SHA Small Heath Alliance

He can't actually believe the twoddle he's spouted surely.

What should he have said? We’re saddled with a bunch of crocks and wasters but we have to make the best of it due to FFP?

I think he does and I'd largely agree with him. We don't need to sign 11 new players in January simply because the manager is struggling to get the ones we already have to perform. We could bring in a bunch of new players and he could fail to get them playing well also.

I actually find Cook's comments encouraging. Some have suggested on here that Cook is very much on "Team Rooney" and will look to protect him - even going as far as suggesting they'll sign a load of players in January to ensure Rooney is successful.

Cook's comments don't exactly back that up though do they? In fact, he seems to be doing the opposite of protecting Rooney! He's saying the players we have are good enough and that it's the responsibility of the manager and coaches to get them performing well.

He’s not allowed to criticise. I learnt that from the masters of the universe on here.

bluebone

Dont care what Mr Cook thinks about what players are good or bad think he should do what hes good at making money off the pitch i know what ive been watching for the last few seasons and a lot of players had come for a pay day and not have any worrys about having to break sweat and have push for play offs these new owners are like a breath of fresh and the players obviosly dont like being told a few home truths so they need replacing so here we go IF Gary Cook has done his job and weve got a decent budget heres 4 players i would go for in January Liam Delap C/F Man City.Matty Kennedy FORWARD Kilmarnock/Max Bird mdf /Eiaan Cashin C/H both Derby County think 8 Million would get that lot job done .

Delap is on loan at Hull and if Stansfield is worth £25m as some suggest, he’d be going for close to that

Petebaldwin

I think he does and I'd largely agree with him. We don't need to sign 11 new players in January simply because the manager is struggling to get the ones we already have to perform. We could bring in a bunch of new players and he could fail to get them playing well also.

I actually find Cook's comments encouraging. Some have suggested on here that Cook is very much on "Team Rooney" and will look to protect him - even going as far as suggesting they'll sign a load of players in January to ensure Rooney is successful.

Cook's comments don't exactly back that up though do they? In fact, he seems to be doing the opposite of protecting Rooney! He's saying the players we have are good enough and that it's the responsibility of the manager and coaches to get them performing well.

I agree - it seems clear to me that he's putting the coaching staff front and centre. That they have made a commitment to him that the players will improve and results should follow.

Rooney has been talking about new players in January, Cook is clearly saying that the players already here are good enough and it's the coaches job to get them playing and to improve them.

Rags

Cook ...

"we’ve got great players. I always worry when everyone starts to look forward to the window. We’ve got some great players and they will get better. That’s the commitment that the coaching staff are making, and the commitment that support staff are making. Let’s make everybody better before we worry about how to replace everybody.”"

Fighting talk if ever i heard it

Am I reading too much into it, but Cook points to the improvements the coaching staff are making, not to the improvements the manager is making.

Rags

Cook ...

"we’ve got great players. I always worry when everyone starts to look forward to the window. We’ve got some great players and they will get better. That’s the commitment that the coaching staff are making, and the commitment that support staff are making. Let’s make everybody better before we worry about how to replace everybody.”"

Fighting talk if ever i heard it

Am I reading too much into it, but Cook points to the improvements the coaching staff are making, not to the improvements the manager is making.

I really think you ARE reading too much into that .... i fully think he meant "the coaching staff and manager"

I just wish he'd let the rest of us into those"improvements" they have made .

Definitely a bit of a warning shot for Rooney there IMO, although hidden in polite language, in essence "you can ask for new players, but there is no reason you can't get the ones we currently have to do what you promised us first"

I think Rooney is on a shorter leash than we think.

bluebone

Dont care what Mr Cook thinks about what players are good or bad think he should do what hes good at making money off the pitch i know what ive been watching for the last few seasons and a lot of players had come for a pay day and not have any worrys about having to break sweat and have push for play offs these new owners are like a breath of fresh and the players obviosly dont like being told a few home truths so they need replacing so here we go IF Gary Cook has done his job and weve got a decent budget heres 4 players i would go for in January Liam Delap C/F Man City.Matty Kennedy FORWARD Kilmarnock/Max Bird mdf /Eiaan Cashin C/H both Derby County think 8 Million would get that lot job done .

Do you know what ffp is?

Promised us. I doubt he promised anything. How can you promise anything in football. Also I don’t think Mr Cook is 8 years old.

But you pwomised.

bluebone

Dont care what Mr Cook thinks about what players are good or bad think he should do what hes good at making money off the pitch i know what ive been watching for the last few seasons and a lot of players had come for a pay day and not have any worrys about having to break sweat and have push for play offs these new owners are like a breath of fresh and the players obviosly dont like being told a few home truths so they need replacing so here we go IF Gary Cook has done his job and weve got a decent budget heres 4 players i would go for in January Liam Delap C/F Man City.Matty Kennedy FORWARD Kilmarnock/Max Bird mdf /Eiaan Cashin C/H both Derby County think 8 Million would get that lot job done .

Do you know what ffp is?

I don’t. I rely on the likes of you to tell me what’s possible.

Rags

Rags

Cook ...

"we’ve got great players. I always worry when everyone starts to look forward to the window. We’ve got some great players and they will get better. That’s the commitment that the coaching staff are making, and the commitment that support staff are making. Let’s make everybody better before we worry about how to replace everybody.”"

Fighting talk if ever i heard it

Am I reading too much into it, but Cook points to the improvements the coaching staff are making, not to the improvements the manager is making.

I really think you ARE reading too much into that .... i fully think he meant "the coaching staff and manager"

I do agree actually. He is rightly pointing out that players should be improving. Reality is, they are not, so this certainly appears more likely to be an arrow fired in the direction of the coaching staff indeed. I do wonder if were going to see Wednesday/Saturday as being the two games he has left to make a difference. Leicester is one that very much makes me nervous. Could ship quite a few on recent form being rather harmful to the GD.

Tighter leash for sure

Surely FFP is a thing of the past?

We've sold out of kits, sold out the executive lounge for the season and have sponsors queuing up to meet Brady and Rooney.

Even then I doubt that the league will so anything to us now we have proper owners who'd likely have the power to sue them.

5/10, had me wondering if it was serious but not convinced