nzlatic

There is a path from youth team to first team to a move higher up for those who have the ability and attitude to make that jump. All recent managers have shown willingness to play youth graduates. The problem lies with those who aren't quite ready for that jump because there is no proper in between stage at the club for them. But in fairness these all get an opportunity to go out on loan a few tiers lower where the competitiveness will be decent, but the pressure and scrutiny is not so intense. The point I'm making is that, despite our failings as a club, how often do young players who 'fail' with us then go on to prove us wrong and establish successful league careers elsewhere? Or is the damage that our culture does to them so bad that their careers are irretrievable?

How do "we" destroy talent? There's an argument for us not making the best of talent, but I can't see that we destroy it. That's just absolving the players of any personal responsibility for their own careers. Lets take a few recent examples: Matt Smith - took him on from non league, was very dodgy, many wanted rid but he suddenly came good and is now a regular starter in the Championship. James Tarkowski - came through the system, gave him his chance which he took. Despite a few dodgy games where mistakes cost us. Eventually sold to a team getting promoted and now reportedly going for £4 million Kieran Lee - signed as a 20 year old, played him out of position persistantly but he got on with it, made the position his own and got his move to the Championship. Now a first choice in his preferred position. David Mellor - a clear talent but was inconsistent. Excused by a lot of fans as being played in the wrong position, not given a run etc. Offered out on loan but no interest from league teams. Now with Barrow I believe? Carl Winchester - massive ability but fails to show it consistently. Fitness questioned by some. Some players have a winning attitude that makes them succeed despite adversity, some don't. We're a selling club, clearly. If we destroyed talent, then those players agents would have them out of there as fast as their questionable fitness could take them. We may not make the most of players ability sometimes but the door is always open if someone else is willing to pay them a wage.

I'm sure there are no barriers at all to him leaving the club. Other than maybe a nominal fee and a 20% sell on clause. If anyone wanted him, he could go.

That dubious HITC website has us linked to bidding for Kristian Dennis this window, along with Chesterfield and Hartlepool.

Watching those 2nd half highlights, and having seen us a few times this season, we are capable of good attacking football. Especially now Forte is back. Keep that team, Higdon in for Cassidy add a proper CB and we're well capable of staying up. Even with Dunn in charge.

Uncannily similar to my own circumstances! Except I'm the only one of the family carrying the torch forward. And nowadays that's from afar (although at least in the same country now). My first is due in a few weeks and I'll take her to a game when she's ready so will give her every chance to continue the family curse of being an Oldham fan. But i completely agree with your sentiments about the current state of the club, and what's been written by pcassist and others. I've never been obsessed about getting back to the premier league, actually it wouldn't bother me if it never happens. I love supporting a little club but where's that identity and connection gone? It just feels totally non existent at the moment. Simple things like messages from the chairman might help. Or even something other than 80% shop sale retweets from social media. The fans feel like the least important part of the whole club at the moment and I'm desperate for that to change. I want to be coming on here discussing initiatives by the club, not arguing about what the manager implies in an interview. Whether a player has the ability not whether he can be bothered. Interesting potential targets, not divisive jailbirds. It's all so depressing at the moment and league position is actually only a small part of that for me.

Edit - mysterious double post

Latics 1-2 Millwall (HT 0-2) Murphy 3459

So no blame on the players then in your eyes? 100% Dunn?

I think in theory you can find the positive out of relegation. Fresh start, clean slate, try and galvanise everyone for a promotion push. Promotion from league 2 should be much easier than from league 1. But we just don't have the board for it. Fundamentally we are very badly run apart from the odd individual. Relegation would be a disaster unless new owners with a plan were already in place.

It'd also be massively unfair on Cornell.

This is my worry. The tactic might save a few quid in the short term but the lack of action could cost us much more if relegated.

Amazing.

With the bit I've put in bold, just checked and the 2 wins you're talking about I think are Chesterfield and Mansfield where our goals in both games came after Higdon was subbed for Rasulo. Of the 4 goals between them you talk about only Higdon's first against Southend came when they were both on the pitch together. When you actually look at the teams Dunn has selected, generally speaking when they play well he sticks with the same team. Or when he makes subs and they finish the game well, then he starts the next game with the team that finishes the previous game. He doesn't actually often make a random change just for the sake of it. There have also been too many players ineligble because of loan conditions or being cup-tied. That's what's so incredibly frustrating about our squad. They play well one game, or finish it strongly, then are utter dog:censored: at the start of the next. So the subsequent changes are justified. Then when you look at the signings - take Dummigan... is Dunn saying let's only sign him one month at a time? Or is he saying he wants him for the season and the board are mucking about? I get, and agree with, your point about us playing too many players. But I disagree with the idea that the amount of players we're using is because Dunn refuses to pick a settled side.

Another bull:censored: stick Dunn gets beat with. It was broken up because Higdon was ineligible against Sheff Utd. The next game away at Swindon, he could have put them back together but he chose to play Winchester in behind Higdon instead. Strange at the time but actually worked brilliantly and he got his first win. So he kept the same team against Rochdale. Not so good. Higdon then wasn't available vs Burton. Then he played Higdon, Poleon and Fuller against Mansfield and played Poleon and Higdon together at Chesterfield - where we only played well once Higdon went off. But yeah, other than that, you're bang on the money about Dunn :censored:ing up that partnership.

Is Shrewsbury in the north west?

Will he get it though? I'm not so sure. Signs suggest that a lot hinges on Saturday - only 1 new player brought in on a very short term deal. No Wellens (yet). Trusted general Philliskirk sold. And Dunn's inferences on his interview that he's well aware he needs to get results very quickly. If that is the case then just another example of the lack of clear drive and decision from the board. What is going to change? If we draw or lose to a :censored: goal then how will that be any different? Even if we win how is it going to be different other than if we absolutely smash them. They've seemingly sold one of his key players and brought in a left back on a 3 week deal then said "right, there you are, you've got 1 game to save your job." We pissed around last February and threw away a great chance to capitalise on our league position at the time and we're pissing around now. This time the consequences are far more serious though.

It fits the 'Dunn is a terrible man-manager' narrative, therefore has been taken to be his mission statement.

Saying that he's not displeased in general doesn't mean there's not things he wouldn't change. Which is what is implied when people say that he's happy with performances. If my missus makes me a cup of tea round the in laws and I say to her mum, "well I'm not displeased with it". Doesn't mean when we're alone I wouldn't say to her I'd have preferred it if she'd put a bit less milk in. Edit: I was displeased with my analogy so have tweaked it slightly to get it closer to what I'm getting at. Still plenty for me to work on at the training ground though.

I think we're over analysing his words here. Decent performances "at times" means we have decent spells in games. Is that not true? I don't get to many games but of the ones I have seen, Swindon away, Barnsely home, Doncaster home were all games you could say we played well at times. Add to that Coventry, Wigan, Sheff Utd at home, Gillingham, Chesterfield, Burton - all games, from media reports and comments on here, where you could say we played decently "at times". And on the opposition - if he says "We can do these, they're :censored:e". Then he'd be crucified for writing their team talk. Now that is just media platitudes. Who really cares what he says about the opposition to Gordon? I'm fairly sure that's not what he says to the players. What I would say about him is that sometimes it feels like the team selected/tactics are done too much with the opposition in mind rather than our strengths.

No he doesn't. "I'm certainly not displeased with the performances. I'm not massively displeased with that at all. Do I think we could have put our foot on the gas a bit more against Colchester? I think we probably could have and gone for it a little bit more. But I think that's what happens when players are a little bit low on confidence." Very different to what's implied by saying "he's been happy with performances". Other things he says: "We need to turn these decent performances, at times, in to wins. That's the be all and end all, I need to win football matches." Note the "at times". Also alludes to the fact that if he doesn't start winning then he's out. Besides, apparently he's :censored:e because he says we make too many individual erros and that some players aren't putting as much effort in as the rest. That is killing everyone's confidence apparently. Now we expect him to say all performances have been :censored:e too? Dunn is honest in interviews. Some times that's backfired with comments about the fans etc. But I'd rather honesty any day over meaningless media platitudes.

He's not said what you're implying. In fact in the linked article you've quoted he said this: "It’s no wonder why fans come on a Saturday and look miserable as I’d be miserable too." There's enough factual stuff to be critical of - team selections, tactics etc. But this constant misrepresenting of what he says is getting tedious. Even the MEN are doing it with their "Dunn reckons even Mourinho and Ferguson couldn't sort Latics out" misleading bull:censored:.

Agreed.

Searching for the pun! Maybe he just needs the green light on deals already set up? I really don't know!

Has he said "give me till next week"? He said that he was due a meeting with Corney this afternoon to discuss targets.