I can see the many good things RD has done even if that is without the rose coloured spectacles that some seem to share.
As NSS says let's see how we do when everyone is fit.
Problem is that no sooner do Mak and JJ return then JBG and Kashi are out and the Centre halves have both been banned already, AD now twice.
That isn't bad luck, it's bad planning. Anyone willing to look could see the squad was too thin, too inexperienced to cope. And I and many others were saying in before a ball was kicked in anger. In fact we were saying it last season.
I don't understand RDs plan or his willingness to spend big on cap ex but penny pinch on operational costs in SE7 and SE9.
He did get rid of the spivs, he is rich and he makes his money honestly.
But there is a huge and ever growing disconnect between him, his regime and the lifeblood of the club which is the fans.
RD appears to be good at capital investment - rubbish at everything else. You could make an argument around ticket pricing policy, but beyond the headlines it's a bit bonkers and most importantly it isn't driving sales and therefore revenue. He has brought in some good players, but a large number that aren't good enough.
Jose Riga did well, but was removed - Peeters failed, Luzon is failing and Meire is not a chief executive.
Someone who would know said to me on Tuesday night that things inside the club are far crazier than we realise. I've been told by several people that he is obsessed with the headcount of staff, but clearly different clubs operate at different levels and a different level of staffing is required accordingly. There is no way he can call that from Belgium.
I suspect the fact that capital projects involve bought-in external expertise is a critical factor.
The success of the euro-scouts has been shockingly low, and that's where the whole thing falls down.
We don't know that though. As some said of Chapple, have they recommended good players but Roland has said no?
The more experienced signings have been good enough, JBG, Bulot, Buyens and from what we've seen so far of Bauer, Kashi and Makienok.
I expect they're also the more expensive ones.
Ba, Sarr, Ceballos and McAleny (not from Europe I know) are all in their early 20s but lack first team experience at any level. Perhaps Sarr wasn't cheap but I can't imagine the others are are costing as much as the first group I mentioned.
So I'd like RD to get a proper manager in next time, but not to sack Luzon as he is very much in credit.
Well constructed argument Nick but his record is increasingly shocking. 3 wins in the last 19 league games !!! Any credit for the post Peters mini bounce has well and truly dried up surely! I get the impression he is a one trick pony and bouncing around on the touch line like a bug eyed loon obviously only gets a team so far.
blimey, didn't realise it was that bad. Can't blame a record like that all on injuries.
It might also be something to consider that Luzon may be and may have been for some time, an influencer in the choice of players certainly at the upper levels of the D network. Hence he was kept on the payroll
I have a feeling that Luzon is pretty much out of the loop regarding recruitment. I feel Luzon has to react to events, and deal with what he has in front of him. The wider recruitment/release policy is not his final say, he needs to be judged on what he gets out of what he has got, and I certainly think at the moment it ain't all that, the team selection for Tuesday was ludicrous. I would also judge Luzon by a couple of other parameters, to what degree training is translated into play. This is hard to judge directly, although free kick and corner routines, and general approach are clues, and at the moment that stuff is unimpressive. I would also question whether Luzon is able to take fully into account his opponents, and whether he scouts them very much. One of the strengths that Chris Powell showed was knowing about the opposition, or maybe that is an obvious trait of a football man who is embedded in the English system. If I were to get a football club in Sweden say, I would be damn sure I knew the context of the club, the league, the other clubs, the players there and had a handle on what I was dealing with. I am not at all convinced that since the takeover, welcome though it is in stabilising us to an extent, those who have come through our portals have much idea of what they're dealing with, and much willingness to find out. I would also wonder if this regime is basically out of it's depth, and is not competent to find proper solutions day to day, on and off the field. The infrastructure stuff is very competent and welcome, pitch, stadium improvements, training ground (if it happens) but you don't make the plant thrive by just changing the plant pot.
Not anymore. As per my post on the Roland out thread, I just don't think they realise what they've taken on. I don't mean the debt, the running costs and running us like a business, he is clearly very good at that. I mean us. You, me, the history, who we are, where we've come from and what the future holds. There are some things you can't put on a balance sheet. I believe there is nothing wrong with improving the match day experience and offering a more professional service with things like the catering. There is nothing wrong with moving toward automated gates and printing tickets online to be used on the day, rather than having to queue at a ticket office etc.
What he doesn't seem to grasp, and I don't think he ever will be able to grasp is that I and many others stood in the pissing rain at open ended Yeovil a few years back for the whole match, I went all the way up to Newcastle in the night back in 04 (around then) for a game that got called off 20mins before kick off because streets around the ground hadn't been gritted, my dad went up to Oldham on a Tuesday night in the early/90s for a game that got fogged off. We all have these stories. My point is none of this bothers me and I would happily accept it and more if we had a team and club we could relate to and an owner who 'got this'.
He's never going to know that this is what it means to be Charlton. Murray got it because he was a fan. I'm not saying he was perfect and in this day an age you have to be very fortunate to have a fan wealthy enough to sustain what is ultimately a loss making entity. I'm not expecting RD to throw good money after bad, I am grateful for him stepping in to save us, but there have been far too many badly handled incidents that I feel have happened because he does not want to 'engage' with our culture.
This is the one thing I find surprising given how much waffle I hear in my line of work about company culture being integral to good business performance. This I would think is a principle in business he would be familiar with and we are ultimately customers. I might be clutching at straws here, he may have a built a successful electronics business doing it his way or you take the high way as they say.
Unfortunately I do not see him going anywhere in the near future and obviously we need his (someone's investment). If he could just engage or attempt to engage with what we are (our history) and speak to bodies like the Trust. We all want success for Charlton (I assume he does). Speaking to the trust or any other supporter won't do him any harm. Hell, perhaps we could dig out the video Curbs showed Di Canio when he signed. I doubt he'd care, but until he watches it, or makes an effort to understand what has come before him, I think there will never be a chance for him to 'get it'.
Frederic Bulot post African nations proved that he was a good Championship player. We finally had the player who gave us the balance on the left and had the best first touch at the club,plus could chip in with a couple of goals, was only 24 and enjoyed playing for CAFC. So this would be one deal we could get across the line before the Sale of Standard ? Did the right side of the brain know what the left side was doing ?
In Roland's Parallel universe of Tax shifts and sacking Civil servants, is a man who has no empathy with people. RD knows about capital investment unlike Goldberg when he paid 22 million to Ron Noades and didn't own a blade of grass of Selhurst or the training ground.
Whether RD is here for the long term or a ephemeral visit, who can tell ?
Duchatelet see's himself as a Alan Turing Figure ?
So I'd like RD to get a proper manager in next time, but not to sack Luzon as he is very much in credit.
Well constructed argument Nick but his record is increasingly shocking. 3 wins in the last 19 league games !!! Any credit for the post Peters mini bounce has well and truly dried up surely! I get the impression he is a one trick pony and bouncing around on the touch line like a bug eyed loon obviously only gets a team so far.
blimey, didn't realise it was that bad. Can't blame a record like that all on injuries.
Lets extend it to 28 league games, seeing as 19 league games is a random number anyway.
10 wins, 7 draws, 11 loses. Not that bad with 5 of those loses coming within an injury crisis.
With a full side, GL is more than a capable Head Coach at this level.
I can see the many good things RD has done even if that is without the rose coloured spectacles that some seem to share.
As NSS says let's see how we do when everyone is fit.
Problem is that no sooner do Mak and JJ return then JBG and Kashi are out and the Centre halves have both been banned already, AD now twice.
That isn't bad luck, it's bad planning. Anyone willing to look could see the squad was too thin, too inexperienced to cope. And I and many others were saying in before a ball was kicked in anger. In fact we were saying it last season.
I don't understand RDs plan or his willingness to spend big on cap ex but penny pinch on operational costs in SE7 and SE9.
He did get rid of the spivs, he is rich and he makes his money honestly.
But there is a huge and ever growing disconnect between him, his regime and the lifeblood of the club which is the fans.
Why does it matter if everyone is fit as to how we judge RD? We should judge him on what's happening at our club - if he signs unfit and temperamental players then if they get injured or lack match form - it's his fault, not a sheer coincidence. Play with fire and get burnt. You start the season with a poor pre-season and the smallest squad in the league, what do you expect to happen?
We all knew JJ was never going to play all games this season, we all know Makienok hadn't played many games last season, we all knew Henderson wasn't going to last the season - that Solly wouldn't play every game, that Reza wasn't/isn't the right mould for Championship (or fit).. I could go on..
I believe Roland is ensuring we have a better future... however he is ensuring it is done at a price to the present.
We can't afford to be relegated, so that WILL not occur in my opinion he will spend that bit extra in January to cover us til summer.
I think he's realised, this league is a bit different to any others he's owned clubs in.
Sacking Luzon would be a silly decision as I think he has our players really trying to play nicer football and at times we see it works. The calls for Riga to return are a bit odd, but I can understand them.
I wanted him to stay and I don't understand why we chose Bob Peetersh either.
I do question if our plan is to follow something like this: 2015/2016 Season Buy in some quality then plug some gaps with cheaper options and youth players.
2016/2017 Season Buy in some more quality and sell the gap fillers utilise youth to fill gaps.
2017/2018 Season Buy in some replacement quality for those that don't sign new contracts and plug gaps with youth players.
So I'd like RD to get a proper manager in next time, but not to sack Luzon as he is very much in credit.
Well constructed argument Nick but his record is increasingly shocking. 3 wins in the last 19 league games !!! Any credit for the post Peters mini bounce has well and truly dried up surely! I get the impression he is a one trick pony and bouncing around on the touch line like a bug eyed loon obviously only gets a team so far.
blimey, didn't realise it was that bad. Can't blame a record like that all on injuries.
Lets extend it to 28 league games, seeing as 19 league games is a random number anyway.
10 wins, 7 draws, 11 loses. Not that bad with 5 of those loses coming within an injury crisis.
With a full side, GL is more than a capable Head Coach at this level.
19 is not a random number it represents the start of this mostly losing streak - we one won of the last 7 last season. I accept he had a good start - but after that it's been appalling and shows no sign of improving.
He can use the get out of jail card now with his injuries excuse - but if it doesn't pick up and this run continues - how much longer does he get?
I understand the injuries aren't great and seem worse than you'd reasonably expect but I don't think at any stage this mythical , everyone fit , first 11 will play more than two games on the spin this season for us Is Luzon getting the players available to perform to anywhere near the maximum of their ability , are they busting a gut for him regularly I don't think they are
The success of European managers is also very very low. Only Jean Tigana, Jolanovic and Martinez have succeeded in getting teams out of this division
Roberto Martinez? It was Brendan Rodgers who eventually took Swansea to the Premier League so the success of European managers getting clubs out of this league is even lower than you pointed out. (Not saying it's totally impossible.)
So I'd like RD to get a proper manager in next time, but not to sack Luzon as he is very much in credit.
Well constructed argument Nick but his record is increasingly shocking. 3 wins in the last 19 league games !!! Any credit for the post Peters mini bounce has well and truly dried up surely! I get the impression he is a one trick pony and bouncing around on the touch line like a bug eyed loon obviously only gets a team so far.
blimey, didn't realise it was that bad. Can't blame a record like that all on injuries.
Lets extend it to 28 league games, seeing as 19 league games is a random number anyway.
10 wins, 7 draws, 11 loses. Not that bad with 5 of those loses coming within an injury crisis.
With a full side, GL is more than a capable Head Coach at this level.
19 is not a random number it represents the start of this mostly losing streak - we one won of the last 7 last season. I accept he had a good start - but after that it's been appalling and shows no sign of improving.
He can use the get out of jail card now with his injuries excuse - but if it doesn't pick up and this run continues - how much longer does he get?
But it did shows signs of improving, as at the start of the season, with a fully fit squad, we only lost 1 of the first 6 league games against good sides plus winning both our league cup games comfortably.
The trouble is that you can't entirely discount the impact effect of new players or a new head coach. Luzon's strongest credentials in my view come from the seven wins from nine after Norwich last season - but I'm unsure how much of that was him and how much was Tony Watt lifting the team's confidence and performance. Once we were safe things flatlined.
The start to this season is similar to the start to the last. Do lots of new players make us unpredictable for a short while, after which other managers have enough information to counter what we do? I'm not saying that the injuries aren't a factor, but we've seen very strong starts that dissipate before - even under Phil Parkinson in 2009.
There is a leadership/ team-building concept called "Forming/Storming/Norming/Performing" - the theory being that these are the phases that groups/ teams go through. I first learnt about it in respect of research group moderation. It can apply to short-term, task-oriented teams or teams within companies. You probably see it in action on the Apprentice every week.
Forming - people getting to know each other, sussing each other out Storming - an initial high energy period when everyone is trying to impress/ doing their best Norming - settling down, with people finding their roles/ positions - tensions likely to come to the surface at this point Performing - how the team really works and highly dependant on the outcome of the "Norming" phase - could become a brilliant, collaborative team or very dysfunctional
At the start of a season or under a new manager, we often rush to judge on the basis of the Forming and Storming phases.
Then the Norming goes pear-shaped and what are we left with?!
There is a leadership/ team-building concept called "Forming/Storming/Norming/Performing" - the theory being that these are the phases that groups/ teams go through. I first learnt about it in respect of research group moderation. It can apply to short-term, task-oriented teams or teams within companies. You probably see it in action on the Apprentice every week.
Forming - people getting to know each other, sussing each other out Storming - an initial high energy period when everyone is trying to impress/ doing their best Norming - settling down, with people finding their roles/ positions - tensions likely to come to the surface at this point Performing - how the team really works and highly dependant on the outcome of the "Norming" phase - could become a brilliant, collaborative team or very dysfunctional
At the start of a season or under a new manager, we often rush to judge on the basis of the Forming and Storming phases.
Then the Norming goes pear-shaped and what are we left with?!
So I'd like RD to get a proper manager in next time, but not to sack Luzon as he is very much in credit.
Well constructed argument Nick but his record is increasingly shocking. 3 wins in the last 19 league games !!! Any credit for the post Peters mini bounce has well and truly dried up surely! I get the impression he is a one trick pony and bouncing around on the touch line like a bug eyed loon obviously only gets a team so far.
So you're just going to ignore the injuries he's had to contend with?
Henderson's injury has been massively under-estimated by some fans and the club. He has a huge influence on the way we defend. 17 goals in the last 7 games says it all and i doubt any other manager or fan would select the defensive unit thats been playing much differently.
KAG isn't ready to lead a line in the Championship either. He's a promising young talent but Big Mak/Vetokele/Watt are all better players that have an spells on the sideline for much of the last few months.
I think calling Luzon a 'one trick pony' is harsh when he's not had anywhere near a full squad available to him for much of this season. It certainly wasn't one trick when we were playing with confidence at the beginning of the season.
Henderson was among the subs on Tuesday, only an idiot would put a half fit player on the bench in a specialist position, therefore he must have been fit, so why didn't he start? I am not knocking Luzon overall, I don't see enough of us to make a fair judgment, but if Hendo is as crucial as you say Gaz (and I'm not disputing that) then it's a poor call to leave him on the bench for a relegation six pointer...
There is a leadership/ team-building concept called "Forming/Storming/Norming/Performing" - the theory being that these are the phases that groups/ teams go through. I first learnt about it in respect of research group moderation. It can apply to short-term, task-oriented teams or teams within companies. You probably see it in action on the Apprentice every week.
Forming - people getting to know each other, sussing each other out Storming - an initial high energy period when everyone is trying to impress/ doing their best Norming - settling down, with people finding their roles/ positions - tensions likely to come to the surface at this point Performing - how the team really works and highly dependant on the outcome of the "Norming" phase - could become a brilliant, collaborative team or very dysfunctional
At the start of a season or under a new manager, we often rush to judge on the basis of the Forming and Storming phases.
Then the Norming goes pear-shaped and what are we left with?!
The fifth stage of that model of Mourning. We do that very early.
There is a leadership/ team-building concept called "Forming/Storming/Norming/Performing" - the theory being that these are the phases that groups/ teams go through. I first learnt about it in respect of research group moderation. It can apply to short-term, task-oriented teams or teams within companies. You probably see it in action on the Apprentice every week.
Forming - people getting to know each other, sussing each other out Storming - an initial high energy period when everyone is trying to impress/ doing their best Norming - settling down, with people finding their roles/ positions - tensions likely to come to the surface at this point Performing - how the team really works and highly dependant on the outcome of the "Norming" phase - could become a brilliant, collaborative team or very dysfunctional
At the start of a season or under a new manager, we often rush to judge on the basis of the Forming and Storming phases.
Then the Norming goes pear-shaped and what are we left with?!
Yawning?
Tuckman's stages in team development model.
Tuckman added a 5th stage later which he called "mourning".
Still use it with managers to identify where they are and what to to next.
So I'd like RD to get a proper manager in next time, but not to sack Luzon as he is very much in credit.
Well constructed argument Nick but his record is increasingly shocking. 3 wins in the last 19 league games !!! Any credit for the post Peters mini bounce has well and truly dried up surely! I get the impression he is a one trick pony and bouncing around on the touch line like a bug eyed loon obviously only gets a team so far.
So you're just going to ignore the injuries he's had to contend with?
Henderson's injury has been massively under-estimated by some fans and the club. He has a huge influence on the way we defend. 17 goals in the last 7 games says it all and i doubt any other manager or fan would select the defensive unit thats been playing much differently.
KAG isn't ready to lead a line in the Championship either. He's a promising young talent but Big Mak/Vetokele/Watt are all better players that have an spells on the sideline for much of the last few months.
I think calling Luzon a 'one trick pony' is harsh when he's not had anywhere near a full squad available to him for much of this season. It certainly wasn't one trick when we were playing with confidence at the beginning of the season.
Henderson was among the subs on Tuesday, only an idiot would put a half fit player on the bench in a specialist position, therefore he must have been fit, so why didn't he start? I am not knocking Luzon overall, I don't see enough of us to make a fair judgment, but if Hendo is as crucial as you say Gaz (and I'm not disputing that) then it's a poor call to leave him on the bench for a relegation six pointer...
I think GL must be given the chance with a fitter squad at his disposal. I just worry the players aren't 100% with him. Little things like JJ not even acknowledging him when he came on on Tuesday. If the players are 100% him he should be given the chance. If not then the next few games won't be pretty. There are things I like about GL. We seemed positive in earlier games and very attack minded. The injuries have been unfortunate, most managers would've struggled, but what does niggle with me is the constant cast of characters in different positions over the last few weeks. I'm sure it must be the injuries, but one week it is Bergdich on the left wing, then it was Kennedy and then it was McAleny. These have all been fit to my knowledge.
The Bergdich on the right decision really seemed crazy. But then could GL really know how bad Bergdich was going to be. I can honestly say in my 25 odd years of watching football, it was one of the most bizarre performances I've ever seen. He reminded me of a 5 year old just chasing the ball. He have no thought to his position, covering Solly etc. Can GL be held responsible for how bad he was.
Recruitment is a question as well. Has GL suggested these players or has RD's network dug them out? I'm now seriously questioning Ba, Bergdich and Sarr. Might be a bit unfair, especially Sarr, but that's 3 of 7 bought in. Almost 50% who I don't think are good enough from what I've seen.
He has my support but I fear if we lose the next 2 or 3, then he'll have to go
Comments
Jose Riga did well, but was removed - Peeters failed, Luzon is failing and Meire is not a chief executive.
Someone who would know said to me on Tuesday night that things inside the club are far crazier than we realise. I've been told by several people that he is obsessed with the headcount of staff, but clearly different clubs operate at different levels and a different level of staffing is required accordingly. There is no way he can call that from Belgium.
I suspect the fact that capital projects involve bought-in external expertise is a critical factor.
I have a very vivid imagination.
The more experienced signings have been good enough, JBG, Bulot, Buyens and from what we've seen so far of Bauer, Kashi and Makienok.
I expect they're also the more expensive ones.
Ba, Sarr, Ceballos and McAleny (not from Europe I know) are all in their early 20s but lack first team experience at any level. Perhaps Sarr wasn't cheap but I can't imagine the others are are costing as much as the first group I mentioned.
The wider recruitment/release policy is not his final say, he needs to be judged on what he gets out of what he has got, and I certainly think at the moment it ain't all that, the team selection for Tuesday was ludicrous.
I would also judge Luzon by a couple of other parameters, to what degree training is translated into play. This is hard to judge directly, although free kick and corner routines, and general approach are clues, and at the moment that stuff is unimpressive.
I would also question whether Luzon is able to take fully into account his opponents, and whether he scouts them very much. One of the strengths that Chris Powell showed was knowing about the opposition, or maybe that is an obvious trait of a football man who is embedded in the English system.
If I were to get a football club in Sweden say, I would be damn sure I knew the context of the club, the league, the other clubs, the players there and had a handle on what I was dealing with.
I am not at all convinced that since the takeover, welcome though it is in stabilising us to an extent, those who have come through our portals have much idea of what they're dealing with, and much willingness to find out. I would also wonder if this regime is basically out of it's depth, and is not competent to find proper solutions day to day, on and off the field.
The infrastructure stuff is very competent and welcome, pitch, stadium improvements, training ground (if it happens) but you don't make the plant thrive by just changing the plant pot.
What he doesn't seem to grasp, and I don't think he ever will be able to grasp is that I and many others stood in the pissing rain at open ended Yeovil a few years back for the whole match, I went all the way up to Newcastle in the night back in 04 (around then) for a game that got called off 20mins before kick off because streets around the ground hadn't been gritted, my dad went up to Oldham on a Tuesday night in the early/90s for a game that got fogged off. We all have these stories. My point is none of this bothers me and I would happily accept it and more if we had a team and club we could relate to and an owner who 'got this'.
He's never going to know that this is what it means to be Charlton. Murray got it because he was a fan. I'm not saying he was perfect and in this day an age you have to be very fortunate to have a fan wealthy enough to sustain what is ultimately a loss making entity. I'm not expecting RD to throw good money after bad, I am grateful for him stepping in to save us, but there have been far too many badly handled incidents that I feel have happened because he does not want to 'engage' with our culture.
This is the one thing I find surprising given how much waffle I hear in my line of work about company culture being integral to good business performance. This I would think is a principle in business he would be familiar with and we are ultimately customers. I might be clutching at straws here, he may have a built a successful electronics business doing it his way or you take the high way as they say.
Unfortunately I do not see him going anywhere in the near future and obviously we need his (someone's investment). If he could just engage or attempt to engage with what we are (our history) and speak to bodies like the Trust. We all want success for Charlton (I assume he does). Speaking to the trust or any other supporter won't do him any harm. Hell, perhaps we could dig out the video Curbs showed Di Canio when he signed. I doubt he'd care, but until he watches it, or makes an effort to understand what has come before him, I think there will never be a chance for him to 'get it'.
A very good post mate.
Frederic Bulot post African nations proved that he was a good Championship player. We finally had the player who gave us the balance on the left and had the best first touch at the club,plus could chip in with a couple of goals, was only 24 and enjoyed playing for CAFC. So this would be one deal we could get across the line before the Sale of Standard ? Did the right side of the brain know what the left side was doing ?
In Roland's Parallel universe of Tax shifts and sacking Civil servants, is a man who has no empathy with people. RD knows about capital investment unlike Goldberg when he paid 22 million to Ron Noades and didn't own a blade of grass of Selhurst or the training ground.
Whether RD is here for the long term or a ephemeral visit,
who can tell ?
Duchatelet see's himself as a Alan Turing Figure ?
The genius who cracked the Nazi code.
The Charlton Enigma may take longer to crack !
10 wins, 7 draws, 11 loses. Not that bad with 5 of those loses coming within an injury crisis.
With a full side, GL is more than a capable Head Coach at this level.
We all knew JJ was never going to play all games this season, we all know Makienok hadn't played many games last season, we all knew Henderson wasn't going to last the season - that Solly wouldn't play every game, that Reza wasn't/isn't the right mould for Championship (or fit).. I could go on..
We can't afford to be relegated, so that WILL not occur in my opinion he will spend that bit extra in January to cover us til summer.
I think he's realised, this league is a bit different to any others he's owned clubs in.
Sacking Luzon would be a silly decision as I think he has our players really trying to play nicer football and at times we see it works. The calls for Riga to return are a bit odd, but I can understand them.
I wanted him to stay and I don't understand why we chose Bob Peetersh either.
I do question if our plan is to follow something like this:
2015/2016 Season
Buy in some quality then plug some gaps with cheaper options and youth players.
2016/2017 Season
Buy in some more quality and sell the gap fillers utilise youth to fill gaps.
2017/2018 Season
Buy in some replacement quality for those that don't sign new contracts and plug gaps with youth players.
He can use the get out of jail card now with his injuries excuse - but if it doesn't pick up and this run continues - how much longer does he get?
Is Luzon getting the players available to perform to anywhere near the maximum of their ability , are they busting a gut for him regularly
I don't think they are
He did very well at the start and then a few injuries left us playing poor quality foriegn import backups and inexperienced youth who weren't ready.
I personally dont think Luzon is anything special but the current form is only partially (30%?) his fault.
The start to this season is similar to the start to the last. Do lots of new players make us unpredictable for a short while, after which other managers have enough information to counter what we do? I'm not saying that the injuries aren't a factor, but we've seen very strong starts that dissipate before - even under Phil Parkinson in 2009.
Forming - people getting to know each other, sussing each other out
Storming - an initial high energy period when everyone is trying to impress/ doing their best
Norming - settling down, with people finding their roles/ positions - tensions likely to come to the surface at this point
Performing - how the team really works and highly dependant on the outcome of the "Norming" phase - could become a brilliant, collaborative team or very dysfunctional
At the start of a season or under a new manager, we often rush to judge on the basis of the Forming and Storming phases.
Then the Norming goes pear-shaped and what are we left with?!
Done a lot right=20 % correct (the pitch)
Take us to the Prem= 0% correct
Prove us all wrong =100% correct
Tuckman added a 5th stage later which he called "mourning".
Still use it with managers to identify where they are and what to to next.
The Bergdich on the right decision really seemed crazy. But then could GL really know how bad Bergdich was going to be. I can honestly say in my 25 odd years of watching football, it was one of the most bizarre performances I've ever seen. He reminded me of a 5 year old just chasing the ball. He have no thought to his position, covering Solly etc. Can GL be held responsible for how bad he was.
Recruitment is a question as well. Has GL suggested these players or has RD's network dug them out? I'm now seriously questioning Ba, Bergdich and Sarr. Might be a bit unfair, especially Sarr, but that's 3 of 7 bought in. Almost 50% who I don't think are good enough from what I've seen.
He has my support but I fear if we lose the next 2 or 3, then he'll have to go