Coaching Angst - Ernie's three anti-blips

Each to their own regarding managerial styles.

I would have thought that saying this in public with most of the season in front of the team would be rather counter productive.  I doubt it will satisfy casual fans either.

Why? It worked for Di Canio at Sunderland.

Ernie says we'll still make the play offs.

I believe

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/9490666/Hay-Judge-the-Phoenix-by-its-younger-brigade/

Yes we don't all agree with Danny Hay, but he's right on the money with this. Difficult as this current run of results is hard to take, we've got to develop the possession based approach if we're to ever win the A League. That's gonna be painful and already is, but no use playing hoofball in NZ any more. These kids like Rufer and Ridenton can play, and will thrive with this style if they can take the next step. At the moment, we're doing this with Lia and Riera - and already look a different side. But neither would get anywhere near starting at any other club. The owners must give Ernie the dough to give Hernandez a partner in attacking crime. You can't destroy the kids by throwing them in now.  

Unless there is major change in Welnix thinking the pain could be with us a bit longer.As they have made it clear before that they wont be splashing cash on players,so the calls for them to open their wallets seem pointless.Yep the style we are starting to play is looking promising but going forward its asking a lot of the young guys to expect them to compete week in week out at this level at this stage.

We are all aware where some of the major problems lie but something i dont see mentioned often is speed.We seem to play so much slower than some of the other teams and as in past seasons dont have a genuine speedster who can run at the opposition more than once or twice a game.

Ernie's first Blimp? is this it?

Who is Danny Hay's ghost writer this week.  Reason no - but it is the plain truth.

I must say, I have respect for Ernie because he seems to have finally admitted that him + the current mob of players isn't working, so January might be worth a gamble. Also, even though I'm a "bigoted pro-Ricki chauvinist" or whatever, I don't think Ricki could have done anything with this mob either. He sure didn't last season.

we may have finished 10th last season, but at least we had some "dirty wins" at this rate and the way we are playing we will still finish 10th and are not looking like winning anything - despite the stronger squad and playing the football we should be playing.

I think we have signed too many young players who aren't there yet. We should have signed at least one or two other experienced squad players who are capable of coming on and holding their own with a lead against Perth's youth team. I think Ridenton and Rufer have posibility, but the why didn't Ricki play Kosta more is fairly damn simple: there were better, more consistent, reliable players ahead of him, so he had to make his case. Last season we relied on Boyd and Louis being ready. They weren't, despite playing their heart out. Hicks has shown some quality this season, but Ernie seems to still be treating this like pre-season in bringing on Ridenton in a tight game in an attempt to stop the damn and win the game.

Want to see some admission of faults from both Ernie's cheerleaders and the club. The reason he needs another attacking player is that Cunningham hasn't been as good as we would hope for his pedigree and his status as a visa spot pro- think Ifill and Greenacre. I'd be happy to see Greenie put on his boots. Very happy.

Sure we have to look for the future, but this is the senior coach role and not a youth development role. I want to see us close out some results now. 

I think Lochhead would have been better than Caira too. You can have one or two Cairas, but we seem to have too many of them. If the argument is to free up cash (now with the new FULLY PAID salary cap) then who the frick is it being spent on?? Cos it's hard to see in the team. Louis, Caira and Hicks pushing for starting roles, Boyd and now the -17s off the bench. It's too many unproven, inexperienced players. I'd love them to be Messi's but they aren't...

Moyes hasn't exactly been trying to play the beautiful game, and his squad is sub-par and unbalanced if compared to his major rivals. If we want this we should hire the joker from Adelaide. I don't think our problem has been dirty wins, but not hanging on to advantages or being able to put anything away. I'm also not convinced yet that the squad this year is significantly better than last year. I do like Merrick's tactics, but for one reason or another 

1) not having decent fullbacks if they are a key part of the attack. That said I really like the Fenton experiment and Caira has been ok, but they shouldn't have to carry such a large part of the attacking load on their young shoulders. Fenton does look like an attacking threat, as did Manny when he was out wide.

2) no genuine striker or the current options putting their hands up. I can see it working, but Brockie is low on goal scoring form and Huysegems hasn't been prolific. And nothing yet from Hernandez and Cunningham fairly much. We need more from this quartet.

3) not taking chances

4) not being mentally tough enough

5) related to point 4- not having good depth in terms of players in the midfield. IE Arsenal without Flamini or Wilshere, or Man U without Carrick. Huysegems and Hernandez don't make enough tackles to be considered. All in all we are missing a hard working player with a bit of versatility like Brown. Not much flash, but often the scorer of late goals, not the one blamed for conceding it. Someone who can run, pass and hold their shape would be nice. Scoring a few goals would be an absolute bonus.

say once more: major differences to Arsenal this year- Ramsey who can now tackle and be a brilliant attacker, and Flamini, as well as more of uninjured Wilshere. 3 players who can tackle and pass, and two of them are really capable of contributing on attack too.

The question for me is does Ernie just get a complete free pass this season because we are "in transition" or should he still be expected to deliver something, anything? I mean, even in a transition year it's reasonable to expect a few wins isn't it?

I'm not seriously Ernie-bashing here but it's interesting because before the start of this season most of us would have thought it simply couldn't get any worse than last season. Well, as far as the table is concerned, so far this season is worse. And it has to be at least a possibility now that we could finish bottom again with fewer points than last season.

Yes, the style of play is definitely better to watch and you can see the potential, but Ernie isn't the only coach who can deliver attacking football. Do you get to a point where you say "the idea's right but someone else could do this better"?

You have got it sussed. They wont splash the cash. It is not quite working but it will work if we persist with Ernie and his ideas. Perhaps the speed issue is what it would take to make it happen. What about a move for McGlinchey too? 

If this was the EPL and a team had gone 9 games without a win, SERIOUS questions would be being asked of the coach.

It's amazing, but this time I'm on Steve-O's team. The refrain "give Ernie a chance" is getting very stale. He claims to have no idea why we couldn't score in a Thai brothel with a fistful of 1000-baht notes, even though we're playing that pretty football that the hard-core fans love to watch. Brockie's appalling form suggests that this is a psychological issue, and the coach is simply not allowed to shrug his shoulders and look baffled as to such factors.

Everyone said "the A-League has advanced, the old WP style of play was obsolete". Perhaps true. But I was worried - and those worries are coming true - that Ernie Merrick as a coach is also obsolete for the A-League.

This isn't trolling, by the way. These are thoughts that I've had ever since Merrick was noised around as coach. These are thoughts that were rejected because he really is a nice bloke and he has got us playing pretty (though ineffective) football. These are thoughts that I was mocked for expressing when we were beaten by ACFC. Exactly how many more games do we have to go without a win before these thoughts are accepted as part of the conversation?

Also can I just say I'm glad we are not run like an EPL team. I'm glad we are trying to improve the way we play. I'm glad we are giving Ernie time.

Good on ya FT

I agree.Fuck off you moaning bastards.

No worries FT, everyone's pissed off at the moment. You can tell when I'm really pissed off because I just don't appear on the forums to avoid the angst and anger.

Yesterday we were sharp all over the pitch for the most part.

Except at the scoring goals bit.

Also interesting that our style of play uses both long ball and short passing and both produce some good pressure and scoring opportunities.

If Ricki was the coach we'd be banging on about hoofball and out-dated wing play and poor crossing into the box etc etc.

So 20 shots on goal and no goals is Ernies fault?  Sorry I can't follow that logic.

 People have the right to question everything about the club, especially when things are not going right. But something had to change at the club. Last year we had easily the oldest squad in the comp.  If Ricki had stayed on as coach he would sooner or later realised that he had to try and renew the squad. You can't keep competitive with a bunch of guys in their early thirties. Thats why I am prepared to give Ernie time. If he does a cleanout next season and gets the players he wants and after 8 games  we are winless then I will be right in the Ernie is crap camp

 In the mean time he has to work with a squad where most of his best players are in their early thirties and showing signs of not being up to playing a full 90 at a high level. He did not recruit Hernandez, Ifill, Siggy, Durante, Stein, Moss, Bertos, Lia etc.....but they are the best we have and he has to make it work with these players. The players he did recruit are mainly youngsters..Hick, Caira, Rufer, Ridenton etc. They have great potential but still have a long way to go to be good A-league players. He did recruit  players like Riera and Cunningham and both of them are now looking to be settling into the team nicely.

I know this sounds odd....but I am really enjoying the football at the moment. OK the results suck. But the games are hugely entertaining. There is no going back and there is no quick fixes. I think Ernie needs time to get his own team together and get them playing his game with his players.....after that we can start judging him!!!!!

Disagree. If Gareth opened his wallet in the transfer window and bought a quality striker, that would fix an awful lot. Might turn things around straight away.

I'm not blaming Ernie at all.  I tend not to indulge in this scapegoating and flagellation obsession that dominates the forum.  Just alluding to the some of the dogma that is put forward by both posters and the club.

Agree with your last paragraph.

Agree that Earnie should get some time here.

After all it's not his fault that Brockie and Huysegems don't score goals and the back four let themselves be fooled by every trick out of the hat there is...

As he already said, he's got some talented young players. But they're not quiet ready yet for this level. At least not all of them put together on the pitch.

On top of that none of the imports have worked any wonders yet. None of them have sparked... (Hernandez, Cunningham, Riera...)

A big part of why we are we we are is because we don't score goals, it's as simple as that. When you have a good spell of possession and control the game you've got to score. Otherwise the longer it's 0:0 the more doubt creeps into the team and teams like Roar only need one chance to produce a goal...

We need better forwards.

I agree, the football is way more entertaining. Every game is fun to watch. Just gotta start winning now.

this is the same response to us loosing that some of us were giving to defend Ricki. He has the a similar squad with the bulk of them being simply inable to play the way the owners and coach want them to. You can't blaim the coach for Brockies miss, nor can you blame him for the players being stautues in defence. The tactics are correct, although not being able to win ugly is worrying, we appear not to want to go to plan 'b'. The facts are simple, we have one starting CB who at best knows long ball, he looks confused trying to play it out of the back when clearing it is the best. Several of our starting mids are clearly at a loss when it comes to pass and move football. I get that players are limited but the this is where the owners need to step up with their wallets open and buy in the right payers next season, we are fucked this season so lets start looking for the replacements NOW!

A lot of stoopid in this thread after last nights game. Agree with you Fortean.

Fortean needs to take a chill pill.

I did not suggest Ernie should be sacked.

I'm merely pointing out that there comes a time when questions start to get asked. 9 games with zero wins and not many goals must be heading in that direction.

We really must win next week.

Agree with those who say cash needs to be splashed too. Welnix are living in cloud cuckoo land if they think we can compete by keeping some of the dross we currently have and only adding rookie youngsters and ASB prem players on the cheap.

I often wonder what is the point in Steve-O's existence.