Why wont the club tell us the truth?

[NewCorkSeth]

I feel very disillusioned by the club..
Up until the sale of two first team players I had very few worries, the only major one being our squad depth, now it seems we have sold and not replaced leaving us thinner. Too thin IMO.

My faith in the clubs management has taken quite a big knock. A message from the club stating that they should have tried harder would really have lifted morale among the fans particularly after the last 3 performances. We looked lackluster before how are we going to look now? Now that the fans are clearly unhappy and the team is short on numbers.

[melonhead]

what if they couldnt physically have tried any harder?

[Avon Royal]

what if they couldnt physically have tried any harder?

Then they should get other jobs.

[Maguire]

Not really sure what the problem is tbf. What is everyone getting upset about? We'll prolly get someone decent in on loan and you'll all shut up again.

Got a lot of highly-paid players in the squad these days, very strong on paper at least, manager and players just need to knuckle down and get the team playing.

Bridge, Drente, and Williams are all very solid acquisitions. Why is there so much bitching?

All decent acquisitions.
But we need another striker if we want to get anywhere near Top 6.
Can't see us getting a 15+ goal a season striker in the loan market.

Why do we need another "decent striker" if we want to be "anywhere near" the top 6?

How many players score more than 15 goals in a season anyway? Cardiff and Hull finished first and second last year and BHA fourth without any of their players scoring over 15 goals.

[melonhead]

even if the failure is to do with the money we have available to spend on fees and wages, or because players of a certain class would rather play elsewhere?
you'd still want to sack the hamstrung negotiator?

[Maguire]

Not really sure what the problem is tbf. What is everyone getting upset about? We'll prolly get someone decent in on loan and you'll all shut up again.

Got a lot of highly-paid players in the squad these days, very strong on paper at least, manager and players just need to knuckle down and get the team playing.

Bridge, Drente, and Williams are all very solid acquisitions. Why is there so much bitching?

How many games have you watched recently?

Which of the 4 out of 5 league games that we haven't lost this season are you most upset about?

[Magic Hat]

Maguire and and melonhead: flying the flag for reason.

[AirRaidSiren]

To be fair they wouldn't get bridge and Drenthe without some sort of ambition.

I don't know how they could start so well then all of a sudden lose two of our best players and do bugger all else.

It's all a little bit confused !

Let's wait to see what happens though.

I have to agree with your last two sentences. I am confused about this all. To be told by our owner that they want 7 players to come into the squad, then our manager saying we need to strengthen 3 key positions and come deadline, nothing. Yes, we may get Sissoko and a couple more freebies/loans, but surely if the ambition is there, you would want to go out and show you mean business? Ok, the club may have tried to get players in before deadline and failed, but come on, give the paying public an explantion. We as fans, could then see the club at least trying and we wouldn't be so bitterly disappointed/pissed off. Why wait until other situations evolve, what if they don't and we are left with broken promises? It's not all doom and gloom just yet, but please stop the talk.

We have had 2 fantastic signings in the summer and one good one, we know the squad needs strengthening, the manager says it, our owner says it, our fans say it, so what is the delay? It seems to me that there has been several months worth of scouting/interest in players and alot of talk about getting players in, then suddenly - silence. With exception of a club statement.

It is confusing. But show a little respect to the people who pay into the club, your fans.

[Avon Royal]

because players of a certain class would rather play elsewhere?

Cause and effect Brendy.

The reason they don't want to play here is precisely because we are so bloody tinpot in our approach to things.

[elrey]

Here's the biggest problem.

We got in Brendon Rodgers and we didn't sign enough players to allow us to get the points we needed playing the way he wanted us to play.
Then we got in another kick and rush manager and it worked with the kick and rush players we had.
Then we got in another manager who doesn't play kick in a rush, with a load of kick and rush players. He's bought in some non-kick 'n rush players, perhaps not as many as we'd like. He needs a season to get rid of the kick and rushers and put in place players he can use and make us into a team.

Problem is too many people don't remember division 3 or 4 and think we should be a premiership team. We're not, if we finish in the top half this season i'll be happy.

Look at Liverpool. Last season their fans were moaning, the stuck with Rodgers and now they're top, they might not stay there, but they are doing well.

We need time and patience, we need to realise we ain't that great at the moment, we need time. A season at least before we become anything.

[melonhead]

To be fair they wouldn't get bridge and Drenthe without some sort of ambition.

I don't know how they could start so well then all of a sudden lose two of our best players and do bugger all else.

It's all a little bit confused !

Let's wait to see what happens though.

I have to agree with your last two sentences. I am confused about this all. To be told by our owner that they want 7 players to come into the squad, then our manager saying we need to strengthen 3 key positions and come deadline, nothing. Yes, we may get Sissoko and a couple more freebies/loans, but surely if the ambition is there, you would want to go out and show you mean business? Ok, the club may have tried to get players in before deadline and failed, but come on, give the paying public an explantion. We as fans, could then see the club at least trying and we wouldn't be so bitterly disappointed/pissed off. Why wait until other situations evolve, what if they don't and we are left with broken promises? It's not all doom and gloom just yet, but please stop the talk.

We have had 2 fantastic signings in the summer and one good one, we know the squad needs strengthening, the manager says it, our owner says it, our fans say it, so what is the delay? It seems to me that there has been several months worth of scouting/interest in players and alot of talk about getting players in, then suddenly - silence. With exception of a club statement.

It is confusing. But show a little respect to the people who pay into the club, your fans.

theyve told the fans the truth though. they did want 7 players, they did want to win the league, adkins did want to get a striker, and they did try to get all those things.
its the fans fault of they cannot read and understand statements in english properly imo

[melonhead]

because players of a certain class would rather play elsewhere?

Cause and effect Brendy.

The reason they don't want to play here is precisely because we are so bloody tinpot in our approach to things.

yes.

its either that or there are always plenty of other clubs out there in bigger leagues who will pay more money to buy, and in wages than we can, and offer a chance of winning some sort of silverware.and if a player is good enough for us to want him, its likely that some of these other clubs will too.

[Avon Royal]

because players of a certain class would rather play elsewhere?

Cause and effect Brendy.

The reason they don't want to play here is precisely because we are so bloody tinpot in our approach to things.

yes.

its either that or there are always plenty of other clubs out there in bigger leagues who will pay more money to buy, and in wages than we can, and offer a chance of winning some sort of silverware.and if a player is good enough for us to want him, its likely that some of these other clubs will too.

So what you're saying is at given the choice players will go to those clubs prepared to invest to achieve success? Gee, I wonder what we should do then.............

[melonhead]

that surely depends purely on how much money your owner is willing to gamble and possibly lose though.
Other clubs can do it as they are bankrolled by mega billionaires who have, and are happy to throw that kind of money about. that doesnt mean that all clubs can, or even should.


as it stands we are always in the top level of payers in this league in terms of wages, and less so in fees.
resulting in a long record of success at this level.

[Ouroboros]

I'm enjoying the black comedy of a transfer window that begins with us buying a former Real Madrid player and ends with us being lambasted for lack of ambition because we failed to meet the demands of a former Liverpool, Juventus and PSG player.

[NewCorkSeth]

what if they couldnt physically have tried any harder?

Well I assume they could have tried harder as reports from our man at the Madejski yesterday said they didn't look stressed at all (I would expect if they were failing to meet deadlines and things they would at least be somewhat tense)

But if they could not have tried any harder then I would suggest not releasing a statement of intent at the start of the summer to get in 6 players, then not get in 6 players. Tell us the positions they want to strengthen, not strengthen those positions. Praise how we have not had to sell any first team players, then sell 2 first team players. And finally, patronize the fans by saying "Hey, we could still get someone on a free guys!" They have built up the fans expectations to the point were we expect them to accomplish what they have told us they are trying to do (Anything further, like why haven't we spent 10 million on Rhodes, is the fault of the fan being deluded and therefore they cannot blame the club (but they'll try)) and if they don't then they failed and should acknowledged that!

Things a club says they are hoping to do during the summer is the minimum fans should expect done during the summer. If they don't accomplish goals they are comfortable enough to tell the press then they should be comfortable enough to hold there hands up and say "This didn't go as well as planned, not completely our fault, we're sorry". If they don't think they are going to accomplish the goals, then don't tell the f**king fans those goals! Imagine if Wenger told everyone at the start of the summer he wanted 6 players and the he only signed two on a free and Ozil. The fans would be nowhere near as happy as they would still be saying where are those other players you promised??

My problem is with talking to the fans and telling us what we want to hear all summer and then not living up to the hype. I am delighted with the signings we made but not with the ones we didn't/transfers out. I will try my best to be patient as its a new regime but they built up expectations, not me.

[Cypry]

I do wonder if we've actually been a little over-ambitious and that's what's led us to this situation....tried for players who's ambitions were above Championship football....

Look at the players we've been linked with and failed to sign, and many of them have ended up with PL sides - as a player, would you go to Reading, or to a PL team given the choice?

We were clever early in the Window, did some business quietly (Bridge, Drenthe and Williams) - late on it seemed everyone knew who we were chasing, and we've had players poached from under our noses.

As far as Kebe and Mariappa going, the writing's been on the wall since the beginning of the season for both (longer in fact for Kebe) - anyone who didn't recognise that was either pretty stupid, or just kidding themselves. They both wanted PL football, and they weren't going to get that here...

I'm a tad disappointed we didn't see at least a striker in the Window, but with the loan Window open a week before the Brighton game, and NA seemingly dropping hints that we're already looking at that, I fully expect to see critical areas addressed from the (not inconsiderable) pool of PL contracted players who fail to make the 25 man squads for their sides. I still think that Pog was a key cog in the wheel, and our failure to find a buyer for him has left us somewhat hamstrung as far as bringing in another striker...having said that, on his recent performances, selling the Pog was never going to be a formality was it?

All-in-all, I think the clubs been unlucky, and it's a bit disappointing, but certainly not wrist slitting time......

[Dixeyroyal]

I'm enjoying the black comedy of a transfer window that begins with us buying a former Real Madrid player and ends with us being lambasted for lack of ambition because we failed to meet the demands of a former Liverpool, Juventus and PSG player.

Do you actually get paid by the club to defend their transfer policies and uphold the utopian RFC world of spending oxf*rd all and expecting the fans to swallow it year after year?

[Magic Hat]

I do wonder if we've actually been a little over-ambitious and that's what's led us to this situation....tried for players who's ambitions were above Championship football....

Look at the players we've been linked with and failed to sign, and many of them have ended up with PL sides - as a player, would you go to Reading, or to a PL team given the choice?

We were clever early in the Window, did some business quietly (Bridge, Drenthe and Williams) - late on it seemed everyone knew who we were chasing, and we've had players poached from under our noses.

As far as Kebe and Mariappa going, the writing's been on the wall since the beginning of the season for both (longer in fact for Kebe) - anyone who didn't recognise that was either pretty stupid, or just kidding themselves. They both wanted PL football, and they weren't going to get that here...

I'm a tad disappointed we didn't see at least a striker in the Window, but with the loan Window open a week before the Brighton game, and NA seemingly dropping hints that we're already looking at that, I fully expect to see critical areas addressed from the (not inconsiderable) pool of PL contracted players who fail to make the 25 man squads for their sides. I still think that Pog was a key cog in the wheel, and our failure to find a buyer for him has left us somewhat hamstrung as far as bringing in another striker...having said that, on his recent performances, selling the Pog was never going to be a formality was it?

All-in-all, I think the clubs been unlucky, and it's a bit disappointing, but certainly not wrist slitting time......

I think this is probably about right. Everyone saying what was Plan B, would probably be complaining if we had signed Premier League has beens, Championship journeymen or League One up and comers, because there aren't ambitious enough.

[Einstein agogo]

who wants to play for NA ? , he is a cnunt