So, on the subject of ticket prices, I (out of the goodness of my heart but through gritted teeth) offered to take Mrs Brizzle to watch her mob on Friday v Leicester. Unfortunately I couldn't find 2 seats together so we aren't going now BUT where I was looking, I almost fell off my fecking chair when I saw the prices. Bottom tier of the Lansdown stand or middle of the Dolman stand, we were looking at £42 a bloody ticket... For that shower of $hite!!!! We were charging less than that in the Premier League!!!! Bloody rip off merchants....
It's also about spending money on something enjoyable and the older you get the more important that is. For the last few years there has not been much to enjoy and I feel I have been turning up just for the sake of it. I would like to think the balance will change for the good next season but will it? That is the disadvantage of buy ST's so early when we don't know who will be manager, which players will leave and what new players will arrive.
I get the 'doing it for the sake of it' challenge. Since a kid I've been a keen flyfisher. During busy times of life, work and young daughter, you'd earmark some time to fish, a weekend, and usually an early morning so you still have family time. It took away the pleasure. Fishing because it was my time. Poor conditions, $h!tty weather, go fishing. Now I chose my moments and relax more. As you say, when you've shelled out a chunk of change for a season ticket, you're loathed to not use it. It's why I gave up sky sports. I was watching it because I'd paid for it. Half the time I was watching stuff I wasn't really interested in. Don't watch a lot of TV at all now.
I may stay home and watch it with her but I'm definitely not going native and drinking apple juice!!! Really good points on the enjoyment levels. In all honesty I think there's a large part of me that has fallen out of love with the game in general and even a tiny bit of me that feels less connected to the club itself too. The whole thing has started to feel too corporate and a few games aside the atmosphere ranges from poor/flat to just about ok most of the time. Some of that is obviously down to the team but the whole fan base itself is changing and there just seems to be less raw emotion and passion emanating from the stands. Sky have played their part with stupid kick off times and basically just flooding the airwaves with games, most of which (from whatever division) are instantly forgettable. I think the Paddy Power (?) advert with Crouchie in the studio alongside the presenter who's banging on about the 'big game ' being followed by the even bigger game, being followed by the huge European game etc etc sums it up perfectly. Football can be an amazing game but you can also definitely have too much of a good thing. And there endeth my sermon for today
Understand entirely. Turning up at CCS the past few seasons has been as if simply part of a routine. The buzz of the match day build up has flattened and watching the games is more often than not hard work rather than enjoyable and feeling you’ve been entertained. But it’s in the blood after decades of turning up and it’s a feeling of not wanting to miss out on something exciting such as the swansea game and the crazy finale to the Ipswich game which makes one think it’s still worth the effort.
Still confused but anyway. What did we think about Sol's comments regarding Bulut? Do you reckon Mr Bamba is angling for a way back in? He certainly seems to have a genuine affection for the Bluebirds. I'd love to see him back in some capacity and with an eye on the future. My one concern would be that he's too popular with the fans and players for the likes of Mr Tan and others.
I was over at Ashton Gate for the Bluebirds match and I was charged £33 to stand in the ****ty away end. That’s the over 65 price! It took me all of half time to get to the loo and back as there is so little room to move behind the stand. Still the result was good and I learnt a lot of new songs and swear words!
Could be that Sol is looking for a way back and he would be good to have around but only if a suitable position was available and if it fits in with Bulut’s plans. As for Erol, I’m all in favour of tying him down to a longer contract. He’s done a decent job so far and hopefully, with some decent summer signings, we could be challenging for promotion next season.
City were outplayed yesterday by a team full of players with energy, pace and pass and movement through midfield. This though was a team with 6 losses in 7 last games. Bulut after 39 games has still not grasped what’s required in the championship. City don’t have the players adept enough to play consistently good football and score from open play. He favours the passing sideways and backwards from the keeper and slow build up with heavy reliance on dead balls. In some ways it’s a bit of a miracle we’ve got 53 points given the number of times we’ve been totally played off the park. Without the late goals in some games we’d be looking down the barrel. I’m not surprised to read this morning Buluts future is undecided. The sooner Tan sells up, Dalman disappears and people with a professional modern day approach to football take over the better but that’s not happening any time soon. So does he stay or does he go? Put it this way I won’t be disappointed if he goes.
It doesn't feel like he's lost the players' support - yet. Although it was interesting last night that the players formed into a couple of groups during a stoppage to discuss what they could do to change things (not which bar they were going to later, I hope) with no input from Bulut and his team. Clearly it didn't work but not something I have seen them do before. He will stay to the season end so no financial pay off but I can't see him being retained. Too many poor displays, uninspiring tactics (if there are any), poor to watch and an apparent lack of understanding of Championship football. I don't like to see our revolving door being used but I can't see any other option. Who will be the lucky incumbent next season?
I'm rubbish at all of this because I still can't figure out if Bulut is a victim or a villain. A villain because of our dubious approach to games? Or a victim of a crap hierarchy and inheritance of average or below average players? I can't see Dalman eating humble pie or agreeing to sack his friend. As many others are saying, it's all so without direction . Clean sweep required but unlikely.
Apart from introducing Goutas and Siopis who wouldn't have come here if it wasn't for him, he's added very little to a disparate club. I say "disparate" rather than desperate only in the literal sense because in all honesty we're pretty desperate as well. Maybe aspiring to the Prem is seen as the ultimate achievement, but I've got no problem with playing in the Championship as long as we're competitve and entertaining - at the moment and for the last 4 years we've been neither.
We appear to have lost the ability to pressurise our opponents. We sit back and say "Come on and have a go at us". Swansea being a prime example. Once they went ahead Sunderland gained confidence, pushed up and gave our creative (I use that word under caution) players no space at all. They identified our lack of pace and their defence was happy pushing up to the half way line. Other than gaining some set pieces towards the end we were incapable of doing anything about it. O'Dowda seems to have lost some pace and is better now at left wing back. Grant can get back to his favoured position out left.
Did you ever meet J. R. Hartley remote pal, apparently he was a fly fisherman? Apparently BFB liked the occasional fly! Masky
Virtually the entire team yesterday and subs were either Bulut signings or players given extended deals by Bulut. I just think hes out of his depth.
