I think personally he was too much of a maverick for quite a lot of Barnsley fans. The more old school old fashioned types prefer a dour manager like Robins and Wilson. When Keef strolled into town with Stone Roses on his iPod and quilted jacket talking a good game, the flat cap brigade just couldn't get with it. I'd imagine if a young Mourinho had come to us straight from Barca folk would have got upset by him. I missed all of pre season in Keefs first season coz I was working in America, but I just loved all sound bites and interviews, for me, a Mourinho addict, just loved the fact that we had some swagger, some northern soul, a shaker maker in charge. Like I said, he was too cool, too maverick and had too much self confidence for your average whinging Barnsley fan who is stuck in past. Hope he progresses well, still only a young manager, he's cut his teeth in Championship and next time he gets here I feel he will do better. Him and Flicker are my favourite tykes managers of all time
Seems his interviews and dress sense were more important than the results to some of our young gun fans. Nowt like pigeonholing is there.
You've got me. I could overlook the shocking football, **** results and the fact that he was an obnoxious ******. I just couldn't cope with the fact that he had an iPod.
If you're trying to wind folk up there's a touch of genius in that post. It's brilliant. As good as I've ever read. If those are your genuine beliefs, well, I guess it takes all sorts.
From the Mirror, February 2012: Despite rising star Jacob Butterfield’s serious injury and on-loan Manchester United midfielder Danny Drinkwater being pinched by Leicester, Hill has kept Barnsley looking up towards the play-offs more than over their *shoulders towards the drop. The Tykes have also completed a double over metropolitan neighbours Leeds. And only games involving Peterborough and Ipswich have produced more goals. Over the last 15 years, in the parish of Dickie Bird, Sir Michael Parkinson and Geoffrey Boycott, they have never had it so good. Actually, Boycs supports Manchester United. But after a season in the Premier League, narrowly missing out on a return just two years later, a play-off triumph at the Millennium Stadium and an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, they mustn’t grumble. Repeated defiance of the odds in a division awash with lofty ambitions is no mean achievement – *especially as fans were on Hill’s back only half-a-dozen games after he crossed the Pennines from Rochdale. “We live in an impatient world where people don’t like change, even though change is inevitable,” said Hill, 42, at Oakwell. “Even though we were just about everybody’s pre-season favourites for relegation, some of our fans seemed to have unrealistic expectations. “One or two of them took offence when I challenged their expectations, but it needed to be done and we’re all singing from the same songsheet now. “This is a club where supporters have been brought up on *traditional values – and as long as they see a team in their own image that reflects *traditional values of honesty, graft and communal spirit, they will forgive mistakes.”
Flicker interview from June 2011 with the MEN: But Flitcroft admitted he had been stung by being called ‘Judas’ on messageboards, which he says has hurt his family. "Ninety-nine per cent of the Rochdale supporters have been brilliant – they have been on the journey with us and hopefully they have enjoyed it and we have always appreciated the fans. I have got a lot to thank them for. "But the one per cent who go on the messageboard and hide behind forums calling us ‘Judas’ I call cowards. "Both me and Hilly have made so many sacrifices for Rochdale – going to games and missing out on our kids growing up at times – and I think that’s what people don’t realise. We are trying to progress and it may work, it may not but I don’t think anyone can deny us that chance. "That’s why it hurts so much. My son reads the messageboard and says ‘why have you left?’, ‘why are people calling you names?’ and Hilly’s dad is in America and it hurts him to read the messageboards and see his son called names that, frankly, we don’t think we deserve. "I am Hilly’s bulletproof vest and he is mine and we can take it but we want to protect our families. "One day, I would love to meet those people face to face and see if they still would call us names."
In response to those suggesting Keith called us all cnuts. If it appeared as a response to you, it's because this BBS is now a bit ****. I've even noticed the archive no longer goes back to the beginning. Only goes as far back as Thatcher's death. Which is quite apt, I suppose.
Does it really matter if he called us cnuts or what. He was a **** manager for BFC and that's all that matters.
Well he did really didn't he. He insulted the fans. He questioned our memories when in actual fact he was the one who lied by saying one thing when he came and then denying he'd ever said it later.
I've tried my best to find his old interviews, but as I say, the archive on here has disappeared and google isn't playing ball. But I'm well aware that he came out with some *****, right from the beginning, right until the end. He's a gobshite. He couldn't even pronounce John Stones' name correctly. But no, he didn't call us all cnuts. He just talked a lot of *****. As does Flicker, now. Results cost Keith. And lots of other little things inbetween. Because none of us complained about the ***** he talked when we went unbeaten for 8 games, or won 4 on the bounce. Just as nobody was bothered when Flicker was talking ***** during our good run last season. But as soon as results turned sour, folk noticed he was talking *****. Mourinho talks *****. As did Fergie. As did Cloughie. We all talk *****. Even BigLil.
Again, I cannot access the archive to find the threads posted on the very day that he allegedly called every one of us cnuts. Horrible Barnsley cnuts. I can't. If I could, I'd bump them up. And, I know from memory that I tried defending him at the beginning, but later agreed with the likes of yourself after he kept repeating the same nonsense. But again, nobody bairned once we started winning..
I knew you were lurking somewhere. Surprised you haven't added to the female role model thread, however....