Just a thought re DOF

If we wanted to play a high press then why did he sign Roberts unless he was also going to sign another centre back with pace.

It beggars belief.

 

I’d love to see high energy high press football but saying it and getting the players in who are capable of doing it are two different things , the recruitment team need to step up this summer but I’m not confident they will.

 

Play the high press with the slowest centre halves on the league and a forward for a lot of games in Cosgrove who can’t press and one in Humphrys who can’t be arsed most of the time.

We have continually stated that we want to play a certain way. It’s the DOF’s job to supply players capable of playing that system. By any metric he has been an absolute failure.

 

A representative for the fans, in what capacity do you mean by that Jay. ?

 

I may have mistaken him with 55&Counting. For whatever reason I get the two confused. If so, I apologise.

 

You did throw me tbh. As I know Brian. (55 and counting is part of the FAB) I too don't like what the DOF's remit is, re involvement in coaching affairs.

 

The sporting director: Sets the agenda re style of play - high press.

But then dictates we play three centre backs, and sign / retain centre backs that have the turning circle of a container ship; whilst simultaneously failing to sign any centre forwards, let alone high energy ones who will run all day and close defenders down high up the field.

Has limited budget - but spends it in part on loan signings of premier league players in positions we didn’t need cover whilst ignoring the positions we did.

He has been an unmitigated disaster. But then employing a data analyst into such a senior position was never wise. I don’t know how much data he needs to analyse to conclude that he’s out of his depth and failing badly.

Darrell Clarke wasn’t a great head coach for us and he’d been saying some strange things for a while - it was getting to the point of being untenable - but he’s merely a symptom not a cause.

If they leave Sormaz in role he just gets another pick of a head coach and another summer of choosing the players - and not even choosing ones that suit his dictated playing style.

 

That doesn't remotely answer the debate, I gave 3 examples of statements where it was plainly obvious the sporting director set the playing style disproving your theory that it was a myth and you've come back with I want to see high press and Clarke wasn't delivering it.

Before we had a sporting director we had a head coach in valerian Ismael that came in asessed very quickly we couldn't play possession football, got us organised and played the best intimidating, fitness, high energy football I've ever seen and took an average team to the championship playoffs, deemed a failure because we didn't play possesion based football and sell players, yet last season and this we operated a possession based game ( not very well) rank in the bottom 7 for passing accuracy and 2nd for being Dispossessed and lose Cole, cadden, kane and Williams without a single transfer fee.
So we've now planned to resort back to a high energy, high press style after previously saying what we achieved playing that way was a failure.
Bats**t crazy not sure if it's just pure blind loyalty on your behalf or you a kidding yourself, it's an absolute mess, what has transpired has be called by so many on here has happened.
I think they just think they can bring in another head coach get the players fit chuck in some academy lads with young legs and have the likes of Roberts, Earl, MDG, Russell and Connell suddenly gain another 5 yards of pace to play high intensity.
Nothing more than hot air soundbites that's all it is.

 

Great Post, the regression under him is alarming, under 2 head coaches the stats show this no hiding whatsoever, 2 very poor transfer windows, 1 head coach sacked for not being capable of delivering his playing style, next head coach not backed then sacked and a change of playing style announced.
Zero accountability, hasn't been taken task on his record whatsoever.

 

Bang on