Evatt, Buckingham, Edwards .... Will it make that much difference ?

[A Quiet Monkfish]

I admit I fall into the camp that says the performance on the pitch is 75-80% down to the ability of the players and that a good manager has limited opportunities with an un-changed squad. Having sat through 22 home games last season, there was little to separate the football from Bulut, Riza or even Ramsey. The squad that has been assembled over the past 3 seasons is woefully short of pace and athleticism, and is incapable of adapting to a more pragmatic, quicker, effective style of play. I'm presuming a couple of things, first our recruitment team of Patrick Deboys etc will continue to use their football experience [Cardiff Met.] to bring in new players, and secondly, our new manager will not be involved in the process. With that in mind, I can see nothing but frustration again next season as City regularly come up against sides who are quicker, stronger, more direct and more effective than us.. I live in hope.

[Trigger]

Massive issues at the club beyond the manager, worryingly the minutes from that fab meeting look like nothing has changed beyond hiring some extra help for the recruitment process.

Long term we are destined to hit the same problems. However short term the right manager can bring things together and massively improve what we see on the pitch.

It will always be fleeting but it's something we have to get right. I'm not sure what else can be done regarding the bigger picture whilst tan is still here, it seems we are happy to bundle on.

An appointment with the sort of impact Warnock had though would at least give us some respite from the mundane and predictable.

I just have a feeling after all the talk of this process we are still going to give it to one of the lads.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Massive issues at the club beyond the manager, worryingly the minutes from that fab meeting look like nothing has changed beyond hiring some extra help for the recruitment process.

Long term we are destined to hit the same problems. However short term the right manager can bring things together and massively improve what we see on the pitch.

It will always be fleeting but it's something we have to get right. I'm not sure what else can be done regarding the bigger picture whilst tan is still here, it seems we are happy to bundle on.

An appointment with the sort of impact Warnock had though would at least give us some respite from the mundane and predictable.

I just have a feeling after all the talk of this process we are still going to give it to one of the lads.

That's Ramsey then..

[Grangenders]

I think whoever gets the job will have a similar brief to the one Russell Slade did - spend the next 2/3 years moving out those players on higher wages who don’t want to be here so that we can bring the overall costs down. Once we’ve then got a smaller / cheaper squad we can look for the next manager to start considering a stab at finishing in the top 6.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

I think whoever gets the job will have a similar brief to the one Russell Slade did - spend the next 2/3 years moving out those players on higher wages who don’t want to be here so that we can bring the overall costs down. Once we’ve then got a smaller / cheaper squad we can look for the next manager to start considering a stab at finishing in the top 6.

2/3 years treading water in League One, and then get a new manager in?

[Llandaff Blue]

I think whoever gets the job will have a similar brief to the one Russell Slade did - spend the next 2/3 years moving out those players on higher wages who don’t want to be here so that we can bring the overall costs down. Once we’ve then got a smaller / cheaper squad we can look for the next manager to start considering a stab at finishing in the top 6.

What?

Our aim should be top 6 minimum next season, anything else is a failure.

[goats]

2/3 years treading water in League One, and then get a new manager in?

That would be a success under this board…..

[bobh]

2/3 years treading water in League One, and then get a new manager in?

More like -

2/3 years treading water in League One, and then sack the manager in the hope that a new one can escape the relegation spots...

[City123]

I think whoever gets the job will have a similar brief to the one Russell Slade did - spend the next 2/3 years moving out those players on higher wages who don’t want to be here so that we can bring the overall costs down. Once we’ve then got a smaller / cheaper squad we can look for the next manager to start considering a stab at finishing in the top 6.

That won't be their brief, they'll be looking to bounce back up within a year or 2

[A Quiet Monkfish]

What?

Our aim should be top 6 minimum next season, anything else is a failure.

It should be, but I think we'll do well to do that unless there's a major overhaul of this squad. Two teams far better than us -Luton and Plymouth will contest the top 2, Stockport, Leyton Orient, Bolton, Reading, Charlton, all better-equipped for league 1 than our current squad.

[Rjk]

a good set piece coach would have made a huge difference last season

[Michael Morris]

a good set piece coach would have made a huge difference last season

A good set piece taker would have helped as well.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

A good set piece taker would have helped as well.

You shouldn't need to teach a seasoned professional how to take a corner/freekick. We couldn't get the kicker to do his job, never mind how the receivers should try and position themselves.

It was shambolic!

[Hilts]

And we used to be arguably the most dangerous set piece team in the league.

Joe Ralls can definitely deliver quality set pieces. Getting him on the pitch is another matter. We just were so physically weak and pathetic we went from a physically intimidating team to complete soft touches in a couple of seasons.

Also the tough physical players could actually pass it better than the garbage be brought in.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

And we used to be arguably the most dangerous set piece team in the league.

Joe Ralls can definitely deliver quality set pieces. Getting him on the pitch is another matter. We just were so physically weak and pathetic we went from a physically intimidating team to complete soft touches in a couple of seasons.

Also the tough physical players could actually pass it better than the garbage be brought in.

Ralls could be a bit inconsistent with his set-piece delivery.
Peter Whittingham on the other hand....

[Hilts]

Ralls could be a bit inconsistent with his set-piece delivery.
Peter Whittingham on the other hand....

Ralls was part of us being a formidable set piece side. Without doubt he is a good set piece taker.

Whittingham is completely different level.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

I think whoever gets the job will have a similar brief to the one Russell Slade did - spend the next 2/3 years moving out those players on higher wages who don’t want to be here so that we can bring the overall costs down. Once we’ve then got a smaller / cheaper squad we can look for the next manager to start considering a stab at finishing in the top 6.

Every single player we have gets into a L1 playoff side. We need pace, and a keeper but we're not miles away. We need the right fit, though. We've spent extortionate sums on buying players like Chris Willock, AEG and Turnbull that just don't suit what we want to do. Until we fix that mess, we'll never be a success. At least Patrick Deboys, who signed those turkeys, is helping pick the new manager. Give me strength! How on Earth is he still employed?! They're making Riza carry the can when our problems run much deeper.

Also, the club will throw everything at getting back to the Champ very quickly. The longer you stay down, the harder it is to get out. I imagine they'll keep as many of our best players as they can and sign some good youngsters on loan.

[Tuerto]

a good set piece coach would have made a huge difference last season

You're a really good poster and i do enjoy your contributions, but you don't half go to extremes on occasion. A 'Huge' difference? Maybe a little difference, but we can't be sure. set pieces are all about the delivery, movement and the willingness and ability of the players to go and attack the ball in the right area, they'd be working on that stuff every day. Do set piece coaches actually exist?

[City123]

Every single player we have gets into a L1 playoff side. We need pace, and a keeper but we're not miles away. We need the right fit, though. We've spent extortionate sums on buying players like Chris Willock, AEG and Turnbull that just don't suit what we want to do. Until we fix that mess, we'll never be a success. At least Patrick Deboys, who signed those turkeys, is helping pick the new manager. Give me strength! How on Earth is he still employed?! They're making Riza carry the can when our problems run much deeper.

Also, the club will throw everything at getting back to the Champ very quickly. The longer you stay down, the harder it is to get out. I imagine they'll keep as many of our best players as they can and sign some good youngsters on loan.

Ah but according to Patrick we're the most efficient team in terms of recruitment in the league! Its all going well (don't look at the table, why would you look at the table?)

[City123]

You're a really good poster and i do enjoy your contributions, but you don't half go to extremes on occasion. A 'Huge' difference? Maybe a little difference, but we can't be sure. set pieces are all about the delivery, movement and the willingness and ability of the players to go and attack the ball in the right area, they'd be working on that stuff every day. Do set piece coaches actually exist?

They're pretty en vogue at the moment

I agree with you though, outside of some occasional clever placement there's very little impact a set piece coach could have imo. Doesn't matter what runs are made if the ball in is shit, or your team is a foot shorter than the opposition etc

[Rjk]

You're a really good poster and i do enjoy your contributions, but you don't half go to extremes on occasion. A 'Huge' difference? Maybe a little difference, but we can't be sure. set pieces are all about the delivery, movement and the willingness and ability of the players to go and attack the ball in the right area, they'd be working on that stuff every day. Do set piece coaches actually exist?

yeah a bit of hyperbole perhaps, but I do think it might have made a significant difference last season.

it was such a strength of ours for years and now definitely a weakness.

Set piece specialist coaches definitely do exist, and are becoming increasingly widespread.
I think FKM in Denmark did a lot to raise the profile of them.

According to Riza I think it was Gavin Ward and Darren Purse who were in charge of set pieces last season

[Tuerto]

yeah a bit of hyperbole perhaps, but I do think it might have made a significant difference last season.

it was such a strength of ours for years and now definitely a weakness.

Set piece specialist coaches definitely do exist, and are becoming increasingly widespread.
I think FKM in Denmark did a lot to raise the profile of them.

According to Riza I think it was Gavin Ward and Darren Purse who were in charge of set pieces last season

I hope you don't take what i said as being shitty, it wasn't meant that way. I wasn't aware that there were dedicated Set piece coaches. I've learnt something.

[Rjk]

I hope you don't take what i said as being shitty, it wasn't meant that way. I wasn't aware that there were dedicated Set piece coaches. I've learnt something.

no I didn't take it as shitty in the slightest.

I think if someone were that thin-skinned they wouldn't last long on here.

[blue matt]

You're a really good poster and i do enjoy your contributions, but you don't half go to extremes on occasion. A 'Huge' difference? Maybe a little difference, but we can't be sure. set pieces are all about the delivery, movement and the willingness and ability of the players to go and attack the ball in the right area, they'd be working on that stuff every day. Do set piece coaches actually exist?

if it gains us 10 goals, its maybe added a few more points on the board

yes, set piece coaches are a big thing these days, google nicolas jover ( deemed by many as the best in the world at it ) responsible ?? for Arsenal scoring so many from corners, think it was 26 this season ( might be wrong on that )

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Ah but according to Patrick we're the most efficient team in terms of recruitment in the league! Its all going well (don't look at the table, why would you look at the table?)

Imagine if we didn’t give him £15m and a huge wage bill, we’d get relegated? Oh hang on…

The worst thing is, I think he rates himself and thinks he’s doing a good job. We barely ever sign a player that improves us. Salech and maybe Robertson aside, I don’t think anyone else has for 18 months at least