I still think Simon Davey is the best manager in this league

He has proved this with having relatively little funds available and slowly but surely building a squad.
Remember we were knocking on the door of the top six last season before we went on the cup run.
Unfortunatly all the attention of the players then focused on the cup.


As for playing Hassell in midfield - what other option has Davey got ?
De Silva was injured and we needed a holding midfielder that could tackle. The only one available in the squad is Hassell. Obviuosly Davey dosen't rate Johnson. Now we all know Hassell isn't a midfield play, he's ok at getting a tackle in but he just cannot pass a ball. But he was the only option at that time and that is why Davey has brought in Colace.

But Davey may come a cropper if he continues to keep Mostto and especially Odejayi in the side
Surely his patience is running out with these two

I for one think we need TWO more proven strikers at the club i.e. Macken + Hume + two more.
Every club in this division has at least 4 players competing for the two roles of strikers.

But we are at the start of a season - so lets see what develops. Because you can nearly quarentee that the line up at the start of the season will not be the same one that ends the season.

 

I struggle to understand what people want davey to do with hassell, he's got no other option do they want himn to loan someone just for pre-season? colace will be fit for saturday, booby hassell is not the long-term solution to our midfield, but he's no where near as bad as people make out in that role, and i think he does it better than togwell.

 

We haven't moved forwards though.

We're starting the season with a 'let's see' attitude with hopefully strengthening via the loan market later on. Exactly where we were last August. The failure to bring in a recognised Championship standard left back, midfielder and additional centre forward is cause for concern imho.</p>

I'll say again, Andy Johnson the 'complete midfielder' (Davey's words) sits idle whilst Hassel struggles with the holding midfield role.</p>

 

Andy Johnson

Quality defensive midfielder who is more than proven at this level. Davey doesn't play him because he is arrogant and puts his own vendettas in front of whats best for the team as a whole.

 

RE: We haven't moved forwards though.

im certain we are desperate for another centre forward, but no so sure about a left back think kozluk's one of best in this league, he does'nt matter that he's not naturally left footed, i agree i would love for andy johnson to come in, as i feel he still could be a key player for us, but that just aint gunna happen

 

He's nowhere near the best manager in the league ....

........ how can he be when he spends 700,000 english pounds (which is a hell of a lot of money for BFC) on Mossto and Christiensen, then hardly plays either of them, whilst Odejayi constantly plays despite the fact that he isn't scoring goals and looks at best a League One player.

As for Hassell in midfield, it beggars belief, and I'm convinced he's doing it just to stick two fingers up at the fans as 99% of folks can see it just doesn't work.

He's a lot to do to prove to me that he's a good manager

 

That's the way it looks, no doubt about that .........

........ the fact that Hassell is picked in midfield before Johnson and Togwell proves the point, as does playing Odejayi week in and week out without giving Christiensen a chance

 

RE: He's nowhere near the best manager in the league ....

Every manager makes bad signings! least he's held his hands up with christiensen and mostto, and he's not just kept playing them to prove a point, like managers for us have done in the past.

 

RE: He's nowhere near the best manager in the league ....

2006/2007 4 points from relegation

2007/2008 3 points from relegation...

best manager in the league.....????

proper laughing hard now.....!!!

 

RE: He's nowhere near the best manager in the league ....

He's kept playing Odejayi and Hassell in midfield tho.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/7540278.stm

Quality defensive midfielder. Proven in the Premiership. Told to buck his ideas up uor f.ck off. Not just Davey eh?

 

Lot of work to do

He could become one of the best managers, but he has A LOT of work to do.

The Hassell situation - what about Togwell? He's not the best, but at least he puts himself about and can join in attacks. Hassell sits far too deep, can't do anything going forward and is too slow.

And what's this with the strikers? It's not just the quality that bugs me now, it's the quantity. Last season: Ferenczi, Christensen, Mostto, Nardiello, Odejayi, Macken, Coulson. This year: Mostto, Odejayi, Macken, Hume. We're in a right mess if we don't sign anyone.

 

RE: Andy Johnson

Don't agree about Johnson being quality, looks slow and cumbersome to me, still maybe has something to offer though...can't be any worse than Hassell (even though I think he's been reasonably competent)

 

RE: He's nowhere near the best manager in the league ....

Mossto may come good this season, he deserves his chance I think because of how he's applied himself, especially if reports are to be believed about he's conducting himself in training since returning, and the glimpses of him looking 'up for it'. Christensen on the other hand, as far as I'm concerned if he was lazy and couldn't be arsed in the slightest then he simply didn't deserve a chance (ala Ricketts from the sound of it). I have no time for players who simply won't put the effort it.</p>

And I think there is NO chance Hassell is in midfield just to spite us, sorry but I think that's a ridiculous thing to say. I don't agree with his decision at all, but if he thinks he's the best option then so be it. He's the only one who sees the players day in day out, and if he thinks Johnson and Togwell aren't up to it, then so be it. He clearly recognised this by signing Colace, so he realises the midfielders we have do not offer adequate cover. Isn't Davey's fault we lost our best midfielder last season in Anderson, and clearly it will take one hell of a signing to find someone as good or better than him.
</p>

 

Agree with everything Jewell said then. So what if someone might be a quality player?! If they don't put the effort in, in training, then they don't deserve a place in the team/squad.</p>

We want player's who'll give everything for the cause</p>

 

Maybe you're right

So why the hell did we sign him? Davey hasn't got a leg to stand on in the Andy Johnson situation. And it's not even a one off. There's also Mostto and Ricketts and Christensen and Mattis and he offered new contracts to Reid and Togwell. I've never known a Barnsley manager waste so much money. We've had managers who have bought crap, but never before have we had a manager who signs players but just doesn't play them.

 

RE: Maybe you're right

I agree with most of what you've said there mate. Problem is, if nobody has picked up Johnson's training before, then I guess Davey had no way of knowing.</p>

Mossto I still have no idea about, bit if he's willing to have a go, then we have to do the same and give him a chance. (I know he's already had one, but to be fair, the midfield gave him **** all to work with - as with most of our strikers).</p>

Ricketts came with a lot of potential...having played for 2 premiership teams and a decent Championship team - so clearly he has ability. My belief is that Davey clearly recognised this (and I'm sure people would have believed this to be a good signing at the time), but he also thought he could work on his attitude and make him fight for a place. Unfortunately, what I saw of Ricketts (granted not an abundance of appearances/minutes) made me think he did have ability (he did show flashes) but simply couldn't be arsed when the going got tough - Davey made a mistake. Just a shame he won't admit to it.</p>

I agree 100% about the contract things though - maybe he thought he needed Mattis to try and prove himself when fully fit but then when he reached fitness maybe he saw he simply was no good enough. I think it must be obvious he was signed for League 1 if we did go down. Togwell/Reid I guess were retained for emergency situations (although when such situations arose he didn't turn to either, which is rather baffling)</p>

He's made some huge **** ups, but also done PLENTY of good. Made some cracking signings/some very poor, and managed to get us to Wembley. I'm still very undecided if he can take us forward, but he's certainly stabalised to an extent</p>

 

Why did we sign Tom, Dick and Harry

Why sign players and then not play them ???
Because............and its a HUGE 'because'.............we didn't have a squad or even a team at that time
Davey has gone out and just brought everybody in that he could afford on a tight budget hoping that they would come good.

Remember, how many other managers do you know that bring in something like 20 (TWENTY) players in just one season. Its remarkable that under the circumstances we didn't get relegated last season.

He will openly tell you that at the time he hoped that if 2 out of 3 players came good it was a good ratio.
Players like Christensen, Ricketts, Johnson..........FAILED....................end of
Others like Muller, Steele, Sousa, JCR, Macken, Foster...............came good and are classed as succesful signings

But dont blame Davey for the large input of players.................blame the previuos manager for leaving us in that state in the first place

 

Do we really want to go back to a Richards and Wright strke force

Some people soon forget, just think of the team that got us promoted and was anchored at the bottom of the Championship and compare it to the team we have now

Cant count Devaney and Howard because they are still there, but there is only two players (Kay, McIndoe), some might say only one player (McIndoe) that would get into the present team

We have come a long long way in just one and half seasons since Davey took over.
There are fans saying we haven't progressed because of our position in the league.
To them I say this - what would you prefer, FA Cup Semi Final and near the bottom of the league, OR, no FA Cup run and mid table?