BcFc
Suggesting we will be selling players in Jan window to fund incomings. Cant see that we have too many assets to sell, James, Dembele, Bielik?
If we all switch off "Football Manager" mode a while, we'll all agree the following, I reckon:
Some of us were happy with Eustace as we were - by and large - overachieving which makes us all feel great as perennial underdogs
Some of us were unhappy with Eustace because of a dreadful run but this was assuaged by an upturn in results. Some would have remained unhappy, some would have joined the happier camp.
Regardless, he's gone. Even if Wagner and Cook publicly announce they made a mistake with Rooney, he's not coming back so Eustace is as huge a red herring as bringing back Merrick
Rooney is on a contract. We should presume - as an honourable club - that we're going to honour that contract. As frustrating and disappointing as the results have undoubtedly been, we should be calling for Rooney to turn things around before we call for sacking, especially this early on. Particularly because of the financial ramifications.
When Knighthead came in, we all "knew" they'd want their own man and we all "knew" it would be Wayne Rooney. So we're probably just as irritated that we were pulled into that as we are by the manner of recent performances.
Nothing has changed, regarding the "demand" from the Board for better football. We all knew from day one it would be difficult for our squad to adapt. We saw we were fortunate with the points buffer we had "to burn" before the window.
It appears that buffer is burnt. We now need to get the players in who can carry out the Board's intentions. If they can't do it in the window, the demands on the pitch need to be tempered. Between Gardener and Rooney, you would hope - by now - that could be carried out. Especially if we can get injured players back.
Selling players has never been a surprise to us as a fanbase. In fact, it shouldn't be to any club.
I'm no better or worse a fan than anybody else. I could pitch right behind Rooney and he could be gone tomorrow. I could chant anti Wayne songs every day outside the Kop reception and he could be here for the next ten years.
But football is about opinions. I believe we need improvement, clearly. The difficulty - for me - is the PR. If we weren't sold "no fear" the draw against Bristol would have felt a lot better. If we weren't burnt by PR the 'played for a clean sheet' might have felt more sincere. Was it sincere? I don't know. Easy to say when you've scraped one. We could have won with a bit more luck from Sunjic's shot though.
I think we just need to leave the Board to take the stress, to make the decision on Rooney. I don't do the booing at the match or leave early but I do agree paying fans have the right to do so. Telling Boards to sack managers is a bit counter productive in my mind. When we're relegated, we'll wish we had. Or hadn't. When we're safe we will wish we had. Or hadn't. Etc.
Just hope we can improve on the pitch and we can feel happier in the stands.
Happy New Year all.
Keep Right On.