Give Blackwell a break

[Santos]

He may be limited tactically and might not always sound as cool and calm as you'd like him to but since last season

Kenny - Banned
Bunn - Everyone was raving about him (although I don't remember much praise being put at Blackwell's door for signing him) since his recent drop in form KB is being seen as a mug for loaning him.
Naughton - One of the strongest performers last year - Sold
Naysmith - One of the strongest performers last year - injured
Killa - Not playing anywhere near he's capable of due to the ongoing contract issue
Treacy - One of our strongest performers in the first six or seven games - It obviously isn't just because of this but it has not helped that since he's been injured our results have nose dived.
Ward - Ditto
Monty - Recently injured - He has his faults which are well documented but I think if he played our last two games we wouldn't have conceded six goals.
Halford - One of our strongest performers last year - left.
Williamson - KB saw him as a man to help sort out our MF problems and he hasn't kicked a ball in anger.
Davies - Injured.

I honestly can't remember a time we've had such a crippling injury list. I make it 9 players injured. Take 9 first team players out of any squad in this division and the results & performances will no doubt suffer.

Generally I think the players he's signed this summer will come good. Bunn is having a dodgy spell but he's only young - he does possess the qualities to become a good keeper, I'm sure KB would have preferred to sign a seasoned pro for a few million but money doesn't grow on trees. From what I have seen of Taylor I don't think he deserves the criticism he's been receiving, similiar to Bunn. Little is a great player who will bring experience, I only worry his legs may have gone. Harper was a class player a few years ago, time will tell if he still is. Treacy is a great player and Evans although hasn't been as promising as maybe we'd all have wished for he has shown enough for me to show he'll score plently of goals at this level with time. Already mentioned Williamson, but I was always impressed with him when I saw him play for PNE.

The only players who I think won't be much use are France & Reid.

If results & consequently league positions are still as bad in January when we have some players back then I guess McCabe may have to act. But by getting on the managers back after a month of poor results will never see this club go anywhere if the chairman who is shitting himself about season ticket sales for the forthcoming season has to sack the manager every 18 months.

 

[Sensiblade]

Naysmith's injured and Halford was never ours to sell.

 

[Worksop II]

He may be limited tactically and might not always sound as cool and calm as you'd like him to but since last season

Kenny - Banned
Bunn - Everyone was raving about him (although I don't remember much praise being put at Blackwell's door for signing him) since his recent drop in form KB is being seen as a mug for loaning him.
Naughton - One of the strongest performers last year - Sold
Naysmith - One of the strongest performers last year - Sold
Killa - Not playing anywhere near he's capable of due to the ongoing contract issue
Treacy - One of our strongest performers in the first six or seven games - It obviously isn't just because of this but it has not helped that since he's been injured our results have nose dived.
Ward - Ditto
Monty - Recently injured - He has his faults which are well documented but I think if he played our last two games we wouldn't have conceded six goals.
Halford - One of our strongest performers last year - sold.
Williamson - KB saw him as a man to help sort out our MF problems and he hasn't kicked a ball in anger.
Davies - Injured.

I honestly can't remember a time we've had such a crippling injury list. I make it 9 players injured. Take 9 first team players out of any squad in this division and the results & performances will no doubt suffer.

Generally I think the players he's signed this summer will come good. Bunn is having a dodgy spell but he's only young - he does possess the qualities to become a good keeper, I'm sure KB would have preferred to sign a seasoned pro for a few million but money doesn't grow on trees. From what I have seen of Taylor I don't think he deserves the criticism he's been receiving, similiar to Bunn. Little is a great player who will bring experience, I only worry his legs may have gone. Harper was a class player a few years ago, time will tell if he still is. Treacy is a great player and Evans although hasn't been as promising as maybe we'd all have wished for he has shown enough for me to show he'll score plently of goals at this level with time. Already mentioned Williamson, but I was always impressed with him when I saw him play for PNE.

The only players who I think won't be much use are France & Reid.

If results & consequently league positions are still as bad in January when we have some players back then I guess McCabe may have to act. But by getting on the managers back after a month of poor results will never see this club go anywhere if the chairman who is shitting himself about season ticket sales for the forthcoming season has to sack the manager every 18 months.

That all seems very reasonable, is McCabe gonna drop the admission price this Saturday ?

 

[alcoblade]

He may be limited tactically and might not always sound as cool and calm as you'd like him to but since last season

Kenny - Banned
Bunn - Everyone was raving about him (although I don't remember much praise being put at Blackwell's door for signing him) since his recent drop in form KB is being seen as a mug for loaning him.
Naughton - One of the strongest performers last year - Sold
Naysmith - One of the strongest performers last year - Sold
Killa - Not playing anywhere near he's capable of due to the ongoing contract issue
Treacy - One of our strongest performers in the first six or seven games - It obviously isn't just because of this but it has not helped that since he's been injured our results have nose dived.
Ward - Ditto
Monty - Recently injured - He has his faults which are well documented but I think if he played our last two games we wouldn't have conceded six goals.
Halford - One of our strongest performers last year - sold.
Williamson - KB saw him as a man to help sort out our MF problems and he hasn't kicked a ball in anger.
Davies - Injured.

I honestly can't remember a time we've had such a crippling injury list. I make it 9 players injured. Take 9 first team players out of any squad in this division and the results & performances will no doubt suffer.

Generally I think the players he's signed this summer will come good. Bunn is having a dodgy spell but he's only young - he does possess the qualities to become a good keeper, I'm sure KB would have preferred to sign a seasoned pro for a few million but money doesn't grow on trees. From what I have seen of Taylor I don't think he deserves the criticism he's been receiving, similiar to Bunn. Little is a great player who will bring experience, I only worry his legs may have gone. Harper was a class player a few years ago, time will tell if he still is. Treacy is a great player and Evans although hasn't been as promising as maybe we'd all have wished for he has shown enough for me to show he'll score plently of goals at this level with time. Already mentioned Williamson, but I was always impressed with him when I saw him play for PNE.

The only players who I think won't be much use are France & Reid.

If results & consequently league positions are still as bad in January when we have some players back then I guess McCabe may have to act. But by getting on the managers back after a month of poor results will never see this club go anywhere if the chairman who is shitting himself about season ticket sales for the forthcoming season has to sack the manager every 18 months.

not alot wrong with what you say, but many must be like me. I've suported Blackwell thoroughout on the hope that he was trying to change things. Now our incredibly dull football is failing. It's his chance to vary play - and not a sign of it.

Add to this, his record of spending money is piss poor. In Cotterill, Henderson and Evans you have about £8M spent for next to zero effectiveness (even though how much of that is the individual fault is questionable).

UTB

 

[sheffielder]

I will lay off when he has gone ta. Mismanagement and lack of man management

 

[Guesty]

We've had a bad spell with injuries yes, but anyone could have said (and a lot did) that our squad was just to small to start with. As Blackwell plays Evan off Henderson and Ward on the wing, we started the season with just one conventional centre foward! We were also woefully short in defence, and my have those chickens come home to roost.

I find it hard to blame Blackwell for this, surely it wasn't his idea to run the playing staff down so much? The injuries are all we deserve for the folly of such a small squad.

 

[Santos]

Please tell me what he could have done to help the following players situations

Kenny, Naughton, Naysmith, Killa, Monty, Ward, Treacy.

Is the following mismanagement or lack of man management. Or neither as I suspect.

 

[sheffielder]

We've had a bad spell with injuries yes, but anyone could have said (and a lot did) that our squad was just to small to start with. As Blackwell plays Evan off Henderson and Ward on the wing, we started the season with just one conventional centre foward! We were also woefully short in defence, and my have those chickens come home to roost.

I find it hard to blame Blackwell for this, surely it wasn't his idea to run the playing staff down so much? The injuries are all we deserve for the folly of such a small squad.

Blackwell stayed on and he said he needed 12 players to be able to compete. We have lost more than that and gained very little. To then spend 1.5 million or whatever the figure is on one player is bad mismanagement. We were changing our manner and going down the league and buying promising youngsters.. Well that was what we were told when we sold BT. We bought Ward who when on the pitch is great... So where are the rest? Wolves were successful bringing through players like this. Would it not be better to have bought 3 x promising youngsters at 500k a piece than spending all your money on a striker who fristly hasn't really played any competitive football in a year and secondly doesn't suit our style ala Sharp.

People talk about injuries, but it's amazing how quickly they clear up in situations like this when the disliked manager is replaced

 

[Sensiblade]

We've had a bad spell with injuries yes, but anyone could have said (and a lot did) that our squad was just to small to start with. As Blackwell plays Evan off Henderson and Ward on the wing, we started the season with just one conventional centre foward! We were also woefully short in defence, and my have those chickens come home to roost.

I find it hard to blame Blackwell for this, surely it wasn't his idea to run the playing staff down so much? The injuries are all we deserve for the folly of such a small squad.

The problem with people now saying our squad is too small, they are more than likely the same one's who last season were saying our squad was too big.
Blackwell got rid of a lot of dead wood (and failed to sign Halford, but thats the lure of the premiership rather than United's fault)
We have the players to comete in this league and at the top of the table too, it's just the key ones are on the treatment table at the moment

 

[Guesty]

Please tell me what he could have done to help the following players situations

Kenny, Naughton, Naysmith, Killa, Monty, Ward, Treacy.

Is the following mismanagement or lack of man management. Or neither as I suspect.

Yes but Kenny, Naughton, Naysmith and possibly Killa were known before the season. And for a manager not to expect any injuries is horribly naive. Like I said it can't have been his decision to have such a small squad but whoever was to blame, we've got what we deserved for it.

 

[Micalijo]

Santos - it is impossible for me to convey how much I disagree with what you say and the sentiment attached to it.

I realise you won't be bothered in the slightest about this and I should give reasons why I disagree. I aint got time at the moment afraid but hopefully others will do the business so to speak.

 

[alcoblade]

Please tell me what he could have done to help the following players situations

Kenny, Naughton, Naysmith, Killa, Monty, Ward, Treacy.

Is the following mismanagement or lack of man management. Or neither as I suspect.

Kenny - you can only judge him on his actions since. Bunn looks a poor replacement with a guaranteed place.

Naughton - not his fault at all.

Naysmith - a very average player who should be replaceable. But I think he did OK with Taylor. Stewart's signing is a mystery.

Killa - not Blackwell's fault at all. But we sold our only bit of cover for peanuts. Why on earth?

Monty - Not hios fault - though hs inability to get Quinn or harper to fill his boots in any way is questionable.

Ward - really bad luck.

Treacy - Bad luck, but why did we buy Reid?

A mixed bag. Blackwell's had a lot to deal with, but his actions aren't beyond question.

UTB

 

[Guesty]

The problem with people now saying our squad is too small, they are more than likely the same one's who last season were saying our squad was too big.
Blackwell got rid of a lot of dead wood (and failed to sign Halford, but thats the lure of the premiership rather than United's fault)
We have the players to comete in this league and at the top of the table too, it's just the key ones are on the treatment table at the moment

Aye but it's things like letting Sharp go when we only have one striker, selling Bromby when he's a perfectly competent stand-in (except at Right Back) when we've got no bugger else back there. We have the first XI to compete with the top yeah, but our squad as a whole is lower mid table material.

 

[alcoblade]

The problem with people now saying our squad is too small, they are more than likely the same one's who last season were saying our squad was too big.
Blackwell got rid of a lot of dead wood (and failed to sign Halford, but thats the lure of the premiership rather than United's fault)
We have the players to comete in this league and at the top of the table too, it's just the key ones are on the treatment table at the moment

Overall I don't have too many problems with what we've done in close season, given financial realities. What's galling is the squandering of a further £3M on Evans and the insistence on playing endless percentage football that he, and seemingly many of our team now,are incapable of playing.

 

[Muttley]

We didn't get what we deserved.....the people running the business did.

 

[Santos]

:fishbowl:

 

[Sensiblade]

Aye but it's things like letting Sharp go when we only have one striker, selling Bromby when he's a perfectly competent stand-in (except at Right Back) when we've got no bugger else back there. We have the first XI to compete with the top yeah, but our squad as a whole is lower mid table material.

I think the Bromby one was in hs contract, if we get an offer fom someone guarenteing (sp) him 1st team football then he would be allowed to speak to them.
The Sharp one I agree, we shouldn't have let him go, or we should have had a call back clause in the loan contract.

 

[Worksop II]

Thinking about it, I think the Jumbo Vision is cursed, look what it did to Darlo, burn the big telly before kickoff Saturday, its jinxed I tell ye

 

[Sensiblade]

Thinking about it, I think the Jumbo Vision is cursed, look what it did to Darlo, burn the big telly before kickoff Saturday, its jinxed I tell ye

Do you think because it wa only half up during the Pig game that we played half a good game then second half the curse began!!!!

 

[Santos]

Blackwell stayed on and he said he needed 12 players to be able to compete. We have lost more than that and gained very little. To then spend 1.5 million or whatever the figure is on one player is bad mismanagement. We were changing our manner and going down the league and buying promising youngsters.. Well that was what we were told when we sold BT. We bought Ward who when on the pitch is great... So where are the rest? Wolves were successful bringing through players like this. Would it not be better to have bought 3 x promising youngsters at 500k a piece than spending all your money on a striker who fristly hasn't really played any competitive football in a year and secondly doesn't suit our style ala Sharp.

People talk about injuries, but it's amazing how quickly they clear up in situations like this when the disliked manager is replaced

Yes, it really is amazing, infact I would go further and say it is the stuff of fairytales.

 

[sheffielder]

Yes, it really is amazing, infact I would go further and say it is the stuff of fairytales.

I would suggest you get some new glasses mate. You need to be able to see outside this club.

 

[Macfarlane21]

The only break Blackwell should get is another Kit-Kat. The fat bastard clearly doesn't think about anything else, especially tactics!

 

[Deleted member 2102]

I would be very difficult to justify sacking your manager at this point. He took over and immediately took us to the brink of the playoffs having been relegation contenders. In his next season he took us to 3rd place and a playoff final. This season started well but has obviously gone awry. Attendances are strong and the league is still exceptionally tight. I have never really been a Blackwell fan given the way his teams play but to sack him after a poor (but still reasonably short) run of results would be crazy. It would also be counter productive when trying to recruit a higher caliber manager. Our basic proposition would be that we sell any decent up and coming players, our wage bill is constrained and we will sack you as soon as the fans start to moan.

 

[Dog Blade]

He may be limited tactically and might not always sound as cool and calm as you'd like him to but since last season

Kenny - Banned - KNEW THIS AFTER PRESTON GAME
Bunn - Everyone was raving about him (although I don't remember much praise being put at Blackwell's door for signing him) since his recent drop in form KB is being seen as a mug for loaning him. RAVING? HE HAD A GOOD FIRST GAMENaughton - One of the strongest performers last year - Sold KNEW HE WAS GOING ON 25th MAY
Naysmith - One of the strongest performers last year - injured A LONG TIME AGOKilla - Not playing anywhere near he's capable of due to the ongoing contract issue - KNEW HE WAS GOING ON 25th MAY
Treacy - One of our strongest performers in the first six or seven games - It obviously isn't just because of this but it has not helped that since he's been injured our results have nose dived. NOT SURE ON THAT BUT WON'T ARGUE
Ward - Ditto MISSING HIM MASSIVELY, HOWEVER...DIDN'T KB SAY HE WAS ONE FOR THE FUTURE ANYHOW? SO WHY ARE WE MISSING HIM....?!
Monty - Recently injured - He has his faults which are well documented but I think if he played our last two games we wouldn't have conceded six goals. MAYBE 5 THEN - MONTY COULDN'T HELP THAT MUCH
Halford - One of our strongest performers last year - left. NEVER OURS, KNEW HE'D GO ON 25th MAY
Williamson - KB saw him as a man to help sort out our MF problems and he hasn't kicked a ball in anger. UNLUCKY WITH THAT ONE - HE WAS A GOOD SIGNING I THOUGHTDavies - Injured. HMMMM, LACKING MATCH FITNESS AND ONLY REQUIRED AS BLAMEWELL SIGNED TOO MANY AVERAGE (quality over quantity my ass) PLAYERS THIS SUMMER, AND THEN PLAYS HIM RIGHT BACK AT THE WEEKEND WHEN HE HAS TWO FULL BACKS AVAILABLE!!!?????
I honestly can't remember a time we've had such a crippling injury list. I make it 9 players injured. Take 9 first team players out of any squad in this division and the results & performances will no doubt suffer.

Generally I think the players he's signed this summer will come good. Bunn is having a dodgy spell but he's only young - he does possess the qualities to become a good keeper, I'm sure KB would have preferred to sign a seasoned pro for a few million but money doesn't grow on trees. From what I have seen of Taylor I don't think he deserves the criticism he's been receiving, similiar to Bunn. Little is a great player who will bring experience, I only worry his legs may have gone. Harper was a class player a few years ago, time will tell if he still is. Treacy is a great player and Evans although hasn't been as promising as maybe we'd all have wished for he has shown enough for me to show he'll score plently of goals at this level with time. Already mentioned Williamson, but I was always impressed with him when I saw him play for PNE.

The only players who I think won't be much use are France & Reid.

If results & consequently league positions are still as bad in January when we have some players back then I guess McCabe may have to act. But by getting on the managers back after a month of poor results will never see this club go anywhere if the chairman who is shitting himself about season ticket sales for the forthcoming season has to sack the manager every 18 months.

SEE CAPS / BOLD

Poor signings, poor man management, bottled it last year (and we were fortunate to even get to Wembley) and the list goes on....

He isn't good enough as a manager and will never push us forward. Fair enough on your opinion, but fairytales...that's stretching it

 

[Santos]

Dog -

Paddy - Wrong, if he knew about it after the Preston game he'd have been banned for Wembley, which he wasn't. He knew about this well after the PO Final. But, I don't even think it matters, as I said, I'm sure he'd have loved to have signed an experienced proven keeper for a few million but with Kenny's future uncertain it would have been folly to sign someone for millions then Kenny be available in say, November.

Naysmith - Injured in the Burnley league game, which was the third to last game of the regulation season. Unfortunately due to a change in the clubs transfer policy signing a Naysmith player (I.e played LB for a good PL team for years) and bags of International caps was never going to be an option.

Killa - You are wrong. We have offered Kilgallon a new contract and turned down 2 bids for him. Not the actions of a club who look resigned to losing a player.

Ward - I don't know if KB said that, if he did I'm sure it was just to stop the pressure from the fans mounting if he didn't hit it off straight away. But would you rather he just didn't play him and stuck by a flippant comment he made over six months ago?

Monty - I think it is no coincidence that Monty's return to the team in November 08 was a major factor behind our battling spirit and general lack of slopping goals being given away due to midfield not doing their job.

Please enlighten to me who should have taken our place at Wembley.

Fairytales - This was in response to someone else who thinks if KB leaves then Geary's persistant knee troubles, Naysmith's knee, Monty's knee, Williamson's back, Ward's wrist, whatever is wrong with Treacy, whatever is wrong with Davies will all suddenly heal. I wonder if this poster also thinks Kenny's ban will suddenly be cut short. It seems almost too good a story to pass up on, perhaps Walt Disney could turn it into a film.

 

[Santos]

I would suggest you get some new glasses mate. You need to be able to see outside this club.

I suggest you get some common sense. Please tell me out of Geary, Naysmith, Monty, Ward, Treacy, Williamson and whoever I have forgot dislikes Blackwell.


Please tell me which players are faking injury.

Or

Please tell me which players will suddenly return to full fitness if Blackwell is sacked.

 

[lenners]

I suggest you get some common sense. Please tell me out of Geary, Naysmith, Monty, Ward, Treacy, Williamson and whoever I have forgot dislikes Blackwell.


Please tell me which players are faking injury.

Or

Please tell me which players will suddenly return to full fitness if Blackwell is sacked.

I think you'll find a lot of players' injuries would be much shorter lived if a new manager was at the helm.
Gluts of injuries often accompany teams/managers that have lost their way.

 

[Darren]

I think you'll find a lot of players' injuries would be much shorter lived if a new manager was at the helm.
Gluts of injuries often accompany teams/managers that have lost their way.

Lets get this straight. Are you saying that players are deliberately exaggerating injuries (and thus missing out on various bonuses they would get by playing in the first team) because they don't like Blackwell?

If so, it seems we are back to the old Fantasy Island Len and we have a challenger to Beighton Blade as the Board Jester

 

[Oreyt]

I think you'll find a lot of players' injuries would be much shorter lived if a new manager was at the helm.
Gluts of injuries often accompany teams/managers that have lost their way.

:fishy:bOnKeRz:fishy:

 

[lenners]

Lets get this straight. Are you saying that players are deliberately exaggerating injuries (and thus missing out on various bonuses they would get by playing in the first team) because they don't like Blackwell?

If so, it seems we are back to the old Fantasy Island Len and we have a challenger to Beighton Blade as the Board Jester

I'm making the perfectly valid point that successful teams have remarkably few injuries and it's perfectly reasonable to believe that players in winning, happy teams are likely to be keener to get off the treatment table.
Think about it in any work context.
It isn't rocket science Dazzler.