If I may ...
May have escaped your nuanced observations, IIYB but I referred to said Westernised Oriental Gentleman (and actually the perjorative term implied there is out of context, even in it's supposed satirical use) by his correct name in the post to which you refer. A small point of order there maybe, but significant.
His correct name isn't 'middle eastern bauble', or did it momentarily slip your mind and you considered this appropriate? As points of order go, that's a screamer. As for other examples of incorrect spelling of his name, you mean 'Al Ally', 'Al Allallallah' and 'Al Allalllalalalaalah', all liberally sprinkled throughout your posts. And before you comment that these aren't in the post mentioned, that was your choice to select that post, the greater point is contained within the general demeanour of your posts on this topic.
I bet when the Prince reads this (you never know), I bet he thinks 'fucking northern monkey', there, that should convince anyone if they doubt the Prince is struggling with football patois.
I don't know. But they were bloody good one's eh? I mean ... real playmakers ... good ninety minute all-rounders. Attack-minded opposition harriers. For the record, I ask you who authorised the cack-handed contract trigger that saw McDonald leave the club? How did we come to sell our top scorer last season? Beattie? Matty Lowton ... ta-ra. Costlier players? I'd say we were seen coming.
Sometimes, and it may have escaped your notice, the choice of player is down to the manager, not the board. So Weir takes the blame for any signings who don't benefit the Blades. You seem to include Baxter amongst your targets. He may not be top-notch, although I'm happy to be proved wrong, but what Clough has shown is that by seeing something that you or I might miss, he can take a player who's willing to work and improve and get more out of them. Those are facts, not opinions. You've named lots of positions that need replacing, but you've not named adequate replacements who are available. Please edify me who they might be?
I agree that the clause in KM's contract was painful to accept, but that was long before the Prince came on the scene. Who knows, without the inclusion of this clause we may not have been able to sign KM in the first place, although I do think it was a shoddy bit of negotiation on our part to let this be included in the first place.
Do you mean the "shit, we hired a complete incompetent and now we are heading through the league three trapdoor. Quick. Best sack the manager before the fans dismantle Bramall Lane and carry the board through the downstairs windows at shoulder height in their underpants and vests ready for a ritual burning."? I don't CARE who financed that. I'd say they owe the fans that. Great acquisition as a manager? Based on what, exactly? Weir was a disaster, start and finish. And it wasn't the fans' fault.
Your overuse of hyperbole doesn't enhance your argument. Hindsight's a lovely thing, but we made a mistake and we paid for it. Getting rid of Weir was the right thing to do. By saying you don't care who financed the departure of Weir and his staff it tends to suggest a selective approach to facts that have a bearing on the finances at United.
Now, are you on something, shall we call it medicinal? Where did I use the phrase 'Great acquisition as a manager?' Or are you talking as a general observation? It's a little difficult to tell the difference when the rant is so persistent.
For what it's worth, yes, Weir's tenure as manager was about as poor as it gets.
No, because in professional football, the ability to sign moderately expensive players and pay their wages means jack-shit, doesn't it? In the real world (i.e. not my gullible one) players play for the honour of wearing the shirt, or because they have fuck all better to do on a Saturday afternoon. I mean, Wayne Rooney frequently rejects his £xxx,000 per week payment because running out in his Man U shirt and kits (sponsorship = £x,000,000 per year) and other endorsements is just an unfortunate consequence of being on contract to a football club. Money means nothing. My bad. I am so wrong.
And for the record, Wycombe have not the utility of a supposed Gentleman, and a chairman who is all smiles and statements of optimism and other such visionary bullshit.
I made the point about Coventry's Clarke, you didn't answer. That silence kind of answers by default.
Again, of course venality is at the hub of football, but to be honest, it probably always has been. It's just that now a numpty can get paid millions. You're disingenuous to suggest I was suggesting that money wasn't central in today's game, all I said was that trying to persuade a player to drop to a club in our position isn't as easy as you suggest. Of course, if said player were to sign on say £20-30K per week and proved inadequate, we'd be lumbered with a player who our finances couldn't support. I wonder who'd be complaining then?
Well, I am all ears. Tell me why, with a club clearly struggling and bereft of true footballing talent at a level which is clearly distressing to its supporters, Nigel would 'prefer to do it otherwise'. You don't even mention what 'otherwise' is, in fact. I would imagine, nay expect, that given our players have shown over the past handful of games that holding onto the lead or even preventing defeat is beyond them that |Sheffield United are a club in crisis. Certainly, the league table doesn't lie. So what exactly is, 'otherwise' in football? Success is about winning, and winning begets points, which serves for a higher league position and you don't get that with a playing staff incapable of achieving winning. Is that logic, or have I got that wrong?
It might surprise you to learn I'm not part of Nigel's magic circle, much as you aren't. But the idea that there might be a reason outside of your range of possibilities seems to vex you even more than usual.
Yep, you're right for a change, the league table doesn't lie, and that hurts. Next point.
And I don't recall criticising Cluffs judgement in any posting so far. But he can't coach this team into success - they are at the physical limit of their capability. The steady outflow of real footballing talent (constant presence throughout = McCabe) has left us with substandard playing staff, struggling to keep my beloved football club from slipping gracelessly into the lowest division and please, god, no ... even beyond. I trust his judgement, believe me. But I want answers now why the board - now with a decent manager in charge and fucking good fan base (despite everything that has happened since our drop from the PL) hasn't put its money where its mouth is and given him the ability to change the squad NOW, not later, when the fanbase might not be so good. Or when we find ourselves relegated by April.
And I don't recall that any mention was made of you criticising Clough. If anyone's about to take the blame for our current plight it's McCabe, due to the quality of managerial appointments he's made or has decided to fire too quickly.
As for asking why the board hasn't done this or that, why not send them a mail, putting your demands in your best writing style, I'm sure they'd be blown away by that?
Now, I've no way of knowing this, but I don't know whether the board have or have not made substantial funds available to Clough? Maybe they have and he's told them he'd prefer to do things his way. After all, why employ a specialist if you don't allow him to get on with the job he's paid to do?
Okay. Let's just close the forum down, eh? No point in having a POV, or voicing it. No one takes a blind bit of notice. In fact, anyone who boos the club with face a lifetime ban. And if you don't see the new-world-vision laid out by McCabe, then you're obviously 'not a Blade'. Be real, IIYB. I don't care if any staff read my comments. I think - or hope - they know how we feel. I would wager many Blades (and there are three in my office, here in Portsmouth) who are looking at the calendar, logging onto the BBC Sport website, checking their mobiles and watching for the glimmers of hope that we have landed four players who will 'make the difference' and stamp a glistening hallmark on the commitment we expect by the board towards us and Cluff. Then we can get our sleeves up and get on with the business of the regeneration much talked about.
Tell you what mate, your use of extremes is a bit wearying. Never once was the suggestion made of closing this site down. I just said that whatever you or I say, it's unlikely to influence the directors or management at t'Lane. I like this site, and without being able to compare it to other supporter's sites throughout the UK, my take is that this site would be up there with the best of 'em. So, let's see, there are three supporters of the Blades in your office? Yes, I can see how that would create a paradigm shift in how the club moves forward. There's an almost biblical self-righteousness about the tone you adopt - glistening hallmark? Sounds like something out of an old testament parable.
Of course it does IIYB. McCabe is always on here asking me what we should do with the club, who we should buy and for good menu ideas for the Copthorne.
pommpey
