The trouble is more that a line can be crossed where I or we don't like us either, when we're represented poorly by the public face of the club, that's my point. I want to feel proud of the club and its manager/staff.
Strongly disagree that anything off the pitch is a needless distraction. Like it or not, footballers are assets with huge amounts of power within the club, and the manager is effectively the public facing representation of the club and it's playing staff. Jones' pressers are reminiscent of a moody teenager with wildly emotional responses and petty ramblings. It is already causing rumours of discontent and ex-pros unanimously agree he is off his rocker. Though if we are to judge him solely on what happens on the pitch, it is pretty consistent with his non-sensical press conferences. I am never usually so against a manager, but the guy is a weapons grade tool that has been promoted far above his capabilities.
Agree with LTL & I think your “What is happening on the pitch isn’t great, granted” comment is rather under cooking it.
Another thing that occured to me is that 99% of our problems are not attributable to NJ, he is just a whipping boy that volunteered to try and get us out of a mess that has been building up since Markus passed away. From the start it was an impossible task and still is, yet he still wants to keep on trying. He doesn't deserve to be the one carrying the can. I doubt that there is anyone on this earth that on his own, can save us. Only a concerted team effort is going to get anywhere near resolving the issue. Some people need to get their heads out of their backsides and face reality, there is no simple black and white answer.
Suprised at how many on here were stamping their feet like a tantrum child over the weekend are now near enough backing Jones again. That is until 5pm on Saturday of course.
That's debatable though isn't it (ok not 99%), and it wasn't an impossible task. He could have done a lot better perhaps? The board certainly expected that hence his appointment. Also, under pressure granted, he's not exactly united the team with his latest remarks (acknowledged by the board). However, as posted elsewhere, if he can turn the tide, then good for him.
The thing with Jones is that I am at the stage now where I am done. A lot of you were at that stage with Ralph for ages, I am there with Jones. Unfortunately, we could stay up comfortably, win the FA Cup and I would still want a change. I just don't like him for us.
You are making a statement as if you know for certain what has gone on in St Marys, you don't, all we have heard is speculation and hearsay. What goes on in St Marys stays in St Marys, as it always has been. His remarks said under pressure have be widely misinterpreted and many different variations have appeared on Twitter. You can make your own mind up, but there is a chance that you may have got the wrong end of the stick. If the Board thought that he could produce a miracle on his own, then they are deluded too, I am sure they didn't think that, I think their thinking is a bit ahead of that and looking ahead to the future, not to the present. He needed a lot of luck and a few good results, fate decided otherwise, but even that is only the tip of the iceberg.
I haven't made a bold statement of certainty, but made suggestions otherwise as to some of what you said. I think there is conjecture on everyone's part here, that I can agree with, and it's fair to say we don't know for certain. The board did seem to acknowledge that they were not happy with his statements during the forum, unless I got that wildly wrong. Anyway, hope we have some joy soon.
Embargoed answer just published from Jones on the reaction to his comments and if he regrets what he said: “I think I regret more how they’ve been reported. People who know me, know my character and know how I go about my job would realise exactly,” he told us. “There’s been a lot said and reported about me, and that’s fine because of the position I’m in. From now on, would I be better just reporting on the game and not giving anything emotionally or from the heart? Maybe. But that’s not me and I want to be authentic. “Anyone who knows me, or in the changing room because I said things to those as well, would know I was accepting responsibility. That’s what I’ve done in my career as a player and especially as a manager. I’ve never passed the buck and I’ve accepted everything.”
still deflecting and not aware of what he was saying. Bigging himself up while overseeing a consistent decline in every aspect of the football despite having been backed with players who can do the job. Invited detailed scrutiny and was found wanting with his record. The guy was hired because his team defended setpieces well at a championship level. Now it’s clear they were okay at it, but rubbish at everything else. No possession, no goals, no style. Nowhere near the best in Europe but definately now the worst in the EPL.
the black and white answer is to sack jones and appoint someone who has coached at the highest level with at least a modicum of success. The team needs someone with a clear strategy that has plans for how we attack/defend and keep possession of the football. If we buy into what NJ is saying and he has compromised and allowed for his tactics and plans to become muddled because he has allowed the input of others, then we can but hope on Saturday.
Just watched the press conference and again, I don't see much wrong with what he says. I've generally enjoyed them since he came in, he's a bit mad and maybe I'm in the minority and maybe I'm mad myself but I like the cut of his jib! He is a passionate guy, he's not a yes man who can be caged up and sometimes that passion spills out and parts of what he is trying to say gets muddled. Look at the Billy Sharp interview straight after the Sheff Utd v Wrexham game, he was pumped up, said a few things that maybe he regretted in the morning but oh well that's football. Passion runs deep and ok, we could hire a true professional, someone like Southgate who is a great puppet for his employers or we could have a complete nutter like I dunno Barry Fry or even Brian Clough. NJ is somewhere in the middle. The main issue is results have not been good enough, we all know that, if only he was more like Cloughy, results would be better! If he can make it click now he has the players we needed, and we pick up the results needed, then the fickle fan base will give him more time and will maybe even like or love him.