We've had months to sort out our playing squad... and failed.

We have been promised for years that the summer signings, including "bums on seats" signings, would all be in place for the pre-season.
Yet again, to my eyes, this has not happened.
We have shipped in bucket loads of loan players expecting them to sweat blood for a club to whom they have no allegiance, in the same way we've done it before. At the end we've sent them back saying they were no better than the juniors we already had. And then we do it again.
The management and/or board have pulled the wool over your eyes again promising the earth and coming up with nothing. That's why you bought your season tickets.
Why do most other clubs appear to get it right yet it seems to take us till Christmas panic time to realise we are on the edge of failure again?
I heard on the radio that Ebanks Blake was Chesterfield's "marquee" signing, great.
Probably the only club feeling worse than us at the moment is Sheff Utd.
I know it's only the first game but the impression I got from listening to it was dismal. So many times "and he's given the ball away..."
Not good enough.

 

We should stop sacking our manager every five minutes it might let us move forward with a cohesive strategy.

 

When they said bums on seats they didn't specify where the seats were.

It's apparent they meant signings to keep bums firmly on the seats of your settee at home.

And the last marquee signing we made was to get shorts to fit mido.

 

Agree with most of that. It's also utterly ridiculous that the season starts before the transfer window has ended. Surely the first game should mark the end of the window, forcing everyone to get their fingers out with regards transfers.

 

Or appoint a manager who can construct a cohesive strategy in the first place.

I've not actually disagreed with any of the sackings, not that I want a new manager every 18 months. The trouble is I haven't agreed with any managerial appointment we've made since Harry Bassett left. We never seem to get it right, and as much as I want Lee Johnson to succeed I'm not sure I believe he will.

Andy Ritchie got lucky, work shy, drunkenness (alledgedly...) but he got us up, everyone since then has been progressively worse leading up to Wilson's return which could only ever go wrong, he could never live up to his earlier achievement which I hope will be remembered. Look at the list going back to Bassett, spackman, Parkin, snodin, thordasson, hart, Ritchie, Simon fecking davey, pinky and then perky from Rochdale, then a dream of glories of nearly twenty years past.

We now have a man appointed at the age of 33, now 34, with no coaching pedigree to speak of, thrown in after doing ok at Oldham for about ten minutes.

It's not lee Johnson's fault he was offered the job and I will back him as long as he's in our dugout but I'm not convinced he's going to pull up any trees. I sincerely hope he proves me wrong. But I wouldn't be surprised if we have someone else at the helm in August 2016.

 

Yet again I'm rather worried that all us wallies on ere know what's quite obviously needed but time after time it's ignored! Granted we aren't FA coaches, but we can see the obvious gaping voids in the team/squad! It beggars belief.

 

I'm not sure you need a Uefa pro licence, A licence, B licence, or even 20:20 vision to see we needed a full back and a bit of experience and steel in the squad to gel all these little boys we have. Who's the oldest player? Nyatanga, who's not even 27 yet?

 

Great Point!

While any appointment is never Guaranteed to be successful, its helps if you select someone who appears to have a clue about what their doing in all aspects of the job description.

 

I'd love a radio Sheffield presenter to ask Johnson in his next conference:

'Lee, you've now got 4 players (Hourihane, Crowley, Williams & Rothwell) who's best position is as a central attacking midfielder including 2 on loan yet you're desperately short in other areas & are having to play players out of position to accommodate all the midfielders. Do you think this is a good strategy? You've also got 5 loanees in the match day squad & have just lost Sam Winnall to injury? Are you happy with this situation?'

 

LJ did say when he first came in that he liked centre mid-fielder that much he'd fill the side with em if he could..

Only thing is, I thought he was joking.

 

He already has been asked about midfield and he said it was a great problem to have, having so many quality midfielders and it's one that will be hard at team selection time. He also has already said he wants two strikers in as well. I'm pretry sure I know the answer to Sam being injured.

The bit I am unclear of, is why we have a player under contract who we let out on trial several times, let him do what he wants in touting his wares to various other clubs. We know he wants to leave and have a very young, inexperienced player struggling with a few injuries last 12 months as cover. I don't believe for one minute LJ won't have expected the management to have not sorted it, but the fact is we haven't. I said ages ago Holgate should be in or out. We even prepared our formation last week on him being in. This in my book is very very poor management not from LJ but Whoever is responsible for managing player contracts / recruitment negotiations.

 

Was Holgate injured yesterday ? It seems strange we played him last week , but not this week? It would have made more sense to play Scowen at wingback last week to get him used to it !
Holgate is still at Barnsley ? Or have I missed him leaving again?

 

No, not at all.
My life has revolved around that lot since 1968 and sometimes it is the right time to take a step back and look at it dispassionately.
From the days of crowds of less than 2000 to playoffs and a FA cup semi I've gone through the mill like many others and I actually do feel I can make a comment or two, but I'll tell you what, it still hurts me to see the dross we've had to put up with in recent years and even if I don't buy a s/t I do care enough to still hurt, as much for myself as for those who have bought s/ts and have to sit through it week in week out.
And I will pay to watch them now and then but I don't feel I can justify £300+ at the moment based on false promises.
Soz, but that's how i feel.

 

Holgate looks like he is on the verge of joining Bournemouth.

This saga has dragged on far too long and we were punished for it on the field yesterday.

 

He is still here then ? So he could have played yesterday ?

 

Yes, after all that is what the club pay him to do

Agents and Player power are the scourge of the Modern Game

 

Other teams play their players on Saturday then sell them after , we just dont bother playing them. Mental.

 

Exactly what I said yesterday. He's still our player, still being paid by us yet we have third parties calling the shots.

 

My point exactly. It should be us dictating if he plays, is sold, is left out. We have allowed him to trial when he should have been preparing for sat. We simply should have given a buy him or stay away message to anyone interested. If nothing happens we play him. Personally I would have done the former and given us time to replace him ready for start of season.