Don't shoot me down here, but I wanted to share my thoughts on this situation.
I feel this whole love-in and support of our manager really does show how much our fan base has had all fight and passion beaten out of them by years of decline.
Andy Thorn comes across as a nice, down to earth, no nonsense chap and I think the fact people can relate to him somewhat blinds perceptions. He took over at a time when all hatred was directed towards SISU and Boothroyd, and due to the fact that his philosophy freed a team of all the shackles placed upon it, took our rivals by surprise and rescued us from relegation, he seems to have a long way to fall before becoming the next hate figure around the club. However, even in the period he took over last season, we were still lucky on several occasions (Portsmouth away, a 3-0 win when we could easily have been 2-0 down), we were often dragged through matches by Marlon King and the players appeared to gain confidence out of the fact they could pass the ball. We still only won a couple under him though.
The following points are in my eyes, facts:
- Andy Thorn DOES NOT have the worst team since relegation at his disposal. In Murphy, Keogh, Cranie, Wood, Clingan, Bell (yes Bell), Chrisitie, Thomas, Bigirimana, Jutkeiwicz we have proven Championship performers, even if only for a short time for some of them.
- Andy Thorn has THE WORST record of ANY manager we have had since relegation, by some margin.
- This team has NEVER played consistently well for 90 minutes under Andy Thorn except for maybe Watford last season.
- Andy Thorn's tactics are not up to scratch. He does not have the ability to influence other teams performances with changes and fails to proactively make changes when it is clear the tide is changing in games. Yes he is inexperienced, but so are half the managers in this league!
- We have one of the best back-lines in the championship player-wise, yet nearly all goals conceded are due to individual error and players not knowing what their roles, or their team-mates roles are. What do they work on in training.
- Any strike partnership we play ALWAYS appear to be too far apart. What do they work on in training.
- We play a passing game, a SLOW, pointless passing game and literally every player to a man seems to turn to a clueless fool as soon as we enter the final third, or even the oppositions half. Any team can play a passing game, but what the hell is the point if it played at a snails pace, we only do it in our half and as soon as the opponents decide they are bored and want the ball back, they just pressure our lads and possession is surrendered. What do they work on in training.
- Our players seem scared to shoot. What do they work on in training.
- I have never witnessed a team so lacking in communication. What do they work on in training.
It is a falicy that a team needs pace to be successful. A team needs to play a system which suits the sum of it's parts, a team needs to play to counter the opposition, a team needs a point to it's play and a team more importantly needs motivating BY THE MANAGER.
I have been told by 3 squad members this season that the dressing room feels lost, like it has no leader and from what I can gather - there is zero respect for any of teh coaching staff other than Lee Carsley.
ANY OTHER manager with such a consistently pathetic record, clear lack of ideas and inability to even talk a good game would have been chastised by the fans in the past, but not this time. The only enemy is SISU and due to this, most fans only feel sympathy for our manager because he is a ''nice guy''. I am afraid with Andy thorn in charge we are nailed on certs for relegation, whilst teams with in my opinion weaker squads like Watford, Barnsley, Millwall, Peterborough, Derby and even Brighton, appear to be setting themselves up for safety.
We may not KNOW that another manager will do better, we also don't KNOW that Southampton will be promoted, but we do KNOW we are relegated with Thorn on charge.
What do they work on in training?
And by the way - SISU DO HAVE MONEY, PLENTY OF IT, they just won't push any our way because the fucked the plan up fro the start by not investing the necessary initially and drip feeding it instead.
I feel this whole love-in and support of our manager really does show how much our fan base has had all fight and passion beaten out of them by years of decline.
Andy Thorn comes across as a nice, down to earth, no nonsense chap and I think the fact people can relate to him somewhat blinds perceptions. He took over at a time when all hatred was directed towards SISU and Boothroyd, and due to the fact that his philosophy freed a team of all the shackles placed upon it, took our rivals by surprise and rescued us from relegation, he seems to have a long way to fall before becoming the next hate figure around the club. However, even in the period he took over last season, we were still lucky on several occasions (Portsmouth away, a 3-0 win when we could easily have been 2-0 down), we were often dragged through matches by Marlon King and the players appeared to gain confidence out of the fact they could pass the ball. We still only won a couple under him though.
The following points are in my eyes, facts:
- Andy Thorn DOES NOT have the worst team since relegation at his disposal. In Murphy, Keogh, Cranie, Wood, Clingan, Bell (yes Bell), Chrisitie, Thomas, Bigirimana, Jutkeiwicz we have proven Championship performers, even if only for a short time for some of them.
- Andy Thorn has THE WORST record of ANY manager we have had since relegation, by some margin.
- This team has NEVER played consistently well for 90 minutes under Andy Thorn except for maybe Watford last season.
- Andy Thorn's tactics are not up to scratch. He does not have the ability to influence other teams performances with changes and fails to proactively make changes when it is clear the tide is changing in games. Yes he is inexperienced, but so are half the managers in this league!
- We have one of the best back-lines in the championship player-wise, yet nearly all goals conceded are due to individual error and players not knowing what their roles, or their team-mates roles are. What do they work on in training.
- Any strike partnership we play ALWAYS appear to be too far apart. What do they work on in training.
- We play a passing game, a SLOW, pointless passing game and literally every player to a man seems to turn to a clueless fool as soon as we enter the final third, or even the oppositions half. Any team can play a passing game, but what the hell is the point if it played at a snails pace, we only do it in our half and as soon as the opponents decide they are bored and want the ball back, they just pressure our lads and possession is surrendered. What do they work on in training.
- Our players seem scared to shoot. What do they work on in training.
- I have never witnessed a team so lacking in communication. What do they work on in training.
It is a falicy that a team needs pace to be successful. A team needs to play a system which suits the sum of it's parts, a team needs to play to counter the opposition, a team needs a point to it's play and a team more importantly needs motivating BY THE MANAGER.
I have been told by 3 squad members this season that the dressing room feels lost, like it has no leader and from what I can gather - there is zero respect for any of teh coaching staff other than Lee Carsley.
ANY OTHER manager with such a consistently pathetic record, clear lack of ideas and inability to even talk a good game would have been chastised by the fans in the past, but not this time. The only enemy is SISU and due to this, most fans only feel sympathy for our manager because he is a ''nice guy''. I am afraid with Andy thorn in charge we are nailed on certs for relegation, whilst teams with in my opinion weaker squads like Watford, Barnsley, Millwall, Peterborough, Derby and even Brighton, appear to be setting themselves up for safety.
We may not KNOW that another manager will do better, we also don't KNOW that Southampton will be promoted, but we do KNOW we are relegated with Thorn on charge.
What do they work on in training?
And by the way - SISU DO HAVE MONEY, PLENTY OF IT, they just won't push any our way because the fucked the plan up fro the start by not investing the necessary initially and drip feeding it instead.
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