I also believe that the back problems Nige has got, played a very big part of his departure.. Reading between the lines, he struggled to oversee training etc.. I’ve had back issues and understand fully how difficult it must have been with all the travelling etc..
The Lee Johnson comparison is relevant because of what was allowed during his reign without criticism or the need to sack him.
It’s all smoke and mirrors, they didn’t like it because he told it as it was, and challenged their decisions. Just admit it . Everyone knows it anyway, they just make themselves look stupid.
I remember a lot of criticism on here when LJ was in charge......The football under NP has been no better, anyone who thinks it is, is kidding themselves. Clearly the powers that be at City don't think it is, and they made the call, as they did with all previous managers. We haven't progressed our form, or league positions in the last 12 months, when we should have after the club was stabilised. I've said before NP came with a big reputation for what his teams had achieved, but on the pitch it hasn't happened at City. You can say he hasn't had any money, but a. that's not true, he has had a lot more than many in this league, and b. who has he signed that has really looked good? Maybe Naismith and James, that's about it. James won't add any resale value in the future
Sykes Dickie Atkinson Knight Mehmeti Yeah some haven’t shown their true potential yet and been inconsistent but you could say out of all of his signings Danny Simpson is probably the only useless one
Bit stupid when you think about it, he always told it how it was, he was renowned for it.. surely all the cards were on the table, when they offered him the job and he accepted what we had at the time..
I missed Sykes, I would agree, he looks like a good signing. A younger version of Andi W. Too early to tell on Dickie and Knight yet. If Mehmeti can't get in the starting 11, then it suggest that NP doesn't rate him.
The first two years were really a rebuild exercise, he’s really only had this season with his team, most of which have been plagued with injuries, plus we all know he needed a couple more additions the last window, especially after selling Scott, the suits denied him that opportunity. with the squad he’s had this season I think he’s done pretty well. At last it’s apparent the team spirit and how they work for each other. That same attitude with the injured players coming back I think we are on the verge of seeing the fruits of his labours. To pull the plug now makes no sense. I genuinely don’t think that’s the reason they got rid, it’s because they fell out with him. Having denied him the opportunity to bring in players with Scott money they now were suggesting OOC players to fill the void, he told them to do one. They are OOC for a reason, even if they could identify candidates by the time they arrived and we bring them up to speed our injured players would be returning anyway, also if they didn’t have the money previously how have they suddenly found it now. For the life of me I don’t get why they didn’t listen in the first place, it was obvious we were short on numbers. Actually I do know why they did it, it was to undermine NP. Had the suits just listened to Nige from the beginning he’d at least would have had no excuses now if we weren’t doing well, as it is they just made a Rod for their own back. What a way to run a football club.
In 2016 Lee Johnson stated that he wanted to build an identity that runs all the way through the football club. Training and recruitment would fit this identity. At the training ground you could read aspects of its supporting philosophy. He didn't do it. Mr Pearsons teams do not fall apart they are resilient. I asked what is this style? Progressive, front foot, pressing coach doesn't mean anything much. Lee Johnson actually really did say similar in 2016.
LJ was given longer, and was backed, not just financially. Much of NP’s tenure has involved clearing up the mess he took over. He’s not been backed financially, certainly this summer since the sell of Scott, and he’s been constantly undermined. Why didn’t they give a proven manager more time than a relative rookie?
X People refer to NP as ‘clearing up a mess’ - I hear this often. He had to trim the wages bill - which he did - and credit to him for that. The players NP inherited were not ****e. They may have been on high wages, granted, but they achieved higher league positions than NP managed. The ‘mess’ was purely financial. On the pitch we were an established championship side. I do NOT agree with sacking Pearson - I’m shocked and disappointed, but let’s not delude ourselves that he was the footballing messiah either.
LJ was a front pressing full temp coach thing. He then signed Lee Tomlin. Suppose on the pitches with hills they could have rolled Tomlin down them!!! Know Jon Lansdown thinks fans are just noise but does he also think we are thick???? "Wants a style of play, pressing, throughout the club - you can see we've got that at the moment" and " we've a few injuries" doesn't make sense.
The football I see that we are good at is high press, defending from the front, we have the quick players to do it.....We are also better at one/two touch close quarters, not good at playing long ball suicide passing, 90% of the time this is giving the ball away allowing opposition possession... Defending is one of our weaknesses along with not actually being able to put the ball into the net.. Also our high tempo game is a positive with the players we have.. Spells of the above produced our best football but as soon as we back off, we are all over the place and lose control of the game.. LJ did try, but there were only certain players capable, when we had injuries to key players, the style he wanted to achieve failed..
My point is more that because he was having to deal with the mess he inherited he was not given the chance to see what he could do, if we were 12 months down the line I’d agree. That’s why I’m so frustrated, you may be right but we’ll never know
100% agree with all of this, although it doesn't fit the agenda for some on here, so they will attack it with BS.
A lot of what you type his hearsay I'm afraid.....I'm not saying it's necessarily wrong but just your version of events..
I think we all agree that we didn't want Nige to leave......nobody fully knows the ins and outs other than the board and Nige...... I'm still convinced it had a lot to do with his health/back problems.......restricting him from day to day duties.......it would be understandable from both parties if this was the case....
I agree that most, no ALL of us are united in that we didn’t want Nige sacked. Not sure about the real reasons, but I don’t believe the bollocks coming from the board - results? Really? They must think we are all stupid. Actually, they do - and we’re not. We all have different opinions and argue strongly about things on here, but we are NOT stupid. Lots of us have followed the club since before JL was even born and his dad realised we existed. We know football and we know Bristol City. Give us credit FFS
I agree I don't think it was about results, especially with all the injuries we have... defiantly more to it....
