The Full Spoken Words - Nige Long Term.

Everything Nigel Pearson and the Lansdowns have said about his Bristol City future
A decision is yet to be made on whether the Bristol City manager will be in charge beyond this summer amid growing unease from supporter

please log in to view this image

Nigel Pearson at St Andrew's during Bristol City's defeat to Coventry

please log in to view this image

Bristol City chairman Jon Lansdown and Bristol City CEO Mark Ashton

For a period of time, everything was running according to plan following Bristol City''s appointment of Nigel Pearson.

The experienced and respected former Watford and Leicester City manager had stepped in and given the whole club a lift after a wretched run of six straight defeats and genuine fear surrounding Championship relegation, from supporters and the board.

Here was an established and recognisable figure in charge at Ashton Gate, something fans have craved since the end of Steve Cotterill's reign and it was having a clear an obvious impact.

The idea that Pearson's contract would be extended beyond this summer seemed an inevitability.

But while that sentiment largely still remains within the Robins faithful, there is growing unease at the uncertainty of the whole situation.

Results have nosedived - three defeats and a draw from their last four games - with attitude among some players riddled with apathy, while Pearson's language has subtley altered from cheerful optimism to a sense of realism.

Meanwhile, Steve Lansdown said over the Easter Weekend that he expected to meet and speak with Pearson face to face for the first time in "the next few weeks" which, given the season ends on May 8 doesn't leave much of a window for negotiation.

In light of all this, here is a timeline of what Steve and Jon Lansdown, CEO Mark Ashton and the man himself, Nigel Pearson, have said since his appointment on February 22 about his long-term future ...

Chairman Jon Lansdown to bcfc.co.uk on Pearson's arrival, February 22
“Nigel gives us the leadership and direction we need to lift the players’ confidence and to turn our form around. The initial appointment is until the end of the season, when we will re-assess the situation, hopefully with a view to the long term. However, the immediate priority for Nigel and the coaching team is to stop the current bad run and move us back up the table”

Steve Lansdown to talkSPORT, February 23
“The way I would look at is, we’re both trying each other out in this period and then we’ll talk about things properly going forward in the summer.

“We know the type of manager that he is; he can build confidence in players, he’s got lots of experience in the Championship and in football, generally, and we just have every confidence that he’s going to galvanise the players and the staff around him and get us back on track again."

Pearson during his first press conference, February 24
"I'd like to [stay longer] - I'd like to be here longer but as Steve said it's an opportunity to have a look at each other. I fully understand the situation ... I'm happy in my skin and I'm happy to fulfil my obligations. It's not something I'm concerned about. I take the job on thinking that potentially it will be longer. But myself and the staff have to stabilise the situation first.”

Pearson on his first week in the job, March 2
“For me, it’s a really, really good football club but one step at a time. I’ve been here a week. I can’t give you an overview about everything because as I’ve already pointed out, my focus is getting to grips with getting to know the staff and the players.

"By that, I don’t just mean learning names, I mean trying to get to know what people are about and how they operate and just getting a real feel for how things are. That’s the most important thing for me at the moment.

“The broader question of are we well-placed to make a progression, I would say yes, because we do have two very important requirements like I said.

"The facilities and infrastructure are really sound and the ambition is there. Those things are very, very important and I suppose then, it’s managing expectation and manage people’s frustrations that the pace at which we are developing and moving forward is the correct one.”

Pearson on settling in at BS3, March 6
“I'm settling in well. The priority is to get to know the workings of the people at the training ground and to get to know the players as well as possible. I'm not really had a chance to see much of the city or the area. My time is really taken up by working, as it should do, at the job and that's most important.”

Pearson enjoying life at City, March 16
“I'm really enjoying my time here. The discussions which we have are private.I understand I have to earn the right as well to remain here but it's a good club and I'm enjoying working here.

“I would be very pleased to stay.”

CEO Mark Ashton to Robins TV as the Robins High Performance Centre is opened, March 30
“I’ve spoken to Nigel Pearson about the culture in the building and on the pitches and our first team players will have to take more responsibility in how they conduct themselves day to day because how they behave daily will reflect in our younger players.

"It’s the same for our staff; they will have to set even higher standards, be really clear in how we behave. Our mission, vision and values have to be set clearly from the top because now it has the opportunity to flow right the way through our Academy and that can only be a good thing.”

Pearson on City's ambitions, April 1
“Our aim has to be to get to the Premier League. It’s important that we are transparent with our aspirations. We are ambitious. One of the key messages of moving into somewhere like this is that the challenge is there.

"We have a beautiful place to work with incredible facilities and now it is time to deliver on the very important green rectangle that exists at Ashton Gate.”

Pearson in the wake of defeat to Stoke, April 2
"No, there’s no update.

“When you go into a place it’s normally because there’s been a reason for the change.

“I am under no illusions that there is a considerable job. In some ways, when you have to deal with the disappointment of bad results, it really does clarify the situation sometimes.

"I’m just somebody who will look at what I think needs to be changed, how it needs to be changed, and try and implement that. I’m pretty realistic with stuff like this."

When asked if discussions will be taking place in the summer ...
“If it’s in the summer it will be too late.

“If our aspirations are to be a Premier League side then we have probably got between four and six transfer windows to create a squad. This summer, if you consider that we, along with every other EFL squad, have minimal revenue streams.”

Steve Lansdown to 3 Peaps in a PodCast, April 2
“I can’t give you any indication as to whether this is long term or not at this stage. All of us are working as if it’s long term but we’ll make those decisions over the next few weeks and the most important thing for me is that I need to get in front of him personally.

“I’ve not physically met him yet; I’ve virtually met him but not physically met him. That’s the thing, I mean I speak to him regularly.

"Our relationship is good, I don’t give anything away in that sense and we work towards getting together which will be in a few weeks’ time, to discuss things properly.”

Nigel Pearson to BBC Radio Bristol after defeat against Coventry, April 5
“If we keep getting results like this I probably won't be offered a job, so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

“There is too much work to be done in the present. I'm not even thinking about that. The problem solving with us at the moment is to get our backsides in order.”

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-pearson-bristol-city-future-5271309