Valley Parade - The Final Whistle

[Inspiral_Carpet]

Forgive the new post when I could have put this in the Bradford thread but I am really surprised that the 5-10 minute period after the final whistle yesterday hasn’t been mentioned (unless I’ve missed it) on here.  Apparently it has been a hot topic (piss boil) on Twitter according to my lads but that place is way too toxic for me these days.

 

The support from Latics fans in the first half was brilliant.  Loads of singing, some good natured piss taking of certain Spanish players and constant ribbing of the non-existent home support.  It changed in the second half unsurprisingly and at 3-0 down, I remember thinking that I hoped the players wouldn’t come over to us at the end although if they hadn’t, we would never have heard the end of it I’m sure!

 

For those who weren’t there, the majority of fans booed at the final whistle.  For the first time in nearly 50 years, I was one of them. At Carlisle last season, I left just before the final whistle though to be fair.

 

Despite this, every player came over with boos and cat-calls ringing in their ears.  The crowd was toxic but none of them turned back.  There was no applause at all but lots of hand gesturing and particularly vitriolic comments (mainly warranted).  Got to be honest, if that had been me, I’d have thought “fuck you” and headed for the showers.  But they came. Right to the pitch edge.  Some even came to talk to fans although I think something happened with Azankpo leading to the Stewards getting involved and pulling him away from the crowd.  It looked like some were trying to abduct him!

 

The looks on the players faces and that fact that they had the balls to show a bit of defiance spoke volumes.  The “People Leader” in me thought good.  Hopefully you now truly understand what this Club means to those who travel across the Country to watch the team week in and week out. Maybe next time you will collectively make less mistakes, play better and at least score a fucking goal.

 

Despite the gin (or maybe because of it), my sleep was disturbed last night mainly because I’m a father and some of those young men are the same age as my sons.  The look on the faces of Wilson, Azankpo, Fage and a few others was one that I won’t forget.  Enraged fans were snarling at them, calling them wankers and telling them that they’re not fit to wear the shirt.  In some cases I agree, but some of those players did well yesterday (particularly Fage) and some of those getting abuse were non-playing substitutes like Jamie Stott.  I say that because the whole lot of them were getting dog’s abuse.  Nobody was off limits.

 

This post is already two long but a couple of thoughts before I finish.

 

Whatever we think about the shit show that our Club has become, consider how the players must feel about being led by a puppet manager, with influences from the owner plus his brother and the very likely sanction of being ‘banished to the Youth Team” (or worse) should they express an opinion.

 

Finally, while I applaud the players for showing some defiance yesterday and coming over, a true leader would have said, “right lads, go halfway, clap and then head to the showers”.  Clarke or Wheater or any true leader in the team would have made sure that happened.  Or a real manager if we had one.  To his credit, Maouche did apparently try to engage with the baying mob at the front by gesturing for them to “cam down”.  Of course this had the opposite affect as it’s the equivalent of the “you ok hun?” posts on here.

 

Anyway, I don’t expect everyone to agree with my opinion but would be interested to hear what others thought after yesterday seeing how the reaction after the game has barely been mentioned.

[markgaston]

Excellent post, thank you. We left just before the whistle so missed that. I agree and worry that we may further alienate these young impressionable players and simply make the situation worse.

[Fervid]

Best post I have seen on here in years 

[Oldham82]

Great post and good read. We are lucky to have a great following our fans deserve 100 percent effort and some change in fortune.  Fingers crossed.  Touch wood Oldham athletic have a change for the better

[Magic Mikey]

In any team, whatever situation the club is in, if a player isn't putting effort in he deserves stick. In our current situation there is only one direction that vitreol needs sending in. Abbott & Costello and their shills. 

[fleetwood Blue]

Its rotten now from top to bottom, not an ounce of quality and a team which will be shot of any confidence, because of AL they are lambs to the slaughter as they are only playing to their potential..

We are currently a team without any structure, balance and no leader..

Fans fighting amongst themselves at the end and apparently somebody knocked out infront of his young son is well out of order, the anger should be towards AL and his brother..We was here well before them and we will be here long after they fuck off, its now a time we all need to stick together..

 

Edited August 18, 2019 by fleetwood Blue

[Gemma06]

I didn't go yesterday, first time I've missed a local away game in 20+ years but I just couldn't be bothered, first time I've felt like that about a latics game. I've never really agreed with booing players after they've lost a game I don't see that it achieves anything - I get others disagree with that and that's fine each to their own, but this season especially is it going to get us anywhere? I really don't think the shit performances are due to the players not trying, they're just mostly crap it's not their fault our club has chosen to sign them and try to get them to player at a level above their ability. It's going to be a very long, frustrating season unless we manage to pull off a couple of decent signings in the next couple of weeks. Sadly it will be taken out on this set of players, but it's not them who's got us into this position it's a culmination of the last few years and the anger and frustration of fans is starting to boil over 

[laticsmarra]

I left before the end, but felt sorry for the players throughout the game. Many of them are not up to the standard of this league or perhaps the National League,we will only find that out next season. Footballers in general are traded around like cattle, it's a good life for some,but many at the lower levels struggle. These lads are trying to make a living and have been caught up in a shambles of a get rich quick dictatorship going badly wrong.On a personal level we need to cut them a bit of slack and vent our displeasure at the Directors.

[Careca9]

Wasn’t there but this is what happens when things don’t go well. Have no issue people shouting when people aren’t working hard enough or playing well below what they can but I think this could be this bunch’s best efforts. Fans abusing them will only contribute to us falling apart. The anger and frustration needs to be aimed at AL and his brother for putting this lot together 

[True Tic]

Unfortunately yesterday's venom was the result of years of frustration, suffering, underachieving, bad management, bad leadership, rumours, true or not, false dawns, nasty surprises, awful players. Years of it. 

Lemsagan, his brother, corney, the other two shadows, the FLG. Just what the f*** is going on??!!!

And still the fans turn up in their numbers (abeit dwindling). 

Forgive them for their vitriol, the players don't understand the years of utter frustration, they probably don't care all that much because why should they? They will move on, while us fans endure yet another bunch of generally sub standard players pass through. 

[Markspark92]

No feel sorry for some of them players most of them haven’t got the ability to compete at this level, some of them did try yesterday, but it’s not there fault they have been put in this position by the owner  who’s signing them. On top of that you’ve got a forgien coach who hasent a clue how to coach them or has a system to get results in this league and a captain in Moauche who dosent say word and just sulks when things don’t go his way, Anger should be aimed at Abdullah and the board, really hoping this FLG can come through and we can get some unity back in the club because at the minute there is no hope with this current ownership it’s a slow sinking ship. 

[SweeperKeeper]

Thanks for a bit of perspective on the situation

[deyres42]

Tough shit. it is only going to get worse so they better be prepared for it.

[nzlatic]

It's tough on players that do put the effort in, I feel sorry for some of them I really do.  But the fans are always going to vent at someone/something in this situation, rightly or wrongly.  And the owners and directors don't seem to be facing up to the fans at all so the players are taking the brunt.  Banide seems to be have been given a bit of leeway too by the fans so far which is good given the circumstances but that won't last.  He'll be next for dogs abuse on the touchline, probably at the next game.

 

I'm not surprised by performances on the pitch - I can understand the players not having a clue what they're meant to be doing.  Who do they listen to? Who's in charge of the footballing side and has the final say? Banide?  Mo? Abdallah?  Bet they haven't got a clue.  How is any team supposed to perform in circumstances like that?  Is Mo having quiet words with some of them behind the coach's back? Are Abdallah/Mo hinting to Banide who should be in the team? Who's telling Woods to go up for a corner - Banide or Barry?

 

Massive alarm bells the moment the story broke last season about Clarke being grassed up to AL and then AL wanting him dropped.  Once that sort of stuff is happening the club is, and has been, only going in one direction.  And this poisonous atmosphere will only get worse sadly.

[Chris15Arm]

I walked out at the final whistle. I think the fans behaviour was disgusting at the end and didn't want to be part of it. Especially when nepomuceno came over hands aloft apologising and a certain group of fans started threatening him. He's given his all for the club for a couple years now. You can boo and refuse to clap but to physically threaten or grab players when they've been big enough to come over is not something I want to associate this club with. There were children getting escorted outside by liaison officers crying coz they were scared. Yesterday was bad second half. First half was good. We dominated and hit the post and put balls in the box. Two defensive errors an we were two down. Second half was bad. Nothing there. But two things I'd like to point out. 1 I think we have improved with each game so it might just click one day. And 2 I have been to umpteen games in the past few years that have been 100 times worse than the performance yesterday. So how people were angry enough to be threatening I don't no. 

[SweeperKeeper]

5 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Tough shit. it is only going to get worse so they better be prepared for it.

Great way to recruit new talent. 

 

Word gets round about what the atmosphere at clubs is like. Decent players with choices will look elsewhere. 

[deyres42]

3 minutes ago, SweeperKeeper said:

Great way to recruit new talent. 

 

Word gets round about what the atmosphere at clubs is like. Decent players with choices will look elsewhere. 

No decent player will be choosing us at the current time.

[GlossopLatic]

I think the piffy answer to this is that the players and indeed the manager and coach are merely a symptom of the problem. The real problem lies in the boardroom with Lemsagam and his cronies. Any vitriol should be directed squarely at them.

[Lukers1]

Desire was in absolute bits and in tears.

[yarddog73]

Anyone who clapped them off yesterday needs their hard drive seizing, Ma-douche coming over and telling fans to calm down - really, he epitomizes all that is wrong with the club at the moment, fraud of a player never mind captain.

Edited August 18, 2019 by yarddog73

[Bobledgersheart]

ceasing = seizing ?

[wiseowl]

22 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

Who do they listen to? Who's in charge of the footballing side and has the final say? Banide?  Mo? Abdallah?   Is Mo having quiet words with some of them behind the coach's back? Are Abdallah/Mo hinting to Banide who should be in the team? Who's telling Woods to go up for a corner - Banide or Barry?

 

I have been told on good authority that Mo picks the team but does not want to take any criticism thereafter if things don't work out. The "coach" is expected to carry that can.

 

Nothing wrong with that model is there?!

[Ryan]

I genuinely feel for the players, it needs to be made clear that we don’t blame them.

 

The vitriol should be aimed at the owners running us into the ground, 

Edited August 18, 2019 by Ryan

[Frankies6]

Left with about 5 mins to go yesterday,  it would have been been sooner but i dont like leaving just in case i missed something ie a fight back .. First half ok, but still littered with mistakes, misplsced passes,poor ball control , defences errors, no communication   wrong tatics against 2 big centre backs..We are basically playing  Square pegs in round hole and im sorry but this comes down to the coaching

Continuing to lump a ball up to our two midget forwards was a joke.. Bradford dropped of us, let us play our fancy stufv when we could bring the ball under control, then took the ball of us and broke away... so predictable.. massive problems in the Club and one player coming in wheater isnt going to solve our problems..Sorry they didnt deserve clapping off  but im not overly keen on booing them , as many really are probably shocked to be playing at this level as they arent good enough.. 

[wiseowl]

Just now, Ryan said:

I genuinely feel for the players, it needs to be made clear that we don’t blame them.

 

The vitriol needs to be aimed at the owners running us into the ground, 

Now, this is going to be a little controversial but..... I think we as fans are a little cowardly at the moment.

 

Of course our annoyance/frustration/anger should be vented at the regime but it's as though we are afraid to do so. I do wonder whether that old chestnut of "race" is playing its part i.e. some are afraid to show their displeasure because, very quickly thereafter, someone will play the race card, the police will get heavy handed and arrests will end up being made.

 

You can spot the apologists on here, for example, a mile off. Our position has absolutely nothing to do with the racial profile of our owner and, provided protests are orchestrated properly, there should not be an issue. I am just awaiting for it to rear its head though.

 

"They only want AL out because........"