Clough interview sums up feelings on supporters

[AlBlade]

You are of course correct that it is not the fans fault - yet fans could be a little more tolerant of what CLough and the management team are trying to do.

UTB

The problem for me, and for most of the fans I sit with, is that we have absolutely no idea what Clough and the management team are trying to do.

We are trying to play a negative brand of counter attacking football at home, when the teams we are playing against have set themselves up to try and earn a point. Even when we do counter attack, we do so with very little pace or sense of purpose.

The purse strings have been opened by the Board, and rather than buy quality players in areas where we need to improve, NC has bought a large number of players who are on a par with what we have already got. He has assembled a playing squad of 41 professional players, which is a huge squad for League 1, yet bizarrely we have very few options other than replacing like with like.

We started the season with 4 centre halves, we sold 2, sent 1 out on loan, and apparently NC isn't speaking to the remaining centre half. Therefore, each week we play a central midfielder and a left back at centre half, and then NC seems surprised that we concede from set pieces.

Players are promoted from the youth squad into the first team (Reed, Khan, Adams, Kennedy) play really well and then get dropped.

Our leading scorer regularly warms the bench, and when he has a bad game he is singled out by NC for public criticism.

Clough bemoans our lack of height and physicality in midfield, yet the players haven't shrunk since he bought them.

When we do finally spend big, we spend over £1 million on a bloody right back, a good right back, but still a bloody right back.

We send JCR out on loan despite having no cover for Flynn, who has had a number of injury problems this season. As a result we have Coutts stood out on the right wing, clearly not his favored position, and extremely ineffective.

I could go on, but whenever NC and the management team are challenged on any of the above they fail to provide any sort of coherent response. As a result I have absolutely no clue what NC and the management team are trying to do.

 

[Oreyt]

Someone may have said the same, I couldnt be arsed to wade through the invective, but Nige isn't "that" type of manager. I dont think he gives two farts about the fans, but i dont think that is necessarily a bad thing. Of course we're shit at the moment, but him wailing and prostrating himself in front of us isn't going to change that.

 

[Grecian2000]

Exactly Rev.

I thought, after a shaky start when he took over (let's call them the White/Lappin months) after he'd outed McMahon and got his men in, then we kept a settled side, square pegs in square holes (missing striker apart) and we were flying.
Losing the key players we did in the summer was a bitter blow BUT having got to January in a decent position and getting the players in he wanted then I thought we'd go back to last season's second half routine.
Instead we tinker, square pegs in round holes and are overly cautious in our approach. We are way below where we were a year ago and that seems to be the managers failing rather than the boards for a change.
I'm a Clough man but it's slipping away for me.

 

[Revolution]

The problem for me, and for most of the fans I sit with, is that we have absolutely no idea what Clough and the management team are trying to do.

We are trying to play a negative brand of counter attacking football at home, when the teams we are playing against have set themselves up to try and earn a point. Even when we do counter attack, we do so with very little pace or sense of purpose.

The purse strings have been opened by the Board, and rather than buy quality players in areas where we need to improve, NC has bought a large number of players who are on a par with what we have already got. He has assembled a playing squad of 41 professional players, which is a huge squad for League 1, yet bizarrely we have very few options other than replacing like with like.

We started the season with 4 centre halves, we sold 2, sent 1 out on loan, and apparently NC isn't speaking to the remaining centre half. Therefore, each week we play a central midfielder and a left back at centre half, and then NC seems surprised that we concede from set pieces.

Players are promoted from the youth squad into the first team (Reed, Khan, Adams, Kennedy) play really well and then get dropped.

Our leading scorer regularly warms the bench, and when he has a bad game he is singled out by NC for public criticism.

Clough bemoans our lack of height and physicality in midfield, yet the players haven't shrunk since he bought them.

When we do finally spend big, we spend over £1 million on a bloody right back, a good right back, but still a bloody right back.

We send JCR out on loan despite having no cover for Flynn, who has had a number of injury problems this season. As a result we have Coutts stood out on the right wing, clearly not his favored position, and extremely ineffective.

I could go on, but whenever NC and the management team are challenged on any of the above they fail to provide any sort of coherent response. As a result I have absolutely no clue what NC and the management team are trying to do.

Terrific post.

 

[djbaldken]

his habit of publicly fingering players after a game

He wants to be careful with this, the last time I did it I got 6 months.!!!!!!

 

[Coily]

FWIW, I would not get rid of Clough now. He should be here at least for the rest of the season.

But tell me: how long should we persevere with him? Should we put up with 4 middling seasons like Derby did? What's your break point?

He has to have the rest of the season.

If we fail horribly in the play offs then the management have a decision to make. A lot will depend on momentum from here on, and if we haven't got it and the fans don't show for the play off home match again then Clough would most likely be gone if we fail to go up. At the very most he'd get next season, but if we are still in L1 ahead of the 16-17 season it won't be with Clough in charge.

It's bloody frustrating right now, but things can change so quickly. Just because we are having a bad run now doesn't mean we are automatically fucked come the play offs. It came to mind that Huddersfield had a really dodgy run near the end of the season - lost games 39 and 41-43 inclusive - but it worked out alright for them in the end. Somehow.

 

[Kenilworth]

And then supporters like you who have been circling all season just waiting for him to have a bad patch or slip up to pounce is even sadder.

To be fair I've been waiting all season for us to have a good patch




.....still waiting

 

[jt64]

The people who pay their substantial wages.

Didn't realise they were playing for Sky

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

When players performances are affected by negative fans it is. When managers and players don't feel they have the backing of the clubs support it is.

Our fans are notorious for being impatient and fickle. And the past 3 months has been the biggest example of this in recent times.

Every club has supporters that are impatient and fickle. That's football.

 

[Grappler]

Getting rid of Clough now will be the same as when we sacked Danny Wilson. It won't save us.

We have to see the season out and then the board and the management have to decide the best course of action.

The only thing we, as fans and suporters, can do is support the team. Don't boo them off the field, don't jeer when Higdon comes off, if you don't like something, then sit in silence or moan to your mates, but loudly booing the team is not helping anyone. I would never dream of booing off any of the local boxers or martial arts fighters I support, if they lose or draw, that doesn't help them.

I am not saying I like watching the particular style of football we play at the moment, what would we all give for a "Monty" type player, who could make the big tackle when needed, despite not being great at anything else, to stop teams over running us in midfield. A hard nut, no nonsense defender like Chris Morgan, or a big solid 6ft 4 lad like Leigh Bromby. But we have not, so lets just get on with it.

It's been a strange season; beaten 4-0 by Burton Albion (I was there and we were shocking), Butler almost like coming in and out of a revolving door and ending up at Doncaster, McGahey the same, Collins missing in action (must be the worst calf strain in history), Basham brought in as an attacking midfielder (which he never was) and playing in the back four, McNulty, our top scorer, on the bench game after game, Higdon, missing in action, Wallace J missing in action, the Ilkeston lads coming straight into the first team, the O'Grady saga, the Evans saga, Flo Cuvelier coming back and then off on loan, De Girolamo (one of the best academy lads in recent years) not fitting into the plans, some of the most timid displays of football in front of a home crowd, and yet.......

Here we are, still in the top six, young Reedy (despite his lack of height), playing his socks off at 17, Jamie Murphy, not great every week but look back at some of his goals this season, class, Matty Done will score 25 goals this season, although not all for us, Steven Davies can be the six footer up front that every team needs. Baxter.....ok he splits opinion, but his goal last time was another screamer and who else would you trust when taking a penalty, Freeman was probably the least talked about of recent signings but he is making a difference.

If you don't want to support the team and get behind them, then you may as well save your money and stay home, we all know that a big crowd at BDTBL creates a great atmosphere, let's get behind the lads.

I am sure that SUFC must be the biggest club to have stayed in Division 3 for the longest consecutive period of time, I cannot think of any other club, with our weekly gates and away suport, that has been in the league for so many consecutive seasons (someone correct me if wrong), we don't want another season here, so play offs are the only hope, get behind the Blades.

 

[DazBlade88]

I don't think it's the fans fault we're not playing well, but it definitely doesn't help when the player's heads have dropped and they're getting stick.

What I would say is that if there was a positive atmosphere during the game, there's no way the fans could be blamed. Negative after is fine, but during the game I think it should always be trying to lift the team. I expect us to be shit so I just get behind them regardless.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Hooray, another our fans are cunts thread.

Clough - "we're not going to tell supporters how to support us, or what they do or say, that's up to them."

Indeed, leave that to the supercilious twats who give it large on here every fucking week.

Here's how it is. I'll rock up tomorrow as usual, I'll spend an hour in the pub making sure everyone is as negative as possible going through endless scenarios about sacking off the manager and replacing him with a list of candidates as long as your arm, make my way to the ground giving as many as I can wearing replica shirts a slap on the way, sit where the fuck I want whatever my ticket says, boo the fuckers onto the pitch, have a hefty shout in Clough's direction when he emerges, ironically cheer the first time we put a move together, abuse every mis-placed pass, call for Warnock to be re-instated after 10 minutes, hark back to the glorious days of Blackewell after 20, start a sack the board chant on 30, slope off to the bog on 40, splash as many as I can with my ale enhanced piss, twat anyone who doesn't like it, stand by the bar for the next 20 minutes bemoaning all thing red and white, waltz back to my seat 5 minutes into the second, leave an odious fart for all those who I have to make stand up to pass, re-commence some serious abuse with special attention to the younger players, offer Baxter out (even if he isn't on the pitch), leave early to get back to the ale house where I can abuse everyone returning from the game for staying until the end, home to batter the wife and kick the cat around, wait for match of the day to watch some proper football.

not be on your own then?

 

[Darthblade]

When players performances are affected by negative fans it is. When managers and players don't feel they have the backing of the clubs support it is.

Our fans are notorious for being impatient and fickle. And the past 3 months has been the biggest example of this in recent times.

Sorry mate ..... cannot take this without response.

I think that SUFC are absolutely INCREDIBLY lucky to have the support that they currently enjoy, support that some premiership teams and MANY Championship teams can only dream about !!

Over the last 5 years we have endured some absolute rubbish served up for us to "support" and still the fans turn up, home and away, in amazing numbers. When the away support is starting to get restless with what they're watching ...... that's when an experienced management team & players should start to take a REAL, hard look at themselves and think ...... this must change !!!

Some of the rubbish, particularly at home this season has been UNACCEPTABLE for any team in a Blades shirt to deliver. Fact !

Never mind feeling sorry for themselves and sulking at some well deserved criticism; the Management & players need to grow up, grow a pair, take a deep breath ....... and get on with what they are well paid for and that is playing a competitive game of football. Maybe they could reflect on the fact that they could be playing in a ramshackle ground in front of 2000 fans and that should jump-start their thought processes and make them thank their lucky stars where they ACTUALLY are.

Rant over .....
UTB & FTP

 

[bartman]

need to grow up, grow a pair, take a deep breath ....


UTB & FTP

You could argue that some fans( not all) need to do the same and instead support the team during games instead of abusing and heckling them.

Any reason why you put some words in bold capital letters ?

 

[Bladesway]

He can't win, whatever he says.

This in summary is the truest statement of all. You can't please all the people all the time and no matter what he said someone would be dissecting it.

But, whatever happens our league position is not the supporters fault. Its the players, management and board of SUFC. The lane is a morgue these days but there are many reasons for that from all seater stadium, the makeup of your average crowd these days, through to our recent spell in the Premiership raising expectations, but above all the standard of what is turned out on the pitch dictates the fans reaction. I'm sorry but what I witnessed in my last venture to the Lane (Fleetwood) isn't going to get anyone out of their seat apart from in frustration.

It is not the supporters job to make the team play better, but you can understand why the team are reticent to play anything risky when at the first sign of a misplaced pass there are groans and boos. However, players need to be bigger than that and just get on with it. We can help but we don't determine the outcome.

 

[Sheff de party]

And if the players don't want to play for us, fine. Play for yourselves. Play with pride.

Or at least play for the substantial wedge you're taking home every week, much of which is funded by those fans!

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

Clough's recent interview after the Walsall game on Blades player sums up his/the teams feelings towards supporters.

Some of the things he said, whilst looking very despondent:

"...everybody just needs to get behind us, get behind us if they can..."

when asked if the fans support would be key he said:

(shrugs shoulders) "...the fans will support us whatever the best way they think can help get us promotion..."

"we're not going to tell supporters how to support us, or what they do or say, that's up to them."

He looked and sounded pretty detached from fans, and not exactly a rally cry...and why?...probably because he feels like he's had a massive kick in the teeth from fans.

When will fans realize their over reactions and non-support drives a wedge between manager/team and supporters.

They must go out on match day with an "us vs. them" mentality, which is crazy and pretty sad. They must think who the fuck are we playing for.

Maybe he will prefer it when there are 5k less of them next season (assuming he's still here)?

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Good post and my mirrored feeling . The bottom line is that i am fully confident we will get in the play offs and ultimate promotion by winning the play off final , due to it being like a mini cup run , and the cup team blades will turn up again.

However it does not answer the question about Clough and his future .

I think the die has been cast , and would be surprised if he is still at the lane next season . When a rift happens between fans and manager , in my view , like in a marriage , it ultimately finishes in the parting of ways.

UTB

UTB

I too am confident we will get to the playoffs and hopefully NC will see us through it - we all have to hope he earns his corn and does the business.

There does seem to be a rift opening - sad to see, but understandable. Clough is his own worst enemy at times with what he says and how he says it.

He needs a spin doctor !

UTB

 

[Grappler]

I too am confident we will get to the playoffs and hopefully NC will see us through it - we all have to hope he earns his corn and does the business.

There does seem to be a rift opening - sad to see, but understandable. Clough is his own worst enemy at times with what he says and how he says it.

He needs a spin doctor !

UTB

One thing that recent history has taught us (cup runs) is that NIge does seem to be able to plan and execute for the big occasion.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Good post, thanks for responding.

Personally I think it's too early to say "he should get all of next season" but I understand the need for continuity. And unlike, say, Weir, Clough is a reasonably safe pair of hands. Barring a fire sale another season isn't going to be a disaster.

My big issue - and I am going to write a longer post about this when I get time - is that for I am feeling something this season that I haven't felt in a long time: I feel we should have done a lot better than we have done in the league. And I don't think it's the board's fault - Maguire going was IMHO bad business but the attempts to replace him have been even worse, and that's not down to them.

I think you are right. I think Clough thought it would be easier than this. And I don't think he's learning some of the lessons that can be drawn from games this season. If we do not go up, I would want assurances that some of these lessons have been learned.

Valid points rev - I think we all think we should have done better - probably due to the incredible time from January onwards last season, started so admirably at Villa.

I too think he isn't learning - for ages I have thought that we just haven't learnt as a team how to break down a team at home that sits deep. We don't like or can'y handle 1 on 1 player confrontations, possibly as we are not big and strong. I think we have some lovely footballers, but big stong players DO NOT let little, nice, fancy dan footballers play - why should they?

As for your "assurances" - if I could ask Clough one thing (and I suppose I am like a dog with a bone here) it is about the defence - we presently have 1 fit centre half (Collins) who isn't going to play - WHY???????

The assurances for me is, hopefully a hands up acceptance that NC has got SOME things wrong - it takes a brave man to say such things and if there is one aspect that would help his position is to come out and say "yes, Blades fans - I got a few things wrong - we all live and learn and will try not to do the same again.

I will give you one of MY attributes I have taken with me through my life as I trained/taught people about IT. It is, and I said it to them all "I don't mind you making a mistake - don't make the same fucking mistake twice" - for me it creates fairness, people know where they are with you and where the limits are.

Anyway - good debate - much better when we don't slag things/people/issues off.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

One thing that recent history has taught us (cup runs) is that NIge does seem to be able to plan and execute for the big occasion.

indeed he does - and it is because of this reason that I get disappointed with some fans. We are all frustrated but we should give him (a) till we are in/out of playoff positions (b) see how we do in the playoffs.

Inquest time, follows that.

We all need to try and stay solid and support the team as much as anyone can give - we all give it in different ways - it just needs to be shown a bit more. Perhaps tomorrow will be different.

UTB

 

[Grecian2000]

We don't like or can'y handle 1 on 1 player confrontations,

That bloody Scottish influence is pervading everything now!

The assurances for me is, hopefully a hands up acceptance that NC has got SOME things wrong - it takes a brave man to say such things and if there is one aspect that would help his position is to come out and say "yes, Blades fans - I got a few things wrong - we all live and learn and will try not to do the same again.

I will never get this idea that people can't admit to mistakes. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who don't do anything. Fess up and move on, a lot more acceptable than "it weren't my fault Gov".

 

[Maidenhead]

Loving the general positivity and reasoned debate on this thread.

If we can get darthblade onside we are sorted ;-)

PS. I'm always glass half full because I enjoy the distractions away from real life provided by TRAWW.

Whilst I would love us to have boundless success at the end of the day it's only a game, and it's really not worth getting your knickers in a knot over it.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

The problem for me, and for most of the fans I sit with, is that we have absolutely no idea what Clough and the management team are trying to do.

We are trying to play a negative brand of counter attacking football at home, when the teams we are playing against have set themselves up to try and earn a point. Even when we do counter attack, we do so with very little pace or sense of purpose.

The purse strings have been opened by the Board, and rather than buy quality players in areas where we need to improve, NC has bought a large number of players who are on a par with what we have already got. He has assembled a playing squad of 41 professional players, which is a huge squad for League 1, yet bizarrely we have very few options other than replacing like with like.

We started the season with 4 centre halves, we sold 2, sent 1 out on loan, and apparently NC isn't speaking to the remaining centre half. Therefore, each week we play a central midfielder and a left back at centre half, and then NC seems surprised that we concede from set pieces.

Players are promoted from the youth squad into the first team (Reed, Khan, Adams, Kennedy) play really well and then get dropped.

Our leading scorer regularly warms the bench, and when he has a bad game he is singled out by NC for public criticism.

Clough bemoans our lack of height and physicality in midfield, yet the players haven't shrunk since he bought them.

When we do finally spend big, we spend over £1 million on a bloody right back, a good right back, but still a bloody right back.

We send JCR out on loan despite having no cover for Flynn, who has had a number of injury problems this season. As a result we have Coutts stood out on the right wing, clearly not his favored position, and extremely ineffective.

I could go on, but whenever NC and the management team are challenged on any of the above they fail to provide any sort of coherent response. As a result I have absolutely no clue what NC and the management team are trying to do.

yep agree with a lot of that:
1) trying to do: well, get us promotion, playing a none normal way for L1 - perhaps he has got it wrong.
2) yes it looks negative - for me, it is how the opposition set up at Bramall Lane - my opinion here is that football in the lower leagues has changed - most teams are set up this way away from home - we are 6 unbeaten away from home - why?, because WE play different away.
3) Centre halves - yep, my big issue - for me it's the reason we aren't in the top 2 - don't concede, don't lose - it's simple.
4) Junior players - hmmmm...perhaps they are for the future.
5) Mcnulty - shame really - just think he is a natural born finisher.
6) LAck of height - totally NC fault - he has underestimated what L1 is all about.
7) For me ,Brayford should not have been bought - think the board have tried to show commitment to the fans, and fair dos to them.
8) JCR - strange decision - he was a game changer - Coutts is not a game changer and is not a wide right player.

NC is at times his own worst enemy - we need answers in a way that Blades fans understand - his delivery is poor and my suggestion is that someone with authority (like McCabe) needs to explain to him - the Blades way. Personally, I think he is the right man for the job, and as with Bob Booker, Nigel Clough just needs a friendly word in his ear.

He can come and have a cup of tea with me any day - would love the chance to try and tell him what the Blades way is.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

That bloody Scottish influence is pervading everything now!



I will never get this idea that people can't admit to mistakes. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who don't do anything. Fess up and move on, a lot more acceptable than "it weren't my fault Gov".

As for the Scots - FFS, they SHOULD have gone independent !!!!

and on a more serious note to the second point - it is a poor man who can't admit to their mistakes - but the further up the food chain you go, the less it happens.
bosses/management see it as a weakness.

UTB

 

[Rossb123]

We have the biggest budget, best home attendance and probably one of the best squad's in this league yet we are 5th nearly 20 points off automatic promotion! How is this acceptable to anyone, fans are right to moan and voice their opinions because its simply not good enough. Clough doesn't inspire anyone and looks for escape clauses all the time.

Its all well and good people saying our fans don't back the team etc but we are the biggest team in this league, we should be winning the majority of our games and players that sign for Sheffield United in league one need to realise that it is a high pressured environment with high expectations!

I'm sick of reading every week in the papers "10 cup finals" "we will come good" blah blah blah.........just go out there and do it and silence your critics that way!

Rant over.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Chicken and egg, do you honestly think the fans are at fault and have made good players play bad?

Yes. Some fans have played a big part in this.

 

[Kenilworth]

James Shield ‏@JamesShield1 5m5 minutes ago
Jason Holt says Sheffield United's squad has grown closer together following recent criticism. http://goo.gl/Nh7SFa

Shows that the players have concluded that the fans are against them

This will not end up smelling of roses - I can feel it in me water

 

[sheffielder]

The players know from their experience in the cups what they will get from us if they perform.

That's all they need to know

 

[sheffielder]

I think Clough has lost my last bit of support