Rovers v Wrexham

[drwhoman]

I agree Ian but do we need to wait until the last game? It is now highly unlikely that we will make the play offs unless we win both games and the others lose all theirs! MP should be thinking about alternatives now so they can be brought in asap to get first dibs at the decent players that become available.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

You can't get rid of a manager while we still have a mathematical chance of the play offs. In any case, I doubt brabin is going anywhere. More is the pity.

 

[drwhoman]

You are right RLC - very frustrating! Have a good week everyone!

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Not a match day post as such but following on from earlier...
It does beggar belief for us SWA that a smaller club like Cheltenham, no disrespect to them, have geared themselves for this season so much better. How and why? MP needs to pay them a visit!
I think what's galling is that they were probably worse than us last season....marginally!
Perhaps their choice of manager?

Definitely their choice of manager.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

You can't get rid of a manager while we still have a mathematical chance of the play offs. In any case, I doubt brabin is going anywhere. More is the pity.

I now expect GB to go before the end of the season, once we are mathematically out of the play-offs. The supporters are disenchanted, so season ticket sales will suffer. This season has had few high points. We couldn't even make progress in the FA Cup or the FA Trophy. Nothing to cheer. I can't see next season being any better. If GB has a long contract, it may be tempting to give him a few games next season, but he's an experienced manager and so his man management and team tactics are not likely to change. Given the budgets they have, at least half the managers in the NL have done a better job than GB.

 

[Ian]

Mathmatically this could go down to the last game so no doubt we'll be putting up with the opposition celebrating getting into the playoffs rubbing our noses in it.

Our fortunes have to change some time, right?

 

[Boz]

Brabin's post-match remarks suggest he hasn't given up on the play-offs, but short of the points fairy coming to our rescue, I can't see it.

While I agree with BBTC about fielding some youngsters in the last games, the above suggests that won't happen.

 

[Ian]

Brabin's post-match remarks suggest he hasn't given up on the play-offs, but short of the points fairy coming to our rescue, I can't see it.

In fairness, I think most managers would say the same if there's still a chance. If he turns round and says we've got little to no chance then he only gets accused of being negative.

 

[Mal]

Personally, I think it is all down to motivation and will to win. The majority of clubs who visited PP gave 110% whilst Tranmere seem to run (tempted to say potter around) at 75%

I don't know what the answer is, apart from a Ferguson-type manager. The malaise has been there since the relegation days of Championship. Certain players like Norwood have given of their best but not the majority. It is almost like they expect to win by turning up.

We could also do with a Captain who really can motivate.


Of course, it may be the poor tactics employed by Brabin..... Square pegs in round holes and all that.

Probably a mixture of all the above.

Btw sorry, you are right , I forgot about Bristol Rovers, but in general it has been hard for clubs to go straight back up. The amount of ex-national League clubs currently in the League is significant. Suggests the gap is closing in quality.

 

[roverstillidie]

No surprise in this result, as a long-distance supporter I'm not going to bothering going again until Brabin is gone. The obscene comments by Palios about the fans have helped make my mind up as well - disgusting stuff. Why doesn't he look at the clown he's employed and his bizarre tactics? Rather than lashing out at the fans! If Johnson/Butler had come out with that there would be a riot!

 

[Boz]

In fairness, I think most managers would say the same if there's still a chance. If he turns round and says we've got little to no chance then he only gets accused of being negative.

I'd accept that Ian, but his post-match comments suggested that we played well and Wrexham very lucky to gain the 3 points. I'd concede that on our second half showing a draw would have been fair, but our performance was poor.

Don't think anyone posting on here thinks we've a cat in hell's chance of making the play-offs?

 

[Ian]

I agree Boz, but the fans can get away with being a bit more realistic. His assessment of the game was poor considering they had the better chances and we managed one shot on target all game. I was just making the point from a managers perspective about the remaining games.

I don't even think GB is that naive to think we have a chance but sadly they have to come out with the usual clap trap for the media.

Roverstillidie, what were the comments in the programme?

 

[Sparky]

Make the play offs Boz? Highly unlikely.

Wouldn't surprise me if we get a win at Eastleigh given our away form. But we still need to hope Braintree slip up and Eastleigh don't win their other games.

I just can't see it and reckon the players are already booking their summer holidays for mid May.

I'd be Interested what MP said in the programme and also GB post match too about the fans negativity.

 

[drwhoman]

MP has done a tremendous amount for the club (where would we be financially without him (?) and there are positives with the new training ground etc) and he is clearly a fan. He will be disappointed like the rest of us. However, he owes it to himself, Nicola and the fans to be clear eyed about it all. Is GB really the guy to take us back into Div Two? He is very experienced and yet there are huge question marks against his tactical acumen and his man management. We will see!

 

[drwhoman]

I could have added fan management as well! (LOL!).

 

[Sparky]

9 home defeats, out of FA Trophy first round and didn't even qualify for the FA Cup. All with a £1m budget.

All the posh lounges and comedy nights at PP can't gloss over that.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Like Sparky, I can see us winning at Eastleigh but I don't think other results will go our way. We need Braintree to either lose one, or draw both, of their remaining two games. I think they will get a point at Wrexham and comfortably beat a dreadful Alty side.

To answer a question that was asked above, Palios strongly implied - but did not explicitly state - that the atmosphere from the fans at PP is the major cause of our poor home form. He is wrong, and I think it is insulting to our loyal supporters to suggest it is. Our fans are no worse or better than any other club's and the atmosphere at PP this season - with the exception of a couple of games in November - has simply been subdued, not aggressive. We have a minority of idiots like most clubs, but they are a minority and don't warrant an article in the programme tarring us all with the same brush.

The major cause of the poor home form is the inept tactics - and apparently poor motivational skills - of the manager. As I have said previously, it is fine to call on the fans for superb backing if the club itself at least acknowledges the coaching staff and players have got it horribly wrong at home this season and need to do something about it.

I was really annoyed by that article. Palios has done incredible things off the pitch, for which I am very grateful. However, he is new to the football side of the job of chairman - hiring and firing managers, communicating with supporters - and he shows naivety at times. The season is likely to end in failure and an article like that will just make up the minds of a lot of fans doubting whether they will renew their season tickets. You just don't pee off your own customers in that way. The home form can be addressed by those within the club. We are no different to Wrexham or Grimsby who have big home gates, a lot of 'expectation', and yet manage to score goals and win home matches.

What the club need to bear in mind is that after two relegations, we have now had another season where the home form has effectively been relegation form. Two of the bottom four have lost fewer home games than us. The vast majority of supporters only see home matches, so the satisfaction of supporters and the relationship between the fans and the manager can't improve until the home form improves.

Whatever else had happened this season, our home form in itself is sufficient justification for sacking Brabin.

 

[Boz]

This is a precis of Mark Palios' programme note;
Supporting a winning side is easy
Crowd can make a difference when back to wall either by lifting them to better things or making them more likely to retreat into their shells and less likely to show for a ball
Two factors in this season's performances better away than at home and better in second than first half
If we go a goal down statistically a good chance of winning
When we go down we need SWA to be at it's noisiest not voicing frustration. Need players and supporters to go the full 90 minutes
Issue of supporters turning on players is not new and references Chairman's comments in Kingys testimonial back in 1967
If things don't run smoothly, hold off your criticism for 90 minutes
Won't blame the fans for a defeat, but they can earn a big slice of credit for a victory

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

This is a precis of Mark Palios' programme note;
Supporting a winning side is easy
Crowd can make a difference when back to wall either by lifting them to better things or making them more likely to retreat into their shells and less likely to show for a ball
Two factors in this season's performances better away than at home and better in second than first half
If we go a goal down statistically a good chance of winning
When we go down we need SWA to be at it's noisiest not voicing frustration. Need players and supporters to go the full 90 minutes
Issue of supporters turning on players is not new and references Chairman's comments in Kingys testimonial back in 1967
If things don't run smoothly, hold off your criticism for 90 minutes
Won't blame the fans for a defeat, but they can earn a big slice of credit for a victory

And no mention of any of the tactical failings that have led to the poor home form and what the manager intends to do about it. Not a balanced assessment (the article, not your interpretation !).

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Whether MP has a point or not (and I haven't been to PP this season so can't comment), these comments seem unwise for the reasons RLC gives. The fans have had a lot to endure over the last three seasons, particularly at home.

You won't be surprised that even I can't remember reading the 1967 programme, but to set it in context Rovers had just won promotion for the first time since the war after missing out by a single place at the end of each of the two previous seasons. I do remember the frustration this caused and fans were saying the board "didn't want promotion". However, the situation is quite different. These were three relatively successful seasons and the team were scoring goals and winning games, particularly at home. (Can you believe we dropped only 4 points at home in 64/65?) Dave Russell produced some attacking sides - Barry Dyson, John Manning, George Yardley. I don't remember the fans turning on the team.