My 'interview' with Don Rowing.

For example "A lot of things were cosmetic – wanting 5 star hotels, better buses, training & first team pitches etc."
-not sure I would lump 5 star hotels and better buses in with training and first team pitches.[/QUOTE]

Correct me if I'm wrong Dys. Was the pitch thing mentioned relating to us paying to go training elsewhere?!? Didn't we use Man U/ Man City or suchlike before the Cup games and pre season or have I made that up?!?

 

He didn't mention paying to go elsehwere but if you remember in pre season they made a big deal of relaying all the pitches, both in the ground and the training pitches.

 

Part of the reason why we failed under him maybe? Players being pampered.

 

Take it he still keeps in regular contact with Barry Taylor then.

 

Excellent interview,well done Dyson. Interesting insight into his relationship with Taylor and Flicker.

 

Cheers for that pal, really interesting interview

 

Correct me if I'm wrong Dys. Was the pitch thing mentioned relating to us paying to go training elsewhere?!? Didn't we use Man U/ Man City or suchlike before the Cup games and pre season or have I made that up?!?[/QUOTE]

Yes, although training at those facilities was apparently done as a favour from the other clubs. I remember it being mentioned that we trained at St Georges Park a few times though, at an expense.

I can see why Don would think these things aren't necessities, and possibly a waste of money, but I remember Flicker saying that he idolised Dave Brailsford (GB Cycling Director) and his approach to improving every tiny detail to improve performance. It certainly worked in the cycling arena and has been emulated in various other sports to give a competitive advantage. However, I think in football there are slight differences because the quality of players can vary so much when compared to world-class athletes (who are relatively even).

In short, I think Flicker's approach to the tiny details is correct and probably helped to bring every ounce of quality out of the players - but it didn't help us tactically or with team selections, and that's why it didn't work out for him.

Good interview though, good to see some brutal honesty from Don.

 

Very interesting cheers.


This stuff about flicker wanting the best team buses and 5 star hotels is interesting.

 

If i remember correctly they trained at other places for different things.

Firstly the pitches weren't good enough.
Secondly he wanted to get away from Oakwell and they trained at different places because of that. They spent a lot of time in Hotels for recovery too.

They do now have a different coach to travel in but that surely was paid for by the coach company.

 

It really does sound like Taylor does NOTHING to help us. Even before Don slates him he says he was brought in as a consultant on football league rules. How the hell can the invisible man have been on the board so long and still need a consultant on the rules he's worked under for decades?

 

Who is PH?

 

paul heckingbottom?

 

Cheers. The only person I could think of was Paul Hart and I knew it wasn't him

 

If we have now got the best training pitches etc, why did Flitcroft like to use Man Utd training ground and St Georges Facility.
I thought it was because he said that the players were too used to Oakwell and he wanted them to only use it on match days? Or maybe I misunderstood that?

 

The training pitches because of the weather weren't good Mark. I go down there and the academy use the same pitch that the first team do for tactics and it wasn't very good at all.

It was the combination of both Mark.

I don't think anyone said we have the best. We have good training facilities but the likes of the Manchester Clubs and St Georges park are meant to be amazing.

 

Spot on Phil...Bobby is one of the nicest blokes in football

 

A lot of our players live in the Manchester area, as did Flitcroft and his coaching staff. Hence using local facilities. Saved on travelling to Barnsley.

 

I wounder if they ever stayed at St Georges Park.
Meant to be a Hilton Hotel there.

 

Really? Five star?