Nick Hilton article

[Rockford's Love Child]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...se-rovers-falling-short-expectations-11294075

I have attached above a link to a Nick Hilton article in today's Echo which again places the blame for our failure this season firmly with the supporters, a familiar line that has been peddled once too often. I did have a lot of respect for Nick, but I am rapidly losing it after a number of his recent articles.

You can judge the piece for yourselves, but 80% of it relates solely to the behaviour of supporters; there are a couple of paragraphs at the end which highlight some of the deficiencies in performances, without expanding on them. Not balanced or objective journalism. I appreciate that local journalists are afraid of upsetting clubs for fear of losing access, but if they can't print something rational or objective it probably is not worth bothering. I wonder if Everton supporters have come in for the same criticism for their near-identical home record this season ? No, I did not think so. Obviously as we are smaller in number we are an easy target.

The paragraph comparing us to the modern day, middle-class, consumer-fan particularly annoyed me. If we fitted that description, does he seriously think we would be paying hundreds of pounds a year to watch non-league football with Anfield and Old Trafford on our doorstep ?

I will say it again. We have some of the best and most loyal supporters in the country, who have put up with utter dross in recent years and yet still come back in their numbers for more of the same.

 

[Sparky]

Spot on RLC. The article is utter dross.

Our fans are like no others. We have a small minority of idiots who often out shout the majority.

Also, any team losing home matches like we have this season, especially after successive delegations, would have some element of booing. I don't do it but can understand why others do.

 

[Boz]

I don't see how this blinkered article helps anyone. Nick Hilton has previously produced a few articles in similar vein, while ignoring the poor football and tactics at home, a sharp contrast with the attractive attacking football we were initially promised. It follows on from Mark Palios' ill-judged comments in the Wrexham programme and I hope there is not tacit support from the club for this, as it certainly won't generate extra season-ticket sales.

 

[Ian]

7/10 performances! How many games has he witnessed at home this season? If you're looking for someone to blame for our underachievement turn on the supporters, the only ones that do really care. Clown..

 

[Cowshed Kid]

I wondered who'd be the first to post!
Awful article.
So the team's failures at home are our fault?
How naive of me not to see that.
7/10? I wouldn't give a 4.
But I'm not a boo boy....for me, if you're going to boo you may as well sit in the opposite end.
I always feel sorry for 'the club' when they do special promotions for home games, cheap admission etc, and anyone turning up as a result sees a pathetic game. Or rather sees what, to us, appears a half hearted performance.
Over the last three seasons I really can count on one hand the number of memorable home games.
Rarely do we go home with a feelgood factor after someone has had a good smacking.
My son and I will still renew our tickets next season, like thousands of others, and perhaps an article now about such loyalty wouldn't go amiss.
Prenton Park shouldn't be a nice little jolly for away teams but it is and I fail to see why that's my fault.
As an aside, (and I say this as someone who was brought up over the water in the 60s as a blue) I think Evertonians have been as equally tolerant as us. Though I don't think we've put on such spineless, gutless performances as blues did in derby and last night!
Nice to see Pennington getting a shout. Played right back for us but I recall him being a makeshift centre half in an away game and he was outstanding.
And still offbeam, for which I apologise, I've seen articles linking Boro's Gibson with blues if/when Stones goes. He always looked a class act when with us, even at such a young age.
What would we give now for him, Palmer in the middle and an inform Cassidy?
See Forest Green made it to final. Theirs and (likely) Braintree's aggregate of five thousand fans will grace Wembley.
But their fans deserve a smiley moment....unlike our own apparently.

 

[Ian]

I always feel sorry for 'the club' when they do special promotions for home games, cheap admission etc, and anyone turning up as a result sees a pathetic game. Or rather sees what, to us, appears a half hearted performance.

Spot on Cowshed Kid. This has happened for years and those that chose to part with their hard earned money won't be back. The club first and foremost need to make sure the team are putting in decent performances at home which might actually then result in putting more bums on seats.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Interesting that the Everton manager was sacked today following the threat of supporter protests at their player of the year event and their final home game against Norwich. Banners have already been held up by supporters at Goodison and a plane flew over a couple of weeks ago telling Roberto to do one.

The response of the Liverpool Echo ?

No criticism of the supporters at any stage, just the acknowledgement that Everton's home form and style of play were unacceptable and he had to go. Contrast this with the Echo's attitude (or one journalist's at least) towards Rovers supporters. Despite an equally appalling home record, four tiers below Everton and two divisions below our 'natural' level, there has been no genuine supporter protest, no plane fly-bys, merely a subdued atmosphere at home games. Yet, Rovers supporters have been vilified simply for criticising the tactics of a manager whose home record was as poor as Martinez's.

Rather than being patient and relatively civilised (as I think we are) perhaps we should adopt the same tactics as the Everton supporters ? Or maybe having a a crowd of 40,000 gives you strength in numbers where the media are concerned that 'little' Tranmere don't have.

 

[drwhoman]

Not a good idea to criticise the fans of a big club - there are too many influential people to upset. Far easier to pick on Tranmere. Conspiracy theorists might also want to look at the personal relationship between the journalist and club management. Far easier to get an interview with Gary as opposed to Roberto me thinks.

 

[Ian]

It certainly is a case of strength in numbers and the high profile of the club. That echo article angers me more and more by the week.

 

[Mal]

To be fair, there are a number of idiots who pretend to be fans. At Braintree away,there was one videoing the game on his phone whilst giving a running commentary slagging off a few of Tranmere's players. When he got bored with that be spent quite some time slagging off Braintree's goalkeeper whilst not really watching the game. At Prenton park, there has been more than one supporter who think that the purpose of attending is to yell obscenities at certain players.

I first attended a game in around 1967 and don't recall so much vitriol until the last few years. Frustration yes but not personal attacks.

Having said that, a lot of home performances HAVE been awful and the players should still be thick skinned enough to perform to a level that will limit the abuse. Brabin also needs to take a course in media presentation and stop being so miserable. Maybe he should watch Klopp ;0)

I also think it is tedious to have players in a press interview admitting the team played badly and they are all up for next game only to lose it in an awful display.

Mind you, they did reverse the trend of being near bottom and were one win away from playoffs. A long time since Tranmere still had something to play for in the last three games.

I follow other threads and someone said they had written toMark. I thought that is a good idea so I have done the same. I have a feeling I will be writing to ask why there has been no reply!

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Brabin also needs to take a course in media presentation and stop being so miserable. Maybe he should watch Klopp ;0)

Yes, I honestly think the best thing he can do during the close season is to get some media training. I'm not suggesting he becomes a spin doctor, just that he projects his personality a bit more. Apparently those who have spent time with him find him open and friendly, but this just doesn't come across. He just seems grumpy - very grumpy when we lose, not so grumpy when we win. Klopp's done good things at Liverpool, but there have been a few bad results. But it seems he gets away with it because of his engaging personality and ability to show empathy with the fans.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Going even more off topic but too lazy to start a new thread, I was pretty astounded to hear that Quique Sanchez Flores had been sacked. So, a mid-table finish and FA Cup semi-final is not good enough for Watford's Italian owners? They did the same thing to the guy who got them promoted last season. No doubt they think good managers grow on trees. As a Rovers fan, I beg to differ.

 

[drwhoman]

Yes. BBTC. Sadly, as we both know, historically Watford are not a 'top' team. They reflect money. As we have seen at our level wealthy owners seem to think money brings a right to success. FGR are a case in point. Back on Nick Hilton an Echo search says he lives in Wallasey and has reported Rovers for many years so he does not even have the excuse of being a green young reporter. No doubt he also finds Gary a friendly guy!

 

[Mal]

Statistically, Gary has the best set of results for a Tranmere manager for years regardless of entertainment value. He has come in when Tranmere has been relegated and he has started afresh. He may not have a media personality but he did actually stop the 'rot'. I may have been flippant in my personality comment but if he has steadied the ship, should we not just stop moaning and give him more time? If money is everything, why don't we just give up and admit having a team is futile unless we get a billionaire like Leicester has? I think we have too many halcyon days supporters! I have seen enough to know that one season or even half a season can be significantly different to another so I am happy to see how Gary does next season. After all, with our budget who the ££));; else can we get that is available?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Mal, our budget was probably the third highest in the division last season, massively higher than Dover's or Braintree's. We did not have our 'best season for years' as we were playing non league football for the first time in a century, not comparable with our top half finishes in league one in recent years. i can understand palios' reasons for giving brabin another season but he has underperformed and must do better next season.

 

[bigmart]

Mal, our budget was probably the third highest in the division last season, massively higher than Dover's or Braintree's. We did not have our 'best season for years' as we were playing non league football for the first time in a century, not comparable with our top half finishes in league one in recent years. i can understand palios' reasons for giving brabin another season but he has underperformed and must do better next season.

Totally agree with this. If we had been more attacking and positive at home we would have at least made the play offs which for me was the minimum requirement.

 

[Mal]

there are a significant number of ex-non League in the current league 2 and 1. And one about to go to championship. And vice versa. Cannot be that bad a league. Just league 5 really. I need to check but don't we have mostly ex-non league players with a few higher league but past prime players, as well as inexperienced youth?

And if lower budget teams such as Accrington can over perform, why couldn't we with all the managers we have had since Aldridge? We have a "DNA" problem.

I agree we need a tacticly-astute motivator but even on our budget I think it is a challenge to get them unless we just strike lucky. Our other option at the beginning of the season ended up below us.....

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

My approach on this is not to dwell on the past but also to think about what might be different in the future if we stick with Brabin. It's interesting to note that Burnley and Hull both stuck with their managers after relegation a year ago and both teams could be back in the Premier League next season. On the other hand, Leicester sacked the manager who saved them from relegation and we all know what happened. In Brabin's case, my concern is what is likely to improve next season? I doubt he will be able to afford or attract better players. He is unlikely to change his tactics at home. (If so, surely he would have done so by mid-season.) The league will be just as competitive with the likes of FGR or Grimsby, Wrexham, Lincoln etc. and the minnows will still treat their trip to PP like their cup final. No, GB is an experienced manager who doesn't seem to be learning from experience any more. That's why I'm pessimistic for next season. However, in MP's position, I can see one or two good reasons for leaving him in place.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

there are a significant number of ex-non League in the current league 2 and 1. And one about to go to championship. And vice versa. Cannot be that bad a league. Just league 5 really. I need to check but don't we have mostly ex-non league players with a few higher league but past prime players, as well as inexperienced youth?

And if lower budget teams such as Accrington can over perform, why couldn't we with all the managers we have had since Aldridge? We have a "DNA" problem.

I agree we need a tacticly-astute motivator but even on our budget I think it is a challenge to get them unless we just strike lucky. Our other option at the beginning of the season ended up below us.....

the majority of the ex non league teams in the football League have been bankrolled to get to where they are. There is a clear correlation between wage budget and success at all levels of football. Accrington are the exception that proves the rule. When we were in league one Moore and Parry operated on very low budgets for that level and did reasonably well. We now have an exceptionally large budget for the level we are at and our performance has been mediocre. Brabin must do better next season.

 

[Mal]

I cannot disagree with your last comment!