Bladesman
The Great Grumbleduke
- Thread starter
- #391
We've been spoilt over recent years. A mix of play-offs, Premier League seasons and promotions.
I think fans have become the thing they claim to hate. Expecting victories. Expecting success. Belittling smaller teams. Arrogant. I think we need to take a step back and appreciate the run we've had of success. Maybe relative success, but success nonetheless. You only need to look at most of the other clubs in our division who would kill for this kind of success.
Having said that, what I can't abide is being bored during games and I've been bored a lot this season. Football is a sport. It should be exciting. After a season of getting slaughtered every week we've had a season which started off well but as soon as we looked like contenders for promotion became a case of holding leads. We were lucky for the most part that other teams were poorer than us and didn't take their chances. That luck ran out. The performances have been tedious, for the most part. 10-40 minutes of good football followed by holding a lead. Bristol City was a false dawn but the first half was pretty much the same. Does anyone think if they keep 11 men that we'd have done anything other than sit on a 1:0 lead?
Now, what I want to be is entertained. To get excited. To go 1-up and they try and score 2,3,4,5. I don't want a Poundland Pep whose only interest is not losing. To sit through every game holding on for 10, 20, 30, 45 minutes hoping we don't make a mistake or the other team produced a piece of skill.
I want a manger who attacks teams. Wants to win as impressively as possible. A manager who takes responsibility for their mistakes but also a manager who is progressive in their outlook. I'm fed up of having a classless, arrogant, pub loudmouth as my manager. He's turned this club into one of those teams everyone hates. Not for a good reason, like Bassett, but because of his own ego and arrogance.
I don’t think we belittle “smaller” teams. I think we probably have become more entitled based on recent history but so do a few other championship clubs. I think most our fans still recognise other clubs and their support. We still go into a lot games with a glass half empty despite having a better squad on paper.
If other clubs now dislike us it’s more down to the tit in the dugout.