I have a lot of time for AR and am grateful for all he has achieved for us over the past year or so.Having said that I get the feeling that his time at Oakwell may soon be over. My reasons for thinking that are that despite the absolutly obvious need to strengthen the sqaud in the summer nothing was done. The blind faith in certain players has started to hit home and just now I get the feeling you get when you see an employee in a normal job get towards the end of the last warning period, they desperatly want to turn things around but everything they try just makes the hole deeper. My own opinion is that two things need to happen this week, we need to see at least one if not two loan signings come in before the deadline. We also need to beat Ipswich next saturday. If we dont get any players in and go into the Ipswich game and lose then I would fully expect AR to be replaced sad as that would be. I cant defend the situation we find ourselves in but I do know that we shouldnt be going into the last four days before deadline day rushing to get the players in who were required at least 4 months ago. Especially as most fans spotted our weaknesess before the season started but sadly the management didnt. Lots of people have slated GS for washing the dirty linen in public but maybe he has tried other ways to help but has been knocked back...I dont know but its funny now how we are hearing from the manager that we need experience when everyone else has been saying it all season. What I guess I'm trying to say is that if GS'S actions were aimed at getting a response then it at least appears to have worked. I really hope AR can pull it round, I want the reds to stay in this league and with him at the helm but my fear is he may not now have the time. His body language and voice all remind me of the rabbit caught in the headlights. Only my thoughts
RE: I'm afraid I agree Yes, it's very sad. He is a really nice man and gave us a season to remember last season, but in his interview he sounded so downbeat and beaten. Not nice, not nice at all.
You've got to have a ruthless streak to be a good manager and I'm afraid Ritchie hasn't. He also has no experience of managing at this level which shows. It was always on the cards he would struggle, but we were never going to do to him what Stoke did to Thordarson. Maybe a Ridsdale would have.
Sadly I too have to agree, but you never know - this might just prove to be a turning point. IF the things you mention come off - 2 signings is a MINIMUM requirement and at least 4 points from our 2 home games - then things just might start to settle down again. Long shot though.
Having had the weekend to reflect I wouldnt be surprised if either AR walked on Monday or GS opened the exit doors. BT
