Our League status is safe for another year but it was not an entirely convincing escape. Under Sheridan we turned in surprisingly good performances through March, when I thought it was quite possible we wouldnât have taken a single point. Since then, itâs been 3 defeats in the final 4 games and back to the old concerns. How do we see things going forward? The Manager Sheridan got a good run of results going and has kept us up with it. I canât say heâs enthused me with his public statements but then, I didnât ridicule previous managers for their clichés either. Heâs on a one year contract to the end of 2013. Stick with him and see what happens over the first half of next season? Extend his contract now? Director of Football/Chief Executive One, both or neither? The Team Maybe a bit early for a full breakdown of who stays and who goes, but what do we need most? It feels like a very insecure arrangement when a large part of the squad is only here on loan. Do we have the financial resources to get quality which is equivalent to that available on the loan market? After the disastrous recruitment that saw us free fall from the Championship, do we trust the current manager to bet the farm now? One of the few things PAFC has done well over the past few years is to bring on youth players. Can this afford to go on if bigger clubs are able to take promising youngsters away before theyâve played a handful of games? The Ground I look forward to a shiny new stand and a tidying up of that generally decrepit side of the stadium, both facing the grass and on the outside. I quite happy if someone makes some money out of that especially if jobs are created at the same time, provided the clubâs finances arenât but at risk by it. All agreed? The Owner and the Fans Urging Brent to leave is a bit like saying we should all jump off the Tamar Bridge just to see what happens. That said, the relationship isnât right. One attempt to bring the fans closer to the running of the club has failed. Should there be another without the awkwardness of actually asking the fans to put their hands in their pockets? Could the fans manage to elect representatives for some sort of consultative role without a fight breaking out? Does it matter or are we basically happier standing on the outside shouting abuse at those on the inside? Flags More? Bigger?
I thought Sheridan was on a contract to the end of the season only.....hence the getting together this coming week. I think Brent will offer him a new contract.....but I feel Sheridan will dig in his heels and lay-out his terms for the way ahead. His own selected coaching staff possibly.....more support from a D of F or some form of executive to deal with some of the off field matters. A possible major clear out of present players.....and a list of who he wants to bring in for next season.....to attract those players he will expect Brent to finance accordingly. A less need of loanees in major team positions......strikers....central defenders....mid-field. I think Brent should seriously listen to Sheridan and how he views the way ahead.......anything less could mean a repeat of the last two seasons being repeated again.....we surely don't want to risk that. Big flags only get trodden on and need washing and who has got a washing machine/swimming pool/or the Tamar possibly to do it in,the cost of detergent alone would be too much anyway.
Lots of questions there notdistant but then there are still a lot that need an answer. For me I would like Sheridan to be given a fair crack of the whip. There is rumour he won't stay but he wasn't sounding like it was unlikely. Brent said on Radio Devon just after the match that they would be sitting down with him this week and discussing matters. Wouldn't be totally surprised if he went but then again the same applies to him staying. I guess we will soon know. The squad is another matter. Time for a huge clearout in my book. There are maybe half a dozen I would not want to see go and a couple of others who might be ok if they stayed. Given the numbers we have that leaves a fair few for the cull. Feeney and Chadwick are two definate departures for me. Give Sheridan (hopefully) a decent budget and a full pre-season and lets see what he can do. One thing for sure is we cannot have yet another season like the last two. Uppe mid table is the least but pressing at the top should be the aim. As for the ground build I'm a little cold on that. The capacity planned is enough for now but it is being stuck with this for ever that is the worry. The scope for building out or up is not that great according to the pannel of experts the Trust have assembled. They have put forward an alternative plan which seems to have a lot of support from the supporters. This for me is a test of Brent's metal in how he sees the football bit. I cannot see where the club benefits greatly from the proposals. It was supposed to make the club financially sound but not much revenue is going to flow their way from what is on the table it seems. That isn't what was promised. I don't mind if Brent makes a few quid from the whole thing but not at the expense of the club's future. If you want to get people to come then you have to show some intent on progress. This doesn't. Brent also needs to engage with the supporters and not cherry pick who he speaks to. He seems to have no truck with the Trust at all whereas the supporters do. He is not being very open as he also promised. This summer will define how he is finally seen in what he does. The Jury is still well and truly out in his case and I am yet to be convinced he hasn't just used Argyle for the rest of his empire building and he won't dump it as soon as his coffers are full enough. Stick your flags where the sun don't shine along with the muriels.
I think your right Plym as I understood it Sheridan was contracted to end of season there seems to be something going on with Warnock from that interview he gave and that may effect Sheridans future. As I said when he came I am not a fan of the guy but think he has shown enough to have a longer go if he wants it. First and for most we need to find a regular source of goals, BWP coming back?, then try and replace the loanies that we lose. Cox would be a nice signing plus another central defender and wingers at a minimum. As for loan players that is the way of the world now, a lot of Premier league teams could field a reserve team that could win Division 1 or 2. Be interesting to see what cash we spend close season. Ground development be nice to see a safe standing area similar to the German grounds I know there are a few clubs trying pilot schemes of this. Fans should not be involved in the club we are there to moan when it goes badly and demand more when it goes well!!!! Seriously from the occasional trip onto the other web sites for us fans cannot see anything but a battle of the egos at the moment. Flags yep one that covers the Demport end would be nice, preferably air tight and more song sheets, that was our biggest failing this season, not enough song sheets ohhhhh and plastic bags we need a lot more plastic bags.
Most plastic bags do have air holes in unfortunately......would that be a problem for Forza Verde ?.........song sheets are no good if you can't read. An air tight Flag that covers the whole of the Devonport end could cause panic for the sheep.
I read that Sheridan was one a "one year contract". That doesn't mean it's right but if true it means he's eligible for the chop before the Xmas/New Year transfer window at minimum cost. NB I'm not saying he should go, we've stayed up and that's all that could be expected so far, so a tick in the only box on the current form. There's a clear doubt whether modern football allows lower league teams to assemble a good squad of wholly "owned" players. I would however like to see the spine of the team - the back four, defensive midfield and central strikers on full contracts. Maybe the flair players to put around them are less affordable and need to be loanees... Almost by definition, those guys tend to be less team orientated (cf Jason Banton) and so can be swapped in and out without disrupting the overall structure. Given that Brent seems open to the concept, I think it will be a real opportunity missed if some sort of fan participation isn't implemented. Looks as if it is going to be missed though... The idea that fans could sit on the main management board where player & management employment matters are discussed amongst other things is clearly not going to happen, so aspirations have to be realistic. No building project is going to make the club financially secure by itself. Only a soundly run and successful football club is going to do that. We have the first bit but not the second - yet. I do think the abandoned Mayflower stand and the corner between that area and the Devonport End, reflects badly on the club. Looking successful is sometimes half way to being successful and if that can rectified at no cost to the club, I can't wait.
notDistant .......check todays BBC's Argyle page......they say that Sheridan took over from Fletcher, signing a contract to the end of the season. That has been clearly stated in other places as well.........so this week could be important for Argyle........it seems Sheridan has squad ideas and that will obviously be important to how he sees a new contract to continue with PAFC.......surely Brent will not try to reduce Sheridans requirements regarding the way forward.......it is not a time to be miserly and stretch the supporters patients yet another season.
Yes I see that, some interesting Brentisms. "He's clearly formed a view as to how he sees the team shaping up next season in terms of both current players and prospective signings." "I've learnt that a culture of wanting got win, rather than not wanting to lose is quite a different culture. One to the things that John Sheridan's brought to the team is that a draw is not acceptable, that a win is acceptable - and nothing else. "I've also learnt that performance on the pitch is not purely correlated towards budget and that there's quite a lot more that goes into a winning team than money". "It's not good for this football club to be dependent on a rich bloke putting in money every so often. What we want is to get the club financially sustainable with the money that it requires to build a team to take it back to the Championship and the grandstand is a big part of that. It'll generate additional net profits to the club of £1-2 million per annum and that goes a long way in the lower leagues to building a very successful team." I'm not quite clear how the new stand generates more income unless the seats are full, which is more dependent on what happens on the pitch than off. Let's hope he's right, I presume he's done the sums.... Saying that, I see the value of the Olympic torch relay has been estimated at £26m in Cornwall alone. I have only one thing to say. How?
Congratulations for staying up! As an occasional visitor to Home Park here are my suggestions for next season...(Lights Plymborn's blue fuse-paper and retires immediately) Tidy Up Home Park. Some areas outside the stadium are a disgrace. As a hotelier Mr Brent must know that first impressions on arrival are important. May I suggest that Sensible is made Home Park Improvement Czar? I think that I half a tin of creosote in my shed that I'm willing to donate. Invest in some physically more powerful players. I watched the Rotherham game and although you competed well I felt that you were out-muscled in crucial areas of the game. Put ASBO's on Pasty Vendors not to venture within a two mile radius of Home Park on a match day. The gut-wrenching stench from this so-called food is not only disgusting but an affront to my vegetarian principles! Change your teams strip....the over-all impression of Home Park is unremittingly dull. Every thing is green and grey, especially in mid-winter. Cardiff did it, the fans have come to terms with it, Come on brighten up! Humiliate Pompey....please. Finally keep the faith...good supporters! Cheers, Milton
Thanks guys although I'm not sure how pleased we should be with skin of teeth saving once again. The area around Home Park is about to be ripped to bits with building so not sure the time is right for a spring clean. I would suspect one of those on completion. Wash your mouth out ref the pasties milton. God's food. Reply for notidistant. Nobody said the building was going to solve all of Argyle's financial problems on it's own. A successful season might just go a long way towards that. From what I've seen plans wise there doesn't seem a lot in all of it for the football side of the Empire and it is debatable if the club will benefit much at all. I just still don't trust Brent although there seems little alternative right now.
Change our colour ..... change our colour .... we are the Green Army hmmmm change our colour .... how very dare you
