He's a good, decent man first and foremost. I'm not saying other managers weren't but it goes a long way for me.
That shouldn't count Ponty, but its weird because it means a lot for me as well. And your earlier comment about winners have to be and usually are arrogant etc, that doesn't apply to Duff. Victor was/is a nice likeable bloke as well apparently, but he wasn't good enough for what we wanted.
Been sitting on this for a few weeks have we? We were ******* awful today. Granted. Terrible. But this came after us having won four games in a row, been unbeaten in six all comps and it is our first league defeat in six as well. We got a point at Ipswich, schooled Wednesday at Hillsbrough, and even after the dross of today sit fifth in the league with a squad of players that is clearly short of a centre forward, has two nasty long term injuries and is still relatively newly put together. There will be days like today and Wycombe. I and others have said this all along. We are streets ahead of where I felt we’d be, the manager is our best asset and a poor home game won’t change my view on that. He won’t pull any punches, they will be in no doubt as to how unacceptable today was.
He's got work to do after today. Still 5th in the table. I think we'll continue to do better away from home this season. For me Benson & Kane were too deep today & were both poor. Norwood missed a sitter to get us level & looked off the pace today. Jordan Williams, who has been great seemed top have no answer for Sparkes, their wing back today. Great finish by Stansfield for their first, the second was a tap in after woeful defending. He subbed a lot of under performers, which I think was as much as anything a message. As it was no changes made much of a difference. Bad day at the office. Need to roll our sleeves up. Losing Luke Thomas is a big loss IMO. Our front line looked totally lacking today, but so did every other area of the pitch TBH. Ah well. No need to overreact, I didn't expect us to be anywhere near 5th, so I'll try & take a longview on things.
He’s bloody shocking pal! Last week at Bolton showed exactly what he is.. frightened to make actual changes same predictable subs constantly. Sits back hoping for 1-0 win can’t bloody stand him
Who would you have then? Who’d not be ‘shocking’ and would be happy to be at our club with this squad and budget. I genuinely couldn’t name one realistic option I’d sooner have. The problems we have are numerous but Duff isn’t in the top hundred. Who else from our amazing squad would you bring on? Who wouldn’t you take off when he has? We’re on a bad run. We’ve lost the one player in the squad who could link midfield and attack, actually run at players and be at least semi creative, and the best player we’ve got to play right wing back, to long term injury. The squad was left woefully short up front already. You weren’t saying any of this when we were winning four on the trot. Almost to a man we said we’d be inconsistent. Even if we lose to this mob today we’d still sit a little higher than I expected. That isn’t to say today is acceptable or that duff isn’t beyond criticism. He hasn’t got things right all the time. But as I say, of all the issues on and off the field at the football club you are picking on the wrong target in my eyes.
I was critical even when winning as apart from Wednesday and 2half against derby I’ve not seen us play well really. We have 3 talented midfielders that should be starting can’t stand the 3 at the back it limits the changes so much. Yes Thomas is a huge miss.. but he tactically he has one way of playing that’s it cost us against port vale cost us last week. and when this thread was made I voiced my opinion that this bloke isn’t the best gaffer we’ve had since hecky never mind since Wilson..
We must stuck with Duff, the board must back him in the next window because I can't think of one player I'd be sorry to see leave to be honest
Until we find somebody capable of putting the ball in the oppositions net on a regular basis we are doomed to struggle! The current lot patently can’t so I just hope we can hang in, there or there abouts until January and then bring in somebody who can.
It was madness not strengthening up front. It was even more madness sending out a young talent on loan It was utter bonkers doing a favour to Man city and bringing in a waster on loan And it was bat **** crazy bringing in the 3 dozen panic signings before the window closed.
And yet they thought we needed to strengthen in midfield creativity, because the strikers we had were/are good enough.
3pts at Wendies, 1 at Bolton,1 at Ipswich 3 from the Charlton game at home losing to the bottom team feels worse then normal but hasn't this usually been the Barnsley way. We all knew we would struggle with this squad.