Senior Reds today, guest Jon Lansdown

[Spudgun]

Shame he was there to spoil it the useless clown.

Edited December 22, 2023 by Spudgun

[exAtyeoMax]

48 minutes ago, spudski said:

I'd love some media reporter to have the balls to quote this verbatim to either JL or BT. 

If you are reading any media person ...do it. The fan base would hold you in great respect I'm sure. 

 

Gregor would've confronted him

[Merrick's Marvels]

1 hour ago, Kid in the Riot said:

 

Not sure it can be a smokescreen given the board have never highlighted it as a reason for dismissal. 

Also, he still cannot walk unaided. That is just the way it is and clearly he needs a decent amount of time away from work to recover. 

If you recall after the Coventry game I think it was he claimed he just needed a minor op and he'd need 48 hours off for it. I think clearly the situation is more serious than that and both he and the club knew he was going to have to take a much longer period away from the job. 

All I'm saying is that this is the one point I sympathise with the club on. A judgement call has to be made there on whether you can stick with someone that can't carry out some of their duties in the job, is going to be away from the job for a period of time, and at the time had no prognosis. 

And to clarify, I'm not suggesting for a moment it was the only reason they got rid of him. Of course a disintegrating personal relationship and lack of progress in terms of results and performances played their part. 

But there is a reality the bloke is not well and will not be back in work for a while, which is incredibly unfortunate, and I wish him well.

 

1 hour ago, Kid in the Riot said:

I think a few factors came together at one time, from the board's perspective, didn't they? 

This was all pretty inevitable though, going back to when they nearly fired him twice last season. 

I agree, they were always going to give him the bullet at some point.

And we need to move on, it's crying over spilt milk, the king is dead long live the king etc...

But.

"Not sure it can be a smokescreen given the board have never highlighted it as a reason for dismissal"

Of course they didn't. Didn't have the bollocks and didn't want to open themselves up to a potential unfair dismissal claim they wouldn't have the brains to defend.

So instead, there were lots of snidey comments about the team needing more coaching "out on the grass".

What was that all about, if not trying to imply Pearson wasn't spending enough time coaching the team in person?

If we were in a relegation battle, they could argue the point about the manager's absence having a detrimental affect on the team.

But the team wasn't under-performing, it was making year-on-year slow but steady progress and we were on track for another decent enough season - a week or two before they sacked him, we were 3 points off the play-offs for heaven's sake with more than half the season left and good players still to return to the team.

In other words, Pearson had the team on track to achieve the owner's stated aim - a top 6 finish. Or was it top 10? Or "top end"? And all on a budget that isn't top 10. Or is it top 10? To be honest, I can't keep up with all the back tracking, back sliding and back stabbing these days nor the incoherent, inarticulate, dishonest stupidity. 

So best not to keep looking back - instead let's look forward to what's in front of us - 3 points tonight!  And a top 6 finish  oh my sides

Edited December 22, 2023 by Merrick's Marvels

[Kid in the Riot]

17 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

This exactly. A decent compassionate employer would have seen he was struggling during early October and suggested that he think about his health and take 3 months or so off to try and sort it out. He had a perfectly competent backroom team who could still have reported back to him and he would have been available to make any bigger than normal decisions.

If the board were smitten with Nige and we were top of the league then he wouldn't have been sacked, and they'd have probably done exactly as you suggest. 

Alas, that evidently wasn't the case!

[exAtyeoMax]

2 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

what's in front if us - 3 points tonight!  

Mulled wine at least!

[Selred]

20 minutes ago, Galley is our king said:

NO NO NO!!!

Being on crutches does not take away any functions like your brain, you can still see, talk, hear. Infact everything you could do before you needed them!

Your employer has to make reasonable adjustments before sacking so, he could have sat down instead of standing watching training, sat up in the terrace at the hpc etc.

Christ, you are supposed to help and support your employee not use it as a ******* excuse to get rid!

If you were, or anyone was at Senior Reds yesterday I am the chap getting around on 2 crutches. Doesn't stop me doing anything I can assure you! I retired age 65 and spent the last 4 years working on crutches. No adjustments necessary. I was a construction industry project manager trained in the Architectural profession. My boss wanted me to stay on another year!

Crutches are an aid and nothing more!!!

Rant over.....

W-S-M mentioned he was doing walks on the beach, as if that meant he was well enough to e.g. attend training. 

The point from @Marina's Rolls Royce and myself was that he was still on crutches on these "walks". It was more on his physical state, not his mental state.

[exAtyeoMax]

Just now, Kid in the Riot said:

If the board were smitten with Nige and we were top of the league then he wouldn't have been sacked, and they'd have probably done exactly as you suggest. 

Alas, that evidently wasn't the case!

yes but don't feel sorry for them! 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

15 minutes ago, Bazooka Joe said:

Do they sack players when they're on crutches?

Generally no they don't and nor do they renew contracts depending on severity but comparing a player and Manager is not a good comparison. However if a player has a significant issue - they tend to retire.

For all the right reasons, the extent of Nige's problems are undisclosed  and whether or not he was fully capable of continuing to perform his full duties- as @Kid in the Riot says- we'll never know.

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

yes but don't feel sorry for them! 

Yep, they handled it incredibly badly, chose to come out with stuff that didn’t stand up to scrutiny, nor could they even align amongst themselves.  We all know it was horseshit.

The stupid thing is they created unnecessary pressure on Manning.

[Major Isewater]

17 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

We have JL and Tinnion as two of the highest ranking people at the club. Scary 

[Major Isewater]

2 hours ago, johnbytheriver said:

Sad thing is dispite JL'S flippant and insulting two-fingered ignorant answers we are all hoping  for 3 points tonight.No one is walking away!

Despite the way our ‘guardians ‘ are running the club , BCFC is bigger than them and will still be here long after they are pushing up the daisies. 
Of course we want 3 points and the club to do well but it’s like when a partner cheats on you, you can forgive but the relationship is never the same. They have broken something for many fans and it will take a long time, possibly never, to mend it. 

[BrizzleRed]

10 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Generally no they don't and nor do they renew contracts depending on severity but comparing a player and Manager is not a good comparison. However if a player has a significant issue - they tend to retire.

For all the right reasons, the extent of Nige's problems are undisclosed  and whether or not he was fully capable of continuing to perform his full duties- as @Kid in the Riot says- we'll never know.

I would have thought, we’ll most certainly know eventually …….. he’ll either join another club, or retire. 

[1960maaan]

There are a lot of things going on seemingly.

The Powers that be were not happy with the Manager and would be happy to see him gone.

Nige had back/health issues which are ongoing and not fully diagnosed yet ASAIK.

It would be next to impossible to sack him for those issues.

Nige wanted, but clearly wasn't going to get an extension to his contract.

The little digs by Nige brought the situation to a head in certain peoples eyes.

Nige couldn't get out on the grass due to back health issues.

Nige (as far as I recall ) didn't get out on the grass to take training. Didn't he just oversee and let his appointed coaches coach ?

The easy way to get rid of a Manager is sack him and say he's underperforming , not sure you actually have to explain things to fans , but you need to give a reason.

The Clubs reasons sounded panicy and never really stacked up.

Top 6 was bollox or it would still be top 6.

I want Manning to succeed , but as @Major Isewater put it, it feels different . That may change over time, it may come back with the next Manager, the best way is for Manning to take us up and all will be well but at the moment things are different.

I shall enjoy shouting for 3 points tonight as I always do, but it feels like we are watching a play unfold. Eyes are on Manning for results and for the signings we make in Jan , more pressure than most normal new Managers/Coaches would expect to get. That is all down to how they got rid of Pearson and not solely the sacking itself , made even worse by the garbled excuses . 

 

 

[Show Me The Money!]

15 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Eeeek!!!

You get the impression that JL is trying to run this club like AFC Richmond!

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

3 minutes ago, BrizzleRed said:

I would have thought, we’ll most certainly know eventually …….. he’ll either join another club, or retire. 

Yes- that's one possible way to look at it. The flipside is that he might retire simply because he enjoys it and can do without the stress- I doubt he needs the money.

However, I think NP is an honest person and in the fullness of time may well decide to disclose details but that's entirely his prerogative . 

[BrizzleRed]

11 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Yes- that's one possible way to look at it. The flipside is that he might retire simply because he enjoys it and can do without the stress- I doubt he needs the money.

However, I think NP is an honest person and in the fullness of time may well decide to disclose details but that's entirely his prerogative . 

Completely agree MMR.  One thing for sure, if he writes a book, I’ll definitely be reading it.  

There’s so much BS and hype in football these days and it was such a refreshing change to have someone here who told it as it was.

I used to think of him as sullen and a bit of a loose cannon, but I warmed to him massively while he was with us.

[sh1t_ref_again]

2 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

 

Not sure it can be a smokescreen given the board have never highlighted it as a reason for dismissal. 

Also, he still cannot walk unaided. That is just the way it is and clearly he needs a decent amount of time away from work to recover. 

If you recall after the Coventry game I think it was he claimed he just needed a minor op and he'd need 48 hours off for it. I think clearly the situation is more serious than that and both he and the club knew he was going to have to take a much longer period away from the job. 

All I'm saying is that this is the one point I sympathise with the club on. A judgement call has to be made there on whether you can stick with someone that can't carry out some of their duties in the job, is going to be away from the job for a period of time, and at the time had no prognosis. 

And to clarify, I'm not suggesting for a moment it was the only reason they got rid of him. Of course a disintegrating personal relationship and lack of progress in terms of results and performances played their part. 

But there is a reality the bloke is not well and will not be back in work for a while, which is incredibly unfortunate, and I wish him well.

No good coming on here talking sense, it does not fit the narrative on here many want to pedal

The end of the day, most of what goes on behind the doors of the club we all know nothing about, we can all agree the reason given was just a smokescreen, JL even alluded to that, there was a lot that cannot be said. Businesses often cannot give the full or real reason for decisions or wash there laundry in public, as it helps no one. Nige was on a fixed term contract, that would seem for what ever reason was not going to be renewed, maybe that decision was made before his health issues maybe not, but lets not feel to sorry for someone who would have been highly paid and would have had as a minimum his contract paid up to the end. Perhaps with his health issues that is a blessing in disguise for him as can get well without the stress of work.

Its easy to say Nige could just let the coaches get on with it, but what is Nige doing all week, just sat in a office at the HPC, perhaps things were slipping and his lack of visibility was starting to affect the players - we don't know!

I say all of this as someone who wanted Nige before he was appointed, was gutted he was sacked as really liked him, but he was brought in to do a job, he did it and as with nearly every other club, things happen and a manger gets sacked. Perhaps when Gould left, the buffer and filter between Nige and the board was lost and Alexander did not work, again we do not know.

What ever the reasons, for better or worse Manning is now the manager so we need to get behind him and hope that the board were right to appoint him.

 

[Kid in the Riot]

19 minutes ago, sh1t_ref_again said:

No good coming on here talking sense, it does not fit the narrative on here many want to pedal

The end of the day, most of what goes on behind the doors of the club we all know nothing about, we can all agree the reason given was just a smokescreen, JL even alluded to that, there was a lot that cannot be said. Businesses often cannot give the full or real reason for decisions or wash there laundry in public, as it helps no one. Nige was on a fixed term contract, that would seem for what ever reason was not going to be renewed, maybe that decision was made before his health issues maybe not, but lets not feel to sorry for someone who would have been highly paid and would have had as a minimum his contract paid up to the end. Perhaps with his health issues that is a blessing in disguise for him as can get well without the stress of work.

Its easy to say Nige could just let the coaches get on with it, but what is Nige doing all week, just sat in a office at the HPC, perhaps things were slipping and his lack of visibility was starting to affect the players - we don't know!

I say all of this as someone who wanted Nige before he was appointed, was gutted he was sacked as really liked him, but he was brought in to do a job, he did it and as with nearly every other club, things happen and a manger gets sacked. Perhaps when Gould left, the buffer and filter between Nige and the board was lost and Alexander did not work, again we do not know.

What ever the reasons, for better or worse Manning is now the manager so we need to get behind him and hope that the board were right to appoint him.

Good post.

Although I very much doubt Nige sees it this way at the moment, I agree with you that him being relieved of his duties is a blessing for his overall health. 

[Fjmcity]

Consult “experienced fans” on managerial decsions

[Sir Geoff]

1 minute ago, Fjmcity said:

Consult “experienced fans” on managerial decsions

Ian Gay

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

2 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

Ian Gay

I raise you Robbored

[Robbored]

2 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

I raise you Robbored

Ian Gay and I couldn’t agree…..I’ve had plenty of ‘debates’ with him over the years and he only has one view on anything - his own.

[Fjmcity]

Imagine if the Bristol city church elders were all consulted on such things. There would be poles back in to hold up the roofs, coupon season ticket books, a hologram of Alan dicks in the dugout and weirdly, a sheikh of a despot regime owning the club

Edited December 22, 2023 by Fjmcity

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Just now, Robbored said:

Ian Gay and I couldn’t agree…..I’ve had plenty of ‘debates’ with him over the years and he only has one view on anything - his own.

I think it's safe to suggest that you also hold strong views.

However, the point being as made by @Fjmcityis that the idea of consulting "experienced" fans on a new Manager appointment is funny.

Just imagine if they got it wrong : A bed sheet protest with "Experienced fans out!"

[Fjmcity]

1 minute ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

I think it's safe to suggest that you also hold strong views.

However, the point being as made by @Fjmcityis that the idea of consulting "experienced" fans on a new Manager appointment is funny.

Just imagine if they got it wrong : A bed sheet protest with "Experienced fans out!"

I’m just struggling to imagine the scenario where a mature grown (presume) man is given the opportunity to question the owner and this is what they came up with. It is amusing 

[bcfc01]

In pure hindsight, Gould leaving was the catalyst for the events that followed.

If he were still here I am convinced that he would have maintained the status quo until at least the end of the season. Its been chaos since he left, new CEO, manager, coaches, and Dr. Rennie, all gone in the middle of the season. Madness.

Bloody cricket.

All the above has been made worse by the public speaking from JL and BT, both of them unfortunately have difficulty in clearly articulating information which results in more questions than answers. A perfect illustration being JLs response to the simple accounts question where just a few well chosen words would have answered the question fully and illicited no adverse response. It seems like anything coming from them is just garbled information open to interpretation, which is directly the opposite to the experienced Gould.

I think they both mean well and want the best for the club, but they are currently making a right hash of it resulting in the manager getting some undeserved pressure and people rightly questioning their competency.

JL has also dropped BT in it by intimating that BT will become the CEO. There was absolutely no need to say that, even if that is the plan (which it surely can't be). He should have known that it would cause a bit of a stir. Naive in the extreme, or maybe just the inability to read the room. 

No point in any more Q&A sessions from them imo, it'll only open more cans of worms. 

I hope NP recovers well and is back in the game soon, he has a lot to give, although I think his family will rightly have a big say in that.

 

 

[Davefevs]

54 minutes ago, sh1t_ref_again said:

What ever the reasons, for better or worse Manning is now the manager so we need to get behind him

All of us are.  I’m not sure why that needs to repeated at the end of every post on this particular theme, like you can’t be disappointed Nige (+3) was sacked and support LM too .  Most of us on here, probably all of us (bar Miah!!!) support City and want City to do well.

and hope that the board were right to appoint him.

We will have to make up our own minds as to what “success” (were right to appoint) means because the heirarchy seem to have a real problem defining it amongst themselves.  More flip-flips than a Havaianas shop!

[marmite]

I was a member of Senior Reds a few years ago. I remember one meeting, pre redevelopment, when meetings were held in the Williams stand. 

Steve Lansdown was guest speaker and he was criticised by one member for running the club like a non-league club. Steve became very upset and said member was never seen again. Anyone else recall this incident.

 

[Davefevs]

20 minutes ago, Fjmcity said:

Consult “experienced fans” on managerial decsions

It was a bit of a strange ask wasn’t it!

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, marmite said:

Steve became very upset and said member was never seen again

You talking concrete slippers whilst taking a swim?