NP - I’ll Get Rid of Them. It’s Not a Veiled Threat,

Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson comes out swinging as change is afoot at Ashton Gate
Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson delivered a stark warning to those in his squad who are no longer "onside" regarding his methods and instructions

Nigel Pearson has done his best to disconnect and maintain more than just a geographical distance during his recovery from a Covid-19 condition. By his own admission he’s kept the messages to assistant Curtis Fleming succinct, not wanting to interfere with day-to-day training as a reluctantly remote manager.

It’s unclear if he witnessed the 3-2 defeat to Coventry City in a live capacity - during his previous leave of absence in October he said he didn’t for those particular two fixtures against Millwall and Peterborough United - and, all things considered, it was probably for the best.

The 58-year-old has regularly projected an idea that he can, unlike many of his peers, compartmentalise his working life against his personal life, with as minimal crossover as possible; a strong trait to have as you’re fighting a debilitating illness.

But football managers wouldn’t be, well, football managers without a healthy dose of obsession and addiction to the game.

It’s ability to enthral, captivate and frustrate, dispensing joy and misery in equal doses, energising even the most cynical of souls; a bracket which Pearson, by his own admission, more than occasionally fits into.

And while he undoubtedly stepped away from the sheer intensity of frontline management for just under two weeks over the course of the latest international break, what had transpired in BS3 would have gnawed away, coupled with his own feeling of reluctant detachment and inability to affect proceedings.

Which is partly why he came back all guns blazing, swinging for the fences, however you want to put it, at the Robins High Performance Centre, making his return to first-team duties just in time for the visit of Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Of course, what he presents to the media isn’t always an exact replica of the message that is directly conveyed to players. If anything it’s a distillation of that particular reality in order to protect the Omerta of the dressing room.

But even in that refined representation, his words halfway through his press conference and then further elaborated on were pretty striking.

“There will be changes, I can tell you that. I talked in the summer about not really wanting to do too much. I may have to amend that because certain individuals aren’t onside, let’s put it like that,” Pearson said. “And I’ll do everything I can to get rid of them.

“We still might need them, they’re professional footballers and because we don’t have the biggest squad I may still use them. But that’s not a reason to pander to their needs, because I’m not pandering to anyone’s needs.

“Players who possibly don’t want to be here. Well I’ll make sure they’re not here, I’ll get rid of them. It’s not a veiled threat, that’s what will happen.

“We had too big a squad last year, we had a big clear-out in the summer. We bought some new players in, who generally speaking have done pretty well. But we need to affect a change and I will do it by removing players or not playing them if I can’t get rid of them.”

The sleuthing has begun as to who is specifically being discussed - a sort of City version of Guess Who? (“did they not properly press in minute 74 against Nottingham Forest? Did they repeatedly lose their man at set-pieces at St Andrew's?”) - and with the small squad he is working with, you have to admit there aren’t that many credible suspects (and before you start reading between the lines, sorry, we don’t know at this stage, either).

In reality, the identity of those he trusts and those he has made his mind up on will become clearer over the coming weeks as they will likely play fewer and fewer minutes with the January transfer window looming.

There is undoubtedly a danger in all of this. Can you actively and purposefully depreciate an asset in a transfer market barely on life support, by not playing them and making it known they’re not of the requisite character for your image of what a successful Championship team is?

Wanting to sell a player is very different from actually selling a player in this climate - Exhibit A being Adam Nagy - and as Richard Gould admitted last week there is absolutely no indication this next window will be any different to the previous one in terms of expenditure and activity.

That being said, even in the context of a Covid-influenced marketplace, clubs will always want players and will be searching for “value”. City’s desire to move on an individual of genuine quality, who might suit a better system elsewhere, will grab attention. Especially in a Championship where you could consider any team from Coventry in fourth down to Sheffield United in 17th (and they’re level on points with City) as a plausible play-off side.

But that’s also coupled with the overall risk of alienating players in such a small squad. There are only so many deals that can be made in January, in and out of the club, and however many there are looking for an exit strategy, some or perhaps even all may have to wait until the summer.

But under a manager preaching such a desire for a collective will and responsibility, everyone needs to be absolutely and positively “onside” otherwise the system breaks down. As the old saying goes, you are only as strong as your weakest link.

It also needs to be emphasised that this card is being played with not many chips on the table: seven wins from 32 matches. His capital is more faith than fathomable evidence.

And while he undoubtedly has now concluded that there are certain players who are not subscribing to his methods, hence the poor results and faults within those performances; those individuals will be saying the methods aren’t worth subscribing to and the results and performances attest to that. In many ways, it’s an impossible argument and also one that isn’t particularly new in football, either.

One conclusion that can be drawn is that Pearson knows he can say this because he’s been given assurances from above that if he does go down this road, there are ways and means to get the non-conformists out of Failand.

That may mean transfer lines have already been established, that may mean a certain hit on the wages can be sustained. He’s in a position of strength because there is a desire for further change at this stage of the season.

The other possibility is far more simple: time away has crystallised his thinking. Being at home for long periods will do that.

Although disconnected, it’s made his decision-making as straightforward and streamlined as possible, and irrespective of what anyone thinks or feels, this is how it's going to be.

How it now plays out is going to be fascinating.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-manager-nigel-pearson-6229072

 

There is no doubt there are elements remaining in our squad that are not putting in an honest shift or think they know better than our manager, he moved on one lot of players and this remaining bunch have had 9 months playing under Nige, he retained them, he trusted all of them, he worked along side them, gave them all time and still they take the piss by their examples on the pitch, he is perfectly entitled to shift them out.

January is coming, some extra funding is being made available, new faces, fresh legs of Nigels own choice will be joining us, he knows the people he can trust, it's obvious they will be preferred, the wasters, it will be their choice, move on or lose your chance of regular selection, it's about time, clear them out they are dragging us all down, it really is time for action before it's too late.

 

I think Atkinson and Tanner are better examples of his signings, they stand up well compared with some of the signings made in recent years.