McCabe Speaks

[Jim Chimmerney]

It's always a sign that he's concerned when he feels the need to speak out, sounds similar to this time 2 years ago......

"Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe has joined forces with manager Kevin Blackwell in asking fans to 'stay calm' as the club wrestles with the twin problems of a crippling injury list and a dip in results.

Mr McCabe, speaking ahead of tonight's Championship match against Blackpool, said: "Let's not make a big crisis out of what has happened. "There is a blame critical culture in football these days when things do not go the right way. But I want fans to get behind their team - not make things worse for Kevin. We know we are going through a difficult period. Injuries, a much changed squad featuring younger players can affect consistency of performance.

"We know that results are not great at the moment. But let me assure all supporters that everyone at Sheffield United is working hard to fulfil its potential. "We should all remember that we have had to re-profile the squad to ensure the club remains strong against the backdrop of a changed economic situation and a loss in parachute payments. You only have to look at how other clubs have been affected by the circumstances we have gone through to see proof of what we have achieved on and off the field. I am determined that we remain competitive in the challenge to reach the Premiership - let's remember we have lost just six league since the start of December last year.

"It is not about individuals or the personality of the manager or, indeed for that matter, the chairman or certain players. "Right now, with one of the youngest squads we have ever had in recent times, it is about the strength of being united and working together working within sensible budgets," added Mr McCabe who has seen 20% of the playing squad's wage bill tied up in long term injuries or suspension. The Blades are currently missing Gary Naysmith, Richard Cresswell, Nick Montgomery, Lee Williamson, Jamie Ward, Andrew Davies (the latest to join the injury list) and David Cotterill. In addition, a number of players are battling on with injuries or cold bugs.

"Against Blackpool it will not be easy. The weather forecast is poor, our fans will be in seats open to the elements. But there is one thing for sure whatever team Kevin puts out he will have the players rolling-up their sleeves and battling 110% for the Blades," said Mr McCabe."

 

[alcoblade]

it's very difficult not to have sympathy with Blackwell in the current climate. But then again, if you read between the lines what's being said is that things are bad but could be much worse as per other relegated clubs.

I think fans should prepare for an extended championship stint. Expectations should be re adjusted. Which leaves you wondering wouldn't it be better if we accepted this, and tried to produce an entertaining product if not an overly successful one. And that brings you back to questioning the managers position.

UTB

 

[Wards]

they didn't give 110% on Saturday that's for sure.

Sorry, but I can't buy into a word he or Blackwell says at the moment. Hope it changes.

 

[BuryStEdmundsBlade]

it's very difficult not to have sympathy with Blackwell in the current climate. But then again, if you read between the lines what's being said is that things are bad but could be much worse as per other relegated clubs.

I think fans should prepare for an extended championship stint. Expectations should be re adjusted. Which leaves you wondering wouldn't it be better if we accepted this, and tried to produce an entertaining product if not an overly successful one. And that brings you back to questioning the managers position.

UTB

Tis true. From reading our match reports and looking on here it does sound well, awful! The only thing that's keeping my positive is looking where Ipswich are and how they've started.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

it's very difficult not to have sympathy with Blackwell in the current climate. But then again, if you read between the lines what's being said is that things are bad but could be much worse as per other relegated clubs.

I think fans should prepare for an extended championship stint. Expectations should be re adjusted. Which leaves you wondering wouldn't it be better if we accepted this, and tried to produce an entertaining product if not an overly successful one. And that brings you back to questioning the managers position.

UTB

I'm sure it was a 3 year plan hence Blackwell's bizarre contract extension last season. Re-build, bring in 6 or 7 young players, plan for a year or so down the line and if we take off in the meantime all well and good. The problem is, the fans aren't that patient and will vote when it comes to ST renewals next year.

You can have sympathy for Blackwell but the last thing he needs to do is fall out with the players and the fans.

 

[Wards]

Like I said before, to keep the fans on your side you've either got to have entertaining football or effective winning football. Unfortunately we're doing neither at the minute and don't look to have the ability to play entertaining football within us.

If we are gearing up to another few years in the Championship I'd like to see us make a clean sweep and get a hungry young manager in that likes to get the ball down. IMO this would be the best way to get the fans onside (pardon the pun).

Watched Norwich play last night and their football was fantastically refreshing, hardly saw the ball leave the floor in the 2nd half and should've beat leeds by 2 or 3. I'd pay good money to see us playing decent football, I'm sick to death of us playing percentage rubbish.

Get us a new manager and a young squad with a fresh approach, we're crying out for it.

 

[Darren]

Watched Norwich play last night and their football was fantastically refreshing, hardly saw the ball leave the floor in the 2nd half and should've beat leeds by 2 or 3. I'd pay good money to see us playing decent football, QUOTE]

Even if it was in the 3rd Division?

 

[lenners]

Watched Norwich play last night and their football was fantastically refreshing, hardly saw the ball leave the floor in the 2nd half and should've beat leeds by 2 or 3. I'd pay good money to see us playing decent football, QUOTE]

Even if it was in the 3rd Division?

If it meant us coming back with a clear footballing philosophy and a definitive end to this spurious 'Blades Way', I'd take it.

 

[blades1889]

sorry but our tatic r shite and i want blackwell out

 

[matth]

Good of him to reach out to the fans and make a statement, but I do question what he actually says.

There's not 110% commitment now (when did 100% stop being enough, anyway?), and that's the problem. I don't mind us losing. I do mind us not turning up. And that's what's happening, week in, week out.

There are 26,000 fans at the moment who regularly attend. Even with this number, things are clearly tight financially. If I was in charge, I'd be doing as much as I could to help ensure that this number doesn't drop next season - and by that, I don't mean installing a poxy television or banging on about some distant pipe dream of World Cup football.

I'd have said to Blackwell that at the end of the day, the team are there to please the fans, not the other way round - and unless he can start doing so, he could fuck off back to London and give someone who has a clue what they're doing a chance.

 

[chipsncake]

Nor do I buy into a word of it, the usual garbage he churns out each time he feels compelled to to make a statement. Just shows how out of touch with reality McCabe is,
and make no mistake the fans will have their say if things don't improve dramatically. The truth of the matter is Blackwell's transfer dealings have been dire and he plays the type of football that supporters will only put up with if we are winning. He is a very limited manager who has nil rapport with the fans and deep down we all know its a matter of when not if he he is moved on. My biggest worry is that if McCabe makes another disastrous managerial appointment it will take us a very very long time to recover.

 

[puppet]

If I hear him refer to re-profiling like its some great masterplan that is for our benefit and improvement I will scream! We're filling the team, well filling shirts really, with cast-offs from Blackwell and Ellis' immediate footballing past and players who simply arent up to the job. The money invested in Evans hasnt really been wise has it? Either its another Sharp-esque 'we dont play to his strengths' scenario or he's not the £3m man we expected. The only saving grace being if he were any good he'd suddenly grow devil horns and a satanic agent hell bent on getting him a better deal which befits his status come January, which to my mind, was the idea of signing him in the first place.

UTB

 

[beightonblade]

McCabe speaks....................

mmmmm ............ action is louder than words.

I'd believe the Labour cronies before i wud believe a word McCabes says.

Let see sum action McWobblegob!

 

[Come from away]

Yorkshiremen are a bunch of cynical bastards, how can a honest guy stand a chance? Guess we just have to give up as only those who lie and cheat can afford to ignore the crap we aim their way. At least moaning seems to please some so they are good for something.

 

[grafikhaus]

Kevin McCabe quote:"We should all remember that we have had to re-profile the squad to ensure the club remains strong against the backdrop of a changed economic situation and a loss in parachute payments. "

Had to re-profile? Or broke up a great back formation as soon as a decent offer came in?
Loss of parachute payments? True, but with the Tevez money, we're better equipped than most. Look at Newcastle - none of their players are on reduced contracts and their crowds are 10k down.

I'm afraid I'm beginning to see a Blair/Brown partnership here. "Look, KB you've got the top job, just hang in there and make some unpopular decisions" While the shit hits the fan.

 

[alcoblade]

Had to re-profile? Or broke up a great back formation as soon as a decent offer came in?
Loss of parachute payments? True, but with the Tevez money, we're better equipped than most. Look at Newcastle - none of their players are on reduced contracts and their crowds are 10k down.

I'm afraid I'm beginning to see a Blair/Brown partnership here. "Look, KB you've got the top job, just hang in there and make some unpopular decisions" While the shit hits the fan.

to be fair, Newcastle would have loved to have reduced the pay of their players or sold most of them, they just couldn't. It's probably why their hand had been forced and it might end up being a good thing for them. But it's by lack of choice, not design.

UTB

 

[Wards]

Watched Norwich play last night and their football was fantastically refreshing, hardly saw the ball leave the floor in the 2nd half and should've beat leeds by 2 or 3. I'd pay good money to see us playing decent football, QUOTE]

Even if it was in the 3rd Division?

any reason why we can't do it in the Championship?

My point merely stated that I enjoyed watching Norwich's style of play and the way they shifted the ball about, Yes it was a 3rd division game but teams have shown you can play successful passing football in this division.

 

[Blade]

There's reprofiling and as has been discussed ad finitum there's poor planning behind cover for key positions. Whilst I accept and agree with much of Mccabes announcement I'm really quite angry at the way we repeatedly manage to end a transfer window looking worse than before it, yes I accept money is tighter than it was three years ago but we're not spending what we do have wisely in my view....

We've actually spent a lot of money and I dispute the argument the first team is that much younger it warrants mentioning twice in that statement or that it makes a great deal of difference, certainly not in my view as much of a difference to current opinion and ill feeling as the tactics and way we're trying to perform....


I know this is not an incredibly reliable way of looking at this statistically but in just 10 minutes I've compared the team we put out at the beginning of October in 2008 against Bristol to that selected against Doncaster in 2009 and compared their age at the time of those games:

Oct 2009
Bunn 24
Montgomery 27
Morgan 31
Henderson 28
Evans 20
Cresswell 32
Stewart 27
Davies 24
Little 34
Quinn 23
Walker. 19
Total Age 289
Avg Age 26.27

Oct 2008
Patrick Kenny 30
Gary Naysmith 29
Matthew Kilgallon 24
Kyle Naughton 19
Ugo Ehiogu 35
David Cotterill 20
Danny Webber 26
Gary Speed 39
Stephen Quinn 22
James Beattie 30
Billy Sharp 22
Total Age 296
Avg Age 26.91

Does 0.64 years as a sum make a big difference? I know this doesn't take into account the subs or the squad as a whole but feel if anything that can be misconstrued by the fact Ehiogu and Speed are no longer on the books for us this year.

I dispute the importance Mr Mccabe and see this as a deflection of the real issue - the way we play nearly 90% of the time (odd exceptions such as reading away and preston for example).. It's dire most of the time and in contrast to the way we played when Blackwell first came and needed a contract. Many fans are unhappy with the way we play and all it brings is pressure as soon as the results don't go for us. United fans on the whole are no more fickle than any other fan yet I think it says more about the way we play than the fans as a whole where after such a good away record last year and a very good win record over his stay with us Blackwell attracts such cynicism.

My general feelings nowadays are that it's begrudgingly acceptable when results are good, it feels like spoilt weekends and spoilt midweeks when results are not good. Every now and again but increasingly rarely do I feel really happy with our performance and I get the impression this is felt by many. I still feel I could never intentionally choose not to go as sitting in my seat in the pub and in the ground every week with my dad and our mates is great. I'm starting to resign myself after 20 years following the blades to general mediocrity but it'd be nice to think we might be able to get that buzz back again around the place.

 

[beightonblade]

McWobblegob has spoke before .................with fork tongue!

 

[shreds1975]

Watched Norwich play last night and their football was fantastically refreshing, hardly saw the ball leave the floor in the 2nd half and should've beat leeds by 2 or 3. I'd pay good money to see us playing decent football, I'm sick to death of us playing percentage rubbish.

I think the key thing there is "should've". I , like a majority of Blades, want to see better football, but sometimes it doesn't get results. If results are not good, crowds will fall anyway. It needs to be a balance between better football and "effective" football when required.

Blackwell's football was dull but effective last season on the back of a strong defensive performance. This has not been the case this season and rather than winning games by the odd goal (effectively), we have left ourselves needing to score 2 or 3 goals to get a win. Play becomes increasingly ragged and a lack of Plan B makes it more difficult to break team sdown and chase the game.

Although, there were question marks against elements of Paddy's play (communication, command of the area), a change of longstanding keeper seriously affects a defence. We have sold the best young player seen at the Lane in years and, although Kyle Walker is good and has got us out of trouble with his pace a few times, he is not Kyle N. Added to Killgallon's attitude problems, the defence has been significantly culpable.

Blackwell's problem is that without a Plan B, he is a one dimensional manager with a one dimensional team. He tinkers with the team when there is no need and yet on Saturday he admits to playing Walker at right wing (because he has an injury and doesn't want to risk him at teh bacK) and Harper both when injured. Yet he has France and Reid on teh bench who could both contribute in those roles.

He is doing himself no favours whatsoever!