Seems as if players are going to arrive,SC says he is holding back on the team photo until his signings arrive. taken from his latest blog- Although Cotterill and director of football Keith Burt are working around the clock in a bid to strengthen the squad, City have shelved plans to take their annual eve-of-season team photograph at Ashton Gate. Traditionally taken in the week leading up to the new season, the photograph will be postponed until such time as the Championship newcomers have bolstered their squad. sounds more promising.
He also stated in the same article... BRISTOL City manager Steve Cotterill is standing by his principles and refusing to make panic signings in the interests of having what he describes as a "good team photo." Depends how you read it..
Usually not only has the team photo been taken but the squad numbers have been announced. It wouldn't take too much imagination to work out most of them though. With our first game kicking off in 5 days, it is cutting it a bit fine.
Disrupting the photo op is a classic retaliation move against the owners. Story time. Mourinho had just joined Chelsea, and the club were on tour. They were to have their team photo somewhere in America, when the players started kicking off over sponsorship money not being paid to them. The sponsors were there, and everything was set up. Mourinho overheard the players talking to John Terry about boycotting the photo, and as a result he ordered the entire team back onto the bus. He then relayed the message that his team wouldn't be coming off until their bonuses were paid in full. Half an hour later, their bonuses were sorted, and the team came out for their photo. Moves like this are why players have been willing to die for Mourinho. The team photo is often important because the sponsors are down for the day too, and are keen to start getting photos for their own purposes. The players are there for a full hour or two sorting out the typical contractual bullshit that comes with being a part of a professional football team. With all the talk of politics, I reckon Cotterill is playing his hand to get the signings he wants in. If so, fair play. It's good to see a City manager sticking to their guns instead of blindly following the board.
Sounds a lot like GREED on the part of the Chelsea lot to me Ender. Let's hope that never happens down in BS3.
I bet it happens absolutely everywhere. In their case it's probably greed, but if the manager (or captain for that matter) doesn't side with the players how can he expect them to work for him? I'd be shocked if similar things didn't happen at Bristol City.
