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Honestly, never again!Originally Posted by J R Hartley
Proper big time that
I was definitely over the top in my initial opinion of him. He was a nice guy and all that jazz but I wasn't convinced.. Which was a bit of a harsh assessment to make before giving him time to change the way we play.
Got to admit I like the way we've been playing since lockdown.
Bennett has been excellent since lockdown. I reckon he needed the break because he's started almost every match for us this season.
It can be very effective if your players win their individual battles, but if they don't then it's easy for the opposition to pick apart. Our awful record against the top 6 last season probably has something to do with that.
I don’t think you will find many positive comments on here back at the time of Harris’s appointment. He’s done a fantastic job and made us all change our minds on him. The style of football is much better, similar to the start of our promotion season under Warnock
I was one of those who sulked conspicuously when Harris was appointed and I've now had to force down my hat for breakfast (burp!) as he's proved my opinion to be worthless. It now makes me wonder what he could do if he had proper money and a free rein in the transfer market. I can't see it happening but he sure deserves his opportunity.
We've just got to go unbeaten in the next 4 games and he might get some money to spend
Whatever happens he’s exceeded expectations.We've just got to go unbeaten in the next 4 games and he might get some money to spend
For once we won’t be going into the playoffs with the weight of expectation like we did in the DJ years. If we go up fantastic, if we don’t at least we will win more games next season.
If we don't go up, I think he'll try to bring Adomah back, get a right back (or two!), a centre half, a centre forward to challenge Glatzel and another creative midfielder. If we can shift Etheridge, Flint, Cunningham, Whyte and Paterson that should allow us to do that. We have the basis of a really good side already.
None of the vitreol aimed at Malky would be happening if it hadn't been for the revelations that came to light after he left the club.
His achievements are there for all to see and he received much adulation during his time as manager.
Dave Jones (FA Cup Final and excellent football, Neil Warnock (transforming the club and promotion), Malky Mackay (League Cup Final and promotion) have all made major contributions to the history of our club and it seems mighty churlish to downplay their achievements now they are no longer with us.
Before 2011/12, the only league titles City had won since 1920 were the Third Division (South) and what is now called League Two. It amuses me how the man who led us to the Championship title, which I believe is second only to our runners up spot in the old First Division in the twenties in terms of league achievement for the club, as well as.a League Cup Final defeat on penalties and a place in the Championship Play Offs is written off by some.
It's the same with Neil Warnock, I wasn't a fan of his style and had grown heartily sick of it by the time he left, but he was a tremendous City manager for almost two seasons which made it all the more disappointing that we'd regressed almost back to where we were by the time he left.
As for Neil Harris, there will come a time when the fans are on his back because he was not a popular appointment, but, for now, he has done far better with this group of players than Warnock did and, as others have said, he's also improved quite a few of them - I'd say Morrison, Bennett, Vaulks, Bacuna, Hoilett, Tomlin and Glatzel are all playing a lot better now than they were during the first three months of this season.
I think it's going to be difficult to shift players in the upcoming transfer market, unless we're willing to pay them to play for another club. Of the players that you mentioned, Etheridge and Cunningham have one more season left on their current contracts, so they're probably the most likely to move on. Getting rid of Etheridge makes sense, but if we let go of Cunningham then we'll need another left back, unless Bagan is ready to step up to the first-team squad.
I think they'll keep Smith who will be on less money at left back. People will want to sign Flint as well, he's still a decent player and even if we make a loss we could sign someone as a better compliment to Morrison to challenge Nelson. Someone will fancy Whyte, even if its a loan. Someone might see Paterson's qualities as favourable. Maybe!
Fans are fickle Bob and many take the attitude of 'you're either with us or against us'. In other words, once a manager no longer has any ties with the club, his past achievements count for nothing.
Luckily, there are enough posters on here who can take a more balanced view and appreciate what previous managers have given to the club in their time here.
As someone who has supported the club since the mid 60's, the past 12 years have felt almost surreal. New stadium, rich owner, FA Cup, League Cup, Play-off Finals, 2 promotions to the Premier League possibly more to come. We have been fortunate that we have had 3 excellent managers to have made all this possible and they all deserve our gratitude.
Good summary.
As for Neil Harris, I have to say I was underwhelmed by his appointment but so far he's proved most of us fans wrong. After the QPR debacle, I was convinced we had the wrong man at the helm and we were on a one-way journey to oblivion. OK that's a bit dramatic but a 6-1 hammering can do that to you !
Since then, I've been impressed by his enthusiasm and his ability to reshape our style of play, all the time inching ever closer to an unexpected play-off spot. In addition, he has effected individual improvements throughout the team. Regardless of how the season pans out, he's more than justified his appointment.
I was underwhelmed, went to Wednesday away and thought, OK maybe I was wrong. Then QPR, no I was right
In fairness to the manager, you were a wing back in that formation. I played it and enjoyed it. Got to have a pair of lungs thoughI used to play left wing in a 4-3-3 and the manager always wanted me to track back and mark their right winger and double up. I did not enjoy it, and I'd often just not do it and I'd get pelters
I don't thik that you look silly, the only thing most of us are guilty of is judging Harris before he was able to implement a style of play and system. I always thought that his Millwall sides looked physical and hard working, not a lot of craft. My opinions were based on that. Isn't it terrible though that we as City fans really appreciate a bit of possession based football, like 4 or 5 passesI was underwhelmed, went to Wednesday away and thought, OK maybe I was wrong. Then QPR, no I was right
Smith is out of contract with Bournemouth, which I hadn't realised, but he's played so few minutes while he's been here that I'm not sure if Harris rates him.
Would you play him over Bennett? He's quietly in very good form.
Bennett is doing ok at the moment, a bit sharper, maybe the new style of play suits him better as it's more to do with getting forward than ever before. Under warnock, bennett would have to do alot of defending while facing his own goal, chasing back and reacting. He's very poor playing that way as he just doesn't seem to have the awareness of where attacking players are. He's a much better player facing the right way!
Bennett has been excellent, but he's playing 90 minutes twice per week in a position that requires a lot of running (now that he's allowed to cross the halfway line). If Harris rates Smith then I would have expected him to feature a bit more. And he hasn't actually played at left-back for us, has he? Both his appearances have been as a wide midfielder.
Bennett has been playing really well. Smith will be a cheaper option, and it might not be Smith but Cunningham is probably a luxury we can't afford.
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