Baxter

[robbiez666]

There's a stench at the club that has been wafting around for several years now.

Several players have had alcohol related incidents and there's clearly a problem with the professionalism of the squad. We need to cull this lot as soon as possible and get replacements who are more intelligent and disciplined.

The club needs to take responsibility for their actions around this. There's clearly no discipline from the top. Our players are regularly getting drunk in public and we've seen some of the consequences over the last few years. Given all this, the fact the club has seemingly taken them on an all expenses paid trip to Ireland and this has happened is beyond the pale. Especially given the underperformance this season.

As a mere mortal, I get to pay for my own Christmas do. It must be that massive salary I'm on. If I were to 'misbehave' I'd likely be sacked.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

He cut half his toe off, volleying a glass? I'm done.

Was he wearing Jesus sandals ? and which toe was it,it will be a big loss if its half a big toe.

 

[Treeton Blade]

He cut half his toe off, volleying a glass? I'm done.

He`s our only player capable of connecting with the middle of the glass too, just our luck

 

[Cyprus Blade]

would agree that when I say the likes of Baxter I probably refer to 95 per cent of the squad. H

Given that we won't be able to give half the team away this sounds like a case for an insurance job - anyone know a hitman?

He`s our only player capable of connecting with the middle of the glass too, just our luck

Quite right -the rest are a load of rimmers.

Adkins does his press interview today-be interesting to see what he says - probably as little as possible along the lines that "the disciplinary action is for non-footballing reasons and quite separate from selection and its not in the club or the players best interests to do its dirty washing in public so no further comment on that. Jose isn't available for selection because of an injury he sustained against Shrewsbury"

Not really seen it commented on but Collins didn't come out for the second half v Shrewsbury either did he (anyone else think it odd at the time that we were behind by 2 goals and used the subs to put 2 defenders on?). That may have been more than a tactical decision and may lend some weight to the half time Collins-Baxter bust up theory.

 

[S1blade]

I'll wait until we get more facts, or for however much light is ever shed on us mushrooms.

I will just say that if it's true they've all been over to Ireland for a drinking jolly, well, I won't type the expletives which I want to say about that. Bad enough that our manager thinks that he can stop the rot by going into the countryside and sitting by the water, but rewarding the little darlings for the ongoing disaster that is this season, that's something else.

Sick to death of the club; we're riddled with stupidity and apathy from boardroom to pitch. The only ones who are truly bothered are the fans.

 

[davidpinder]

Don't upload the video for Christ sake. I don't want the clubs name dragged through the mud again!

The video is of Brayford, WTF are they doing in Dublin middle of the season pissed as farts?

 

[davidpinder]

Is this not the third player to be disciplined this season with a club/ Adkins statement?

- Che
- Baxter
- McNulty (or was there not a discipline issue this season?)

Adkins has also had to publicly state that Diego has to sort himself out

Last season
- McNulty (cheekbone, although not his fault)

It seems that we've got a bit of an issue with the whole team not knuckling down and doing their job but then with one or two of them being idiots.

Has the club and it's players learnt nothing from the Ched Evans case?

The message to all players has to be: Don't put yourselves in a situation which could put yourself or the club at risk.

Baxter of all people should know better. This is his third incident in a short career.

Sort it out blades!

The question has to be swiss, who is sanctioning trips away in the middle of the season? do they actually think they deserve a trip away because they have worked so hard in the first half of the season?

 

[Smirth]

A mid table League 1 club on the pitch yet those in the board room and on the pitch act like we are a PL club with stuff like this.

Fucking ridiculous if it's true they've been on a Christmas jolly to Ireland. I'm not one who thinks the players shouldn't enjoy themselves off the pitch, but for the whole squad to go away for a weekend away on the piss whilst we are playing as badly this just laughs in the face of fans IMO.

 

[mosbolad]

They're the ones dragging the clubs name through the mud. Not Baxter

Someone needs to tell the whole team how it is. If Jose Baxter was that person, fair play to him. It shows he's got the drive and passion to win

It appears regardless of what he may have done off the field it is just being excused as him having a bit of drive and passion?

Where was his drive and passion for the club last season when he was suspended for a positive drug test at a time we needed him?

Also reading between the lines there is a lot more to this than just a bit of laddish exuberance. I wonder how far Blades fans patience will stretch?

He's an excellent player if he would fully apply himself to being a professional footballer ( a professional athlete! ).

I am sure NA will be fuming, he needs to stamp his authority and sort it out for the good of the club regardless of short term on field consequences.

I fear there is more to come on this one, at a time when its the last thing the club needed.

 

[SwissBlade]

The question has to be swiss, who is sanctioning trips away in the middle of the season? do they actually think they deserve a trip away because they have worked so hard in the first half of the season?

I think its perfectly reasonable to allow such a trip, its also reasonable to allow them to drink. There HAS to be rules but allow them to behave like adults. When they don't thats when you hit them hard.

Now Adkins has to get the best out of the players. I can almost imagine him being so nice to Baxter that it went in one ear and out the other. Bassett would've had the lot of them up at the top of some hill in the lake district in shorts, tshirts and trainers, bollocked them all, stripped baxter naked and made him run down to the bottom with a sign around his neck. He'd get his clothes back at the bottom of the hill, they'd then all be made to do an army assault course, dressed as Santa. They'd be locked away somewhere with a freebar, get completely trashed and all be expected to do the same the following day.

That evening they'd visit the childrens hospital to deliver presents. The following day they'd lose a big game, narrowly, but they'd go down fighting.

 

[wizadry]

Given that we won't be able to give half the team away this sounds like a case for an insurance job - anyone know a hitman?

I think barnytrue might be up for the job because he hates the fucking lot of them

 

[bornablade]

Was he wearing Jesus sandals ? and which toe was it,it will be a big loss if its half a big toe.

Players wearing jumpers draped over their shoulders and now wearing Jesus sandals. The club's falling to pieces!!!

 

[Treeton Blade]

Players wearing jumpers draped over their shoulders and now wearing Jesus sandals. The club's falling to pieces!!!

What would Nudger Needham make of it all?

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Was he wearing Jesus sandals ?

Jose sandals.

 

[carthesis]

There's a stench at the club that has been wafting around for several years now.

Several players have had alcohol related incidents and there's clearly a problem with the professionalism of the squad. We need to cull this lot as soon as possible and get replacements who are more intelligent and disciplined.

The club needs to take responsibility for their actions around this. There's clearly no discipline from the top. Our players are regularly getting drunk in public and we've seen some of the consequences over the last few years. Given all this, the fact the club has seemingly taken them on an all expenses paid trip to Ireland and this has happened is beyond the pale. Especially given the underperformance this season.

As a mere mortal, I get to pay for my own Christmas do. It must be that massive salary I'm on. If I were to 'misbehave' I'd likely be sacked.

I have to agree. I've heard trusted stories from a trusted source (there was a familial connection to one of the involved players at the time) that similar sorts of thing were happening (I wouldn't go so far as to say started) during the Robson Era. Stories of all the players going round to one of the other players houses and getting trollied with a load of other people. Horrific and bizarre "cocktails" being invented and handed out freely. Christ only knows what else.

My gut feeling is that was the beginning of the end for the club culture. As I've posted before, I can't see Warnock allowing that kind of thing. He might have allowed the players a single small beer every couple of days or something like that - treated them like adults and professionals - but you know if any of them had have turned up at training even vaguely hungover that Warnock would have totally hairdryered them, made them run around the Lake District in the cold and rain while the rest of the squad chucked things at them, and then sold them for buttons. The squad would have been in no doubt as to what did and did not constitute acceptable professional behaviour - the kind of behaviour the vast majority of people both here on the site and elsewhere out in the world have to comply with to be able to keep their jobs.

We all know the stories about Robson. I have no evidence to back it up, but i'd be amazed if he didn't take a much more lenient view of such things than perhaps other football managers might. Having the likes of Lee Hendrie in the squad at the time probably didn't help either.

 

[More Bladier than thou]

whilst i dont think the team should be all going to Dublin on the piss given our recent performances, i do think that team bonding exercises are essential. Harry used to take em out paintballing, stuff like that would be a better idea. Adkins is probably letting them do these things in the hope that we will have more of a team mentality and will work for and with each other, theres clearly trust issues and infighting in the squad, Adkins has done well to keep a lid on it. He needs to pick a select few to keep and to build a team around, a solid foundation and get rid of the rest. Its all gonna take time, we have to give adkins time, next summer is where we should start again with a new squad, a squad that adkins has built all by himself....then if it doesnt work out by the end of the 2016/17 season, we have to take the appropriate measures. Just forget about promotion this season, be patient with adkins and let him do his thing.We will NOT get a better a manager at this level so lets not hound him out of the job !

 

[SwissBlade]

carthesis so it's not clough, but Robson who's to blame?

 

[bornablade]

whilst i dont think the team should be all going to Dublin on the piss given our recent performances, i do think that team bonding exercises are essential. Harry used to take em out paintballing, stuff like that would be a better idea. Adkins is probably letting them do these things in the hope that we will have more of a team mentality and will work for and with each other, theres clearly trust issues and infighting in the squad, Adkins has done well to keep a lid on it. He needs to pick a select few to keep and to build a team around, a solid foundation and get rid of the rest. Its all gonna take time, we have to give adkins time, next summer is where we should start again with a new squad, a squad that adkins has built all by himself....then if it doesnt work out by the end of the 2016/17 season, we have to take the appropriate measures. Just forget about promotion this season, be patient with adkins and let him do his thing.We will NOT get a better a manager at this level so lets not hound him out of the job !

Adkins gave all the players an option. They could all go to Ireland for the weekend or join him for a stroll through Endcliffe Park.

 

[carthesis]

SwissBlade - not what I'm saying. I'm just agreeing that there appears - to me at least - to be a cultural problem at the club, and it's once that's been around for many years now. Who is to blame is irrelevant really, certainly in managerial terms, as no manager has been able to have a huge mass clear-out and to start from scratch, which is really the only way to get the culture sorted out.

Clough didn't help by bringing in innumerable interchangeable midget midfielders, no strikers, and no centre-halves, but at least he seemed to have the authoritarianism to try to get something sorted out with his "my way or the highway" stance. It's just that knowing what I've been told about the behaviour of players during the Robson era, I can see where that might have been allowed to begin. We have an unfortunate recent history of poor managerial appointments going back to the Warnock removal, and with certain exceptions and caveats, I think they've all played a part. As have the Board in giving managers perhaps more rope than they should have been given.

 

[bladesmanluke]

It appears regardless of what he may have done off the field it is just being excused as him having a bit of drive and passion?

Where was his drive and passion for the club last season when he was suspended for a positive drug test at a time we needed him?

Also reading between the lines there is a lot more to this than just a bit of laddish exuberance. I wonder how far Blades fans patience will stretch?

He's an excellent player if he would fully apply himself to being a professional footballer ( a professional athlete! ).

I am sure NA will be fuming, he needs to stamp his authority and sort it out for the good of the club regardless of short term on field consequences.

I fear there is more to come on this one, at a time when its the last thing the club needed.

No doubt he's an idiot. But I'm not about to get on my high horse, there are people that do much worse. At least he gives a damn about the club on the pitch. He appears to be only 1 of 4 that do in himself, Collins (shit), Sharp and Brayford.

 

[mosbolad]

No doubt he's an idiot. But I'm not about to get on my high horse, there are people that do much worse. At least he gives a damn about the club on the pitch. He appears to be only 1 of 4 that do in himself, Collins (shit), Sharp and Brayford.

Well by do much worse if you are meaning a bit of a bust up with team mates, then yes I agree, and he may well give a damn about the club on the pitch, but it's his off pitch behaviour that is worrying. How much of a damn about the club was he giving when he got banned for drugs last season?

I am aware that he said his drink was spiked or something, but wasn't there similar drug allegations at Everton? How much does he care about the club to leave himself open to these things?

Until full details of the latest 'incident' come out, I'm reserving my judgement about the passion he has for the club as reading between the lines it looks quite serious and you may well be fitting a saddle to that high horse Luke!

 

[SwissBlade]

SwissBlade - not what I'm saying. I'm just agreeing that there appears - to me at least - to be a cultural problem at the club, and it's once that's been around for many years now. Who is to blame is irrelevant really, certainly in managerial terms, as no manager has been able to have a huge mass clear-out and to start from scratch, which is really the only way to get the culture sorted out.

Clough didn't help by bringing in innumerable interchangeable midget midfielders, no strikers, and no centre-halves, but at least he seemed to have the authoritarianism to try to get something sorted out with his "my way or the highway" stance. It's just that knowing what I've been told about the behaviour of players during the Robson era, I can see where that might have been allowed to begin. We have an unfortunate recent history of poor managerial appointments going back to the Warnock removal, and with certain exceptions and caveats, I think they've all played a part. As have the Board in giving managers perhaps more rope than they should have been given.

It was a tongue in cheek comment, each manager that comes in has to take full responsibility for discipline, from day 1

 

[Sheff de party]

I don't have a problem with them going out and socialising, nor do I want to hang them out to dry like Jack Grealish every they get photographed drunk. But what I cannot get past is when it affects their work. If it's a club social, they're representing the club. If their performance is suffering because they're on the piss too much, it is not acceptable. I wouldn't get away with either of those things in my workplace, particularly if I injured myself doing something whilst drunk at a work social.

The club sound like they have dealt with it and I've already heard all sorts of rumours, but when you are not performing at work you have to make sacrifices in your personal life. Do I need or even deserve a night out when I know I've been below par for the last three months? How will a certain type of behaviour look to my employer and to our fans? Maybe I'll knuckle down and make improving how I'm doing at work a priority.

I'm sure some of our squad do think like that. I'm equally sure some of them don't.

 

[BushBlade]

So does anyone know exactly what he's done?

I'm a bit old school. Although I don't really agree with players drinking heavily during the season (or at all really but they're human beings and I'd accept the odd session during closed season), if a team is struggling like we are I still support the idea of taking them out on the piss in the hope that once they've had a few they'll start saying what they really think and a few issues might get resolved, or at least talked about.

And taking them out of the country to do it is sensible. Wouldn't want them doing it in Sheffield.

 

[Worksop II]

Team building Pah !!

You would have thought 20 odd lads, 20 to 30 years old would have caused mayhem had one of their number ended up in trouble

No matter how daft, stupid, and risky it were, they would all have been stood side by side

The point being, if only one of them has ended up in hot water, as a Team building exercise ..............

like their performances, it was piss poor

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

I'm mystified as ever by the drinking culture that still seems to pervade in British football, especially in the lower leagues. In a performance career, you look at those who are the pinnacle and examine every minute detail of how they do things and try and emulate that. I know when I started my music career, there were those at the top of the profession, to whom I looked and tried to gain as much information about them as I could so that I could give it my best shot and getting to where they were.

Ronaldo and Messi, as I understand things, never touch alcohol. Many at the top of the best leagues in Europe will not drink during a season. Even in the PL amid this drinking culture many do the same. Is there a connection between elite performance and abstinence? Appears that there is, but even if there isn't the mere fact so many at the top do this you would expect those lower down who want to go places would follow suit.

Conclusion, our players are fundamentally stupid or they're quite happy getting the pay cheque and plodding along at this level.

 

[mosbolad]

Team building Pah !!

You would have thought 20 odd lads, 20 to 30 years old would have caused mayhem had one of their number ended up in trouble

No matter how daft, stupid, and risky it were, they would all have been stood side by side

The point being, if only one of them has ended up in hot water, as a Team building exercise ..............

like their performances, it was piss poor

I'm not knocking your sentiments Worksop but until the details of the 'incident' are known it's all speculation about one of their number being in trouble and standing side by side etc. I imagine your comments are based on what you think may have happened but unless you know (do you?) it's difficult to speculate with any degree of accuracy, (well actually it's easy and this is a forum!).

The mere fact that the club has released a 'statement' suggests a serious nature to the matter even more so that that statement goes on to say bugger all!

I can't imagine a statement being released if someone turned up for training pissed or there was a bit of a scuffle and a row?

A Jonathan Buchan (radio sheffield) tweet below
I suggested poor discipline issues could lead to some feeling he shouldn't be at #SUFC Adkins said 'time will tell'

So......'time will tell', or it may do if we actually find out what's gone off!

 

[Dkc]

Jonathan Buchan ‏@jonathanbuchan 32m32 minutes ago

Will post a link to the Nigel Adkins interview within the hour, worth a listen, despite some straight batting at times #SUFC #twitterblades

1 retweet 3 likes

 

[davidpinder]

I think its perfectly reasonable to allow such a trip, its also reasonable to allow them to drink. There HAS to be rules but allow them to behave like adults. When they don't thats when you hit them hard.

Now Adkins has to get the best out of the players. I can almost imagine him being so nice to Baxter that it went in one ear and out the other. Bassett would've had the lot of them up at the top of some hill in the lake district in shorts, tshirts and trainers, bollocked them all, stripped baxter naked and made him run down to the bottom with a sign around his neck. He'd get his clothes back at the bottom of the hill, they'd then all be made to do an army assault course, dressed as Santa. They'd be locked away somewhere with a freebar, get completely trashed and all be expected to do the same the following day.

That evening they'd visit the childrens hospital to deliver presents. The following day they'd lose a big game, narrowly, but they'd go down fighting.

Sorry Swiss don't agree, they are under performing any trip should be a team trip. Plenty of time after the season to holiday or have weekends away.

 

[metalblade]

You know what I'm sick to death of hearing about SUFC players out on the piss, brawling in nightclubs, drugs offences, sex offences and god knows what next. If we sold everyone of them I wouldn't give a flying fuck, seems like there is a rotten core inside the club, the sad part is it will poison any of the young lads from the academy too, this cancer needs cutting out ASAP call themselves professionals pffft.