What is wrong with our club?

[Beat Jedi]

Did I get the manager right? It was Wilson who was sacked right after the Summer window closed? From the outside the whole thing is hard to fathom. Compare Us and you. We have 3 clubs in an 11 mile radius each of whom have have a capacity ranging from 25,000 to 40,000. The catchment area for fans is cramped. You have Wednesday. plus a bunch of Walsall sized clubs. So Sheffield is a 2 team City. It shouldn't have gone so wrong for either club. It's hard to see how badly it been messed up and understand why? Robson was crap, I realised that when he sold Rob Earnshaw instead of Nathan Ellington. We were ruthless with him. When we sliped to 9th in the championship he was fired. Then Tony Mowbray/RDM and Dan Ashworth spent 4 years transforming the club. To consider we nearly went into administration in the 90s. the formula was simple really realise you can't compete at first in the prem so strengthen for the championship and aim for promotion within 2 years reinvest some money to improve part of the club. From Megson to RDM that was our ethos. The tippping point was 2010 when we had to stay up and try for stability. Now we are the only team in the west midlands in the prem. I mean no disrespect with this but you shouldn't of failed like you have. I hate the Wo1ve5. nothing made me happier than when they went down to league 1 but they bossed it. That what you should be especially since it's a 2 club city The Blades should be feared by smaller clubs you're not anymore. That is a bigger problem too. You should be a shark in a paddling pool, yet you're a fucking goldfish and I don't see a way out

Reading this reminded me of during the Crewe match (I didn't go). I had the radio on and was on Twitter looking at the #sufc feed.

Pig fans taking the piss is to be expected and obviously there's the complete meltdown of our own fans but what struck me was the number of totally neutral fans (Norwich was one as an example) commenting. It was basically complete bewilderment towards what was/has been going on at United and PITY towards us as fans. Stuff like "What the fuck is going on at that huge club?" and "I feel so sorry for Sheff United fans." That's how we're viewed now. Most aren't taking the piss anymore it's genuine pity!!!

That and people imploding cos we wrecked their accumulators and others taking the piss out of such people for being stupid enough to put us on their accumulators cos "Sheff U always fuck your bet up."

 

[Revolution]

Sacked after the 2-0 home defeat to Crawley. We had 5 games left to play. Chris Morgan took over. I have never really known the real story behind the sacking. I remember someone said Wilson had a bust up with one of the directors after the Crawley match and then he "had to go"

I have always wondered whether the players got him fired (though I have no evidence for this).

 

[raul]

It was the last time there was genuine anger in the ground and there was a fans forum with Kev three days later. What better way to deflect the blame by reaching into the old Bladey Bladey Bladeness bag of tricks ?

 

[JohnDenver]

Did I get the manager right? It was Wilson who was sacked right after the Summer window closed? From the outside the whole thing is hard to fathom. Compare Us and you. We have 3 clubs in an 11 mile radius each of whom have have a capacity ranging from 25,000 to 40,000. The catchment area for fans is cramped. You have Wednesday. plus a bunch of Walsall sized clubs. So Sheffield is a 2 team City. It shouldn't have gone so wrong for either club. It's hard to see how badly it been messed up and understand why? Robson was crap, I realised that when he sold Rob Earnshaw instead of Nathan Ellington. We were ruthless with him. When we sliped to 9th in the championship he was fired. Then Tony Mowbray/RDM and Dan Ashworth spent 4 years transforming the club. To consider we nearly went into administration in the 90s. the formula was simple really realise you can't compete at first in the prem so strengthen for the championship and aim for promotion within 2 years reinvest some money to improve part of the club. From Megson to RDM that was our ethos. The tippping point was 2010 when we had to stay up and try for stability. Now we are the only team in the west midlands in the prem. I mean no disrespect with this but you shouldn't of failed like you have. I hate the Wo1ve5. nothing made me happier than when they went down to league 1 but they bossed it. That what you should be especially since it's a 2 club city The Blades should be feared by smaller clubs you're not anymore. That is a bigger problem too. You should be a shark in a paddling pool, yet you're a fucking goldfish and I don't see a way out

Do you think you've stepped away from your method by allowing Pullis more control, and perhaps with a change of ownership?

When we were last decent we basically left Warnock to run the show for six years. But since then we appoint a manager with a different philosophy every year and it's descended into chaos.

Your model was about continuity from above and our farce shows what happens if you go the other way. Now you seem to have more eggs in one basket than previously, and the danger time will be when Pullis goes.

 

[BushBlade]

I have always wondered whether the players got him fired (though I have no evidence for this).

Why though? Most were his signings by the time he got the sack and he didn't have a reputation as a bully boy or anything like that. He's a pretty affable bloke.

Was it the change of style? Had they lost confidence in him and were sick of poor performances?

Or was it s case of certain players being too cosy with directors? We all moan about our bosses, especially when things aren't going well.

Or just the poor results and performances (compared with the season before)? Did the board just panic?

 

[Revolution]

Why though? Most were his signings by the time he got the sack and he didn't have a reputation as a bully boy or anything like that. He's a pretty affable bloke.

Was it the change of style? Had they lost confidence in him and were sick of poor performances?

Or was it s case of certain players being too cosy with directors? We all moan about our bosses, especially when things aren't going well.

Or just the poor results and performances (compared with the season before)? Did the board just panic?

Remember that at least one of his signings - a senior player - was not signed by Wilson but came in through a connection with Simon McCabe.

Beyond that, it's idle speculation on my part. I suppose I look for a reason because the sacking was so silly.

The primary reasons were probably (a) panic and (b) "Wednesday fired their manager and the new one got an upturn in results and went up - we'll do the same". The latter thing sounds like a classic McCabe thing to do (3 months later, it was "Yeovil went up with a third of our budget, so let's slash our budget). It's yet another example of the lack of continuity.

One thing I do know is that McCabe was unable to give any cogent explanation for the firing at the press conference introducing Morgan. His only reason was that we weren't winning at home, which from where I was sitting was primarily Jon Forte's fault, and by extension McCabe's fault for selling Blackman with one day left in the transfer window.

 

[Maidenhead]

No ambition = No money invested into first team = Poor season after season=Kevin McCabe's Fault

Biggest load of bollocks I've ever read.

The McCabe family want to see us progress, that's ambition.

They invest millions in the club every year, look at the accounts they will confirm it.

They may have made bad decisions and poor managerial appointments from time to time but life is dead easy with 20/20 hindsight and I don't recall great outrage from the fans at the time of past appointments, apart from possibly Wilson who turned out to be the best of the bunch

 

[Maidenhead]

It's run by morons with absolutely no idea of footballing matters. Thread closed.

What a fantastically well explained case.

Debater of the year award on it's way

 

[Revolution]

They may have made bad decisions and poor managerial appointments from time to time but life is dead easy with 20/20 hindsight and I don't recall great outrage from the fans at the time of past appointments, apart from possibly Wilson who turned out to be the best of the bunch

Bryan Robson?

 

[Lord Eddard Muir]

Bryan Robson?

I seem to remember most fans thought Robson was a big statement of intent, especially when he brought Beattie and Sharp in. He was still living off his reputation from Boro and most people didn't realise how badly he was thought of at West Brom. Only when he actually started taking charge of matches did the penny drop.

 

[Revolution]

I seem to remember most fans thought Robson was a big statement of intent, especially when he brought Beattie and Sharp in. He was still living off his reputation from Boro and most people didn't realise how badly he was thought of at West Brom. Only when he actually started taking charge of matches did the penny drop.

That is not my recollection. I remember when Robson was linked with the Wednesday job the season before people were desperate for him to get it as he was so hopeless. Almost to a man (or woman) all the Blades I know thought it was a shocking appointment.

Remember Robson had also been at Bradford and that had gone very badly.

 

[JordoBlade]

What a fantastically well explained case.

Debater of the year award on it's way

How many years in League 1? I think that explains enough tbf.

 

[PeteBlade]

Biggest load of bollocks I've ever read.

The McCabe family want to see us progress, that's ambition.

That's ambition in the same way me wanting to sleep with Megan Fox is ambition.

 

[Beat Jedi]

Biggest load of bollocks I've ever read.

The McCabe family want to see us progress, that's ambition.

They invest millions in the club every year, look at the accounts they will confirm it.

They may have made bad decisions and poor managerial appointments from time to time but life is dead easy with 20/20 hindsight and I don't recall great outrage from the fans at the time of past appointments, apart from possibly Wilson who turned out to be the best of the bunch

Everyone knew at the time Robson was fucking ludicrous.

Most Blades I know were pissed off when Clough got the job as well, more so than when Wilson got it yes there was the Pig thing but most could see beyond that embarrassing minority who went to the car park and were happy to see how it went for him. Sacking him when we did was clearly mental.

So I would disagree that you needed hindsight to prevent a lot McCabe's stupid decisions.

Oh and of course sacking Warnock. No hindsight needed there either.

 

[Maidenhead]

That's ambition in the same way me wanting to sleep with Megan Fox is ambition.

Not so.

The McCabes are inextricably linked with Sheffield United and support their ambitions with wedges of cash whereas I would be prepared to wager that you have never even met Megan Fox.

They have ambitions whereas you have fantasies.

Nowt wrong that mind you just so long as you can separate them from reality

 

[PeteBlade]

Not so.

The McCabes are inextricably linked with Sheffield United and support their ambitions with wedges of cash whereas I would be prepared to wager that you have never even met Megan Fox.

They have ambitions whereas you have fantasies.

Nowt wrong that mind you just so long as you can separate email from reality

Wishing something I.e "We want to progress" is not the same as showing ambition.

If your sole ambition is to progress and you've failed to do so across numerous years and have in fact done the opposite, I'd be putting your money on me and Meggsy.

 

[Maidenhead]

Wishing something I.e "We want to progress" is not the same as showing ambition.

If your sole ambition is to progress and you've failed to do so across numerous years and have in fact done the opposite, I'd be putting your money on me and Meggsy.

I agree to some extent but putting millions of pounds a year in to support your wishes = ambition, unless of course you think that ambition is measured in tens of millions?

 

[PeteBlade]

I agree to some extent but putting millions of pounds a year in to support your wishes = ambition, unless of course you think that ambition is measured in tens of millions?

It completely depends on how many millions you have in the first place.

Look at it this way, if you put millions of pounds in to support your "wishes/ambition" and you make that thing much, much worse, you MUST be doing something really wrong?

 

[Maidenhead]

It completely depends on how many millions you have in the first place.

Look at it this way, if you put millions of pounds in to support your "wishes/ambition" and you make that thing much, much worse, you MUST be doing something really wrong?

Like employing the wrong people, and here we are right back where we started.

 

[Slim Man]

McCabe can't take us forward in the modern era of football. The best we can hope for under him is to become a championship/league one yoyo team.

 

[PeteBlade]

Like employing the wrong people, and here we are right back where we started.

It must be great as an owner to be able to place all the blame on your employees and "bad luck" rather than take responsibility yourself.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

It's all down to bad luck. I've heard as much from the man at the top.

Beattie flu.

A chairman who knows not to simply appoint the best looking manager

Game changing investment

No longer have to sell our young stars.

Maguire sunstroke

What else could it be but bad luck?

 

[Maidenhead]

It must be great as an owner to be able to place all the blame on your employees and "bad luck" rather than take responsibility yourself.

The bad luck is an element.

I find it quite incongruous that many of the people that knock McCabes are still moaning they want Evans back even though he did far more damage to Sheffield United than any chairman has ever done. ( I don't know where you sit on that, it's just a general observation)

I am sure that McCabes does take responsibility himself too because he is still ploughing cash in to try and get it right.

I know that if I were in his position I wouldn't be doing that. I'd just be saying "right you lot, you're the experts, here's your club, you sort it out, I don't need the hassle"

Then all you will need is a billionaire who will spend spend spend. Easy peasy

 

[Sean Thornton]

It's all down to bad luck. I've heard as much from the man at the top.

Beattie flu.

A chairman who knows not to simply appoint the best looking manager

Game changing investment

No longer have to sell our young stars.

Maguire sunstroke

What else could it be but bad luck?

always good to see topical posts.

 

[Maidenhead]

I stayed at the copthorne over the weekend and I am very worried about a lack of team spirit in the camp. (McCabes fault too?).

There were 4 or 5 players in on Friday night and they never even spoke to each other.

Same again at Saturday breakfast, with exception of Matt Done and a lad that I took to be the new centre half from Rochdale. (I'm hopeless with names and faces.)

When I mentioned it to the hotel staff more than one said it's always like that and one guy even said they see it as just a job like you and me.

Well I'll tell you what I'm retired now but no succesful team I ever worked in were so remote with each other!

 

[1danewhitehouse]

The bad luck is an element.

I find it quite incongruous that many of the people that knock McCabes are still moaning they want Evans back even though he did far more damage to Sheffield United than any chairman has ever done. ( I don't know where you sit on that, it's just a general observation)

I am sure that McCabes does take responsibility himself too because he is still ploughing cash in to try and get it right.

I know that if I were in his position I wouldn't be doing that. I'd just be saying "right you lot, you're the experts, here's your club, you sort it out, I don't need the hassle"

Then all you will need is a billionaire who will spend spend spend. Easy peasy

He's still pumping cash in because he's caught between a rock and a hard place. If he walks away, he has no chance to recoup what he has lost. By putting cash in, he might.

But Evans didn't do more damage than any chairman at all. He scored 35 goals in a season and was then sent down. Without the trial hanging over him, he would have been long gone and we'd have been nowhere near the top 2 (like it's been every other season we've been down here).

McCabe has shown time and time again he doesn't learn from his mistakes and simply passes the buck to anyone he can to take the heat off himself for his own terrible stewardship over the last decade.

 

[Sean Thornton]

He's still pumping cash in because he's caught between a rock and a hard place. If he walks away, he has no chance to recoup what he has lost. By putting cash in, he might.

But Evans didn't do more damage than any chairman at all. He scored 35 goals in a season and was then sent down. Without the trial hanging over him, he would have been long gone and we'd have been nowhere near the top 2 (like it's been every other season we've been down here).

McCabe has shown time and time again he doesn't learn from his mistakes and simply passes the buck to anyone he can to take the heat off himself for his own terrible stewardship over the last decade.

I agree Evans may have gone but the likelihood is that we would have been promoted.

McCabe is where the buck stops but he's put trust in various people who to a man have been fucking useless and let him down. Bad judgement, probably but there is some bad luck in there, Adkins being wank for example. The difference between us and McCabe is that any daft recommendation only costs us a bit of piss taking on here where McCabe has to put his hand in his pocket, usually after listening to the fans about getting rid of a manager.

He's not going to solve it, but no one seemingly wants to come in.

 

[Maidenhead]

He's still pumping cash in because he's caught between a rock and a hard place. If he walks away, he has no chance to recoup what he has lost. By putting cash in, he might.

Even the worst businessmen, bankers and gamblers know that you don't throw away good cash after bad in the hope of recouping your losses and McCabes has either been very lucky in the past or he is none of those.

 

[Grecian2000]

I seem to remember most fans thought Robson was a big statement of intent.

Really? Perhaps you remember that £100 I lent you the other week.