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We get a poor start to the season. I wonder who will be the first on here to bŕeak ranks and call for Warnock's head?
Warlock out , there we go
I know we fans don't always do ourselves any favours. I suspect we are no different from supporters of any other professional football team - but!
People were not especially overwhelmed with 8th two seasons ago because the football was turgid, the manager was limp (and has mainly continued to be, at lower levels) and nobody could quite believe that we ended up gaining enough points to find ourselves where we ended up. There was still a lack of unity and a lack of belief, and evidently lower levels of 'pashun'.
The passion has returned in the main, and thus hopes and expectations are rather higher now.
Warnock has a job on. I'm sure he knows it. I'm optimistic that he can deal with it.
Can you justify the 'high expectations'.
I suggest you are confusing hope and expectation.
Warnock is an honest bloke and if we are not performing he will say so himself, unlike that excuse making, piss down your back and try and tell you it's raining, rotten turnip Slade.
Slades turgid football along with his prickly relationship with the fans, and David Brent style sound bites, mmade him the most unlikeable City manager in my 26 years supporting the club.
We were something like ninth in a Championship form table from when Warnock took over and as long as the defence stops conceding penalties and awful goals like the second one at Shrewsbury, I think we can at least match that because we look to have more goals in the squad than we did last season.
I'll admit to having some fairly high expectations this season, largely down to the manager, the new players, and the way we ended last season.
That said, I'm long enough in the tooth to know that with City, disappointment is never too far away
I suppose it all depends on what your expectations are to start with.
Obviously every fans biggest hope is for their team to finish as high as possible. Me personally, as always, will be happy for City to give 100% in every game, play some attractive football along the way. I also want them to play their strongest available 11 in every cup tie we are involved in.
If that brings any success at the end of the season, then that will be the icing on the cake. If not, then I'll be content that they tried their best.
Expectation is the root of all heartache.
I give it 5 bad games and people will call for him to go.
Isn't that why he wasn't so quick to start doing the ayatollah to begin with?. He knows how fickle the fans are. Have a poor run and we'll be calling him all sorts. Bristol City fans are a prime example. They embarrassed themselves with how personal they got with their manager.
When I came to Wales one of the first things I noticed was the euphoria and expectation before every Five-Nations tournament. It usually ended in tears. I thought it was just a reason to drink. Drink, to celebrate; drink, to console.
I suspect it is the same with fans aspirations for City's season in prospect....
What i look for is the same as every season.
I want the club to be heading in a forward direction.
I appreciate that the money being spent by a lot of clubs is getting ridiculous so that doesn't always equate to finishing higher than we did last season, however i would like us to play attacking and reasonably attractive football and try to get people off their seats.
I'd like us to develop players like Cameron Coxe and Jamie Veale and give them some opportunities.
I'm pleased to see us cutting back with our wage structure yet still having a team with attack minded players and reasonable firepower.
I think we have a decent blend in the squad and if we could strengthen our midfield a little i do think we could be a surprise package.
We're definitely in the 'bargain basement' regarding new recruits compared to some in our division who are flashing the cash. Could be a very interesting battle of the managers & systems this season though rather than who has the most talented individuals. The managers who can weld a team in spirit and togetherness as well as ability may just tip the balance. Warnock, so far, has done this and more with us, I can't imagine bad apples lasting long within our set up, this is, perhaps, my main hope for a successful season. A bit of a siege mentality, everyone dislikes us ( I don't think we are very popular with other club's fans, being Welsh and having a bit of a tasty past and all that) and Neil seems to be a bit of a pantomime villain, if he isn't your boss, so all the ingedients are there for that scenario. Also would love to see a few teams imploding, new superstar imports, bought for a small fortune and on mega bucks rubbing up the journeymen team mates ( that every Championship club has) the wrong way, club owners who've sanctioned the big fees getting trigger happy with managers after a few defeats, a bit of sulking, a few sackings. Warnock seems settled & safe here as long as there's no interference from above he has pretty much a free rein, unlike some who'll be treading water if things start going tits up early on. Looking forward to it, realistically I reckon we're mid table material but who knows how far a 'team' can go? Ask Leicester!
I agree with all that and it aligns with my hopes and maybe expectations. If some of these foreign managers "get it right" then they'll obviously leave us for dust, but history has shown that a few big money signings and technically excellent players is not always the mix needed to get out of this league.
Hull, Burnley, Stoke, Cardiff have all proved that team spirit along with resilience is an extremely effective approach in this division and i fully expect there to be some big name manager casualties early doors again this season.
Finally, we are heading in the right direction. I'll admit Slade did help in some areas but Choo, Warnock and Co seem to be dragging us forward on and off the pitch. I'm actually really looking forward to Burton, I bought my ticket as soon as it became available, sorted the train tickets out 5 minutes after and didn't have a second thought. Can't wait.
Also, we are actually quick, for about the first time I can remember. Bennett, Hoilett, Harris, Zohore and NML are all legitimately quick.
Whilst I support and applaud Warnock's positivity, if things go tit's up I can see the usual suspects soon on his back.
We have to get real. We have spent nothing compared to a number of teams and a top half finish is probably where we are at.
Unless of course another Warnock miracle happens.