Am I the only one?

[prankerd]

For a club thats underachieved royally for our entire existence, we have some entitled fans, people don't realise the job pearson has done to make us even competitive, other managers would of been sacked by now and we would of been relegated, so basically your saying lets bin pearson after all his hard work because we have drawn one lost one and won one after 3 games ? Beggers believe some you guys 

[redkev]

Really don’t want Pearson to go as I think he has done a lot more than he gets credit for 

However ( Big However ) he really now has just about got his squad ( with the funds permitting ) I think this year needs to be a step up more in consistency than anything , as I see it at the moment we’re not gonna be troubling the play off positions this year but things by the end of this season should all really be in place to have a right go of it next year , if we haven’t reached that place by the end of the season I think Nige will be under great pressure ,

I would be keeping my eyes on how Steven Schumacher does with Plymouth this year

[BrizzleRed]

4 hours ago, The hand of RO'D said:

Excited with the prospect of Nige potentially leaving after this season?

Controversial post I know. Now, don’t get me wrong, the job he has done to this point has been great. He has trimmed the wage bill and has had limited funds at his disposal since he’s arrived which could be detrimental to how his success will be perceived in years to come. Look at when Leicester won the premier league, a lot of credit came Niges way from the players who were involved who said if it wasn’t for Nige sorting issues behind the scenes they wouldn’t have had that success. Are we at a similar crossroads?

The football since he’s taken over hasn’t been great. We had terrible form at home for a long time, struggled to take the game to the opposition and have treaded water in mid table for his reign. Has Nige sorted the club out off the pitch but has subsequently ran his course with the club? Is SL ready to take the plunge in another manager with fresh ideas who will bring, in my opinion, a much needed footballing identity to the club? Perhaps why we’re seeing the purse strings tightened after the sale of Scott & Semenyo?

Entitely my opinion but I feel we need a new coach, not a manager, with a clear footballing identity and style of play to take us to the next level.

Imho we’ve got the best man for the job …. as long as he’s properly backed by the ‘man at the top’..

As for your final paragraph, bear in mind we’re talking about Bristol City here.  How likely would it be for us to employ a new manager who’ll not want any of our current squad and want to rip it up and start again?  I may be old and cynical, but I reckon it’s practically nailed on!!!

[maxjak]

4 hours ago, Fuber said:

Think it was written off before it even began with our recruitment since selling Scott was confirmed.

That'll only change for me personally if we sign a keeper and a forward.

Too little depth.

Dont think it matters who is in charge.

Nige has done well with the tools he has - we have an aging squad in some areas who are more than likely not up to another season at this level (James, King, Wells, Weimann), but all are technically limited - not many have much end product and those that do (Naismith, Conway) have been, or are currently, injured.

Not many managers and coaches have a set style - and those that do specialise don't have much adaptability, Russell Martin springs to mind.

The risk for me is allowing Nige to run down his contract - in that players could down tools as they will be aware he has no owner backing thereby disturbing the culture built that took years to sort.

If we were looking to replace him, it would've made more sense to sack him or mutually part end of last season with a replacement (and associated targets with what Scott money was available) lined up - also allowing the likes of King to either leave or move into coaching the U21s further reducing wage budget spending.

Think we'll just have to sit and watch what happens.

"DON'T THINK IT MATTERS WHO'S IN CHARGE"   Sorry i have no intention of getting involved in a discussion about the merits of NP..........But really?     Your'e statement is just ludicrous?  Tactics, Recruitment, Motivation, Standard   of coaching, Analysing the opposition, Team selection, organising scouting, Dealing with the Chairman/Owner, Contact's & Contract's etc, etc.......Of course it doesn't matter who the manager is? Ha!    Tell that to Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham? 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, The hand of RO'D said:

One swallow doesn’t make a summer, new manager bounce and all that jazz. 
Personally I personally  feel we’ve regressed under Pearson in the last year. 

Give us some examples to go on, e.g. lack of goals, don’t create much, etc.

Its hard to discuss when it’s not given any reasoning.

[Davefevs]

51 minutes ago, redkev said:

Really don’t want Pearson to go as I think he has done a lot more than he gets credit for 

However ( Big However ) he really now has just about got his squad ( with the funds permitting ) I think this year needs to be a step up more in consistency than anything , as I see it at the moment we’re not gonna be troubling the play off positions this year but things by the end of this season should all really be in place to have a right go of it next year , if we haven’t reached that place by the end of the season I think Nige will be under great pressure ,

I would be keeping my eyes on how Steven Schumacher does with Plymouth this year

I think we are saying the same thing, that this is really the start.  The crap has gone at a cost, he’s influenced who’s been signed albeit with a little fishing rod….and we should start to see proper progress.  That might come initially through a bit of consistency.

Our two home games have been underwhelming from an attacking point of view (I do agree @Spike with elements we’ve debated), but our away performance against Millwall was well executed.

We’ve lost our cleverest attacking player, both when playing deeper and when more advanced.  We are finding our way with our new players, who played pre-season with Scott alongside them.

Good bits and not so good bits so far.

[robin_unreliant]

9 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Give us some examples to go on, e.g. lack of goals, don’t create much, etc.

Its hard to discuss when it’s not given any reasoning.

Let's take the first two home league games. Preston I was virtually asleep at HT.

Brum, I don't believe we had a shot on taget did we?

I want NP to succeed but I'm struggling to see any real evidence that we have a team that will excite or entertain at AG this season.

If you are gonna pay £35-40 a game then at least give us some exciting football to watch. It has been pretty underwhelming so far - cup game against a lower league team excluded. You can only put so much blame on the opposition. 

[tin]

5 hours ago, The hand of RO'D said:

Not writing it off but something feels unnervingly stagnant with the club at the moment.

I’d be more excited if Lansdown was leaving. That would release the shackles. 

[Redrascal2]

5 hours ago, The hand of RO'D said:

Excited with the prospect of Nige potentially leaving after this season?

Controversial post I know. Now, don’t get me wrong, the job he has done to this point has been great. He has trimmed the wage bill and has had limited funds at his disposal since he’s arrived which could be detrimental to how his success will be perceived in years to come. Look at when Leicester won the premier league, a lot of credit came Niges way from the players who were involved who said if it wasn’t for Nige sorting issues behind the scenes they wouldn’t have had that success. Are we at a similar crossroads?

The football since he’s taken over hasn’t been great. We had terrible form at home for a long time, struggled to take the game to the opposition and have treaded water in mid table for his reign. Has Nige sorted the club out off the pitch but has subsequently ran his course with the club? Is SL ready to take the plunge in another manager with fresh ideas who will bring, in my opinion, a much needed footballing identity to the club? Perhaps why we’re seeing the purse strings tightened after the sale of Scott & Semenyo?

Entitely my opinion but I feel we need a new coach, not a manager, with a clear footballing identity and style of play to take us to the next level.

Will you be equally excited by Lansdown choice of a successor. His track record must be one of the worst in the Football league. 

[W-S-M Seagull]

I don't think people realise what a good job he is doing and they won't do until he's gone. 

Any other manager in my opinion would have seen us get relegated. 

[Davefevs]

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

I don't think people realise what a good job he is doing and they won't do until he's gone. 

Any other manager in my opinion would have seen us get relegated. 

Not any other manager, but a lesser one for sure.  And the question becomes, who can we get that is better.

Or perhaps we appoint a lesser manager and pump lots of money at them to compensate!

[Superjack]

6 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Not any other manager, but a lesser one for sure.  And the question becomes, who can we get that is better.

Or perhaps we appoint a lesser manager and pump lots of money at them to compensate!

We tried that. Now we are trying a better manager with no money. 

Next step, a lesser manager with no money.

[ExiledAjax]

2 hours ago, The hand of RO'D said:

One swallow doesn’t make a summer, new manager bounce and all that jazz. 
Personally I personally  feel we’ve regressed under Pearson in the last year. 

See now we deviate.

I don't think we regressed. I certainly don't believe in the "new manager bounce". We eventually plateaued last season, and at a higher level than when Pearson took over. We have improved on the pitch greatly since the dark days of Holden. 

My issue is with the zeitgeist that seems to be perpetuating: that doing a good job in certain circumstances automatically earns you the chance to have a go at a different job in different circumstances. 

No, the job has changed, and it should not be a given that Pearson is the man to lead us into 2024/25. He may not be the best person for that job.

You need three things to get promoted: resources, opportunity, and execution. We have the first two in this next FFP cycle, whether we have the third depends on the individuals involved.

Edited August 24, 2023 by ExiledAjax

[Lew-T]

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

I don't think people realise what a good job he is doing and they won't do until he's gone. 

Any other manager in my opinion would have seen us get relegated. 

The majority do in fairness. It’s only this thread I’ve noticed and maybe one other…

 

[Nomad]

5 hours ago, Phil54 said:

We should be terrified of losing Nige because it would leave lansdown to pick another manager be afraid be very afraid. 

Why? We would draw up a short list, interview some great candidates and then offer the job to Curtis Fleming as.... clearly the best man for the job. 

[Fuber]

14 minutes ago, maxjak said:

"DON'T THINK IT MATTERS WHO'S IN CHARGE"   Sorry i have no intention of getting involved in a discussion about the merits of NP..........But really?     Your'e statement is just ludicrous?  Tactics, Recruitment, Motivation, Standard   of coaching, Analysing the opposition, Team selection, organising scouting, Dealing with the Chairman/Owner, Contact's & Contract's etc, etc.......Of course it doesn't matter who the manager is? Ha!    Tell that to Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham? 

I'm in no way saying NP is god's gift to management, but I'd argue he had earned some credit with the off pitch improvements to have a go this season with at least some of the money bought in.

My point is that if we go off of the fact we're at the declared upper echelons of our designated wage budget - and the noises SL has made recently - it points towards stagnation, which can greatly influence over-arching club culture.

Look at what happened under Millen through to O'Driscoll. It took significant (for League 1) investment from the Baldock sale and Cotts hauling this club by the scruff of its neck until that slide arrested.

[Davefevs]

11 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

You need three things to get promoted: resources, opportunity, and execution. We have the first two in this next FFP cycle, whether we have the third depends on the individuals involved.

We do, it appears that we don’t want to use that opportunity.

[And Its Smith]

Why don’t people just chill out and see where we are after 15 games?!  We will have much more info about Pearson’s ability to get the best out of his team. 

[ChrisBW]

2 hours ago, marmite said:

My feeling is Pearson could walk rather than be released. He allegedly came in with the remit of clearing the deadwood out, reducing the wage bill of the top earners , and develop from within with the academy youngsters. 

He's done a great job doing all that whilst trying to get us playing better football with some, not total, success.

Now he's lost his star player and seemingly not been given much leeway to replace him. You can't keep selling the family silver and hoping for the best. I hope Nige stays and things improve on the pitch, but as we've seen so far this season, and I know it's still early, we don't seem to have a game plan that will prove successful. 

SL seems determined to play safe and cautious. Frankly the football so far has been pretty boring. It just feels a bit insecure at the club for me. It's all very flat imo.

 

I get the impression Pearson would love to stay, realistically what other championship job is he going to get/be interested in? Top to mid champ sides I doubt would want him….lower end sides I. Rotherham etc doubt he would be interested in, off field issue sides like SheffWed and QPR would Pearson want another rebuild job? Doubt it.

wouldnt be suprised if we don’t offer him a new deal and it is spun as a “collective” decision out of respect to NP. This isn’t the Pearson who was at Leicester and Hull, his stock has fallen hence why he is with us…..less than successful spells with Derby and Leuvren and sacked harshly at Watford and limited success on the pitch here. 
 

[Mr Popodopolous]

He is actually equal to or superior to a lot of middling to top Championship managers IMO, some lower half PL ones too.

Parker? Heckingbottom (who did okay at Barnsley tbh). Martin? Farke on some levels although he good on others. Do me a favour as far as top Championship managers go.

Carrick has had a good start, this season looks a challenge. Maresca and Kompany maybe although both very well resourced at this level. Let's see how Kompany does in the PL, let's see if Leicester remain FFP compliant.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[ChrisBW]

9 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

He is actually equal to or superior to a lot of middling to top Championship managers IMO, some lower half PL ones too.

Parker? Heckingbottom (who did okay at Barnsley tbh). Martin? Farke on some levels although he good on others. Do me a favour as far as top Championship managers go.

Carrick has had a good start, this season looks a challenge. Maresca and Kompany maybe although both very well resourced.

The difference is they are all relatively new to their management careers, Pearson is the opposite end of the spectrum. Their stock will eventually fall but Pearsons already has.

[Davefevs]

17 minutes ago, ChrisBW said:

I get the impression Pearson would love to stay, realistically what other championship job is he going to get/be interested in?

None.

This is his last job imho.  That’s not to say his motivation is gone, far from it.  This is a big challenge, his last challenge.  

[Mr Popodopolous]

24 minutes ago, ChrisBW said:

The difference is they are all relatively new to their management careers, Pearson is the opposite end of the spectrum. Their stock will eventually fall but Pearsons already has.

I take your point and some are better than others but there are a lot of clueless owners around.

NP has that experience and lots of it to fall back on but there are quite a few unimpressive appointments these days.

NP is 60, could go on for years if he wanted. Look at some managers who go on and on.

Had Martin, Carrick, Parker, maybe Heckingbottom although as I say good job with poor resouces at Barnsley, Kompany, Maresca took over in late February 2021...we would be worse off in a host of ways.

Farke may also have seen us slide but who knows. Two Championship titles but two fails at PL level.

Cooper has kinda spawned his way forward a bit.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Dr Balls]

12 minutes ago, ChrisBW said:

The difference is they are all relatively new to their management careers, Pearson is the opposite end of the spectrum. Their stock will eventually fall but Pearsons already has.

Part of this is optics. He’s not ranting and raving, therefore “he’s losing his edge”…?

With age hopefully comes wisdom. Nige is certainly a thoughtful individual and has interests beyond football. But if anyone takes that as not being ambitious or wanting to be successful, then think again.

I honestly believe if he has had enough he would walk away. There’s no sign of that just yet. He also knows SL isn’t a “hire ‘em and fire ‘em” owner, having been through the Watford manager mill in the past, so time has been on his side. He has another challenge ahead losing Scott, but with the.exception of maybe Guardiola and Ancelotti, every manager has to accept that they may lose their best player to another club (and even those 2 have each possibly lost their best in Gundogan and Benzena this summer) and get on with it as best they can.

And without doubt, Nige is one of the best managers we have had in the near 50 years I’ve been supporting City. The change in approach to developing the football side if the club and the professionalism he has brought may not always have led to stunning results on the pitch, but it has kept us up, when we far more likely to go down, plus laid far firmer foundations for success in the future.

[Red-Robbo]

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Give us some examples to go on, e.g. lack of goals, don’t create much, etc.

Its hard to discuss when it’s not given any reasoning.

I've seen us in lower leagues, I've seen us thrashed by more, I've seen us in a lot worse situations. 

But I don't think I've walked out down Winterstoke Road more pissed off, bored and thinking "why am I doing this" than the last two home games.

It isn't just me either. My neighbour in the Dolman said he thinks this might be his last season as a STH. He's been going for years. 

Given that we've had a lot worse sides than we have now, I've tried to justify my feelings. 

I think it's because we - the fanbase - had our expectations high this season and the AG results and the general atmosphere surrounding the club at present just seems as flat as ****.  Even Pearson's last interview after the Birmingham defeat sounded as boring and as uninterested as could be.

Entitled some might say. But my response is if you pay the best part of £600 + the travel, the time, the other expenses, to see your club, you are entitled to think those in charge of it at least give a shit. 

I'm long in the tooth enough to know that this ennui could soon dissipate with a couple of lively results. 

But my point is that the OP is certainly not alone with feeling it. 

[Supersonic Robin]

4 hours ago, The hand of RO'D said:

I genuinely appreciate the job he’s done. But can you honestly hand on heart say we’ve progressed on the pitch under Pearson?

Respectfully, it's crazy to even ask the question. I think people forget just how bad we were before Pearson arrived.

We were the worst team in the Championship under Holden.
Worst at creating chances. Worst at stopping the opposition from creating chances. Least athletic. Lowest levels of effort.
We genuinely couldn't get out of our own half for the majority of most games.

Granted, this all says more about how bad we were back then, than how good we are now. Nevertheless, the improvement is significant.

[Mr Popodopolous]

9 minutes ago, Supersonic Robin said:

Respectfully, it's crazy to even ask the question. I think people forget just how bad we were before Pearson arrived.

We were the worst team in the Championship under Holden.
Worst at creating chances. Worst at stopping the opposition from creating chances. Least athletic. Lowest levels of effort.
We genuinely couldn't get out of our own half for the majority of most games.

Granted, this all says more about how bad we were back then, than how good we are now. Nevertheless, the improvement is significant.

Under Holden post the first 10-15 games IMO well 10 mainly but yes.

Some of our metrics were quite good first 10 but we have seen significant improvement the last 2 and a half years.

[Red-Robbo]

9 minutes ago, Supersonic Robin said:

Respectfully, it's crazy to even ask the question. I think people forget just how bad we were before Pearson arrived.

We were the worst team in the Championship under Holden.
Worst at creating chances. Worst at stopping the opposition from creating chances. Least athletic. Lowest levels of effort.
We genuinely couldn't get out of our own half for the majority of most games.

Granted, this all says more about how bad we were back then, than how good we are now. Nevertheless, the improvement is significant.

I don't want Hoden back, but we were 13th in the league table and he had a 44% win ratio when he was sacked. Just sayin'...

[SydneyCity]

6 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Just adding context.  Not adding conclusions yet.  But it feels we need to try to play our game not get dragged in to our opponents.

There was a bit in Cam Pring’s new contract video where he was alluding to this - that teams are sitting back and disrupting us.

The solution are those on-pitch leaders who adapt and organise. I feel Vyner has stepped up into that role defensively but we really need Naismith back in the team IMO to drive that further up the field.

[ChrisBW]

1 hour ago, Dr Balls said:

Part of this is optics. He’s not ranting and raving, therefore “he’s losing his edge”…?

With age hopefully comes wisdom. Nige is certainly a thoughtful individual and has interests beyond football. But if anyone takes that as not being ambitious or wanting to be successful, then think again.

I honestly believe if he has had enough he would walk away. There’s no sign of that just yet. He also knows SL isn’t a “hire ‘em and fire ‘em” owner, having been through the Watford manager mill in the past, so time has been on his side. He has another challenge ahead losing Scott, but with the.exception of maybe Guardiola and Ancelotti, every manager has to accept that they may lose their best player to another club (and even those 2 have each possibly lost their best in Gundogan and Benzena this summer) and get on with it as best they can.

And without doubt, Nige is one of the best managers we have had in the near 50 years I’ve been supporting City. The change in approach to developing the football side if the club and the professionalism he has brought may not always have led to stunning results on the pitch, but it has kept us up, when we far more likely to go down, plus laid far firmer foundations for success in the future.

No idea why you have mentioned “ranting and raving”. I’m talking about results.