Adkins Interview Ahead of Port Vale (H)

[Sean Thornton]

From the OP:



I also referred to the existence of this original statement in a subsequent post.

"You *now* admit" shows pretty clearly you read neither the OP or the follow up, and as such it's difficult to have meaningful, productive dialogue.

There's then the (patronising ) "difficult as that may be for you to accept" response without clearly stating what it is that I'm not accepting. It's just some kind of shotgun aimed at the whole post.

Anyway I'm eager to find out the facts I can't face.

And the technicalities are irrelevant to me bc it's the bigger picture. Did he mean we started brightly second half? Did he really mean we started brightly first half?? If I watch it on BP will I reassess? Is it worth spending ages getting to the bottom this mystery?

Not for me when there's a bigger picture.

Ergo (always patronising that) irrelevant.

For someone too lazy to spell out "because" you certainly don't mind repeating yourself at length.

I think the bigger picture is of you, crowned by a halo, probably atop an ivory tower, staring lovingly at a signed photo of Adkins.

You need to understand that being able to string a smug sentence together doesn't necessarily mean the content is correct. In this case, NA has told us nothing that we didn't already know in my opinion. Regardless of your sycophantic attempts to persuade otherwise.

You aren't stating facts, you're expressing an opinion on the comments, as was I.

 

[ghandi]

After coming back from three down at Wigan the quote was something like I've not given up on the top two.

Have you given up on promotion?

Do you think he should give up on promotion?

He has given up on promotion he's just going through the motions like he does at every interview.

 

[jt64]

Keeps going on about two strikers, maybe when we get two central midfielders that won't get routinely overrun he can think about it

 

[Smirth]

Let's see what happens when he can put his own team out ,the blue print will then be tested.
He's had to accept that this squad cant play attacking football it's so vulnerable to pace and movement,clough put the squad together
to play in a negative way and Adkins is stuck between a rock and a hard place.Since Shrewsbury the game plan has changed ( he admitted it)
. trying different ways ( formations ) so far nothing consistent has materialised,he's still trying and ime sure he's desperate for a few loan signings to give us a spark, still time for it to happen.
It will be done without Baxter now,I think Atkins was hinting at this when he said more pain to come .
Not his job to inform us of this news but he must have been aware when he was interviewed.

That may be, however the signings he has made so far, with the exception of Sharp, don't fit in to the style of play he seems to be describing. One of them will still be here next season (Woolford) and another it seems likely will be here next season too (Hammond.)

 

[cooperblade]

So what part of the vision/philosophy/blueprint/redprint is unattainable?

My problem is that sticking to any blueprint or plan seems unattainable for SUFC - it feels like we've had half a dozen grand plans over the last decade.

'We' usually panic if they don't work straight away though and try something else.

Would I be pleased if we are genuinely going to put together a 3 year plan? Absolutely.

Would Adkins be my first choice to develop that plan? No.

Do I think we will stick to any plan for more than 5 minutes? Not a chance.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

For someone to lazy to spell out "because" you certainly don't mind repeating yourself at length.

I think the bigger picture is of you, crowned by a halo, probably atop an ivory tower, staring lovingly at a signed photo of Adkins.

You need to understand that being able to string a smug sentence together doesn't necessarily mean the content is correct. In this case, NA has told us nothing that we didn't already know in my opinion. Regardless of your sycophantic attempts to persuade otherwise.

You aren't stating facts, you're expressing an opinion on the comments, as was I.

This is fun.

The bc business is not bc of laziness. Not for the first time in this thread that's a presumption, or is it a projection? Both? Who knows?

I'll take that "length" business as an acknowledgment you were wrong about the quick start. Twice.

Being able to string a sentence together doesn't make you right *or wrong*. That's content not form so it'd be nice to get to a substantial point.

The smugness is ad hominem and as before on you.

Sycophantic? Ad hominem.

Persuasion? Yet more presumption/projection?

I thought it was a great interview. Still do. Am I not allowed to think that?

Not trying to persuade anyone otherwise.

I'd like Positive Nigel to construct his vision.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

He has given up on promotion he's just going through the motions like he does at every interview.

And you know this because...

 

[Sean Thornton]

This is fun.

The bc business is not bc of laziness. Not for the first time in this thread that's a presumption, or is it a projection? Both? Who knows?

I'll take that "length" business as an acknowledgment you were wrong about the quick start. Twice.

Being able to string a sentence together doesn't make you right *or wrong*. That's content not form so it'd be nice to get to a substantial point.

The smugness is ad hominem and as before on you.

Sycophantic? Ad hominem.

Persuasion? Yet more presumption/projection?

I thought it was a great interview. Still do. Am I not allowed to think that?

Not trying to persuade anyone otherwise.

I'd like Positive Nigel to construct his vision.

You've added nothing. You use his comments as a point then when they don't suit you discard them as irrelevancies and now you are just looking to belittle.

How many cats do you have?

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

You've added nothing. You use his comments as a point then when they don't suit you discard them as irrelevancies and now you are just looking to belittle.

How many cats do you have?

For the (good) reason stated above. Perhaps you read it

Cats?!

Wtf?

Anyway. Never one to duck a challenging question:

WHF's cats = Blades goals at Bury

I'm a dog person.

 

[Sean Thornton]

For the (good) reason stated above. Perhaps you read it

Cats?!

Wtf?

Anyway. Never one to duck a challenging question:

WHF's cats = Blades goals at Bury

I'm a dog person.

I was suggesting, maybe jokingly, maybe not, you were a rather sad gentleman.

I thought you'd have grasped that with your towering intellect. Perhaps it was too subtle to penetrate your bubble though.

 

[PeteBlade]

It seems pretty clear there's no such thing as an average supporter. This is just an unverifiable claim on behalf of an imagined entity.



It's not the bare words - it's the context, the tone of voice, the immediacy and directness of the response all of which, with other factors, add up to an honest account of the situation. He's been recruited and backed. Board and manager are united. That's a very important message.



Again missing the point. There are all sorts of platitudes and politics you can play with this response instead he recognises we're not good enough and says so. IIRC he got a round of applause for a similar sentiment at the pre-season interview. Now it's suddenly a ten-year old's response.



Whether it's a surprise or not is besides the point. Again. He's set out a clear assessment of the short term (and long term) prospects.

He's been backed? Surely even you aren't that deluded.

 

[Esablade]

I'm still quite liking the interviews tbh..spunky!

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

I was suggesting, maybe jokingly, maybe not, you were a rather sad gentleman.

Sad? No. Evil! Yes.

 

[ghandi]

And you know this because...

Through the evidence of my own eyes. This team is barely capable of finishing top half and Adkins as the manager must also be aware but he continues to prattle on about promotion this season which I have to say gullible people like you believe it to be true.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Through the evidence of my own eyes. This team is barely capable of finishing top half and Adkins as the manager must also be aware but he continues to prattle on about promotion this season which I have to say gullible people like you believe it to be true.

The assertion was he's given up on promotion. I don't see that is supported by this post.

Have you given up on promotion?

 

[Bedrock Blade]

The first two minutes of that interview were like listening to Ron Manager. The rest completely unintelligible.

 

[mosbolad]

Have you given up on promotion?

Personally yes I have Fatty. Look, I slipped and my penis accidentally landed in the secretaries mouth just as my boss was walked in the office.......

 

[Blade58]

Nothing apart from:

1. one focus of recruitment will be players who can play 40+ games a season - which is demanding - it's be easy to recruit based solely on ability but if you're not on the pitch you can't affect the game - simple, clear thinking
2. it might get worse before it gets better - an honest and frank assessment and the exact diametric opposite of a "politician's answer" or a platitude
3. focuses on the Academy - are we producing enough good young players? Sets that as an aim.
4. owners are very supportive - this alone is worth knowing
5. need to bring better players in - again an honest, straight answer
6. restatement of long term goals - with some detail - welcome before and welcome again
7. clear statement of short term goal of promotion - again plenty of posters. supporters were wondering after Tuesday or even Satdi if we'd given up and were planning for the future, he's not and promotion is still very much the aim
8. have to prune the squad in order for it to improve - quality over quantity
9. the players are not passionless - they're not - it's a cheap lazy criticism
10. we need better quality in the final third - the real issue

etc etc etc etc

Those are just the bare words. For me the most important and informative part of the interview was the passion with which he spoke.

I'd like him to be here a very long time because I think if he is then the club will be in very good shape when he leaves.

it's ok saying to focus on recruitment on players who can play 40+ games a season, but I will counter that by also saying that if he continues to bring in players of Sammons quality where they can't get a game then who's fault is that they don't play 40+ games?

Had to laugh when Adkins also said "it's be easy to recruit based solely on ability" Not for you it isn't Nigel. I give you 5 signings of which 3 are Woolford, Sammon and Hammond

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

My doors of perception were cleansed. By Andy Giddings.

Bloody hell! Too much info

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Personally yes I have Fatty. Look, I slipped and my penis accidentally landed in the secretaries mouth just as my boss was walked in the office.......

Usually and in most cases this can be overcome man to man , nod nod wink wink , you lucky cad you . In this case the secretary is the bosses daughter so yes , whatever spin , you are yesterday's man and fucked and right to give up on promotion.

Adkins to be fair still has a life line on promotion . Brain in head not in trousers or so it seems , but complicates things when talks out of his arse.

UTB

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Why have you taken a side that finished last season in the playoffs and put it in a worse position ?
Why have you not replaced Jamie Murphy if the Board have made the money available ?
Why has the defence shipped so many goals this season ?
Why doesn't the team move quickly enough on gaining possession to occasionally put the opposition under pressure ?
Why do you have no pace in midfield ?
Why did you spend the whole match at Bury playing in front of their defenders which gives you no penetration into the box or to the byline ?
Why do you pump aerial balls up to the edge of the box when Burys taller defenders just head them away ?
If JCR had 2 feet he would have had a better career. Any idiot can see he has no left foot. Why do you play him on the left where he is ineffective ?
How fast do Woolford and Hammond move ? Have they slowed down since they last played for you ?

That is an interview. None of the RS pundits could ask a searching question if their life depended on it.
They are just foils for NA to spout future tense philosophical generalised bollocks.

How whf can take anything from this is just beyond me.

I reckon it was a far better interview than usual, myself - Andy Giddings moved onto another level from his usual too nice/too soft persona.

That said, your excellent questions very much need asking. Hope that RS read this board, that they see your list of questions, & that they ask many of them tomorrow.

 

[blade67]

Folk need to accept that this is how Adkins operates in interviews, it's his style and always has been, win, lose or draw. Every manager has a style and most of them, quite frankly are bloody annoying because they rarely have anything interesting to say.
Clough was irritating in his own way, as was Wilson, Blackwell etc. Warnock was a complete knobsack in front of the microphone and still is (sorry folks but it's true).
Managers are interviewed far too often on a subject that really isn't that deep nor deserving of such analysis. No point getting wound up when they waffle out complete bollox.

²
This

If we were on the back of a 6 game winning run he could say what he wanted and we'd all love it.

On our current run it wouldn't make any difference how much sense he speaks, he's a knob

3 points is all that matters

 

[mosbolad]

Usually and in most cases this can be overcome man to man , nod nod wink wink , you lucky cad you . In this case the secretary is the bosses daughter so yes , whatever spin , you are yesterday's man and fucked and right to give up on promotion.


UTB

Mmmm.......My boss was a woman, the secretary........ her husband!!!......

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

You missed the bit where every season ticket holder gets a life sized crystal unicorn when we win the Champions League next month.

Just wondering how big a life-size unicorn is?

 

[BushBlade]

Just wondering how big a life-size unicorn is?

A mature unicorn is around 15 hands (which is about 60 inches).

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Pull the cord on his back and he talks!
"We showed endeavour!" "Got off to a bright start" and many more phrases!

 

[spongebobblade]

To be honest I'm sick and tired of listening to his little cliches. Let's see some action Nige because at the moment they are just hollow meaningless words

 

[Loxleyviewblade]

Why have you taken a side that finished last season in the playoffs and put it in a worse position ?
Why have you not replaced Jamie Murphy if the Board have made the money available ?
Why has the defence shipped so many goals this season ?
Why doesn't the team move quickly enough on gaining possession to occasionally put the opposition under pressure ?
Why do you have no pace in midfield ?
Why did you spend the whole match at Bury playing in front of their defenders which gives you no penetration into the box or to the byline ?
Why do you pump aerial balls up to the edge of the box when Burys taller defenders just head them away ?
If JCR had 2 feet he would have had a better career. Any idiot can see he has no left foot. Why do you play him on the left where he is ineffective ?
How fast do Woolford and Hammond move ? Have they slowed down since they last played for you ?

That is an interview. None of the RS pundits could ask a searching question if their life depended on it.
They are just foils for NA to spout future tense philosophical generalised bollocks.

How whf can take anything from this is just beyond me.

Now that's proper questions

 

[Houston_Blade]

http://www.s24su.com/forum/index.php?forums/general-blades-chat.5/

Andy Giddings. A revelation. Asks good, direct, difficult questions and keeps going. Fair play to Adkins he responds very well. A great interview.

Tried to transcribe as best I could. Missed out a bit of repetition and reverted to bullet points at the end when it gets back to the more conventional pre-game interview.

Here it is:

• Starts with Bob at Fleetwood to get game time after a long time out - 24hr recall

AG: Is he part of the long or medium term plan? [This is where it really takes off]

NA: As a football club we're at that stage we've had eight managers in eight years - several years in League One - now maybe we've got to realise we're a League One club - but we're a big club -but we've got to get out of this and we've got to build - we're going through some pain - maybe we're going to have to go through a bit more pain - talked about it before we had 46 professional players - squad's too big - we've got to reduce it to manageable level - we need robust players who can play 40+ games a season.

AG: (interrupts) Are there not enough of those here?

NA: (ploughs on) From my point of view we've got to go through it. We need to win games on a Saturday. We need a pathway for the youngsters. Are there enough good youngsters? We've got to produce them. We've got to win on a Saturday in a way that supporters are going to be really proud of and see it. I want to play two strikers up front. Are we going to be set on one formation or is it a way of playing really good attacking aggressive entertaining football. At this moment in time we've got to go and win got to go and win got to go and win and sometimes we look for the short term fix and maybe we've got to look for the big term answer as well.

AG: It's going to get worse before it gets better? It can't get any worse. Such might be the response [of the fans]

NA: Well maybe the realisation of this is where we are, there's a lot of people, I've spoken with the owners as well - the owners down - everyone wants Sheffield United to do well [...] everyone who's associated wants to see Sheffield United back at the top level. That's our common cause. We're mid-table in League One, we're fighting to get in the play-offs [...] and we've got to work very very hard to make that happen. Let's not dance around the houses on it. This is where we are. This is the reality. This is straight talking. Let's give ourselves the opportunity to get behind the players. To work hard. The players work hard. Everybody. We might have to move some on. We've got to bring better players in. We've got to develop the players we've got. We've got to be in a situation. We're not there yet. We will be. There's a big desire behind the scenes to make sure we get the template right to develop the players to play the way that's going to be right for this football club long term - whether that's me as a manager or somebody else, or somebody else after that. A way that Sheffield United is going to have that blueprint in place that they can stick to to keep moving forward.

AG: Is that not code though Nigel for: it starts really again in the summer? (Go for it Andy!)

NA: (Emphatic) No. We've got to keep finding a way. We've had too many draws this season. Lost first away game since October on Tuesday. I want us to play a way we can build - we can move the ball forward quickly - we can have shots and have crosses - goalscoring opportunities - I want to see all of that. I ain't giving up on the season. We're fighting for the play off positions. We need everyone to contribute. The supporters are important we need that positive environment. We've got 15 games left and we need to win as many of them as we can to get ourselves in that play-off position, then it's up for anybody if we get in there then we would have had a momentum about ourselves anyway.

AG: (Keeps at it like a ball-winning midfielder.) Doesn't it work both ways: the fans have got to get behind the team but the team have got to show something for the fans.

NA: Correct. Correct. I mean the players are well aware. They've got work hard. They've got to perform.

AG: Tuesday's performance has brought about a fierce reaction. Was that the low point?

NA: Watched the game back I thought we started brightly. (not the way I saw it at the time: they had two shots on target in the first 50 seconds - we did get into the game, but it took a while) It's easy to say players were passionless. I disagree (me too, calling players lazy is lazy) People were quite easily to jump on the keyboards and say one or two different things [...] It was a competitive game - their first goal, it's long range shot [yet another one] hits the guy on the hand beforehand - it's a handball referee doesn't give it - puts it in the top corner.

AG: They might turn around and say you got beat and you didn't have a shot on target.

View attachment 16080

Adams shoots for the bottom corner...

View attachment 16081

and from the away end their defender appeared out of nowhere. Couldn't believe it. Adams couldn't believe it either.

What about the two [I think he means one] that were cleared off the line? Collins header against the bar on Saturday is not counted as on target. We had enough of the ball. The quality wasn't good enough. The quality in the final third wasn't good enough. In the attacking third the quality wasn't good enough. Right? (mentions how he's got a bit worked up) Committed. We've got to work hard short term and long term. A big desire from the owners to get it right. The players are well aware of it. They cross that white line, they've got to go and perform.

AG: Do you feel a bit let down by them over recent weeks?

NA: Listen we've got to make sure over the course of the future moving forwards we as a football club have got to make sure we get our recruitment right that we play in a manner that everyone is proud to be a Sheffield United supporter. Talks about pruning roses to let them grow. (It's a good point. Easy to criticise - but the principal is spot on.)

AG: (Paraphrasing ) The players think they may well be going in the summer has that led to the performances?

NA: The mind's a wonderful thing - refers to Inside Out (not seen it yet, no spoilers please)

Unless you're in there who knows. If you are out of contract then you are fighting for one.

AG: Is Billy getting enough support?

NA: Mentions two strikers. One up, one off last two games. We need to find a way. What's our blueprint moving forward

• more ins and outs talked about
• have to do everything we can
• aint giving up on it
• got to keep driving it through
• need that determination to drive it through
• and I know we're not where we need to be
• we'll get there but we're not there now
• referring to loans - waiting for the right person
• Port Vale – it'll be good
• they'll want to keep the crowd quiet get them to turn on the team
• we have to make sure we start well and they don't get that chance
• we need to get wins
• not draw the game
• I've got to do my bit
• players have to do their bit
• supporters have to do their but
• we all want Sheffield United to win
• character is a big thing
• confidence is a wonderful thing
• to get confidence back do the basics well to an elite level

AG: Do the squad lack self belief?

NA: Question marks over everyone because of where we are, but we are going to get the structure right. You're either going to be part of it, or you're not.

Well what a great interview. Huge credit to both of them.

Hope the game is as competitive and entertaining on Satdi.

Absolute bollocks Nige. Clutching at straws and spouting management speak from the corporate handbook until it slots out of his bottom.

WHF has undoubtedly got me on ignore as I don't agree with this every sentence but this interview is one of the worst I've seen transcribed yet.

 

[robbiez666]

The problem with his interviews in general are:

• Too long. There's really no need to waffle on for 10 minutes plus. Especially when the majority has either been said before or is meaningless.
• Makes a couple of interesting comments (First time he's said the players aren't good enough?) but wrapped in a whole load of spiel
• Never directly answers a question. I don't expect him to answer them all directly, but one or two maybe.

If there's anyone on this board with a feed upwards into the club.......his interviews may go down better if:

• His answers were short and to the point - he's a man who likes to use 100 words when 10 would suffice
• Focussed on the games and not continually waffled about other things which have been said previously
• Didn't continually cover old ground
• Accepted criticism/poor performances without then going off on a tangent for 2 minutes

I'm sure they've got progressively longer as the season has gone on. It's difficult for managers as they do this several times per week and are lead by the interviewer.