Steve Lansdown interview Today

[Barrs Court Red]

It’s interesting when the conversation turns to SoD as at the time, I thought signs were there that the corner had been turned and possibly it was a hasty sacking.  
 

I could also see why he was sacked though. Fact that he never managed again? tells a story in itself. 

[Kid in the Riot]

8 hours ago, 2015 said:

SOD got way too much stick for his time here. We were an absolute shambles when he took over and a sinking ship that needed stabilising. Fans forget he brought in Fielding, JET, Pack, Flint, Williams and gave Reid and Bryan game time at the start of League 1 campaign in 13/14. He absolutely laid foundations down for that squad and there is no doubt some of the players who played under him would admit that too.

Only paid transfer fees for three players: Flint, Fielding and Pack.

100% hit rate!

[Guest]

Just wondering about his son Jon L, our chairman.............is he still around? seems to be little about him on the main site or on the media, holiday maybe?

[View from the Dolman]

2 minutes ago, gl2 said:

Just wondering about his son Jon L, our chairman.............is he still around? seems to be little about him on the main site or on the media, holiday maybe?

He was at the game on Saturday. 

[Merrick's Marvels]

11 minutes ago, gl2 said:

Just wondering about his son Jon L, our chairman.............is he still around? seems to be little about him on the main site or on the media, holiday maybe?

Busy with his crayons, mate. Drawing more Robins.

[Major Isewater]

28 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

I could also see why he was sacked though. Fact that he never managed again? tells a story in itself. 

Does it? What story does it tell? No other club wanted him as a ‘manager ‘ ? He was ‘ coach ‘ here . He had enough and didn’t want the hassle any more?The subsequent Liverpool and England jobs were failures ? 
It is all open to interpretation. He had , pretty much the same shit to clear up as NP but with lower quality players. 
Was his time here à success ? Stupid question. Results wise evidently not , however as some people have noted he laid the groundwork for Cott’s amazing success.
I am grateful for the part he played in our history and a bit embarrassed about how so many people undermined and abused a thoroughly decent man and professional. 

[Barrs Court Red]

15 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

Does it? What story does it tell? No other club wanted him as a ‘manager ‘ ? He was ‘ coach ‘ here . He had enough and didn’t want the hassle any more?The subsequent Liverpool and England jobs were failures ? 
It is all open to interpretation. He had , pretty much the same shit to clear up as NP but with lower quality players. 
Was his time here à success ? Stupid question. Results wise evidently not , however as some people have noted he laid the groundwork for Cott’s amazing success.
I am grateful for the part he played in our history and a bit embarrassed about how so many people undermined and abused a thoroughly decent man and professional. 

A fairly obvious one I would suggest. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

He generally went onto coaching and development roles after leaving us. Perhaps his skillset was better suited.

[2015]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

He generally went onto coaching and development roles after leaving us. Perhaps his skillset was better suited.

His biggest flaw is he wasn't the most media savvy and I got the feeling he was growing frustrated with the modern game. SOD was an excellent manager for Bournemouth and Doncaster. Had he been upbeat with media I think fans would have got behind him more. 

He actually often spoke more sense than most Manager's we have had in his interviews and press conferences but because he was quite introverted and came across as Grumpy fans wouldn't listen to him. 

As others have said about Pearson, his biggest challenge has been changing the mindset of our fanbase.

[AppyDAZE]

1 hour ago, View from the Dolman said:

He was at the game on Saturday. 

Yeah, but which one? :laugh:

[Nogbad the Bad]

10 hours ago, 2015 said:

SOD got way too much stick for his time here. We were an absolute shambles when he took over and a sinking ship that needed stabilising. Fans forget he brought in Fielding, JET, Pack, Flint, Williams and gave Reid and Bryan game time at the start of League 1 campaign in 13/14. He absolutely laid foundations down for that squad and there is no doubt some of the players who played under him would admit that too.

Pretty sure McInness gave Bryan his debut and Reid was even earlier (Millen?)

As someone who sat through every O'Driscoll home game I have to say it was a thoroughly depressing, but thankfully short tenure.

After O'Driscoll made a promising start let's not forget we went down with barely a whimper, no fight whatsoever, no wins in our last 9 games, relegated with 3 to play.

Down in L1 he was sacked after 11 games with City bottom of the table with not 1 win in the first 11 games.

The whole club was in a depression, if he was a well thought of coach there was little sign of it in our play and we were heading almost inevitably to double relegation.

Yes, some good signings were made while he was here but his man management ('I wouldn't have paid 300k for Flint') obviously left a lot to be desired.

Thank God he was sacked when he was because Steve Cotterill was available and installed within the week and the rest is history.

Cotts showed what this club is capable of under a charismatic manager with a positive personality capable of fostering a great squad spirit and getting the fans behind the club.

O'Driscoll was never going to be that man.

 

[spudski]

10 minutes ago, 2015 said:

His biggest flaw is he wasn't the most media savvy and I got the feeling he was growing frustrated with the modern game. SOD was an excellent manager for Bournemouth and Doncaster. Had he been upbeat with media I think fans would have got behind him more. 

He actually often spoke more sense than most Manager's we have had in his interviews and press conferences but because he was quite introverted and came across as Grumpy fans wouldn't listen to him. 

As others have said about Pearson, his biggest challenge has been changing the mindset of our fanbase.

Surely that says more about the fan base rather than the Coach/manager? 

SOD and NP keep it real. They say it how it is. SOD was great at conveying what he was trying to do, and talking to people in an adult manner. He expected the same back from the media. Didn't suffer fools gladly. 

The same can be said with NP. Fans critical of the way he came across when answering media questions, that often were not well thought out. 

Why do fans want them to change their character! Why is that media Savvy? Is it to appease the easily offended? 

As fans, it's easy to judge managers, players, owners...yet often, fans throw a right hissy fit if anyone questions them. 

It all comes across as a bit pantomime at times. 

It seems if managers say what the fans want to hear, show some passion and a bit shouty or clichéd...then they are happy. 

It says more about the mindset of certain parts of the fan base than them. 

But...you can't criticise the fan base ever...that's a no no. 

 

[GrahamC]

2 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Only paid transfer fees for three players: Flint, Fielding and Pack.

100% hit rate!

Derrick Williams too.

[GrahamC]

22 minutes ago, 2015 said:

His biggest flaw is he wasn't the most media savvy and I got the feeling he was growing frustrated with the modern game. SOD was an excellent manager for Bournemouth and Doncaster. Had he been upbeat with media I think fans would have got behind him more. 

He actually often spoke more sense than most Manager's we have had in his interviews and press conferences but because he was quite introverted and came across as Grumpy fans wouldn't listen to him. 

As others have said about Pearson, his biggest challenge has been changing the mindset of our fanbase.

Personally I think his biggest flaw was taking us virtually to the bottom of league one, getting hammered by Peterborough, defending like a cubs team at Coventry & scraping draws at home to the likes of Colchester, Shrewsbury & Leyton Orient & basing your entire game plan around the brilliant but mercurial JET.

He did make some good signings but was singularly unable to get them to win points in the third tier & despite having Baldock & JET (who I loved) up top, I think we could easily have got relegated again if he had stayed.

It didn’t matter that he had no personality, we were dire under him.

 

[Davefevs]

15 minutes ago, spudski said:

Surely that says more about the fan base rather than the Coach/manager? 

SOD and NP keep it real. They say it how it is. SOD was great at conveying what he was trying to do, and talking to people in an adult manner. He expected the same back from the media. Didn't suffer fools gladly. 

The same can be said with NP. Fans critical of the way he came across when answering media questions, that often were not well thought out. 

Why do fans want them to change their character! Why is that media Savvy? Is it to appease the easily offended? 

As fans, it's easy to judge managers, players, owners...yet often, fans throw a right hissy fit if anyone questions them. 

It all comes across as a bit pantomime at times. 

It seems if managers say what the fans want to hear, show some passion and a bit shouty or clichéd...then they are happy. 

It says more about the mindset of certain parts of the fan base than them. 

But...you can't criticise the fan base ever...that's a no no. 

 

Boom, effing, boom  

[Major Isewater]

6 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

no personality

Or perhaps a personality that you didn’t like, couldn’t understand and wanted changing?

Perhaps a Joey Barton type is more to your liking? 
To say he had ‘ no personality ‘ is doing yourself a disservice Graham. We aren’t all the same, thankfully.

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

29 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Pretty sure McInness gave Bryan his debut and Reid was even earlier (Millen?)

As someone who sat through every O'Driscoll home game I have to say it was a thoroughly depressing, but thankfully short tenure.

After O'Driscoll made a promising start let's not forget we went down with barely a whimper, no fight whatsoever, no wins in our last 9 games, relegated with 3 to play.

Down in L1 he was sacked after 11 games with City bottom of the table with not 1 win in the first 11 games.

The whole club was in a depression, if he was a well thought of coach there was little sign of it in our play and we were heading almost inevitably to double relegation.

Yes, some good signings were made while he was here but his man management ('I wouldn't have paid 300k for Flint') obviously left a lot to be desired.

Thank God he was sacked when he was because Steve Cotterill was available and installed within the week and the rest is history.

Cotts showed what this club is capable of under a charismatic manager with a positive personality capable of fostering a great squad spirit and getting the fans behind the club.

O'Driscoll was never going to be that man.

 

The turning point in the relegation battle was Wolves away IMO. At home we were sprouted and won some games, on the road not so much but didn't really get trashed at that point under him and we dug out one or two points.

Had we won that Wolves game we had a reasonable set of home games to go and attack, felt pitoval looking back. Some of the home form was good up to about mid March, start of April 2013.

I remember that day being elsewhere in the country, goal up this sets up nicely. Didn't we concede 2 in about 5 mins or something stupid. Lost a pitoval game and then we are in a huge hole.

[Mr Popodopolous]

44 minutes ago, 2015 said:

His biggest flaw is he wasn't the most media savvy and I got the feeling he was growing frustrated with the modern game. SOD was an excellent manager for Bournemouth and Doncaster. Had he been upbeat with media I think fans would have got behind him more. 

He actually often spoke more sense than most Manager's we have had in his interviews and press conferences but because he was quite introverted and came across as Grumpy fans wouldn't listen to him. 

As others have said about Pearson, his biggest challenge has been changing the mindset of our fanbase.

Was harshly sacked by Nottingham Forest too I'd argue.

I only followed from afar during that period, didn't make it to many- ironically we seemingly were improving albeit from a really low base when he got sacked. I as we all do remember "Stupid question!" that stuck with peopleand possibly didn't help rightly or wrongly.

[AshtonGreat]

1 hour ago, GrahamC said:

Personally I think his biggest flaw was taking us virtually to the bottom of league one, getting hammered by Peterborough, defending like a cubs team at Coventry & scraping draws at home to the likes of Colchester, Shrewsbury & Leyton Orient & basing your entire game plan around the brilliant but mercurial JET.

He did make some good signings but was singularly unable to get them to win points in the third tier & despite having Baldock & JET (who I loved) up top, I think we could easily have got relegated again if he had stayed.

It didn’t matter that he had no personality, we were dire under him.

 

Yep. Two wins in 26 games wasn't it? Any club in the world would sack a manager with that record. The fact that he came across as grumpy just made the situation even worse for many fans. Cotts brought the feelgood factor back in more ways than one

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

1 hour ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Pretty sure McInness gave Bryan his debut and Reid was even earlier (Millen?)

As someone who sat through every O'Driscoll home game I have to say it was a thoroughly depressing, but thankfully short tenure.

After O'Driscoll made a promising start let's not forget we went down with barely a whimper, no fight whatsoever, no wins in our last 9 games, relegated with 3 to play.

Down in L1 he was sacked after 11 games with City bottom of the table with not 1 win in the first 11 games.

The whole club was in a depression, if he was a well thought of coach there was little sign of it in our play and we were heading almost inevitably to double relegation.

Yes, some good signings were made while he was here but his man management ('I wouldn't have paid 300k for Flint') obviously left a lot to be desired.

Thank God he was sacked when he was because Steve Cotterill was available and installed within the week and the rest is history.

Cotts showed what this club is capable of under a charismatic manager with a positive personality capable of fostering a great squad spirit and getting the fans behind the club.

O'Driscoll was never going to be that man.

 

Whilst I totally agree with your post he did have two wins in L1…..we had to wait until the end of October for the first one, away to Carlisle, then Crawley on a Tuesday night a couple of weeks later.

2013 was so dire.

 

[TBW]

On 29/04/2023 at 09:58, Never to the dark side said:

If any one wants the interview on an SD card or CD,let I know.

I understand it's a nice offer to make but generally, anyone using the internet will know the interview will be online somewhere, waiting for an SD card or CD to turn up is a bit like when Netflix used to be a postal service.

3 hours ago, gl2 said:

Just wondering about his son Jon L, our chairman.............is he still around? seems to be little about him on the main site or on the media, holiday maybe?

Chairman/Kit designer.

[Nogbad the Bad]

25 minutes ago, Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan said:

Whilst I totally agree with your post he did have two wins in L1…..we had to wait until the end of October for the first one, away to Carlisle, then Crawley on a Tuesday night a couple of weeks later.

2013 was so dire.

 

I, (and Wiki. where I got the information) stand corrected on that then!

I've looked up those 2 match reports on the City site.

Carlisle was City's first league win in 22 attempts.

Crawley in November was the first home league win since March.

Dire indeed.

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

I, (and Wiki. where I got the information) stand corrected on that then!

I've looked up those 2 match reports on the City site.

Carlisle was City's first league win in 22 attempts.

Crawley in November was the first home league win since March.

Dire indeed.

The first season I took Joe….set the bar low!

[Numero Uno]

2 hours ago, spudski said:

Surely that says more about the fan base rather than the Coach/manager? 

SOD and NP keep it real. They say it how it is. SOD was great at conveying what he was trying to do, and talking to people in an adult manner. He expected the same back from the media. Didn't suffer fools gladly. 

The same can be said with NP. Fans critical of the way he came across when answering media questions, that often were not well thought out. 

Why do fans want them to change their character! Why is that media Savvy? Is it to appease the easily offended? 

As fans, it's easy to judge managers, players, owners...yet often, fans throw a right hissy fit if anyone questions them. 

It all comes across as a bit pantomime at times. 

It seems if managers say what the fans want to hear, show some passion and a bit shouty or clichéd...then they are happy. 

It says more about the mindset of certain parts of the fan base than them. 

But...you can't criticise the fan base ever...that's a no no. 

 

Nige has a very simple attitude towards players and fans in many ways which I like. As a player if you don't shape up then he ships you out BUT as both Pring and Atkinson found out and no doubt Mehmeti will find out sooner rather than later if you come back in and do the business then you get in and STAY IN. I can think of one Manager in particular who used to throw the tombola around and that would have annoyed the **** out of players. If I'm a player and the Manager says to me "I'm playing X in your place today because he's more suited to the way the opposition play" he's basically telling you that he cannot trust you to do a job. That's such an easy way to lose a dressing room. Pearson keeps players in the side generally regardless of the opposition set-up.........Sam Bell being an obvious example at the moment against opposition we as fans may have felt Mehmeti would be better suited to play against.

In terms of what he tells us fans, no it's not particularly exciting or delivered in a way where you think the bloke is going to spark out the opposition Manager if he so much as looks at him the wrong way. He just gives us facts in a pretty straightforward manner and I think that Bristolians (of which I'm one) generally tend to talk tough and then feel sorry for people when somebody else talks tough. How many times have you read people on here talking about "sorting out of these lazy, overpaid wasters" and then as soon as someone tells these overpaid wasters that they are lazy (or in the case of Scott and Conway the other week that they came on and made **** all impact - which was the truth) they then talk some complete and utter horseshit about "throwing people under buses". Many people don't seem to realise that players will accept it - as long as they see the Manager's behaviour as consistent and fair to all. As you say, the fan base is starting to get it but it's taken a while for people to get on board with it.

[NickJ]

On 30/04/2023 at 17:02, spudski said:

Whenever SL speaks...it's the same old rhetoric on here. It's so polarised.

Those for and against him, find ways of picking bits out of his comments to underline thoughts or agendas they have. 

Why can't he be listened to with a balanced perspective? 

For example...he never said he expects us to be in the play offs next season. He hopes/ would like us to be. He never gushed over Mark Robins...he mentioned how well he'd done and in the same breath Rowett. He was also very complimentary of NP. He said he'd signed a 3 year contract and hoped for promotion in third year...' let's see where we are then' was his comment. What's wrong with that? 

I love this forum...but in the last year or so it's become very black or white. For or against, left or right, he said, she said. Less and less is viewed with neutral balanced eyes imo. 

 

On 30/04/2023 at 17:09, Kid in the Riot said:

Not sure what thread you've been reading, but on this one people are highlighting SL's good and bad points, and discussing them in a civil manner.

The very definition of a balanced discussion is taking place. 

Very late reply sorry but spudski is incorrect and KITR is correct.

I have been very critical of Steve in the past but on this a very supportive post, and have noticed others similar.

Anyway Scott is still with us, don't know whats going on behind the scenes but if he's still here start of the season SteveL will have done a good job of not encouraging a sale.

 

[RedHienz]

SOD playing keep ball at the back. All as we sat bottom of league one, truly some of the most tepid football i have seen from a professional team - demonstrated by 6 draws and 5 losses in 11. 

The fact some are comparing him to NP is laughable. Sure tell it how it is but get buy in and bring people onside, otherwise doomed to fail. Imo worse then Tiny Penis.

[REDOXO]

On 01/05/2023 at 01:22, Major Isewater said:

SOD was the first City manager to talk to supporters as ‘adults’ , his first mistake .Many prefer clichés and up and at ‘em war cries . 
He told it how it was and tried to explain what we were trying to do. So many cretins could not see past his accent and delivery ,which is also something that Pearson suffers from. 

He was undermined and sold down the river. 

 

On 01/05/2023 at 04:52, Nogbad the Bad said:

Pretty sure McInness gave Bryan his debut and Reid was even earlier (Millen?)

As someone who sat through every O'Driscoll home game I have to say it was a thoroughly depressing, but thankfully short tenure.

After O'Driscoll made a promising start let's not forget we went down with barely a whimper, no fight whatsoever, no wins in our last 9 games, relegated with 3 to play.

Down in L1 he was sacked after 11 games with City bottom of the table with not 1 win in the first 11 games.

The whole club was in a depression, if he was a well thought of coach there was little sign of it in our play and we were heading almost inevitably to double relegation.

Yes, some good signings were made while he was here but his man management ('I wouldn't have paid 300k for Flint') obviously left a lot to be desired.

Thank God he was sacked when he was because Steve Cotterill was available and installed within the week and the rest is history.

Cotts showed what this club is capable of under a charismatic manager with a positive personality capable of fostering a great squad spirit and getting the fans behind the club.

O'Driscoll was never going to be that man.

 

 

31 minutes ago, RedHienz said:

SOD playing keep ball at the back. All as we sat bottom of league one, truly some of the most tepid football i have seen from a professional team - demonstrated by 6 draws and 5 losses in 11. 

The fact some are comparing him to NP is laughable. Sure tell it how it is but get buy in and bring people onside, otherwise doomed to fail. Imo worse then Tiny Penis.

Without doubt SOD inherited a mess and what a mess! Yes he did lay some foundations and you can make a comparison about what Pearson is doing. Just about. 
 

Pearson himself knows he had a season and a half free hit kicking out the utter dross inherited, however not only were we awful under ODriscoll we went down without a fight and were near or close to bottom in league one when he got fired. 
 

ODriscoll failed in his remit. Yes circumstances were different, but there we are! Cotterill had a good eye for a player, GJ was good at getting players to play above themselves. LJ was good at spending money frivolously and I think Dean Holden would have done better if the academy was turning out players like it is now. 
 

In life, the more you know the luckier you get, that’s worth remembering. 
 

I suppose my overarching comment is the pattern of backing managers, failing and then Bringing in blokes that either have to unpick everything or feel it’s their job to erase the previous managers successes. 
 

Pearson got lucky with Scott etc etc and bought decently. But coming in he knew what he had, a talent stream that no one else had or could not utilize. 

Edited June 3, 2023 by REDOXO

[downendcity]

11 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

 

 

Without doubt SOD inherited a mess and what a mess! Yes he did lay some foundations and you can make a comparison about what Pearson is doing. Just about. 
 

Pearson himself knows he had a season and a half free hit kicking out the utter dross inherited, however not only were we awful under ODriscoll we went down without a fight and were near or close to bottom in league one when he got fired. 
 

ODriscoll failed in his remit. Yes circumstances were different, but there we are! Cotterill had a good eye for a player, GJ was good at getting players to play above themselves. LJ was good at spending money frivolously and I think Dean Holden would have done better if the academy was turning out players like it is now. 
 

In life, the more you know the luckier you get, that’s worth remembering. 
 

I suppose my overarching comment is the pattern of backing managers, failing and then Bringing in blokes that either have to unpick everything or feel it’s their job to erase the previous managers successes. 
 

Pearson got lucky with Scott etc etc and bought decently. But coming in he knew what he had, a talent stream that no one else had or could not utilize. 

How many managers would squander the talent the academy has been producing? 

Yes, circumstances (caused by his predecessor) might have forced his hand but Pearson has handled the introduction of the youngsters well.

Pring responded brilliantly to a spell on the sidelines to cement a starting place. Vyner has a new found confidence. Scott has been given his head and is our dominant player. Conway looked anything but a fledgling striker 

I think these youngsters respect Pearson for the trust and faith he places in them and would run through a brick wall for him and the team 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bristol Oil Services]

On 01/05/2023 at 07:22, Major Isewater said:

SOD was the first City manager to talk to supporters as ‘adults’ , his first mistake .Many prefer clichés and up and at ‘em war cries . 
He told it how it was and tried to explain what we were trying to do. So many cretins could not see past his accent and delivery ,which is also something that Pearson suffers from. 

He was undermined and sold down the river. 

Radio Local: "Are you up for the fight?"

SO'D: "Yes."

How hard is that?

[REDOXO]

28 minutes ago, downendcity said:

How many managers would squander the talent the academy has been producing? 

Yes, circumstances (caused by his predecessor) might have forced his hand but Pearson has handled the introduction of the youngsters well.

Pring responded brilliantly to a spell on the sidelines to cement a starting place. Vyner has a new found confidence. Scott has been given his head and is our dominant player. Conway looked anything but a fledgling striker 

I think these youngsters respect Pearson for the trust and faith he places in them and would run through a brick wall for him and the team 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exactly.