Sorry Nigel you fucked it up.

[Sean Thornton]

Very good second post.

I must say I wish I had been right about Clough last season and not this. However we all like to be right of course we do, especially when getting flack for expressing unpopular views. I am proud of my track record, nothing wrong with that.

As a regular reader of my stuff you know I long for a "Messiah" to completely transform the culture of the club and lift us two levels. Will we get a man big enough for the challenge? There aren't many about that's for sure.

I'd try to prise Gary Rowett from Brum or Karl Robinson ( never rated him much before this season, wrong again!), Paul Lambert,( Gary Neville!, Jamie Carragher!) -give 'em a proper job!.

I was a disciple of Sean O'Driscoll you will remember, but perhaps that would be too risky now. Wrong again!

Well I have read you repeat the myth that Clough appointed Brannigan despite both of them, and McCabe saying that wasn't so. It fits in with your argument if course but isn't really supposition, just filler. And incorrect filler at that. You haven't commented on that,
Despite it being my opening remark.

Apologies if I made it about you, but you were more than willing to pick it up and run with it.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Well I have read you repeat the myth that Clough appointed Brannigan despite both of them, and McCabe saying that wasn't so. It fits in with your argument if course but isn't really supposition, just filler. And incorrect filler at that. You haven't commented on that,
Despite it being my opening remark.

Apologies if I made it about you, but you were more than willing to pick it up and run with it.

Hey up, what's all this about? Is it that important? I haven't commented re "dynasty" or Simon Clough either and your quotes weren't right, so what?

If you honestly believe Clough had nothing to do with Branagan joining us that's up to you. It was Clough who said he had nothing to do with it, as he would.

I'm unaware if McCabe said anything about it at all. Let's compromise and say it is just a huge coincidence and again, so what? things have moved on just a tad!!

Is this why you've joined this Forum? I suggest you broaden your topics, I'm feeling a bit uneasy.

 

[Woodwardfan]

...must say I'd always had WWF down as a clapper...so to see his progressively more intense anti-Clough stance was interesting, certainly made me question my support for Clough at times, particularly re:the scouting.

Thank you. A manager is judged by his signings and it takes time for the quality or otherwise of signings to show through. Last season Clough worked the players he inherited well and added Brayford and Davies on loan. It's many of his own signings and his non-signings which have let him down. The manager's whole mood darkened as things got steadily worse and that wasn't evident the previous season when we were winning.

 

[Coily]

I'd try to prise Gary Rowett from Brum or Karl Robinson

Like either of those would touch us with a bargepole right now! Come on, get real about this, we are NOT a big draw right now and these blokes would not drop a division to come here. They already have what we want and have the additional comfort of not being sat on a managerial ejector seat.

 

[Blade56]

....... Clough is NOT a manager, he's a failure.
Fail to plan, plan to fail, simples.

Agree with and liked your observations but not the highlighted bit. We need to be magnanimous and respectful in our parting.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Thanks for the suggestion wwf. Are you saying now you never hailed NC as the man who was building the club up from top to bottom and surrounding himself with tried and trusted associates including his brother? If so you are not being honest.

MB wasn't appointed by Clough. No, if I believe nonsense. He wasn't. The fact that it doesn't suit your argument this week doesn't make it not true. If you think managers appoint MD's these days it's easy to see why some posters have a laugh at your take on things.

Being told to broaden topics - first post as you've said - by someone whose only topic is "look at me and accept what I say as the only way" filled out with a bit of football talk, is very funny though. It's possible you are just an ironic poster but I'd guess not as its a bit sugary.

When were you the second poster to see it all going wrong btw? You didn't say.

 

[SotonBlade]

I make it 41.30% in the league.

higher than i thought

 

[super_pig]

Like either of those would touch us with a bargepole right now! Come on, get real about this, we are NOT a big draw right now and these blokes would not drop a division to come here. They already have what we want and have the additional comfort of not being sat on a managerial ejector seat.

err.. don't underestimate us.. being in the third with SUFC is a bigger draw than topping out with MKFranchise in the second (old terminology)

 

[Woodwardfan]

err.. don't underestimate us.. being in the third with SUFC is a bigger draw than topping out with MKFranchise in the second (old terminology)

and it's about stages 2 and 3.

 

[Bladesway]

err.. don't underestimate us.. being in the third with SUFC is a bigger draw than topping out with MKFranchise in the second (old terminology)

I'm sorry but no it isn't. Teams we used to be a bigger draw than and are no longer is a bloody long list. Includes Swansea, Stoke City, Norwich, Brentford, Bournemouth, Southampton oh and the Pigs and Leeds for good measure.

In no small part the sacking of Clough to the outside world at least highlights the utter clusterfuck we have become. All those flat worlders saying the watching media can go fuck itself must be looking in the other direction because all I can see is a club that used to be a big draw now scratching around for washed up never has beens and untried newbies. Sobering thought for me at least. Next stop Ian Holloway? Gary Johnson? Ronnie Moore?

 

[alcoblade]

He didn't choose the MD. You keep saying that and it's utter bullshit.

Plus you were all for him at one time, "Mr Sheffield United" you named him and applauded him for building a "dynasty", which included his brother.

I wasn't / didn't.

UTB

 

[Sean Thornton]

I wasn't / didn't.

UTB

?

 

[Angef1Blade]

Do not understand this gloating thread. actually I do some fans need to grumble and blame. Fine he failed. I'd much rather have been sat here applauding had he had success. We're not. We're in another period of uncertainty and hope that some peole choose Wisley. Well they have not since 2007.
Woodwardfan and others, enjoy your comfort in your gloat. I will move on to hoping again.

Was Wisley successful at his last club ?

 

[Martino]

I r

 

[alcoblade]

?

"You were all for him at one time"

I presumed all meant the collective.

UTB

 

[Sean Thornton]

No

 

[Woodwardfan]

I think the difference between us is I am prepared to see and accept change, which the board showed in the past 12 months. Previously the facts I stated remain and McCabe did what he did. Can you move on and see another side? Be good if you stopped being so smug and condesending and moved on.

I thought we had kept apart well and indeed I personally had "moved on"until your mention on here of "my agenda and losing my entire reason for being". Hard to move on when you read little things like that which invite a response surely. Anyway I gave you a response which I thought was relevant but smug and condescending, hard not to be I suppose .

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Why has anyone ever mentioned it previously. I'm concerned for WWF. What's his agenda going to be now? In fact what's his entire reason for being?

I'm really sad Clough has gone because I thought another season and we could have cracked it. At least the decision is understandable because ultimately we failed but I do think all the jumping on his grave from the usuals is a little uncalled for. After all every time you have to sack a manager you are once more going backwards. The money spent, the players who will no doubt not fit into the new man's plans etc etc.

I'm sorry but now we have to appoint another manager we then don't have time to recruit the players and I think this means another 2 seasons in this division minimum. I think the last time we appointed a manager who got us up first season it was Ian Porter field. That was some time ago.

yes agree with that, and to add to the worry, it could also happen to the manager after that giving us 4 years in this shit division.
I was all for continuity for another season with Clough - and the whole situation makes me think back to Furguson, MAn U and "that" goal by Mark Robbins.

Ahh well lets hope we don't reap what we sow.

UTB

 

[Bladesway]

yes agree with that, and to add to the worry, it could also happen to the manager after that giving us 4 years in this shit division.
I was all for continuity for another season with Clough - and the whole situation makes me think back to Furguson, MAn U and "that" goal by Mark Robbins.

Ahh well lets hope we don't reap what we sow.

UTB

Personally hope we recruit well and go up next season. Me being right comes a poor second to the success of the club I love I can promise you that.

 

[ZoneManWilf]

yes agree with that, and to add to the worry, it could also happen to the manager after that giving us 4 years in this shit division.
I was all for continuity for another season with Clough - and the whole situation makes me think back to Furguson, MAn U and "that" goal by Mark Robbins.

Ahh well lets hope we don't reap what we sow.

UTB

Why?

One manager had won 5 titles, 5 cups and a European competition in 12 years.
One had 2 non-league promotions in 17 years.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Why?

One manager had won 5 titles, 5 cups and a European competition in 12 years.
One had 2 non-league promotions in 17 years.

Just think continuity was the best option with Clough - would have given him another year.

It's ok saying, change the manager now - if we mess it up again, then again, we are 4 years down the line and in the same position.
We might still have been in this position in 1 years time with Clough, but the board have firmly nailed their colurs to the mast - fuck up and you are out which makes the option of actually getting the manager you actually want very hard - ie: warburton, seeing as we have apparently approached him and he said no.

Appreciate some don't agree, just think better the devil you know for another year.

We will never know now with Clough and can just see the headline in 18 months time just before the JTW - "Adkins sacked, to give the new manager time to bring in his own new players. Sheff Utd, presently with 55 players on their books after the successive failures of Clough and now Adkins, search for that elusive man to take them out of L1".

It sounds crap but we are laying the foundations for such a scenario.

UTB

 

[Woodwardfan]

Continuity is a prime objective. The key is getting the right manager first.

When the right manager is in place the pressure is on the club to keep him. If the manager is ambitious then continuity can be blown out of the window by the manager himself; this is a two-way street.

United gave Clough the "keys to the castle" with loads of his own people, good budget and unprecedented authority. The Board were yearning for continuity. They set him up for long term continuity but in simple terms they lost confidence in him.

From the moment confidence is lost then continuity for the sake of continuity is ridiculous. Despite setbacks if confidence in the man's ability is still there then continuity can be maintained. However the confidence had gone. What did Phipps write on the Yeovil Away night - "Speechless", That was the first inkling that confidence had gone. Every game since has been a shambles to further eat away at Clough's credibility. He had spent big and we were still exposed all over the pitch. He was doomed.