Digging Your Own Grave

[robbiez666]

Adkins clearly has a long term plan. We've seen it in recent weeks. He's planning for the future but in placing the future before short term success I think he's dug his own grave.

He's had a dodgy season, and there's no getting around that, but I like what I've seen recently. I personally think he's been severely hampered by the Board in terms of signings and by the players not wanting to play for him and not being prepared to be disciplined.

We're not had future planning since Warnock's fatal last seasons. We need it.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Adkins clearly has a long term plan. We've seen it in recent weeks. He's planning for the future but in placing the future before short term success I think he's dug his own grave.

He's had a dodgy season, and there's no getting around that, but I like what I've seen recently. I personally think he's been severely hampered by the Board in terms of signings and by the players not wanting to play for him and not being prepared to be disciplined.

We're not had future planning since Warnock's fatal last seasons. We need it.

This ^^^

Unfortunately this thread is about to be ruined by a load of poisonous lack of perspective by the usual suspects.

 

[Bladesman]

Adkins clearly has a long term plan. We've seen it in recent weeks. He's planning for the future but in placing the future before short term success I think he's dug his own grave.

He's had a dodgy season, and there's no getting around that, but I like what I've seen recently. I personally think he's been severely hampered by the Board in terms of signings and by the players not wanting to play for him and not being prepared to be disciplined.

We're not had future planning since Warnock's fatal last seasons. We need it.

This club doesn't do long term planning and hasn't done for a while.

Short success is the aim with our club and when it doesn't happen then someone is for the sack and that's the manager.

 

[JohnDenver]

Adkins clearly has a long term plan. We've seen it in recent weeks. He's planning for the future but in placing the future before short term success I think he's dug his own grave.

He's had a dodgy season, and there's no getting around that, but I like what I've seen recently. I personally think he's been severely hampered by the Board in terms of signings and by the players not wanting to play for him and not being prepared to be disciplined.

We're not had future planning since Warnock's fatal last seasons. We need it.

I don't think we had long term planning under Warnock, but if you stick with the same manager for 7 seasons and don't give him the fear of a premature exit, then you have consistency even if it's unplanned.

As it is, I don't trust the board to pick another manager or implement a DoF model either. So stick don't twist please chaps.

 

[shrubbery]

I don't think we had long term planning under Warnock, but if you stick with the same manager for 7 seasons and don't give him the fear of a premature exit, then you have consistency even if it's unplanned.

As it is, I don't trust the board to pick another manager or implement a DoF model either. So stick don't twist please chaps.

I think that I have come to the same conclusion regardless of how frustrating Adkins has been at times this season.

 

[robbiez666]

I don't think we had long term planning under Warnock, but if you stick with the same manager for 7 seasons and don't give him the fear of a premature exit, then you have consistency even if it's unplanned.

As it is, I don't trust the board to pick another manager or implement a DoF model either. So stick don't twist please chaps.

I've thinking more of his signings. Dellas, Fathi, Shelton.

 

[robbiez666]

The last time we really signed foreign players. One won a European championship, one played on a world cup.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I've thinking more of his signings. Dellas, Fathi, Shelton.

NW signed Dellas? His legacy gets better by the year!

 

[AlienBlade]

Adkins clearly has a long term plan. We've seen it in recent weeks. He's planning for the future but in placing the future before short term success I think he's dug his own grave.

He's had a dodgy season, and there's no getting around that, but I like what I've seen recently. I personally think he's been severely hampered by the Board in terms of signings and by the players not wanting to play for him and not being prepared to be disciplined.

We're not had future planning since Warnock's fatal last seasons. We need it.

if you think he is "planning for the future" let me ask you...

why not simply play some of these lads far earlier in the season rather than Woolford, Sammon, Hammond etc... (who clearly wasn't good enough)

instead he left them in the cold until now... why is he playing them now... well considering he has loaned/released or sold the rest... there all that's left to play... I think barring Woolford and Sammon (who still get game time) there isnt any other senior players left to come in (well not any that aren't banned...)

and as he really been hampered by the board in terms of signings... we are a league 1 club... we spent a 7 figure sum on Sharp.. we spent money on Woolford, we paid a loan fee (and serious wages) for Hammond, Sammon, Edgar and Baptiste... none of which will have come cheap, we paid off contracts of some players... for me it seems that he goes after a single target and attempts to hunt them down and then runs out of time to go elsewhere (such as Burns... Clough was also criticised for this with O'Grady) you also have to wonder why none of these players want to play for him... (considering how they played for Clough... with almost the same set of players..)

as for "Disciplined" wasnt this was one of the problems people had with Clough... (De Girolamo...etc.) yet if Adkins tells a player he isnt pulling his weight (Adams, Reed etc. in recent interviews people lap it up...yet I cannot remember him criticizing Sharp, Hammond or Brayford (who at times have all deserved it.. some more than others) and people wonder why players dont want to play for him... he has seemingly frozen out players such as Freeman, Keiran Wallace, Scougall (who are all better than some of the dross he has brought in)

Also it was McCabes Idea to build and have an Academy... (wouldnt you consider that future planning) despite fans telling him to spend it on the first tema instead... and Since Warnock havent we had a string of successful academy graduates? (before Adkins we had Reed and Long etc.. I mean granted we have had to sell some... but Adkins has just given some of them away (Otis Khan, Connor Dimiao (was was the young player of the year a year or so back)

our problem is yes we have been too quick to pull the trigger in the past... however just because it was wrong before.. doesnt make it the wrong decision now... I would sooner get a new man in now, let him finish the season to assess those 16 out of contract, bring back those exiled who are playing well and build so we can kick on for next year... if the plan is Youth... then maybe look to Pemberton.. who knows most of the youth players already

 

[JohnDenver]

I would sooner get a new man in now, let him finish the season

Quite. But I wouldn't fire Adkins, but the notion of waiting until summer to do it is utterly bananas.

I would fire most of the players though. At the first opportunity.

 

[robbiez666]

if you think he is "planning for the future" let me ask you...

why not simply play some of these lads far earlier in the season rather than Woolford, Sammon, Hammond etc... (who clearly wasn't good enough)

instead he left them in the cold until now... why is he playing them now... well considering he has loaned/released or sold the rest... there all that's left to play... I think barring Woolford and Sammon (who still get game time) there isnt any other senior players left to come in (well not any that aren't banned...)

and as he really been hampered by the board in terms of signings... we are a league 1 club... we spent a 7 figure sum on Sharp.. we spent money on Woolford, we paid a loan fee (and serious wages) for Hammond, Sammon, Edgar and Baptiste... none of which will have come cheap, we paid off contracts of some players... for me it seems that he goes after a single target and attempts to hunt them down and then runs out of time to go elsewhere (such as Burns... Clough was also criticised for this with O'Grady) you also have to wonder why none of these players want to play for him... (considering how they played for Clough... with almost the same set of players..)

as for "Disciplined" wasnt this was one of the problems people had with Clough... (De Girolamo...etc.) yet if Adkins tells a player he isnt pulling his weight (Adams, Reed etc. in recent interviews people lap it up...yet I cannot remember him criticizing Sharp, Hammond or Brayford (who at times have all deserved it.. some more than others) and people wonder why players dont want to play for him... he has seemingly frozen out players such as Freeman, Keiran Wallace, Scougall (who are all better than some of the dross he has brought in)

Also it was McCabes Idea to build and have an Academy... (wouldnt you consider that future planning) despite fans telling him to spend it on the first tema instead... and Since Warnock havent we had a string of successful academy graduates? (before Adkins we had Reed and Long etc.. I mean granted we have had to sell some... but Adkins has just given some of them away (Otis Khan, Connor Dimiao (was was the young player of the year a year or so back)

our problem is yes we have been too quick to pull the trigger in the past... however just because it was wrong before.. doesnt make it the wrong decision now... I would sooner get a new man in now, let him finish the season to assess those 16 out of contract, bring back those exiled who are playing well and build so we can kick on for next year... if the plan is Youth... then maybe look to Pemberton.. who knows most of the youth players already

When have Sharp, Hammond or Brayford not tried?

Don ;t get me wrong, I'm not saying he's the way forward but we need to give him time because we won't discover what can happen when a successful manager gets backing if we don't.

We sold Murphy. we've spent 500k.

He's signed:

Sharp - great
Woolford as a back up for Murphy for free and low wages
Hammond - agreed
Baptiste - quality if he remains fit
Edgar - better than what we had
Sammon - not his signing

He's also got rid of a stack of shit.

Do you really think he chose to spend hardly any money or his loan signing weren't shaped by desperation?

 

[AlienBlade]

Quite. But I wouldn't fire Adkins, but the notion of waiting until summer to do it is utterly bananas.

I would fire most of the players though. At the first opportunity.

I would, I think he has been an abject failure,

if a manager has his hands tied, I can have sympathy.. but some of the things he says and does have zero to do with the board...

you dont play a young midfielder as wing back... when you have a player who has played Right back and Midfield playing in Midfield...

I just see no plan, no green shoot to make me believe it's just a matter of time that it will come right... as when we do seem to stumble on a winning formula, he changes it (despite telling us all how important it is to keep a consistent team... and given that he simply drops them to the bench and plays them from there... its not as if they were injured...

as most are out of contract... I guess we will have the same end result... (although I wouldn't trust Adkins not to resign most of them...)

 

[Barney]

Adkins clearly has a long term plan. We've seen it in recent weeks. He's planning for the future but in placing the future before short term success I think he's dug his own grave.

He's had a dodgy season, and there's no getting around that, but I like what I've seen recently. I personally think he's been severely hampered by the Board in terms of signings and by the players not wanting to play for him and not being prepared to be disciplined.

We're not had future planning since Warnock's fatal last seasons. We need it.

Planning for the future! I've seen some corkers but Jesus Christ.

 

[AlienBlade]

When have Sharp, Hammond or Brayford not tried?

Don ;t get me wrong, I'm not saying he's the way forward but we need to give him time because we won't discover what can happen when a successful manager gets backing if we don't.

We sold Murphy. we've spent 500k.

He's signed:

Sharp - great
Woolford as a back up for Murphy for free and low wages
Hammond - agreed
Baptiste - quality if he remains fit
Edgar - better than what we had
Sammon - not his signing

He's also got rid of a stack of shit.

Do you really think he chose to spend hardly any money or his loan signing weren't shaped by desperation?

considering Hammond wont have been cheap and we saw his ability in the first half... when we needed another defender.. Adkins chose to waste money on signing him on for the rest of the season... even though he may or may not have known there was little funds... if he knew he had so little funds.. you wouldnt have brought in a player (who had been extremely poor for the first half of the season.. Christ the man looked less fit than James Wallace... and thats was saying something..

and Sammon was his signing.. he was signed several weeks after Adkins joined the club, and told the press why he brought in both Sammon and Sharp (on the same day they were signed...) think you have been looking at the conspiracy book too much if you think it was Clough who signed him...


Quote from Adkins "Delighted to get both players over the line and I'm looking forward to working with them," said boss Adkins. "Billy is someone I know well and Conor is a player we have admired from afar and have monitored his progress since he was at Kilmarnock."

www.thestar.co.uk/news/billy-sharp-and-conor-sammon-sign-for-sheffield-united-1-7377793

Baptise... see James Wallace (which clough and the board was lambasted for on several occassion)

and to be fair could we get any worse than we had when we signed Edgar.. (a panic buy after being smashed by 4 goals against tomorrow opponents)

as for trying... I see it most matches the lack of effort by Hammond, I see it on several occasions by Brayford and Sharp (running about like a headless chicken is not my idea of putting in effort btw) if you notice where most of the goals have come from... its down our right where Brayford has either gone missing, lost his marker... or simply not tracked him properly.. so that for me is a lack of effort.. (which irks me more when Adkins Lambasted Reed for "losing his man" as its not acceptable and he shouldn't be doing that... (yet never mentions Hammond or Brayford... or the piss poor efforts Sharp has on goal... imagine if it wasnt Billy for a minute... imagine if the shot was by Porter or Sammon or Higdon... the fans would be slating it (missing a 1 on 1... missing penalties... not getting into the box for crosses... I am not saying its all the time.. but its never said when it happens..

and according to reports at the time Sharp was a 7 figure sum... Woolford cost money, as did the loan fees or Hammond Sammon, Baptiste and Edgar... so I dont think that adds up to only spending £500k...

 

[Finnieston]

Planning for the future! I've seen some corkers but Jesus Christ.

If Adkins could evaluate a football club ,turn it around,and get promotion. In ten months . He wouldnt be at United . Doing a reasonable job for me.
Still better than some of the dross managers weve had in the past.
Beware of forums and cynics........Thats the golden rule.
Change their minds like the weather.

 

[Pedro Verde]

considering Hammond wont have been cheap and we saw his ability in the first half... when we needed another defender.. Adkins chose to waste money on signing him on for the rest of the season... even though he may or may not have known there was little funds... if he knew he had so little funds.. you wouldnt have brought in a player (who had been extremely poor for the first half of the season.. Christ the man looked less fit than James Wallace... and thats was saying something..

and Sammon was his signing.. he was signed several weeks after Adkins joined the club, and told the press why he brought in both Sammon and Sharp (on the same day they were signed...) think you have been looking at the conspiracy book too much if you think it was Clough who signed him...


Quote from Adkins "Delighted to get both players over the line and I'm looking forward to working with them," said boss Adkins. "Billy is someone I know well and Conor is a player we have admired from afar and have monitored his progress since he was at Kilmarnock."

www.thestar.co.uk/news/billy-sharp-and-conor-sammon-sign-for-sheffield-united-1-7377793

Baptise... see James Wallace (which clough and the board was lambasted for on several occassion)

and to be fair could we get any worse than we had when we signed Edgar.. (a panic buy after being smashed by 4 goals against tomorrow opponents)

as for trying... I see it most matches the lack of effort by Hammond, I see it on several occasions by Brayford and Sharp (running about like a headless chicken is not my idea of putting in effort btw) if you notice where most of the goals have come from... its down our right where Brayford has either gone missing, lost his marker... or simply not tracked him properly.. so that for me is a lack of effort.. (which irks me more when Adkins Lambasted Reed for "losing his man" as its not acceptable and he shouldn't be doing that... (yet never mentions Hammond or Brayford... or the piss poor efforts Sharp has on goal... imagine if it wasnt Billy for a minute... imagine if the shot was by Porter or Sammon or Higdon... the fans would be slating it (missing a 1 on 1... missing penalties... not getting into the box for crosses... I am not saying its all the time.. but its never said when it happens..

and according to reports at the time Sharp was a 7 figure sum... Woolford cost money, as did the loan fees or Hammond Sammon, Baptiste and Edgar... so I dont think that adds up to only spending £500k...

Since when was Billy a £1m player you talk bollocks
Baptise see James Wallace
Baptise has put more game time in a month than James Wallace has done in 18 months
As I have said you talk bollocks

 

[Champagneblade]

I agree with a lot of your points AB, particularly the decision to move Whiteman to wingback and keep Flynn I the middle.

I think you may have to reconsider the Sharp valuation though. He wasn't a regular at Leeds. Doubt they could have insisted on a million. Unless you are suggesting his fee plus this year's wages total a million then I'd agree. Is say fee 300-500k,wages 10-12k per week IMHO.

 

[Blade56]

I heard a rumour he wants to be cremated.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I don't think we had long term planning under Warnock, but if you stick with the same manager for 7 seasons and don't give him the fear of a premature exit, then you have consistency even if it's unplanned.

As it is, I don't trust the board to pick another manager or implement a DoF model either. So stick don't twist please chaps.

That's our biggest problem at the moment.

 

[diplomat]

The last time we really signed foreign players. One won a European championship, one played on a world cup.

And my abiding memories of them are that we played one upfront for the last ten minutes just because he was massive and the other as some sort of wing back when he was a ball playing CM.

 

[Lane Ender]

considering Hammond wont have been cheap and we saw his ability in the first half... when we needed another defender.. Adkins chose to waste money on signing him on for the rest of the season... even though he may or may not have known there was little funds... if he knew he had so little funds.. you wouldnt have brought in a player (who had been extremely poor for the first half of the season.. Christ the man looked less fit than James Wallace... and thats was saying something..

and Sammon was his signing.. he was signed several weeks after Adkins joined the club, and told the press why he brought in both Sammon and Sharp (on the same day they were signed...) think you have been looking at the conspiracy book too much if you think it was Clough who signed him...


Quote from Adkins "Delighted to get both players over the line and I'm looking forward to working with them," said boss Adkins. "Billy is someone I know well and Conor is a player we have admired from afar and have monitored his progress since he was at Kilmarnock."

www.thestar.co.uk/news/billy-sharp-and-conor-sammon-sign-for-sheffield-united-1-7377793

Baptise... see James Wallace (which clough and the board was lambasted for on several occassion)

and to be fair could we get any worse than we had when we signed Edgar.. (a panic buy after being smashed by 4 goals against tomorrow opponents)

as for trying... I see it most matches the lack of effort by Hammond, I see it on several occasions by Brayford and Sharp (running about like a headless chicken is not my idea of putting in effort btw) if you notice where most of the goals have come from... its down our right where Brayford has either gone missing, lost his marker... or simply not tracked him properly.. so that for me is a lack of effort.. (which irks me more when Adkins Lambasted Reed for "losing his man" as its not acceptable and he shouldn't be doing that... (yet never mentions Hammond or Brayford... or the piss poor efforts Sharp has on goal... imagine if it wasnt Billy for a minute... imagine if the shot was by Porter or Sammon or Higdon... the fans would be slating it (missing a 1 on 1... missing penalties... not getting into the box for crosses... I am not saying its all the time.. but its never said when it happens..

and according to reports at the time Sharp was a 7 figure sum... Woolford cost money, as did the loan fees or Hammond Sammon, Baptiste and Edgar... so I dont think that adds up to only spending £500k...

Whatever you say about Billy he will end up with 20 plus goals he's held up his part of the deal {headless chicken or not}

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Doing a reasonable job for me.

We are 8 points outside the play offs and 18 points behind the top 2....in L1. We must have a different view on what reasonable means.

 

[Edinblade]

This club doesn't do long term planning and hasn't done for a while.

Short success is the aim with our club and when it doesn't happen then someone is for the sack and that's the manager.

I think you could say our club doesn't do any planning. They definitely don't do long term. And if this season is so called short term, then that's a total failure.

 

[Gavlar]

Planning for the future! I've seen some corkers but Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ has been planning for the future for some time.........

 

[Worksop II]

Three years to get out of this Division ?

I think Adkins has found some of Jose's goodies .............

 

[Finnieston]

We are 8 points outside the play offs and 18 points behind the top 2....in L1. We must have a different view on what reasonable means.

We obviously have. Still never mind. I dont think thats unreasonable.

 

[PeteBlade]

I agree with a lot of your points AB, particularly the decision to move Whiteman to wingback and keep Flynn I the middle.

I think you may have to reconsider the Sharp valuation though. He wasn't a regular at Leeds. Doubt they could have insisted on a million. Unless you are suggesting his fee plus this year's wages total a million then I'd agree. Is say fee 300-500k,wages 10-12k per week IMHO.

I've noticed that when people want to exaggerate how much a player cost they will add in his wages but not consistently.

 

[Been there done that]

We are 8 points outside the play offs and 18 points behind the top 2....in L1. We must have a different view on what reasonable means.

8 points behind 6th play-off spot & 18 points behind auto promo...... points-wise, actually far nearer to auto relegation than auto promo, playing some of the worst standard of football I've witnessed in 25 years.....in LEAGUE ONE!

Reasonable job? SUFC have HAD to reduce season tickets 10% to bribe people to renew..... the manager has been a disaster. End of

 

[Boxer Blade]

Why do some people say we dont do any planning? km & the Prince are successful businessmen in their own right, do you not think over all the years of running businesses they dont plan both for the short and long term? They have implemented change at United, board, management and first team management, meetings take place, discussions take place, discisions are made, I presume for both the long and short term, now wether the people brought in and the plans that are put in place work is another argument, probably not at the moment, so as any owner of any business would do is to give it time and eventually make a decision, and hope he gets it right, I really do not understand why some folk when things are going wrong want to find fault and have a go about everything.

 

[Finnieston]

8 points behind 6th play-off spot & 18 points behind auto promo...... points-wise, actually far nearer to auto relegation than auto promo, playing some of the worst standard of football I've witnessed in 25 years.....in LEAGUE ONE!

Reasonable job? SUFC have HAD to reduce season tickets 10% to bribe people to renew..... the manager has been a disaster. End of

Totally disagree...........End of.