All Joking Apart

[Port Said Red]

I'll ask you guys the same question I posed elsewhere today.

It seems more than a coincidence to me that we lost on Saturday after the "GJ takes one for the team" Soccer AM appearance. I haven't seen the footage myself, not being one of Murdoch's cash machines, but people have said it was a laugh and showed great team spirit.

However..... Our last poor run (including our biggest defeat) started in the week following the Fontaine goal and subsequent media frenzy over GJ's bare backside and Burtons window.

Is it possible that both of these things have;

A) Acted as a distraction to the serious side of training.

B) Undermined GJ's authority to a certain extent.

There is a fine line in Management between having a rapport with the players and maintaining discipline, have these two incidents over stepped the line?

[double-trouble]

I'll ask you guys the same question I posed elsewhere today.

It seems more than a coincidence to me that we lost on Saturday after the "GJ takes one for the team" Soccer AM appearance. I haven't seen the footage myself, not being one of Murdoch's cash machines, but people have said it was a laugh and showed great team spirit.

However..... Our last poor run (including our biggest defeat) started in the week following the Fontaine goal and subsequent media frenzy over GJ's bare backside and Burtons window.

Is it possible that both of these things have;

A) Acted as a distraction to the serious side of training.

B) Undermined GJ's authority to a certain extent.

There is a fine line in Management between having a rapport with the players and maintaining discipline, have these two incidents over stepped the line?

Totally disagree as I'm sure as pros they are all very focussed and even more so bearing in mind where they are in the league . G.J and his management team would not let anything get in the way of any preparation for a game and the 'Take one for the team' would surely have been done at the end of the days training .

You are just putting coincidences to two events .

I could say that they all had omelettes for their pre match meal or one of the players cars broke down or , or , or , or , or , and so on , as last time and that was the reason they lost . We can all read into it what we want but me thinks that it shows a wonderful team spirit , good management skills in allowing a 'fun thing' to be included in the training session and a mutual respect between G.J and his players .

Come on Gary who next ?

Go to the Soccer A.M link if you do want to see it - its classic .

[Port Said Red]

I am only asking the question and I am acutely aware that there are many reasons why a particular defeat may occur.

I was very aware of how quickly Johnson moved interest in the Burtons stuff to one side, especially after we lost to Charlton. Theres a time and a place for such things.

[double-trouble]

I am only asking the question and I am acutely aware that there are many reasons why a particular defeat may occur.

I was very aware of how quickly Johnson moved interest in the Burtons stuff to one side, especially after we lost to Charlton. Theres a time and a place for such things.

Yes totally agree how he did move attention of the BURTONS STUFF to one side and agreed there is a time and a place but I still can't seriously believe that G.J or K.M would let Soccer A.M distract / be any where near his plans in training for any forthcoming game .

Any training session at any level in the workplace , whichever workplace starts and often ends with a fun game or activity . Sure it happens all the time with the reds in training as other teams for e.g wear a different colour top with donkey or something similar emblazoned on it if your the previous days worst trainer or something similar .

[SE23Red]

I'm not sure about distracting but it must have been quite demoralising to find that no member of the squad could hit the target from a few yards

[RedM]

I am only asking the question and I am acutely aware that there are many reasons why a particular defeat may occur.

I was very aware of how quickly Johnson moved interest in the Burtons stuff to one side, especially after we lost to Charlton. Theres a time and a place for such things.

Know exactly what you mean as I had the same thoughts as you.

However I thought the rapport between GJ and the team was excellent and in hindsight if I knew a 3-0 thrashing was coming after this would I have let a bit of light-hearted stuff go ahead, yes I would.

It was just pure co-incidence that bad results follow media stuff, I'm sure. I expect you, like I, were scratching your head and just hoping it was as simple or as complex as that and just trying to place the blame/reasons on something we maybe could have avoided?

[Port Said Red]

Know exactly what you mean as I had the same thoughts as you.

However I thought the rapport between GJ and the team was excellent and in hindsight if I knew a 3-0 thrashing was coming after this would I have let a bit of light-hearted stuff go ahead, yes I would.

It was just pure co-incidence that bad results follow media stuff, I'm sure. I expect you, like I, were scratching your head and just hoping it was as simple or as complex as that and just trying to place the blame/reasons on something we maybe could have avoided?

Thanks emm, like I said, just putting the question out there. Like you I think there are positives and negatives in this sort of thing and, all in all, I would say the whole thing was more positive.

One thing though, I wasn't looking for excuses or to apportion blame (as much as I hate the ubiquitous Sky), unlike some I realise we can't win every game and will just be waiting for the bounce back on Saturday.