I feel sorry for the moaners

[Ned]

This thread is oh so typical of the board .

Some one is either the cure for all our woes (when the team get a result)
or the biggest clown out (when we lose)

and if you don't happen to agree with the populist opinion you will be vilified.

I don't like Wilkins as a manager for my own reasons but (like the others who don't like his management )can accept that the team are heading in the right direction under his helm and will support him, but I wont go saying he's the best manager we've had or the beat thing since sliced bread.

If you disagree with me that's your opinion and you are welcome to it.

 

[Questions]

My take on yesterday, was it was a typical third division game, which we used to see regularily in the days at the Goldstone.

Two not particulary good teams, one better at finishing than the other and a fair result in the end.

The first half was dreadful, neither team really knew what they were supposed to be doing, aimless wafting of the ball forward and players rushing about like headless chickens ( sorry jake, but sometimes you do give that impression).

Baz's goal was well taken, and when Wilkins finally saw what every one of the 5400 in the ground was looking at he made the substitutions required. Forster took the goals well as he should ( he is a proven goalscorer after all) and OCallahan is an infinitely better player at the moment than Frazier( he will be good but he is very raw). The defence look good as we know and the midfield is gelling ( martot looks better and better)

But all in all, if we had lost or drawn, based on that performance Wilkins would have been crucified.

I think people looking for exciting skillful football need to takle a rain check and remember we are in the third division!!!!!

A good summing up showing yet again why you were the best ever analyser SCR have ever had.

 

[Dave the OAP]

A good summing up showing yet again why you were the best ever analyser SCR have ever had.

you are very kind.....

I am actually quite surprised with Budgie, as some of the things he comes out with are more direct that I would have dared!!!!

 

[Kenhead]

Having finished 18th last season, do people really belive we should be winning 3-0 every week and being clear at the top of the table?

We have made massive progress so far this season, we have got more points than even what i thought we would have had at this stage and we have almost equaled last season home wins tally.

Even if we do end up finishing say 10th, thats a big jump from last year. Rome wasn't built in a day and it does feel that people want instant success when people need to be abit more realistic.

On a side note it took Ferguson 7 years to in the Premiership with Manchester United!

 

[NMH]

Having finished 18th last season, do people really belive we should be winning 3-0 every week and being clear at the top of the table?

We have made massive progress so far this season, we have got more points than even what i thought we would have had at this stage and we have almost equaled last season home wins tally.

Even if we do end up finishing say 10th, thats a big jump from last year. Rome wasn't built in a day and it does feel that people want instant success when people need to be abit more realistic.

On a side note it took Ferguson 7 years to in the Premiership with Manchester United!

Proper.

Taking into consideration what DW had to work with (with all due respect to the old veterans who have seen us through so well) and the walking wounded remain the squad was stripped down to (with no money, and no assets left since the last ones were give-aways, and discontented wantaways who were sold for next-to-nothing) he has done fabulously well. Incorporating some of the youth, and building on that - attracting some talent and turning the unlikely lot into a cohesive and relatively successful unit. Although the table makes it look more exciting nowadays, for the lower teams (we are 7th, which would look quite ordinary on the old 3-up table), The Albion have to keep working on things and moving forwards.
Horses for courses - Walsall aren't going to be easy - their away form suggests they don't roll over and take a hiding. For whatever people think about the quality of this division and all that, the match could easily be an exciting, classic evening match.
I, for one, am looking forward to it, and relish the prospect of the contest.

 

[Questions]

Proper.

Taking into consideration what DW had to work with (with all due respect to the old veterans who have seen us through so well) and the walking wounded remain the squad was stripped down to (with no money, and no assets left since the last ones were give-aways, and discontented wantaways who were sold for next-to-nothing) he has done fabulously well. Incorporating some of the youth, and building on that - attracting some talent and turning the unlikely lot into a cohesive and relatively successful unit. Although the table makes it look more exciting nowadays, for the lower teams (we are 7th, which would look quite ordinary on the old 3-up table), The Albion have to keep working on things and moving forwards.
Horses for courses - Walsall aren't going to be easy - their away form suggests they don't roll over and take a hiding. For whatever people think about the quality of this division and all that, the match could easily be an exciting, classic evening match.
I, for one, am looking forward to it, and relish the prospect of the contest.

Agree I still look forward to games when we go on a bit of a run just as much now as when I saw my first game about 40 years ago.
Wilkins had better start with Baz and Forster on tuesday though.

 

[dougdeep]

Certain posters are noticeable by their absence this weekend.

 

[chez]

I really cant see why people are having a go at Yorkie for not liking Wendys management style. Yes some people think we are further up the league than expected but remember this, had we not have changed our manager at all last season then we would most probably be in the Championship at the moment.

Wilkins was my kind of player - creative with a cultured left boot but I'm still not impressed by his managerial ability.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I really cant see why people are having a go at Yorkie for not liking Wendys management style. Yes some people think we are further up the league than expected but remember this, had we not have changed our manager at all last season then we would most probably be in the Championship at the moment.

Wilkins was my kind of player - creative with a cultured left boot but I'm still not impressed by his managerial ability.

I think some people are a little deluded when they think McGhee would have automatically gained us promotion. It was quite clear that we were in a state of decline since we narrowly survived relegation, maybe before that when we lost some key players (Currie etc.). I was keen to see McGhee stay in charge as I naively thought that we struggled to sign players due to finances, Withdean etc. As it turns out, Wilkins has been a fairly big draw to a variety players.

I think some people are underestimating how big a job this is and we have had to rebuild the Micky Adams team that was slowly but surely disappearing. Last season was always going to be a bout regrouping and trying to plug the holes with some signings. Signings that were relatively fruitless with McGhee in charge. In one of the programmes Dean was talking about changing the whole footballing set up. Different preperations, different wind downs, totally different attitudes to the game. It is going to be a gradual process, but I feel that the Wilkins revolution may be just the ticket. Considering our youth set up had been ignored for so long during the Archer days, I think the club can be very proud of what they have achieved with the youth squad, Dean very much included.

 

[DJ Leon]

I really cant see why people are having a go at Yorkie for not liking Wendys management style. Yes some people think we are further up the league than expected but remember this, had we not have changed our manager at all last season then we would most probably be in the Championship at the moment.

Wilkins was my kind of player - creative with a cultured left boot but I'm still not impressed by his managerial ability.

The obvious question though is: what are you basing this view of Wilkins on?

I myself have had my doubts about him, but if he keeps getting results (and we're on an excellent run at the moment) what can you possibly criticise him for? It's alright saying we don't play attractive football or we don't like his team selection or substitutions, but let's be honest in the face of a spate of decent results it looks ridiculous.

 

[saltash seagull]

Yes some people think we are further up the league than expected but remember this, had we not have changed our manager at all last season then we would most probably be in the Championship at the moment.
.

what a load of rubbish

what exactly are you basing this on chez?

 

[Icy Gull]

I didn't/don't like Micky Adams but he did a great job, is this the same dislike as people constantly having little digs at DW?

The manager is not there to be liked though and to keep saying you don't like him all the time he's getting the results just sounds plain churlish to me. Best wait 'till he fails again to stick the knife in eh?

 

[chez]

The obvious question though is: what are you basing this view of Wilkins on?

I myself have had my doubts about him, but if he keeps getting results (and we're on an excellent run at the moment) what can you possibly criticise him for? It's alright saying we don't play attractive football or we you don't like his team selection or substitutions, but let's be honest in the face of a spate of decent results it looks ridiculous.

Yeah, I can see where you're coming from, we have had some decent results recently and it s hard to critise but it STILL just doesn't sit right with me. I just have no confidence in him, he HAS made strange decisions as far as subs are concerned (as did managers before him) and I'm still not sure on his people skills. I dont know maybe it will just take time, its not as if he had a manergerial track record on which we could base our ideas.

Without wanting to open up a can of worms I think it still has something to do with McGhees sacking. I get the impression that the people that wanted MM to stay took the DW appointment as a step backwards & will without an outstanding season from him & the team still have their doubts, whereas the McGhee outers were of the impression that it couldnt get any worse so were happy to put there faith in Wendy

 

[chez]

what a load of rubbish

what exactly are you basing this on chez?

Rubbish Dont get how you can say that, but in answer to your question I am basing it on the fact that a strongly believe that Mark McGhee would have got us promoted last season despite a below average start to the season.

 

[saltash seagull]

he HAS made strange decisions as far as subs are concerned (as did managers before him) and I'm still not sure on his people skills

i would have said these were 2 of mcghee's faults though

 

[saltash seagull]

Rubbish Dont get how you can say that, but in answer to your question I am basing it on the fact that a strongly believe that Mark McGhee would have got us promoted last season despite a below average start to the season.

that is some statement !

i dont think there was a hope of mcghee getting us promoted last season but then we are all open to our own opinions

 

[chez]

i would have said these were 2 of mcghee's faults though

I know I'm going to be in the minority here but I honestly dont think McGhee had bad people skills. He fell out with 3 players, but I think all those times it has been the players fault and not McGhees. You can be the best in the world at people management but you still wont keep everyone happy.

Wilkins seems to make strange decisions to critise players, young ones at that, in public. There doesnt seem to be much tact there, maybe that will come in time though.

On the substitutions point, I have to agree McGhee at times did make some strange decisions.

 

[saltash seagull]

On the substitutions point, I have to agree McGhee at times did make some strange decisions.

as you said just about every manager makes strange substitutions at times

im in the undecided about wilkins section

gernerally i think he's doing ok,dont think he helps himself with his coaching staff though to be honest

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Proper.

Taking into consideration what DW had to work with (with all due respect to the old veterans who have seen us through so well) and the walking wounded remain the squad was stripped down to (with no money, and no assets left since the last ones were give-aways, and discontented wantaways who were sold for next-to-nothing) he has done fabulously well. QUOTE]

That is complete rubbish. Which discontented wantaways were sold for next to nothing other than Kazim-Richards. We made a profit on Knight, which is more than Swansea can say. I think that was a great deal for us at the time. Out of interest would you count Henderson as a discontented wantaway who left for next to nothing, as he left under Wilkins.

I am really pleased that we are winning games this season that we were losing last year but lets not get carried away. We are not playing well at the moment. Last week we should not have left it until the last minute to win and yesterday Luton were on top for the first half hour. After Walsall, we have Orient, Carlisle, Forest and Donny in the league and that will be the real test. If we are still around the play offs then, we will have done well. I don't understand the problem with people saying they are not convinced by Wilkins. That does not mean I want him sacked, it just means that he has done okay but not fantastically well. I am prepared to give him time (which McGhee was not given by some fans last season).

I still cannot believe the abuse McGhee gets from some people on here. McGhee in his time at the club had to sell Virgo, Harding, Currie and Cullip to keep the club going. How many players has Wilkins had to sell?

 

[BensGrandad]

anyone can say that though! Unless you are prepared to say what info you had and who gave it to you why bring it up?

!

I have no great affection for Yorkie as we have had many disagreements on here but if she was told something by somebody connected with the club in confidence you should not expect her to divulge her source. I have been told things and mentioned it and it has brought me no end of problems but I would still not divulge my source if I thought that they had told me in good faith and they had specifically said they didnt mind the story coming out but not attributed to them..