Makes so much sence does SOD OâDriscoll's diary from Spain Posted: Mon 15 Jul 2013 Author: Adam Baker Sean O'Driscoll Sean O'Driscoll Image by: josephmeredith.com Head coach blogs on day one of pre-season training camp. City's players are currently taking part in a pre-season training camp in the Spanish heat. On day one of the trip, head coach Sean O'Driscoll provides an exclusive written update for supporters about what he hopes to take from the exercise. A 2.30am Sunday morning alarm call signaled the start of our five-day training camp in Alicante. We flew out of Bristol Airport and were in Spain by 9am. The complex we are based at is specifically-geared up to hosting sports teams, which enables us to focus on the work we want to do and the objectives we want to achieve from the week, without having to worry about whether the food is going to be athlete-friendly or the kit laundry turnaround is going to be quick enough. Weâve been back in pre-season for just over two weeks now, and with another three weeks before out first league game of the season you have to make sure training is kept diverse and interesting, while also ticking all the fitness and physiological boxes you obviously have to tick to stop it becoming repetitive. With such a high turnover in players already this summer it is also crucial that the players get to know one another and the coaching staff and medical staff get to learn more about the new signings â both their physical and mental attributes. A few days away with no distractions and a focus solely on preparation gives us the chance to do this while taking the boys outside the familiar environment of our Failand training complex. The training days will be long and varied while there will also be a number of team meetings with different agendas. When you are trying to introduce a whole new culture to a group of players, many of whom donât know each other, you have to make sure that everyone understands and fully buys in to what you are trying to do. Our two main objectives for this week are to return with a group of players who understand the traits we want to define this squad and what it will take to be a member of this squad, and identify and nurture leadership qualities in players. Leadership comes in many different forms. Some players stand out naturally and do it vocally, some do it by leading through example and their behaviours while others have qualities you think could make them a good influence but they need to recognise it in themselves and be encouraged to have the confidence to do it. You donât have to be a shouter to be a leader, but being respected is crucial. Iâm a big believer that teams should have 11 captains on the pitch at any one time and that, just like in rugby, they are demanding of each other. They need to have the bottle to tell their team-mates when they think the standard is below that expected of the group. Likewise they need to be able to take it and not sulk or get stroppy if they are being told to pull their socks up by a team-mate. Itâs the same with supporting. If we are working with players on certain aspects of their game, and they try something in a game that doesnât come off but it was the right thing to do, the rest of the team need to keep encouraging them, tell them to keep doing it, say well done, even if what they have done has been met with sighs of frustration or disappointment from the crowd. We have made a concerted effort to identify and recruit young, talented players with potential so far this summer but the only guarantee is that they will make mistakes as we try to improve them. The role their team-mates can play in keeping their heads up, believing and not hiding is much more powerful than anything the coaching staff can do from the sidelines during 90 minutes. It is easy for players to be pumped and supportive of each other when things are going well, it is when it is not going their way that this on-pitch support network takes on such an importance. It sounds like simple common sense but it is just not something engendered in young players in the English game. Leadership doesnât come naturally to some players. Character can define a player more than ability, and players who are prepared to take responsibility on the field are absolutely essential ingredients in any successful side. We are not going achieve a complete culture change in five days, that â depending on the individual â can take weeks, months or sometimes years, but we can continue the process of creating common bonds amongst the group to really start to foster the sense of identity that comes from being part of a strong team. When I say we need to change the dynamic of the squad, this is the kind of thing Iâm talking about. Building relationships and understanding between players in terms of movement and the technical and strategic side of the game will only come through playing together more and players recognising, and developing instincts, for what their team-mates are going to do with the ball, where they are going to run, where they want the ball played to them, etc, at any moment in a match. But all the non-practical stuff is something that has to be worked on and looked after because it is just as crucial in a team being successful, as for example, a strike pairing developing a telepathic understanding, good full-back/wide-midfielder combinations or the relationship between the keeper and defence. It is how a team deals with disappointment that will define how successful they can be because the only certainties in football are you will concede goals and you will lose football matches. If you admit defeat every time you concede a goal youâve got no chance. Although we obviously have to be as competitive as possible to win games in League One, itâs unrealistic to expect us to be the finished article by August 3rd. But this week will go a long way to laying the foundations and setting the tone for what we hope will be a rejuvenated, successful squad dynamic, in which everyone believes in, and feels a part of, what we want to achieve. Sean O'Driscoll Read more at http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/20130712-sodspainblog1-915345.aspx#vyU973J3tRDmBKG3.99
All very true but it's all been said before by bigger and better men and weaker and less experienced, it's always us the fans that has to listen to all of the waffle and are supposed to be impressed, I'll wait and see our results.. SOD is still the man that took us down, swore in January (7 months ago) we had enough quality to avoid the drop and took no action to defend our status, I didn't believe the waffle then, I don't now. Like I said I'll await results, actions speak louder than words.. This type of waffle disappoints me..
Read it earlier on from our official website. As Wize says, we've been there before, and we've heard it all before, both from SOD, from the board and from his predecessors. We know Rome wasnt built in a day, but before much longer the actions of this squad that SOD has now assembled, are going to need to do the talking, and it had better be worth listening to. I'm not expecting us to win the league at first time of asking or get 100 points like some people think we will, but a top 6 finish is the minimum I expect, and doing it while playing attractive football would be good.
There is a lot of "promise" from everyone within Ashton Gate, new signings a-plenty, but we still have three or four of the "old-timers" from Millen's and Johnson's days that in my opinion are past their best before date. Mostly unproven youngsters with potential have been recruited except for JET who seems to be a real enigma; will he solve the problem of creation or will he just continue to fail in achieving his full potential as a ball playing footballer? Friendly results are not necessarily a pointer to the league season, but yet again we've lost at a place like Clevedon which fills me with real enthusiasm for the coming weeks. This jury member is still very undecided about SO'D and the new season.
Not impressed at all by more words. I truly believe we will struggle again this season and no fine words will convince me otherwise, but points and performances will! We have been hearing this piffle for years and yet no-one was smart enough to spot that we needed a rebuild after our trip to Wembley and everyone sat on their asses and did nothing, for a change.
I think, Redprintt and the others who have commented, that we are being cautious at present with good reason. Optimism will soon surface if the team start by playing joined up football right from the off. Even if some results are less than expected, we'll at least gain some hope and optimism if the style and effort is there unlike the last three seasons.
Why didn't he just say, we are going away for some team building? Because his long speech his just saying that.
He can't win can he? we complain that not enough information comes from BS3 and when he does tell us exactly what he is doing and why people complain.
Bristol City is a broad church, this is an open forum, all decent and civil opinions are welcome, we don't have a rule book like our misnomers on the dark side..
Because what he is trying to say is that he is rebuilding this team from the roots and WE, the fans need to change our approach from the regular slaggings that we have been dishing out and support them whilst they mould together as a team. As he rightly says (nice though it would be), it is unlikely that we are going to sweep all before us in the early stages of the season. The team will be made up of our new signings and hopefully, the better parts of last years squad so it is vitally important, that we do not pour vitriol on them if they have the odd stinker, SO LONG AS THERE ARE VISIBLE SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT. Forget last year, its done - we have a newish team so lets give it a chance. You don't slag off your nipper when he/she falls over repeatedly when they start to walk, simialrly, we need to encourage the team whilst it grows. HOWEVER, if there are no signs of improvement (which surely can't be hard), then SoD is in a spot of bother...
We all want to encourage the new growth at Ashton Gate however there are still some deadends that need pruning to use a gardening ref.
I know what he is trying to say, I read specifications all day long so I'm used to reading between the waffle to get to what they want. I was being facetious. I'm the one that's saying if we fail to go up this season or even we have a battle this season then he has let us down, the team needs to rebuild and we need patience, which is what I have said on all these polls and comments regarding we will roll this league. We have fans on here that think if we don't go up straight away that it's a failure. As to slagging players off there is only one, I don't run down anyone who tries and sometimes I think that is the problem with Fontaine he tries to hard so makes mistakes. But I think he will have a good season with Flint alongside him, but could be the scapegoat for any goals scored against us.
Quote Originally Posted by RedorDead BCFC View Post Why didn't he just say, we are going away for some team building? Because his long speech his just saying that. He can't win can he? we complain that not enough information comes from BS3 and when he does tell us exactly what he is doing and why people complain. its the old old story..some people want want want and when they get it it is not good enough, its not what they want to hear so just want want want more..... I want double glazing yes sir it does this does that and costs... then then he says well a bit of plastic across the window will do fine...what I really want want want is......
Rod, I wouldn't say it would be a failure if we don't get promoted this season, It will be disappointing yes, I would see failure as not finishing in the top 6. The teams in league 1 are weak and we are one of the top 6 best teams. I wont be disappointed if we don't get promoted but I honestly think we will!
Red or Dead BCFC As to slagging players off there is only one, I don't run down anyone who tries and sometimes I think that is the problem with Fontaine he tries to hard so makes mistakes. But I think he will have a good season with Flint alongside him, but could be the scapegoat for any goals scored against us. When Fontaine I like almost everyone else thought what a great signing a young mobile Centre Back to play along side McCoombe and like the vast majority of us put the mistakes in Central Defence down to Jamie M being too slow to turn, but looking back I can see that the mistakes continued to happen even after JM left and the main constant in the defence during this time was Fontaine now I do not know if this is a physical or a mental problem ie either he is too slow to get where he needs to be or takes too long to decide where he should be so doesn't get there, or if it can be cured by retraining but something needs to be done he is the weak link in the defence as Kilkenny is in Midfield without Kilkenny in the team perhaps he could cope as there would be fewer midfielders having a free run at the centre of the defence but with those two playing it is like sending the team out with them all wearing diving boots and expecting them to cover as much ground. I know some people think this is something I have recently started complaining about Fontaine but it isn't I started realizing it was Fontaine that had been the problem part way through the season after Jamie left.
SOD has the most difficult job at AG for years and although I believe we could struggle I wish him nothing but the best. A rebuild is one thing but a total rebirth is a much more difficult task methinks!
