We’re s*** and we’re sick of it.

We may limp in to the playoffs and that’s not certain. A while ago we were in the running for automatic promotion.
Since then we have displayed relegation form against teams we should beat. We can’t defend for toffee and every team we play comes in with a two goal start.
The best players look like they can’t wait for the season to end so they can be away and our home form has been abysmal all season.
So who, or what is responsible for one of last season’s best teams in the league looking like relegation contenders next season?
No ideas, no inspiration and a feeling that all our signings are just passing through.
Recruitment, management, organisation, coaching, everything. I know we are in a play off place, but a season is as long as the fixtures last and you can’t stop playing before Easter. If you get the impression that I’m sick of the performances you are right.

 

You say that there's a feeling that all our signings are just passing through, and you're bang on. Due to the way our club is run, players ARE just passing through, we know it, other clubs know it, but worse than that,,, the players know it. You can't expect loyalty from a player who knows he's just a commodity to be used to make a few quid for the club. Just ask Connor Chaplin.

 

I thought I’d come to terms with the business model of using the player as a commodity but I’m afraid it’s not working for us. We always seem to be worse off post season and weakened rather than building on the foundations of a exciting promising team with bags of potential. Last season we made strides and yet again the rug is ripped right under us and we’ve taken even bigger strides backwards. I honestly believe this board aren’t interested in progression. How can they without a consistent head coach and a team to match

 

I've been saying for years that if we're going to build sustained momentum we need to keep a manager for at least 2-3 seasons. For that reason, and despite the awful football we've often had to watch this season, I'm still for persevering with Collins. I live in hope that with better recruitment in the summer we will have something more exciting to watch next season. I know I'm in a minority though and understand others' views.

 

Aaaaggggghhhh!!!!

Joking aside, your comment about continuity is basically sound as long as they get the right guy in to begin with

 

EVERY club is like that. Besides the elites.

 

Most players are "just passing through".

 

I'm there too

 

It needs to be the right manager that we retain for multiple seasons, not just one who isn't a target to be poached by another club because he's not good enough.

The manner in which a club ends a season is more important, and more telling, than the manner in which it begins one. Collins has managed to do so badly in this regard that it already feels like his position is untenable in the eyes of many supporters. Regardless of the outcome of Saturday's game, or arguably the play-off campaign that might follow it, the fact that we've reached this stage from the position we held when we played Bolton, is an abject failure on Collins' part. It would take something pretty spectacular in however many games we have left to convince me that retaining him for another season would be anything other than an act of self-harm by the club.

 

Were drfting back to the old question that was asked many times under Chein and Conway...
Why are these people actually at our club..?
Couldn't answer it then and can't answer it now...

 

All clubs sell players and lots of players join clubs to use them as a springboard but Barnsley take it to a new level let's be real.

How many of the current side (bar the young lads on fringes of the side from the academy) have been here more than 2 years? We can't retain anyone at all. We sign a new squad near enough every other season.

Williams
Kane

Those are the only ones I can think of myself. And Kane was out on loan for at least one of the seasons we had him.

Everyone else is in their first or second season here. Those two mentioned are also out of contract too this summer so will most likely leave and will be replaced again by some more new players.

Everyone and everything here is an asset they want to use as a sale, we have no continuity whatsoever because absolutely everything has a buyout and we market ourselves as this place to come to be a stepping stone so people come with that in mind and leave at the first opportunity.

 

Very good point, it just appears that we seem to do this more than most other clubs.....I have no idea on the other clubs (because I can't be bothered doing the research) but it does seem we sell / release a good 4 to 5 key players every season as an avarage, then struggle to bring in adequate replacements.
The replacements last summer were a disaster.
I really want to believe our board are trying to change things and I imho their heart and passion is in the right place, its just it will take a long time to alter our model (if they even want to) to reconstuct our club. There are some encouraging signs in the way they have employed fans groups, CEO and DOF ......let's hope all the cogs work and the machinery work but I feel it may be a medium term thing minimum (5 years) to see benefit from it and not everyone will have the patience.

 

Aside from the four first team starters that are going to leave for nothing. Should we have retained Mads and made that five? Maybe. Or forced Kitching to stay despite him wanting out and there being good money on the table? Perhaps.But that's basically £9m you're asking the board to stump up, on top of what they've already put in. And if you think recruitment was bad last summer, when players start thinking Barnsley isn't a stepping stone in their career but instead a dead end we're not going to be able to attract anyone half decent.

 

I'm not saying don't sell anyone and I've never criticized the sale of those two at all.

But where is the continuity? As I said on my post. We've got literally nobody that's been here for more than a season or two. How are we supposed to build any form of success when we are constantly trading players non stop?

We need to sell a few for good fees like Mads and Kitching and use the funds to retain other good players we have and keep building. But we don't.

 

I was the same but I'm getting frustrated by our inability to defend even the simplest of set pieces and inability to pass it forwards with any urgency. There 's only Earl.who attempts to get it forward of the defenders and I've a horrible feeling it'll be coached our of him by next season! My main concern is , as others have said, I'd are any players improving under his coaching?

 

Yes, I've thought about that too! If he'd inherited a strong squad I'd be with you completely but given the dreadful recruitment last summer I don't think he did and so I'm prepared to give him the chance when some of the very obvious deficiencies are hopefully sorted out this summer.

 

Yes, I get that and our inability to do it, along with the style of play being so out of character with the history of the club and the DNA of the town tbh, are the things that make me question him the most. But I'm just desperate for some continuity and someone having the opportunity to build something. Given Kane, Cadden, Cole, Williams are very likely to go, along with McAtee and Roberts obviously, I hope this may be the start of the building process, signing players not solely so that they can be sold at the first opportunity but to build a team. On the other hand, I struggle to see the ROI for the owners unless the buy to sell model continues and so I can't help thinking it won't happen. As you can tell - I'm conflicted!

 

Yep, I agree with all of that @Sheriff. I think his position is untenable for many fans and inevitably that will impact ST sales and unless they start well next season, pay on the day sales too. If the financial impact is too big their hand may well be forced. I think the "Your support is key as we move towards a new campaign..." messaging in the ST emails being sent almost daily at the moment is much more than a call to action this year. My belief that some continuity is essential if we are to progress is undoubtedly influencing my thinking.
Some difficult decisions to be made by the Board in the coming days and weeks.....

 

One easy decision they can make is to extend the early bird for another 2 weeks at least. Not doing so is financial suicide.

 

Am I being a bit cynical here? When the objective of the club is to improve players and sell them for more money after they've been 'improved' , surely it follows that the recruitment of poor players is also part of the master plan.
Jeez, it sounded terrible when I was thinking it, but when I see it in writing it almost disgusts me!