hogesar 9,657 Posted February 5, 2007 I was thinking...as you tend to do naturally...and i was wondering...Where are we heading?Only 7 games ago Grant was saying we could still reach the play-offsNow, we''re worried about relegation.and the board?whats their view? Have they actually told us there abitions, with any evidence or foundation on their claims?And next season?Will it be terribly messy league 1 football, or will we be towards automatic promotion to the Premiership? Or, will we ALREADY be in the premiership?football - Its a funny ol'' game. None of us can say what WILL happen, only what we expect, however...expect the unexpected. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blacko 0 Posted February 5, 2007 Too early to tell but PG is beginning to put his stamp on things. Very early to say but the signings look good, Chadwick, Lappin, Marshall and Fotheringham look promising, jury still out on Brown. With Earnie to come back all I can say is the squad looks better than it did before the transfer window, therefore things should be looking up. Also I am impressed that the improvement has been made without spending loads of money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blacko 0 Posted February 5, 2007 Also I forgot to say another of PGs apparent targets Riordan scored two good goals for Celtic at the weekend and he looked, on the short highlight showed on TV, as if he would again have enhanced our squad. Seems to me that PG is looking for the right type of player and how often have we been able to say that in the past. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Salopian 1 Posted February 5, 2007 Perhaps with the new players AND Ernie we might have reached the play-offs, but his loss for the rest of the season has forced a major re-think, and it seems very unlikely now.There is a change in mood on the boards now however, - we have seen how good the new boys are and, even without Ernie, when Shackle and Chadwick are available for selection and one or two loan players are brought in a much higher place in te table looks a real possibility, especially if we achieve momentum and the players develop confidence and self-belief. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,023 Posted February 5, 2007 Personally I think it will all come down to one thing and that is how far the board are prepared to back their man with hard cash to enable him to rebuild the squad into one that can mount a serious promotion challenge. If the board do not back PG then I personally think it sends a clear signal to the players and fans that ambition is off their agenda. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,528 Posted February 5, 2007 [quote user="hogesar"]and the board?whats their view? Have they actually told us there abitions, with any evidence or foundation on their claims? [/quote]The only time I have heard any kind of statement that could be construed as a target from the board was something like expecting the club to be challenging for promotion or better. That obviously won''t apply this season with a new manager, who knows what they expect next season.I would hope we could do what Southampton are doing this season, what do you think hogesar? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smudger 0 Posted February 5, 2007 [quote user="Sons of Boadicea"]Personally I think it will all come down to one thing and that is how far the board are prepared to back their man with hard cash to enable him to rebuild the squad into one that can mount a serious promotion challenge. If the board do not back PG then I personally think it sends a clear signal to the players and fans that ambition is off their agenda.[/quote]Agree with you 100% there... the portents shown by the board however are not good...Maybe Delia will find where Mr D inserted that chequebook of hers over the summer months???Then again, maybe not!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
canary cherub 1 Posted February 5, 2007 [quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="hogesar"] and the board?whats their view? Have they actually told us there abitions, with any evidence or foundation on their claims? [/quote]The only time I have heard any kind of statement that could be construed as a target from the board was something like expecting the club to be challenging for promotion or better. That obviously won''t apply this season with a new manager, who knows what they expect next season.I would hope we could do what Southampton are doing this season, what do you think hogesar? [/quote]When Worthy was sacked he was asked what targets he had been set for the season. He said he wasn''t set any targets so he set his own (he wasn''t asked what they were and didn''t say). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hogesar 9,657 Posted February 5, 2007 I dont personally think, nutty nigel, that the board do have any clear ambitions. I feel they should have came out before the leeds match sometime to say "We must win this game - we must not face relegation worrys" etc. But they didnt. As far as we know they''re happy for us to be a championship mid-table laugh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,528 Posted February 5, 2007 Mystic, I''m sure we have had this debate before. Worthington certainly did say he hadn''t been set any targets and the Board were asked about it at the press conference after his sacking. Between all the smokers coughs and rattling of the china crockery I''m sure I remember when talking about appointing a new manager and their ambitions Neil Doncaster saying: "We want to be challenging for promotion, our supporters want that and it''s what we want".We will probably never know if Grant has been set this target or another one or in fact no target at all. Unless of course he tells us when it''s his turn to leave the club.Hogesar, I don''t think public statements form the board in the way you suggest would be helpful at this time. It''s the managers job to motivate the players. I don''t think Grant would take to kindly to statements like that from the board. And anyway, look what happened last time! [;)] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellow fever 0 Posted February 5, 2007 [quote user="blacko"]Also I forgot to say another of PGs apparent targets Riordan scored two good goals for Celtic at the weekend and he looked, on the short highlight showed on TV, as if he would again have enhanced our squad. Seems to me that PG is looking for the right type of player and how often have we been able to say that in the past.[/quote]dont fall for it!!!!why not say Roony is a target but in the meantime we''ell spend 75000 on a slow scottish part-timer and a free out of contract no hoper! we were never going to by riorden cos he cost too much - we wont go above 300000 for any1! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stevie Wonder 0 Posted February 5, 2007 [quote user="blacko"]Too early to tell but PG is beginning to put his stamp on things. Very early to say but the signings look good, Chadwick, Lappin, Marshall and Fotheringham look promising, jury still out on Brown. With Earnie to come back all I can say is the squad looks better than it did before the transfer window, therefore things should be looking up. Also I am impressed that the improvement has been made without spending loads of money.[/quote]Sorry to be p*ssing on your fire but none of the new players has played more than 3 games yet so the jury is out on all 5 - how can anyone say 4 of them are promising on the back of 1 or 3 games and say the jury is out on Brown after 3 games? Brown did OK in difficult circumstances during his 20 mins against Plymouth and he battled away up front on his own in a system that wasn''t working against Leeds (can''t comment on Blackpool away as didn''t go). It seems to me that Brown is being unfairly singled out here.Yes, the 5 new players have done OK but we have only beaten a very poor Leeds reserve side so we need to retain a slight grip on reality.I will agree that the 5 players signed are in the age range (21-26) where their best years are ahead of them and hopefully we will benefit from that. If we can add a couple more quality loan signings in the next couple of weeks then we may well end the season with a flourish.Lets hope they maintain the promise shown and beat another poor team (Luton) on saturday. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0 Posted February 5, 2007 Chadwick comes with a good reputation at other championship clubs.Lappin comes as an outstounding player at St Mirren and everything the miorren fans said seems true, Fotherington is yet to prove himself but looked ok on Saturday.Brown is so far a championship failure, he failed to impress at Hull last season and has failed at Sunderland this year, he did a good job in division 2 with Doncaster however, but he is young so hopefully can still make the grade with us.[:D] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cluck 0 Posted February 6, 2007 New names on a team sheet doesn''t mean anything in itself. Let''s remember that most of the other struggling sides have also made signings...meaning that they too will feel their own survival is more likely. There are some tough games ahead....and a few six pointers....so nothing less than a win against Leeds was vital.It''s the quality of those new names that will dictate whether or not we are now a better side than those chasing us. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hogesar 9,657 Posted February 6, 2007 [quote user="Yellow fever"]dont fall for it!!!!why not say Roony is a target but in the meantime we''ell spend 75000 on a slow scottish part-timer and a free out of contract no hoper! we were never going to by riorden cos he cost too much - we wont go above 300000 for any1![/quote]Its harsh to put down two players instantly. Its even more unfair because they played well on their debut. What position are you in to currently JUDGE the quality of these?Please, do me a favour and shutup.:D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
