Gj Takes Swipe At Fans Forum In Wdp

[Markman]

first it was those scandalous supporters who try to save a few minutes getting home (we all know the arguments) now he is having a go at this forum (Western Daily Press Today) and the threads on it - the hype about signings etc etc and some that criticise - its "unsettling" the dressing room

Poor little things - sorry. I love this club and will forever - longer than GJ will and longer than any of the players and I was here for 30 years before them. They are footballers - he is a manager - they earn a very good wage and most if not all - if offered more money would leave tomorrow - but the fans will not and so we are entitled to comment and speculate and discuss - and dare I say it moan - even GJ moans at some of the performances - but we are not allowed to?

Of course a lot of rubbish and angst gets posted on here - but that is what it is for - sometimes it is cathartic.

In another very recent thread someone said they support GJ 100% - as our manager I do as well - but I do not support 100% his snide attacks on fans of this club. It indicates he is under pressure and looking for excuses - he does not need excuses - the team have done brilliantly and all we are saying is that we need a striker - he would be better off saying he understands the frustration - he does not agree with all the comments - but we are all working together - and that he understands it is different to support a club to manage or play for it.

Kill discussion and you will kill interest

[MATTBCFC]

Today's W.D.P runs an article about Gary's frustration with football forum's....

http://www.westpress.co.uk/displayNode.jsp...;pNodeId=145803

[Guest ashtonyate]

first it was those scandalous supporters who try to save a few minutes getting home (we all know the arguments) now he is having a go at this forum (Western Daily Press Today) and the threads on it - the hype about signings etc etc and some that criticise - its "unsettling" the dressing room

Poor little things - sorry. I love this club and will forever - longer than GJ will and longer than any of the players and I was here for 30 years before them. They are footballers - he is a manager - they earn a very good wage and must if not all - if offered more money would leave tomorrow - but the fans will not and so we are entitled to comment and speculate and discuss - and dare I say it moan - even GJ moans at some of the prformance - but we are not allowed to?

Of course a lot of rubbish and angst gets posted on here - but that is what it is for - sometimes it is cathartic.

In another very recent thread someone said they support GJ 100% - as our manager I do as well - but I do not support 100% his snide attacks on fans of this club. It indicates he is under pressure and looking for excuses - he does not need excuses - the team have done brilliantly and all we are saying is that we need a striker - he would be better off saying he understands the frustration - he does not agree with all the comments - but we are all working together - and that he understands it is different to support a club to manage or play for it.

I don't know what he is on about Footballers can't read can they

[ooRya]

I'm not surprised by Gary's comments at all, he is going public in support of his current players. Just what I would expect a good manager to do.

I wonder if that's why Brizzlered and Yessir suddenly disappeared yesterday??

Just a thought............

[Barrs Court Red]

I tire of these stupid rumours too. Unfortunatly you'll never escape it, whatever club you are supporting.

[Big Stan Hibbert]

He hasn't really taken a balanced view though. I noticed Big Enoch putting out a message of thanks on Facebook (don't slate me!!) after all the support he'd received during the whole leeds thing.

Can't be all negative.

[Markman]

I tire of these stupid rumours too. Unfortunatly you'll never escape it, whatever club you are supporting.

Of course you wont - and do we really want some sanitized 1984 style club. Some of that well quoted brizzlered thread produced some funny replies - humour - some made me laugh -

The other reply on here calling it good management - well - Gary can protect his players - but he can to that in the dressing room he does not need to do it in the press and have a go at us - that is not good management. If his players trust him they don't need to see him popping at us.

[BITW]

Today's W.D.P runs an article about Gary's frustration with football forum's....

http://www.westpress.co.uk/displayNode.jsp...;pNodeId=145803

It would appear he reads this forum, I too would be wound up. Consider all the un-nessicary (spelling?) crap he has to read about his son. Who by the way is a top player.

Some might consider his comments on this article a tad harsh, but surely most of you can see where he's coming from.

Who Agrees

[BrotherErnieFromBarrowGurney]

I expect that we will end up driving out the best manager we have had since Alan Dicks in the end. Never mind, at least we will be able to leave early, speak our minds and not pay too much for our ticket, back in Div 3.

[MATTBCFC]

first it was those scandalous supporters who try to save a few minutes getting home (we all know the arguments) now he is having a go at this forum (Western Daily Press Today) and the threads on it - the hype about signings etc etc and some that criticise - its "unsettling" the dressing room

Poor little things - sorry. I love this club and will forever - longer than GJ will and longer than any of the players and I was here for 30 years before them. They are footballers - he is a manager - they earn a very good wage and most if not all - if offered more money would leave tomorrow - but the fans will not and so we are entitled to comment and speculate and discuss - and dare I say it moan - even GJ moans at some of the performances - but we are not allowed to?

Of course a lot of rubbish and angst gets posted on here - but that is what it is for - sometimes it is cathartic.

In another very recent thread someone said they support GJ 100% - as our manager I do as well - but I do not support 100% his snide attacks on fans of this club. It indicates he is under pressure and looking for excuses - he does not need excuses - the team have done brilliantly and all we are saying is that we need a striker - he would be better off saying he understands the frustration - he does not agree with all the comments - but we are all working together - and that he understands it is different to support a club to manage or play for it.

Kill discussion and you will kill interest

I totally agree with you. Your last paragraph is absolutely spot on.

Gary has my 100% backing as our manager. I don't however like it when its the fans fault 'for leaving too early' (I always stay the entire length of the game) and then blast us for the forum chat being wide of the mark. Maybe we should all just pack our pc's and laptops up and stop talking to each other about our beloved club and who we would like to see playing for it, if only to protect our manager and players. Sorry for any offence Gary et all i'm sure.

[fka dagest]

I tend to agree with him actually. There are quite a few posters on here who like to adopt a "know it all" attitude and discuss the teams tactics etc as if they are the most qualified person in Bristol. Some would do well to remember that GJ won the job on the basis of his CV and realistically, who can complain about the job he's done so far?

I'm quite happy to defer to GJ in all matters football related.

I too would hope the players avoid the forum because some of the comments are quite disrespectful at times, at least in my opinion.

I'm not sure it's entirely fair to paint the manager and players as ruthless mercenaries. I doubt many of us know them well enough to make a qualified comment.

[Rednready]

Some interesting comments there.

On forum posters. " we don't know if they are qualified to have an opinion." Should that apply to politicians or media reporters ?

January/August brings out the worst in people ! Not just forums Gary, check the newspapers, TV and sporting websites, they are alive with non stop transfer speculation, one of the reasons the WDP aked you for an interview.

Our Otib forum is no different, we debate whats topical and making the news in Jan/Aug. Guess what, the forum did the same thing when we had Tinman, Wilson et al.

" Some forum postings are disrespectful to his players."

I thought they were our players bought and paid for, and players can expect a measure of praise or disrespect at any club for any reason by any group of fans.

Managing or playing professional football is a highly paid job, and fans can expect a regular turnover of both. We the fans always have and always will have good/bad and indifferent opinions.

Its our right, whether a club official thinks we are qualified or not

[EASTEND WURZEL]

Alright I can contain myself no longer, continuing to have a pop at the fans is one thing but when the fans are trying their best to create some atmosphere and the club continues to slam restrictions on us left right and center it tends to stick a bit. The way the club treats the EastEnd is nothing short of shambolic. I suggest if Mr Johnson whats to moan about something worth while , he takes Mr Sextone aside and tell him some home truths!. WITHOUT THE FANS THERE IS NO CLUB.

[WTFiGO!?!]

GJ is a man to speak his fkn mind, if people can't handle that so be it.

City fans never have and never will pull in ONE direction for the better good that is BCFC.

If this comment makes me unpopular then so be it.

Whilst Gary Johnson is at our helm then he has my support.

[WTFiGO!?!]

Alright I can contain myself no longer, continuing to have a pop at the fans is one thing but when the fans are trying their best to create some atmosphere and the club continues to slam restrictions on us left right and center it tends to stick a bit. The way the club treats the EastEnd is nothing short of shambolic. I suggest if Mr Johnson whats to moan about something worth while , he takes Mr Sextone aside and tell him some home truths!. WITHOUT THE FANS THERE IS NO CLUB.

HERE FKN HERE

[robins72]

Gary should spend less time worrying what is written on a football forum and more time on concentrating on his team and possibly strengthening it!! Whilst I have respect for Gary he should be careful what he says in the newspapers about the fans. We are his income and his tenure as a manager will be shorter than our support is for Bristol City. Most of the things that are posted on here are pub conversations which would go on outside a forum. He cant stop people talking about players, signings, the manager, the chairman its what people do!! I just hope we win today because if we don't then there will be more moans and groans on here!

[MATTBCFC]

Some interesting comments there.

On forum posters. " we don't know if they are qualified to have an opinion." Should that apply to politicians or media reporters ?

January/August brings out the worst in people ! Not just forums Gary, check the newspapers, TV and sporting websites, they are alive with non stop transfer speculation, one of the reasons the WDP aked you for an interview.

Our Otib forum is no different, we debate whats topical and making the news in Jan/Aug. Guess what, the forum did the same thing when we had Tinman, Wilson et al.

" Some forum postings are disrespectful to his players."

I thought they were our players bought and paid for, and players can expect a measure of praise or disrespect at any club for any reason by any group of fans.

Managing or playing professional football is a highly paid job, and fans can expect a regular turnover of both. We the fans always have and always will have good/bad and indifferent opinions.

Its our right, whether a club official thinks we are qualified or not

100% correct. I wonder if Gary had a go at the WDP interviewer whilst he was there for running stories 'wide of the mark'...?

Oh no of course not - cause on this occasion he needed them.

Maybe Gary should try and galvanize Mr Trundle by showing him some of the stories about possible new strikers - a few goals wouldnt go a miss - maybe then we wouldnt need a new striker and we'd all be happy.

[Drew Peacock]

GJ is a man to speak his fkn mind, if people can't handle that so be it.

City fans never have and never will pull in ONE direction for the better good that is BCFC.

If this comment makes me unpopular then so be it.

Whilst Gary Johnson is at our helm then he has my support.

Hear hear.

What GJ should be doing (maybe he does, maybe he is Yessir & Brizzlered) is using the forum by having a couple of alias accounts, or someone close to him or Lansdown should, and shaping the threads. The forum is, after all, just another form of media and if the club aren't using it then they are missing a trick.

[GrahamC]

It would appear he reads this forum, I too would be wound up. Consider all the un-nessicary (spelling?) crap he has to read about his son. Who by the way is a top player.

Some might consider his comments on this article a tad harsh, but surely most of you can see where he's coming from.

Who Agrees

Agree 100%.

I think we all know that we need a striker, GJ isn't going to admit that publically, but there was no other reason that he flew to Scotland this week.

In the meantime he has to support those he picks up front (especially in the media) because;

1. he signed them and

2. he has no alternative.

However the line between sensible reasoned debate IS sometimes crossed by those who pursue personal campaigns on here, especially against his son and that must p*ss him off no end, and this would be the surest way of losing our best manager since Alan Dicks. There is a world of difference between believing that LJ isn't worth a place and posting personal comments about LJ and bringing his name into every debate about every subject.

He did actually say Fan's forums are a "good thing" if the article is quoting him correctly, though.........

[Laner]

Some interesting comments there.

On forum posters. " we don't know if they are qualified to have an opinion." Should that apply to politicians or media reporters ?

January/August brings out the worst in people ! Not just forums Gary, check the newspapers, TV and sporting websites, they are alive with non stop transfer speculation, one of the reasons the WDP aked you for an interview.

Our Otib forum is no different, we debate whats topical and making the news in Jan/Aug. Guess what, the forum did the same thing when we had Tinman, Wilson et al.

" Some forum postings are disrespectful to his players."

I thought they were our players bought and paid for, and players can expect a measure of praise or disrespect at any club for any reason by any group of fans.

Managing or playing professional football is a highly paid job, and fans can expect a regular turnover of both. We the fans always have and always will have good/bad and indifferent opinions.

Its our right, whether a club official thinks we are qualified or not

Totally agree with you.

Yeh, some comments on forums are wrong, odd and dam right rude at times but they only reflect what some fans think and give people the opportunity to discuss things i.e. to agree or disagree, to accept or challenge.

Whilst I agree in principal with Gary's comments, I did think his comment on 'perceived top players' was a bit rich though...

"It's because people want you to sign what they perceive as a top player. We might not perceive that player as a top player and may have a very good reason for thinking that."

Is that why our highest paid summer signing appears to only be fit/good enough to warm the bench for most games?

At the end of the day, we all pay good money and invest a huge amount of our spare time going to support the team we love. Football fans will always have views on their team, players, board, manager etc. that's part of football... always has been and always will.

[SimplyRed]

first it was those scandalous supporters who try to save a few minutes getting home (we all know the arguments) now he is having a go at this forum (Western Daily Press Today) and the threads on it - the hype about signings etc etc and some that criticise - its "unsettling" the dressing room

Poor little things - sorry. I love this club and will forever - longer than GJ will and longer than any of the players and I was here for 30 years before them. They are footballers - he is a manager - they earn a very good wage and most if not all - if offered more money would leave tomorrow - but the fans will not and so we are entitled to comment and speculate and discuss - and dare I say it moan - even GJ moans at some of the performances - but we are not allowed to?

Of course a lot of rubbish and angst gets posted on here - but that is what it is for - sometimes it is cathartic.

In another very recent thread someone said they support GJ 100% - as our manager I do as well - but I do not support 100% his snide attacks on fans of this club. It indicates he is under pressure and looking for excuses - he does not need excuses - the team have done brilliantly and all we are saying is that we need a striker - he would be better off saying he understands the frustration - he does not agree with all the comments - but we are all working together - and that he understands it is different to support a club to manage or play for it.

Kill discussion and you will kill interest

Great post!

One of the reasons I'm still unsure of the quality of Johnson as a manager is his continued public outbursts regarding anything that doesn't make him look like a saint or upsets him. In the same way that professional footballers should never react to fans' taunts at games, this man should learn a little humility and do the same when upset by comments of forums, simply ensuring that the team continues to improve. After all, it is his job, isn't it?

Nobody can deny that this man has worked hard to get the club where it is, and while he is manager, he will receive my support at games. BUT, he is not some divine messiah - never has been, never will be. And fans on this forum granting him god-like status has only fuelled the fire.

His frequent public tirades of anger and frustration about various activities and opinions of the fans is not only out of order, but disrespectful of the thousands of people who have supported this club long before he arrived and will continue to support it long after he leaves.

If he is that concerned about what is being said on the forums, perhaps he should enter into the discussions and nip the rumours in the bud, instead of whinging to the press every time something upsets him.

His ego is enormous and starting to get in the way of his judgement and my advice to him is to keep his counsel and get on with his job - oh - and sign a striker!

[Hicksy-BCFC]

I personally think we're all entitled to our opinion.

A lot of us are pretty well informed as well in what we think is best for the club. I've been supporting them since I was old enough to go along in the early eighties with my old man and grandfather - bear in mind GJ wouldn't even have been looking at our results then.

I attend around 90% of home games and 75% of away games work allowing. We all watch football on the TV, have opinions on formations, who is a fairly decent player etc etc. It's all about an informed opinion - I disagree with a lot of posters at varying times as I disagree with GJ on some things he does.

We all want Bristol City to win, you, me and the team and management staff.

Differences of opinion are healthy. When it becomes picky and name calling etc etc thats when I can never be bothered to enter a thread but overall I see no problem with us all having different opinions.

I never liked Graham Taylor as England manager but I always remember his press conference away in Holland with the press reporters who'd be clamouring for his head.

"You know, in this room I am just one of about 40 England managers. In the country as a whole I am one of 40 million England managers. The difference is mine is the only team that's got to go out and play"

Pretty much the same here, we all pick our Bristol City teams but Gary's is the only team playing that day.

I give him credit, he's proved me wrong last season and this one at times and I'd like to think I've been proved right a couple of times but my side never plays.

We all should back the team when they play but I'll be damned if we should not hold or voice our own opinions which are formed from following the club, paying near on 50 quid per week in total to watch and supporting them.

[badger22]

This has hurt me to be honnest, and its annoyed me for those of you that travel home and away every week.

It seems to support this club you can't have a life, can't have an opinion and need bags of money!!!!

The heart and soul of football is slowly being ripped out.... Thoses comments have left a sour taste in my mouth........ don't forget who pays your wages Gary.

[Dolman Block B]

HERE FKN HERE

Morning Tim.

Ive just read the article in the evening post and was not going to vent my feelings about it on here.

But, ive changed my mind, so here goes.

This forum can be a cracking place for up to date info, good honest banter, sometimes utter anger, but more importantly is made up of Bristol City fans who want to voice an opinion.

Now we all know we can get on each other nerves, some perhaps more than others, but that does not stop ANY of us the "freedom of speech".

So on to Gary, s comments.

"We don't know the ages of these people or how experienced they are. We don't know whether they are qualified to have an opinion"

Well Gary, this is the paying public, they pay the players wages. If it was not for the fans, there would be no Bristol City...simple as!

Football fans world wide have "extreme cases of chinese whispers"...its what forums are for!!!

We all have an air of excitment that a new player is about to join the club. Were allowed that, and fans will always discuss it.

Many fans who are not even forum members, discuss it it pubs, clubs and bars throughout the city.

So the lad who persistantly told us the new striker was coming in was wrong and probably feels dreadful. Personally it should be put to bed, and forgotten. He, as he said, was only the messenger boy.

I, and I'm sure any of you, would not want to unsettle the club, with rash comments.

I'm loving every moment this season has produced and long may it continue.

So apologies Mr Johnson if you feel this forum has been a "tad" out of order. Your sucsess as manager of our club, has created a wonderful amalgamation between ALL City fans, and we are loving it.

The gossip WILL go on........Arn.

[The Chaplain]

If the article was 'having another pop at the fans' then i might have agreed with some of the more negative comments here. Yes of course the fans are here longer than anyone else and have a right t express an opinion.

But i didn't see the article as that at all ... he says explicitly that fans have that right and that forums are generally a good thing. Yes he also says some of what is posted is 'wide of the mark' and 'disrespectful', can anybody say that isn't a simple statement of the blindingly obvious? He goes on to make the point that these things are amplified in January and August and that it doesn't help the club.

Actually I think the truth is almost the exact opposite - he's showing respect for the fans by recognising that we impact the football club in significant ways, what we do and say actually matters, and he's trying to manage the support just like he manages the players and backroom staff to get the best possible results for the club as a whole. His challenge is to remind us that if we want influence without being prepared to accept responsibility then we are kidding ourselves.

[StapleHillPhil]

Congratulations must go to Andy Stockhausen for a sensationalist headline and opening paragraph. It seems to have ruffled a few feathers.

Personally I don't have a problem with Gary's comments. Far too many people on here have been caught up in a Riordan frenzy this week when the vast majority of fans will never have seen him kick a ball in anger.

I like this quote:

"It's because people want you to sign what they perceive as a top player. We might not perceive that player as a top player and may have a very good reason for thinking that".

He's not slagging people off. He's just asking for people to try and calm down a bit and consider things before posting rash comments on an internet forum.

[The Chaplain]

Totally agree with you.

Yeh, some comments on forums are wrong, odd and dam right rude at times but they only reflect what some fans think and give people the opportunity to discuss things i.e. to agree or disagree, to accept or challenge.

Whilst I agree in principal with Gary's comments, I did think his comment on 'perceived top players' was a bit rich though...

"It's because people want you to sign what they perceive as a top player. We might not perceive that player as a top player and may have a very good reason for thinking that."

Is that why our highest paid summer signing appears to only be fit/good enough to warm the bench for most games?

At the end of the day, we all pay good money and invest a huge amount of our spare time going to support the team we love. Football fans will always have views on their team, players, board, manager etc. that's part of football... always has been and always will.

I was interested in that quote to, about not perceiving that player as a top player etc.

I assumed it was a direct response to the Riordan situation, implying that that there was something very specific about him that he didn't fancy.

As to some of the other comments, about GJ's 'tirade' and 'anger' - I'm not so sure that wasn't WDP spin, the direct quotes attributed seemed to be neither angry nor bitter, just straightforward and true ... and expressed in the bestinterests of the club

[fka dagest]

People seem to be very selective in quoting GJ, for instance he also says:

"Of course people are entitled to have an opinion and fans' forums are generally a good thing.

"In the end, we have to do what is right for the football club and what is right for the fans. We owe it to them to make the right decisions."

"But any signings have to enhance the squad and we're certainly not going to sign players to appease a rumour on a website. We have to bring in the right ones for the future."

I don't have an issue with any of that. People seem to be taking this very personally.

I can't see where he says people can't have an opinion or shouldn't discuss football matters - where does it say that?

With regards to:

"We don't know the age of these people or how experienced they are. We don't know whether they are qualified to have an opinion.

So, what? If a bloke knocked on your door offering plumbing advice wouldn't you be worried about his qualifications?

For me the bottom line is we have the best/most succesful manager I have ever known. Do we really want to a drive wedge between us just because he expresses an opinion in the local rag?

[badger22]

Anyway, I am qualified... Ive got my FA coaching badge.

[chinapig]

Forums are now as much a fact of life as phone-ins and are probably best ignored by Managers because those who participate are a self-selecting minority and not necessarily representative. Certainly I am heartily sick of of hearing self-appointed experts on phone-ins accusing their respective Managers of being "tactically naive" - a completely meaningless cliche.

Does this forum have a higher than average proportion than others of doom mongers, people who slag off some of our own players and who profess to know more than the Manager or not? I doubt it but there are times when I find it depressing so I can understand why Gary would. As others have said creating the impression that the majority of City fans fall into the above categories could one day lead to Gary legging it. I suspect some will feel a sense of triumph at their own power if and when he does and will get a perverse kick if we subsequently plummet. Mind you Gary will probably find it is much the same elsewhere. Wait for the Newcastle fans who regard themeslevs as something special to start if Keegan does not deliver an overnight miracle. Ho hum.