Webber’s interview

[Jim Smith 2,317]

15 minutes ago, PurpleCanary said:

That is simply not what he is saying. He doesn't mention the fans once, or even hint at them being to blame. Everything he says is directed at the staff, from himself down, working at the club:

"But that doesn't come down to one man. You know, we've got 300 staff here, every single one of them has a massive responsibility to step up. We have 11 players on the pitch every week. A manager cannot do anything about a player losing his head and getting two yellow cards in nine minutes and getting sent off when you are right under the cosh. What do you do about that? 

"So this is a time now where this is not about focusing on one man. This is about focusing on the whole and the collective and it starts with me. We have not been good enough, and we need to sort that out. It is not about an individual at this point.” 

The interview is in several sections purple. He does talk about the fans quite a lot. I do agree with him though on the “how sh*t must you be….” chant. 

[mannings bandy legs 385]

3 minutes ago, hogesar said:

I have no problem with what he says re the fans. One of my pet hates is this "how sh*t must you be" songs, I cringe every time I hear it from our or other fans. He also says the fans absolutely had the right to say whatever they want after the Chelsea game.

As for the rest of the interview, as per usual he spoke well and displayed a calming influence which is exactly what needed whilst some fans lose their head. He was never going to put Farke out on his own at this stage, he's taking collective responsibility along with the rest of staff / players.

Interestingly, his future may be sorted in the next month. If we're getting an additional years commitment that would be great.

"we need a big performance from the fans,and then we need to repay them".........I think that should be in reverse form..seriously getting a bit pi##ed off the same old rhetoric!!....in the majority of the last 19 premier league games this team has played,they have looked beaten before they kick off.,and the fans need to do something about it. FFS!!!

[hogesar 9,657]

1 minute ago, king canary said:

I'm also not a fan of them but I understand the gallows humour- as I said to Purple I just don't think it's a great quote considering the complete no show after Farke's big rallying call pre Watford. I think most fans would be within their rights to point to the fact that they did their job for that game and the players and Farke totally let them down. So if you want the fans to show some teeth, show them yourself first.

Re an extension- I'd be happy for him to stay but I'm getting concerned that he seems unwilling to make the tough decisions when he needs to. There is no point having a SD who won't change head coach even when results are terrible. 

I think he's made plenty of tough decisions. Investing in the infrastructure of our football club 2 seasons ago, fully aware it'd draw criticism from all quarters not least our own fans.

I don't think he's unwilling to make tough decisions at all it's just his view of the Head Coach and yours (or mine) could be completely different. Certainly, I guess there's an influence here of him being able to see everything happening behind the scenes, which we're not privy too. We just see the on the pitch results.

[Jim Smith 2,317]

6 minutes ago, yellowrider120 said:

Webber gives such overwhelming support for Farke.

Under this manager, these are the facts since Project Restart:-

Played 19

WON NIL

Drawn 2

Lost 16

Goals For 3

Goals Against 46

Yet...............'to be questioning Daniel at this point, I think would be incredibly unfair' . The stats above are the one thing that is 'incredible' and would not be tolerated at any other football club!!

Yes, whether or not he’s going to be sacked I would certainly hope he’s being questioned snd out under considerable pressure behind the scenes. 

[Robert N. LiM 4,329]

6 minutes ago, king canary said:

 

I agree in general but the bit highlighted is what will inevitably stand out. I think its a particularly inadvisable quote after the Watford shambles

Inadvisable possibly, but it's not wrong, is it? Taking the pi$s out of your own team five minutes into a game you're drawing 0-0 is pretty tinpot, isn't it?

[king canary 7,603]

Just now, hogesar said:

I think he's made plenty of tough decisions. Investing in the infrastructure of our football club 2 seasons ago, fully aware it'd draw criticism from all quarters not least our own fans.

I don't think he's unwilling to make tough decisions at all it's just his view of the Head Coach and yours (or mine) could be completely different. Certainly, I guess there's an influence here of him being able to see everything happening behind the scenes, which we're not privy too. We just see the on the pitch results.

To be blunt I don't give a **** about what Farke is doing behind the scenes if this is what it leads to on the pitch. 

You're of course correct that he may have a different view of Farke which is fine but if we continue this kind of form and performance and don't sack him then its difficult to conclude much other than Webber lacks the balls to fire his mate. 

[king canary 7,603]

2 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Inadvisable possibly, but it's not wrong, is it? Taking the pi$s out of your own team five minutes into a game you're drawing 0-0 is pretty tinpot, isn't it?

I'm fairly indifferent to it. But at this point I don't think the players have much of a right to say 'we need better support' when they've given consistently ****e performances. 

[Chelm Canary 404]

12 minutes ago, yellowrider120 said:

Played 19

WON NIL

Drawn 2

Lost 16

I'm seeing a problem with the mathematics here. 

 

[Robert N. LiM 4,329]

Just now, king canary said:

I'm fairly indifferent to it. But at this point I don't think the players have much of a right to say 'we need better support' when they've given consistently ****e performances. 

Yeah, that's fair enough, and if Ben Gibson had said it I'd completely agree with you. I think for the sporting director to say it is different. I'm not quite sure whether I think it's a good idea - the fact that it's annoyed some fans suggests it's not - but I think you could argue that it's part of the SD's role to come out fighting like this. 

[hogesar 9,657]

2 minutes ago, mannings bandy legs said:

"we need a big performance from the fans,and then we need to repay them".........I think that should be in reverse form..seriously getting a bit pi##ed off the same old rhetoric!!....in the majority of the last 19 premier league games this team has played,they have looked beaten before they kick off.,and the fans need to do something about it. FFS!!!

To be fair, the last time fans kicked off about Webber speaking about the fans was in Farke's first season. They soon shut-up about it the season after...

[hogesar 9,657]

8 minutes ago, king canary said:

To be blunt I don't give a **** about what Farke is doing behind the scenes if this is what it leads to on the pitch. 

You're of course correct that he may have a different view of Farke which is fine but if we continue this kind of form and performance and don't sack him then its difficult to conclude much other than Webber lacks the balls to fire his mate. 

Of course, but we're fans. A Sporting Director should, if he has anything about him, be able to look at a larger picture than just the 9 games this season, or more pertinently, 4 or 5 bad performances.

[mannings bandy legs 385]

25 minutes ago, CardiffCanary said:

Webber has done amazing things for our club, and for that I feel a huge debt of gratitude.  I love his spirit and his fight… he has publicly backed farke.  I believe we can win on Saturday .

oh and if you want to support a team that doesn’t lose try one of the plastic big 6 and see how much ‘fun’ that is.

otbc

Its not the losing,its the manner of losing!! Distinct difference....and of course he's going to publicly back Farke....but behind the scenes I hope he's slamming doors and  hammering tables!!

[Robert N. LiM 4,329]

6 minutes ago, king canary said:

To be blunt I don't give a **** about what Farke is doing behind the scenes if this is what it leads to on the pitch. 

You're of course correct that he may have a different view of Farke which is fine but if we continue this kind of form and performance and don't sack him then its difficult to conclude much other than Webber lacks the balls to fire his mate. 

This is an interesting issue. I get that Webber has a loyalty to Farke and there might come a point when that loyalty clouds his judgment.

But surely what Webber sees behind the scenes affects his view of whether we can turn this around. 

When McNally sacked Gunn, it wasn't just because we'd lost 1-7 to Colchester. It was because he was already horrified by the lack of professionalism behind the scenes: he knew things were unlikely to get better. Webber is suggesting that he's seen signs of hope in private. Of course, he could be wrong, but I'd hope that if Farke had truly 'lost the dressing room', he'd already be gone. Webber's comments suggest that's not the case, despite what some (who've not been near the dressing room) say on here.

[king canary 7,603]

1 minute ago, hogesar said:

Of course, but we're fans. A Sporting Director should, if he has anything about him, be able to look at a larger picture than just the 9 games this season, or more pertinently, 4 or 5 bad performances.

That is true but it has to lead to something on the pitch otherwise its largely pointless.

So 'good stuff behind the scenes' has a limited shelf life. I'm confident Webber knows this but the longer he stays the more I wonder.

[Midlands Yellow 3,974]

Has he got himself a ticket for the away end on Sunday though? 

[Michael Starr 519]

Usually when SW comes out with a key interview, everybody buys into it. He's brilliant at these battlefield siege speeches, BUT... this one... well, it's divided opinion. That's how low the morale is with the supporters right now. I still want to back the squad and Farke and the ground will rock at CR this Saturday, however, you cannot take away the fact that lack of quality is not going to keep us up. Lack of quality for both the players and perhaps the head coach who's top flight record has been possibly only rivalled by Steve Kean at Blackburn.

[king canary 7,603]

1 minute ago, Robert N. LiM said:

This is an interesting issue. I get that Webber has a loyalty to Farke and there might come a point when that loyalty clouds his judgment.

But surely what Webber sees behind the scenes affects his view of whether we can turn this around. 

When McNally sacked Gunn, it wasn't just because we'd lost 1-7 to Colchester. It was because he was already horrified by the lack of professionalism behind the scenes: he knew things were unlikely to get better. Webber is suggesting that he's seen signs of hope in private. Of course, he could be wrong, but I'd hope that if Farke had truly 'lost the dressing room', he'd already be gone. Webber's comments suggest that's not the case, despite what some (who've not been near the dressing room) say on here.

Yep that is all true- Farke clearly has more rope and that is fair.

Personally I don't see him turning it around- the amount of absolute basics that are lacking in defence and structure is what concerns me.

I honestly believe, in part due to the poor starts other teams have had, that we can still stay up. I also believe this squad has the talent to be better than it is. But the longer this goes on the lesser that chance becomes- if we actually want to stay up then I don't think we can leave it too much longer. 

[hogesar 9,657]

2 minutes ago, king canary said:

That is true but it has to lead to something on the pitch otherwise its largely pointless.

So 'good stuff behind the scenes' has a limited shelf life. I'm confident Webber knows this but the longer he stays the more I wonder.

Agreed, but I always felt with Farke's performance last season he was going to be given at least 10-12 games. I would have been hugely shocked if he was sacked before that.

[Chelm Canary 404]

“At times like this it's about supporting not finger pointing or telling someone they have a certain amount of games, or you must get this amount of points in the next few games, because football doesn't work like that,” said Webber.

But I think football does work like that. I'm confused by this statement. This is how managers careers often end - Webber is avoiding an end game it seems. 

[Jim Smith 2,317]

6 minutes ago, hogesar said:

Of course, but we're fans. A Sporting Director should, if he has anything about him, be able to look at a larger picture than just the 9 games this season, or more pertinently, 4 or 5 bad performances.

A sporting director should also, however, be able to see when a team has serious defensive flaws and the coach seems unable to resolve them. 
 

A sporting director should also be able to see when a team desperately needs a holding midfielder.

[Mello Yello 2,289]

3 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

Has he got himself a ticket for the away end on Sunday though? 

Webbo was allegedly sat on a Bielsa Bucket when he gave the interview......

[Jim Smith 2,317]

4 minutes ago, king canary said:

Yep that is all true- Farke clearly has more rope and that is fair.

Personally I don't see him turning it around- the amount of absolute basics that are lacking in defence and structure is what concerns me.

I honestly believe, in part due to the poor starts other teams have had, that we can still stay up. I also believe this squad has the talent to be better than it is. But the longer this goes on the lesser that chance becomes- if we actually want to stay up then I don't think we can leave it too much longer. 

Yes. We cannot let it drag on for a few more games which his comments seem to hint at. If there is no reaction/win then they need to be decisive. 

[Robert N. LiM 4,329]

1 minute ago, Jim Smith said:

A sporting director should also be able to see when a team desperately needs a holding midfielder.

Unless I've missed it, this was an interesting omission from the interview. I wonder if he was asked whether he still feels he gave DF good enough tools for the job this season.

[Robert N. LiM 4,329]

Just now, Jim Smith said:

Yes. We cannot let it drag on for a few more games which his comments seem to hint at. If there is no reaction/win then they need to be decisive. 

I think I agree with this. Equally it would be extremely unhelpful for SW to say this in public. That ultimatum Worthy was given helped no one.

[Midlands Yellow 3,974]

1 minute ago, Mello Yello said:

Webbo was allegedly sat on a Bielsa Bucket when he gave the interview......

The plot thickens, half and half scarf on too I’ll bet. 

[king canary 7,603]

1 minute ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Unless I've missed it, this was an interesting omission from the interview. I wonder if he was asked whether he still feels he gave DF good enough tools for the job this season.

I think that is, reasonably, not something you can really address until the end of the season. If he comes out and says 'actually the players I've signed aren't good enough' it would create huge internal issues.

[Crabby Canary 5]

Surely if he looks objectively at this awful run of results which no other PL club would tolerate he must conclude that DF is not a PL manager. Problem with that is if Farke is sacked he will also have to take collective responsibility and go himself as Farke is his appointment and the recruitment policy for players is his. There's his dilemma. If DF needs to go so does he hence this rather insipid response to this issue.

[king canary 7,603]

Just now, Crabby Canary said:

Surely if he looks objectively at this awful run of results which no other PL club would tolerate he must conclude that DF is not a PL manager. Problem with that is if Farke is sacked he will also have to take collective responsibility and go himself as Farke is his appointment and the recruitment policy for players is his. There's his dilemma. If DF needs to go so does he hence this rather insipid response to this issue.

Not even remotely true.

If every time a sporting director fired a head coach he had to go to, nobody would use this model. 

[Robert N. LiM 4,329]

Just now, king canary said:

I think that is, reasonably, not something you can really address until the end of the season. If he comes out and says 'actually the players I've signed aren't good enough' it would create huge internal issues.

Fair enough. I'd still have asked him, though. If he's passing judgment on the fans, the players and the coach it's only fair to ask him about his role in this.

[Dr Greenthumb 749]

Top interview. Made me more positive for Sunday. Just hope it’s not the same dross we are served up each week.
 He looked away a lot when asked about his future. Imagine that was his apprentice sat next to him.