To those who still back and believe in Keith..

Why?
How do you look at his record, and still have faith that he'll turn it around? I'm intrigued.
And please don't say "who else could do better" because you'd be hard-pressed to find a HUMAN who'd fare any worse. Seriously.
And don't talk of 'long term plans' either because that insinuates that you're happy to go down, when Keith himself admits that staying up is key, to that plan.
So yes, please enlighten me. And remember, I was the first Keith fan on here, and defended him to the hilt last term. But trying to do that now, would be similar to trying to defend the actions of a homicidal maniac.

 

Get off his back...we've been unlucky, that's all.

 

don't buy this "unlucky" ****.

We got battered at Leicester and were lucky to get a point on that line of thought.

No such thing as luck it simply doesn't exist.

 

I'm not going to be calling for his head any time soon

The main reason for this is that I'm very uncomfortable about forcing someone out of a job. It doesn't sit right with me. Whatever Keith is, he's first and foremost a human being with a family to support and I don't want him on the dole because of a campaign I'm involved in.

I not sure he's any good, but I'm not conceited enough to believe that makes me right. It's just my opinion and I know from experience that my opinion is often wrong, particularly when it comes to football. Other people still believe Keith is a good manager and they could very well be right. I don't want someone sacked based on my opinion when my opinion is so fallible.

I'm not 100% convinced that Keith can't turn it around.

I'm not 100% convinced that we can attract someone who could do a better job. The limiting factor could well be the budget and maybe it's an impossible job competing in this league on what we pay as wages.

I'm a Barnsley supporter. It's my job to buy tickets and make a bit of noise at matches, which I try to do. I also like to pontificate on here about all sorts of **** and even though I'm often critical of the manager I'm not going to stretch that to demanding his head. It's up to the board to decide if they want to dismiss a manager and if they decide to do so then fair enough, but it won't be due to pressure from me.

 

So the gash formations and constant changing of the players is down to bad luck.

 

Andy, you were defending Keith to the death just a few weeks ago and couldn't believe why everyone didn't get down and worship at his feet? You can't expect everyone to fall into line just because you've changed your own opinion. The world isn't like that.

 

He's living in day-dream land is owd Keith! He thinks he's managing at the Camp Nou wy Messi scoring for fun and xavi controlling the middle of the park......only he's not... and.... we are at Oakwell, and.... he's got the handbrake on and..... has no wingers laiking and likes his side to play sidewards and backwards and...... has the worst managerial record of a Barnsley manager in history.....oh very dear!!! :-(

 

My view

is based on his record since he's joined, not over the past 10 or so games. Ultimately, a manager stands and falls by the players he signs and I think Hill has signed more decent players than he has duds. The end of last season was partly out of his control, losing 3 quality players and not being able to replace them. He's got a blind spot at the back, its not that he hasnt tried to bring in defenders just not been able to get the ones he's wanted, but Im hopeful that he can do that in January. I dont agree with every decision he makes (Wiseman for example) but Im totally convinced that sacking managers every 18 months has resulted in us treading water.

Im also pragmatic enough to accept that survival in the Championship is not a do or die episode, I dont think our attendances will reduce that much if we go down, the shortfall in income could be bridged by selling Stones and I'm kind of wondering if it would be better to regroup, reassess and build a side that can stick together and make a real impact in the Championship and I think Hill is the man to do that.

The same 3 or 4 posters will respond to this btw, and theyve dug in so deep that its now too late to admit that its not entirely the managers fault he hasnt signed a quality centre half, that a plan beyond this season is needed and that a manager that was lauded after the first 8 games hasnt just turned into a bad manager in the last 8.

 

Re: I'm not going to be calling for his head any time soon

Very noble, but you and many others pile on the pressure week after week by criticising team selections, tactics, performances and basically telling it like it is. I'm not saying don't do it by any means, but be aware that it it still pressure and pretty direct at that. Also, an objective, intelligent critique can be far more damning and infectious than the rants served up by Conan Plissken of Wath and the like.

I'm with you, leave him where he is. A change would be a bigger risk and the players we have need continuity over anything else. I've done sticking up for him though, I've ran out of arguments. But I'll be at Millwall cheering on the ones in Red.

I would'nt start balling over sacked managers now. We could set up a refuge for the ones we've gone through this past 12 years. Keith knows the score, but I don't think he will qualify for benefits even on what we are paying him.

 

Re: My view

He hasn't turned into a bad manager over the last eight games. It's over the last 60 of which he has won about 14.

If he was able to bring in two midfielders and two strikers (with one not even making the bench in the last game) then there were funds available to bring in a decent centre half.

You have slated MR's performance in the loan market on numerous ocassions - how do you rate Keith's performance?

 

Re: I'm not going to be calling for his head any time soon

I've never gone on a rant. I've just reiterated the wealth of stats that back up my opinions on the manager which I am entitled as someone who watches the dross he serves up.

 

Re: My view

100% spot on, especially about the survival in the Championship bit.

 

Re: My view

I assume you mean me in you last statement. I've said serveral times that I hold "The Board" responsible for our lack of direction and lack of vision off the field and willingness to accept second best or just enough being good enough.

He's done a reasonable job at times but I personally find the style of football boring and as the results prove, ineffectual.

 

Re: My view

Oh and attendances will be down to 5k next season

 

I reckon you dislike him more than I disliked Robins

so you are entitled to a prize.

Greening isnt mobile enough
Tudgay isnt interested enough
Sinclair isnt skilful enough
Buzasky (I think) is decent enough.

Sacking managers every other season? Enough is enough.

 

Re: My view

He did a reasonable job for about six weeks last season.

 

We'd average 7-8k in League 1. Provided the club would not **** the pricing up, hang on a minute....

 

Re: I reckon you dislike him more than I disliked Robins

So of the four signings three aren't good enough?

He could have used that money for a decent CH.

 

His style of football

and footballing strategy is based on retaining possession. That only works if we can keep a clean sheet in this league and he's been caught out by the injury to Davies and the lack of quality at centre half. We pass the ball too slow at times and Perkins is our MIP to keep the tempo up, but at least we try and play football not launching it from front to back like the previous manager.

We need a win. If we get a win I can see us going on a run. I hope it happens soon.

 

I'm definitely in the 'inbetween' camp at the moment. I'm not champing at the bit for Hill to be shown the door but I'm becoming increasingly indifferent about him staying. I stupidly backed us at £10 in a spread bet after the Birmingham game though so I've got an extra desire over many other fans for us to start picking up points.

Personally, I'd be happy if the powers that be came out publicly and give him an attainable target of say 5 points minimum from the next 4 games to show that he can give us a chance of staying up. If he can't manage that with 2 home games against sides we have already performed well against and an away trip to the side propping up the rest of the table, then he can't have any complaints if he is asked to leave. That would give us a month to get a new manager in with a possibility of him picking up a few new players before the transfer window closes.