I don't want to be controversial or negative but just where do we stand after all of the self imposed changes to our dynamics to quote our new goffer. So the dust has settled, our very experienced Championship manager, Steve Cotterill who succeeded in saving us from relegation in season one, winning the JPT trophy and made us the Champions of League one and got us promoted in season two and we sacked him in season three taking his 352 system with him. Lee Johnson has now taken over the helm as head coach, which we have all accepted because we have no where else to go, big compensation has been agreed with Barnsley to obtain his services and limited experience and a large settlement must have been offered for the remainder of his contract to Cotterill for which he is entitled because we sacked him, so where are we as a club or as the new buzz word is project now. We have the same owner, same players, same coaching and medical staff, same board members, same senior managerial suits in place, oh just one exception, we have one additional very expensive goffer in place, Mark Ashton. We have paid out very large compensation 2 ways, we have one very young man in charge with absolutely no Championship experience in charge of our destiny, now we are all supposed to be impressed and believe that major changes have taken place and we are in for bright new vistas and new future. I'm sorry but all as I see is more of the same old, same old with just 2 yes men put in place and nothing else is any different, no major ambition as a football club and we are just sliding into the project of the anonymous Bristol Sport.
The club x Bristol Sport is clearly undergoing massive change. There is nothing same about it. What would be different would be the owner of it all adhering to the strategy and structure that is being put in place instead of short termism. Johnson - Millen - Coppell - Mc Innes - O'Driscoll - Cotterill - Johnson. The latter club in structure is totally different to the former. And its the same in the middle. The only consistency is the lack of one. Models such as that at Southampton are set on fundamental principles that are in place decade to decade and improved. It is a very different case at BCFC.
Agree. Everything in BS3 all seems as incoherent, mismanaged, muddled and rudderless as usual. For all the compensation we've spent on getting rid of and recruiting (stealing) Managers, you'd think we could have got a proper one. Maybe I'm pre-judging LJ.... I do want him to succeed, but I do wonder what might have been had we not employed another pointless suit and an untried L1 Manager. Maybe we'd have gotten someone who would stand up to Lansdown and point out where we are going wrong. However I suspect that's exactly why we now LJ in charge of as Lansdown wont want to face awkward questions from his own staff.
But this pointless suit is no different to Southampton when they used Nicol Cortez (what ever his name is) being an advisor to the Leibhers. Ashton was brought in to oversee all the football matters that was not being monitored previously, if you want to copy a successful progression like Southampton then we need another pointless suit as you put it. I like you Angelic but feel that your issue with Lansdown is sometimes clouding your judgement. You say that Lansdown don't have a clue on footballing matters, so he employs someone who does and still some are not happy. If you look at his resume its not too bad and sometimes you have to give the idea a chance. If it works great if not its Lansdown who's been paying his wages and I suspect he didn't make that much money without having good advisors.
Well, strictly speaking don't Bristol Sport have a place, and you cohabit with SL's first love, Bristol Rugby?
The proof will be in the pudding as the saying goes ROD. Right now none of us know how this will pan out over the next few months, or what level we'll be playing at next season. . So if it backfires spectacularly then we'll all say 'told you so' But if LJ gets us stabilised, we stay up, and make progress next season, then we'll say what a good job Ashton has done and what an inspired appointment it was in bringing Johnson Junior back to the club. But for me, at least so far under Ashtons stewardship, we've got rid of arguably the most successful Manager since Alan Dicks, we then discover that he didn't have a ready successor lined up, and now those in authority have now chosen an ex player who divides opinion amongst fans, and who is totally unproven at this level. So IMHO if these are the actions of someone who knows football, then I'm glad we don't have someone who doesn't.
I hope Junior has his honeymoon at least, but maybe as soon as next season SL will reap what he sowed. Results will go against us, most managers get breathing space but not Junior. Thank God we beat Charlton because it would have started already. It will go from game to game, but I fear Junior's in for it, big time. It's no good fans saying 'give him a chance', it isn't going to happen. On Monday Junior commented, 'the players will have to adapt to my plans'. After our first loss and every other loss : 'the boys didn't follow my instructions'. We heard that before from another with the same name.
Well you could also say that since he has been in post we've got in some players as well as a new manager and climbed out the relegation zone . So not a bad first month really
One day we might choose to travel the scenic route to success and avoid all this acrimony and disharmony. There has to be a better way than this constant befuddled manner in which we approach everything football and never reach our presumed destination.
Well Gladwin has gone back with an injury. It will be interesting to see who LJ picks from the players that were 'chosen' for him before he even arrived. The whole thing with our Manager/Head Coach not necessarily having much of a say in who to bring in makes me uncomfortable.
It just seems angelic that we give ourselves more problems than we know how to handle. The word logical comes to mind but it doesn't appear to be part of the business language at Ashton Gate. Surely if you hire somebody to do a certain job, manager in this case, that person must have something unique to offer otherwise what is the point? My biggest concern is that yet again we could be entering a situation where only one person gets a vote on who or what might happen. The appointment of Lee Johnson came as a shock to a lot of us and only if he is allowed major input as to where we go from here will he succeed. For a lot of reasons I just can't see him getting that kind of support from a person well known for his single mindedness, and I hope I'm wrong. We have spoken many times about what is required to take us forward, but here we are again staring possible relegation in the face with another new manager. It won't get any easier over the next 5 years or so if the League continues to allow the ridiculous parachute payments, designed to prop up the failures, without considering the rest of the Championship teams struggling to compete. The them and us gulf is getting wider by the season and perhaps it will take a protest by all non-favoured teams supporters to show the discontent is spreading.
Out of the relegation zone .. firmly .. is at least 7 points ! Huddersfield are! just .. there is now a clear 3 sections of 8 .. you can at the bottom readily lose 3 or draw a couple on the trot, lower teams can win a couple and its back to nail biting .. 2 wins v 2 losses could turn the bottom of the table upside down!
We need to get 6 or 7 points clear of the last relegation team whilst losing the bottom 2 along the way. That means we could lose 2 games in a row and still not enter the danger zone.
From what I hear Mike there are existing personality conflicts between owner and other members. From this I can only deduce that Ashton is a yes man to the all powerful but even more clueless Lansdown, and the Manager/Head Cook & Bottle Washer or whatever he's to be called this week is a yes man to Ashton. Even more divisions and fractures are likely if further personality clashes come about. All of this harms the football club, it's persona, attractiveness to player and it's public reputation. Under Lansdown this situation has been allowed to develop and fester. He is and has been the only constant and the catalyst for it all. I don't want his money, stadium aside, which let's not forget isn't ours or solely for football he has achieved far less than similar owners. Why ? Because he wont listen ? wont employ people who will challenge his decisions ? I don't know, but it's rotten to the core and wrong on every level we see. Management works best when it's as flat a structure as possible. If Mark Ashton is such a football man then why has he been plying his trade in the 4th Division with Oxford after spells with West Brom and Watford ? Why does he need to tell a Manager who would be a good player for us ? Sell up Landsdown, get out, and take your money with you.
Not in my name. I know he has made mistakes, but there are a lot worse owners out there. I cant think off too many that I would rather have instead of Lansdown.
