Gareth tells Ricki how we play?

My point was in response to people saying he couldn't coach another style of football, when there is clearly evidence he can and has.  It wasn't a ringing endorsement of his work.

Actually I have made very few arguments either way other than suggesting that those demanding he go might like to consider where we'd magically get a replacement for the money WelNix are clearly willing to pay. 

'' isn't as simple as we're last in the league so he should go.

Ok so you think we should keep him because there are too many difficulties in finding a replacement?  I think you have to get off the fence on this one at some point!!

Just because I don't post it here doesn't mean I don't have a position. 

Sometimes it's politic to maintain a neutral stance for both my own and other's mental stability.

I think this is splitting hairs.  No-one wants him to coach the team in a way that leads us to finish last - that surely can't be a tick in his favour (which I assume is why you brought it up)?

And that comes back to what I have been saying for the last month. If you've got ingredients for Spaghetti Bolognaise and the customer wants a Burrito, you are fucked.

He recruited a team for hoofball, not total football. Everyone knows the liabilities of our players before we changed styles. Did anyone really think Sigmund was going to become this amazing 'footballer' over night because of a style change. He is a grafter and thats how he makes his living and if you watched Sunday, he was a possum in headlights many a time. He will continue to do so the longer the season goes. He is a grunt CB, not a finesse footballer.

I will concede that while we not that flash before 'total football', we were better than we are now (in terms of results)

Right absolutely. So based on the fact that this was not Ricki's call and he is doing as he is told, with players recruited for a different style of football, how can people possibly call for Ricki's head???? It is literally (well not quite but close) impossible to deliver on this 'total football' carry on when he simply does not have the right players for this.

Now if we had kept our previous style and sat bottom of the table, then absolutely hang him up at the gate for all to see.

totally, i realise that's an extreme view cos I'm sure Ricki has had some input into the new style, but basically we are asking the players to play a style outside of their skill set and ability. Had we decided to play total football preseason - when we were crowing about top two finishes, then we would have signed different players - totori would not be here, smith doubtful too, Lia would not be starting, manny would be back at RB and others would be benched for "better" options. effectively Ricki planned this team and season based on tactics and players that had seen him through to the finals for the last 3 seasons - midway through when we hi out usual mid-season slump, the welnix guys have dictated that to improve crowds we must play more attractive football, along with winning (big mistake). We now have a team that has played well within a set plan being asked to change to a completly different style but with no addition to the roster to actually improve the obvious deficiencies. It's kinda like your manager changing your job description and your targets mid year, with no discussion or actual process to help you achieve them.

The owners publically stated near the beginning of the last off-season that the quality of the product (football) needed to be improved and they then stated recruitment objectives to enable that improvement. This resulted in Smith and Sanchez being placed in a holding pattern while we tried to find better players for their spots, as well as a right back.

We either failed or gave up on these recruitments, just maybe on the basis that Herbert said he had the players (mid-fielders and backs) to deliver an improved standard of football. The striker recruitment objective was obviously met by signing Waffles and Brockie. 

I think Gareth's directive to play more attacking football was probably a response to losing and falling crowds but was in the context of an already stated objective to improve the quality of football - it didn't just come out of the blue.

I'm obviously not privy to the recruitment conversations that went on last off season and the assurances, if any, Herbert gave about the capabilities of the then current squad to play a better standard of football but I seriously doubt we simply threw in the towel on upgrading the mid-field and signing a RB so early in the off-season with Herbert not having given the owners some assurances that re-signing Sanchez and Smith would not compromise our ability to raise the standard.

My point - Herbert owns the current shambles as much as the owners.

There are a whole pile of assumptions in there that no one has any idea if they are true or not.

For me, this clusterfuck lands at the feet of all three groups.  Owners, coaching staff and players. 

The owners messages are mixed and are doing nothing to assist the situation with these confused messages rubbish like the travelling circus.

The coaching staff are always first for examination when form is poor.

Some players are woefully out of form.  Normally reliable ones.  They need to sort their heads and focus on doing the job they are paid for at the standard they have previously shown and people expect of them.

Don't disagree with any of that.

In my view; Herbert is not a "victim" of a sudden change of direction forced on him by the owners but rather he shares responsibility for the both the current shambles and sorting it out.

I do agree the senior players need to step up and get their own and the team's shit together.

Surely that contravenes a forum rule? 

Where's a winky/smiley emoticon when you need one?

Yeah, and that was his view. I notice you missed out the first part of that rule, because it makes your point make no sense :p

Or in a gimp suit.

Sorry...I was making a joke, an attempt to bring some lightness and humour. Sheeeeeesh....every one is so ratty these days!

My sarcasm radar must be broken again. Apologies. 

Our team is pretty grim at the moment, lets not turn on each other 

I'm not sure on a day when I'm threatening bans taking the piss out of me is the best idea. 

I'm back at work, injured so I can't excercise, have given up sugar,  have a sulky teen at home and every team I support at the moment is shit.  I'm one shirt tug from going Manny on someone's head.

personally I see the owners naivity as a big part of how things have come to pass  -their hearts may well be in the right place, but you don't get any second chances in the business world and this they should already know.

as for the lack of passion in the players you only need to look at Paston, he has completly lost his drive, under normal conditions he is barking orders at his defence but now he seems totally lost and uncaring.

 I don't think the owners are excempt from blame in this.

Also, you have hardly provided supporting evidence of your post hep.  That's kind of frowned upon currently.

 \Frown emoticon\

Not exempt, but not as strong as prof says I reckon

Paston played well enough, I saw him barking at his defence, plenty of times, the 1st goal wasnt stoppable, the 2nd was not his fault, (Siggy entirely to blame, he had a ton of time to clear it), he made several good saves. He stuffed up clearing the ball once late in the first half and lost confidence on that aspect, granted

Gee you are getting tough HN. Go the Town (December was good)

my rationale for Paston being over it all is that he didn't move for the second goal, he didn't say a word to siggy, the silence was notable.....and to be honest normally when you see him walking down the street or home with the kids (I bus past his place and see him a lot) normally he is looking fairly happy and jovial, lately he looks depressed!

maybe his wife is sleeping with Ricki - it's all speculation, but the most logical would be his job aint as fun as it used to be.

If you watch the replay, it was never his to come and get. Watch the tape. I did after Steve-o said it was 6 yards out. Its a lot higher than that. The cross looked initially like it was not going to bounce in the box.

Doloras is a keeper, so is 2B, ask them.... considering it bounced at about 16-17y out on an angle and Siggy was disposed just high of the pen spot and Paston was in his box.....

He can certainly take some blame for lack of communication on it though but CB rules still remain, if in doubt, welly it.

 I agree that it was siggys fault and Paston had no responsibility to get the ball, it is still his job to be communicating with his CB, Siggy looked like he had no idea what was happeneing and that is down to Paston not telling him anything

Well at least we are in agreement. The Sigmund of old would have wellied it and then sprayed everyone else for it.

And Necevski was pursevered far too long. That was embarrasing how poor he was.