Wilkins O'Meter

[Uncle Spielberg]

To be fair I have been harsh on Wilkins but I have been very supportive of previous Albion managers, all of them, infact I have supported previous Albion managers to the hilt when they were getting slagged off on NSC such as Taylor and McGhee and the only other Albion manager I gave a hard time to was Hinshelwood. The first 3 home games have made me reassess Wilkins a bit but its early days. No not confuse criticising things to not being a supporter I don't go along with that or 50% of the people who post on here are not supporters for slagging McGhee off and undermining him if we follow that rule. It seems Wilkins because he played for the club and has been here for years is above criticism from certain quarters. I have given posts praising Wilkins like the latest 2 but overall his record is still quite poor. I am a 100% passionate Albion fan of 35 years. I don't think REMF has anything to do with this but if you feel that I am sorry. Its a game of opinions and I have never started insulting other members of NSC I only ever comment on the club good or bad. Some people feel the need to make it personal. I apologise for my comments as an insult to an insult is not the way forward. Please allow a debate of opinions and allow that to continue.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

He annoys me mate.He has nothing nice to say about Wilkins,the club etc.Do we need fans like him?
I'm not alone in this EP

The first half of football was in my opinion the best football Brighton & Hove Albion have played since they came back to Withdean 8 years ago. The football was breathtaking. Brighton absolutely battered Millwall. If it were a boxing match the Millwall corner would have thrown in the towel after 30 minutes. Several players excelled themselves, Cox was outstanding with a wonder goal, Hammond is developing again into a top midfielder , both those players could hold their own in the Championship. The desire to get the ball, play attacking football and win was there for all to see. The second half was inevitably not up to the first half, how could it be , but it was in a similar vein. Millwall huffed and puffed without doing anything and we could have scored 2 or 3 more. To say we could have won 7-0 is not a ridiculous statement. The first 3 home games have seen a HUGE improvement on last season with a desire to win and collective team spirit not seen for some time. I still worry about Wilkins not being on the touchline. I like to see a manager during the game and how he reacts it tell a lot, my fear for him is that if we continue to play like we did yesterday we would have a chance of winning this league and he is out of sight out of mind.

Wilkins O'Meter 10 ( last night )
Wilkins O'Meter 8 ( season so far )

 

[algie]

Lets be fair here.You were on a witchhunt for Wilkins no matter what he did.He doesn't have a great record but i think he has turned a corner.He knows where the problems lay in the team and if funded he will do a good job.We are not expected to go up and as long as he makes a steady progress untill Falmer is built that will do.

 

[cjd]

Of course fans will complain when we consistently turn in dire performances. What on earth do people expect..?
Would it be better if we all just said nothing...?
Wilkins was rightly criticised for the first 65 minutes against Southend (imho), and an adjustment from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2 has seen a completely different outcome in attractive football.
I have been on the fence since Wilkins was appointed, until the Southend game. Judging him on his period in charge and that first 65 minutes, and some of his recent post match interviews, I really did feel he was not the man for the job.
The performance against Millwall was a huge improvement, helped not least, by at last getting a decent midfield player to help Hammond.
I really do hope things continue to go well for Wilkins, but at least I,m back on the fence for now.I await the next few games performances with much interest to see whether the latest performances are a flash in the pan, or if Wilkins is at last proving himself to be a good manager.

 

[algie]

Of course fans will complain when we consistently turn in dire performances. What on earth do people expect..?
Would it be better if we all just said nothing...?
Wilkins was rightly criticised for the first 65 minutes against Southend (imho), and an adjustment from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2 has seen a completely different outcome in attractive football.
I have been on the fence since Wilkins was appointed, until the Southend game. Judging him on his period in charge and that first 65 minutes, and some of his recent post match interviews, I really did feel he was not the man for the job.
The performance against Millwall was a huge improvement, helped not least, by at last getting a decent midfield player to help Hammond.
I really do hope things continue to go well for Wilkins, but at least I,m back on the fence for now.I await the next few games performances with much interest to see whether the latest performances are a flash in the pan, or if Wilkins is at last proving himself to be a good manager.

Think you missed my point.He was moaning even before the new season has started.Thats the difference

 

[cjd]

Think you missed my point.He was moaning even before the new season has started.Thats the difference

I do agree with you Algie as far as US goes, and his very early decision to not like Wilkins. It,s more my point, that there have been a number of posters, who, because we have gained one comprehensive league victory since Wilkins was made manager, seem to regard every poster who has expressed doubts about him, as nothing more than traitors...!

 

[Buzzer]

I do agree with you Algie as far as US goes, and his very early decision to not like Wilkins. It,s more my point, that there have been a number of posters, who, because we have gained one comprehensive league victory since Wilkins was made manager, seem to regard every poster who has expressed doubts about him, as nothing more than traitors...!

Live by the sword die by the sword. There were a fair few very vociferous people that really seemed to be willing Wendy to fail. All this "I give him 6 matches" crap. Well...now you've had your 6 matches, now what?

The postives:

3 home wins out of 3. (Our home form last season was dire. The worst in the league).
3 very good signings in O'Callaghan, Martot and Forster
Elphick looks the business
Bas Savage seems to have found his niche
Robinson has more confidence
Hammond is no longer anonymous
We were unlucky to lose a couple of our away games and against superior opposition
The Falmer factor

The negatives:

As soon as we stop winning all the whingers will crawl back out to call for Wilkins head, the immediate appointment of Warnock, Jol, Venables, Wenger whatever and Dick Knight to spend millions that he hasn't got on players that wouldn't want to come to Withdean.

Edit - As for US's comments. How many managers have we had in how many years. I'd say that's symptomatic of a more serious problem - no cash, shitty ground, dwindling fans. Simple really. No point keep blaming the manager for it.

 

[Nemesis]

I am not the least bit embarrassed by my comments or regret a single one of them, why should I, I think I have been fair in my assessment of Wilkins and have given credit where it was due, I never regret a comment I make on here as it is how I felt at the time. I am not convinced Wilkins is the man long term but so far this season as of 5 league games he warrants his place. If we lose 5 in a row I will change my mind again. Get this into your heads football is a results business, if he delivers results he can stay if he doesn't and we are anywhere near the drop zone by Xmas he can go. Much the same as the other 91 clubs really. I do not regret a single comment I have posted.

I don't see too much in there that I disagree with to be honest.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Think you missed my point.He was moaning even before the new season has started.Thats the difference

That was on the back of the last 4 monmths and nearly getting relegated and the worst 12 match home run in the clubs history and the worst of the 92 league clubs, I sat through those 12 home games and 1 win and it was fecking dire. I say it as I see it and I was 100% convinced Wilkins was not the right man. If we continue to play like we did against Millwall , Wilkins is in danger of making me look a bit of a tosser. Fair play the Wilkins believers have the upper hand now but as long as the club is successful I do not care who is in charge and I will post a grovelling apology on NSC if we get to the play off with Wilkins in charge this season.

 

[Seagullible]

If you ask me Wikins is learning very fast and seems to be looking at each game and working to improve. he will make mistakes but I expect you'll find these get fewer and fewer

 

[Buzzer]

Why does it have to be win, win, win or Wilkins out.

Uncle S will apologise if we get to the play-offs. What about mid-table respectability? I think that would be a fair placing - will you be okay with that and get off Wilkins back?

 

[Nemesis]

If you ask me Wikins is learning very fast and seems to be looking at each game and working to improve. he will make mistakes but I expect you'll find these get fewer and fewer

I hope you are right-nobody really wants him to fail (not even US) but everybody wants what's best for The Albion.

If he keeps on as he has started this season then I won't be complaining.

 

[cjd]

Live by the sword die by the sword. There were a fair few very vociferous people that really seemed to be willing Wendy to fail. All this "I give him 6 matches" crap. Well...now you've had your 6 matches, now what?

The postives:

3 home wins out of 3. (Our home form last season was dire. The worst in the league).
3 very good signings in O'Callaghan, Martot and Forster
Elphick looks the business
Bas Savage seems to have found his niche
Robinson has more confidence
Hammond is no longer anonymous
We were unlucky to lose a couple of our away games and against superior opposition
The Falmer factor

The negatives:

As soon as we stop winning all the whingers will crawl back out to call for Wilkins head, the immediate appointment of Warnock, Jol, Venables, Wenger whatever and Dick Knight to spend millions that he hasn't got on players that wouldn't want to come to Withdean.

Edit - As for US's comments. How many managers have we had in how many years. I'd say that's symptomatic of a more serious problem - no cash, shitty ground, dwindling fans. Simple really. No point keep blaming the manager for it.

I think that,s a pretty fair assessment for the season to date, but if we do lose the next few games, it will be the manner of defeat, rather than just the result, which could re-ignite the "Wilkins out" threads.
Inappropriate 4-5-1 and "diamond" formations won,t help his cause though.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Why does it have to be win, win, win or Wilkins out.

Uncle S will apologise if we get to the play-offs. What about mid-table respectability? I think that would be a fair placing - will you be okay with that and get off Wilkins back?

I would say 12th and I would say keep Wilkins in. Dick Knight has a game plan and I think it is to be in the championship by the time we play our first game at Falmer, this season mid table/pushing play off's, next season play offs or promotion, next season promotion from div 1 or stay in championship. I hope Wilkins can deliver that. Anyway we must see progress this season and this is happening at home anyway.

 

[El Presidente]

Realistically, where do you think the Albion SHOULD be, given their finances, crowd, stadium and level of investment?

IMO mid-lower part of League One is appropriate.

 

[Buzzer]

I would say 12th and I would say keep Wilkins in. Dick Knight has a game plan and I think it is to be in the championship by the time we play our first game at Falmer, this season mid table/pushing play off's, next season play offs or promotion, next season promotion from div 1 or stay in championship. I hope Wilkins can deliver that. Anyway we must see progress this season and this is happening at home anyway.

fair do's. I think I'd be happy with that. Just please don't get on Wendy's back as soon as we next lose, please. It's a long season and as witnessed at the Southend game, us fans can play our part in helping Brighton win.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

US, I think the gripe is that you didn't give him enough of a chance, certainly from my point of view.

He was thrown in at the deep end (rightly or wrongly) and had to hit the ground running. He had not even had a chance to shape things pre-season for the very first time, before people were calling for his head. As it turns out, he has made some shrewd moves in the transfer market (again) and things are looking brighter than I thought they would be. He deserved and does deserve more time. In one of the programmes, he said he is effectively revolutionising the whole set up, changing preparations, altering the mindset and so on.

The poor run at the end of last season was blatantly down to having to rely on inexperienced youngsters who were running on empty.

I am not going to get carried away with this home form as we have all been Albion fans long enough to realise that nothing good lasts for that long!

Interesting that we are winning when he is in the stand and losing when he is in the dugout. White for manager?!

 

[algie]

Realistically, where do you think the Albion SHOULD be, given their finances, crowd, stadium and level of investment?

IMO mid-lower part of League One is appropriate.

League 1 untill Falmer is built.But a strong league 1 outfit

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Algie I think DK will want us to be in the championship by the time Falmer is built, that would boost st sales massively, I suppose the ideal scenario for the board is

2007/2008 - Div 1
2008/2009 - Div 1
2009/2010 - Div 1, promoted
2010/2011 - Championship

 

[cjd]

Realistically, where do you think the Albion SHOULD be, given their finances, crowd, stadium and level of investment?

IMO mid-lower part of League One is appropriate.

"Realistically" is a word not to be used by football fans. We live on dreams and hopes only.