I honestly can't believe that some people are accepting this as par for the course, that it was entirely coincidental being announced our Assistant Manager happened to toddle off to our opposition the day before we played them.
Not only was the timing of the leak very much intended, but I also believe CC was pursued for the very reason Villa perceive us as their greatest threat to an automatic, and any attempt to unsettle us would be welcomed. Let's be honest, the Assistant Manager role is not that impacting and they could have easily gone for quite a few other candidates, but they chose CH's right hand man and have undoubtedly thrown their financial clout at him. Before you know it, our players are thinking to themselves if management **** off to a 'bigger' club for more money, then why the **** shouldn't I, and the harmony is gone.
They did a job on us mentally. If you saw TB with bruce before the game, and CH with him after the game then you'd know that both our manager and owner are not happy people right now, and that quite obviosly trickled down to our players who looked devoid of confidence from minute 1. Within 10 mins of the game starting, we had already handed over possession in midfield half a dozen times and AK had tackled himself on the right wing more than once. It was plainly obvious where the game was going and i'm very thankful for a point under the circumstances.
You have to hand it to bruce, I thought the man was a **** before but he's an effective ****. Check out his sky interview where he says "and we just happened to be playing them ho ho", you wouldn't believe how disingenuous it is. He wants his promotion bonus and he doesn't give a shit who he has to piss off to get it. Sometimes I wish CH wasn't so graceful, but then I realise that's why he's great.
I just hope we can move past this and regroup before Fulham, as they will be no pushover.
Your post is an absolutely brilliant post but if the Chairman, the manager or the players dwell on it as long as it took you to write it then it will affect us mentally. We need to move on.
I jokingly said last night, ''I'm here to apply for the Assistant Managers Job'' (didn't even get an interview ! ) - it broke the ice and we laughed and then moved on and that's what needs to be done by everyone. Chris will find a replacement in due course and then we continue chasing the points we need to get promoted. The incident is needs to be over if we want to get back to business