Clough Poll

[wizadry]

Yes, give him more money. All managers need it to help improve their teams. NC is no different. All managers make some bad signings (some more than others of course), including the very best. Nigel is no different.

Done, Basham, Scoogs, Coutts, Steven Davies, COG (he did all he could), Beard, Adams, McNulty, Harris, Wallace (maybe). Not a bad credit column.

He's building a club. It takes time. Give him the means to do the job. Review the scene at Christmas.

Pure and simply that is fair enough. I wouldn't trust him with the money myself but if he does get it he needs to use it very wisely and as someone else eluded too, he also needs to get the buisness done pretty quickly. I'd love him to change the way in which we approach games from the start i.e. a quicker tempo but i just can't see it, that's the key thing for me.

 

[Jonboy60]

you forgot one.. always playing round pegs in square holes and square pegs in round holes

And no pegs in any fucking holes.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Call me patronising if you will, but some of the Qs would be cringeworthy.

Q- Mr Clough , have you ever or ever thought about growing a beard.

UTB

 

[Jonboy60]

Pure and simply that is fair enough. I wouldn't trust him with the money myself but if he does get it he needs to use it very wisely and as someone else eluded too, he also needs to get the buisness done pretty quickly. I'd love him to change the way in which we approach games from the start i.e. a quicker tempo but i just can't see it, that's the key thing for me.

If he's still here, and doesn't hit the ground running, There's gonna be a right shitstorm.

 

[Pinchy]

Bergs, if the questions are submitted in advance it gives them plenty of time to take the sting from them and it turns into a Mccabe style p.r exercise full of bladey bladey bladeness.

I care little for that and little for any public discussion as I suspect NC holds us in as much contempt as we hold him. His job is to win promotion. If he fails, he loses it. These are the only considerations SUFC should hold.

I don't know where that 'we' comes from, mate. Most of us have a mixture of respect, bewilderment, admiration and bemusement . Contempt simply doesn't figure for the overwhelming majority of us, and certainly not for anyone of whom I'd take any notice.

Purporting to speak for others is a path to be walked with great care and best avoided.

 

[Jonboy60]

But do you want him out to punish him for not sorting out centre backs this season, or because you don't think he'll sort them out for next season?

I think anyone who votes 'in' assumes he'll have learned a few lessons from this season. It would be good if he one of the next days spoke more of what we lacked this season, and how he plans to address these problems in the summer. There should be an element of admitting the management's mistakes this season in such an interview/statement.

Apparently he's not learned anything from his Derby days, what makes anyone think he will change anything next season.

 

[wizadry]

If he's still here, and doesn't hit the ground running, There's gonna be a right shitstorm.

It's certainly a big decision for the board either way, like i said in a previous post, good luck to them.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

I asked you, not the board as i can't ask them. Is it really that hard to get an answer. You have told me that the club have to back him if he stays, which is pretty obvious, now without all the condescending shit do YOU think we can trust him with some more money, your answer and why. You don't have to answer but to me you're going the long way round and trying to avoid answering the question because there is no evidence to suggest we should trust him with any more funds. You're right on one thing though, it isn't complicated.

Ok, to cut through what you're implying is a deliberate attempt to avoid answering your question - on what scale of relevance does it matter what I think? The board sanction that part of the club's affairs, not myself or any other fan. If I, or anyone else not connected with the club, were to attempt an answer, would it make the slightest bit of difference to whether we spent or did not spend? Why not ask every poster on the forum what they think, do you think this will make a blind bit of difference to the club's 2015/16 budgets?

When you two have stopped dancing around each other , I'll give you my answer.

Yes I would trust Clough with the money; there's a good player still to come out of Coutts and a good pre-season should see him somewhere near what he used to be.
Done is a steal at £400K and Brayford, well, a bit pricey but well worth the money in the long term.

I'll bet he hasn't spent much more than we've brought in either.

 

[Pinchy]

If he's still here, and doesn't hit the ground running, There's gonna be a right shitstorm.

Organised with precision by thoughtful, reflective individuals or led by drunken, spittle-mouthed, vein-throbbing, eye-popping, barely literate louts?

 

[wizadry]

When you two have stopped dancing around each other , I'll give you my answer.

Yes I would trust Clough with the money; there's a good player still to come out of Coutts and a good pre-season should see him somewhere near what he used to be.
Done is a steal at £400K and Brayford, well, a bit pricey but well worth the money in the long term.

I'll bet he hasn't spent much more than we've brought in either.

Thank you for the answer, it wasn't that hard to come to one was it. I thought Done was 800k? And Brayford is out until January. Coutts is a player who i really like as i have said on many occasions but it remains to be seen how fit he will be next season but certainly one to watch out for.

All those trusting Clough with the money, can you all lend me a grand please

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Thank you for the answer, it wasn't that hard to come to one was it. I thought Done was 800k? And Brayford is out until January. Coutts is a player who i really like as i have said on many occasions but it remains to be seen how fit he will be next season but certainly one to watch out for.

All those trusting Clough with the money, can you all lend me a grand please

Sorry, I meant £800k.

He didn't know Brayford would get injured did he? I hope he isn't out until January.

 

[Pinchy]

Thank you for the answer, it wasn't that hard to come to one was it. I thought Done was 800k? And Brayford is out until January. Coutts is a player who i really like as i have said on many occasions but it remains to be seen how fit he will be next season but certainly one to watch out for.

All those trusting Clough with the money, can you all lend me a grand please

Sorry mate. I've seen no evidence to suggest you'd spend it wisely! So I'm going to spend it myself on wine, women and song. Hang on.....fuck the song....

 

[wizadry]

Sorry, I meant £800k.

He didn't know Brayford would get injured did he? I hope he isn't out until January.

No mate, i'm not saying he did but it has put us back further than what we would have been with him. Both Freeman and Flynny can play there so not all is lost in that respect.

 

[wizadry]

Sorry mate. I've seen no evidence to suggest you'd spend it wisely! So Im going to spend it myself on wine, women and song. Hang on.....fuck the song....

Yes, you're right, i'd spend it on a ST for me and the lad and buy the lad that new white kit of ours

 

[Pinchy]

Yes, you're right, i'd spend it on a ST for me and the lad and buy the lad that new white kit of ours

As you know, I'm not afraid to take a minority view. I like the shirt!

 

[alcoblade]

How much did he spend in January £1.8m on Brayford, £800k on Done, £400k on Coutts, £3m is a lot in League one, would you trust him with a lot more?

Someone tell me this isn't true? We haven't paid a fee for Coutts have we?

UTB

 

[wizadry]

As you know, I'm not afraid to take a minority view. I like the shirt!

I love it, it would have propably been better as an away shirt but still, it has a great look to it.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

He 'deserves' nothing. He has failed on every possible metric. That much is clear.

If the powers that be decide to stay their hand and show him mercy it will have nothing to do with his achievements, such as they are.

I'm as disappointed as anyone at how the season has turned out but if you can't remember the state we were in 18 months ago then you need to have a good long think. There is absolutely no denying that things have got better, not at the pace most of us would like but taking a team from the relegation zone to playoff defeat in 18 months deserves at least acknowledgement.

Some of his judgements can admittedly be baffling at times but he's the first person in a good while to impact an upward curve at this football club. Argue to the contrary all you like, I'm stating facts.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Someone tell me this isn't true? We haven't paid a fee for Coutts have we?

UTB

Coutts didn't cost that and the other two are quality so yes.

 

[alcoblade]

Coutts didn't cost that and the other two are quality so yes.

Do you know what he cost ( I presumed he was free)?

UTB

 

[secretchief]

I'm as disappointed as anyone at how the season has turned out but if you can't remember the state we were in 18 months ago then you need to have a good long think. There is absolutely no denying that things have got better, not at the pace most of us would like but taking a team from the relegation zone to playoff defeat in 18 months deserves at least acknowledgement.

Some of his judgements can admittedly be baffling at times but he's the first person in a good while to impact an upward curve at this football club. Argue to the contrary all you like, I'm stating facts.

I can remember it. But

a) We are discussing his success this season (or lack of it)

b) It is actually a downward curve based on a comparison to his record the season before last, not an upward curve, as you suggest, since he has got less points per game this season

c) His target was promotion, which he has failed, and being able to outspend your competition handsomely and finishing so far behind is where the focus should rest in 'acknowledgement' of this season.

At least Wilson and Wier's hands were more or less tied. Clough had a windfall and blew it.

 

[secretchief]

And I would quickly add:

I don't really care about his personal characteristics, his over-defensiveness or the way he oscillates between favouritism and vendettas with his players.

The simple fact is that his style of defensive, 'possession' football is poison to a team trying to get out of this league, as statistics repeatedly confirm.

 

[TexasBlade]

For me he has to go. The aim this season was top 2 and promotion. He signed a lot of players in Summer and in January so it's his team now. For me the rot set in when Maguire was sold and he fell out with Butler (probably the two events are linked). Not replacing Maguire, not signing a decent striker, not really knowing his best XI. He has to go I'm afraid. He's a nice guy but way too negative. I feel sorry for him but he's not up to the task.

 

[Revolution]

Well, plenty of Bladey Blades want Bladey Tel as first name on the team sheet, despite his unfortunate incapacity to play more than 45 minutes and the impossibility of him competing consistently against players significantly taller and more powerful. Great idea, Bladey Blades.

Kennedy started 10 league games.

Our record: won 6, drawn 3, lost 1.

That's why people want Bladey tel starting. He helps us win games. Oh, and he's not a full back.

 

[bornablade]

Alan Biggs@AlanBiggs1 · 3 hrs3 hours ago


Just had a raging call from an ex Blades star who "had to speak to somebody" about #sufc's "terrible defending." Blames players, not NC.

Roy Keane is often seen as an advocate of Nigel Clough. At half time last night during the Bayern v Barca game Keane was quick to criticize the defending of Bayern. 'That's down to the players. You can't blame the manager for that.'

I maybe over thinking this but it seemed like a message of support for other managers (not just Guardiola) and that players should accept responsibility themselves.

 

[grafikhaus]

I think we are only a few off being half decent.

Something I'm sure every other club says at this stage. 'A few off'? We have been all season. 'Half decent' is not going to get you promotion. Davies is not the 20-25 goal striker a team with realistic promotion ambitions needs. He missed an easy chance early on in the first leg v. Swindon. Someone like Beckford would have buried it.

Like Brayford before we signed him, some seem to think O'Grady is the cure for all ills. But where would the service come from? We're useless at dead-balls and our speed of attack is pedestrian. Talking of Brayford, there's a chance his career could be over. Players rarely come back unscathed from such a serious injury like that. If they're talking 'at least 6 months' now, make that nearer 9-12.

Rather than needing 'a few minor tweaks', I think the job is far harder than we think.

Have a nice day!

 

[Blade56]

I will accept Clough staying only IF

major surgery on the squad, outgoing
We do not sign recovering players on the cheap
A proper defence is bought in 3cb
A midfield general is signed +1 (possible filled by Basham if cb's solved)
A proven striker in L1/CHampionship is signed
A new No1 keeper is signed
We adopt a win strategy not a "don't lose" strategy
He stops slagging his signings and takes responsibility for the results

Not a lot to ask is it?

 

[Woodwardfan]

At the end of last season who would have thought we would have 40% of this poll suggesting clough should be sacked. Who would have dreamt we would be having a poll at all. That's the measure of our performance this season and confidence that we can get it right next season.

At the start of last season we were strong favourites to be League 1 Champions. I was confident enough to back us strongly.

Those 40% do not want Clough here anymore, that's not a healthy circumstance to start next season. Let's hope our transfer dealings in the summer alter the mood.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

At the end of last season who would have thought we would have 40% of this poll suggesting clough should be sacked. Who would have dreamt we would be having a poll at all. That's the measure of our performance this season and confidence that we can get it right next season.

At the start of last season we were strong favourites to be League 1 Champions. I was confident enough to back us strongly.

Those 40% do not want Clough here anymore, that's not a healthy circumstance to start next season. Let's hope our transfer dealings in the summer alter the mood.

125 out of 19000?

Sounds like a Tory majority?

 

[William Large]

At the end of the Swindon game, I was firmly in the 'Clough out' camp. Now I'm not so sure. He came in when the club was on its arse, and in the words of many on here 'gave us our club back'. Before Christmas this season, I thought that we were playing some really good passing football which just lacked a final ball (or a decent striker on the end).
Since then the football has got gradually worse to the point where I don't really know what our style is?
In this division you have to be a much better footballing side than everyone else, or you have to bully your way up. We are neither. That's said, there must be spirit in the squad to put on that sort of display from 3-0 down in the night. Yes the defending was abysmal, yes the passing and Decision making was mainly poor, but there was clearly some togetherness and strength otherwise we would have capitulated completely.
Clough has made some terrible decisions this season and got so much wrong but he's not stupid, he can hopefully learn from his mistakes and now has a good 3 months to get rid of the dross and get in some proper quality. I would give him another 10 games or so next season. Who would we get in to replace him and to what cost?