http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20756500 Guess he wants a Premiership job for Christmas as he's bored....
Does that make him an 'average' manager then? Or maybe even 'below average' if he can't win such an average league...? Personally would just call it a highly-competitive league where any team can beat any other on their day. More and more teams are trying to play good football, and many are doing better once promoted.... I wonder if that means the Premiership is just above average these days!
What a first class prat!!! Thats a comment that is likely to come back and bite him in the future if they dont get into the play-offs or meet any of the clubs goals. I really hope we put them to the sword now and see what comments he makes then.
Sorry but I think he is exactly right 1 look at last year's promoted teams - how well are they doing - as usual struggling 2 Cardiff have been nearly men for years and they are no better this year - we were unlucky to lose there and Peterborough won 3 Look at the rest of the top 6 - do you see a side in there who are anything but average + 4Look at us - an entirely new set up that should have struggled to come together this year but we are seriously in play off contention Brighton were average last year and Poyet is making the point that at the moment they are playing badly with only 3 wins and yet are 8th I cannot see one side in the Championship this year that I would bet a brass farthing would retain their place in the Premiership next. Why is he a first class prat then Dan? He is honest in admitting that he and his team are not performing well and need to do better. I would love to see an argument that tells me this division is full of high skill and talented teams who would threaten next year in the Prem? Anyone care to make that argument? Competitive this division certainly is but there is very little class in it. I believe we have the players with some real class and am glad it is a mediocre league as it means if Zola is canny we could even win it
The problem is using words like "average" out of its mathematical context. It is meaningless to say that the division is "average" - compared to what? To the Premiership - we know that. Championship teams are, however, far above the standard of most League 1 teams which is, again, way above the standard of most League 2 teams, who are considerably more able than the Blue Square Premiership. Which, of course, given one of the current incumbents of that league, makes me want to laugh out loud.....
I am guessing he was just saying that this year there do not seem to be any outstanding teams - maybe ordinary rather than average would have been a better description - in some years the Championshipis filled with Class acts - does anyone really feel this year that it is a "good" championship
I can't see much to criticise. He blames himself for their failure to score more goals and, as others have suggested, is surprised it hasn't cost them more dearly. If the Championship had outstanding teams, they would be running away with the division by now. Calling him a 'prat' or a 'plonker' does not suggest great intellect or judgement on the part of his critics.
Don't forget that, although he speaks English very well, it isn't his native language. I wonder if his understanding of the word 'average' has a different nuance to the way we use it. The word has come to have a quite a perjorative edge to it. He may be using it more in the mathematical sense: there is an average ability amongst the teams and a fairly narrow range i.e all the teams is fairly close to that average one way or another. In effect the old chestnut: 'Any team can beat any other team in this division.' Just a thought, before we start calling him names.
You're right...it depends what he means by 'average'. If he means 'not good' then he is wrong. This is a highly competitive division, far better than the divisions below..and yes, the Prem is better, which is why they are where they are and we are where we are. But if you look at the teams that go up, very often they stay up, that is because the Championship has quality teams, with quality players who rise to the surface every year. To me, this sounds like an excuse to fail..perhaps he's feeling the strain of expectation. And Theo, i'm afraid to say that use of the word plonker doesn't make me any less intellectual, nor does it mean i cannot judge on the facts i've been given. (not that i've ever claimed to be intellectual, coz i'm probably not! lol)
I'm sure your intellect is in good order, H. All I was intending to suggest was that name-calling is usually the refuge of folk who can't summon up a reasoned argument. If GP is as foolish as you imply, I think there would need to be better evidence for it.
on that basis, it would have to be proven that he was not as foolish as i imply... After all, there's no evidence to suggest that what i have inferred isn't true...
I have to disagree with him, but then I don't necessarily think that having one or two 'class' teams makes for a better Championship anyway. As it stands at the moment, we are in a far more competitive league than previous years. I don't think anyone would argue against Soton and Reading having both been stand-out teams last year - Soton in particular made us look very ordinary. But I for one would most definitely argue that we, and others, have improved out of sight, and would probably fare better against Soton this time around - to me, that makes this year's Championship better. I know that currently we wouldn't have a hope of surviving in the EPL - but I'm sure that the management team know that too. Just as I'm sure that, should promotion be achieved, they would take the necessary steps to keep us there.
On the contrary...if you call someone a fool, which by using the word 'plonker' you did, you would usually be expected to have a good reason for doing so, which is precisely what I said. I do not think his remarks constitute sufficient evidence. Fortunately everyone who is called an abusive name is not automatically assumed to be guilty of the insult unless they happen to be there to defend themselves.
i'm not sure 'innocent until proved guilty' applies in this case, after all, it's all speculation, from both sides of the discussion
I am slightly surprised that the only two people to have used pejorative terms against Poyet are our Moderators. He is simply expressing surprise that his team that has fared badly is as high as it is. He said he would have expected to be much lower given their record. He is also admitting that he and his team have not performed well - which is true. His estimate is this is because the Championship is not as strong this year - which may or may not be true. I stand by my challenge - tell me the class teams in this division this year. I feel we too should be lower - a complete change of management, style, playing staff, backroom staff and many other uncertainties - how have we done so well if the division is strong? We have been satisfied with Brendan. Malky and Sean who each took us to a reasonable mid table in equally difficult circumstances. Am I too a prat or plonker for wondering why we are so high?
Actually all he is pointing out is that the league is close...i'm not sure how a close league makes it an average one. On the contrary, it makes it exciting. Average suggests dull and boring, the Championship is neither of those things. Why does there have to be a stand out team to make the league, in his view, above average? Surely a competitive league is what we all want. A league where a loss doesn't necessarily mean you plummet, nor does a win mean that you climb. A few wins, or a few losses..and the league changes...this is exitement..obviously not enough excitement for Mr Poyet however. Any of the top six and below could win promotion this year..that doesn't mean we're all average..that means we are competitive...every season the league gets closer. That doesn't mean we are all slipping, it means we are all raising our game. How does that make this an average league. Consider our club. Last year we were winning games with what we can now admit was as near hoof ball as we could get without being slagged off for it. This season we are playing football...and not in an average way at all most of the time. However, that doesn't make us shine..it doesn't make us stand out in the crowd. Why? Because every team has raised their game, every team is striving for the same thing, and lots of teams have a good chance of achieving that goal, though only three will be lucky enough. Average? No. Definitely not average. Perhaps, more accurately, the league is exceptional!
At least this is now a debate - and perhaps shows that his comments were worth something - right or wrong. I do not agree with your interpretation H. I think his point is that his team have been poor - due to his and his players not performing as he wants . If his team is poor but is in 8th place that DOES imply the overall standard is poor. He could be wrong and the reason his teamhas lost a lot of points could be because everyone else is so great - but I do not believe that, he does not believe that and I think many others dont. As I say though we all have our own interpretations and name calling does not make a good argument - to be fair I accept that "plonker" is hardly a term of abuse - is it Rodney - but "Fiirst Class Prat" is hardly called for.
