I disagree. But hey ho.............................most demanded top 6 when LJ was in charge....even with crap players!!Only from you and 1 or 2 others, the rest expected mid table and points wise that is exactly where we are.
I disagree. But hey ho.............................most demanded top 6 when LJ was in charge....even with crap players!!Only from you and 1 or 2 others, the rest expected mid table and points wise that is exactly where we are.
Not the first season, He didn’t then have the aftermath of a pandemic to deal with and had money to bring in his own players, sadly not the scenario now.I disagree. But hey ho.............................most demanded top 6 when LJ was in charge....even with crap players!!
Can't use the pandemic as an excuse.............everyone in the same boat......we were not an exception..Not the first season, He didn’t then have the aftermath of a pandemic to deal with and had money to bring in his own players, sadly not the scenario now.
Edit
His brief was to improve year on year. NP’s at present is survival, it’ll shift providing he achieves it, I imagine it’ll be much the same yearly improvement, depending on money available with a view to promotion. That IMO is becoming less likely unless there is some change in parachute payments.
The pandemic meant he had to ship out practically a whole squad of so called senior players, or at least experienced players, start from scratch and have no money to spend. In comparison previously LJ took over a decent squad that had run away with League 1 the previous year and had money to spend to improve. I used the pandemic in direct comparison to that not to other teams now.Can't use the pandemic as an excuse.............everyone in the same boat......we were not an exception..
I agree, regarding bringing in his own players......
Hardly a whole squad of senior players that was shipped out.....the main core of the decent players are still here.The pandemic meant he had to ship out practically a whole squad of so called senior players, or at least experienced players, start from scratch and have no money to spend. In comparison previously LJ took over a decent squad that had run away with League 1 the previous year and had money to spend to improve. I used the pandemic in direct comparison to that not to other teams now.
Edit
For balance on another thread I already explained re NP.
I expected us to be lacking quality but wellorganised and difficult to break down. I’m not disappointed by our points tally, but I am by our lack of organisation and cohesion. NP has so far disappointed me in his inability to get the best out of the players, both individually, and collectively, if I’m honest.
This is more or less how I feel - disappointed.The pandemic meant he had to ship out practically a whole squad of so called senior players, or at least experienced players, start from scratch and have no money to spend. In comparison previously LJ took over a decent squad that had run away with League 1 the previous year and had money to spend to improve. I used the pandemic in direct comparison to that not to other teams now.
Edit
For balance on another thread I already explained re NP.
I expected us to be lacking quality but wellorganised and difficult to break down. I’m not disappointed by our points tally, but I am by our lack of organisation and cohesion. NP has so far disappointed me in his inability to get the best out of the players, both individually, and collectively, if I’m honest.
Playing devils advocate a bit the players on the whole were LJ players, NP hasn’t had an opportunity to bring in his own. I’m hopeful when he can things will change.This is more or less how I feel - disappointed.
I wasn’t foolish enough to expect us to romp the league, but, perhaps naively I expected us to be harder to beat.
My logic behind that expectation was that we achieved successive top half finishes just outside the playoffs with most of those crap players under LJ, so a ‘better’ proven manager should at least be able to match that ‘achievement’.
NP,s own words were he could see [and had met ] a decent squad with most of the attributes he wanted! lost his first 2 games then beat BRUM & drew with BBurn most were saying messiah had arrived before 2 pts against lowly teams from 27!In comparison previously LJ took over a decent squad that had run away with League 1 the previous year and had money to spend to improve. I used the pandemic in direct comparison to that not to other teams now.
I don’t buy that, he’s hardly going to say the players are **** we’ve got no chance is he? , obviously he’s got to talk them up.NP,s own words were he could see [and had met ] a decent squad with most of the attributes he wanted! lost his first 2 games then beat BRUM & drew with BBurn most were saying messiah had arrived before 2 pts against lowly teams from 27!
Everyone was in the same boat, fixtures coming thick and fast ... Rotherham had a back log ... hit hardest by covid cases ... it was a fairly level playing field but not smooth.
NP in his interviews seems to be unsure, searching for the words without being angry or arrogant, but has a giveaway when covering over true feelings and about to give an answer that "glosses over" something he really needs to say! His short bursts of " temper/frustration/attitude/ [even] arrogance" being suppressed!
Short of ridding himself of another 6 or 7 players and rebuilding the squad ... one could say his assessment of players is not top drawer! [ initial comments of first month! ] to date he is in fourth spot of 4 in starting a season ... from scratch!
I don’t buy that, he’s hardly going to say the players are **** we’ve got no chance is he? , obviously he’s got to talk them up.
Gabbidon knew the state of our finances did he ? , don’t be daft of course he didn’t . He was making a general point about us needing a striker, we all know that, I think we’ll regret it too, but we don’t know how much he had and how much it would have cost to bring someone in. The last thing we need is a points deduction for overspending against FFP. So within our budget if the calibreThere were funds available, NP said it himself, particularly for a striker. NP said he wouldn't bring anyone in that didn't improve what we had (King & Simpson don't support that), so he must have been happy with what he saw from last season with CM, NW and AS. Even Danny Gabbidon commented on it during the SKy coverage v Brum in midweek, saying it was clearly a mistake. It's not lost on me that all the anti Lj er's are the ones making endless excuses for why 2 manager since him have made us comfortably worse.
Forget LJ, let Sunderland fans worry about him now. The fact is LJ and Ashton maxed out our spending. Subsequent managers have had to deal with the fallout, I’m disappointed with Nige as a feel he should be working far better with the players available, but you can’t argue he’s not restrained by lack of funding. I know COVID hasn’t helped but we’d be struggling without it. We had a bloated squad of overpaid players.There were funds available, NP said it himself, particularly for a striker. NP said he wouldn't bring anyone in that didn't improve what we had (King & Simpson don't support that), so he must have been happy with what he saw from last season with CM, NW and AS. Even Danny Gabbidon commented on it during the SKy coverage v Brum in midweek, saying it was clearly a mistake. It's not lost on me that all the anti Lj er's are the ones making endless excuses for why 2 manager since him have made us comfortably worse.
Forget LJ, let Sunderland fans worry about him now. The fact is LJ and Ashton maxed out our spending. Subsequent managers have had to deal with the fallout, I’m disappointed with Nige as a feel he should be working far better with the players available, but you can’t argue he’s not restrained by lack of funding. I know COVID hasn’t helped but we’d be struggling without it. We had a bloated squad of overpaid players.
Again, this is simply untrue. Yes LJ/MA spent a lot, but only because LJ/MA sold a lot, I don't recall LJ/MA laying out a massive fee for any player(s) before someone was sold to finance it? The figures below show that our net spend was positive. Therefore, it begs the question, what has SL done with all that money, some £41m in excess sales vs purchases? I would agree that the recruitment over the last 2 seasons has not been good enough to allow us to sell big, not that we could have anyway due to COVID.
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Jan Transfer Window Season 2019/20 in addition to the above figures
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Joe Piggot went to Ipswich on a free transfer?I think people are being very disingenuous with regard to Nige, he explained very early to us all, he had severe cash restraints to abide by, he wanted to sign 5 new players to add to his squad, he desperately needed a sriker, possible candidates were named, we are overburdened by a wage bill inherited from previous regimes and he had to be modest in his approach, things won't happen in the timeframe he wanted and he and the Lansdowns understood it was an unusual widow, he laid all of this out in this article dated 12/06/21.
Apart from the fact has has been hit with Covid twice, he has been honest, factual and things have happened much as he outlined, he didn't have the funding for a much needed striker he desired, he accepted and new the conditions that prevailed, he had to attempt to stiffen up our defence and midfield which has led us to our current difficulties, he is struggling but it is to his credit the medical, fitness, coaching and other internal backroom staff difficulties appear to have been remedied, now it's critical that on field performances are dramatically improved, if we can hold on until the January window we can all watch developments and our confidence may or may not improve, best to wait and see not crucify the manager and team in the mean time.
Bullet points only ~
* Nigel Pearson wants to sign five players this summer and admits the financial uncertainty in football in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic
* Pearson has specified five positions he wants to bring in: two centre-backs, two central midfielders and a striker
* "That's the reality of it but if I get five players that I want in, I'll be happy. The bottom line is, we will operate with a smaller squad this year
* "I think we're very blessed in the goalkeeper position. I'd like two centre-backs, I'd like two centre midfielders and I'd like somebody to stick the ball in the back of the net ... that's five player
* Rotherham striker Michael Smith, Blackpool forward Jerry Yates and AFC Wimbledon frontman Joe Pigot
* City are having to be modest in their targets given the lack of money for both transfer fees and wages, and Pearson admits the wage bill has to be reduced further, even in the wake of so many departures.
* "Let's be honest, we need to bring our wage bill down. I'm not going to hide from that .The industry needs to look at the baseline parameters.
* I also realise things aren't going to happen in the timeframe I want."
* "I spoke to Jon (Lansdown) today. Quite an informal chat. Both of our observations are along the line of, how unusual this window is going to be.
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-nigel-pearson-transfers-5521149
Just printed it up as it was laid out in the full article on the 12/06/21, there is no denial from me where he went.Joe Piggot went to Ipswich on a free transfer?