Fair enough but come on Rab, it was one place lower. I'm bleary-eyed and it's Christmas(ish). 😁
I get point about looking forward. It just annoys me that, IMO, some fans are going to extremes to reject what seems to be getting more obvious, Rooney was a mistake. I've got few qualms with the new owners wanting their own man and wanting to progress the team. But I take umbrage with the fans who were happy with our summer business and the fact we were... 6th 😉 but now claim those same players are rubbish and we need a whole new squad, all in defence of a manager who has so far done a very poor job.
It feels like chasing a losing bet.
FalstaffI think the decision will be purely financial. It’s a matter of the cost of getting rid of the management team and appointing a new managerial set up, with compensation potentially costing millions, versus the cost of getting in some new players in January and backing Rooney’s judgement.
The owners may factor in how much relegation would cost the club, but they may see League 1 as being a place where Rooney can implement his ethos and bounce back up and progress, a bit like Ipswich. Personally, I think relegation would be a disaster, but it is certainly a possibility at this moment in time.
I honestly don't think the owners would contemplate League 1 for a second.
They’re businesspeople, and most in business are governed by finances, not emotions. I’m certain that the cost of relegation versus the cost of replacing the coaching staff will have already been considered. If it hasn’t yet, it will be.
Being completely honest, we could replace WR and his cohort, and still end up in a relegation battle. All of this will be considered.
You kind of grandstanded and said it was indisputable and that it was a cold fact.
It was both very disputable and not a fact.
Look silly.
bluer than bluesYou were talking facts though 😁Fair enough but come on Rab, it was one place lower. I'm bleary-eyed and it's Christmas(ish). 😁
I get point about looking forward. It just annoys me that, IMO, some fans are going to extremes to reject what seems to be getting more obvious, Rooney was a mistake. I've got few qualms with the new owners wanting their own man and wanting to progress the team. But I take umbrage with the fans who were happy with our summer business and the fact we were... 6th 😉 but now claim those same players are rubbish and we need a whole new squad, all in defence of a manager who has so far done a very poor job.
It feels like chasing a losing bet.
And I’m not calling for a new squad. I flagged the issue of Rooney backtracking on the front foot, no fear stuff after the Hull game. His 2nd game. There’s still no predicting what style we’ll play game to game and how we perform. Unfortunately for us
yet the opposition can still play through us at will whatever formation we play. the only reason we didn't lose last night was because bristol couldn't finish, not because we defended solidly
Do you now think that JE was doing a much better job than you gave him credit for at the time?
Depends at which time mate. Last season was awful for the last 6 months. This season much better in comparison. I still had no issue with them sacking him or wanting a better style of long term play. I feel that’s fair. And after Norwich I’d say a majority were on board with that. Eustace changed his mindset for Huddersfield after realising his time was up and if he’d done that sooner he may have still been here. But last season sealed his fate imo
I just read through this thread and I think it's worth reminding ourselves exactly what the owners said when they made the decision that has caused so much division amongst us, what exactly were they trying to achieve and how does it match up with what we are witnessing on the pitch -
[www.bcfc.com]
Headline -
It is essential that the Board of Directors and the football management are fully aligned on the importance of implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition across the entire Football Club.
Key sentence -
A new First Team Manager will be announced in the coming days who will be responsible for creating an identity and clear ‘no fear’ playing style that all Birmingham City teams will adopt and embrace.
Compare this with Rooney's explanation of what he was attempting to do against Bristol City, as quoted by the Birmingham Mail -
That’s football and sometimes when you are conceding goals you have to make a decision on if you want to go full out and try and score three, four goals every game. We have been scoring goals but we really had to prioritise our defensive play today to make sure we were solid. That was our game-plan and a priority for us today. Of course you want to do more in the final third. I’m not saying we weren’t looking to attack at all. The real priority today was a clean sheet. I sat here after the last game answering questions on what we can do to stop conceding goals, so we have really focussed on that and I’m pleased with that. I think we could have done more in attacking areas. The real focus today was keeping a clean sheet. I thought we defended well as a group, we were compact, we were hard to play through, and we nullified Bristol’s opportunities. It wasn’t a classic game to watch, I get that and understand that, but we had to have a big priority today on keeping a clean sheet. You always want more and I tried to bring some energy on with the three changes. But the main priority was keeping the clean sheet.
Is anyone seeing an identity, a clear 'no fear' playing style being adopted and embraced? If what Rooney is doing is fully aligned with the board more than what Eustace was doing, then surely the board must have completely changed their minds about what this new identity is? Will we be seeing the youth teams and women's team now also playing with a 'don't concede' approach? It's very confusing and we're being given mixed messages. It seems as though it's now time for the owners/the CEO to step forward and explain to fans exactly what is going on.
If we’re going to damn Rooney for his headless chicken attacking approach, then let’s not damn the guy for attempting to stop the rot of conceding goals - unambitious as that is for a home game.
He achieved the goal.
The errors here are two fold.
1) The board. If Rooney was the answer, what the hell was the question? Just a quick google reveals he’s not exactly had an illustrious managerial career, but would also show that although he was liked at Derby, it was widely regarded that Rosenior did much of the day to day work with the players.
2) Rooney. You’ve just been appointed, the team has been winning games, and not conceding too many goals. You’ve just signed a 3 year contract, so your position is as safe as it ever will be. Despite what was said in the boardroom, you know that winning games comes above the manner of the win, at least initially - even if the no fear attacking football is the desirable objective. Therefore, keeping what works, and evolving into a new system would seem a more sensible approach. Did this cross his mind?
So are you saying if Rosenior was the reason Derby did well that Cole, O’Shea, Shuttlebus and Robinson are to blame here?
I dunno - he's a bit over sensitive, wouldn't know sarcasm if it slapped him in the face with a wet fish, waffles on too much using paragraphs where a sentence would do and has a bit of a victim complex (and the less said about his theory on supportive booing the better) but all in all he ain't that bad a poster.
Judging by how Rooney is setting up I don’t think it’s the style really that got eustace sacked
I’ll be called out for it, but it was the name and bit of a vanity project from Cook
Eustace as I’ve always maintained will be a decent coach/manager. I think he did a decent job with us overall in difficult circumstances for a new manager. This season his record makes Rooney look like Mike Bassett without the personality
FalstaffThey’re businesspeople, and most in business are governed by finances, not emotions. I’m certain that the cost of relegation versus the cost of replacing the coaching staff will have already been considered. If it hasn’t yet, it will be.
Being completely honest, we could replace WR and his cohort, and still end up in a relegation battle. All of this will be considered.
But you can't truly cost relegation. You know exactly what sacking WR would cost, but who knows what relegation might cost given there are no guarantees of getting back up.
As a side point, I think they made a big mistake given Rooney such a long and lucrative contract. He's a young manager with a poor CV. He should have been offered a deal that forces him to prove himself.
CharcyYou kind of grandstanded and said it was indisputable and that it was a cold fact.
It was both very disputable and not a fact.
Look silly.
Not really.