I've been reading for a few weeks now everyones general opinion towards Keith Millen. I am willing to hold my hands up and say that times time now, and we need a new man in charge with knew ideas, but above all real leadership. It's a real shame, as I have grown up with Keith Millen at this club, and he has been here a long time in footballing terms. He is a great ambassador for this club, much like Brian Tinion was, but it sadly just hasn't worked out as manager. I was skeptical at first, but I thought to some extent given his service to the club he deserved his chance after a reasonably successful stint after GJ was let go. However, it has been a full year since his managerial reign, and I am fully aware thats not a long time to be given to get real results, but my fear with Millen is he doesn't have the basics down yet. He doesn't know his best formation after 1 year, he doesn't know his best starting 11 after 1 year, he doesn't know which players should be playing in which position after 1 year. This isn't even taking into account the time he has spent before he was in charge of the first team. He has known some of these boys for a long long time. He is an ex defender, and a bloody good one at that I might, true old school, made of the real stuff, and had the ability to read the game very well. But he hasn't been able to pass that on in his teachings as our defending at times is beyond woeful, and I don't put it all down to the players. I think we have fallen into the trap that we fell in with GJ. The players aren't giving their all for him anymore, they have lost faith, or may never of had it in the first place. We have seen yet again, that this league is wide open for yet another year. Teams we thought would run riot and dominate aren't living up to the hype, yet teams like Brighton, Southampton and Derby are doing brilliantly! In terms of future possibles to manage the club, I'm not fully convinced by the names being bandied around. For instance: Dave Jones - Very very competent don't get me wrong, but take a look at his history, needs a big big transfer kitty and a ridiculously high wage structure to get half decent success. Billy Davies - Argues with the board and bites the hand that feeds. Very good Scottish manager, but again, needs money and lots of it, but his signings at Forest were very questionable. Loves his Strikers but is a bit prone to hoofball at times. Mark Hughes - Has never proven he can manage a league outside of top flight football. He is looking for a Premier League club with money as well I suspect. So it leaves me wondering, what to do what to do, when it comes to the managerial situation. But we do need Keith out of that hotseat, and as much as I'd like him to keep a coaching role much like I wished Tinion had, I don't think he will want to take that step backwards and I'd fully understand that.
Completely agree, I think he's been a loyal servant to the club and would be better suited to a director of football role or something similar to that. Is unfortunate as I'd like to see him do well. He's got the next two home games I think then we'll see after that...
Yep, I think he has the next two home games and if he doesn't get some results or even goals, I think Colin Sexstone has no option but to at least THINK about possible new candidates to take the team forwards, or at least keep us in the division. I thought his signings last season were very good, Stead, Caulker, Pitman stood out for me as players with exceptional potential to do well here. I wanted to see how he would do after a full summer in charge, I wanted to see him make a real mark on reducing the squad size and wage bill, and he didn't really achieve that, and didn't really bring in anyone in the areas we were absolutely aching for improvement on a permanant basis. I have no idea why he signed another striker, even if he was anticipating Nicky moving on we still had incredible amount of attacking guile in Pitman, Stead, Clarkson (given a real decent opportunity), Marlon. ESPECIALLY if he was going to insist on this 4-5-1 formation. Now 7 games in I can see he has actually gone backwards in areas such as signings, tactics, defending and motivating, not forwards, which is why I think his time is very nearly up as a manager.
That's why I was not pushing as hard for him being given the chop as fast as some were, I was very impressed with the recruitment last year. The squad not being reduced can be put squarely at the board's feet however, they blocked some deals they shouldn't have. His tactics are becoming bizzare tho..
Jambo - I'll say it again - what are you like. 'I was very impressed with the recruitment last year' - Let's see who did the idiot sign last year. Stead,Pitman and Woolford. Can't wait - which of that lot impressed you yesterday. Did any of them start !!!! Again,I cant wait. Which of this summer's signings are you impressed with. Kilkenny,Taylor or Bolasie. Jambo - Admit it - You're Colin Sextone.
RP - Spence, Caulker, Rose, Pitman and Stead? Which of them were bad players? Woolford is ****e don't get me wrong. Recruitment good, tactics/selection been getting worse by the week tbh.. Was saying why I was giving him the benefit of the doubt. If we lose the next two home games then that's it though. With the money that guy probably has I bloody wish I was, wouldn't have to bother with going to uni then!
Oh yeah, this summer was poor to say the least. Taylor was hopeless against Swindon. Kilkenny is good in a centeral 3 but not as part of a 4-4-2. As for Bolasie, who knows? Hopefully he may turn out to be a left footed Adomah, would have to play him first though..
Pitman hardly gets a chance to string more than 30 minutes of football together, so I don't see how you can label him as a load of rubbish just yet. Stead for me is a captain, his early performances at the beginning of last season, his work rate and general ability to get his teamates going makes him a decent player, oh and he proved he can score goals! Another player to take a backseat. None of the players Millen has signed have been utter tragedies, but they certainly haven't been the next big thing under his management, which is why I think its time for him to grab his coat. But its all about opinions and the way you look at things I guess.
ANyone who thinks Pitman is rubbish is rubbish themselves. Like a few other who came here, he was prolific in a good footballing side and therein lies the rub. The one thing that Bristol City have always done since I have been watching them, is play football - until the 3rd year of GJ's reign that is. The signing of Dele Adabola was the beginning of the end of our passing football and each year, it has just got worse and worse because we just don't play co-ordinated, or as I call it, joined up football anymore and therefore simply don't make any chances for our strikers. How do you expect ANYONE to score lots then - AG is the graveyard of strikers, we need fresh blood with fresh ideas and to get us playing and most importantly CREATING again - our home goals scored record is the biggest possible indicator in this respect and frankly, how many goal scoring opportunities do you remember us making in those 5 games...? I'll just leave you to think on that one...
Just to clarify, I wasn't saying Pitman was rubbish, the total opposite in fact. I think he has massive potential given a decent run in the team.
