Saw this on twitter earlier and thought that some people here will love it... <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Keith Hill on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BarnsleyFC?src=hash">#BarnsleyFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/fHTXsIBdnf">pic.twitter.com/fHTXsIBdnf</a></p>— Matchday Drinkers (@BFCDrinkers) <a href="https://twitter.com/BFCDrinkers/status/690628300046274561">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> I never really had anything against KH, but I got to say that I have a bit more respect for him after this. Unless he's taking the piss.
In his pre-match interview, LJ complemented Keith as well. He also said they may have a 'tweed off' today, when questioned about their respective sartorial tastes.
Well, bloody hell. Probably the most astute and erudite reading of our situation that I've seen/heard and it's come from Keith chuffing Hill. I still don't know whether or not we'll be a success under Lee Johnson. I've just always thought that both he and we deserve the chance to find out. I don't believe less than a year in to his tenure is anywhere near long enough to know what we've got here and how good/bad he is. Evidence from earlier in the season suggested we'd made the wrong choice. With the way we're playing at the moment it looks like we might be on to something, but it's still too early to tell. Three transfer windows is often mentioned; the way we're performing after those would be a fair time to take stock and assess our manager's abilities imho. I've been critical of the way we've been run since Mr Cryne has been at the club on numerous occasions, but I'd like to echo Keith Hill's sentiments and applaud the strength and leadership shown by the board, as the pressure to sack Lee Johnson must have been intense. The three year contract is a red herring. The severance pay a manager will receive on getting the sack is decided and drawn up within the contract before it is even signed. The amount he receives is not related to the length of the contract. Similarly, 'the last manager I will appoint' has played no part either. When everything you say is documented and on public record you will always be doing something that contradicts what you've said in the past. The majority of us are fortunate enough not to be in that position, but we all change our minds because we're all human. If Patrick Cryne thought the right decision was to sack Lee Johnson, he would have gone, no matter what has been previously stated. The reason Lee Johnson is still here is because Mr Cryne and the rest of the board believe in him. I hope for their sake and the sake of all us Barnsley fans that the belief is rewarded.
So Keith's not a lovely person any more? How fickle are Barnsley fans. The positive for me is this. If Keith Hill (potentially he could have been the best manager this club has ever had) thinks sticking with LJ is right path, then I'm in, and I'll back the LJ project. Thanks Keith for talking sense once again and showing the path to football enlightenment.
Spot on as usual Mr Hill.Most things he said whilst at Oakwell hit a nerve with some but he was shown to be right.
I agree. It's about time we showed some faith in a long term plan even if we have to climb mountains to achieve our objectives. Some stability in the management team will enable that. It's inevitable that the club will be criticised if we suffer bad results (and the shockingly atrocious sequence a few months ago was truly a crossroads moment) but it's all about being patient and showing some strength in adversity. I like Lee's positive approach and his optimistic attitude. He's still in the proving ground and we still don't know whether he'll be successful. Whatever happens, I agree with you and Keith that the club should be applauded for sticking with the man they believe is the man. Patience. Strength in adversity.
Keith Hill says stuff that annoys. Dale fans pull him up on it regularly and he doesn't get an easy ride if what he says is nonsense (O'Sullivan's red card at Swindon) However a lot of the time he makes perfect sense, and he's also a very good manager - especially when you're looking at a long term situation. It's summed up by the fact that I'd never want another manager at Dale for the next 20 years, yet I'd never want to have a pint with him because he'd irritate the hell out of me.
I actually agree with Hill. Us backing a manager is long overdue. I'm just not convinced we've picked the right one.
You're right.....potentially he could have been our best ever manager. People forget too easily. The team he built around Davies Vaz Te Butterfield Drinkwater was probably our best team in recent years. I think that had Keith been given more time we would be in a far healthier position now. Of course the other issue seemed to be that he did seem to lose the plot and also lose interest in the club. He didn't help the situation that's fersure.
If our long term plan includes being an established League One team, we've picked the right one. I miss the Championship.
I think the LJ-abusers and the "he'll NEVER be any good" are starting to dwindle. Or maybe they are just keeping quiet. There will still be one or two who can't help but criticise and call for a sacking, even when there is no logical reason for it, but they will gradually fade away. I'm not saying they will change their views but we might not have to hear them on a daily basis. That's not to say that I believe the bottom half of the Third Division is a good place to be. It's not, but it's temporary. We've been here before, and much lower, but we are on the up again. It's the nature of football unless you are an Arsenal football fan. You expect the team to go up and down the leagues. It is what makes following Barnsley interesting. I hope we are pushing towards 10,000 today because the team deserve that kind of backing. Rochdale will bring a few hundred but let's send them home miserable, just like last time
As you know, I am right behind the club sticking with its current manager. Indeed, I have been right behind the club sticking with every manager. However, it seems that we will not be strengthening to any great degree during the January transfer window, because they think that there is a better chance of strengthening successfully in the summer. I think that they are right, but, we are not strong enough to ride out a storm between February and May, and the policy has potential, even now, to cause us to drop back into a relegation struggle. I am still right behind Johnson, but bad results may put Johnson back under pressure, in which case, the fans must stay with him.
You echo my thoughts Red Rain. Whilst the feeling is certainly more positive right now a few bad results brings the pressure back and that's when we as fans should show some faith. If we lose today and we drop three places we must continue to support what the club are trying to do. That's not a happy clapper philosophy. It's sticking with the long term plan despite the setbacks. I think we should add a couple if we can by way of giving us that bit more depth. Like you I still think there is potential for us to slip back but hopefully the momentum we have will enhance our prospects. Scowen coming back is a real boost and the fact that LJ has now found a settled system and knows what his best team is should bring more consistency of performance.