[Reaction] Your reaction to the Meet the Manager Q&A

[SteelCity Blade]

You talk about "hoof" and "hoofball" like it is an established term to describe technique/method on a football pitch!

What it actually is, is a term invented by a minority of people (claiming to be a majority) who felt disillusioned by the Blackwell tenure.

I'm not one for trendy buzz words as you can see.

 

[Pinchy]

No, but you are one for talking nonsense. If you can't distinguish a precision Currie, Hoddle long pass to feet or in the recipient's path, without breaking stride, from an aimless, hopeful Montgomery, Quinn punt then I'm afraid there's only one conclusion:

We :heart: Hoofing!

Enjoy. I'll stick to proper football.

When required, Liverpool and Chelsea. A 40 yard ball by Sheffield United or Millwall is a "long ball." The same 40 yard ball played by the big clubs is a "precision long range pass."

The only team in this country that defiantly refuses to resort to that method is Arsenal (on that note what have they won recently????).

The obsession with style IS shite. It is a very simple game, complicated by those who sensationalise it. Whatever you think about short or long passing, both have been proven to work when done well.

Scoring (and winning) is the name of the game and if you've got the players you can win either way. The best thing about our beautiful game has always been the variety in how different teams approach the play.

Utter drivel. Sorry to be antagonistic but you started it! If you want a sensible debate, have one. If you want to trade insults that's fine too.

A long pass is a thing of beauty. A hopeful long ball is the poor or cowardly player's way of evading responsibility. You are deliberately merging the two: They are chalk and cheese.

Football is indeed a simple game: It can be summed up in three words: Pass and Move. The trouble is some of your favourites haven't a clue about either. Hence the need to invent a ludicrous 'style doesn't matter' theory that suits them down to the ground, because they have no style whatsoever, and so their ineptitude is excused.

No other set of fans would be having this debate. It would be unheard if at other clubs. It's truly embarrassing that you not only accept mediocrity but actually seek to justify it. It is excruciatingly embarrassing. I really wish I supported a different club to some of you lot, but I'm stuck with it I'm afraid. Unlike most of you I was brought up on a United team that could actually play. I shall comfort myself by continuing to expose uncomfortable truths and self-serving nonsense.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

"It's good to see Adams and Cork have a sense of humour and some personality "

I've read somewhere - the official site possibly - that they were like Morecombe and Wise. It does beg the question, which of them draws the Ernie Wise short (no pun intended) straw?

 

[Sirius]

Thanks to Foxy and Linz for not only the content of the Q & A session updates but also for the speed of them!

Thanks for this thread Foxy and Linz. I am certainly more optomistic about about our future prospects having read your report

 

[shorehamview]

No other set of fans would be having this debate. It would be unheard if at other clubs.

That's true. Sheffield United fans are the only fans in the world, nay, the known universe and the bits beyond where aliens dwell, that disagree. All the other fans of all the other clubs in all the other countries agree totally with each other on every aspect of their clubs. Pinchy knows this to be true, because he's asked them. All of them. Otherwise why would he make such a comment?

I really wish I supported a different club to some of you lot....

Sometimes this shit just writes itself.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

The football from the 'triple assault' season and the season we went up, was amongst the most enjoyable I've seen as a Blade.

Direct, passing in the final third, pacy wingers and at least one attacking central mid.

Hear, Hear!

 

[broomhillblade]

"It's good to see Adams and Cork have a sense of humour and some personality "

I've read somewhere - the official site possibly - that they were like Morecombe and Wise. It does beg the question, which of them draws the Ernie Wise short (no pun intended) straw?

Adams and Corky

Blackie and Ellis


Compare and contrast!

 

[Pinchy]

That's true. Sheffield United fans are the only fans in the world, nay, the known universe and the bits beyond where aliens dwell, that disagree. All the other fans of all the other clubs in all the other countries agree totally with each other on every aspect of their clubs. Pinchy knows this to be true, because he's asked them. All of them. Otherwise why would he make such a comment?

I'm quite certain no other set of fans have such staggering enthusiasm for non-football. Why would they? It's a form of madness peculiar to Blades I'm afraid.

Anyway I shall do my duty as usual today. I'm looking forward to another afternoon of Montgomery tirelessly chasing shadows and giving away the ball and free-kicks in equal measure. I do hope Quinn is playing. With a bit of luck he'll do that 'flicking the ball aimlessly over your own shoulder' thing. Oh, what fun we'll have!

 

[alcoblade]

I'm quite certain no other set of fans have such staggering enthusiasm for non-football. Why would they? It's a form of madness peculiar to Blades I'm afraid.

Anyway I shall do my duty as usual today. I'm looking forward to another afternoon of Montgomery tirelessly chasing shadows and giving away the ball and free-kicks in equal measure. I do hope Quinn is playing. With a bit of luck he'll do that 'flicking the ball aimlessly over your own shoulder' thing. Oh, what fun we'll have!

Pinchy, you surely don't think football is as black and white as you're painting it. It's not either hoof or Brazil, there's an entire spectrum in between. I don't know anyone who wants to see us just hoof it. I think most agree that we've used hoof to much, need to move away from it, but as we've found, it takes time. The only debate is how far and how fast.

And whatever anyone says, style of play is not what the vast majority respond to. People turn up to watch winning football. Stoke play as direct as it comes. They are getting the highest crowds they had in many a decade. It's about goals and winning. However much people argue otherwise, it's really that simple.

UTB

 

[Pinchy]

Alco,

Stoke play decent, though not brilliant football in my view. They have some very talented Premiership quality players. Their success in adapting to the top league only served to illustrate how abjectly we threw away our own golden opportunity a few years ago, with Warnock and McCabe equally to blame. There's a world of different between Stoke's football and the garbage we churn out as a matter of routine. I suspect you know that full well!

Of course we can't play like Brazil '70. They were peerless and will remain so. But for God's sake let's have a bit of pride and realise that Bassett style stuff has had it's time. It's been worked out. It doesn't work any more. Wimbledon are dead. Yet we alone hang onto it for grim death like it's the ark of the covenant. I'm sick of it. I've had enough of Monty 'breaking up play' and Quinn helping it on ad nauseam. More than that, I've had enough of people telling me that's all SUFC are entitled to aspire to. This 'We know our place' mentality is gaining ground and it's spineless, cowardly crap - just like whacking the ball 60 yards to nowhere in particular rather than having the courage to at least attempt to do something creative.

There'll be no surprises today, Alco. Whatever the result, Norwich will dominate possession today. They will pass the ball to each other and create chances as a result. We will huff and puff without any style or elegance whatsoever, hoping that effort and commitment will prevail over skill. Occasionally, of course, it will. Ultimately, however, talent will prevail.

We need to get real. Some of our parochial favourites are, for all their tireless, whole-hearted commitment, simply not good enough - not remotely good enough - and need to be replaced forthwith. Until management and supporters grasp that nettle (and remember Trevor Birch said as much before we appointed Micky Adams) we shall continue to 'enjoy' nothing more than mediocrity. We would be supporting our club far better by acknowledging this reality than by any amount of vainly urging 'Go on Monty, son - break up that play!'

 

[Sensiblade]

Alco,

Stoke play decent, though not brilliant football in my view. They have some very talented Premiership quality players. Their success in adapting to the top league only served to illustrate how abjectly we threw away our own golden opportunity a few years ago, with Warnock and McCabe equally to blame. There's a world of different between Stoke's football and the garbage we churn out as a matter of routine. I suspect you know that full well!

Of course we can't play like Brazil '70. They were peerless and will remain so. But for God's sake let's have a bit of pride and realise that Bassett style stuff has had it's time. It's been worked out. It doesn't work any more. Wimbledon are dead. Yet we alone hang onto it for grim death like it's the ark of the covenant. I'm sick of it. I've had enough of Monty 'breaking up play' and Quinn helping it on ad nauseam. More than that, I've had enough of people telling me that's all SUFC are entitled to aspire to. This 'We know our place' mentality is gaining ground and it's spineless, cowardly crap - just like whacking the ball 60 yards to nowhere in particular rather than having the courage to at least attempt to do something creative.

There'll be no surprises today, Alco. Whatever the result, Norwich will dominate possession today. They will pass the ball to each other and create chances as a result. We will huff and puff without any style or elegance whatsoever, hoping that effort and commitment will prevail over skill. Occasionally, of course, it will. Ultimately, however, talent will prevail.

We need to get real. Some of our parochial favourites are, for all their tireless, whole-hearted commitment, simply not good enough - not remotely good enough - and need to be replaced forthwith. Until management and supporters grasp that nettle (and remember Trevor Birch said as much before we appointed Micky Adams) we shall continue to 'enjoy' nothing more than mediocrity. We would be supporting our club far better by acknowledging this reality than by any amount of vainly urging 'Go on Monty, son - break up that play!'

if you know whats going to happen today and know your not going to like it, you might as well not go, eh?

 

[Pinchy]

if you know whats going to happen today and know your not going to like it, you might as well not go, eh?

If only mate, if only. Sadly I am a hopeless addict with no hope of redemption. I do my moaning on here and in the bar: From 3-5 it's 100% support, with only the odd helpless shake of the head betraying my real feelings.

I'm in no doubt many of you would love me to go and support some other team and I really wish I could but I can't. I'd be a mere spectator rather than a fan and that's just not me.

 

[alcoblade]

Alco,

Stoke play decent, though not brilliant football in my view. They have some very talented Premiership quality players. Their success in adapting to the top league only served to illustrate how abjectly we threw away our own golden opportunity a few years ago, with Warnock and McCabe equally to blame. There's a world of different between Stoke's football and the garbage we churn out as a matter of routine. I suspect you know that full well!

Of course we can't play like Brazil '70. They were peerless and will remain so. But for God's sake let's have a bit of pride and realise that Bassett style stuff has had it's time. It's been worked out. It doesn't work any more. Wimbledon are dead. Yet we alone hang onto it for grim death like it's the ark of the covenant. I'm sick of it. I've had enough of Monty 'breaking up play' and Quinn helping it on ad nauseam. More than that, I've had enough of people telling me that's all SUFC are entitled to aspire to. This 'We know our place' mentality is gaining ground and it's spineless, cowardly crap - just like whacking the ball 60 yards to nowhere in particular rather than having the courage to at least attempt to do something creative.

There'll be no surprises today, Alco. Whatever the result, Norwich will dominate possession today. They will pass the ball to each other and create chances as a result. We will huff and puff without any style or elegance whatsoever, hoping that effort and commitment will prevail over skill. Occasionally, of course, it will. Ultimately, however, talent will prevail.

We need to get real. Some of our parochial favourites are, for all their tireless, whole-hearted commitment, simply not good enough - not remotely good enough - and need to be replaced forthwith. Until management and supporters grasp that nettle (and remember Trevor Birch said as much before we appointed Micky Adams) we shall continue to 'enjoy' nothing more than mediocrity. We would be supporting our club far better by acknowledging this reality than by any amount of vainly urging 'Go on Monty, son - break up that play!'

Stoke got to the premier with hoof. Plain and simple. They've added players of quality after. And they still hoof it. But because they do it well, it's good to watch. Because they win a lot. Simple.

"We need to get real. Some of our parochial favourites are, for all their tireless, whole-hearted commitment, simply not good enough "

Seriously. No shit Sherlock. Do you actually think we have even one fan who doesn't know this? The fact that many (including the last 6 managers) think Monty has some use seems to have convinced you that everyone has given up on us playing any sort of football. You've made an awful lot of assumptions on this one issue.

UTB