Who thinks Collins was the biggest problem at the club

Give up harping on about Norwood, I have it on good authority that he got too good an offer to refuse, and it’s a good source mate, so let it go.

 

no one is harping on. I’d hoped we could find better as he is a limited player. Our recruitment showed we couldn’t. We lost a leader in him. That’s on the board to either retain or replace they did neither.

Though I suspect your source isn’t especially accurate.

 

I think it's a combination of multiple factors that have ultimately had a detrimental bearing on our form leading to a huge loss in confidence.

(1) Recruitment

Poor summer window leaving Collins with a very inexperienced defence and the crazy crazy policy to collect crap strikers Dallas, Shaw, Watters and Cosgrove, the money tied up in those 4 would have easily covered a proven striker at this level.

(2) Tactics

very slow, passive and boring to watch, teams quickly sussed us out and but for bucking the trend of coming from behind we could easily have found ourselves in the bottom half of the table

(3) Interference from above

How much influence and meddling in on field matters from above remains to be seen and how much could Neil Collins actually change, its been clear its their say on formation.
Potentially this could be an issue if the next head coach wants more autonomy on the playing side

(4) Key players not playing well

Connell never been the same this season since injury problems, Phillips also looked poor until the turn of the year, Cole's energy and press were great until Jan, Williams playing CB for a good chunk leaving us missing a decent wing back.

(5) Individual errors

Can't remember a season for conceding basic goals but the amount of individual errors, we'll I've lost count.

(6) Neill Collins

Own worst enemy at times, his substitutions were terrible at times and often signalled us conceding.
The tippy tappy sideways backwards stuff to ultimately lose possession was painful, I think he never truely knew his best 11 and the chop and change to try and buy a win during this run didn't portray a man in control


I wish him well I didn't like the abuse he got and backed him until recently, he'll bounce back and probably do a good job under different circumstances.

The circus that is upstairs need to also have a good long hard look at themselves and where they want to take this club give the next head coach the right tools recruitment wise, quality over quantity and ffs let them get on with winning games how they see fit rather than a boardroom playing football manager.

 

I honestly think that as a fanbase, we just love to be contrarian. Barring literally two or three posters, everyone was calling for Collins' head during and after the Blackpool game. The board have acted, yet now there's a large number of people holding a digital candle-lit vigil for the guy who they demanded the sacking of not 54 hours ago!

No wonder the board get slated every time they do anything!

I have my reservations when it comes to the board, but sacking Collins was the only logical move to save the season. My one and only gripe is that they should've done it weeks ago!

 

I actually think he’s dropped lucky. I think Collins had a tougher job than Duff but I think the next guy has a much, much tougher job than Collins. Best to get sacked now with his reputation intact.

Killip

Cotter, O’Keeffe, Lofthouse, Lopata, De Gevigney, Pines, McCarthy, Earl, Shepherd

Benson, Phillips, Connell, Russell, Styles

Cosgrove, Watters, Jalo, Shaw, Dallas

20 players already on the books. We won’t be making any money on the 6 first teamers leaving. Massive question marks about the health of Connell. It leaves Phillips, Jalo & possibly Styles (if you’re optimistic) as the only assets with any value at the club which isn’t ideal when we’re skint. Supposed big earner who’s never fit Josh Benson entering the last year of his deal.

If you’ve been unhappy under Collins I imagine you’ll be even more downbeat in a few months time.

 

I think you’re massively over exaggerating with the amount of people that wanted him sacking. Of course, nobody was happy with how we played on Saturday and have played in recent weeks but in my opinion, he should’ve been given the rest of the season.

It’s always the vocal minority that shout the loudest and I would imagine if a poll was put up on whether to sack him or not, there would’ve been a lot more than 2 or 3 that voted not to sack him.

 

Yep, massive summer for recruitment. We need quality, not the scatter gun approach again.

We are likely going to need someone to get way more out of our group of players, like Ismael did.

 

The players get a big fat bonus just for reaching the playoffs - even more so if promoted.

So even if the departing players aren’t overly bothered, professionally they’d want to do well to have it on their record and also cash in their back pocket.

So where does the problem lie - Saturday may/may not show us…..

 

You're probably correct. However, what would be the point in giving him the last (potentially) game on Saturday? Have we not seen what a home performance by a Neill Collins BFC looks like often enough to know that we'd probably lose? Chances are he'd be gone straight after anyway! So we might as well try and gee up the team (who were clearly not playing for him) for the last game in the hopes in rekindles some sort of spark in the team.

If Collins had somehow managed to scrape into 5th by 5pm on Saturday, we'd all be practically resigned to losing the play-off semi-final anyway.

I think we'll win on Saturday, convincingly to boot. 4-0

 

Worryingly accurate assessment, squad size and quality is a mess, big big job ahead

 

There have been a number of polls on here where he's never received less than (from memory) approximately 60% of fans backing him. Those calling for his head were shouting louder and more often but were not in the majority.

If I'm honest I'm torn. We're in a good position but a horrendous run of form. I didn't want him sacked but I was struggling to support him (emphasis on him not the team/club) and his brand of football.

 

To add to this, there was also the fact he loaned out players such as Shepherd, Lopata, Shaw and Dallas rather than working with them on the training ground.
I also never really noticed him, himself, back in his playing days but am told he was your typical no nonsense defender so why is our defence so poor, particularly from set pieces, when this should be Collins’ area of expertise.
I don’t know what the answer to the problem is, but I hope this is a chance for a bit of a reset.

 

I’m just not sure how much change can happen between now and Saturday though.

Apart from the fans’ perception. Maybe the fans will make the difference, who knows. Be good if we can be a bit more patient and supportive of the team on Saturday and get behind the lads to make sure we do our bit to get in the playoffs.

 

Attacking lineup for Duff that started last April.
All available this season for Collins

The summer signings are not the reason we played negative tactics all season.

 

Agreed. That’s exactly what it feels like to me too.

 

You’re conveniently cutting off the very reason we’ve been negative. The defence we have, especially compared to last season, just can’t be trusted.

 

These have been very recent...

To get shut
https://barnsleyfc.org.uk/threads/when-should-collins-go.329482/

And to extend his contract
https://barnsleyfc.org.uk/threads/timing-of-neil-collins-contract-extension-poll.329517/

Make of the numbers what you wish. But it seemed getting shut garnered way more votes

 

So to get this right. We have given the ball to the weak defenders who can't be trusted so often because they can't be trusted? Wouldn't it be wise to try to keep the ball away from weak defenders who can't be trusted as much as possible so that they aren't under as much pressure and therefore making as many mistakes?

The argument that we have to give the ball to MDG and earl continually because MDG and earl aren't very good is a bit like saying the keeper's **** at back passes so we pass it back to him as often as we can.

 

Neither of those is a fair poll. First one only has options to get rid of him, second only has options to extend the deal and was created as a bit of fun (in the words of the OP).

There were polls asking whether he should be retained or sacked which tended more towards retained.