Had Enough after 25 years

[asda shrimp]

Think i,m catergree 1/2.

[Freez]

I get bloody annoyed, frustrated and angry, and last week in the first half was just about a low as I've seen.
Second half I was a little better as I had sat and had a rant over the break.
But nobody, not even the manager and players thinks that Saturday was anything other than utterly awful and unnacceptable.

But you must do what you think is right, this thread has stirred up plenty of passion and that shows that deep down the people have a love for the club which currently isn't reflected because of on field home performances, poor facilities, or the general disenchanted and disenfranchised fan as we have become more corporate/professional.

There are testing times now and ahead, it could turn out to be the same as last season, the FA Cup could be the catlalyst for success or failure?

[Keith]

Were you about in the late 70's and early 80's? I don't remember much success in those days.

This is what I can't understand. What was it that got us through those awful days that is missing now? It certainly wasn't the football, that was as dire as it is now. But we stuck through it. And now, we're a Football League team, playing the likes of Portsmouth & Blackpool. We're playing ex-Premiership teams instead of getting battered by Chorley & Great Harwood.

If we're as skint as was alluded to in another thread, then we certainly don't have cash to pay Jim off and sack him, even if that is what some people want. So for practical terms, Jim is staying no matter what. Personally, I'm still in the 'better the devil you know' camp, although crap hoofball, pisses me off just as much as anyone else.

I fully understand why some people feel they've had enough, but I wish we could develop a 'bunker mentality' and get behind the team & management 100%... because that is all we've got. And if we don't we may not have anything at all.

[mrpotatohead]

Does anyone know of any reason morale could have been a bit low amongst the players at the end of last week?

[Seasider9601]

Does anyone know of any reason morale could have been a bit low amongst the players at the end of last week?

Are you giving subtle hints to something you know again??!!

[John L]

Were you about in the late 70's and early 80's? I don't remember much success in those days.

This is what I can't understand. What was it that got us through those awful days that is missing now? It certainly wasn't the football, that was as dire as it is now. But we stuck through it. And now, we're a Football League team, playing the likes of Portsmouth & Blackpool. We're playing ex-Premiership teams instead of getting battered by Chorley & Great Harwood.

Sounds to me like a lot of people assumed the grass would be greener once we reached the "holy grail" of the football league, but now that we're struggling to compete against the big(ger) boys, and we have the internet to freeze our whinges and moans for all eternity, things don't seem so rosy after all! Now, I wasn't following the club back in those old days like yourself, Freez, Hodgie and Co, but you guys are the most optimistic of all of us, so I take that as inspiration and perhaps some others should too...

[marky No.1]

Does anyone know of any reason morale could have been a bit low amongst the players at the end of last week?

£££ ???

[Richard Head]

Were you about in the late 70's and early 80's? I don't remember much success in those days.

This is what I can't understand. What was it that got us through those awful days that is missing now? It certainly wasn't the football, that was as dire as it is now. But we stuck through it. And now, we're a Football League team, playing the likes of Portsmouth & Blackpool. We're playing ex-Premiership teams instead of getting battered by Chorley & Great Harwood.

If we're as skint as was alluded to in another thread, then we certainly don't have cash to pay Jim off and sack him, even if that is what some people want. So for practical terms, Jim is staying no matter what. Personally, I'm still in the 'better the devil you know' camp, although crap hoofball, pisses me off just as much as anyone else.

I fully understand why some people feel they've had enough, but I wish we could develop a 'bunker mentality' and get behind the team & management 100%... because that is all we've got. And if we don't we may not have anything at all.

But did we stick through it Keith, home attendances plummeted to way lower than they are today admittedly it was NPL rather than Football League. Having said that after Dave Roberts we seemed to change managers every year without any improvement so perhaps as you say 'better the devil you know'

[Wild Bill]

Wow this thread has kicked off somewhat. Don't really know where to start really.

For Phil Anderer's number rating, I'd say I am probably a 2. I won't stop going because of Bentley or the crap football, but I am attending out of loyalty and the eternal hope that things might improve. Lets face it, when you are getting thumped every home game, a 0-0 bore draw against Coventry could feel glorious.

The whole thread is really about should Bentley go or not. For me he really should as I have lost all confidence that he will ever get it right consistently at home. These are the games I watch, so this is pretty much everything to me as a fan.

Jim's had over five years of trying to get home form right since he took over from Sammy after one shocking season. With each poor season at the Globe we have seen attendances ebb away, which in turn has lead to a drop in playing budgets. To make matters worse, in the last 12 months consistently poor form has turned into god awful form. For the first time ever on Saturday, I considered walking out at half time.

Folk say better the devil you know, but how could it be worse than losing six (seven if you went to Bournemouth like me) on the trot? Yes, defenders of Jim will jump in and say well he's done the business away, but all that says to me is that he has a team that in theory is half decent (making the low budget argument rather weak) but tactically or mentally he can't set the lads up right to play at home.

We all know Jim is the most honest, passionate and gentlemanly manager that we could ever have and I would be genuinely sad when he does eventually leave, but for me its time for some new ideas and someone without the Globe Arena (crap home form) baggage to come in and mix things up. I would happily swap a few league places right now for us to start playing to our capabilities at the Globe and maybe a wee run in the FA Cup. Is this too much to ask?

[outsider]

I'm a No1 and the 5-0 thrashing would be away at Newport.....oh hang on we don't do away thrashings

[Westgate Wanderer]

I'm a No.1 5-0 pah try 0-9 V Bangor city one cool night!

[SupermarketShrimp]

I'm just not sure whether I agree that Jim is the problem.

He is not THE problem.

He is, however, one of many problems the club have. Jim can't do anything about the lack of funds coming from above.

He can do something about the way he approaches home matches, send the team out with a bit of fire in their belly and attach the opposition. We might get a tonking now and then, but we get a tonking now when we're set up to try and get a draw or nick it. As it is, he just does the same thing week in, week out.

Do you honestly think he tells them to not run and meekly surrender to the invading hoardes?

[Keith]

Folk say better the devil you know, but how could it be worse than losing six (seven if you went to Bournemouth like me) on the trot? Yes, defenders of Jim will jump in and say well he's done the business away, but all that says to me is that he has a team that in theory is half decent (making the low budget argument rather weak) but tactically or mentally he can't set the lads up right to play at home.

It's not about being "defenders", it's about offering balance. You answered your own question about 'how could it be worse...?' Well at home, it couldn't be worse, but away it could be much worse. If we had a new manager and continued with relegation standard at home but lost the promotion standard away form, then we'd REALLY be in trouble.

[mrpotatohead]

I think we have the worst collection of players we have had for 10 years, it would be impossible for some managers to keep them out of the bottom 3 , and if tbe club let them all go I would think that half of them would have to get 'real' jobs.

[SupermarketShrimp]

I think we have the worst collection of players we have had for 10 years, it would be impossible for some managers to keep them out of the bottom 3 , and if tbe club let them all go I would think that half of them would have to get 'real' jobs.

I agree.

[Wild Bill]

I think we have the worst collection of players we have had for 10 years, it would be impossible for some managers to keep them out of the bottom 3 , and if tbe club let them all go I would think that half of them would have to get 'real' jobs.

Totally disagree. We have some real talent in our squad, which has been demonstrated by some of our early season home performances as well as a lot of away games. For me they are more than capable of staying in this league and with a couple of additions could actually push on.

Blaming the players, low budgets and the Globe 'curse' is for me letting the manager off the hook.

[shrimpinho]

The big question is why can we not replicate our away form to our home form. No one has been able to turn it around for 3 years, not the manager, not the players, not the staff or directors.

Of course Jim is not THE problem, he has to deal with some major barriers. However, Jim is a part of the problem. Laying him blameless because of x,y and z is absurd in my opinion.

[Wild Bill]

The big question is why can we not replicate our away form to our home form. No one has been able to turn it around for 3 years, not the manager, not the players, not the staff or directors.

Of course Jim is not THE problem, he has to deal with some major barriers. However, Jim is a part of the problem. Laying him blameless because of x,y and z is absurd in my opinion.

Exactly.

This may sound odd but I think Jim's passion and desire to get it right may be having the opposite effect on the players. Imagine if you are a young player coming in with little knowledge of MFC and you meet the manager, who is a club legend. He makes it very clear that improving the home form is a season's objective and explains that this has been a problem for many years and is costing the club fans and money. Basically long-term survival is down to the team getting this right.

Things start off well in pre-season and we battle to a couple of good results against bigger teams. Then the 'must win' games come along and one by one we lose. Pressure mounts, crowds drop to worryingly low levels and all you can hear in a quiet stadium is groans from the wingers. Jim looks like a man who's under pressure and the older/longer serving players give the impression this is groundhog day. Weekly discussions on how to get it right keep reminding you of the problem and you play tense football. Team is set up to be tight but mistakes are made early on and the gameplan goes out the window. Its a vicious circle.

[KenH]

This may sound odd but I think Jim's passion and desire to get it right may be having the opposite effect on the players.

I've also wondered about the stress etc that may be affecting them. I play a different sport (not a team sport) and I play so much better when I don't care. When I'm up against it, my performance really suffers due to stress/anxiety and I end up playing crap. I play my best when I know I've lost, i.e. when realistically I'm not going to make a come back and I can then just relax and enjoy it.

Perhaps the players are the same? When they're against the league leaders or teams from a higher division or at an away match, they know no-one is pressurising them to win and won't criticise if they lose, so they're not as stressed/anxious and play better. When they're against a lower league team or bottom of the division, or at home,the pressure is on, they know they'll get stick if they lose, so they're under stress from kick-off.

What's the solution though?

[Christies Child]

Players for me feel under increased pressure at home due in part to the endless pressure in verbal terms put on them by the entire management team from the touchline during all home games.

The constant issuing of instructions and barracking by the assistant manager in particular is counter productive.

Imagine being at your work place and being constantly told how to do something or told to put more effort into what you are doing. How would you feel....

What's the betting that you'd be telling them to F*** OFF under your breath.....

We've a more than capable squad who should have the right to make their own decisions on the field of play.

Maybe if we had a stronger Captain who could be an influential figure to the players we'd be a lot better off. For me that man should be Kevin. A player who the squad look up to....

I fully expect a load of abuse following the above thoughts....

[Freez]

But Neil, that constant communication from the bench happens at away games, and we do well, but they don't have the home fans moaning and whining and getting on their backs when a pass goes astray either!!

[Christies Child]

I no longer go to away games so can't comment on what happens with regards to the bench.

However I do see and hear what goes on at home games and (in my opinion) the way that Ken in particular gets on the backs of certain individuals has the opposite effect than that intended.

I know from talking about this with a number of others die hards like myself that they too feel the same way.

The Assistant Manager means well I'm sure, but for me it has a negative effect. I can't recall the last time that an opposition manager or his assistant acted in such a way.

Maybe the management team should adopt a new 'quieter' approach for a home game to see if the team play in a more relaxed manner......after all they've tried almost everything else with little success

[parkyboy]

Part with jim mckenna then the team and sole responsibility is Jims, make drummie and kevin his sidekicks cos they have been through both good and bad times with the club and should have a general idea what was done to put it right

[mrpotatohead]

Drummy and kev have no experience at all, so cods bollocks to that.

[Phil Anderer]

Players for me feel under increased pressure at home due in part to the endless pressure in verbal terms put on them by the entire management team from the touchline during all home games.

The constant issuing of instructions and barracking by the assistant manager in particular is counter productive.

Imagine being at your work place and being constantly told how to do something or told to put more effort into what you are doing. How would you feel....

What's the betting that you'd be telling them to F*** OFF under your breath.....

We've a more than capable squad who should have the right to make their own decisions on the field of play.

Maybe if we had a stronger Captain who could be an influential figure to the players we'd be a lot better off. For me that man should be Kevin. A player who the squad look up to....

I fully expect a load of abuse following the above thoughts....

Neil, I think the shouts and boos from the crowd, which they won't get at away games, will have more influence, given that Ken must surely, as even confirmed by Freez, do the same at away games. I think it's us, and yes, I am on occasion guilty of it myself, rather than Ken, that will have a negative influence on home matches. Just saying it here makes me think I want to check myself next time I feel inclined to voice my frustration at a volume that might be heard by the players.