Dominic Blizzard blamed Argyle's dismal play off performance on poor preparation and too much negativity. Blizzard points the finger at ex-manager John Sheridan, saying the team were 'not set up properly' and employed a system which did not suit their players. "I thought we were really not good at all in the play-offs.....we were very disorganised". We weren't set-up properly in either games and we never really committed too many players forward. We conceded those poor goals from set-pieces because we hadn't been properly prepared for them.and that showed. I don't think the system helped our cause and I don't think the way we were playing got the best out of the group. Blizzard explained that had Argyle prepared and played like they had at the beginning of the season they would have fared much better in their attempts to achieve promotion to league one. The last six months of the season were very disappointing he said.....I felt that we really trailed off and that there was a lot of negativity going into games after Christmas. We weren't blowing teams away, especially at home, like we had done before then. There was a definite change in the atmosphere at the club around that time and it 100% affected the team. At the beginging of the season we were playing like we could challenge for automatic promotion so we were bitterly disappointed to just scrape into the play-offs at the end. Speaking to all the boys in the team...all of us feel that like we underachieved. We had a decent squad and there was a lot more talent in the group than we showed in the end which was disappointing. Speaking about his departure from the club, the mid-fielder suggested that he wasn't given the chance to showcase the full range of his abilities in the latter half of the campaign, and he wasn't surprised at being released to be honest, he'd been expecting it since about January really. I wasn't happy with how the last six months of the season played out for me as I felt I didn't really get much of a chance to play. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ I expect we could say that that was sour grapes from a player who has just lost his job. But an awful lot of what he has said rings true....doesn't it. What happened around Christmas-time that changed the atmosphere at the club... that could effect the team so ?....we know that important loans came to an end around then....and certainly the balance of the team would have been effected by lesser players....surely there must be more to it than that ?. What worries me is what James Brent said when he announced that Sheridan was leaving.....he understood why Sheridan had made the decision to move back north....but he was disappointed that he was losing Sheridan as manager......is this the attitude of a non-footballing owner who doesn't pick up on how the players might be feeling about how things are going.....surely there must be some nounce amongst his directors, some whiff of discontent that they picked up on.....surely they just don't all sit on their hands and say yes sir, no sir.........three bags full sir.....the fans where not happy how things were going. How do the other players feel about Blizzards comments.....especially those that have contracts still, who maybe don't feel able to say anything themselves....who might be nodding in agreement. Could this be why Banton wasn't interested in another contract with PAFC....did he feel frustrated that he was unable to produce the goods under Sheridans management style.....the frustrating way that Sheridan played players out of position at times, not knowing what system to play.....the lack of an obvious plan B at times.......the incredible record of never coming from behind when losing a match.....other clubs must of picked up on that fact, and knew if they scored first there was a better than even chance that they wouldn't lose........Wycombe busted a gut nearly to score first and it showed and then became easy peasy for them. If Sheridan had stayed would key players like Reuban Reid etc have been happy to move on when the chance appeared.....will Alessandro now wait to know who the new manager is before going or staying. A new manager must select his own management staff......if it's Wotton I fear for the future because he will upset players and not get the best out of them.....a new broom is necessary a new start is required. James Brent's shallow football knowledge means that selecting a new manager is going to be difficult for him......experienced candidates will suss out Brent's lack of momentum and his softly softly approach and his no risk taking on finance ......and not want the job under those terms......this is a critical moment for Argyle. Interesting to note that Sheridan never referred to PAFC as Argyle..........just a job obviously not a passion or way of life.
I found it an interesting read too Plymborn and can't argue with a thing you have stated. I definitely agree with your comments about Wotton and having a negative impact in the changing room as he isn't well liked rumour has it ! Do you ever get the feeling of ..... here we go again
A lot of this is self serving nonsense isn't it? Professional players don't forget how to defend set-pieces overnight surely and yet we conceded goals from them against Wycombe after a pretty good defensive record all season. I think you have to look at Both McHugh and Hartley said to be carrying injuries as well as Reuben Reid Nelson, despite having at a great season, not being the most talkative captain McCormick, having been virtually faultless all season, looking flustered with Wycombe penning him in And yes, an unduly defensive attitude from Sheridan in the scond game. To be fair though, he was only repeating what you hear from much more senior managers in respect of 2-leg European ties i.e,. "the first thing is not to concede another". As I've said before, I think there were more issues about fitness and health than we know about. When was it that John Harbin took a period off to go back to Oz?
As an employee, if you are not made to feel like you are doing the right thing then your performance often suffers as a result. Sheridan does not appreciate his players. He blames and that about sums him up. He plays players out of position and continues to play them even when injuries are obvious and the form has suffered as a result. He is dogmatic in my opinion just to try to prove his point that he is in charge. That's even if results etc suffer as a consequence. Brent is like a few other owners, ignorant of most things. However, where was his football man Mr Starnes when all of this was going on? I don't think it's sour grapes by Blizzard. Why would I when he is pretty much saying all the things over the season I have thought and said myself. Me and a fair few others. I have worked for people similar to Sheridan in character. It made me want to move on even though I'd been happy in my job previously. I had put in hours of work unpaid previously until worn down by the last Manager I had. His targets were the be all and end all of everything rather than doing anything for the benefit of the job or why we were there. With sports people how you feel is a lot to do with how you perform. Performing badly becomes a habit if you are worn down. Sheridan was subject to targets and as far as Brent is concerned he met the minimum. Great in the world he lives in but nowhere near enough if you are a customer or service provider. The players knew he was a bare minimum man and it rubbed off. I don't see Wotton being the next incumbant and I don't think it will happen. We do need somebody completely new.
Well, for once I got it right in a previous post before the play-offs even started: No contest for me either. Stick with what works (sometimes) Super Luke Nelson McHugh Hartley O'Connor Norburn or Cox (for me ahead of Blizzard) Mellor AHD (biggest worry in my book) Reid B Reid R Alessandra Blizzard did little in the games running up to the play-offs and nothing in them either. In professional football, as in life actually, success is everything, fruitless effort is nothing. Brent admitted that the difference between Fletcher and Sheridan was that Fletcher saw a draw as a point won and even a defeat as worthy if everyone had worked their socks off, whereas Sheridan was sick as the proverbial parrot at every point dropped. I'm reminded of a story about Billy Bremner who was apparently booked late in a game in which Leeds were several to nil down. His offence? Berating the referee about the other (winning) side's time wasting. 0-4 it might have been, but Bremner thought they could score 5 in the last 10 minutes. Is Blizzard like that? No, I don't think so. Sheridan? Yes, maybe. I also said that Brent saying that Sheridan had achieved the "minimun expected" was a kick in the goolies and now he's gone, hopefully at no or limited cost as the agreed statement portrayed it as Sheridan asking to go. Don't understimate the brutality behind the scenes.
It requires dedication and steely nerve to do the prediction league Joe. Just ask one of her Majesties finest defenders of the Realm. Even lyndhurst struggles. Also being slightly barking and drunk. That's why plym is so good at it.
Generally midnight old clickty click.......and raring to go by 6am.....no brekky in bed either like some.
