for me, you make yourself unlikeable and you will lose support of some quickly.

you need to understand the different levels of expectation on those managers and what success looks likes.  Chalk and cheese using them as comparisons.  Did you go ballistic when Pep called Kalvin Philips fat?

I also think too much has been made of the financial situation, and comparing to LJ and the war chest he had. I actually think Covid has changed football, the fees arent being paid like they were and it is now harder to move on players as every club is feeling the strain. The deals LJ made mirrored a lot of clubs pre covid and had it not been for the pandemic, we would have probably sold another player for good money and the whole buy to try and make profit model may have continued. I don't think it's fair that LJ is blamed for a model he was being asked to follow and pushed into the direction of. He made signings such as Massengo, Diedhiou and others who were expected to be sold on for profit to fund the next players in. I don't think it's fair to blame him for what transpired, when it was a directive the club was asking him to take. He was of course identifying players, it was the recruitment team who agreed their wages and so on.

as a keen student of EFL finances I can tell you categorically very few clubs were spending like us relative to their means!  We are the lucky ones to escape punishment…the relaxed Covid allowances gave us a break!

In some ways I’m glad Covid did intervene.  We lost £28m on full attendances last year!

I think your view of LJ’s role in the overall recruitment is naive…but I don’t want this to digress into LJ.  That’s been well documented elsewhere.

I also felt with GJ, SCotts and LJ that we looked a good side, I felt there was times when we could beat anyone and felt we were on the cusp of something. I am not saying had we stuck with LJ we wouldn't be where we are now, but I will also say, I wasn't calling for his head when he was sacked, as I actually felt and do still feel, LJ was a good manager for us, I feel it was a case of the right man at the wrong time. I actually think LJ is a good manager, I think it should be noted the foundations of the side Sunderland have which are in the playoff zone in the Championship now are core Lee Johnson signings. He also had them high enough in the table to be challenging for automatic promotion when he was relieved of his duties. He had a 51% win rate at Sunderland and I dare say his sacking was a shade unjust. The team he was building has not had huge change to the team that now sit 4th in the Championship. I don't think that is a surprise.

I think your view of LJ is clouding your view of Nige.  This isn’t a LJ v Nige debate.

I also think he is doing a decent job at Hibbs. In a league where you can't compete with the top 2, he has taken over one of the poorer clubs who have struggled for seasons on end, and whilst they aren't doing brilliant in the league in 8th, he is doing better than where they were in recent seasons and he is building a young competent side.

Whilst being well-backed.  Hibs, along with their city rivals Hearts and Aberdeen are not the poorer clubs in the SPL, they are the next batch.  Since they returned to the SPL under Lennon:

so struggled for seasons on end is not true.  Lee needs to get them into the top half and Europe.  That is their aim.  He may well do it, but you’re making a lot of excuses for him.

I feel Johnson was unfortunate to have his time here with MA, I think LJ is a good coach, I actually think he is good at identifying talent and I think he plays good attacking football and I think he is very knowledgeable. I personally would not be adverse to him having another go with us in the future, but I wouldn't want him right now as I think its too soon , but I do think there is a case of unfinished business and I do think we looked a better side under Johnson than we do under Pearson.

we are getting to the root cause of Anti-Nige…it’s an LJ thing.  Please tell me it isn’t?

I don't know who can steady the ship, who can help us progress.

Last month I wrote a long piece about why I would look at John Aloisi, a 46 yo manager who has worked wonders on a shoestring budget at Western United, has the team matching top teams, has given youth a chance played top flight football in England, represented his country in a World Cup, and has caught the eye in the A League in not only the miraculous job he has done at Western United, but in the way he turned around a failing cash strapped Brisbane Roar and also turned around the youth development at Melbourne Victory which has led to several youth players breaking into the first time and the Socceroos.

you did, we debated it, in particular getting a work permit.

People wont of heard of him unless you follow the A League, but here is a manager who took the team tipped for bottom place and no money to even attempt to buy a marquee player, to winning the A League last season, and despite losing his best players and having no money to replace them has continued to develop players. Having had a rough start to the season, they even went 80 minutes with 10 players to win the other day in a game they were tipped to lose and have won 3 and drawn 1 of their last 5, and the new youth he has promoted is now geling and I am sure Western United will be up there again at the business end.

This is a manager who has had to work with youth, no budget, makes teams hard to beat, can identify talent and has won a league title with a team tipped for bottom place. A manager who in his first role as a manager obtained a 40% win rate, and struggled for personal reasons before leaving the game on a poor season. After 18 months out and working back in youth football, he returned to have a 38% win rate in 3 and half years at a club tipped for mid table , yet got them top 4, 2 years running and then since joining the smallest club in the league has won a league title and has a 49% win rate.

Now John Aloisi, may not be a name many know about, but everyone keeps asking who?

not if you have a reasonable knowledge of footie!

Who could work on no budget, work with youth, help a club through a transition and build a club to win something.

Why not a man, who has transformed 2 of the biggest youth set ups in Australia, took a bottom of the league Brisbane Roar to be a top 4 team, then took on another bottom of the league cash strapped club and over 2 years made them A League champions, all on a budget where he couldn't even sign one marquee player ! Had to use youth and had his best players sold underneath him every season, whilst still getting results.

A manager who can work on a nothing budget, get teams playing good football and has a 49% win rate in his current role at the team with the least money in their league.

Because he is a manager of a team in a league people don't really know and all that, people will laugh at the suggestion, but he is exactly the sort of manager we need.

He is a winner, he can work on a shoestring budget, can recruit well, and can transform teams. He is 46 and no dinosaur, he played at the highest level, albeit not for the biggest clubs and he represented his country at the highest level.

He is the sort of appointment that wouldn't stand out, but like GJ, like Cotts, he is the sort of manager who knows how to do a job, and I genuinely believe if Lansdown went out and poached him from Western United, not only would we stay up this season, but he'll build a team that within 3 years would be in the premier league. 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Davefevs

[glynriley]

4 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

 

“Did you go ballistic when Pep caked Kalvin Philips fat?“

Pep caked him fat? He’s only got himself to blame then…

[Davefevs]

1 minute ago, glynriley said:

“Did you go ballistic when Pep caked Kalvin Philips fat?“

Pep caked him fat? He’s only got himself to blame then…

Corrected

[spudski]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

To clarify, when I say press from the front…I don’t mean heavy press, I don’t mean gegen-press.  Not aimed at you, but so many fans hear the words “High press” or “press from the front” (two different things themselves also) and think Klopp / Rangnick type “heavy metal football”.

I wasn’t prescribing this at all.

In fact, if you read Gary Rowett’s post-match interview you’ll hear how he commented about how Semenyo and Conway dropped in.  They didn’t “high press / gegen press”, they dropped in generally, moved side to side with intensity but blocked passing lanes into the central areas.  They did occasionally High press, off of a trigger, crap touch by defender or wayward pass to keeper.  But that’s just executing the trigger well.  We needed energy and smartness last night to do that, Conway and Semenyo, coupled with Weimann flitting between no10 and RM3, provided that.  It’s why Diedhiou couldn’t press, being harsh, a combo of lack of intelligence and intensity.  He often allowed opposition defenders to progress their team up the pitch.

Therefore our press started from the front…and it’s success made life easier for our defence.

Having referred to GR’s post-match, listen to Dinosaur Nige’s club interview.  Lot of talk about maybe selecting a more defensive side, but he felt that inviting pressure wasn’t the way to play this game, hence the decisions he made.  Although we’d obviously not like to give the ball away there is often a good argument for pinging it in the channel, turning their defence and midfield around and make them start again from their own third, especially if we can then condense half the pitch vertically.  Only once from a throw in deep in their own half, did they within two passes get it out the other side in space.  It was a throw-in from McNamara into Mitchell who controlled and spun an excellent volley out to the CB, who quickly fed Wallace.  The way Semenyo and Conway (and then Wells) split 3 opponents from throws was great.  Their keeper kicked from his own box, not from 20 yards outside like at AG.  Little things, by pressing from the front.

Hope that clarifies what I meant.

As for you “win ugly” couldn’t agree more.  I’ve posted many times before that I can take a lot of pleasure out of a dull 0-0 or a scrappy 1-0, if I see the intent / tactic / endeavour behind it.  Last night was one of those.  So many little things we got spot on, and then you hear the opposition manager call out those things…that’s satisfying.

Finally rotation doesn’t have to happen with subs…it can just be in who starts.  As we know, players who don’t play at least 30-45 minutes do a session to give the impression they’ve not just prepped to play, but have played too.  So I don’t think we are holding players back or they are knackered at 65-70 minute mark, but players like Conway will also be feeling the physical nature of fitness, bumps, bruises, he won’t have got in the 23s (21s now).

I believe this team / squad is physically fitter than at any point since we came back up.  Injuries are now down to more than sensible levels.  Pressing from the front, is about intelligence, drilling, etc, not just fitness.

I agree with those sentiments Dave... not only is out team physically fitter, but like you say more intelligent.

Yesterday was a prime example. When watching I thought to myself, ' they must be knackered mentaly'.  It was a well drilled plan. They had to be fit to accomplish what they did, but also intelligent enough, focussed enough, to know when to press, drop or block lanes etc. It was so accomplished that the Millwall commentator remarked on how we were doing it often.

They were switched on, didn't hide and played perfectly to negate Millwall, whilst still creating chances. 

Naismith also mentioned that he was getting up to speed and seeing things on the pitch quicker again.

It's something that we as fans often forget. The mental side can often be more fatiguing than physical.

Another reason why it's more helpful for players to have the full support of fans on match day. 

[W-S-M Seagull]

9 hours ago, Loosey Boy said:

Hope you’re right @W-S-M Seagull - give him the time and he will get us sorted and on the right track from a long-term perspective

What excites me the most is his relationship with Brian and how together they have succesfully integrated the 1st team and academy. 

9 hours ago, Top Robin said:

Genuinely, are you ITK or do you have higher level contacts within BCFC?...sounds like you may. 

I couldn't tell you who we're signing next etc. Maybe bits and bobs. 

But I can tell you Nigel is very well respected at our club. From the top down to the bottom. Us fans don't often see what goes on at the HPC and the work that is being undertaken. 

12 hours ago, robinforlife2 said:

Now I know the main reason I want Pearson gone, it's mainly on I don't think he is a terribly nice person. I mean I liked Gary Johnson, I liked Cotts, I even liked Lee Johnson, but I have never warmed to Nige, the same way I never warmed to S'OD.

I guess this makes me be more judgemental, but I don't like the way Nige comes across.

To me and it may just be me, but I feel he sees this football club as a club who are lucky to have him. like he is better than us, and he is doing us a favour being here, and that he is the all singing and dancing and has to have sorted out the mess, and he feels no one else of his calibre would have wanted to. With this I think he has this hard persona and therefore nothing is ever his fault, it's like we are fortunate to have him.

I might be on my own with this opinion, but I have never seen him come across as gracious, passionate, spirited and his praise for the fans now and again feels like he says it because he is pushed into saying it and not that he means it.

Maybe he just has a cold persona, and is not a people person, but to me he comes across as very arrogant and like he thinks he is bigger than the club, and I think its because of this, I want him gone.

Some of the sly digs he has, some of the comments re fans, players and so on, to many may seem innocent, but I think it's his personality. 

I get the impression he doesn't give a rats about the club, and he is just picking up his pay packet, which wont be a small one. He will blame everything going on around him at the club and he has never once actually taken responsibility for the awful tactics and shocking performances, and always has someone to blame.

Nige is a bit old school. Bit of a grump and he'll admit that. 

GJ, SC and even LJ all had a bit of a cheeky sense of humour so I guess that's why you warmed to them more. 

Nige has a different persona in the media than he does in real life. 

He is fiercely loyal to those that work hard to adhere to his set standards. That's why the likes of James and King have followed him. That's why Wells is now one of his boys. 

Nope Nige has a huge respect for our owners and the club as a whole. He has always spoken very fondly about the Lansdowns I interviews and the same with Gould. I also believe he was a huge advocate of the former players association. He has a huge respect for the history of this club. He has taken a lot of time to learn the history because that's the very fabric of this club. That isn't someone who thinks they are better than this club? 

There are many available interviews on the Web from former players about what Pearson is like as a person. This may surprise you but he is actually gracious, passionate and spirted to those who earns his trust. Nige is very very big on those things. He will ask the players everyday how their wives and kids are etc and show a genuine interest in all of that because he knows these players are people too. 

Nige freely admits he isn't a people's person and prefers his own company. However he also says that people and their behaviours intrigue him. 

Pre match Vs WBA Pearson gave an interview where he spoke very fondly about having 4 generations of his family around his house on Christmas day.  He said he found that very special. That is the type of guy he is. Unfortunately I think you've read him completely wrong. 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

3 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

There are many available interviews on the Web from former players about what Pearson is like as a person. This may surprise you but he is actually gracious, passionate and spirted to those who earns his trust. Nige is very very big on those things. He will ask the players everyday how their wives and kids are etc and show a genuine interest in all of that because he knows these players are people too. 

 

It is gratifying to know, as we slip to 19th, one bad result away from the relegation zone and 4 points off bottom spot, that we are being managed by such a 'proper' old school manager and all round human being.

[Abraham Romanovich]

14 hours ago, spudski said:

 

Football is a simple game made complex. 

It's an art form. 

 

 

Art is a creative expression of ideas.

Sport is a display of skill/exertion in a competitive format.

You can perform artistry in a sport  but that is a showcase of skill and technique rendered artfully, not art.

[ashton_fan]

I have mixed feelings about Nige, he's obviously had a lot of success earlier in his career but most managers have a 'sell by date' and he hasn't had any great success for a number of years now.

On the other hand I think back to when I first supported the club in 1970 and Alan Dicks was trying to build a side based on youth and the team were inconsistent and usually struggling near the foot of the table with chants of "Dicks must go" from the crowd on a regular basis. Unfortunately we can't easily look into the future but in that case keeping the manager gave the club just about it's most successful period with promotion from Div 2 followed by four seasons in the top flight, although Dicks had been in charge for 6 or 7 seasons before promotion was achieved. 

So the question remains is Nige another AD or an over-the-hill has-been? I really don't know the answer. 

[Top Robin]

4 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

What excites me the most is his relationship with Brian and how together they have succesfully integrated the 1st team and academy. 

I couldn't tell you who we're signing next etc. Maybe bits and bobs. 

But I can tell you Nigel is very well respected at our club. From the top down to the bottom. Us fans don't often see what goes on at the HPC and the work that is being undertaken. 

Nige is a bit old school. Bit of a grump and he'll admit that. 

GJ, SC and even LJ all had a bit of a cheeky sense of humour so I guess that's why you warmed to them more. 

Nige has a different persona in the media than he does in real life. 

He is fiercely loyal to those that work hard to adhere to his set standards. That's why the likes of James and King have followed him. That's why Wells is now one of his boys. 

Nope Nige has a huge respect for our owners and the club as a whole. He has always spoken very fondly about the Lansdowns I interviews and the same with Gould. I also believe he was a huge advocate of the former players association. He has a huge respect for the history of this club. He has taken a lot of time to learn the history because that's the very fabric of this club. That isn't someone who thinks they are better than this club? 

There are many available interviews on the Web from former players about what Pearson is like as a person. This may surprise you but he is actually gracious, passionate and spirted to those who earns his trust. Nige is very very big on those things. He will ask the players everyday how their wives and kids are etc and show a genuine interest in all of that because he knows these players are people too. 

Nige freely admits he isn't a people's person and prefers his own company. However he also says that people and their behaviours intrigue him. 

Pre match Vs WBA Pearson gave an interview where he spoke very fondly about having 4 generations of his family around his house on Christmas day.  He said he found that very special. That is the type of guy he is. Unfortunately I think you've read him completely wrong. 

Your unwavering love for Pearson is slightly nauseating and bordering on the obsessive.

[sh1t_ref_again]

39 minutes ago, ashton_fan said:

I have mixed feelings about Nige, he's obviously had a lot of success earlier in his career but most managers have a 'sell by date' and he hasn't had any great success for a number of years now.

On the other hand I think back to when I first supported the club in 1970 and Alan Dicks was trying to build a side based on youth and the team were inconsistent and usually struggling near the foot of the table with chants of "Dicks must go" from the crowd on a regular basis. Unfortunately we can't easily look into the future but in that case keeping the manager gave the club just about it's most successful period with promotion from Div 2 followed by four seasons in the top flight, although Dicks had been in charge for 6 or 7 seasons before promotion was achieved. 

So the question remains is Nige another AD or an over-the-hill has-been? I really don't know the answer. 

Thought the shout would have been Dicks out, or was that just the women shouting this

[cidered abroad]

33 minutes ago, ashton_fan said:

I have mixed feelings about Nige, he's obviously had a lot of success earlier in his career but most managers have a 'sell by date' and he hasn't had any great success for a number of years now.

On the other hand I think back to when I first supported the club in 1970 and Alan Dicks was trying to build a side based on youth and the team were inconsistent and usually struggling near the foot of the table with chants of "Dicks must go" from the crowd on a regular basis. Unfortunately we can't easily look into the future but in that case keeping the manager gave the club just about it's most successful period with promotion from Div 2 followed by four seasons in the top flight, although Dicks had been in charge for 6 or 7 seasons before promotion was achieved. 

So the question remains is Nige another AD or an over-the-hill has-been? I really don't know the answer. 

Possibly a bit of both.

Positively he is reorganising the way we run the football club. Academy is now we'll integrated with First team squad instead of being a separate club. Recruiting younger players who he sees as good potential.

Hindered in similar vein to AD as not able, this time due to FFP, to spend large sums on recruitment. 

On the negative side, maybe Pearson is too cautious due to his longer experience elsewhere? Although I may be talking tripe as Dicks was never seen as a gambler.

So perhaps they are similar with age when joining being the only difference. Both managing to keep us up while building for the next upward promotion.

 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

27 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

And your lack loyalty to the current leader of the club you claim to support is equally nauseating. 

 

 

Lack of loyalty??? To a manager with one of the worst records over 90 games in BCFC history???

Loyalty as with trust is earned by any manager or player and over a period of time. Any supporter who pays his/her money earns the right to have an opinion on both on and off field activities but that should never extend to the deeply personal. I suspect that NP would thoroughly endorse this view and has said as much.

What I think is very encouraging is that those no longer wanting NP to carry on who now seem to be the majority have been extremely respectful towards him. I haven't seen any deeply personal remarks regarding his shape, size, height, parentage or unnatural relationship with the Lansdowns etc. Most would agree that Nige came into a difficult situation but he has not been able to make the most of the tools at his disposal.

Loyalty is about supporting our club whatever the mess. Tinnion and Murray are great examples of this.

 

 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

"And yeah, paying to watch a game for 90 minutes is qualification to demand a club part company with a manager... shown by those paying supporters booing a 20 year old on home debut after two mistakes inside 20 minutes in a meaningless cup game. They really sound like a qualified bunch... "

 

Oh dear

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

It is gratifying to know, as we slip to 19th, one bad result away from the relegation zone and 4 points off bottom spot, that we are being managed by such a 'proper' old school manager and all round human being.

He didn’t say “old school manager”!

If you listen to Nige you’ll hear lots of info about how his professional development has kept him up with modern ways.  And a bit like Allardyce one of the early adopters of Sports Science.  Worth reading Dave Rennie on LinkedIn about City being the club that allowed him to bring in some outside companies re “player skeletal movement” to aid injury recognition.  That doesn’t sound like the thing an old school manager would allow does it?

On the rare occasions someone asks him a more tactical question, he gives a lot of tactical detail away.  You’ve just got to listen for it. And ask in the first place too!

He readily admits he’s a manager, a facilitator, someone who empowers his people.

You are so focussed on results and team selection(s) to bash Nige, you are missing so much else.

[W-S-M Seagull]

3 hours ago, Top Robin said:

Your unwavering love for Pearson is slightly nauseating and bordering on the obsessive.

You wouldn't last 5 minutes with him as your boss. Just like plenty of our players didn't. 

[W-S-M Seagull]

2 hours ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Lack of loyalty??? To a manager with one of the worst records over 90 games in BCFC history???

Loyalty as with trust is earned by any manager or player and over a period of time. Any supporter who pays his/her money earns the right to have an opinion on both on and off field activities but that should never extend to the deeply personal. I suspect that NP would thoroughly endorse this view and has said as much.

What I think is very encouraging is that those no longer wanting NP to carry on who now seem to be the majority have been extremely respectful towards him. I haven't seen any deeply personal remarks regarding his shape, size, height, parentage or unnatural relationship with the Lansdowns etc. Most would agree that Nige came into a difficult situation but he has not been able to make the most of the tools at his disposal.

Loyalty is about supporting our club whatever the mess. Tinnion and Murray are great examples of this.

 

 

So trust is only earned if we win games? Tinnion despite being your great example, didn't win many games. 

There was so very deeply personal comments made when Nige was off sick, by the same people that now want him out. Strange that. 

[Top Robin]

1 hour ago, Percy Pig said:

Nige is the leader of our club. He is leading it through arguably the largest period of transition and financial uncertainty since 1982. 

He's improved nearly everything whilst here. Our academy is fully integrated into the club and delivering first team players at an almost unparalleled level in the second tier. The squad has patiently been trimmed of no mark mercenaries like Palmer and Bakinson. 

Our precarious financial position has been carefully managed to avoid a points deduction, all whilst not only playing but improving Scott, Conway, Semenyo, Pring etc and staying in this division. 

The style of play is dramatically better than before. When was the last game we had with zero shots on target. Yes, we've had a bad spell, but injuries in key positions really hurt our early season form. 

But on that front, he has recognised the incompetence of the medical department preciously in situ and replaced them. We have a much better record on that front. He could have been selfish to preserve his reputation with the likes of Williams, but he has protected the interests of both the player and the club in the long term by reducing his starts and playing it safe.

He could have  further protected himself by making short termist decisions regarding Bentley, HNM and others. He could have shown less trust in the young players I mentioned. He could have continued to play Pring, Dasilva and Atkinson without taking the opportunity to drop, send a message and have them come back stronger not only now, but with key lessons for the rest of their career.

We finally have a manager who is invested in and committed to a project. A long term one that will lead to a sustainable future for my club. Not chasing a dream and risking my children's opportunity to support my club. Can we not just be patient? Can we not be members of this God awful Love Island generation where instant gratification is the only acceptable outcome? 

Let's finally see something through, with a bloke who is experienced, knowledgeable and respected by people actually involved in the game?

And yeah, paying to watch a game for 90 minutes is qualification to demand a club part company with a manager... shown by those paying supporters booing a 20 year old on home debut after two mistakes inside 20 minutes in a meaningless cup game. They really sound like a qualified bunch... 

Are you and W-S-M Seagull Pearson's kids by any chance?

[bcfcredandwhite]

It’s normal and totally acceptable to question the manager’s selections, tactics and overall performance. 
Lee Johnson was (rightly) scrutinised during his tenure and it’s perfectly right that we appraise Nige. 
Many of us have played the game to some level or another and ALL of us watch the game, so we are NOT clueless - whatever we think of Nige. 
This is OUR club and we want the best for it. We’ve all invested money in it and when we see poor results and performances it’s absolutely right that we debate the reasons why. 
Just blindly saying that Nige (or anyone for that matter) always knows best is wrong. 
It’s just like saying we should accept that the government always knows best and we don’t need elections. 

Edited December 31, 2022 by bcfcredandwhite
Add words

[gornagain]

28 minutes ago, Top Robin said:

Are you and W-S-M Seagull Pearson's kids by any chance?

Debate is about answering points made, not about insulting people who disagree with you. Is this all you can bring to the discussion?

 

[Davefevs]

5 minutes ago, bcfcredandwhite said:

Just blindly saying that Nige (or anyone for that matter) always knows best is wrong. 

I think you’ll find those of us in support of Nige do anything but blindly say it, we give plenty of rationale for our opinion.

[bcfcredandwhite]

13 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I think you’ll find those of us in support of Nige do anything but blindly say it, we give plenty of rationale for our opinion.

I was responding to the posts likening criticism of the manager to thinking you could fly a plane because you have seen them fly, or perform surgery because you’ve watched it on a TV drama. 
My comments were agnostic towards posters who both support or criticise Nige. 
I didn’t intend it as an attack on Nige’s supporters. 
 

Edited December 31, 2022 by bcfcredandwhite
Add suffix

[Top Robin]

1 hour ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

You wouldn't last 5 minutes with him as your boss. Just like plenty of our players didn't. 

 

Strange retort and getting a bit personal but - I don't have a boss, and if I did, I wouldn't want to work for one as poor as NP

Pearson would have been sacked months ago if he were performing so badly in most private sector companies.

 

[Davefevs]

1 minute ago, Top Robin said:

 

Strange retort and getting a bit personal but - I don't have a boss, and if I did, I wouldn't want to work for one as poor as NP

Pearson would have been sacked months ago if he were performing so badly in most private sector companies.

 

In the private sector world, if he was deemed to be performing badly, he’d be on a unofficial performance plan, that might become official, then unions involved, probably find he’s not performing badly and the process would start all over again.  It’s bloody hard to sack / demote anyone in the private sector…it takes ages!

[FNQ]

5 hours ago, Top Robin said:

Your unwavering love for Pearson is slightly nauseating and bordering on the obsessive.

Seriously you are friggin boring.. out of interest when have you been happier supporting the City in the last 20 or 30 years… assuming that you’re that old? What previous manager should we be aspiring to?

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

2 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

So trust is only earned if we win games? Tinnion despite being your great example, didn't win many games. 

There was so very deeply personal comments made when Nige was off sick, by the same people that now want him out. Strange that. 

Certainly not by me. Perhaps you should quote exactly who did and what they're saying now? Alternatively, we can take that you just make up crap to fit your viewpoint? The info is there if you want to prove your point or not- the latter signifying you are indeed making stuff up. Your choice.

 

As far as Tinnion is concerned- how very convenient to take his 1 year role as Manager out of context- he played 458 games in 12 years. He returned to BCFC and has driven the youth side of things as well as loans, Academy Director  and is now DOF having given most of his working career to this club. The best stuff at BCFC is mainly as a result of his input- Brian was coaching Scott, Semenyo & Conway when Nige was still in Belgium.

@Percy Pig perhaps you should read OTIB a bit more thoroughly? I know you're only just starting out but I really  haven't seen "demands" for Nige's sacking as with @W-S-M Seagullplease quote those"demanding" NP should be sacked. There are simply those who believe NP is not the man to take us further forward and could well lead us into L1 as our record suggests. It seems much more the case the those in the cult of Nigel demand that he stays and woe betide anyone with a view to the contrary mainly because they are "brain dead" or are the "very same people who booed a player in a cup match" which in itself is speculative nonsense with zero credibility .

 

 

[Davefevs]

What a twist of narrative!