Clough interview sums up feelings on supporters

[Borbokisfreekick]

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.

 

[Blade56]

When will managers realise poor transfer dealings, team selections, tactics and poor performances drives out the confidence in said manager? and on match days fans turn up thinking what the fuck are we here for?

ITS NOT THE FANS FAULT!

 

[maidmarion]

If he had said, yes I want the supporters to get behind the team and really push us forward, then someone would have put forward some sarcastic comment . He can't win, whatever he says.
However, I do feel we should get down to the Lane on Saturday, we should be vocal, but in a POSITIVE way. I know we haven't put in the performances and I know that we should be playing a lot better than we have been but WE need to make that difference.
So come on you lot in the Kop and other areas, make yourselves be heard.......Everywhere we go, Everywhere we go........

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

When will managers realise poor transfer dealings, team selections, tactics and poor performances drives out the confidence in said manager? and on match days fans turn up thinking what the fuck are we here for?

ITS NOT THE FANS FAULT!

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.

 

[Blade56]

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.

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

 

[Cyprus Blade]

What other club in this division has benefited from the away support the team has had all season? Or the numbers of bums on seats at the Lane willing the Blades to push on achieve something we all want desperately - out of this ruddy division. You cannot expect to be given a blank cheque ad infinitum and I would wager 99% of the fans will roar their lungs out given something to shout for. The fans want promotion as much as anybody, if not more. Yes there is a dynamic but it is a two way street and at the moment the deficit is on the playing side - NC said the team had not played to its full potential this season yet and its mid-March for goodness sake.

I think what is irking so many, though I can only speak for myself, is that Nigel is so fast to point fingers at others but seems totally reluctant to put his hand up and acknowledge some responsibility when things go pear-shaped. Whether this is because he fears for his job or because he is arrogant and drunk on self belief I don't know but it would be nice if he took some responsibility for bad performances, especially tactically. I do fear his habit of publicly fingering players after a game might work with some players, but will backfire on him in the dressing room and terraces eventually, if it already hasn't.

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

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

Yes, they play a huge part. It happens season after season after season.

We've had countless owners, managers, hundered's of players. The one constant thing in the history of our club is a large section of negative, glass half full, miserable fans.

To watch that interview with Clough, when we are in 5th place, having been to two cup semi's as a 3rd tier club, and with everything to play for, and to see him look so fed up with not even a hope of fans getting behind him and the team is sad. 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.

 

[Revolution]

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.

Is it our fault that James Wallace has not played in living memory?

Is it our fault that we have no defenders good enough to prevent goals from set pieces being scored regularly?

Is it our fault that we are regularly trying to defend a 1-0 lead with 3 tiny central midfielders?

Is it our fault that we have lost points regularly via reckless red cards and daft penalties?

Is it our fault that Turner has no idea where his near post is?

The only people to blame for these things are Clough and the players themselves.

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

 

[Revolution]

We've had countless owners, managers, hundered's of players. The one constant thing in the history of our club is a large section of negative, glass half full, miserable fans.

What a pile of horseshit.

 

[Blade56]

The one constant thing in the history of our club is a large section of negative, glass half full, miserable fans..

I can think of 23 clubs in this league who would die to have the support our fans provide.

If you want to make it personal fans like you who do not aspire to better things than L1 football for the club are the negative aspect of our support we can do without!

 

[ZoneManWilf]

Getting a bit fed up of this blame the support stuff. We must be one of the most long suffering sets of fans in the country and are looking we're stranded in this league for yet another season. United fans when they want to are vociferous and loud, but it works both ways, some of the shite we're been served up over the last 5 years does not deserve to go unquestioned. We have easily the most resources of any team in this league and we're getting to the business end of the season and we're struggling against mid and lower table sides, haven't got a win in seven, and no clean sheet in ten. Right when it counts it looks like the team are in a right state and we can't see where the next result is coming from.

I am not in the knockers camp generally, but people are justified at the moment in getting a bit pissed off, and I'm sick of the easy excuse of 'the fans aren't behind us'.

They must think who the fuck are we playing for.

The people who pay their substantial wages.

 

[Rodders]

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

Notorious where? I've never heard that anywhere other than holier-than-thou's on here.

 

[Bladesman]

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.

 

[1889]

Irrespective of how the fans behave the players should be giving it absolutely everything, their pride and desire to win should be the only motivation a footballer requires. If it isn't then they're in the wrong job. What's more, if the players showed a bit of passion the support would respond in kind.

Utd fans have always appreciated a never say die attitude and supported players who will give everything for the cause, ask Bob Booker. The supporters apathy isn't purely because of poor results, it's because we seem to be the only ones who are bothered!

The supporters response will always be the result of good performances, not the catalyst for a good performance.

 

[Blade56]

Utd fans have always appreciated a never say die attitude and supported players who will give everything for the cause, ask Bob Booker.

^^^^^^^^^^^ GET IN ^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[AlBlade]

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

I hardly think Blades fans can be accused of being impatient, this is our fourth season in this shitty pub league, and it follows a number of seasons in the Championship that were pretty abject as well, and yet we still average almost 20,000 per home game. As for fickle (the definition of which is erratic changeableness) I don't know about you, but myself and every other Blade I know has been the very model of consistency all season, we have been consistently disappointed by both performances and results.

NC's attitude of "I know what I'm doing and everyone else is wrong" has not helped to win the fans on side, and when he comes out with comments like "we were quite pleased with the performance" after the Fleetwood game, this is only going to alienate fans further. NC seems to have picked up this "sod everyone else" style of management from his father, however, he seems to fail to recognise that this only worked for Brian because he won games, titles and trophies.

 

[S6Blade]

All this "get behind them" tripe gets right on my nerves. If the players aren't good enough then no amount of singing and cheering will alter that fact.

Look at those dickheads across the city, good numbers home and away where they sing, dance and balloon about like twats "getting behind" their team no matter what but guess what their team is still pretty shit.

Us Blades are different, we're realists, if it's shit that's served up in front of us then we'll say so.

 

[Grecian2000]

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.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

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.

Or the mangers and players could go out on to the pitch , with a siege mentality , with a attitude of , we will show the bastards . Then the discontent will have worked . Its a two edged sword , and the club don't let us all in free of charge.

This may well get us the results we all want . There is always a positive in every negative.

UTB

 

[Mancblade1889]

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.

Bloody hell have you been following me!!

 

[Blade56]

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.

You sit on my row don't you?

 

[maidmarion]

Our support away from home and at home has been good ther is no denying that fact.
Can you imagine tho, playing away in front of 7000 of whom 1000 are blades. The ground is small, the away support start off singing and chanting and then we go one behind.
This is when the pints of beer that were making you feel all mellow and happy start to make you feel angry and the cries of you're ..........useless, ring out.
Yes, they are paid well , yes they should be proud of pulling on that red and white shirt, but it must be really confidence sapping to be told in no uncertain terms that you're crap.
Are there other jobs were it is deemed acceptable to shout such moral sapping words?
And as for us being impatient, those of us in our fifties and above have been patient for a long long time. We've been here many times before and my poor dad in his seventies has seen more than I have.
So please let's get behind them on Saturday, Tuesday and the following Saturay. Let's make that difference.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

When will managers realise poor transfer dealings, team selections, tactics and poor performances drives out the confidence in said manager? and on match days fans turn up thinking what the fuck are we here for?

ITS NOT THE FANS FAULT!

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.

Championship manager has a LOT to answer for - if football management was easy, we would all be up for the job. It is not, and the vitriol being slung at Clough recently is a disgrace.

THE ONES THAT DO NOT WANT HIM HERE ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB - KEEP IT UP FELLAS, YOU MAY ALL GET YOUR WISH PRETTY SOON IN THAT WE HAVE TO START YET AGAIN, WITH A NEW MANAGER, NEW COACHING TEAM, NEW BACK UP STAFF, NEW FUCKING EVERYTHING.....................JUST LIKE EVERY SINGLE TIME PREVIOUS.

Clough is not everyone's cup of tea, that is accepted by most, we should at least see what a spot of continuity and patience might bring. We heard it all before with Neil Warnock - oh he's crap in the Prem, took us as far as he can. NW wasn't everyone's cup of tea either, but we wouldn't be where we are now if he had been retained and continuity maintained.

I am sure Sir Alex's best mate is actually Mark Robbins scoring that FA Cup goal at Oxford all those years ago - the rest as they say is history.

UTB

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Is it our fault that James Wallace has not played in living memory?

Is it our fault that we have no defenders good enough to prevent goals from set pieces being scored regularly?

Is it our fault that we are regularly trying to defend a 1-0 lead with 3 tiny central midfielders?

Is it our fault that we have lost points regularly via reckless red cards and daft penalties?

Is it our fault that Turner has no idea where his near post is?

The only people to blame for these things are Clough and the players themselves.

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

To be fair to Clough , he must be as frustrated as us . It is difficult for any manager to say the diplomatic right thing , unless they put a load of political spin in the answers to questions in a interview , directly after the match. Clough to me says it how it is .

The bottom line though , he is being let down by the players , and his own tactics , formation and team selections . Us fans have nowt to do with it . Yes us fans are often called the 12th man , but in some games , it looks like we were the only ones who knew were things were going wrong and why. What were the other 11 and manager doing.

UTB

 

[Revolution]

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.

Championship manager has a LOT to answer for - if football management was easy, we would all be up for the job. It is not, and the vitriol being slung at Clough recently is a disgrace.

THE ONES THAT DO NOT WANT HIM HERE ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB - KEEP IT UP FELLAS, YOU MAY ALL GET YOUR WISH PRETTY SOON IN THAT WE HAVE TO START YET AGAIN, WITH A NEW MANAGER, NEW COACHING TEAM, NEW BACK UP STAFF, NEW FUCKING EVERYTHING.....................JUST LIKE EVERY SINGLE TIME PREVIOUS.

Clough is not everyone's cup of tea, that is accepted by most, we should at least see what a spot of continuity and patience might bring. We heard it all before with Neil Warnock - oh he's crap in the Prem, took us as far as he can. NW wasn't everyone's cup of tea either, but we wouldn't be where we are now if he had been retained and continuity maintained.

I am sure Sir Alex's best mate is actually Mark Robbins scoring that FA Cup goal at Oxford all those years ago - the rest as they say is history.

UTB

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?

 

[Fulwood Blade]

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?

That I don't really know rev, but will have a go. Don't get me wrong, I am FAR from happy, frustrated with home games, but aren't we now 6 unbeaten away from home?
FWIW - NC has under estimated what is needed to get out of this division, and my biggest gripe is the CH debacle. We just do not have a strong defensive core and we have gifted so many points because of it - scunny & walsall to name 2 recently - simple balls into the box - 4 points lost.

I sit here, and every week, just "hoping" we can sneak out this season - it is really too late to change and I also believe the change to 4-4-2 recently a bad call and that we should stick to what we are better at (451 & 433) where we can just accommodate Baxter. Yes, we are inconsistent, but I believe we will comfortably make the play offs and respect NC's ability in cup type scenarios to get us through and up a division.

If we don't go up, then questions should be asked by the board, but I would not be in favour of getting rid. He should have (with all the issues it would bring) another season - right to the end.

UTB

 

[HillmortonBlade]

You sit on my row don't you?

Think he was stood behind me at Walsall

 

[The Bohemian]

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.

Are our fans "notorious" or just as impatient and fickle as the rest?

The worst part of going to The Lane for me is having to listen to the garbage spouted by a loud and vocal minority whenever the team underperforms - sometimes within minutes of the KO. These people are not Supporters by any definition I understand (i.e. "one who promotes and advocates") and if going to the matches really makes them so agitated and unhappy, why the hell do they go? They don''t help the team and they certainly don't enhance the experience of supporters.

Having said all that, are our lot really any worse than, for example, those from the dark side? I very much doubt it.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

That I don't really know rev, but will have a go. Don't get me wrong, I am FAR from happy, frustrated with home games, but aren't we now 6 unbeaten away from home?
FWIW - NC has under estimated what is needed to get out of this division, and my biggest gripe is the CH debacle. We just do not have a strong defensive core and we have gifted so many points because of it - scunny & walsall to name 2 recently - simple balls into the box - 4 points lost.

I sit here, and every week, just "hoping" we can sneak out this season - it is really too late to change and I also believe the change to 4-4-2 recently a bad call and that we should stick to what we are better at (451 & 433) where we can just accommodate Baxter. Yes, we are inconsistent, but I believe we will comfortably make the play offs and respect NC's ability in cup type scenarios to get us through and up a division.

If we don't go up, then questions should be asked by the board, but I would not be in favour of getting rid. He should have (with all the issues it would bring) another season - right to the end.

UTB

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

 

[Revolution]

That I don't really know rev, but will have a go. Don't get me wrong, I am FAR from happy, frustrated with home games, but aren't we now 6 unbeaten away from home?
FWIW - NC has under estimated what is needed to get out of this division, and my biggest gripe is the CH debacle. We just do not have a strong defensive core and we have gifted so many points because of it - scunny & walsall to name 2 recently - simple balls into the box - 4 points lost.

I sit here, and every week, just "hoping" we can sneak out this season - it is really too late to change and I also believe the change to 4-4-2 recently a bad call and that we should stick to what we are better at (451 & 433) where we can just accommodate Baxter. Yes, we are inconsistent, but I believe we will comfortably make the play offs and respect NC's ability in cup type scenarios to get us through and up a division.

If we don't go up, then questions should be asked by the board, but I would not be in favour of getting rid. He should have (with all the issues it would bring) another season - right to the end.

UTB

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.