Can Derek Quinn ask the question?

[BHmfc]

The Stanley debate will rage on for as long as he remains at the club, but it looks as if SM wants to move him on, which is a shame because he has been one of our better players over the past two seasons, however, if you believe rumour and hearsay about the alleged incident between the two, then SM really has no choice if he wants discipline and respect within the dressing room.

[footballfan]

feel that there is a bit of "cutting the nose off to spite the face" with some our missing players. Managers should be big enough and brave enough to pick someone that is going to give the team something rather than leave them out because they don`t see eye to eye or don`t like each other. That famous phase "nobody is bigger than the club comes to mind". It is the manager who picks the team, players can only give 100% in training and when playing. If they do that nobody can point the finger, but they too have to be grown up and mature to accept that they can be left out also. We will, as I have said previously, have more good games than bad this season, early doors yet and still plenty to play for. Would rather have our problems than Rotherhams, Luton or Bournmouths any day of th eweek.

[quinny]

I think Negative Ned obviously has a gripe and he would like an answer to his question which is fair enough. It is a question I could ask but this is football and it is a different world to the others we all inhabit.
If he thinks I am going to quiz the manager over his team selection then I think he misunderstands the business I am involved in because a manager lives and falls by the decision he makes in this industry more than any other, and that is pretty much taken for granted.
I, or any other journalist for that matter, could ask that question because we don't restrict any journalist access to the manager or the players, or tell them what questions they can and cannot.
But where does it end?
Whatever team Sammy picks, someone will be unhapy with it along the line. Would we be expected to ask the same question every week. For instance Andy Parrish, Garry Hunter and Fraser McLachlan were left out this week. Do we ask him why for every one of them?
I know what Negative Ned is getting at and a journalist's job is to answer difficult questions at times, and the question may well get asked soon, but in a bit of a different way?
People may not also appreciate it but you have to think about long term relationships. A friend of mine questioned Coley about team selection and was banned from interviews for quite a long time. This was totally wrong in my opinion but it does happen.

[SkinnyShrimp]

I'm not sure I undertand what you are saying Quinny but it sounds like you are asking Ned not to ask you to ask Sammy any akward questions in case it damages your relations with him?

Surely as paying supporters on an unofficial site we are entitled to ask questions of those responsible for running the club?

Perhaps if you or someone within the club could explain what the situation is with Stanners then we may have to accept what we are seeing in the midfield is the best we have to offer but whilst it is unclear this will drag on and on?

I don't think it is too much to ask why Stanners (even when fit) is not playing despite the fact we look very weak in midfield and he is by far strongest midfielder?

I'm not having a pop I'm just curious?

[bigreddog]

Although I agree this is a debate worth having (on here at least) and that asking questions or criticising shouldn't be an automatic sign of disloyalty as per some peoples opinion. I do agree that a constant stream of "why did you pick him? and not him?" in every post match radio interview or press conference would be very tedious indeed. I'd rather hear why the manager thinks a certain thing did or didn't work, what he's going to do next etc. or it could all be very messy. As for asking the gaffer these questions at a fans forum, I think sgt major is spot on. If anyone has got the bottle to question sammy to his face on some of these issues then fair play to you. I for one prefer to know the business of the football club is done in private. ultimately there are three things that you shouldn't see made in public: Laws, Team selections and sausages.

[i-love-mfc]

I think we should start a petition for Craig to get back in the team

And Yates ,Howard, Drummond oh and Twissy of course

yeh i would like to see yatesy back in but im not a fan of the others

[quinny]

Skinnyshrimp
You have misread what I have said. I was trying to say that I am not the only journalist who speaks to Sammy every week - there are a few of us who do and I am certainly not afraid to ask difficult questions myself which I have in the past.
I was only giving examples of the difficulties reporters (not only me) face when you question team selections - it is one of the major questions that managers don't take too kindly and you will hardly ever see anyone on TV question a team selection unless there is an injury involved.
I was just giving you a bit of an insight into what happens really.
You have mentioned Stanners but what about Yatesy and Twissy who may feel equally aggrieved?

[Shrimpsscene]

just picking up on team selection
we picked Nicky Adams' dad up to the game on saturday at Bury
Terry was saying theres 32 players at leicester and Nicky knocking on the door waiting for his chance but working hard
a quality player at this level of course and has made the step up
32 players in the Leicster squad(ive since checked) thats almost 3 teams!!!!!
theres only 11 places but theres probably 50 games this season at least so many will get their chance im sure as they will in our smaller squad
You just have to knuckle down and prove your worth whether its in the reserves or in training
The manager (especially one such as Sammy with his wealth of experience as a player and a manager at the highest level) picks the team noone else...........

[Number 1]

I think both Ned AND Quinny are right. Questions about team selection are pretty sacrosanct I think, as it IS the managers call, whether we like it or not. The one thing about the Stanley situation is that at the moment, it appears like we are crying out for what Stanley gave us last season, and apart from having some kind of spat, most people aren't aware of what's gone on so will continue to speculate. With regard to Yates, Twiss and anyone else, it's obvious that Twissy's form has dipped alarmingly and he's not worth a place, and there are 2 or 3 right backs on the books who Sammy prefers to Yates, who was exposed a fair bit last season. So although Quinny is right in what he says, I would suggest that the thing to ask Sammy would be along the lines of "What's the latest with Craig Stanley?" kind of thing, which questions his availability rather than asking why he's not picked him.

[Neil G]

Totally agree!

I was trying to say a similar thing above but with a bit more tact

Fair comment, my post is a bit abrupt and unfair to CC however Negative Ned in my opinion is a different animal and more than just a mischief maker, he's had some kind of agenda against those running our club for some time now and is succesfully recruiting a little group of disgruntled sheep who want to undermine the management team because they think they know better how to run the club. Sure everyone is entitled to an opinion and equally to express their favoured team and players, but to demand official statements regarding the managers selection and asking Quinny to do it for him in public is both unrealistic and unfair.

[Christies Child]

...totally agree with you Ockers, Sammy and his management team pick the team, nobody else.

However we've all got opinions. After all we're all armchair managers, non more so than myself. It's a bit of fun that can get a bit personal and I have to say slightly obsessive.

But for any of us to expect Sammy to explain his team selections either in person or through a 3rd party is living in cloud cookoo land and in my opinion is being highly disrespectful to the manager.. The manager is employed to do the job to the best of his ability and is fully aware that he works in a results driven profession. To put even more pressures on his shoulders is totally wrong.He's answerable to the Board, nobody else.

[sgt major]

I've always been an exponent of the press hounding the team when they are doing badly and asking pertanent questions - however I have realised as others have pointed out that we are only into our second year in the football league and to be frank need all the support we can get from press, media and fans alike.

Come on folks, I have just watched Cambridge v Kettering - just look where we could have been!!!

[campdave]

However we've all got opinions. After all we're all armchair managers, non more so than myself. It's a bit of fun that can get a bit personal and I have to say slightly obsessive.

But for any of us to expect Sammy to explain his team selections either in person or through a 3rd party is living in cloud cookoo land and in my opinion is being highly disrespectful to the manager.. The manager is employed to do the job to the best of his ability and is fully aware that he works in a results driven profession. To put even more pressures on his shoulders is totally wrong.He's answerable to the Board, nobody else.

disrespecful to the manager? But its ok for you to post that sammy picks adams because theyre friends?

[Shrimpsscene]

I've always been an exponent of the press hounding the team when they are doing badly and asking pertanent questions - however I have realised as others have pointed out that we are only into our second year in the football league and to be frank need all the support we can get from press, media and fans alike.

Come on folks, I have just watched Cambridge v Kettering - just look where we could have been!!!

absolutely mick totally agree
cambridge we may visit next year i think they will be with us next season in the league
personally i hope so
but as much as i liked the beeswing pub food banter and beer i wouldnt want to go back to rockingham road mate
grim.......very grim........and we got treated badly a couple of time there didnt we
enjoyed the 5 1 we spanked them though

[Keith]

to be fair, there is a world of difference between asking why Stanley wasn't picked and if he is 'available' or 'likely' to be picked again, after all, he is still on the transfer list and has been for a long time. It's not a criticism of the manager, simply asking for an 'up-date'.

If there is an ongoing dispute I hope the two parties haven't painted themselves into a corner so neither feels that they can back down. If either do back down, it almost certainly has to be the player but making it 'possible' for this to happen may take some clever manoeuvring. Perhaps some negotiated assistance from a board member could help to resolve the situation without loss of face? Perhaps a 'silly forfeit' during training?

Or, if it is irretrievable, then it remains a valid question and will continue to be talked about.

[sgt major]

I've always been an exponent of the press hounding the team when they are doing badly and asking pertanent questions - however I have realised as others have pointed out that we are only into our second year in the football league and to be frank need all the support we can get from press, media and fans alike.

Come on folks, I have just watched Cambridge v Kettering - just look where we could have been!!!

absolutely mick totally agree
cambridge we may visit next year i think they will be with us next season in the league
personally i hope so
but as much as i liked the beeswing pub food banter and beer i wouldnt want to go back to rockingham road mate
grim.......very grim........and we got treated badly a couple of time there didnt we
enjoyed the 5 1 we spanked them though

Sean - I used to have a picture of a gorgeous blonde leaning over the pool table in the Beeswing (sigh.....) - Happy Days!!

[shrimper]

"Craig's still a Morecambe player and, when fit, will still be considered for selection". On his future: "we'll just have to see what happens".

There you go - I can confidently predict that that would be Sammy's response to such a question.
(I say confidently because that was pretty much what he said the last time we asked and nothing much has changed with regard to Stanners since then).

A further question, along the lines of 'why didn't you pick him for XXXX particular game and why did you pick XXX instead?' would be met with either something vague and 'manager-speak' about having to pick the team that he thinks is best or something a little more curt, because you are questioning his selection.


And it may be useful to imagine, say, Nick Collins saying: "Sir Alex, you played Darren Fletcher in that game and it really didn't work, did it? Now fans on Red Issue have been saying you should be picking Nani every week in that position and they're also asking why you let Rossi go when he's clearly better than Saha who you've kept - how do you answer that?"

You have to judge these issues and make a call on when's the right time to ask them and in what way.

I think that the end of the transfer window presents that reasonable opportunity. If players like Stanners and Twissy are still here then, instead of making comments about players he may like to bring in, Sammy will know he's working with the squad as it stands and that will bring into sharper focus his attitude to those players who will still be getting paid by the board.

[Shrimpsscene]

I've always been an exponent of the press hounding the team when they are doing badly and asking pertanent questions - however I have realised as others have pointed out that we are only into our second year in the football league and to be frank need all the support we can get from press, media and fans alike.

Come on folks, I have just watched Cambridge v Kettering - just look where we could have been!!!

absolutely mick totally agree
cambridge we may visit next year i think they will be with us next season in the league
personally i hope so
but as much as i liked the beeswing pub food banter and beer i wouldnt want to go back to rockingham road mate
grim.......very grim........and we got treated badly a couple of time there didnt we
enjoyed the 5 1 we spanked them though

Sean - I used to have a picture of a gorgeous blonde leaning over the pool table in the Beeswing (sigh.....) - Happy Days!!

as good looking as that class barmaid in the cock and bear at nuneaton???

[Phoenix]

I think Negative Ned obviously has a gripe and he would like an answer to his question
which is fair enough.

If NN is ex-Robert who claimed to have high-powered connections then he knows the answer to his own question and he's just shit stirring.

Now back to the Leidesplein break-danceers. Cheers everyone.

[wijit]

Skinnyshrimp
You have misread what I have said. I was trying to say that I am not the only journalist who speaks to Sammy every week - there are a few of us who do and I am certainly not afraid to ask difficult questions myself which I have in the past.
I was only giving examples of the difficulties reporters (not only me) face when you question team selections - it is one of the major questions that managers don't take too kindly and you will hardly ever see anyone on TV question a team selection unless there is an injury involved.
I was just giving you a bit of an insight into what happens really.
You have mentioned Stanners but what about Yatesy and Twissy who may feel equally aggrieved?

I've been in several situations where managers have been asked about team selections (and far worse questions which have been answered), twice the manager has been arguably the most successful in English football history. You're correct insofar as he (like the others) took less than kindly to being asked, but when it's a question which has relevance then it has to be asked. The fact that it isn't shown on TV doesn't mean it hasn't been asked.
I don't think, however, this needs asking yet. Once fit and if we are still having the obvious problems then it will need asking, by whoever can pass on the answer to the most relevant people and in this case I'd suggest the supporters are relevant.

[Neil G]

Now back to the Leidesplein break-danceers. Cheers everyone.

Some great Jazz clubs around there Brian

[marky No.1]

Now back to the Leidesplein break-danceers. Cheers everyone.

You are near Rembrandts Square? Give my regards to Debbie while paying 9 Euros for a pint

[heysham_mfc]

why doesn't Sammy just set the fans pick the team

[Aspers]

Well Quinny, what did Sammy say about my Tenner.