Not a single player who would make their bench? Really?
Maybe MacGillivray and Famewo, but that’s about it. Take a look at the team that just beat Doncaster 6-0 - 5 out of 7 of their bench would probably start for us.
Who’s our best player? Stockley? Lee? They’ve got Bonne, Pigott, Chaplin, Celina, Fraser, Aluko or Norwood to pick from in those two positions.
You can’t compare our situation to theirs. They’re much better than us.
If Stockley is one of our best players we are doomed
I suspect player fitness is the key bit here - I would suspect a conversation would have happened and it would be along the lines of "judge me when all the players are fit". This is the narrative that I think is being played out here. Either way, whether you blame NA or the supporting staff, something needs to change to ensure this doesn't happen again. You can blame the recruiting team if you like, but equally, key strategic decisions about having a boatload of players unable to play 90+ minutes of high quality football and a tactical system that the players aren't up to playing suggest there wasn't a joined-up approach.
Naysayers and I-told-yo-so'ers might have taken the sky is falling approach, but I came into this season with optimism for realistic promotion opportunities. As a ST holder, I feel very much short-changed that a scrappy top half finish might be the best we could hope for right now. Someone should be accountable for this - I've seen enough of NAs football this season to feel he's as culpable as anyone, but there's definitely more that needs to be fixed in the backroom staff.
I think the truth is that TS isn't from the same breed of nut job as RD was and he believes it can take time to build something special.
It's clear he recognises things are not going as planned, but as any investor knows when things don't go right, don't make rash decisions at the first sign of trouble.
If I were him I would be trying to work out where the issues are ? It's easy to blame the Manager but if you think about it there are things that just dont add up. NA stated he wanted a younger squad capable of playing high tempo. We havent ! Watson and Pearce were only meant to be squad players helping the younger players. Their not ! Our main signings were brought in with fanfare of being young, skillful attacking players. So far their not ! Infact they are not even starting. Morgan given the 10 shirt and now he is so far out of the squad I have more chance of getting into it ! Our best player so far was signed on a 3 month trial period and now I would think we will see him walk off into the distance in January! We have a real mess going on at the moment and I'm not sure changing Manager is the answer other than it is the easy answer
I honestly believe that even if we lose on Saturday he won’t be sacked
TS is clearly driven by his ego and I don’t think his ego will allow him to admit to a mistake or lose face with the fans. He’ll want to price he was right in selecting NA.
I can see this going on for several games yet. Adkins will ask for the 2 weeks on the training ground and TS will allow them we’ll have a another few games.
The worst outcome mid to long term outcome is we win on Saturday and this slow death lingers on for even longer.
I don't think it's ego that stops Sandgaard from sacking Adkins, not at all. Sandgaard is a businessman, and by all accounts one who is good to work for. In normal, supportive businesses you don't just give up on someone and turf them out if they're having a tough time, you work with them and try and get the best out of them, and I think that's his aim. There's no logic in him not wanting to lose face with the fans because most of them would celebrate him sacking Adkins; he'd certainly be getting less abuse in his inbox after every match. I think some people have seen him wander round with a guitar and developed an entirely fictional persona about Sandgaard. He's definitely got an ego, but he's also someone who wants to build something, and I don't think he sees giving up this early as a positive thing. He brought Adkins in primarily because he wanted a gentler form of management than Bowyer offered, he wanted the place to feel positive again. Now the problem is that things rarely turn around after runs like this in football, and he'll probably learn the hard way that you need to be a bit more ruthless, but for now I think he wants to give people a chance
It would have been a good time to get rid of a manager with the international break....a 2 week mini fitness camp could have been set up to get players fit....
I think the truth is that TS isn't from the same breed of nut job as RD was and he believes it can take time to build something special.
It's clear he recognises things are not going as planned, but as any investor knows when things don't go right, don't make rash decisions at the first sign of trouble.
If things don't improve then make a decision.
To late for that Dazzler21 he brought that Danish striker without thinking twice.
Still believe that he can turn it around. He showed last year that if he can get on a roll, then he can keep that going. Look at Ipswich, they had a large player turnover, lost a lost of games early on, the manager was under huge pressure after Bolton beat them heavily at home, but now they have won twice and things seem to be looking up. Beat Fleetwood tomorrow and things will start to be looking better.
The thought of a losing tomorrow, Adkins NOT getting sacked, and having to wait two weeks for the same shite to attempt to rectify itself is daunting.
I've posted on here before , that even if I dont like a manager they should get a season.
I’ve seen your position on here regarding Adkins, it’s a fair position and I kind of understand it, but disagree with it. And as I’ve said before I hope you’re right and I’m wrong.
I'm in between. I'm really genuinely hoping Adkins can turn it around as he does seem a nice guy and there are certainly mitigating circumstances to his struggles.
But I'm definitely starting to question if he can. Giving him a whole season could potentially have implications for several seasons to come if it goes badly enough.... Which so far, it is.
Can’t be trolling out the fitness bollocks anymore…10 games in is effectively longer than any pre season. If the players aren’t fit now (even if they were signed late) then how the fuck are they professional footballers??
Adkins aside, the real gutting thing is the season as a whole and the return from the pandemic.
Imagine how much of a buzz this season would give if we were up there with the Wigan’s and Sunderland’s as expected, we’d see the valley tilting towards decent crowds again, the away ticket threads would spring to life cos we might sell out more than just fuckin Gillingham.
Looking forward to the next six pointers against the aforementioned Wigan’s and Sunderland's instead of Morecambe and Crewe with anxiety.
We are a massive let down at times ain’t we, as they say it’s the hope that kills you. The idea that our entire season after a season watching from home is written off already, or if it isn’t written off it’s a relegation battle in league one is depressing stuff.
I must admit l don’t understand the fitness bit either.
Clare, Purrington and Gilbey coming back from injury I understand.
The rest of the guys are pro athletes they must be fit. Ok maybe not match fit but we are hardly helping getting them match fit - if they aren’t involved in the squad we don’t see them play 90 for the u23s on a regular basis.
The rest of the squad I don’t get. If the idea is to build up minutes for the ones that haven’t been with us long - if we leave them out does their match fitness drop ? If Leko or CBT are injured can Kirk and DJ play 90 ?
What’s Arters role in the masterplan ? With Watson playing every game recently how does he get to a place where he can play 90 ? Dobson hasn’t been playing - is he fit enough to do 90 ?
What's bugging me the most is understanding why it hasn't worked out? The squad is full of players who were highly rated at their last club (MacGillivray, DJ, kirk, Levelle etc) and yet 2 of the young stars (DJ & Kirk) have been discarded in no time at all along with Dobson. Famewo and Matthews look a shadow of the solid defenders they were last season. Hardly anybody can play 90 minutes any more. Pearce and Davison looked like loanee-out fodder but are now starting line-up material. Gilbey's back but playing as a winger when we aren't selecting wingers in the squad any more. Ronnie's stealing a living and being allowed to get away with it.
This is my worry too.
I never took to Adkins and his 1990s style pep talks but it can't all be down to him surely. Whatever we think of his poor results he has.loads of experience.
Why was Ronnie signed and what happened to him ?
Where are all the young Premiership loans we got under Bowyer..Maatsen, Cullen , Gallagher etc
Why has our recruitment gone from outstanding with zero budget to piss poor with a decent budget?
Why did we re sign Watson but release Pratley ?
It just doesn't make any sense and while he has to go , something more structural is wrong at the club.
Adkins may just be the scapegoat for something more serious.
What's bugging me the most is understanding why it hasn't worked out? The squad is full of players who were highly rated at their last club (MacGillivray, DJ, kirk, Levelle etc) and yet 2 of the young stars (DJ & Kirk) have been discarded in no time at all along with Dobson. Famewo and Matthews look a shadow of the solid defenders they were last season. Hardly anybody can play 90 minutes any more. Pearce and Davison looked like loanee-out fodder but are now starting line-up material. Gilbey's back but playing as a winger when we aren't selecting wingers in the squad any more. Ronnie's stealing a living and being allowed to get away with it.
This is my worry too.
I never took to Adkins and his 1990s style pep talks but it can't all be down to him surely. Whatever we think of his poor results he has.loads of experience.
Why was Ronnie signed and what happened to him ?
Where are all the young Premiership loans we got under Bowyer..Maatsen, Cullen , Gallagher etc
Why has our recruitment gone from outstanding with zero budget to piss poor with a decent budget?
Why did we re sign Watson but release Pratley ?
It just doesn't make any sense and while he has to go , something more structural is wrong at the club.
Adkins may just be the scapegoat for something more serious.
I think Bowyer and Gallen were good at the no pot to piss in negotiations. Bowyer also had the top flight name and it was clear that he did well with those young midfielders. I really don’t believe that Dobson and Clare would have been signed by LB and he certainly wouldn’t have gone for the plethora of flakey wingers. He also understood that you are only as good as your strikers
Adkins aside, the real gutting thing is the season as a whole and the return from the pandemic.
Imagine how much of a buzz this season would give if we were up there with the Wigan’s and Sunderland’s as expected, we’d see the valley tilting towards decent crowds again, the away ticket threads would spring to life cos we might sell out more than just fuckin Gillingham.
Looking forward to the next six pointers against the aforementioned Wigan’s and Sunderland's instead of Morecambe and Crewe with anxiety.
We are a massive let down at times ain’t we, as they say it’s the hope that kills you. The idea that our entire season after a season watching from home is written off already, or if it isn’t written off it’s a relegation battle in league one is depressing stuff.
I do feel your pain br7. As you've said before it's not only losing but the way were losing. Anothe 5 changes today by Adkins. I thought this season was going to be a bit different and we would get one or 2 wow signings but they never happened. I thought we would be challenging or at least going for top 6. We was meant to be turning a corner this season with TS not nosediveing. Surely the football cant get any worse.
Adkins aside, the real gutting thing is the season as a whole and the return from the pandemic.
Imagine how much of a buzz this season would give if we were up there with the Wigan’s and Sunderland’s as expected, we’d see the valley tilting towards decent crowds again, the away ticket threads would spring to life cos we might sell out more than just fuckin Gillingham.
Looking forward to the next six pointers against the aforementioned Wigan’s and Sunderland's instead of Morecambe and Crewe with anxiety.
We are a massive let down at times ain’t we, as they say it’s the hope that kills you. The idea that our entire season after a season watching from home is written off already, or if it isn’t written off it’s a relegation battle in league one is depressing stuff.
It is part and parcel of supporting this lot. Took me a while to catch on but I settled down into the natural biorhythm of an Addick, hopes dashed, clinging to past glories regaled by family members and periodic bouts of euphoria. The Premier days fucked me a bit, but i have levelled out again.
Where are all the young Premiership loans we got under Bowyer..Maatsen, Cullen , Gallagher etc
Why has our recruitment gone from outstanding with zero budget to piss poor with a decent budget?
Why did we re sign Watson but release Pratley ?
It just doesn't make any sense and while he has to go , something more structural is wrong at the club.
Adkins may just be the scapegoat for something more serious.
Why was Ronnie signed and what happened to him ?
No idea.
Where are all the young Premiership loans we got under Bowyer..Maatsen, Cullen , Gallagher etc
Ask the owner, the buck stops with him.
Why has our recruitment gone from outstanding with zero budget to piss poor with a decent budget?
Maybe our owner does not have the money to spend. Have you seen how much his net worth is down since his stock went from $28 to $12?
Why did we re sign Watson but release Pratley ?
Maybe we could not afford both?
It just doesn't make any sense and while he has to go , something more structural is wrong at the club.
Yes.
Adkins may just be the scapegoat for something more serious.
Yes, it's called the owner. I've been saying this for a year and most just say "he saved the club" blah, blah. But he bought the club for $1, owns no hard assets, just the brand. He does NOT have the money to make this work, has no idea how English football works and can't learn from Denver, Colorado. His new songs show he is out of touch. He is responsible for hiring Adkins! He needs to either hire a CEO or sell. Except no one wants to put money in a club post-Covid that is heading in a downward trajectory. There is a word for all of this... rot. And fish rot from the head. Over time more and more people are gonna come around to my point of view on this. We are not getting relegated but it seems like we are worse for the third season running. TS seems like a great guy. He is just not up for this job and honestly never was.
Where are all the young Premiership loans we got under Bowyer..Maatsen, Cullen , Gallagher etc
Why has our recruitment gone from outstanding with zero budget to piss poor with a decent budget?
Why did we re sign Watson but release Pratley ?
It just doesn't make any sense and while he has to go , something more structural is wrong at the club.
Adkins may just be the scapegoat for something more serious.
Why was Ronnie signed and what happened to him ?
No idea.
Where are all the young Premiership loans we got under Bowyer..Maatsen, Cullen , Gallagher etc
Ask the owner, the buck stops with him.
Why has our recruitment gone from outstanding with zero budget to piss poor with a decent budget?
Maybe our owner does not have the money to spend. Have you seen how much his net worth is down since his stock went from $28 to $12?
Why did we re sign Watson but release Pratley ?
Maybe we could not afford both?
It just doesn't make any sense and while he has to go , something more structural is wrong at the club.
Yes.
Adkins may just be the scapegoat for something more serious.
Yes, it's called the owner. I've been saying this for a year and most just say "he saved the club" blah, blah. But he bought the club for $1, owns no hard assets, just the brand. He does NOT have the money to make this work, has no idea how English football works and can't learn from Denver, Colorado. His new songs show he is out of touch. He is responsible for hiring Adkins! He needs to either hire a CEO or sell. Except no one wants to put money in a club post-Covid that is heading in a downward trajectory. There is a word for all of this... rot. And fish rot from the head. Over time more and more people are gonna come around to my point of view on this. We are not getting relegated but it seems like we are worse for the third season running. TS seems like a great guy. He is just not up for this job and honestly never was.
I don’t even know where to start with this post, it’s utter tosh from start to finish.
Comments
Naysayers and I-told-yo-so'ers might have taken the sky is falling approach, but I came into this season with optimism for realistic promotion opportunities. As a ST holder, I feel very much short-changed that a scrappy top half finish might be the best we could hope for right now. Someone should be accountable for this - I've seen enough of NAs football this season to feel he's as culpable as anyone, but there's definitely more that needs to be fixed in the backroom staff.
It's clear he recognises things are not going as planned, but as any investor knows when things don't go right, don't make rash decisions at the first sign of trouble.
If things don't improve then make a decision.
NA stated he wanted a younger squad capable of playing high tempo.
We havent !
Watson and Pearce were only meant to be squad players helping the younger players.
Their not !
Our main signings were brought in with fanfare of being young, skillful attacking players.
So far their not ! Infact they are not even starting.
Morgan given the 10 shirt and now he is so far out of the squad I have more chance of getting into it !
Our best player so far was signed on a 3 month trial period and now I would think we will see him walk off into the distance in January!
We have a real mess going on at the moment and I'm not sure changing Manager is the answer other than it is the easy answer
But I'm definitely starting to question if he can. Giving him a whole season could potentially have implications for several seasons to come if it goes badly enough.... Which so far, it is.
no more excuses
I never took to Adkins and his 1990s style pep talks but it can't all be down to him surely. Whatever we think of his poor results he has.loads of experience.
Why was Ronnie signed and what happened to him ?
Where are all the young Premiership loans we got under Bowyer..Maatsen, Cullen , Gallagher etc
Why has our recruitment gone from outstanding with zero budget to piss poor with a decent budget?
Why did we re sign Watson but release Pratley ?
It just doesn't make any sense and while he has to go , something more structural is wrong at the club.
Adkins may just be the scapegoat for something more serious.
As you've said before it's not only losing but the way were losing.
Anothe 5 changes today by Adkins.
I thought this season was going to be a bit different and we would get one or 2 wow signings but they never happened.
I thought we would be challenging or at least going for top 6.
We was meant to be turning a corner this season with TS not nosediveing.
Surely the football cant get any worse.
Shit ain't it?
Adkins out 99%
Adkins out 95%
we need to play a strong team on Tuesday to get games in legs and start building relationships and partnerships