Holloway Staying

[bocadillo]

Do you really think our squad is worse than the ones at Leeds and Swansea, the best two teams in League One this season?

Wasn't it F!"£$t and Swansea who were proved to be the besr two teams in League One?

Did not Leeds lose at home to your new team last night?

 

[bocadillo]

I agree. I would only be looking to improve us on the keeper front bar that the squad is way capable. Its just a case of whether they are managed in the right way and the right motivation and team spirit are fostered.

It may be that that will include some 'managing-out' of players and that there will therefore be gaps to be filled.

 

[Matt_B]

I would assume that before he kept him on, MM or Aldridge would have spoken to the players about how they feel they can work with Holloway. I imagine what he heard must have been positive, so I guess that's a small silver lining.

 

[Jeff]

Wasn't it F!"£$t and Swansea who were proved to be the besr two teams in League One?

No. Points earned on the pitch would have put Leeds in second place. The 15 point deduction didn't make the team 15 points worse.

Did not Leeds lose at home to your new team last night?

They did, but as we know, anything can happen in a one off game. Over the course of the season Leeds won more points.

 

[teblin]

I would assume that before he kept him on, MM or Aldridge would have spoken to the players about how they feel they can work with Holloway. I imagine what he heard must have been positive, so I guess that's a small silver lining.

I think this may have a lot to do with Aldridge if Ollie is staying, which i still don't think has been clearly specified. Its a lot of non committal comment from Milan really.

 

[bocadillo]

I would assume that before he kept him on, MM or Aldridge would have spoken to the players about how they feel they can work with Holloway. I imagine what he heard must have been positive, so I guess that's a small silver lining.

Did you listen to the RL interview with Holloway? A portion of that suggested that the opinions of at least some of the players is the last thing that needed to be considered.

 

[Matt_B]

Did you listen to the RL interview with Holloway? A portion of that suggested that the opinions of at least some of the players is the last thing that needed to be considered.

I didn't what did he say/suggest?

 

[bocadillo]

Wasn't it F!"£$t and Swansea who were proved to be the besr two teams in League One?

No. Points earned on the pitch would have put Leeds in second place. The 15 point deduction didn't make the team 15 points worse.

Did not Leeds lose at home to your new team last night?

They did, but as we know, anything can happen in a one off game. Over the course of the season Leeds won more points.

OK - I accept your first point, having forgotten about the points deduction - but I would have thought that a team that really wants to be the best has got to be so when it really matters; last night they failed an important test and have left themselves a lot to do at what could be there final hurdle.

 

[bocadillo]

I didn't what did he say/suggest?

I wish I could remember it exactly. The telling passage was about having to talk to agents because you're not allowed to talk to players any more, and that some agents (and, by inference, some players) were in for a surprise.

 

[teblin]

Did you listen to the RL interview with Holloway? A portion of that suggested that the opinions of at least some of the players is the last thing that needed to be considered.

I think Holloway thinks that there is alot of bad blood in the squad. maybe even players that he has sign that he feel have let him down, as they are better than we have seen.

 

[Matt_B]

I wish I could remember it exactly. The telling passage was about having to talk to agents because you're not allowed to talk to players any more, and that some agents (and, by inference, some players) were in for a surprise.

I think Holloway thinks that there is alot of bad blood in the squad. maybe even players that he has sign that he feel have let him down, as they are better than we have seen.

I'd agree with him on this one, there is clearly something at the club that has been rotten for years now, how to remove it I suppose is another matter.

 

[teblin]

I didn't what did he say/suggest?

Something like - there will be a lot of player from the squad who will be sitting planning with thier agents and they will be getting a bit of a shock

 

[bocadillo]

I'd agree with him on this one, there is clearly something at the club that has been rotten for years now, how to remove it I suppose is another matter.

And here is a quote from the interview from the RL site:

"The mentality of this group [of players] isn't right. We need to look at that. [...] There has been a problem with this group for four years. We've got to sort it out and come bouncing back."


I hope that at some stage today RL will put the audio of the whole of the interview on their site.

 

[Jeff]

There has been a problem with this group for four years.

How many of them have been at the club for four years?

Our better players last season were mainly the ones who have been at the club the longest - Kisnorbo, Stearman, Hume.
The players who let us down were the newer ones.

If we keep signing players and they under perform, maybe the problem is not with the players, but somewhere else.

 

[bocadillo]

How many of them have been at the club for four years?

Our better players last season were mainly the ones who have been at the club the longest - Kisnorbo, Stearman, Hume.
The players who let us down were the newer ones.

If we keep signing players and they under perform, maybe the problem is not with the players, but somewhere else.

It is the problem that has been there for four years - that is what he said. I don't disagree with him.

If 'the problem' is affecting/infecting new players, it is 'the problem' that needs to be sorted out. Let's hope that MM, PA and IH have not only realised that there is a long-term problem, but also that they have identified exactly what it is, and even moreso that between them they have the resources (not necessarily financial) and resolve to sort it out.

I note with interest your 'list of better players'. Would you not say that one, perhaps two, of them was/were for some time afflicted with 'the problem'/a problem? Are there none of the newer players (and I do acknowledge your use of the word 'mainly') who deserve a place on your list?

Do you think there is a long-term problem?

 

[Melton Fox]

Do you think there is a long-term problem?

Mike Stowell?

 

[Jeff]

Do you think there is a long-term problem?

Yes.. but maybe the problem is the revolving door recruitment policy that has been causing it. If we keep a squad together for a season without replacing half of them they might start to develop some team spirit and an affinity for the club.

 

[teblin]

Yes.. but maybe the problem is the revolving door recruitment policy that has been causing it. If we keep a squad together for a season without replacing half of them they might start to develop some team spirit and an affinity for the club.

Think thats spot on. though, some of the journey men will have to go to get the team spirit.

 

[bocadillo]

Yes.. but maybe the problem is the revolving door recruitment policy that has been causing it. If we keep a squad together for a season without replacing half of them they might start to develop some team spirit and an affinity for the club.

One revolving door seems to have been stopped up - perhaps we can hope that another will be. The revolving door policy stems in no small part from the "free-to-leave-if-we're-relegated" clauses in the contracts that were awarded in the 2003/04 season. It led to a hotch-potch of a squad for the following season and the constant chopping and changing since then has done nothing to improve it. I agree with you.

I do suspect though (from the "mentality of the group" comment) that something/somebody(ies) is/are going to have to be removed before that door can be completely closed. I look forward to next season with more hope than I have done for any of the previous three.

 

[Real Sharapova]

One revolving door seems to have been stopped up - perhaps we can hope that another will be. The revolving door policy stems in no small part from the "free-to-leave-if-we're-relegated" clauses in the contracts that were awarded in the 2003/04 season. It led to a hotch-potch of a squad for the following season and the constant chopping and changing since then has done nothing to improve it. I agree with you.

I do suspect though (from the "mentality of the group" comment) that something/somebody(ies) is/are going to have to be removed before that door can be completely closed. I look forward to next season with more hope than I have done for any of the previous three.

Just for once, I'll echo all that.:icon_wink