joe_lead

I've attended anti-war protests... does that mean I'm not welcome here?

Yes you're wlecome and feel free to exercise your democratic right to attend anti-war protests. In this instance the protests were aimed at the lads putting their lives on the line. If people have a gripe then aim it at the Government who send these boys to war, not the lads that protect your freedom thus enabling you to protest.

Gotta be a caption competition:

"Here you go Windy, I'll fetch the one for your other arse cheek tomorrow"

Also heard he's gone from my source, however my confidence in his reliabilty has diminished somewhat following this afternoons 'Dead Cert' at Cheltenham !!

Tremendous read.

Cheers Marra

Twer my fault I tell yer, I used a fork to eat my pie for the first time. Proper gay I must have looked as there were loads of empty seats around me. And I could have swore Hazell was eyeing me up just after KO

Following much soul searching I'm going to hold my hands up and say I got it wrong in calling for Shez to go, and am now a convert to giving him more time whether or not we go up. He's inexperienced so will make mistakes but he will learn because he's shown he can. Previous seasons he's left sorting contracts out untill too late in the Summer thereby leaving too little time to find replacements, he's left arranging pre-season friendlies too late all resulting in poor starts to season. This season we hit the ground running because he saw where he went wrong. He knows what he wants and we've seen glimses of what that is this year, and we can all see what he is trying to achieve and to be honest I would welcome his vision.

Man management skills don't come naturally to the average person the likes of Martin O'Neill are rare. It is going to take time. For the past few years we have had a squad of players capable of getting out of this league but getting a group of egocentrics to deliver is a challenge that I wouldn't envy and the Latics have had a few very experienced managers try and fail over the last decade. Changing manager now will most likely result in another repeat of recent cycle of hope and despiration. Let's not forget we wanted Ronnie to go and put Shez in. So I am willing to put up with his mistakes and allow him to continue to learn and the Latics move forward.

However I'm sick to death of this league to the point that I wished we'd gone down and at least had the buzz of a promotion. We need to focus on where it seems to be going wrong. I'm no expert but for my tuppeny worth:

1. Fast track Shez's man management skills by giving him access to some sort of mentor. It takes years to learn but we haven't got that time

2. Get rid of an over reliance on Loanees. More often than not it doesn't work, they don't have any allegiance to the club and neither me to them. We bring them in every January and come March it's gone paps up.

3. Get the players to take ownership and responsibility for standards by letting them agree what standards are acceptable and unacceptable both on and off the pitch. They may have a great dressing room rapport but that doesn't deliver results. There is currently a lack of proffessionalism, Dowie was excellent at this.

4. Shez has got to grow balls and make the difficult decisions when the standards aren't met. he's got to create the environment where efforts will be rewarded and vice verca. I used to be in the situation where nobody was doing what I was telling them, it took me a while to realise that the problem was me and I wasn't communicating effectively.

5. Get a couple of grafters in midfield. Creative midfielders are rare in this division. Simply get the ball off the opposition and bridge the acreage between our current midfield and the forwards.

6. Ooooppps the wife wants me to stop ignoring her --------------

Sure as I've got a hole in mine, I'll bet not one of the starting 11 will be kicking their own arse after this weeks performances. With respect to the 5 Year Plan there has been movement in the right direction on the financial front but it remains constipated on the pitch. My remedy is to drink more water and less alcohol. Come on Shez :censored: or get off the pot.

I'll gladly make a donation to replacement - post up the details

A true legend, his greatness will live on.

The wage bill has been reduced whilst retaining the two assets most capable of winning matches. Given the financial circumstances this was as much as we could realisticly ask for. Should he stay fit Mr Jones loan is a good move. Like others I am concerned about the lightweight and inexperienced midfield who are responsible for our recent ineffectiveness. Hopefully Shez has this covered, please not Killer there are not enough games left to get 3 good games out of him.

Don't think we have the strength in depth to make it to the Championship this year, but it won't stop me believing.

for me 442 would be:

 

Fleming

Eardley(Lomax needs a break, ill admit that) Hazell Gregan Golbourne

Smalley Allott Lee Taylor

Hughes Windass

 

if 352 then:

 

Fleming

Hazell Gregan Stam

Smalley Allott Whitaker Taylor

Lee

Windass Hughes

 

BUT PROBABLE TUESDAY LINEUP:

 

Fleming

Eardley Hazell Gregan Golbourne

Smalley Allott KILKENNY Taylor

Hughes Windass

 

If Whitaker and Windass both start on Tuesday then let me know before and I'll arrive at half time.

Someone else who clearly missed the second half....

If they are only prepared to put effort in for 45mins then let the paying public know before hand then we can turn up at 1600hrs.

If Shez truely believes they tried their best today, it may be time to reconsider where I spend my money next week. I love Oldham Athletic but I am not prepared to accept that that is the best that those players could perform. If Shez expects no better then I'm afraid he has to go. He lost my respect when he claimed the players were not listening to him - If you cannot get your players to listen to you then you are not a manager.

Can understand if not agree with people venting their frustration. The booing wasn't just for todays performance, but for a string of inept displays.

Frustration and handbags, nothing to get worked up about - I was more miffed at the fact that we still had the ball on the edge of the area and two kids were arguing between each other completely oblivious to one of only three attacking positions we actually got into last night.

Ramblin' Jack Elliot - What is the soul of a man - great when you're pished

Its all very well saying drop the prices but would the extra people coming make up for the loss of revenue coming in i.e. if we charge £20 and only get 5000 in is dropping the price to a tenner going to bring in 10000.

 

TTA have to charge the price thats going to bring in the maximum amount of revenue if that means charging extra and a few hundred not going then thats what they will charge Its all about how much money they will make. More revenue= better players = better football= a more attractive product= better attendences = more revenue and the cycle continues. If dropping the price by a fiver meant we get another 4000 coming every week garuanteed I'd be all for it however I don't think it would.

You argue for continuing with the same model. My point is that we have a more attractive product, the attendances aren't getting better, we are still way off profit making, we are in the early stages of a recession - calls for radical rethink if you ask me. I'm no expert but we've been trying such evolution for some time now, if TTA can keep putting their hands in their pockets fine, if not it's time for revolutionary thinking. My young lads want to go and watch Sale Sharks FFS - Guess which club shirt they want for Christmas.

Oldham core support is in decline. We are producing better entertanment on the park than in previous years yet crowds are not increasing to what they would have previously. Many regulars simply no longer attend because it is too expensive. £20+ for Div 1 football never was value for for money and certainly isn't now. There is a market for regular attendance but at a substantially lower price. Lower the price and get them back, let the kids in for next to nothing (future investment) else watch the Club die over the next few years. Bradford have the right idea, believe me everyone will follow. There is no alternative, if we went up to the Championship we would quickly go under in this economic environment.

Chuffin 'ell there's nowt like a beer festival

eh....having a go at anarchists now!!!!!!

My apologies to Johnny and all anarchists _ They're not really anarchists more left wing anti-fascists.

Truth be known I'm off to the St Pauli/Celtic Party in Germany on 7th Feb - Tiocfaidh ar la! and all that (well if noone was offended before they will be now). Normally some good bands on for anyone in the area.

This is all it was about and I'd thought people would get more upset me supporting St Pauli!!!

 

FFS guys get a grip _ Was anyone really offended here? If so have a debate and either conclude it requires removing or close your eyes and count to ten - It's a far worse situation to allow others to determine what is acceptable for you to see. Many have given their lives for such a right.

BTW I disagree with the widely held views of St Pauli supporters but I'm not offended by the sight of their banner.

Still it's better than Strictly ..............

Signature: IMO St Pauli supporters are German Irish Republican Anarchists

Help required to settle argument.

When did the Keep The Faith motto come in and why?

The eldests bail money's riding on this.

Great! a philosophical debate about freedom of speech. This thread has clearly demonstrated that personal abuse is incompatible with the agenda of promoting rational discourse and therefore stifles debate. Administrators can (and quite probably should) ban trolls from the debating forum as they are inhibitors of true free speech. So speech can and must have limits. Lets have more discussion on where those limits are, and what prevents those limits from sliding down the slope to censorship.

BTW I totally agree with the other thread that the RRE has its fair share of MORONS. Christ, there are far too few carers in there.

Dead Kennedys - Too drunk to f~~k

I got in there a few years ago in jeans and a German army jacket--my transgression of the dress code was so complete that the clowns on the door just didn't see me at all.

 

This afternoon I'll be transcribing an exciting and important debate on a report by the HoC Work and Pensions Committee. Anyone who can say what's wrong with the following sentence can get a job doing the same thing. Enjoy.

 

The data shows that last week, the Fairies massacred over 1,000 Pixies.

Whatever the crime of the Pixies surely the sentence is unjust. It is also factually incorrect as Fairies are mythical creatures and therefore incapable of such an attrocity and at the end of May there were known to be only 575 Pixies in existance.

Just handed in my notice in from a office job in manchester which has bored me to tears, mainly because there is no responsibility or enough to do does anyone actually do or reccomend any exciting jobs out there? Otherwise it looks like ill be heading to another office for more of the same on slightly more money!

I've got a temporary job at Ascot in the Royal Enclosure checking if all the females are wearing knickers. Backbreaking work but still, mustn't grumble.